Month: June 2022

HERE IT IS! THE FULL DAMAGED SKULL WRITER REVIEW OF T.C. WEBER’S FIVE STAR NOVEL “THE SURVIVORS!

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The Survivors
T.C. Weber
May 5, 2022
Solstice Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Howdy horror readers, it’s your old pal Skull with the full review I promised of T.C. Weber’s great new book, The Survivors! If you like stories where women are the heroes, warriors, and healers, then get yourself a copy of this unique, futuristic read. This tale of people living in a post-apocalyptic world transports readers to what remains of the earth after major climate issues and the view is not pretty. But it is interesting. So buckle up, buttercups and let’s take a ride…

We meet narrator, Lucy, as she’s climbing aboard a small boat with another member of her small group of survivors. These are people who are existing long after we are gone in so much fossil fueled dust. Nobody is whipping out their cell and clicking the GPS app, kicking over their motor and zooming across the lake. Because well, they can’t. No electricity, which means no refrigeration, light, power, or any of the creature comforts we take for granted.  Everything is done manually and with great effort. Things have returned to almost caveman status, with the occasional relic from the “Vanished Ones” People roam in tribes and survive on what they can kill or find to eat. They also can’t be out much in broad daylight because it is very hot, most likely due to nearly zero ozone layer.

Lucy’s Aunt Irma is a warrior woman with animal like smarts. Everything is handled by force and anything in her way is beaten into submission. This is a handy skillset to have but might is not always right. She and Lucy, who is a healer, clash frequently. Still, they seem to be doing okay with shelter and plentiful food until huge storms come and destroy everything they have. Back to square one, everybody! They must travel to find something better, but they’ve got a pregnant woman, an infant, and children slowing them down. Not to mention a couple teenage boys who are more concerned with their sexual desires than survival. The dangers are many and those without focus turn themselves into targets.

Unlike Irma, Lucy is interested in learning. She wants to find out more about the exalted “Vanished Ones” because she is sure that they were much smarter than she is and knew the secrets to living in harmony with each other. Weber’s approach here brings a perfect bittersweet humor to the story. I mean, here we are reading this in a time when mass shootings have become a scary new norm. Most of the crimes are driven by anger and hate. Gas is heading for ten bucks a gallon, yet huge trucks and muscle cars are selling like hotcakes. Guys sit in their cars with the motor running for an hour while the family shops. “We never even saw it coming…” Seriously? Sorry! Back in the story, Lucy begins to have revelations from what she learns as they continue to travel. Some people evolve and others fail to change. Those who resist change too much are not likely to continue the journey. Patience is indeed a virtue, and a person will be tested time and time again. Things get very dark for a bit, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the light of the ALL…

So what does your old pal Skull think of The Survivors? I give it a 5 STAR RATING and a spot on the Skullcave’s “Wall of Fame”! This is a great and complex story with wide appeal to readers from teen to adult. Climate change has been scientifically proven to be a real thing. There will be a time when life as we know it may cease. I wonder how smart the “Vanished Ones” will be before then? Get your copy of T.C. Weber’s The Survivors with the following links:

Paperback: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZL9BPCR/

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZLM43H2/

Want to learn more about T.C. Weber? https://www.tcweber.com/, or contact the author at https://www.tcweber.com/contact.

Want to follow your old pal Skull? www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com

Or follow my mortal host Brian James Lewis on Twitter@skullsnflames76

Author T.C. Weber

WANT SOME GOOD NEWS? MY REVIEW OF “DIET RIOT: A FATTERPUNK ANTHOLOGY” IS NOW ON GOODREADS!

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HERE’S THE LINK:

Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology by Nico Bell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


DIET RIOT-A Fatterpunk Anthology
Edited by Nico Bell and Sonora Taylor
June 21, 2022
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fiends! Welcome back to the Skullcave, where I’ve been reading a very cool collection of stories edited by Nico Bell and Sonora Taylor. Why are they cool? Well, because these stories show plus-sized people in a positive light. Instead of being made fun of or having their bodies be what makes them bad, Diet Riot celebrates bounteous bodies and makes them something to be proud of. Diversity is what makes the world a great place. Forcing others to fit one person’s concept of beauty is way too prevalent in our society and it’s wrong, damn it! That’s why the editors dedicated Diet Riot to: “Everyone who ever felt like they don’t belong.”

This cool, fatterpunk anthology starts off with Stephanie Rabig’s story Cinderella And Her Demon Godmother. When an angry girl calls forth a demon from Hell to kill some body shamers, she gets more than she bargained for. Enter Lucinda, a plus sized and sexy demon ready to get the job done. But, it’s complicated and no smart demon who’s allowed to go topside for a few hours is going to waste a brief reprieve from Hell. So, Lucinda takes her young friend out on the town in style and has some fun along the way. She also makes one last stop before returning home, to burn down a major asshole who thinks it’s funny to shame fat people. GREAT STORY!

Editor Nico Bell contributes her narrative tale Lake House to the collection. It’s the perfect mix of frightening and “fuck you haters!” Erin and her wife Lauren are trying to clean up the big mess of a lake house they’ve just moved into when things go very wrong. There might be a monster in the basement or maybe not, and Erin has an epiphany. Lauren just wanted to mold her like a piece of clay with wacky diet potions and pills. She never really loved Erin for just being her fine, fluffy self. That’s bad enough, but when Lauren drops the bomb of divorce on her, Erin decides to help her lose lots of weight super fast.

Curious Garden by E.E.W. Christman brings us to a horrifying fat camp for kids. Most people, let alone children, don’t think of going to fat camp as a fun vacation. Especially Camp GnuYu where the counselors are freakishly cheerful and bad morale is not tolerated. Failure is also not an option and anyone who passes out from exhaustion disappears in a mysterious way. Jeanie, the camper who narrates this chilling tale, wants to know why. But everything is hush-hush with the counselors acting even stranger as time goes by. They insist that to be loved, a person must be thin, but Jeanie doesn’t agree. Things reach a head when fellow sufferer, Kylie asks Jeanie for help. What they discover is a bizarre hidden garden that’s always hungry.

The past few years have brought many competitive cooking shows to our living rooms. Who’s the best baker, barbecue pit-master, or candy maker? With insane prizes of big money and the chance to launch one’s career, there are always plenty of contestants. So when Crystal gets the chance to become part of the show Easy Bake, she eagerly signs up. But to her horror, the contestants who lose don’t get a big hug from Paul Hollywood and some fond words. Nope, they are eliminated on the spot, striking the fear of God into the survivors. Each round Crystal continues to survive until the semi-finals, but that just brings her closer to dying on the kitchen floor. Then, just as she’s giving up, an escape opportunity presents itself. Will the finalists escape or be cut down by the creepy security team of Scott and Zelda? To find out the ending of this great story by Sonora Taylor, make sure to get yourself a copy of Diet Riot-A Fatterpunk Anthology!

So what does your old pal Skull think of this unique and timely anthology? I give it a Hearty FIVE STAR RATING! In fact, I’m planning on purchasing a few copies when Diet Riot is released on June 21, 2022. One will be going up on the “Wall of Fame” and another will be going to a friend who is really going to enjoy this gift. While I never judge a book by its cover, I must say the cover of Diet Riot is a real beauty! Well done Tori Celeste at Vicki Be Wicked, LLC. For more information about Diet Riot-A Fatterpunk Anthology, visit
Nico Bell at: www.nicobellefiction.com
Stephanie Rabig at: www.stephanierabig.weebly.com
E.E.W. Christman : www.eewchristman.com
Sonora Taylor can be found at: www.sonorawrites.com or Twitter @sonorawrites
And please follow your old pal Skull at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer recommends giving copies of this book to those you love who suffer poor self-esteem because of fat shaming and body discrimination. Diet Riot is a very empowering anthology that is artfully edited to give people of size a much needed round of applause. Your old pal Skull is a blues fan and agrees with all the musicians who revered a “Big Leg Woman” My mortal host Brian James Lewis is currently working on an essay that celebrates his love of plus sized goddesses. More on that soon!




View all my reviews

CURRENTLY READING T.C. WEBER’S LATEST WORK “THE SURVIVORS.” FULL REVIEW COMING SOON!

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Hey there cats and kittens, it’s your old pal, Skull. Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated, mainly because I’m already dead. Ha-ha! I’ll be here all week, folks. Anyway, let’s get to business. This is the cover of T.C. Weber’s latest and greatest book THE SURVIVORS, which mixes cli-fi with suspense to bring readers a very intense read. Weber’s been kind enough to include trigger warnings for those concerned or who might not be familiar with horror. And yes, it IS available for purchase right now if you’d prefer not to wait for the review. Simply head on over to:

Paperback https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZL9BPCR/

Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZLM43H2/

Or head on over to the author’s page at: https://www.tcweber.com/ for additional information on all of his writing. Your old pal Skull promises a full review with more grisly, and intellectual, details by Friday. Until then, be nice to each other and…READ MORE INDEPENDENT HORROR!!!

DAMAGED SKULL WRITER’S REVIEW OF “UNLUCKY CHARM” BY AIDAN LUCID IS NOW ON GOODREADS!

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HERE’S THE LINK!

Unlucky Charm by Aidan Lucid

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


UNLUCKY CHARM-Book 2 of the Hopps Town Series
Aidan Lucid
January 5, 2022
Jongleur Books
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Howdy readers! It’s your old pal Skull, with another great book for you to check out. Unlucky Charm by Aidan Lucid is book number two of the Hopps Town series, and it picks up where The Scavenger left off. The main characters have gone off to college and better lives, but that’s not the end of the story. Especially for freshly minted demon fighter, Jared. Someone from the spirit world keeps trying to get his attention, but why?
Meanwhile, across town, Richie and Zane find themselves in hot water thanks to a mysterious pawnshop pocket watch. Since Zane purchased the watch, they’ve been having a miserable time being chased down by specters from the past. Not only are these things scary, they’re also deadly. If Richie and Zane don’t get some help quick, it could be curtains for them! Fortunately, Jared is visiting home during a break from college and is available to help. But it takes a hand from his spiritual mentor, Aunt Maybelle to get things moving in the right direction. That’s a good thing, because they’re dealing with an evil demon bent on carrying out a voodoo curse and things get scary fast. Every hour that passes means that Zane and Richie’s lives are getting shorter. Will Jared and Belle succeed or will the demon win? Only one way to find out, head to your favorite bookseller and get a copy of Unlucky Charm by Aidan Lucid!
Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives Unlucky Charm A FIVE STAR RATING of EXCELLENT! It’s a gripping read with plenty of positive messages about life, the value of friendship, kindness, and the fact that nobody is perfect. We all make mistakes, and some of them are pretty awful, but everyone deserves a second chance. Well, except for that creepy demon! Your old pal Skull actually recommends starting with The Scavenger book one of the Hopps Town series to get all the background on Jared and his pals for the best reading experience. But Unlucky Charm by Aidan Lucid is also strong enough to stand on its own. This series of books delivers thrills and chills while keeping the language clean and family friendly. Give them a shot, I think you’ll really enjoy them!
For more information about Aidan Lucid and his books. Did I mention that The Scavenger is being made into a movie? Go to: www.aidanlucidauthor.com
Thanks for stopping by the Skullcave! For more news and reviews, check out your old pal Skull at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com See you soon.




View all my reviews

“DIET RIOT-A FATTERPUNK ANTHOLOGY” IS A FIVE STAR READ EDITED BY NICO BELL AND SONORA TAYLOR THAT CELEBRATES THE POWER AND BEAUTY OF BEING BIG!

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DIET RIOT-A Fatterpunk Anthology
Edited by Nico Bell and Sonora Taylor
June 21, 2022
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fiends! Welcome back to the Skullcave, where I’ve been reading a very cool collection of stories edited by Nico Bell and Sonora Taylor. Why are they cool? Well, because these stories show plus-sized people in a positive light. Instead of being made fun of or having their bodies be what makes them bad, Diet Riot celebrates bounteous bodies and makes them something to be proud of. Diversity is what makes the world a great place. Forcing others to fit one person’s concept of beauty is way too prevalent in our society and it’s wrong, damn it! That’s why the editors dedicated Diet Riot to: “Everyone who ever felt like they don’t belong.”

This cool, fatterpunk anthology starts off with Stephanie Rabig’s story Cinderella And Her Demon Godmother.  When an angry girl calls forth a demon from Hell to kill some body shamers, she gets more than she bargained for. Enter Lucinda, a plus sized and sexy demon ready to get the job done. But, it’s complicated and no smart demon who’s allowed to go topside for a few hours is going to waste a brief reprieve from Hell. So, Lucinda takes her young friend out on the town in style and has some fun along the way. She also makes one last stop before returning home, to burn down a major asshole who thinks it’s funny to shame fat people. GREAT STORY!

Editor Nico Bell contributes her narrative tale Lake House to the collection. It’s the perfect mix of frightening and “fuck you haters!” Erin and her wife Lauren are trying to clean up the big mess of a lake house they’ve just moved into when things go very wrong. There might be a monster in the basement or maybe not, and Erin has an epiphany. Lauren just wanted to mold her like a piece of clay with wacky diet potions and pills. She never really loved Erin for just being her fine, fluffy self. That’s bad enough, but when Lauren drops the bomb of divorce on her, Erin decides to help her lose lots of weight super fast.

Curious Garden by E.E.W. Christman brings us to a horrifying fat camp for kids. Most people, let alone children, don’t think of going to fat camp as a fun vacation. Especially Camp GnuYu where the counselors are freakishly cheerful and bad morale is not tolerated. Failure is also not an option and anyone who passes out from exhaustion disappears in a mysterious way. Jeanie, the camper who narrates this chilling tale, wants to know why. But everything is hush-hush with the counselors acting even stranger as time goes by. They insist that to be loved, a person must be thin, but Jeanie doesn’t agree. Things reach a head when fellow sufferer, Kylie asks Jeanie for help. What they discover is a bizarre hidden garden that’s always hungry.

The past few years have brought many competitive cooking shows to our living rooms. Who’s the best baker, barbecue pit-master, or candy maker? With insane prizes of big money and the chance to launch one’s career, there are always plenty of contestants. So when Crystal gets the chance to become part of the show Easy Bake, she eagerly signs up. But to her horror, the contestants who lose don’t get a big hug from Paul Hollywood and some fond words. Nope, they are eliminated on the spot, striking the fear of God into the survivors. Each round Crystal continues to survive until the semi-finals, but that just brings her closer to dying on the kitchen floor. Then, just as she’s giving up, an escape opportunity presents itself. Will the finalists escape or be cut down by the creepy security team of Scott and Zelda? To find out the ending of this great story by Sonora Taylor, make sure to get yourself a copy of Diet Riot-A Fatterpunk Anthology!

So what does your old pal Skull think of this unique and timely anthology? I give it a Hearty FIVE STAR RATING! In fact, I’m planning on purchasing a few copies when Diet Riot is released on June 21, 2022. One will be going up on the “Wall of Fame” and another will be going to a friend who is really going to enjoy this gift. While I never judge a book by its cover, I must say the cover of Diet Riot is a real beauty! Well done Tori Celeste at Vicki Be Wicked, LLC. For more information about Diet Riot-A Fatterpunk Anthology, visit
Nico Bell at: www.nicobellefiction.com
Stephanie Rabig at: www.stephanierabig.weebly.com
E.E.W. Christman : www.eewchristman.com
Sonora Taylor can be found at: www.sonorawrites.com or Twitter @sonorawrites  
And please follow your old pal Skull at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer recommends giving copies of this book to those you love who suffer poor self-esteem because of fat shaming and body discrimination. Diet Riot is a very empowering anthology that is artfully edited to give people of size a much needed round of applause. Your old pal Skull is a blues fan and agrees with all the musicians who revered a “Big Leg Woman” My mortal host Brian James Lewis is currently working on an essay that celebrates his love of plus sized goddesses. More on that soon! If you don’t like fat people, keep it to yourself. Dig?