Ooze: Little Bursts of Body Horror, Edited by Ruth Anna Evans

Wow! I am almost speechless with some of these stories. I do enjoy some body horror, but I think I have found some limits, eyeballs being one of them. Evans found some fantastic authors sharing their wickedness with us. I think every story in this collection is excellent…some more disgusting than others, but I still liked those icky stories, too. Some will make your eyes water, you’ll cringe, and probably get a bit queasy. Don’t be eating something when you read this. I hope Evans puts together another anthology. They did a bang-up job with this one!

P.S. I know normally I break down each story for a review, but there are some short and freaking sweet stories that any synopsis would be a spoiler. This is one anthology that needs to be a complete surprise.

Pieces of Me by RJ Roles, self published.

 

Pieces of Me by RJ Roles, self published.

If you haven’t heard yet, RJ Roles has his own collection of short stories coming out tomorrow, February 17th. There are 15 stories in all; from baking to the apocalypse. A wide variety of awesomeness. I’ve reviewed each story to lure you in to picking this one up. 

The introduction is written by M. Ennenbach. It is very cool to read how these two met, through the Books of Horror Facebook group. There is a lot of respect in BoH and RJ Roles plays a big part in it. Ennenbach reminds us that not only is RJ an awesome person and great friend, he is also a fantastic author. 

Firefly Light. A group of kids are playing tag at night and whoever is “it” has a jar of fireflies to use as a light to hunt for the others. A neat little twist at the end. A highly entertaining story to start off this anthology.

The Happiest Nightmares on Earth.  ZOMBIES!!! Enough said. I freaking love zombies. That this little story is in this selection, Chef’s Kiss!

The Wishing Well. Oh man what a fantastic turn of events in this story. Wishing well wishes turned up a bazillion degrees. It was so much fun to read this one!

Dream Vacation. This is more science fiction like, but ends up being horror in conclusion. A man is given the gift of having lots of dream vacations, but as always, these things come with a price! How does RJ come up with these twists on a basic story? This one is really good.

Leviathan. I don’t know if you are like me, but when I think of a Leviathan, I always think of a nasty sea creature that can think logically and has reasoning. Just kick that thought up a few notches and RJ goes there. A few sailors are stranded on an island with no way off. Yikes!

Secret Recipe. So this one is hilarious but also dreadful. Grandma likes to make cookies and certain people get a super special cookie to fix their bad behaviors permanently. I would definitely try to stay on her good side. 

Sinner’s Holiday. A family has a tradition they hand down to each generation. When the next generation's son kinda goes off script, chaos ensues and all hell breaks loose! A cute little love story. *wink*

Hag’s Hollow. I think this is a kind of historical horror story that could be written into a novella. It’s about a town in the 1500’s that all but vanished, leaving behind questions as to what happened to the town and its citizens. I got a Roanoke vibe from it, I loved it.

In the Deep Dark. This story pulled at my heart-strings in conclusion. A brother and sister are going on a hike in search of treasure, but they end up lost in the woods until they stumble upon what appears to be an abandoned cabin. This is probably the most classic-esque story I’ve read by RJ. A very enjoyable story.

Man of the House. During the apocalypse, a family is just trying to survive what is left of the world. All the death, unbearable heat, and finding the next meal. Told in both journal and first person point of view. 

Swine of Another Kind. A retired cop takes on the corrupt cops with some wholesome sweet revenge. I really enjoyed the twists and turns this took all throughout the story!

Pennies for Santa. What a hoot! I laughed while reading this one. I don’t know if I wasn’t supposed to, but sometimes the bad guys are downright stupid and funny. Highly entertaining story of a good guy turning bad guy during the holiday season.

Until That Day Arrives. This story is quite unique and completely wonderful. I don’t know how RJ came up with this story, but it is a true testament to what his imagination is like. It is unlike any story I have read before. A young boy loses his parents and is sent to an orphanage. The orphanage is everything but nice. Evil with a creature feature. Completely absorbing.

Old Soul.  A woman experiences different  peoples deaths over and over again off and on throughout her life. It gets to be too much for her after years of it. 

Something Wrong With the WIFI. Another funny and entertaining story. A husband and wife are enjoying their own hobbies when the WIFI goes out. He is tired of it always dropping so he heads to the shop. And boy, the loopholes he has to go through for WIFI! 

I enjoyed all these stories with quite a few of them being my favorites. RJ Roles is a gifted author with a unique imagination and shares a whole lot of humor! His writing is anywhere from bleak sadness to evil destruction to entertaining day-to-day horrors. You get a wonderful variety of stories in this anthology.

Sleeping Among Wolves by Robert Royal Poff, self published

 

Sleeping Among Wolves by Robert Royal Poff, self published, March 4, 2023

This is my first time reading anything by Robert Royal Poff. I hope to read some more of this talented author. 

I enjoyed this story, a horror story with a focus on love. This is a great little novella perfect for those wanting a more subdued horror story, but still need fast and gory, bloody scenes. This is a story that is more focused on love, to be with them during an apocalypse. 

Atlas and Moose are on their third date when the apocalypse happens. They find safety for a short while with other survivors. But soon, they must flee and find a new home. They do everything they can to make it to a new place, meeting friends and enemies while avoiding those with an illness that turns humans into cannibals. 

I feel that a lot of heart and soul went into this story. There is a depth to it that is usually not present in some horror stories. Poff was able to create characters I came to care for and relate to, while also building a believable world. I actually could feel the love between Atlas and Moose and hoped for a perfect ending for the two. My adrenaline would increase during some of the attacks on these two. And yes, I did get teary eyed a couple of times. 

I highly recommend this for anyone that is wanting to step away from the heavy fear induced horror stories and need a little breather. A lot of us need to step away from the heavily gory stories out there, and this is a great book to pick up for that reason. There is plenty of gore and blood, but there is equal measure of love and devotion. A solid story from start to finish.

La Petite Mort by Eli Wilde, self published

I really enjoy the writing of Eli Wilde. He is another author that once introduced to me, I had to grab his other stories as soon as I could. You might have seen his other book recently, The Scent of Liver, which is fantastic by the way. If you like some  light-horror poetry, definitely put this on the TBR!

This book is strictly poetry. It has themes of blood, death, love and sadness. 

Rufus Hobster, a vampire, is also a poet. In this little book of poetry, we  spend time with Rufus and how he views life living as a vampire. Along his journey, he meets Elise, who he quickly falls in love with. Filled with words straight from Rufus’ heart to paper, we read how the relationship evolves from needing Elise next to him at all times, to an ending where he is left all alone. 

This summer, Rufus Hobster will have the first of a novel trilogy released. The second novel will be released in the summer of 2024. I’m looking forward to this! 

I can’t get over the cover art for Eli Wilde’s books either. Look at these!!

Scratches by Joshua Marsella

 

Scratches is a dark, family secret horror story. There are some references to the old comic books like Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt, giving the story an old 80’s era vibe. It was a quick story, around 130 pages, so I was able to read it within a few hours. It pulled me in right away and held my attention. There is a huge plot twist that completely surprised me! I’m definitely going to add more of Johsua Marsella’s novels to my tbr list. 

Old Scratch: Demon Tales and Devil Hells, edited by R. J. Roles and Jason Myers. Crimson Pinnacle Press

 

Old Scratch: Demon Tales and Devil Hells, edited by R. J. Roles and Jason Myers. Crimson Pinnacle Press

Jason Myers introduces us to Old Scratch, a.k.a The Devil. I didn’t know the Devil had another nickname, Old Scratch. So I got a lesson on the Devil himself thanks to Jason!

What follows is a review of 15 short stories about the old codger, the Devil himself. 

Dracula’s Devil by Chris McAuley. Here is a story about Dracula’s birth. A dark and lonely feeling in this story. An absolutely great first story, I like the writing style of McAuley. You gotta look at his photo in the back of the book!!

Don’t Beat Yourself Up by Tony Logan. A very good story about devil possession, so unique and I really enjoyed the twists in this. Definitely a five star story!

Doomsday by P. J. Blakey-Novis. A fabulous story of Hell rising from the earth and trying to overtake the world. I’m definitely looking for some more Blakey-Novis stories. I’m hoping his others are just as bleak as this one.

Of Donuts and Demons by Pamela Morris. This starts out silly and ends up brutal! A cop eats a donut and gets all trigger happy and goes all postal! A great time in this story!

Let Me Clip My Dirty Wings by Jason R. Frei. It’s kind of a love story, of sorts. Satan’s consort wants more than he’s giving her, and there is a price to pay, always. I liked this one, it was lots of “do this for me or else.”

Eternal Harvest by Steve Stred. This is a wicked story, absolutely imaginative and so good. It’s about the Devil harvesting souls.I don’t think I’ve read any Stred stories before, but I know he’s quite popular. I can see why when I read this one. 

The Black Rock Chapel Horror by Thomas Stewart. A priest learned the truth about forgiveness and repenting. This one was a little hard to enjoy. The writing is great, but the story was a bit bland. I would give Thomas Stewart another try, though.

A Good Man by Mark Towse. A man is doing the Devil’s work and doesn’t know he is working with the Devil. Awesome premise and written perfectly. Just the right amount of angst and fear.

Deep and Dark by HP Newquist. Another author I have heard a lot about and need to check out some more stories. This is a story about a vigneron, who comes across a new type of grape in his vineyard. There is a story behind this rare grape he finds. Absolutely fantastic writing! I loved this one.

A Devil’s Hell by Stephanie Scissom. Awww, a sad love story about Lucifer. A perfect accompaniment to this collection. Another author to look into to find more stories. Elegant writing and a lot of heart in this story.

Devil’s Edibles by Justin M. Woodward. Edibles that cause devil-like hallucinations.Very entertaining and engaging. I loved the writing and the story.

Jackson’s Unwanted Guest by Patrick Flaherty. An entertaining story about a demon trying desperately to get Jackson’s soul. Funny, witty, evil, and awesome, all that in one little story.

Devil On My Shoulders by RJ Roles. A freaking hilarious story of Lucifer and his cat, Mr. Fluffybutt going to Ohio. This is one of my favorites in this collection. Lots of laughs!

Shallow Be Thy Name M. Ennenbach. Ennenbach is just one of those authors that likes to suck you in the story and trail you along a dark and deep story that ends with a gut punch. No shortage in this one. Lucifer is having a temper tantrum and his brother, Michael, is trying to calm him down. It doesn’t end well for anyone.

That’s What They All Say by Bradley H. Sinor. An investigation agent is tasked with finding Lucifer, who has been kidnapped. Silly story, not really my type of story I enjoy. But it was entertaining and kept my attention. 

As you can see, there are a variety of humorous and dark stories in this set. It is just as entertaining as all the other anthologies by Jason Myers and RJ Roles that I have read. I am just getting started on these anthologies. I have planned to read them all this year!

Cupid by Jason Myers, self published

 Well, that was fun!! Here is a perfect story for Valentine’s Day!! It’ll only take about an hour to read, so definitely give this one a go! Jason Myers put a lovely twist on this story. Recommended to be read in February, before Valentine’s Day, or on love day would be best. 

I figured this story was going to get all crazy and dark, and it did. This may be a short 40 page story, but it gives just the right amount of blood and gore you would expect from a story like this. 

Cupid is not the cute little angel we see pictures of or hear about. He doesn’t carry a bow with love arrows who shoots people in the back to make them fall in love. No, Cupid is a mean vengeful wickedness that seeks out the betrayers and deals in karma. 

And I just want to add, with a name like Jason Myers writing a horror story about Cupid, you can’t go wrong!