3 For 1 | AstraDaemon

SLANDER HALL by Matthew Tait has some great concepts, but I think this cult horror story would've been better as a full-length novel to allow room for more character development, more background stories, etc...the team meets up at the site of a mass suicide and five minutes later, they're getting picked off one by one, only to have the story take on a completely different theme at the very end. Entertaining, but rushed.

DOLL STEAK is a bonus short story included afterwards, which I found far more terrifying than SLANDER HALL. Definitely a must-read.

TERRICA is another bonus story, and even more horrific than the previous two.

I enjoyed these stories more than Tait's BROKEN HIGHWAY or THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING. He seems to work better with character's fears, rather than the characters.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Halloween Reading: Highway to Hell Week | Outback Bloodhouse | AstraDaemon

BROKEN HIGHWAY by Matthew Tait is a short, set in the Australian outback. While this first appears to be a lighter version of Wolf Creek, I do love what the author does with Jessica's situation.

Based on the description, I expected more characters. I found myself hoping for a supernatural element, but Tait chose to stick with realistic horror, which still provides a gruesome story.

As always,

AstraDaemon

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment for a chance to win the autographed five-book series.

Halloween Reading: Devil Week | Duck Duck Goose | AstraDaemon

THE DEVIL'S PLAYTHING by Matthew Tait is straight-forward horror, no dispute. Three sickos pass the time murdering mental patients, but one of them burns a bridge and now all three are going to burn in hell.

While not necessarily containing graphic details, the atrocities might be too much for casual visitors to the genre.

As always,
AstraDaemon

P.S. Don't forget to leave a comment to enter the giveaway for this week's autographed paperback.