Under The Book Cover: extreme horror

WWW Wednesday: 21 June 2023

Hi hello and welcome to WWW Wednesday! This was formerly hosted by MizB at A Daily Rhythm and revived on Taking on a World of Words. This is a really fun and easy weekly post where you answer the three W’s: what are you currently reading, what did you recently finish reading, and what do you think you’ll read next? Let’s get started!
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What are you currently reading?

Yellowface by R.F. Kuang. I'll go ahead and admit this: I've never read an R.F. Kuang book. I know, I know, I'm missing out! But I'm finally reading one and holy wow I am so glad I to finally be reading something by her. I'm about 20-25% in and it feels so easy to read in a good way. I love the writing, and the story itself is absolutely wild, oh man. I really can’t wait to see where it goes from here because June is actually the worst and I am just rooting for her to fail.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Last Word by Taylor Adams and No One Rides for Free by Judith Sonnet. I technically finished No One Rides for Free most recently but it was so short that I'm including The Last Word as well since that was a full length book. I really enjoyed The Last Word and it made me want to check out more books by Taylor Adams! It was a fun mystery thriller book and I'm excited to pick up No Exit at some point in the future. And No One Rides for Free is an extreme horror book that I picked up while sitting in the emergency room on Sunday. I highly encourage you to check the trigger warnings for before reading because this is absolutely an extreme horror book in every sense. It was good and it made me want to read more from Judith Sonnet but it was definitely an intense read!

What do you think you'll read next?

The Only One Left by Riley Sager. I have been so excited for a new Riley Sager book, oh my goodness. I've never given a book by him anything less than five stars (yes, even Survive the Night) and I just know that this one is an immediate five star book before I've even read it. This may encourage me to do a full Riley Sager dedicated post about all of his books so stay tuned for that if you're interested in hearing all of my thoughts on his books!

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And that does it for this WWW Wednesday post! I've gotten back into reading more now that MomoCon is over and I'm healing from my surgery and I'm so happy to be reading again. How is your reading going this week? Have you picked up anything new? Are any of the books I mentioned today on your TBR? Which book should I pick up next? I'd love to know so be sure to leave me a comment below and we can chat! Don't forget to visit Taking On a World of Words and see Sam's post for the week, and maybe check out some others awesome weekly posts from the comments! Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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WWW Wednesday: 03 May 2023

catriona ward 12:00:00 PM

What are you currently reading?

Lavender House by Lev A.C. Rosen! I'm a few chapters in and can already tell that this is going to be a fantastic book. Think Knives Out but historical and queer. It's so good so far and I love the main character, Evander (or Andy as I just found out he's usually called) so I'm really excited to continue reading! And I just discovered this is the first book in a series, with the sequel coming out in October, which makes me incredibly happy!

What did you recently finish reading?

Looking Glass Sound by Catriona Ward. I'm convinced that every book I read from her is going to be a five star book. I do not care what it's about, if she writes it, I will read it. This book was so twisty and weird and it was everything I had hoped it would be. By the end, I was reading with my jaw on the floor in shock because of the rollercoaster ride that I was being taken on. I think it won't be a book for everyone but that once it finds its audience, it'll get a lot of love and praise!

What do you think you'll read next?

The Bell in the Fog by Lev A.C. Rosen is the sequel to Lavender House! I found it on NetGalley and immediately requested it because I already know that I'm going to want to read book two when I finish Lavender House. I don't know if I'll get approved or not but I'm crossing my fingers!

The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefleur has been popping up all over my TikTok page and I've heard such good things about it! A romance cover model and a book seller with a marriage of convivence? I'm sold. Plus, just look at that cover!

Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson sounds like a great murder mystery book and I've been in the mood (clearly, based on me reading Lavender House currently) for that genre! Kayla from BooksandLala had really good things to say about this one and I trust her recommendations, so I think this would be a great next read!

Ex-Boogeyman by Kristopher Triana has been on my TBR for a bit and it sounds like a great slasher extreme horror book. I haven't read an extreme horror in a while and this one keeps catching my eye, mostly because the tagline of "He's not Freddy, he's not Jason...he's all washed up!" makes me laugh every time I see it. I've only read Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana and that was...an experience, so I'm interested in giving him another try!
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And that does it for this WWW Wednesday post! I've really been enjoying the books that I've picked up recently and I'm hoping to continue that trend the rest of the week. How is your reading going this week? Have you picked up anything new? Are any of the books I mentioned today on your TBR? Which book should I pick up next? I'd love to know so be sure to leave me a comment below and we can chat! Don't forget to visit Taking On a World of Words and see Sam's post for the week, and maybe check out some others awesome weekly posts from the comments! Thanks for stopping by and I'll see you in the next chapter!

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July Wrap-Up!

advance reader copy 12:00:00 PM

Hi hello and welcome to my July wrap-up! This month, I read 16 books and participated in Summerween, hosted by Gabby and Olivia. I finished reading every Charlie Nottingham book, discovered a new genre and author I love, and read a book that most people aren’t enjoying but I ended up having a great time with! July was a pretty successful reading month for me and I’m really excited to share my thoughts on all of the great books I read this month. Let’s get started!

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Title: Origins

Author: Charlie Nottingham

Pages: 908

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 29 October 2021

From Amazon: "Véa has dreamed of becoming queen of the fae since she was a girl. But once she finally takes her throne, and her world is under attack by ruthless soul eaters, she's forced to watch it burn or marry a man she hates—Lux, king of angels. Nix is the half-Elvan, half-angel bastard prince of both the elvan nation and the land of the angels. When he takes his place as hand of the king beneath his brother, it becomes his duty to guard the new queen, Véa. Will Véa assimilate into a world where women are traded like cattle, or will she steal Lux's world out from under him with his brother at her side?"

Mini-Review: How can I adequately describe how excited I have been to finally get to the origin story of my favorite characters? This was everything I wanted and then some! I loved the slow build up of Vea and Nix’s relationship and seeing how they fell in love. And my hatred of Lux was confirmed a million times over. I knew he was evil but holy wow, he’s a true villain. This book was chonky and absolutely filled with the backstory I had been dying to read more of and I loved it so much!

Title: What Moves the Dead

Author: T. Kingfisher

Pages: 176

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 12 July 2022

From Goodreads: "When Alex Easton, a retired soldier, receives word that their childhood friend Madeline Usher is dying, they race to the ancestral home of the Ushers in the remote countryside of Ruritania. What they find there is a nightmare of fungal growths and possessed wildlife, surrounding a dark, pulsing lake. Madeline sleepwalks and speaks in strange voices at night, and her brother Roderick is consumed with a mysterious malady of the nerves. Aided by a redoubtable British mycologist and a baffled American doctor, Alex must unravel the secret of the House of Usher before it consumes them all."

Mini-Review: I have no idea what I just read, but I know I’m smiling after finishing it and that’s absolutely a good thing. This is my first T. Kingfisher book and it definitely won’t be my last! I was unsure about it at first and I felt a bit lost, maybe like I should have read the story this was inspired by first, but it picked up and kept me hooked until the end. I loved the eerie vibes I got while reading and I had the feeling like I should shower and brush my teeth like at least 80 times. Nothing was inherently off that I could pick up on but once I did, oh man did I get the creepy crawlies! I love subtle horror, especially subtle horror that builds, and this was definitely right up my alley with those two elements. I am definitely excited to read more from T. Kingfisher in the future after reading this!

Title: The Thrones of Ore & Ice

Author: Charlie Nottingham

Pages: 374

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 11 January 2022

From Amazon: "Véa was never boastful of her crown, but she certainly missed it when she was forced to marry to save her world. Nix never wanted to be king. First born son or not, he was happy for his brother to take the throne - until Nix saw how awful of a ruler his little brother was. When Nix and Véa met, it was because she was marrying his little brother. But as her guard, he saw the ugly reality of how he treated her. One thing led to another, and before they knew it...

Now, Véa is pregnant with Nix's child, and he knows what his brother will do to her if he learns. To keep the woman he loves and his unborn child safe, Nix's only option is to take his brother's throne - and his wife - out from under him. Will Véa be able to stay safe in this war of crowns until her baby's born?"

Mini-Review: Thanks to the Eluding Destiny series, we already had a few glimpses into the lives of Vea and Nix. With Thrones of Ore and Ice, we get even more to fill in the gaps and continue learning about these past lives that Laila and Jeremy had! There was a lot of heartbreak and answered questions in this installment and as much as it killed me to, I absolutely flew through this. I’m so in love with the world-building that Charlie Nottingham has done with these books and it makes it so incredibly easy to get lost in the pages for hours and hours. This book bridged the gap between books one and three beautifully and I can’t wait to read the conclusion!

Title: Creation

Author: Charlie Nottingham

Pages: 498

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 21 June 2022

From Amazon: "Véa and Nix have brought an ounce of peace to the cold world of Matriaza since they stole the crown. Their happily ever after required pain and suffering, but now, they're better than they've ever been. They're planning the wedding they should have had to begin with, lying beside one another in bed each night, and getting exactly what they'd like to out of life. Until trillions of souls are born, and the two of them must find a way to protect them from their own people, and their darkest enemy - the maalaichte cnihme. Matriaza and Morduaine are overpopulated already, and they have nowhere to put these infant souls. Nix and Véa must form an alliance with the only people they know with access to a land large enough to house so much new life. The maalaichte cnihme."

Mini-Review: This was incredible. I had so many feelings while reading this and so many questions that got answered! I can’t believe we finally got the beginning of their story from literally the beginning and got to follow it all the way to here. I laughed, cried, and everything in between while I made my way through this book. It was almost 500 pages of perfection and while I’m so sad that this side trilogy is over, I can’t wait to see what the future holds!

Title: Invoking the Blood

Author: Kalista Neith

Pages: 425

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Release Date: 02 August 2022

From Goodreads: "Faye agreed to her sister’s brilliant idea to sneak into the Hunter’s Moon ball. A night the vampires in attendance held sacred, lusting under the eerie glow of the blood red moon. Faye was no vampire. She wasn’t even a race that possessed magic. Her ceremony failed, marking her an Anarian. A mortal without magic. After a run in with the Shadow Prince, Faye begins dreaming of him. His yearnful gaze leaves her feeling cherished after she wakes. A pleasant daydream, since men like him didn’t exist. Not for women like her. But as days pass and the dreams intensify, the Shadow Prince comes for her. His gaze filled with the same yearning he held for her during their shared dreams. Until he realizes she’s an Anarian. Abducted and confined in his home in Hell, Faye is left only with his promise to release her after he breaks the tie binding his life to hers. But with each heated exchange she can almost see the man that longed for her in her dreams. The one who cherished her and tempted her heart."

Mini-Review: I'm so happy I got a chance to read an early copy of Invoking the Blood, oh my goodness. I have been so excited about this ever since I saw a video from the author pop up on my TikTok FYP and I just had to sign up for the ARC team.

She wasn't the queen raised in a dark court who would command and possess him, and he wasn't the simple, kind man she envisioned sharing her life with.

This book felt a little slow to begin with and I will admit, I did have a tough time really settling down into the world. But once I did, I really started to enjoy it! I am a sucker for a good vampire story and I think this was a fun read, for sure. The writing was a bit rough at times (just with some grammar/sentence structure/the way some things were phrased) but Kalista is a debut author so I'm not going to judge too harshly in that area and it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story at all. I went in hoping for a good vampire story and that's exactly what I got with this book!

Faye was an interesting character to read about and I loved seeing her growth from the start of the book to the end. She was very timid and hard on herself but by the end, you could really tell that she had grown into a stronger and more confident Faye! Rune was a butthead, to put it nicely. He was incredibly classist against Faye and where she came from and it was big ick vibes every time he brought it up. Thankfully, he also experienced some growth and wasn't the most horrible person by the end. And the two of them together? Power couple for sure! But there's another side of Rune that he keeps under lock and key and he's just dying to come out and play with Faye. However, I won't say any more than that! I wasn't the biggest fan of Sparrow (Faye's sister), however, I will admit that she did have her moments. I did like Vashien (Sparrow's partner) because lord have mercy he had to put up with so much being with Sparrow and he was an actual hoot at times!

The story was fun overall and I am definitely interested in where the next book goes! I did feel a bit rushed at the end but it's possible that was because I was flying through the ending. I found myself smiling and laughing and reading ridiculous chunks of this book at once and it was a successful read in my opinion. Now Kalista, when is book two coming out?! <3

Title: The House Across the Lake

Author: Riley Sager

Pages: 368

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Release Date: 21 June 2022

From Goodreads: "Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of liquor, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple who live in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is rich; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous. One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage is not as perfect and placid as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey becomes consumed with finding out what happened to her. In the process, she uncovers eerie, darker truths that turn a tale of voyeurism and suspicion into a story of guilt, obsession and how looks can be very deceiving."

Mini-Review: I already know I'm in the minority with this but I absolutely loved this book. I have yet to give a Riley Sager book less than 5 stars and that streak has not been broken by The House Across the Lake! I've seen so many people talking about this book and not a lot of them had good things to say about it, unfortunately. But I had such a good time reading this! I actually had my husband look up the ending and his reaction was, "Yeah, if I was reading this and it ended like that, I would be unhappy, too." And that made me wonder if I would join the group of people that didn't enjoy this newest release by the time I finished reading. I'm really happy that I ended up enjoying this as much as I did. Was it different? Yes. Can I see why people didn't enjoy it? I absolutely can! And I totally respect that he's not an author that everyone enjoys. But for me, this was a win!

Title: From Tormented Tides

Author: Val E. Lane

Pages:

Genre: Fantasy/Romance

Release Date: 25 July 2022

From Goodreads: "Unravel the past. Break the curse. Pass midterms. And don’t fall in love with dead pirates…

Katrina Delmar has no idea that Milo, the charming guy she meets at a college party, was supposed to have died at sea 300 years ago. She only knows that she's drawn to him right away. But she’s also caught the attention of his crewmate, Bellamy, whose mysterious allure is hard to resist. Falling for undead pirates is the least of her worries when there seems to be something sinister lurking beneath the surface. And when the ruthless captain of the ship discovers Katrina may hold the key to breaking the crew’s curse, he's hellbent on taking it from her at whatever cost. With time running out, Katrina must learn who she can trust and unlock the mysteries of the past before she and those she loves are pulled under by a curse of her own."

Mini-Review: I’m obsessed and I have a lot of feelings and every single one of them is about how much I loved this frickin book.

A huge thank you to the author, Val E. Lane, for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book!

Pirates, mermaids, and curses oh my! From Tormented Tides is the modern Pirates of the Caribbean retelling you’ve been waiting for! From the very beginning, I was absolutely hooked and I devoured every page. I loved Katrina and how real she felt, and following her journey from the start of the book to the end was so much fun. I really enjoyed the storyline of her curse and how she went about figuring out how to end it was thrilling! I also, of course, loved the romance so very much. No spoilers here so you’ll just have to find out who Trina ends up with by reading!

“Last month, I was just an awkward art student trying not to get another hangover, and now I’m in the middle of nowhere with a 300-year-old pirate, hiding from other pirates. You expect me not to ask questions?”

Val’s writing was incredibly addictive and it really allowed me to get lost in the world that she has created. There were multiple times that I was reading and just smiled at how much I was enjoying myself. The descriptions were vivid and I was easily able to picture what was going on throughout the story. I loved how the writing effortlessly blended the stories of the past and present, and it really made me think that this could happen in our modern world! If I had to choose my favorite aspect of the book, it would definitely be the writing, hands down.

With the moon you shall rise

As the night calls the tide

By day, bound to the depths

Forevermore this curse shall be kept

Lest to the depths is returned

What was taken; the last of her.

Title: Woom

Author: Duncan Ralston

Pages: 138

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 07 September 2017

From Goodreads: "Warning: this book contains graphic violence and sexuality most readers will find offensive.

"I believe pain lingers," Angel said. "Do I believe in spirits? In the supernatural? Probably not."

The Lonely Motel holds many dark secrets... and Room 6 just might possess the worst of them all. Angel knows all about pain. His mother died in this room. He's researched its history. Today he's come back to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all. Shyla, a plus-sized prostitute, thinks the stories Angel tells her can't be true. Secrets so vile, you won't want to let them inside you. But the Lonely Motel doesn't forget. It doesn't forgive. And it always claims its victim."

Mini-Review: This is easily one of the wildest books I’ve ever read and I frickin loved it! I actually gasped and was laughing in shock at a few parts towards the end because while I did guess where the story was going, I didn’t see how we were getting there coming if that makes sense. I loved this crazy messed-up story.

Side note: While I did enjoy the heck out of how wild and extreme this was, I will say I did not agree with the use of the F-slur or N-word used a few times in this book. That did make me uncomfortable and while that may have been the intention, there are clearly plenty of other ways to go about making people squirm without using words like those.

Title: And Then I Woke Up

Author: Malcolm Devlin

Pages: 167

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 12 April 2022

From Goodreads: "In a world reeling from an unusual plague, monsters lurk in the streets while terrified survivors arm themselves and roam the countryside in packs. Or perhaps something very different is happening. When a disease affects how reality is perceived, it’s hard to be certain of anything. Spence is one of the “cured” living at the Ironside rehabilitation facility. Haunted by guilt, he refuses to face the changed world until a new inmate challenges him to help her find her old crew. But if he can’t tell the truth from the lies, how will he know if he has earned the redemption he dreams of? How will he know he hasn’t just made things worse?"

Mini-Review: Okay so this was a book. And I don’t know how I feel about it. On one hand, it had some really good quotes that I liked quite a bit. And it definitely made me think more than I’m used to with a book, I suppose. But on the other hand, it felt…pretentious? I don’t know if that’s the word I’m looking for or not. Almost like smart horror, maybe? Analytical horror? I struggled through this, to be completely honest. I don’t think it’s what I expected and while that doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, it just means that it wasn’t the book for me.

Title: Man, Fuck This House

Author: Brian Asman

Pages: 158

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 19 October 2021

From Goodreads: "Sabrina Haskins and her family have just moved into their dream home, a gorgeous Craftsman in the rapidly-growing Southwestern city of Jackson Hill. Sabrina's a bored and disillusioned home-maker, Hal a reverse mortgage salesman with a penchant for ill-timed sports analogies. Their two children, Damien and Michaela, are bright and precocious. At first glance, the house is perfect. But things aren't what they seem. Sabrina's hearing odd noises, seeing strange visions. Their neighbors are odd or absent. And Sabrina's already-fraught relationship with her son is about to be tested in a way no parent could ever imagine. Because while the Haskins family might be the newest owners of 4596 James Circle, they're far from its only residents."

Mini-Review: It’s like an amped-up version of Monster House. The title is pretty funny and definitely drew me to read this (it was also recommended on BookTok!) and I did chuckle when it was said in the book. I loved Damien, silly little demon child, and Sabrina wasn’t terrible. It kind of lost me towards the end, although I will say the visuals were making me crack up. I was hoping for a really scary haunted house story and got a modern-day Baba Yaga’s house looking for a touch-up. Which I guess isn’t bad but just not what I was hoping to read when I picked this book up.

Title: You've Lost a Lot of Blood

Author: Eric LaRocca

Pages: 236

Genre: Horror

Release Date: 11 March 2022

From Goodreads: "A disturbing new vision of terror from the author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke.

"Each precious thing I show you in this book is a holy relic from the night we both perished-the night when I combed you from my hair and watered the moon with your blood. You've lost a lot of blood..."

Mini-Review: Okay this was pretty cool! Did I understand the combination of the book in a book? Nope. Does it matter? Nope, because this was awesome. I believe it was Katie Coulson who said this book is basically all vibes and that feels like an accurate description. I enjoyed both stories within this book, I think for different reasons, but the vibes were definitely chefs kiss. I think Eric LaRocca is quickly becoming a go-to horror author for me!

Title: Survivor's Guilt

Author: Aron Beauregard & Matt Shaw

Pages: 141

Genre: Extreme Horror

Release Date: 04 May 2022

From Goodreads: "Survivor's Guilt (noun): a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress experienced by someone who has survived an incident in which others died.

Connie (written by Aron Beauregard) and Ray (written by Matt Shaw) have both survived traumatic events where others were not so lucky. Whilst some survivors are grateful to have lived, others carry with them a heavy feeling of guilt. Why did I survive when others died? Could I have done something to help others escape too? For those with such uncomfortable and haunting questions, there are groups set up to help them find the answers they seek. Connie and Ray aren't like the other survivors though.

They aren't grateful they survived, and nor do they feel the same guilt weighing heavy on the shoulders of others sitting with them on a weekly basis. Connie and Ray have other thoughts and - brought together in this group, they realize that whilst the group might not be able to help them, they can help each other."

Mini-Review: This was my first experience with an Aron Beauregard book (and a Matt Shaw book!) and wow, I am not disappointed! I really enjoyed both points of view and how both authors voices felt distinct from each other but still managed to blend perfectly. I’m diving more into extreme horror and Aron is an author that I see mentioned frequently, so I wanted to finally read something of his and ended up choosing this one. Not only did it ensure I’ll be reading more from him, but I also found a secondary author to check out!

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Title: Die Tommy

Author: Aron Beauregard

Pages: 148

Genre: Extreme Horror

Release Date: 11 August 2019

From Goodreads: "Brutus and Tommy pick up dead bodies for a living it's a grim but interesting business to, say the least. Their normally nasty gig suddenly transitions into something even more disturbing than usual when they pick up a recently murdered stiff that's been stewing in the blazing Arizona heat just a bit too long. They soon find out this isn't just any ordinary cadaver, this corpse has a dark, horrific secret... A shocking, repulsive, detail-oriented odyssey that practically puts you on the coroner's cold definitive slab. You always hear that it's what's on the inside that counts and now it's time to find out. It's time to pick up the bodies..."

Mini-Review: Okay I think I can officially say that I’m a fan of Aron Beauregard. This was hilariously gross and weird and exactly what I expected after hearing about his books. The visuals will haunt my dreams probably forever and the illustrations are burned into my eyeballs. I’m now on a mission to read every book he’s written!

Title: Funeral Girl

Author: Emma K. Ohland

Pages: 272

Genre: YA Contemporary/Horror

Release Date: 06 September 2022

From Goodreads: "Sixteen-year-old Georgia Richter feels conflicted about the funeral home her parents run--especially because she has the ability to summon ghosts. With one touch of any body that passes through Richter Funeral Home, she can awaken the spirit of the departed. With one more touch, she makes the spirit disappear, to a fate that remains mysterious to Georgia. To cope with her deep anxiety about death, she does her best to fulfill the final wishes of the deceased whose ghosts she briefly revives. Then her classmate Milo's body arrives at Richter--and his spirit wants help with unfinished business, forcing Georgia to reckon with her relationship to grief and mortality."

Mini-Review: I don’t know how to properly convey just how much I loved this book. I went into it expecting one thing only to find out it was not spooky but absolutely heartbreaking in the best way possible. Georgia was such a relatable character and there were so many times that I found myself in tears with how much I could relate to what she was feeling. I loved Georgia so much and I just wanted to hug her whenever she was going through a hard time. This story was so well crafted and I just want to scream about it to everyone I know.

“Because those left with the memories die too, and the grass grows over them and trees fall on top of them and time passes to erase them until there’s no one to remember. We all inevitably forget.”

Title: The Slob

Author: Aron Beauregard

Pages: 146

Genre: Splatterpunk

Release Date: 18 November 2020

From Goodreads: "Raised in a household that was so filthy it was stomach spilling, Vera has become a neat freak. Her obsession with cleanliness sprouts the concept that her skills can be put to use in a unique way. In an effort to generate some income for her and her disabled husband Daniel just prior to the birth of their first child, she takes aim at the booming door-to-door sales business of the late 80s. All is going well until she arrives at the steps of a house she wished she never had. The steps of an evil that brings back the ghastly memories she so desperately tried to wash away. Nothing will prepare you for the nastiness, disorder and uncleansable horror brought forth by... The Slob."

Mini-Review: This was hilariously disgusting and vile in multiple ways. I’ve read some crazy books before but The Slob takes the cake, hands down. I try to take the warnings that are included in these extreme horror books with a grain of salt because my thoughts are always "how bad can it really be?" Well, The Slob deserves that warning for sure. I don't get disturbed easily and it takes a lot to make me want to put a book down, but this one absolutely shook me. Was I absolutely grossed out at some parts of this? Yes. Did I get my mom a copy to read so I can traumatize her as well? I absolutely did and I can't wait to see her reaction. Aron Beauregard is my go-to when I need a nice gruesome book to read and I'm so excited to read his entire backlist!

Title: Sew Sorry

Author: Aron Beauregard & Daniel J. Volpe

Pages: 159

Genre: Splatterpunk

Release Date: 06 October 2021

From Goodreads: "Henry’s mother has enough money to live more than comfortably. But the only comfort she can concentrate on is her bizarre obsession. She can’t help but constantly seek out the donation bins on the darker side of the city. The only problem is, she isn’t putting clothing into them, she’s taking it out. Until one frigid night when she accidentally unveils her selfish secret to everyone. After the revelation, the layer of shame left lathered on Henry becomes backbreaking. As Halloween approaches, macabre ideas manifesting in Henry’s head spark a series of events that will lead to sins far worse than stealing.

Garrison is hungry and cold. The only thing in his sights is finding a way to turn a dollar and his next foul meal. His own perseverance knows no bounds. His diabolical deeds are hidden in the shadowy alleys. He aims to survive, no matter who he has to trick or turn out in the process. But after burning too many bridges, he finds himself on an island. Alone, save for the salivating teeth of vengeance. When a tarnished teenager and a heartless hobo collide, the streets will run red. Rich or poor, we all rot the same."

Mini-Review: One thing that I’m learning as I read more extreme horror/splatterpunk books is that there are multiple ways to make a reader cringe. You could give the same general topic to several different authors and get completely different stories from each of them, and I love it. Reading the short stories from both Aron Beauregard and Daniel J. Volpe gave me such different feelings and I had completely different reactions to both! I absolutely love finding out how different and unique each writer I read in this genre is. These two authors together are fantastic and I loved how the stories were interwoven and we got to see how things went together for both stories. It was gross and fun and I loved the uniqueness of each writer.

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And that’s it for my July wrap-up! I really am proud of how many books I was able to read this month and I am super excited to see what August has in store for me. As for my favorite book that I read this month, I have to give that honor to Funeral Girl by Emma K. Ohland. It was so beautiful and heartbreaking and a book that I didn’t know I needed until I read it. I’d love to know what your favorite book that you read in July was so shoot me a comment below and give me another book to add to my endless TBR. Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you in the next chapter!

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July Wrap-Up!

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