Insomnia Week | Ugliness | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

UNCLEAN SPIRITS: HORRIFYING STORIES by Bikram Mann is an excellent mix of stories which focus on the ugliness of people. From riots to revenge, sadists and saviors, the author's writing style is absolutely enthralling. I especially enjoyed the cultural settings which offer a terrifying mix of folklore and suspense.

This is Mann's first book and I am eagerly hoping for more! Recommending this collection to everyone...even if you don't usually read horror, I think fiction readers will appreciate the various themes highlighting the light and dark sides of humanity.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Insomnia Week | Blurring the Lines | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

Have you ever wondered what dreams are? Are they only nonsensical narratives strung together by our brains as we sleep, or are they something else entirely? What if they are just as real as the waking world? The truth may surprise you.

When we fall asleep, we wake up in another, slightly different world. Dreams are memories of this other place--we just can't fully make sense of them. But what if we could?

With the help of an experimental medicine, one man can. But his newfound ability quickly becomes a burden. What exactly is real, and which one of his lives is worth dying for?

PARALLEL DUALITY by Christopher Maxim is a mix of sci-fi, horror and psychological suspense. I had no idea what to expect, or how the narrator would resolve his crisis of conscience. The ending is absolutely mind-blowing.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Vengeance Week | Boy's Best Friend | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

ACTS OF REVENGE by James Loscombe is one of the most disturbing stories I've ever read. The trope of a kid bullied at school is pretty common, and I wasn't surprised when his beloved pet began whispering diabolical ideas into his ear. The ending, however, absolutely wrecked me.

If you enjoy this dark tale, I also recommend THE VAMPIRE NEXT DOOR by Loscombe.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Vengeance Week | Karma | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

"Vengeance is a monster of appetite, forever bloodthirsty and never filled." ~Richelle E. Goodlich

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NANG TANI by Lee Franklin is far better than any expectations I had. The author mixes brutal horror with folklore to create a shocking tale of a goddess who will not tolerate the evil inflicted upon women and children.

If you enjoy this story, I also recommend SANDGROPER by Franklin. The author has a serious talent for terrifying readers within a small amount of pages.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Vengeance Week | Bloody Déjà Vu | Horror Review | AstraDaemon

"Vengeance is in my heart, death in my hand,
Blood and revenge are hammering in my head."
~William Shakespeare

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CHEATER CHEATER by Scott Donnelly has been revised, and will soon be a film, so I have decided to revisit this one. Un-ironically, I had previously stated, "This novella reads more like a movie script than a story."

I originally took issue with the character development, lack of backstories, and the POV changes. This time, the POV changes are easy to follow, and, while I didn't notice any significant changes concerning the characters, I still enjoyed reading this crime-thriller.

I stand by my original assessment: "If you enjoy 1980s slasher movies, you'll likely get a thrill from the mystery surrounding multiple murders."

I'm super excited about the upcoming film!

As always,

AstraDaemon

Vengeance Week | Thumbs Down | Short Story Review | AstraDaemon

"Vengeance never forgets to inflict." ~James Meikle

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HELLO, BOBBY by Matthew Whitney is written in an odd format, as if this is a proposal for a script, rather than something reader-friendly. Essentially a teacher is murdered during school hours, and the investigation reveals paranormal events.

Looking past the awful writing style, there is zero chracter development, and the author just randomly throws in shocking details about Bobby in an attempt to create suspense (spoiler: it doesn't work).

This is the kind of story which makes people reluctant to give indie authors a chance. What a shame.

As always,

AstraDaemon

Vengeance Week | Haunted by the Past | Flash Fiction Review | AstraDaemon

"Vengeance cannot abide the agony of grace." ~Anne Elisabeth Stenghl

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THE NOOSE by Jess Shira centers on a dying woman, visited by her darkest secret. At first I thought she was suffering from something connected to a past life, but it's far more sinister.

Shira is definitely on my radar after this flash fiction piece.

As always,

AstraDaemon