Tag: Horror

Posted in Book Reviews, Short Story Collections

REVIEW: X-Files: Trust No One (X-Files Anthology #1) Edited by Jonathan Maberry

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*Spoilers Ahead*

We all want to believe. The truth is still out there. The X-Files have been reopened. IDW Publishing and series creator Chris Carter have authorized new investigations into the weird, the strange, and the mysterious. New York Times Bestseller and multiple Bram Stoker Award-winner Jonathan Maberry brings together some of today’s top storytellers for a series of anthologies featuring all-new case files from the X-Files. Scully and Mulder continue their journey into darkness as they face aliens, monsters, shadow governments, and twisted conspiracies.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted a review and since I revisited the X-Files extended universe. However, I was reorganizing my bookshelf and since I have a few X-Files books of my own, I thought I’d revisit the anthology collections. I think a show like X-Files is best in that short-form content, however like anything else not all of these stories I thought were that good. None of them were ‘bad’, I just found them kind of middle of the road ‘meh’. So enough preferences, let’s open the old case files and talk about X-Files: Trust No One!

“Catatonia” by Tim Lebbon – 5/5⭐ Starting this collection off with a bang! This story delves into the mystery of a group of teenagers who have gone comatose until “angel music” blasts through the town and the teens rise to feast on others blood. References to the Nephilim, and I liked that. Story had a fair ending.

“The Beast of Little Hill” by Peter Clines – 4.5/5⭐ Heartwarming story. Seemingly two different alien species get frozen in the same small town. It’s good to know that the act of domesticating animals may not strictly be a human hobby.

“Oversight” by Aaron Rosenberg – 4/5⭐ This story involves Supervisor Skinner and I liked getting to see some stories with his perspectives. He seems to take some of what Scully and Mulder do seriously. Story had a solid ending.

“Dusk” by Paul Crilley – 3.5/5⭐ Here we get to see the X-Files duo poke fun at the whole Twilight craze amongst teens. I did like the symbolism mentioned, but it started feeling like a giant ‘back in my day’ rant. Justified ending.

“Loving the Alien” by Stefan Petrucha – 3.5/5⭐ This story is being told from Scully’s point of view. Most of her inner dialogue is her worrying about not being able to find Mulder who went on a solo alien hunt. I mean it’s nice that we get the fan service that she does care about him, but I believe we get more than enough of that through the context of the show.

“Non Gratum Anus Rodentum” by Brian Keene – 5/5⭐ Another story led by Director Skinner. I liked that we got to see what we went through during the Vietnam war, it made me crave a monster story that takes place during a foreign country during wartime.

“Back in El Paso My Life Would be Worthless” by Keith R.A. DeCandido – 4/5⭐ This was an interesting look into how the other agents view Scully and Mulder. I don’t think they deserve to be disrespected outright, but maybe that’s because I’m biased. The other agent got his just desserts in the end, and I think it was well deserved.

“Paranormal Quest” by Ray Garton – 4/5⭐ I loved seeing the X-Files duo getting to poke fun at the ‘paranormal reality TV’ genre. The bad guy was an interesting take, just someone who has powers that they are eventually unable to control. No menace or harm intended.

“King of the Watery Deep” by Tim Deal – 3/5⭐ I originally had this rated a 3.5/5, but I decided to lower it. I did like how we got some Arabic/Muslim/Cultish lore. Always fascinating to me about how similar legends can be. Ending was kind of meh to me.

“Sewers” by Gini Koch – 5/5⭐ We have an X-Files take on Killer Croc from the DC Comics Universe! I liked how the author was able to explain how the same creature kept popping up every so often without making it too complicated. In my opinion, the best X-Files stories are the ones where the monster/alien/government creep just melds into the background.

“Clair de Lune” by W.D. Gagliani and David Benton – 3/5⭐ This was a lukewarm werewolf story that takes place in the backwoods of Canada. Nothing much to add here.

“It’s All in the Eyes” by Heather Graham – 3/5⭐ I don’t know why I feel lukewarm towards this story too. It has all the trappings for a fantastic X-Files story. Maybe this needed to be in a longer form story or something. It just felt like after the initial hook the story just started going through the motions.

“The House on Hickory Hill” by Max Allan Collins – 3.5/5⭐ Curse my notetaking abilities or lack thereof. I had to think awhile to remember what this story was about. All I have in my notes is that this was a good story, but the ending felt rushed. Good old fashioned haunted house story though.

“Time and Tide” by Gayle Lynds and John C. Sheldon – 4.5/5⭐ This story reminded me of old school creepypastas. Creepypastas are basically myths and legends written by those on the Internet. It has been fascinating to watch a new way we tell each other stories/myths/legends evolve and develop. For this story however, you just got to enjoy the ride. Don’t think too hard about the finer details.

“Statues” by Kevin J. Anderson – 4/5⭐ This story offers an intriguing answer on how these peoples turned into lifelike statues. Mystical water in these ancient cave systems originally discovered by the Anasazi.

Well, there you have it! My review of X-Files: Trust No One! I hope you liked it and I hope to be returning to writing this blog soon. For now, I’m still going to be taking things kind of slow until I can get back into the habit of writing.

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels, Rapid Reviews

RAPID REVIEW: Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Posted on by elishasbookreview
Image borrowed from Weirdo Book Club

*No Major Spoilers*

Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans —though no one calls them that anymore.

His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.

Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

So this has been on my reading radar for a long time. I’ve heard good things about this novel, so I couldn’t wait to dive into the audiobook and tear through Tender is the Flesh. So let’s digest my review of this book.

First off, none of the characters are likable. Our main character Marcos feels like a robot and I don’t feel like he changes much throughout the story. Marcos’ wife left him after the loss of their son and it has heavily affected their marriage. Not to mention his job that has Marcos doing middle management type work at the slaughterhouse leaving him drained and exhausted.

The human being is the cause of all evil in this world. We are our own virus.

Agustina Bazterrica, Tender Is the Flesh

Now, you may be asking yourself, why are you giving this book four stars? Well, to be honest, I don’t know myself. 3-3.5 just didn’t feel right for the last 30 minutes of Tender is the Flesh. I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook if you can and get through this in 1-3 listening sessions.

Overall, this novel is alright, I would say if you’re interested in the subgenre of horror called splatterpunk then I would start here. Depending on your reaction to this, you can continue to peruse this subgenre or run away and never touch this type of book ever again.

Posted in Bite-Sized Reviews, Book Reviews, Discussions, Personal Blogs, Rapid Reviews

2022 in Review

Posted on by elishasbookreview
Photo by ready made on Pexels.com

I don’t know if anyone else had a rough year, but for me and my household, it was a rough year. We had to kick out a roommate who had been causing a lot of headache and trouble. I was out of work, and we struggled up until I finally got hired back to a company I’ve worked for previously,

Now enough of real world stuff, let’s get into some book stats!

Overall of 2022, I read 82 books! That broke my record of any count of most read books per year! All the way back in 2018 I read 72 books. So I’m looking forward to destroying this goal in the coming year!

Now, let’s talk about top books/series I read this year. I kind of hit a hard dry spell in the last few months when it came to posting a reviewing books. However, I plan on coming to 2023 in full force! At least, that’s the goal anyway. So now for the favorites list!

  • Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldtree- This was a cute and fun adventure that didn’t involve fighting dragons, or chasing after a mad wizard. The most difficult thing they do is start a café in a town that didn’t know what coffee was.
  • Doctor Who: Scratchman by Tom Baker and James Goss- I would recommend this Doctor Who spinoff for both Classic and New Doctor Who fans. When the Doctor, Sarah Jane, and Harry land on a strange farm, and things aren’t quite right, it’s up to The Doctor and his companions to get down to the truth.
  • The Last One by Alexandra Oliva- I found this on a recommendation list for survival stories. This one sounded unique so I decided to check it out, and even though it might not be as gruesome as The Troop by Nick Cutter, but I still think about The Last One from time to time. This a fantastic take on survival horror that doesn’t depend on gruesome details to keep you on the edge of your seat. All you need is a girl lost in the woods with broken glasses, and there’s your intro to The Last One.
  • Sakamoto Days Vol 1-4 by Yuto Suzuki- Now, I will admit this isn’t a new trope we’ve seen in manga. Way of the Househusband is the first to come to mind that uses this trope. However, what makes Sakamoto Days different is how Mr. Sakamoto got fat after retiring from the assassin world. However, even though we weighs an extra 100 pounds or so, he still knows how to kick butt like nobody’s business! This series is full of heart and humor, so this comes as a high recommendation for manga fans.
  • Rooster Fighter Vol 1-2 by Shu Sakuratani- I found this manga series from browsing Amazon, and it has quickly become one of my favorites manga series this year. It’s about a lone rooster who’s fighting kaiju not only to save the humans in harm’s way, but to seek out the kaiju that killed his sister. He makes friends along the way, and whether he admits or not he appreciates his friends dearly. Volume 3 is coming out next month and I’m hoping to read it as soon as it comes out! This series is funny and action packed.

That’s my favorite reads of 2022 in no particular order, of course out of all the books I read last year I struggled with picking just five books/series. Let’s hope 2023 is filled with more to read other than just graphic novels.

Hope you had a safe and fun celebration, here’s to 2023!

Posted in Book Reviews, Novels

REVIEW: Till We Become Monsters by Amanda Headlee

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

Monsters exist and Korin Perrin knew this as truth because his grandmother told him so. Korin, raised in the shadow of his older brother Davis, is an imaginative child who believes his brother is a monster. After the death of their grandmother, seven-year-old Korin, blaming Davis for her demise, tries to kill him. Sixteen years following the attempt on Davis’ life, racked with guilt, Korin comes to terms with the fact that Davis may not be the one who is the monster after all.

Past wrongs needing to be righted, Korin agrees to a hunting trip with his brother and father. But they, along with two friends, never make it to their destination. An accident along the way separates the hunters in the dark forests of Minnesota during the threat of an oncoming blizzard. As the stranded hunters search for each other and safety, an ancient evil wakes.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I am a big fan of cryptids and other mythological creatures. Since I live in Oklahoma which may not be the epicenter of Bigfoot sightings, this state does have more than a few known Bigfoot hunting grounds. However, there is no Bigfoot in this story, Till We Become Monsters is focused on the Wendigo.

For those unfamiliar with the Indigenous Peoples’ Mythologies, a Wendigo is a creature that is created from the dire straits people in the northern areas can find themselves in if they get caught in a snowstorm unprepared. They say once someone gets a taste of human blood, the never-ending hunger grows and morphs the person into a monster.

Back to the book, we meet Korin who we watch grow up feeling emotionally neglected by his parents. His big brother Davis has both of his parents’ attention and love throughout childhood and into adulthood. Seeing the events from mostly Korin’s perspective makes you feel bad for him.

“We never know how far we have fallen until we become monsters.”

Amanda Headlee; Till We Become Monsters

After about halfway into the book, we see Korin’s childhood from both parents’ and Davis’ perspectives. It doesn’t negate how his parents neglected Korin and that they spoiled Davis to the point where the whole family dynamic is toxic and borderline abusive. It just provides context for the reader that the parents fumbled the parental football to the detriment of the family.

Even though no one in the family is worth rooting for, you can’t help rooting for all of them to survive the aftermath of the car accident. I think this shows that the author took the time to give each character a slight redeeming quality. I think if everything was left in Korin’s perspective, we’d want all the family to fail.

Overall, this was a good book. I got swept up in the action, and the building of Korin’s character. I think the mythological aspect of this novel was pulled off really well. I also think if you are interested in cryptids, survival horror, and just all around spookiness, then I would say give this novel a try.

Posted in Book Reviews

REVIEW: Mastodon by Steve Stred

Posted on by elishasbookreview

*No Major Spoilers*

*Trigger Warning for body horror, animal death/cruelty, and death of a parent*

17 years ago, Tyler Barton was born in the Rocky Mountains, while his parents were on a hike.

On that day, his mother disappeared, never to be seen again.

Now, history repeats itself.

On the 17th anniversary of her disappearance, Tyler’s father is flying home when the plane he’s on disappears – in the same area where his mother was last seen.

Undeterred by officials, Tyler decides to hike into the area in search of his father, hoping to find him alive and bring him back to safety.

But there’s a reason that area is prohibited to enter and even though Tyler doesn’t care, he’ll soon find out that the wilderness can hide some of the deepest, darkest fears known to man.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I remember when I saw the promo for this book, I was so excited because the cover reminded me of a Wendigo, an Indigenous mythological creature. I couldn’t wait to dive in to it. After some time to read it, digest it, and gather my thoughts, I’m ready to explore this review of Mastodon.

This valley was wearing his rational mind down to the point of not believing anything he saw, but also accepting that anything was possible.

Steve Stred, Mastodon

This novel isn’t at all what I thought it was going to be. Not that the summary led me astray, it didn’t. It was the cover on top of my assumptions that left me unprepared for this mind-twisting read. What I thought was a simple answer, turned into something I never saw coming until it was too late.

Tyler reminded me of Brian from The Hatchet in the way there’s not much personality there so we, as the reader, can get a more fulfilling experience seeing the world through his eyes. However, there’s not much to his character other than his parents being missing and all of the hiking and camping trips he and his dad went on throughout his life.

One thing that adds to the mystery surrounding this restricted military compound is how the scale seems to shift and change to fit the current moment or situation. It felt like months for Tyler to reach the spot where his dad’s plane crashed even though it had only been three or so days.

One small gripe I have about this story is how bland and boring Kyle is as a character. Like I said previously, that might have been to give us a more open view of his world and experiences. However, it made the story drag a bit.

Another critique I have is how rushed the ending feels. It’s like the author wrote the main scene(s) that he wanted to write and then the rest was rushed just to finish writing. The final twist ending left me unsatisfied and disappointed.

Overall, this was an okay read. There’s plenty of horror elements to last you a lifetime as well as disturbing imagery. I think you’d like Mastodon if you like the horror subgenre splatterpunk, as well as those who enjoy monster tales and Kaiju stories.