Books Read in 2023

IN AN ABSENT DREAM

(Wayward Children #4):

Seanan McGuire

JUICE LIKE WOUNDS

(Wayward Children #4.5):

Sean McGuire

THE TOLL HOUSE:

Carly Reagon

THE LITTLE WITCH:

M. Rickert

THE COLOUR OF EVIL:

Sarah Jane Huntington

BAD DOLLS:

Rachel Harrison

ALL THE LIVING AND THE DEAD:

Hayley Campbell

EMILY WILDE'S ENCYCLOPAEDIA OF FARIES: (DNF)

Heather Fawcett

WASPS IN THE ICE CREAM:

Tim McGregor

SAGA #61:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SUFFER THE DARKNESS:

Yolanda Sfetsos

LOVE, PAMELA:

Pamela Anderson

THE GOONIES:

James Kahn

THIS IS WHERE WE TALK THINGS OUT:

Caitlin Marceau

DEAD EYES

(Rewind or Die #18):

E.V. Knight

ALONE WITH MYSELF:

Kev Harrison

THE GROWTH

(The Growth #1):

Adam Hulse

THE BLACK CABIN:

Wayne Fenlon

HEARTBURN:

Damien Casey

THE GROWTH LIVES!

(The Growth #2):

Adam Hulse

IT DOESN'T GO AWAY:

Wendy Dalrymple

WAIF: 

Samantha Kolesnik

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER:

Edgar Allan Poe

INHERITING HER GHOSTS:

S.H. Cooper

HOW TO SELL A HAUNTED HOUSE:

Grady Hendrix

BRAD, UNWOUND

(A Puppet Scorned Yarn):

Jamie Kort

LINGHUN:

Ai Jiang

SQUISHMALLOWS OFFICIAL COLLECTORS' GUIDE:

Squishmallows 

STAR WARS: PRINCESS LEIA:

Mark Waid & Terry Dodson

SAGA #62:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SAGA #63:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SQUAD:

Maggie Tokuda-Hall & Lisa Sterle

UNTAMED SHORE:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

THE LONGEST THIRST:

Roxie Voorhees

OUR OWN UNIQUE AFFLICTION:

Scott J. Moses

MOTHERTHING:

Ainslie Hogarth

SAGA #64:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SPELL ON WHEELS

(Spell on Wheels Volume 1):

Kate Leth, Megan Levens & Marissa Louise

THE GHOST IN YOU:

Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips

HEX WIVES:

Ben Blacker, Mirka Andolfo & Marissa Louise

DC's HARLEY QUINN ROMANCES:

Alexis Quasarano, Max Sarin & Marissa Louise

WYTCHES

(Volume One):

Scott Snyder & Jock

SPELL ON WHEELS: Just to Get to You

(Spell on Wheels Volume 2):

Kate Leth, Megan Levens & Marissa Louise

IMMORTALITY: A Love Story

(The Anatomy Duology #2):

Dana Schwartz

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH

(Sabrina, Volume 1):

Kelly Thompson, Veronica Fish, Andy Fish & Jack Morelli

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH

Something Wicked

(Sabrina, Volume 2):

Kelly Thompson, Veronica Fish, Andy Fish & Jack Morelli

THIS ONE'S GONNA HURT:

Cody J. Thompson

WUTHERING HEIGHTS:

Emily Brontë

SUFFER THE DARKNESS:

Yolanda Sfetsos

EXPECTATIONS:

B.T. Hayes

HUNGERS AS OLD AS THIS LAND:

Zachary Rosenberg

28 DAYS SASSIER:

Damien Casey

BELOW ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS:

Adam Hulse

THE HIBISCUS AND THE GRAVE:

Wendy Dalrymple 

EERIELLA: SUPER-FIEND:

Sophie Ingley

THE DISMEMBERED:

Jonathan Janz

ALIVE UNDEAD:

Brian Bowyer

I AM AI:

Ai Jiang

SILVER NITRATE:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

E.T. 

The Extra-Terrestrial:

Arie Kaplan & Chris Fennell

JAWS

Big Shark. Little Boat:

Geof Smith & Kaysi Smith

BACK TO THE FUTURE:

Arie Kaplan & Meg Dunn

D&D DUNGEON CLUB

ROLL CALL:

Molly Knox Ostertag 

REAL LIFE SUCKS LOSERS DRY:

Cassandra Daucus

SCARLETT:

Brian Bowyer

KINDRED:

Octavia E. Butler

MY FIRST BOOK OF GIRL POWER:

Julie Merberg 

BEAST OF BURDEN:

Yolanda Sfetsos

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DIE TONIGHT:

Kalynn Bayron

HIDE:

Kiersten White

FUNNYBONES:

Allan Ahlberg

TIM BURTON'S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS COLOURING BOOK:

Disney

PARASOCIAL:

Wendy Dalrymple

PRE-APPROVED FOR HAUNTING AND OTHER STORIES:

Patrick Barb

THE FOLLY:

Gemma Armor

ANKLE SNATCHER

(Creature Feature collection:

Grady Hendrix 

SAGA # 65:

Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SAGA # 66:

Brian K Vaughan & Fiona Staples

THE PRAM

(Creature Feature collection:

Joe Hill

HOLLY:

Stephen King

MY HALLOWEEN ROMANCE:

Wendy Dalrymple 

THE SOXORCIST:

Jamie Kort

TAMPA:

Alissa Nutting

MAEVE FLY:

C.J. Leede

WHAT HIDES IN THE CUPBOARDS:

Cassondra Windwalker

WINGS OF SORROW:

Yolanda Sfetsos

DIRTY THIRTY:

Janet Evanovich

SCARIEST. BOOK. EVER:

(Goosebumps House of Shivers #1)

R.L. Stine

THE POWER OF CRYSTALS:

Hinkler Books

REGRESSION, Way Down Deep

Volume 1:

Cullen Bunn

REGRESSION, Disciples

Volume 2:

Cullen Bunn

REGRESSION, Sacrifice

Volume 3:

Cullen Bunn

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND:

Rumaan Alam

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #2

Can You Fear Me Now?

Various

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #3

Zombielicious

Various 

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #4

Keeping It Real:

Various

TALES FROM THE CRYPT #5

Yabba Dabba Voodoo:

Various

SEINFELD

The Day of Nothing:

Micol Ostow & Brittany Baugus

GIRLS' NIGHT OUT:

Wendy Dalrymple

YOUR DARLING DEATH:

Lauren Carter

THE VISITOR:

Sergio Gomez

KOSA:

John Durgin

Books Read in 2023: 103/100

(DNF books: 1)

________________________

Number of series/duology/trilogy books read: 27

• IN AN ABSENT DREAM (Wayward Children #4)
• JUICE LIKE WOUNDS (Wayward Children #4.5)
• SAGA #61
• DEAD EYES (Rewind or Die #18)
• THE GROWTH (The Growth #1)
• THE GROWTH LIVES! (The Growth #2)
• BRAD, UNWOUND (A Puppet Scorned Yarn)
• SAGA #62
• SAGA #63
• SAGA #64
• SPELL ON WHEELS (Spell on Wheels Vol 1)
• SPELL ON WHEELS: Just to Get to You (Spell on Wheels Volume 2)
• IMMORTALITY: A Love Story (The Anatomy Duology #2)
• SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH (Sabrina, Volume 1)
• SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH: Something Wicked (Sabrina, Volume 2)
• ANKLE SNATCHER (Creature Feature collection)
• SAGA #65
• SAGA #66
• THE PRAM (Creature Feature collection)
• SCARIEST. BOOK. EVER (Goosebumps House of Shivers #1)
• REGRESSION, Way Down Deep (Volume 1)
• REGRESSION, Disciples (Volume 2)
• REGRESSION, Sacrifice (Volume 3)
• TALES FROM THE CRYPT: Can You Fear Me Now? (Volume 2)
• TALES FROM THE CRYPT: Zombielicious (Volume 3)
• TALES FROM THE CRYPT: Keeping It Real (Volume 4)
• TALES FROM THE CRYPT: Yabba Dabba Voodoo (Volume 5)

My 2023 Reading Plan

WASPS IN THE ICE CREAM by Tim McGregor

Summer 1987: Mark Prewitt’s only priority is to avoid his dad’s new wife and waste time with his friends, but idle nights are the devil’s playground. When his friends decide to pull a cruel prank on the reclusive and strange Farrow sisters, Mark regrets caving in to peer pressure.

Wanting to make amends, Mark is drawn into the mysterious world of the Farrow girls, finding a kindred spirit in the middle sister, George. She is unlike anyone he’s ever known; a practicing witch who uses folk magic to protect her family. They bond over books, loneliness, and homemade spells. She even invites Mark to join a séance to contact her dead sister, who died under mysterious circumstances.

Keeping their relationship secret, Mark learns that living a double life in a town this small is impossible. When the secret is exposed, and his friends plot to punish the witch sisters for stealing one of their own, Mark is forced to choose between these two worlds.

I've had my eye on this book for a while, so I want to thank Erin Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy.

It's the summer of 1987. Mark Prewitt is trying to enjoy the long, hot and very boring days with his two buddies while working two jobs. But when one of the weird and mysterious Farrow sisters catches his eye, he finds himself falling into their strange and violent world. Something no one is happy about...

Well, this turned out to be an awesome and intriguing book! Not just because it captures the nostalgia of the 1980s so well, but because the tale of newfound love and deteriorating friendships is universal.

The story is told by Mark. A teenager who lost his mother and is now trying to get used to the fact his father remarried. A much younger woman. He's also caught in the middle of a dangerous friendship he should have left years ago, and another that's too flimsy to matter. But there's also the personal need to become the same person he is inside and out. He sure has an inner battle with himself, and usually ends up saying the wrong thing. Or the opposite of what he wants to say. And that always leads him to trouble.

Sometimes, it's hard to like him but his narrative is always interesting. And addictive. He has a knack for taking the reader on a rocky, but interesting ride through a town with too many prejudices.

There's a LOT to like about this book. The characters all felt real in their own different ways. Starting with his hot-head of a father, his very patient stepmother, and everyone else in between. The kindness and cruelty metre sure takes a beating with these characters. But I especially liked how Mark's interest in George Farrow develops. The way his curiosity starts slowly but quickly escalates into romantic territory, leading to an explosive conclusion and a twist I didn't see coming.

Wasps in the Ice Cream is a fantastic story that hooked me in from start to finish, and truly felt like it belonged in the 80s. All the sharp edges of that turbulent time are portrayed in a raw and gritty way that kept me glued to every page. There's an uncomfortable truth about the people who live in this town, one that kept the tension simmering beneath until everything boils over.

Also, that ending was perfect.

I loved this, and highly recommend it!

Wasps in the Ice Cream is now available from Raw Dog Screaming Press.

 

Books Read in 2022

GAME ON: TEMPTING TWENTY-EIGHT

(Stephanie Plum #28):

Janet Evanovich

CROSSROADS:

Laurel Hightower

WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US

(Paperbacks from Hell):

Elizabeth Engstrom

MY LIFE HAD STOOD A LOADED GUN:

Emily Dickinson

THE WOODS ARE ALWAYS WATCHING:

Stephanie Perkins

PARTUM: E.V. Knight

THE CUCKOO'S CRY:

Caroline Overington

COCKBLOCK:

C.V. Hunt

SEASONS OF THE WITCH Samhain Oracle:

Lorriane Anderson & Juliet Diaz

CABIN TERROR:

Sarah Jane Huntington

AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE:

Gwendolyn Kiste

THE MAKER'S BOX:

David Barclay

THE TRIVIA NIGHT:

Ali Lowe

THE UNSUITABLE:

Molly Pohlig

A FAR WILDER MAGIC:

Allison Saft

A PUPPET SCORNED:

Jamie Kort

THE EYES BENEATH MY FATHER'S HOUSE:

Tyler Bell

KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE:

Eiko Kadono

CURSED OBJECTS

Strange but True Stories of the World's Most Infamous Items:

J.W. Ocker

IN THE ARTIC SUN:

Rowan Hill

DEAD TO HER:

Sarah Pinborough

BOTTLED:

Stephanie Ellis

BENNY ROSE, THE CANNIBAL KING:

Hailey Piper

THE SMALL HAND:

Susan Hill

THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS Tarot Deck & Guidebook:

Minerva Siegel & Abigail Larsen

THE GHOST THAT ATE US: 

Daniel Kraus

YOU LOVE ME

(You #3):

Caroline Kepnes

GWENDY'S MAGIC FEATHER

(The Button Box #2):

Richard Chizmar & Stephen King

SAGA, Issue #55:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SAGA, Issue #56:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

SAGA, Issue #57:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

ANATOMY A Love Story:

Dana Schwartz

BLOOD SUGAR:

Sascha Rothchild

SAGA, Issue #58:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples 

HARLEY QUINN Breaking Glass:

Mariko Tamaki & Steve Pugh

IN REAL LIFE:

Cory Doctorow & Jen Wang

THE RED ROOM:

HG Wells

THE CATS OF ULTHAR:

HP Lovecraft

THE SURVIVORS:

T.C. Weber 

MY EVIL MOTHER:

Margaret Atwood

GALATEA:

Madeline Miller

GWENDY'S FINAL TASK

(The Button Box #3):

Richard Chizmar & Stephen King 

SAGA, Issue #59:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples 

GIRLS FROM THE COUNTY:

Donna Lynch

THE BROKER OF NIGHTMARES:

Jon Padgett

PORTFOLIO OF THE 100 BEST HARD CASE CRIME COVERS:

Various

BLOOD MOUNTAIN:

Brenda S. Tolian

STONE MATTRESS:

Margaret Atwood

BELOW:

Laurel Hightower

THE SOUND OF SILENCE:

Sarah Jane Huntington

HARDCORE KELLI:

Wrath James White

SHE CAME FROM THE SWAMP:

Darva Green 

THE CREEK:

Rayne King 

THE MIDNIGHT CLUB:

Christopher Pike

SAGA, Issue #60:

Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

FORTUNATELY, THE MILK:

Neil Gaiman & Chris Riddell

THE ORACLE TAROT:

Lucy Cavendish & Melinda Pearson

YOURS CRUELLY, ELVIRA:

Cassandra Peterson

DISNEY VILLAINS TAROT DECK:

Minerva Siegel & Ellie Goldwine 

MEN, WOMEN, AND CHAINSAWS:

Stephen Graham Jones

WAIT FOR NIGHT:

Stephen Graham Jones 

REVENGE OF THE LIVING DUMMY

(Goosebumps Horrorland #1):

R.L. Stine

CREEP FROM THE DEEP

(Goosebumps Horrorland #2):

R.L. Stine

THE SCREAM OF THE HAUNTED MASK

(Goosebumps Horrorland #4):

R.L. Stine

DR. MANIAC VS. ROBBY SCHWARTZ

(Goosebumps Horrorland #5):

R.L. Stine 

WHO'S YOUR MUMMY?

(Goosebumps Horrorland #6):

R.L. Stine

MY FRIENDS CALL ME MONSTER

(Goosebumps Horrorland #7):

R.L. Stine

SAY CHEESE—AND DIE SCREAMING

(Goosebumps Horrorland #8):

R.L. Stine

HELP! WE HAVE STRANGE POWERS!

(Goosebumps Horrorland #10):

R.L. Stine

ESCAPE FROM HORRORLAND

(Goosebumps Horrorland #11):

R.L. Stine WHEN 

THE GHOST DOG HOWLS

(Goosebumps Horrorland #13):

R.L. Stine

THE LITERARY WITCHES ORACLE:

Taisia Kitaiskaia & Katy Horan

A CAULDRON OF BATS:

Michael Buxton

THE WILD UNKNOWN TAROT DECK:

Kim Krans

THE TAROT DECK:

Deck of Marseilles Tarot Cards

THE LENORMAND FORTUNE-TELLING CARDS:

Harald Josten

CRIME SCENE:

Cynthia Pelayo

BONESET & FEATHERS:

Gwendolyn Kiste

PERFECT BLUE:

Yoshikazu Takeuchi

FAIRY TALE:

Stephen King

A DOWRY OF BLOOD:

S. T. Gibson

HIDDEN PICTURES:

Jason Rekulak

TIM BURTON'S NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS:

Disney

DEMON IN THE WOOD

(Grishaverse #0):

Leigh Bardugo & Dani Pendergast 

THE HELLBOUND HEART:

Clive Barker

THE LOST BOYS Volume 1:

Tim Seeley

THE LADY ASTRONAUT OF MARS:

Mary Robinette Kowal

FOR WANT OF A NAIL:

Mary Robinette Kowal

ROCKET'S RED:

Mary Robinette Kowal

THE NIGHT CYCLIST:

Stephen Graham Jones

LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN:

Shea Ernshaw

AFTER

The Graphic Novel:

Anna Todd

MY KILLER VACATION:

Tessa Bailey

THE WIZARD OF OOZE

(Goosebumps Horrorland #17):

R.L. Stine

A NIGHTMARE ON CLOWN STREET

(Goosebumps Most Wanted #7):

R.L. Stine

WILD AND WICKED THINGS: (DNF)

Francesca May

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU:

Silvia Moreno-Garcia

THE BOOK OF THE MOST PRECIOUS SUBSTANCE:

Sara Gran

DRACULA DAILY:

Bram Stoker

GAME ON: RISE AND SHINE TWENTY-NINE (Stephanie Plum #29):

Janet Evanovich

TAROT NOVA:

Dennis Fairchild & Julie Paschkis

WHITE IBIS:

Wendy Dalrymple

VENUS FALLING:

Sarah Jane Huntington

THE EROTIC MODERN LIFE OF MALINALLI THE VAMPIRE:

V. Castro

FAMILY BUSINESS:

Jonathan Sims

THE WHISPERING DARK: (DNF)

Kelly Andrew

WILD PLACE:

Christian White 

HOUSE OF HOLLOW:

Krystal Sutherland

ELEKTRA: (DNF)

Jennifer Saint

CITY OF NIGHTMARES:

Rebecca Schaeffer

WRITING POETRY IN THE DARK:

Stephanie M. Wytovich

THE UNDERTAKING OF HART AND MERCY: (DNF)

Megan Bannen

THE LAST HOUSE ON NEEDLESS STREET:

Catriona Ward

LOST SOULS

(Cainsville #3.6):

Kelley Armstrong

THE HOUSE IN THE PINES:

Ana Reyes

THE WICKED IN ME: (DNF)

Suzanne Wright

THE CABIN AT THE END OF THE WORLD:

Paul Tremblay

Books Read in 2022: 117/110

(Number of DNF books: 5)

----------------------------------

Number of books read to catch up on series/duology/trilogy: 26

1. GAME ON (Stephanie Plum #28)
2. WHEN DARKNESS LOVES US (Paperbacks from Hell)
3. YOU LOVE ME (You #3)
4. GWENDY'S MAGIC FEATHER (The Button Box #2)
5. SAGA, Issue #55
6. SAGA, Issue #56
7. SAGA, Issue #57
8. SAGA, Issue #58
9. GWENDY'S FINAL TASK (The Button Box #3)
10. SAGA, Issue #59
11. SAGA, Issue #60
12. REVENGE OF THE LIVING DUMMY (Goosebumps Horrorland #1)
13. CREEP FROM THE DEEP (Goosebumps Horrorland #2)
14. THE SCREAM OF THE HAUNTED MASK (Goosebumps Horrorland #4)
15. DR. MANIAC VS. ROBBY SCHWARTZ (Goosebumps Horrorland #5)
16. WHO'S YOUR MUMMY? (Goosebumps Horrorland #6
17. MY FRIENDS CALL ME MONSTER (Goosebumps Horrorland #7)
18. SAY CHEESE—AND DIE SCREAMING (Goosebumps Horrorland #8)
19. HELP! WE HAVE STRANGE POWERS (Goosebumps Horrorland #10)
20. ESCAPE FROM HORRORLAND (Goosebumps Horrorland #11)
21. WHEN THE GHOST DOG HOWLS (Goosebumps Horrorland #13)
22. DEMON IN THE WOOD (Grishaverse #0)
23. THE WIZARD OF OOZE (Goosebumps Horrorland #17)
24. A NIGHTMARE ON CLOWN STREET (Goosebumps Most Wanted #7)
25. GAME ON: RISE AND SHINE TWENTY-NINE (Stephanie Plum #29)
26. LOST SOULS (Cainsville #3.6)

My 2022 Reading Plan

WRITING POETRY IN THE DARK by Stephanie M. Wytovich

Writing Poetry in the Dark brings together some of the most successful contemporary genre poets to discuss topics related to creating dark and fantastical poetry.

While there are countless books available for the aspiring poet, there is a lack of resources specifically for and on speculative poetry, and with the market thriving, publishers who previously did not put out poetry are now adding it to their catalogs, requesting it for their anthologies, and seeking it for their magazines. Given these factors, it seemed like the perfect time to put together a guide for dark poets that addresses some of the unique challenges they face, such as creating monsters out of white space, writing the hybrid poem, or subverting folklore in the retelling of a classic tale.

Included in Writing Poetry in the Dark are recommendations on how to bring fear to the page, write from the wound, let violence loose, channel the weird, and tackle the dark side of daily life. There are also practical suggestions for exploring different poetic forms and topics ranging from building worlds, writing from different points of view, and exploring gender and sexuality on the page. This book will bring something different to every speculative writer who is interested in exploring poetry with a genre twist, and it is our hope that this book will help poetry itself continue to evolve, grow, and redefine itself in the market for many years to come.

 

Firstly, I want to thank Erin Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this very cool book.

Back in 2020, I read Writing in the Dark by Tim Waggoner and really enjoyed the workbook/textbook approach to writing horror. In this edition, a similar approach is taken by Stephanie M. Wytovich. But for poetry, and in the form of very helpful essays.

Although I love reading poetry and have appreciated this lyrical way of capturing emotion and experience for years, my personal interaction with poetry was mainly in my teens. Back then, I wrote a lot of angst-ridden, haunting poems, but stopped writing them after I finished high school. Not sure why, but I think it might be because somewhere along the way, I found the prospect of writing poetry intimidating. Too hard.

Well, this is just the guide book I needed!

After a very interesting introduction by both Tim Waggoner and Stephanie M. Wytovich, the book takes the eager reader on an adventure of the written word via the beautiful art that is poetry. 

The topics covered include horror, haiku, sci-fi, fairy tales, expression of sexuality and gender, historical, and so much more. All explained very well by both familiar and new-to-me poets. Every one of these writers delivers an interesting and helpful essay—as well as examples—about the many facets, genres and styles of poetry. What every one of these contributions shares is the ability to open the reader's mind and gain a new understanding about how to attempt your own piece/s.

I enjoyed this crafty book because it's packed full of great information. Like the edition before it, I'll be adding this to my Keeper Shelf. And will probably grab it many times for future reference.

If you're like me and love poetry but feel like you're not good enough to write any, you should grab yourself a copy and soak up all the great information.

Writing Poetry in the Dark is available now from Raw Dog Screaming Press.

CRIME SCENE by Cynthia Pelayo

Cynthia Pelayo sings a song for the least of us, the victim we want to forget as soon as possible, the one who disappeared before ever really appearing. With a fairy tale gaze and a heart bigger than the world, her siren song insinuates itself past our defenses, past the hardened calluses and apathy we’ve erected to protect ourselves from the everyday horror of another missing girl.

Pelayo relates the familiar story, poem by poem; a body is found, a brutal crime investigated, clues take us in circles, and lead us nowhere. We are on an epic journey, the hero’s journey, and it must play out to the end in all its painful, ticking moments. Pelayo imbues her hero, Agent K, with the entirety of our dedication and that crumb of hope we’ve been hiding, saving for later. We will need to save for years, for decades, if we want to come out the other side. The job takes its toll, the answers are never complete and whys fracture, crack and spread. Still there is no turning away. We must bear witness, though it changes and contorts us.

 

I have to thank Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this sad and tormenting, but beautiful collection.

The cover prepares the reader for what is waiting within these troubled pages, as much as the title. Yet, I wasn't prepared for the interwoven poems that tell this bleak and heartbreaking tale in a very unique and immersive way.

Each poem is listed under a Report No. and follows what happens after two kids find a dead body. Agent K soon takes over as she investigates. But Agent K is a tortured soul. Not only is she haunted by the endless, callous nature of what human monsters are capable of doing, but her past is darkened by her own personal tragedy. An experience that chases her into slumber and doesn't fade while she's awake.

The way Cynthia Pelayo paints such detailed and gruesome murder scenes is only rivalled by the beauty of the dark imagery. I could see every location she describes so vividly, imagine all the ghosts, and smell the cloying scent of decay. 

Poetry, in the hands of a skilful poet, can dig it's claws deep into your soul until every word takes your breath away. And that happened to me many times, while reading this stunning collection. 

True crime is one of those things that horrify and intrigue us at the same time. I've been watching a lot of it lately and after every case featuring an innocent woman or girl—because it's mostly the female of the species who suffer these horrendous and unfair crimes—reaches it's horrible conclusion, I always feel the same way. Broken and sad, confused while asking the one question that never seems to be answered: Why take what isn't yours? Because, even when the selfish killer has a screwed-up motive for their despicable actions, it never justifies taking someone else's life.

And this brings me back to this brutal book. I loved how confronting every single poem is, and how well each lyrical word captures the macabre, uncomfortable subject matter.

This is definitely a keeper. The contents of this poetry collection might have torn me apart at every turn, but I loved it.

Crime Scene is now available for pre-order from Raw Dog Screaming Press.

BLOOD MOUNTAIN by Brenda S. Tolian

 

In this mosaic of Southwestern Gothic Horror, a primordial goddess awakens deep within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The mountain hungers for revenge as invaders leave her emaciated with their greed and brutality. She cries out for blood, infusing the minds of those who do not belong—twisting them outwardly into the dark forms of their true intentions.

An Under Sheriff struggles to grasp brittle threads of hope within the valley and mountains, his soul tormented by the unanswered questions of crimes he can’t explain and the dead and missing he could not help. The demented Red Women fracture the meaning of being maiden, mother, and crone within the shadows of twisted belief systems. Men and women devolve into the grotesque, drowning in their greed and violence transmuting into creatures too hideous to name. Others find seduction on her rocky hips and release within the baptism of her blood. The valley steeped in cults and crime hides something dark, where mirage plays with the senses, disappearances go unexplained, UFOs and creatures await watching in hunger.

This composite novel of interwoven stories and brief vignettes invites the reader to hear the hypnotic call of the Blood Mountain. Will she ask you into her vortex or swallow you whole?

With such an awesome and atmospheric cover, of course I was interested in checking this out.

Deep in the Sangre de Cristo mountains in Colorado, something hungry awakens after an ancient being is fed up with the greedy invaders and trespassers that leave her feeling used and abused...

Well, this collection of interconnected stories sure was brutal.

Although there are twelve different stories with interwoven interludes featuring the struggling Under Sheriff, Dave Blackwood, as he contemplates the carnage he's seen, these tales all come together to complete one very violent and bloody novel. Within these pages, there are many characters living through a variety of situations that often focus on the cultish and selfish behaviour of humans. But the narrative always returns to the mountains. Or rather, the darkness haunting the mountains and how she takes payment in the form of possession and death. 

These stories don't hold back and dare to tread into very dark and claustrophobic trails to follow those who dare to enter, because of one form of depraved greed or another.

They're all horror stories to the core, and also provide plenty of social commentary from the beginning. Not just in the way that men take, take and take some more, but also in how easily women can be twisted as well. At the end of the day, even though the patriarchy tries hard to convince us otherwise, we're all human. Man or woman, we're all capable of unfathomable things. We all wear skin over our brittle bones and can conjure truly horrible things with our minds, especially when caught up in the claws of religion. But we're not the only ones living on this planet, and sometimes the Earth bites back with a vengeance.

One last thing, my favourite story was Seraphim because I loved the imagery, anger and mood. Plus, it captures the essence of this book and is the perfect conclusion.

Thank you Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Blood Mountain is now available from Raw Dog Screaming Press.