Reviews Archives - Page 25 of 60 - Cemetery Dance Online

Review: The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry

Cemetery Dance OnlineSeptember 4, 2020August 23, 2020ReviewsChristina Henry, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie Hartmann, The Ghost TreeLeave a comment

The Ghost Tree by Christina Henry
Berkley (September 8, 2020)
432 pages; $13.99 paperback; $11.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann

Christina Henry entices readers to travel back in time to a small town called Smith’s Hollow. It’s the 1980s. We follow best friends Lauren and Miranda, their longtime friendship seemingly in transition. Miranda is looking to make friends with older boys who drive while Lauren resents being dragged along as a third wheel.

Wrapped in this compelling coming-of-age story is something more insidious than teenage boys. Two girls Lauren’s age are found murdered, their bodies mutilated, in the backyard of one of her neighbors. Continue Reading

Review: In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett

Cemetery Dance OnlineSeptember 2, 2020August 29, 2020ReviewsBlu Gilliand, In the Shadows of Men, Reviews, Robert Jackson Bennett, Subterranean PressLeave a comment

cover of In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett showing an old hotel In the Shadows of Men by Robert Jackson Bennett
Subterranean Press (August 2020)
120 pages; $40 limited edition hardcover
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand

If there’s one thing readers of horror fiction know to be true, it’s that old, isolated motels are not the place to go if you’re looking to get your life together.

Especially if said motel is brimming with secrets.

Especially if the person seeking sanctuary is bringing his own demons along for the ride.Continue Reading

Review: The Raven by Jonathan Janz

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 31, 2020August 23, 2020ReviewsFlame Tree Press, Jonathan Janz, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie Hartmann, The RavenLeave a comment

The Raven by Jonathan Janz
Flame Tree Press (September 8, 2020)
256 pages; $24.95; $14.95 paperback
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

Perhaps the most interesting thing about horror is the vast variety in its sub-genres. So many tropes fit under the horror umbrella; I truly believe there’s something for everyone. I passionately believe the horror genre is plenty sufficient to cover any thirst for diversity in your reading.

My top-shelf writers of horror, the mega-talented, often write books categorized in the full spectrum of the genre. The opposite of the one-trick pony, these authors are part and parcel of horror fiction.

Jonathan Janz is one of those authors writing bestsellers that cover a lot of ground. Supernatural, paranormal, creature-features, noir, gothic, you name it and Janz has tried it; successfully.Continue Reading

Review: Twelve – Poems Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairytale by Andrea Blythe

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 28, 2020August 22, 2020ReviewsAndrea Blythe, Brothers Grimm, Interstellar Flight Press, Joshua Gage, Reviews, TwelveLeave a comment

Twelve: Poems Inspired by the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale by Andrea Blythe
Interstellar Flight Press (September 7, 2020)
64 pages, $9.99 paperback; $5.99 e-book
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

Andrea Blythe is a well-recognized name in speculative poetry. She is a widely published author, as well as a podcast host. Blythe is most known for her work with fairytales and folktales, and her newest collection, Twelve, based on the Brothers Grimm fairytale of the twelve dancing princesses, is a potent and exquisite addition to her already impressive body of work. Continue Reading

Review: The Residence by Andrew Pyper

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 24, 2020August 22, 2020ReviewsAndrew Pyper, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie Hartmann, Skybound Books, The ResidenceLeave a comment

The Residence by Andrew Pyper
Skybound Books (September 1, 2020)
352 pages; $26 hardcover; $13.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann

When I first saw the cover of The Residence, I was skeptical. A ghost story set in the White House? It seemed ambitious. I have a lot of feelings about residents that are currently haunting the White House but none of them are paranormal entities.

Still, the idea was tantalizing so I put in my request to review.Continue Reading

Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 19, 2020August 15, 2020ReviewsJanelle Janson, Mexican Gothic, Reviews, Silvia Moreno-GarciaLeave a comment

cover of Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — *Mexican Gothic*, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey (June 2020)
320 pages; $16.20 hardcover; $11.99 e-book
Reviewed by Janelle Janson

Mexican Gothic has been hyped to the extreme for at least a year, so my expectations going in were high. And even though they were high, they were never unrealistic as I already knew Moreno-Garcia to be a talented writer. But when this book took an unexpected and interesting turn, combined with a surprising amount of gore, I knew I had found a winner.Continue Reading

Review: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 17, 2020August 9, 2020ReviewsAdam Cesare, Clown in a Cornfield, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie HartmannLeave a comment

Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare
HarperTeen (August 25, 2020)
352 pages; $17.99 hardcover; $9.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann

The setting for Clown in a Cornfield is the fictional town of Kettle Springs, a rural town that sounds like good ol’ Nowheresville, USA. The townspeople seem caught in a time-warp where young people are to be seen and not heard, especially while the grown-ups are trying hard to “Make Kettle Springs Great Again.” Unfortunately for our protagonist, Quinn Maybrook, her father took a job in Kettle Springs and Quinn has no choice but to adjust to her new scene.Continue Reading

Review: Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals by Bitter Karella

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 14, 2020ReviewsAnton Cancre, Bitter Karella, Reviews, The Midnight Pals, The Midnight SocietyLeave a comment

Submitted for the Approval of the Midnight Pals by Bitter Karella
Guttersnipe Publishing (2020)
99 pages; $25 paperback
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

I assume you know about @midnight_pals and The Midnight Society. If you dig horror literature, I don’t know how you could have missed it. You know, THE twitter gathering of great minds from across generations. Where Mary Shelley slaps the soul out of anyone pretending to the throne. That Midnight Society.

If you don’t know it, just look it up. I don’t have the space here and it is worth your time. This is the best literary satire currently going. And it is actually funny.

If you do, then I am sure, like me, you wanted to know why you should buy a book of stuff you can get online for free. But Bitter Karella has some treats in store for you here. Cute drawings that add to the lampooning of your favorite writers? Check. Plus additional faux stories from those authors we all love that really nail the silliness we all look past.

And if you want to find out about new horror talent, this is a surprisingly good place. Amid the gags at King and Barker and Lovecraft, there are pokes at the likes of Mary Sangiovanni (one of the bewb gags had me spitting while I sat on the toilet) and Betty Rocksteady, aka the sneaky snake of Canada that will rock your world.

The only downside is that orders can only be placed through direct contact via twitter at @midnight_pals but it is totally worth it.

Review: On Quiet Earth: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel by Chris Kelly

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 12, 2020August 9, 2020ReviewsChris Kelly, Joshua Gage, On Quiet Earth, Reviews, Severed Press, zombieLeave a comment

On Quiet Earth: A Zombie Apocalypse Novel by Chris Kelly
Severed Press (May 2020)
155 pages, $9.95 paperback
Reviewed by Joshua Gage

At first glance, On Quiet Earth reads like a typical zombie survivor novel. The plot is formulaic—survivors band together, try to outrun zombies, and live in a post-apocalyptic world. What makes Kelly’s take on this genre unique is his sparse prose which, coupled with the psychological aspects of the book, make for an interesting zombie read.Continue Reading

Review: Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies by John Langan

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 10, 2020August 10, 2020ReviewsChildren of the Fang, John Langan, Mother Horror, Reviews, Sadie HartmannLeave a comment

Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies by John Langan
Word Horde (August 18, 2020)
388 pages; $19.99 paperback; $9.99 e-book
Reviewed by Sadie Hartmann

First things first, the introduction to this book, written by Stephen Graham Jones, is so choice. Bonus points right away for mentioning one of my favorite childhood stories ever: The Monster at the End of This Book (narrated by your lovable ol’ pal, Grover).

Dr. Jones goes on to say, “John Langan, both delivering us some compelling horror but at the same time interrogating the basic form of horror.”Continue Reading

Review: A Complex Accident of Life by Jessica McHugh

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 7, 2020August 3, 2020ReviewsA Complex Accident of Life, Anton Cancre, Frankenstein, Jessica McHugh, Mary Shelley, ReviewsLeave a comment

A Complex Accident of Life: Blackout Poetry Inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein by Jessica McHugh
Apokrupha (June 2020)
104 pages; $18.99 paperback; $3.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

Writing poetry is a tough gig. Trying to put together poems from someone else’s words, even tougher. Putting together personal, meaningful poems from someone else’s words and using their location to make for impactful, visually appealing art seems nigh impossible. So, of course the inimitable Jessica McHugh has done just that.Continue Reading

Review: Crossroads by Laurel Hightower

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 5, 2020August 3, 2020ReviewsA.E. Siraki, Crossroads, Laurel Hightower, Off Limits Press, ReviewsLeave a comment

cover of Crossroads by Laurel Hightower Crossroads by Laurel Hightower
Off Limits Press (August 10, 2020)
93 pages; $12 hardcov $7.01 e-book
Reviewed by A.E. Siraki

Thomas Campbell famously remarked: “To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die.” This proves painfully true in Crossroads, the newest release from rising horror superstar Laurel Hightower. Her previous novel, Whispers in the Dark (2018), garnered tons of well-deserved accolades. This time around, Crossroads explores a mother, Chris, mourning the loss of her son, Trey. There is plenty of real-life horror in that itself. Things take a turn toward the supernatural as Chris recalls the concept of a crossroads demon, like the one that Robert Johnson was famously rumored to have sold his soul to in exchange for musical success. Continue Reading

Review: The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus

Cemetery Dance OnlineAugust 3, 2020August 2, 2020ReviewsDaniel Kraus, George Romero, Reviews, The Living Dead, zombieLeave a comment

cover of The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus The Living Dead by George A. Romero and Daniel Kraus
Tor Books (August 4, 2020)
656 pages; $25.19 hardcover; $14.99 e-book
Reviewed by Blu Gilliand

George Romero’s impact on the horror genre cannot be overstated. It also cannot easily be summed up in a paragraph or two, so I won’t waste our time together. What I will tell you is that the things that made his work so impactful—the purity of his vision, the weaving of social commentary throughout his narratives, the unflinching approach to scenes of visceral horror—are preserved, upheld, and honored by the man chosen to finish Romero’s last work: Daniel Kraus.

Review: Dead Girl Blues by David Sodergren

Cemetery Dance OnlineJuly 29, 2020July 29, 2020ReviewsDavid Sodergren, Dead Girl Blues, Janelle Janson, Reviews1 Comment

Dead Girl Blues by David Sodergren
Independently Published (March 2020)
275 pages; $9.99 paperback; $2.99 e-book
Reviewed by Janelle Janson

Dead Girl Blues is another knockout book from Scottish indie horror author David Sodergren. And let me say the cover artwork by Connor Leslie matches the story so perfectly. Its eye-catching yellow cover, with hints of retro-styled red, spoke to me on many levels and tickled my 1970s pulp horror-loving fancy…and then I opened the book. Once I started reading, I was overwhelmed by the story and further impressed.Continue Reading

Review: Escape from the Billings Mall: A Select Your Own Timeline Adventure by Chuck Tingle

Cemetery Dance OnlineJuly 28, 2020July 27, 2020ReviewsAnton Cancre, Chuck Tingle, Escape from the Billings Mall, Reviews, Select Your Own TimelineLeave a comment

Escape from the Billings Mall: A Select Your Own Timeline Adventure by Chuck Tingle
Independently Published (April 2020)
154 pages; $12.66 paperback; $6.99 e-book
Reviewed by Anton Cancre

Dr. Chuck Tingle tends to be treated as a joke. That guy who writes those silly Pounded books. However, that is only by those who have not bothered to read his work. No one can pull off weird like he can and still hold the humanity of it. Dr. Tingle knows people, hearts and what drives us.Continue Reading

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