Tag: book-review

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE! I’VE RETURNED TO HELLNOTES AND HERE’S MY LATEST REVIEW WITH THEM!

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Book Review: THE ZAPHNURR PHASE

by Brian James Lewis | Nov 17, 2025 | Book Reviews, Hellnotes Reviews, Horror Authors / Books, Horror News | 0 comments

The Zaphnurr Phase
Brick Marlin
Seventh Star Press (July 1, 2025)
Reviewed by Brian James Lewis

 Hey there, fans of horror and science fiction! It’s been a while, but I’m glad to be back on your screen giving you the scoop on new books and some classics too. Today’s exciting new read is The Zaphnurr Phase by HWA member Brick Marlin. This novel is a great mix of dystopian worlds with both psychological horror and some truly terrifying scenes. Let’s take a quick peek inside!

The world as we currently know it has ceased to exist, but there is still life in the colonies, city-sized worlds that seem to float above the desolate earth. Sarah is tired of the increasingly dangerous and restrictive colony that she and her boyfriend, Kentil, exist in. But before they can escape, he disappears, leaving her alone and pregnant in a place that is governed by a corporate entity called M-Corp that enforces its laws through the Nazi-like Demi agents who are as evil as they look. Sarah goes through a major shitstorm of bad events until she finally gets a chance to leave Perrill with her baby. Once the Demi realize what’s going on, they do everything in their power to put the blocks to her. Lethal force is authorized, but Sarah is a strong woman who fights until she loses consciousness.

After a pretty entertaining interaction with an alien transport vehicle, Sarah makes it to another colony called Gorph, where everything seems to be much better than it was in her old life. Whew! Now if she can only find Kentil and start fresh… But it’s no small task to find her boyfriend in the huge city where there is just as much virtual reality as there is concrete. Plus, despite the good pay and nice living space, her job is kind of funky. She’s also never truly alone, because a microprocessor has been installed into her brain as part of this “new and improved” world. Nothing seems permanent except her AI assistant, Vodburrk, whom she doesn’t entirely trust. Will Sarah find her missing boyfriend? Will she finally settle in Gorph? Will she ever feel safe in this new colony or go on the run again? I could tell you, but where’s the fun in that? Gleemer says that your best course of action is to get a copy of The Zaphnurr Phase and enjoy all the thrills and chills firsthand. You’ll also find out who or what Gleemer is. It’s currently available in both digital and paper formats from your favorite bookseller today.

I rate The Zaphnurr Phase by Brick Marlin a hearty 5 STARS! It’s a great mix of horror, science fiction, and Marlin’s unique sense of humor which provides some much-needed bright spots in a dark world. All of this is wrapped in a dash of hope, along with some well executed plot twists that’ll keep you turning pages until the dynamic end. Although I have a feeling that the conclusion of The Zaphnurr Phase might just be delivering us to the beginning of Marlin’s next novel, which is currently in progress.

One of the easiest ways to find out more about Brick Marlin is to head on over the Seventh Star Press website at: www.seventhstarpress.com/books/brick-marlin There you’ll find links to Marlin’s Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads, and Patreon accounts, as well as what other titles are currently available.

Brian James Lewis is a disabled writer and poet with PTSD whose work has recently appeared in Mythic Picnic, The Awakenings Review, and in multiple horror anthologies. Please visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com, X/Twitter @skullsnflames76, or https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer  He has been reviewing books since 2016

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE READING EXPERIENCE THAT PACKS A PUNCH, CHECK OUT REBECCA GRANSDEN’S LATEST COLLECTION OF WEIRD SHORT HORROR STORIES “HAPPY BUNNY AND OTHER MISCHIEFS”

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HAPPY BUNNY AND OTHER MISCHIEFS
Rebecca Gransden
October 30, 2024
Cardboard Wall Empire
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello again, all you horror fiends! It’s your old pal Skull with Happy Bunny and other Mischiefs, a new short story collection from Rebecca Gransden. Behind the grainy security camera footage cover readers will find themselves immersed in a Bizarro universe made up of fourteen stories that strike like an angry scorpion on LSD that’s been hiding in your sleeping bag. Gransden has the uncanny ability of turning the everyday into something terrifying in just a few short pages. So, if you’re looking for weird, follow me into the darkness…

Things kick of with, Turducken: Confirm Humanity. If you’re not familiar with what a turducken is, look it up for the best understanding of what this feisty little tale is trying to illustrate. When this multi-layered creature escapes a transport, it decides to do its best to fit in and create a delightful feast of what it finds in the wild. The guests are certainly in for a surprise!

In Canon Fodder we meet a person who enjoys inducing riots by shooting money out of a confetti canon in busy public spaces. She enjoys the injuries, violence, and deaths caused by the frantic scrabble for cash. But when a rival gang decides that she’s just a little too good at what she does, they come up with a grisly final assignment.

As a former professional driver of 18-wheelers and delivery vans, I’m not a big fan of sharing the road with self-driving cars. They may be presented to the media as the next great thing, but brothers Yuri and Dimos find out how terrifying these vehicles are (and who’s really in control) in the story Slug Slick.

Not even municipal street cleaners are safe in their noble but filthy profession. They have to be alert for the dangers of Disco Rice! Most of the workers just do their time, clock out, and leave the grossness behind. But a few twisted individuals have formed The Disco Rice Club and taken obsession to a whole new level of strange.

In Sparrow Eyes, two couples and a friend head out to a holiday camp where they plan to party hearty and maybe do a little swinging. But something in the woods is waiting for them. It has needs, too, and if the group doesn’t do what it wants, this could be their last trip.

Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a unique collection of stories that refuses to be pigeon-holed into a single category, and I think that’s a good thing. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Rebecca Gransden’s latest collection 4.5 Stars! Be prepared for sudden plunges directly into the action and some entertaining names for characters such as “Gary Hotdog”, “Tall Jim”, and “Fuck It Cat”. These stories may shock you, and some speak out against important topics like child abuse and social media overload, but you sure as hell won’t be bored. Dare to think for yourself and get yourself a copy of Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs! You’ll be glad you did.

Cardboard Wall Empire is an independent press that has published a large amount of Rebecca Gransden’s books. My favorite so far is Creepy Sheen, which you can read my review of at www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com . There are also some selections from Leo X. Robertson available. You can purchase Cardboard Wall Empire books from Amazon.com or your favorite bookseller. New projects are in the works, so stay tuned!

 About your reviewer:

When darkness falls. Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

To follow Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, please visit: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com Thanks!

Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!

photo credit: “Fallout Shelter-No Days Off” Brian James Lewis

LOVE LOVECRAFTIAN HORROR BUT DISLIKE DISCRIMINATION AND FEELING EXCLUDED? THEN “BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF INFINITY” FROM RAW DOG SCREAMING PRESS DELIVERS DIVERSE COSMIC HORROR AND WEIRD FICTION FOR THE MODERN WORLD

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BEYOND THE BOUNDS OF INFINITY
Edited by Vaughn A. Jackson & Stephanie Pearre
July 10, 2024
Raw Dog Screaming Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Greetings Horror Fiends! It’s your old pal Skull with a great new collection from Raw Dog Screaming Press. Lovecraftian horror is a cool mashup of fantasy, dream worlds, and elder gods that have existed since the beginning of time itself. H.P. Lovecraft and his contemporaries came up with some really unique story concepts, but their beauty was marred by the narrow white lens it was pushed through. People of color, working class folks, and women were not respected and treated as equals. Those that were physically or mentally disabled were usually portrayed as ignorant freaks. This was because the majority of publishers and writers were white males. Fortunately, Beyond the Bounds of Infinity is here to showcase a diverse cast of authors and put a new spin on weird fiction and cosmic horror. It’s a great step towards eliminating boundaries and giving readers a kaleidoscopic view of the weirdness that draws us into these types of stories. Speaking of great views, how about that awesome book cover by Lynne Hansen? I’m really becoming a fan! Let’s take a peek within at the horrors that await us…

In Effigies of Monstrous Things, Pedro Iniguez uses the too familiar backdrop of crummy apartments and low income living that Latin Americans are forced to endure in their quest to make it. At first it just seems like Mario is dealing with another cheese bag white slumlord in a janky neighborhood, but a trip into the vast basement of the ancient, mold-ridden apartment complex reveals something much bigger and more terrifying that wants more.

Fractures of Her Reflection by Amanda Headlee tackles the general public’s lack of interest in taking mental health issues seriously. Everyone tells Dava that her tapping rituals are useless and a waste of time, making her feel small and stupid. They’re more concerned about how they feel uncomfortable and weirded out by her behavior. But as this short story reaches its conclusion, something appears on the horizon and the last thing it wants is to be stuck under the rug.

S.A. Cosby takes us out into the woods for 24 Points. It’s hunting season for a trio of men who arrive in the forest with the plan of harvesting the largest deer they can find to get their family through the cold winter ahead. But there’s a line between taking what you need and being greedy. Mother nature is the governess of those laws and when Uncle Ricky oversteps her boundaries, she requires a payment. If it is not forthcoming, the entire fabric of the cosmos opens wide to correct the wrongs. Great balance of the familiar and the terrifying with social commentary.

In Live Free or Die, Danny Brzozowski opens up the cute curtains of a small Connecticut (state motto: Live Free or Die) town to show the rot hidden inside. Many people consider the northeastern states to be safe territory for more liberal thinkers. Unfortunately, I can say from my own personal experiences in a small upstate New York town, that is not always the case. Don’t be doing different loud and proud there unless you want to meet a lot of scary people who masquerade as good ones. When a trans teacher gets fired from a school for teaching both sides of reality in a particularly privileged community, something horrible awakens beneath the hilly ground. Is it a savior or is it a killer? Seeking to make their escape, the teacher comes across a scene that reveals just how deep that evil runs in Briarbrook and prays that they won’t have to follow the latter part of the state motto.

Other great stories in this anthology include Cracks by Mary SanGiovanni, Like Ants We March by Jorja Osha, Six Underground by Vicky Velvet, and You Have Joined the Livestream by Jessica McHugh. Every story inside Beyond the Bounds of Infinity is excellent. You won’t find any filler or pieces you can coast through, here! Like a flourless chocolate torte, this collection is super rich, delightfully dark, and very satisfying.  Raw Dog Screaming Press crushes that narrow white lens and hands readers a kaleidoscope to view cosmic horror and weird fiction with. Because when limits are removed, possibilities open wide, and that’s what it’s all about. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Beyond the Bounds of Infinity FIVE STARS! If you think that Lovecraft’s work is old and stuffy, this book is for you. Raw Dog Screaming Press brings weird fiction and cosmic horror into the present day and makes it relevant to readers right now.  

For more information about Raw Dog Screaming Press, please visit them at: www.RawDogScreaming.com

For more information about Pedro Iniguez, check out www.pedroiniguezauthor.com

To find out more about Amanda Headlee, go to: www.amandaheadlee.com

To follow Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, please visit: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com Thanks!

About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!

WHERE DO YOU GO TO GET YOURSELF A GIANT HELPING OF THE BEST HORROR WRITING WITH A COOL RETRO THEME? “THE RACK!”

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THE RACK: Stories Inspired by Vintage Horror Paperbacks
Edited by Tom Deady
9/3/2024
Greymore Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello Horror fiends, it’s your old pal Skull, with a seriously boss horror anthology put together by cool editor and all-around fine human being, Tom Deady! The Rack pays tribute to the thing that seduced many of us into reading and writing horror. We had a favorite located in a supermarket, drugstore, or newsstand that seemed to wait for us. Squeaking, wobbling, and jam packed with mass market paperbacks, The Rack drew us in with all the lurid covers and back cover hype. Seduced, we opened the books, started reading, and were hooked for life.

Tom Deady’s intention with this anthology is to bring us back to that special time in our lives when we fell in love with horror, and The Rack delivers. Not just a pale imitation, The Rack expands upon the foundations built by the likes of Richard Matheson, Anne Rice, and Stephen King, whose story The Raft is included in this awesome anthology alongside work by: Christa Carmen, Larry Hinkle, Philip Fracassi, Mercedes M. Yardley, and Richard Chizmar, just to name a few. Your old pal Skull also seriously loves that cover artwork by none other than Lynne Hansen and there is a great intro by Will Erickson of Paperbacks from Hell fame that kicks things off right. But enough of me rattling my bones, let’s take a peek inside!

Larry Hinkle takes us to a chemical wasteland in That Chemical Glow where survival seems to be coming to the unfit and their steadily growing number of teeth, while Errick Nunnally has us charging through Florida marshes after a creature that shouldn’t exist in The Keeper of Taswomet. Mercedes M. Yardley delivers ethereal, Shirley Jackson vibes with I Am a House Demanding To Be Haunted and Christa Carmen introduces us to a family with special traditions that will not be broken by an insecure groom who doesn’t get it in Blood Of My Blood. Philip Fracassi delivers a chilling thriller about a priest determined to set a house to rights despite terrible weather that would have kept most folks off the road. But good intentions or otherwise, he finds himself in a very bad spot because the Quinns already have The Visitor staying with them. Will a bible be enough protection?

For better or worse, I always run into one story in every anthology I read that hits me just right and becomes Skull’s favorite story. In The Rack that story is Mightier Than Bullets by Laurel Hightower. I didn’t know how much I needed to read this story until I read it. Many of us use Horror to escape the hard realities we all have to face, but Hightower takes on the real modern-day horror of school shootings with class and a wonderful understanding of children. Ms. Ballard is a kindergarten teacher who listens, and most importantly, lets young imaginations run free in search of a way to defend themselves in case of an attack. “Ballard’s Battalion” will take on the challenge, not just cower under their desks hoping and praying that the adults in charge will eventually fumble onto a solution. Why not annihilate out of control hatred with something even more powerful? Ms. Ballard isn’t some kind of redneck radical handing out guns and clubs to five-year-olds, that would just add to the problem. What she does is nurture something far more terrifying than an assault rifle, something most adults blocked out of their lives a long time ago. Many grown-ups feel that they’re superior to children and their silliness. The element of surprise has helped win many battles, but just wait ‘til you see the weapon little May comes up with! Be prepared that Mightier Than Bullets may cause you to cheer loudly and wake up your cats. It might even make you shed a few tears, as I did because it’s such a damn fine story.

Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives The Rack a hearty 5 STAR RATING! I’d also like to apologize for not being as quick as I hoped with my review of this wonderful kickass anthology that I believe everyone should go out and buy a copy of immediately. What happened is that I got so caught up in The Rack my original drafts of the review were running into thousands of words. I wanted to share how every single story in here is a winner and how much fun it was to meet some of you online during the virtual release party and a great podcast. But I knew that nobody was going to read a 10-page book review and my wife helped by saying, “if nobody ever gets to see your review, then it really won’t matter what you think. Go get the damn thing done!” Good advice. So here we are with something that I hope whets your appetite for short horror stories that pay tribute to the past and show us that there is a lot to look forward to in the future. Now I must go, because The Rack is calling…

Want more information about Tom Deady? Then head on over to https://www.tomdeady.com/ or find him over on Facebook at https://facebook.com/tomdeady  

Interested in getting some awesome artwork or a cool cover for your upcoming release? Then get in touch with Lynne Hansen at www.LynneHansenArt.com

About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!

“ERRANT ROOTS” BY SONORA TAYLOR SHOWS READERS JUST HOW DANGEROUS FAMILY TREES CAN BE!

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ERRANT ROOTS
Sonora Taylor
10/15/2024
Raw Dog Screaming Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Greetings fellow Horror fiends, it’s your old pal Skull with a nifty new read from Raw Dog Screaming Press! Volume 6 in the Selected Papers from The Consortium For The Study of Anomalous Phenomena, ERRANT ROOTS, by one of my favorite Horror authors, Sonora Taylor,  packs a big punch. Behind that splendid cover by Lynne Hansen, this novella almost looks like a Victorian era handbook of etiquette, but readers will soon find out that the Croft family’s traditions are anything but polite.

When Dierdre Croft finds out that she and her boyfriend Tom are pregnant, she does what most women do: tell her mom. Harriet is pretty cool about it, avoiding the old school “living in sin” speech in favor of congratulating her daughter. Tom is a caring, standup guy who’s just as excited for the baby as Diedre is. But then, seemingly out of the blue, Harriet insists that they all go see the family that she left behind 24 years ago, to announce the upcoming child and have a gender reveal party.

Dierdre goes along with the plan to make her mother happy, even though she has the feeling that something is wrong about this sudden visit to people she doesn’t even know. Why drive out to the middle of nowhere when they could just as easily have a baby shower in a nice city restaurant? Tom also feels upset when his family is excluded from the proceedings. His discomfort only increases when all the residents of Grandma’s house are female and they don’t seem to like him very much.

Grandmother Yvonne is a regal looking woman, who is clearly not someone to mess with. Her eyes burn with madness as she reveals some of the secrets and rituals surrounding the Croft family tree which is in fact a huge Oak tree that all the women of the family must serve and maintain as per the book of rules and traditions drafted up by their great grandmother, Josephine. Dierdre shares many coincidental elements of her pregnancy with Josephine, Yvonne, and Harriet, including the age she’ll be giving birth. To the Croft family this means that Dierdre is the chosen one to continue something called The Daylight Branch which requires some rather gruesome traditions “for the strength of the line.”

But an isolated family that self-governs with no outside interference from the government or local law enforcement is not immune from jealousy, anger, and dark thoughts. Once things start going horribly wrong at the gender reveal party, it doesn’t take long for the sanity train to go screaming off the rails. As it picks up speed, surprises galore are revealed with every twist and turn. The way things turn out will shock both readers and the book’s characters, who thought they knew how the ceremonies went. But when you’re at the mercy of someone who claims to be doing what’s best for the family, hell can break loose at any time.

Whew! Great writing by Sonora Taylor and thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press for requesting a review of this awesome addition to the Selected Papers from The Consortium For The Study Of Anomalous Phenomena volumes. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Errant Roots 5 STARS*****! Once again, Taylor continues her tradition of bringing fine work into the world. Errant Roots is for anyone who’s ever dealt with a difficult or toxic family, especially those that do their dirty work in private, making you look bad when trying to expose them. No thanks to many of the agencies who are supposed to help, but don’t. Bringing a child into the world should be a wonderful, joyous occasion, not a one-way ticket to misery. Eden Royce contributes a solid and thought-provoking afterword that wraps things up nicely. For those with sensitivity concerns there is a list at the rear of the book for consultation before reading.

Sonora Taylor is an award-winning author of several books including Someone to Share My Nightmares, Seeing Things, and Little Paranoias. She also co-edited Diet Riot: A Fatterpunk Anthology with Nico Bell.This collection is one of my favorites because of its strong body positive theme. All the stories feature strong, sexy, and diverse plus-size people who are the heroes (not helpless targets or villains) and gives the bird to naysayers and shade throwers. To find out more about Sonora Taylor, visit her at: https://sonorataylor.com

Raw Dog Screaming Press is an independent publisher of horror stories and poetry with a solid focus on diversity in what they print and who writes it. They are a force for good in the world and care about the creatives they work with. Be sure to check them out at: www.rawdogscreaming.com   

 About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

Sonora Taylor

“THESE THINGS THAT WALK BEHIND ME” BY DAVID SURFACE HAS JUST BEEN RELEASED FROM LETHE PRESS AND IT IS GREAT!

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THESE THINGS THAT WALK BEHIND ME
David Surface
10/1/2024
Lethe Press
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Hello horror fans, it’s your old pal Skull with a brand-new release from Lethe Press! These Things That Walk Behind Me by David Surface is packed with 14 speculative tales that will latch onto your brain and stick around long after you’ve finished reading. Or, if you’re at all like me, you’ll find yourself rereading this awesome collection again and again. The stories are really that good! Ready to take a walk on the wild side? Then let’s get to it.

Inside These Things That Walk Behind Me by David Surface you’ll find stories about things that shouldn’t exist, but they do. A fallen angel hidden in an airplane hangar that takes care of those who cannot help themselves, Angelmutter. A town whose boys disappear into a large network of caves that exist underneath them and a mother who knows more about it than she should, The Lost River Boys. How about construction company that builds unique structures that transport creatures from another realm into your hometown? Little Gods To Live In Them, is that story. We all watch those shows on TV about people suddenly disappearing only to show up thousands of miles away decades later. Give Me Back My Name shows us what it’s like to be that person and it isn’t at all pretty. Losing your mind is often viewed as losing touch with reality, but what if it actually shows us how life really is and why people act the way they do? These Things That Walk Behind Me gives us insight into that.

One of my favorite tales in this great mix is The Devil Will Be At The Door. You know that ghost story many of us hear at YMCA Camp, in Boy Scouts, or in the case of this story on the church school bus during a long ride home? It’s about a horribly haunted house in the middle of nowhere and ends with a jump scare scream. The details are usually filled in to fit the location, but it’s pretty much the same tale. Eventually we grow up and decide such terrifying things don’t exist. But what if they do, and you just haven’t found it yet? Or, worse, it’s out there looking for you? Oh, and if you’ve heard that story in your lifetime…There’s no getting away.

Another story I really dug was, When The Circus. Danny escapes from a small southern town and a meaningless life by going to New York City, a giant metropolis that never sleeps and you can get whatever you want 24 hours a day. But such a vast place is dark, dangerous, and ready to eat newbies alive. Danny needs a place, somewhere to take shelter, and he finds it in a ghost bar hidden under some scaffolding. There he meets Lenny, an old school tough New Yorker who holds court nightly teaching valuable lessons and telling stories. But a person can only hide so long in the middle of a hurricane. Events unfold in front of Danny that threaten to steal his sanity. His happiness has already fled. One night when Lenny starts telling everyone about a bizarre event that happened right on that particular night many years ago, Danny refuses to buy it. Back in the old days, the circus would come to Madison Square Garden and people lined 34th street at midnight to see the elephants walk from the train to the garden. But one year, things went horribly wrong, and the results were bad enough to drive a person mad. The Big Apple doesn’t let go of the scary things, it holds them tightly trapped in its dark bosom of night, then shows them to fragile minds like a demented flasher in a black raincoat. GOTCHA! Lenny says that the only way to avoid being sucked into the flames of Hell is to shelter in place. Danny says he’s full of shit and makes a break for it. Will he see what he’s looking for, or is it all just a hoax to scare newbies?

How The World Works, is another great story. Many people think the world is an efficient machine that can easily be explained by science or their particular brand of religion. Yet, every year, strange things happen that defy logical explanation. This story is a tale about secrets and friendship. The narrator’s friend, Mike, hasn’t had a very good life and isn’t exactly Mr. Manners. Still the narrator cares about him and is pleased to hear that he’s returned to town after a long absence. When he goes to visit Mike in his new place, it’s entirely rad, especially to a couple of teenage boys. Mike’s story is that he’s housesitting for a guy and has free run of the house. But what’s with all the freaked-out cats? More importantly, what’s that damn thing in the basement? Will Mike’s explanation clear things up or just make it worse? One thing is for certain, the piper must be paid. That’s just How The World Works.

If you’ve read this far, then you probably already know what your old pal Skull thinks of this book, but let me just put it into words: Wow, what an awesome collection of short horror stories! Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives These Things That Walk Behind Me a BIG 5 STARS! David Surface writes stories that stick with you and grow as time passes. It’s not excessively gory or easy to stick in one box, but his words lodge into your brain and blossom into images and feelings that hang on long after you put the book down. Or you’ll keep picking it up to savor again and again. These Things That Walk Behind Me will make it to the Wall of Fame eventually, but for now it follows me from room to room, and I can’t help reading just one more story. Bottom line: get this collection and enjoy the work of awesome storyteller, David Surface!

Thanks for visiting the Skullcave, if you enjoyed this review please consider subscribing and following us on social media to help more independent authors get more exposure and spread the word that Indy Horror Rocks! For more information about this book and other great titles from Lethe Press go to: www.lethepressbooks.com
For more information about David Surface and to sign up for his newsletter, Strange Little Stories, go to: www.davidsurface.net

About your reviewer:

When darkness falls Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWriterandReviewer where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!

You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76

And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis

IF YOU LIKE THE OLD WEST AND OLD MAGIC, “GOBLINS & GUNSLINGERS-FRESH BLOOD” BY IVAN K. CONWAY SHOULD BE ON YOUR FANTASY READING LIST!

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GOBLINS & GUNSLINGERS-FRESH BLOOD
Ivan K. Conway
TBR 7/10/2024
Prince of Harts Publishing
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis

Well, howdy pardners! It’s your old pal Skull with an interesting twist on the classic Western. The action happens in the old west and there are quite a few swaggering gunslingers ready to slap leather at the drop of a hat. There are plenty of saloons and houses of ill repute, too. What’s different is the folks out there doing battle. In Goblins & Gunslingers-Fresh Blood by Ivan K. Conway, magical creatures and various mixtures thereof jingle their spurs down dusty streets. Humans are present, but in the minority. You’re much more likely to see a goblinoid, elf, ogre, or even a vampire in a cleric’s getup including a wide brimmed hat to keep the sun at bay. They use a wide variety of weapons from pepperbox pistols to machetes and enchanted swords, all the way to magic.

Not one to dilly-dally, Conway sets us down right in the middle of the fray, using retrospective musings to fill us in on main protagonist, Helen Providence. Unfortunately, she’s got a bit of a drinking problem after an intensely difficult life that led to the loss of both her parents. At one time, she was considered a war hero, but now she leads a rough and ready posse of bounty hunters across places with names like Dustbin, Flamefield, and Carnage Canyon. Tethered to a powerful person named Mr. Balm, they must capture others in debt and give him their souls to reduce their own debts and the loss of their very being. But they’re not the only bounty hunters out there and things can get mighty tricky real fast if you’re not careful in these parts. Because, just like our current day, there is a serious amount of racial hatred out there with too many folks looking to exact vigilante justice. Best strategy is to keep your face covered by that classic western bandana and hat to avoid trouble. However, it’s kind of hard to keep covert in this spell slingin’, machete swingin’ crew! But you didn’t pick up this book to be bored, now did ya?

Damaged Skull Writer & Reviewer gives Goblins & Gunslingers-Fresh Blood by Ivan K. Conway a solid 4 STAR REVIEW! There’s action galore with a lot of positive elements like female empowerment, breaking out of the usual hail of bullets by using things like magic, enchanted swords, and smarts to handle trouble. The characters and scenery are interesting and memorable with enough conflict to keep things moving. Things get a little bit cluttered in a few spots, but it’s definitely worth the effort to continue. More details are revealed as the story progresses which leads to greater clarity for readers. I will also admit that your old pal Skull might not have a deep knowledge about magical beings and their abilities, which might have slowed my progress. Overall, a fun, fast paced read that I’d recommend to everybody. If you dig the old west and old magic, the Goblins & Gunslingers series of books was written for you!

Looking for more information about Ivan K. Conway? You can find him on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and also follow him on Amazon.com where you can preorder this book for $1.00 in Kindle format and/or purchase his previous novel. Goblins & Gunslingers-Bad Blood. As always, thanks for visiting your old pal Skull at Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer! Please consider following us at www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com to see what’s next.

About my mortal:

Brian James Lewis is a disabled poet and writer with PTSD who finds writing to be vastly important to his recovery. Working class to the bone, he writes inclusive, real-world prose and poetry that hits home. Brian’s work has appeared in anthologies from Smoking Pen Press, No Bad Books, and HellBound Books. He’s also appeared in online publications like The Sunlight Press, the Hook of A Book Poetry Project, and The Sirens Call e-Zine. Besides writing, Brian enjoys bringing old typewriters back to life, including a Royal KMM formerly owned by Rod Serling. Visit him at: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com for news and independent book reviews, or on X/twitter@skullsnflames76

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND SOME GIFT IDEAS FROM DAMAGED SKULL WRITER AND REVIEWER

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Happy Holidays, Horror Fans! It’s your old pal Skull here with a few ideas for your next reading experience. It’s almost Christmas and for many of us that means two more days of mindless panic. If you’ve waited this long to start shopping, you’re obviously not a big planner and that’s okay. But instead of getting your partner another fragrance gift set that they’re not going to use, why not give the gift of kickass independent horror? Not only will you be cooler than a Polar Bear, but you’ll also be helping authors and small presses who really need your support. Depending on your bookseller of choice, you can pick these titles up in store, get 2-day shipping, or easiest of all-purchase it for their Kindle or other e-reader.

If you like your horror mixed with humor, check out Blood & Swine by A.R. Yngvie. This entertaining book follows the adventures of Carl Olsen Krocek as he applies for and gets a middle management job with the huge multinational hog farm, Hogoration, Inc. This should be a good thing, but as Carl digs deeper into strange goings on at the factories, he comes to the grim realization that his boss might be a vampire. They also aren’t very good farmers. Your old pal Skull is currently reading this novel and I’ve laughed out loud at all the awkward moments and been scared when the big boss sticks his talons out. Will Carl succeed in making life better for the pigs and people at Hogoration, or will be the big boss’ next victim?

One of my favorite ways to enjoy horror is by reading anthologies of short works from different writers. I also dig collections by a single artist and The Vengeful Dead by John James Minster really delivers the goods. Inside you’ll find grave robbers on the run, a player who gets played but comes back for a grisly encore, a man who thinks he’s found a dream love only to realize too late that he’s trapped inside a nightmare, social media stars who go too far, and an executioner who gets to experience the misery wrought upon the people he was “helping” by tenfold. These very real feeling stories uphold the laws of physics and the supernatural. For every action, there is a reaction and when multiplied by dark forces beyond our understanding there’s going to be one hell of an aftershock. Should you get this terrifying collection? The Magic 8-Ball says YES.

My favorite book of 2023 is The Daughters of Block Island by Christa Carmen. It has a great storyline. strong characters, and unexpected twists around every corner that will keep you turning pages until well after midnight. You might be groggy in the morning, but the powerful conclusion that pulls the covers off centuries of evildoing against female inhabitants of Block Island is totally worth the price of the triple espresso shot you’ll need to function. I’m a big fan of Christa Carmen’s work and this novel is awesome! Highly recommended.

Last but not least, I’d like to mention The Growth and The Growth Lives! A two novella series by Adam Hulse. Something evil is travelling through every possible waterway in Great Britain. It’s not even safe to use the toilet because the growth can suck you down the pipes as it burns all the flesh off your body. The military is having zero success eradicating The Growth, but there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. Kevin and Tax are an unlikely duo. Tax the inevitable man is a brawny mob enforcer while Kevin is a computer nerd who often forgets to eat and couldn’t fight his way out of a wet paper bag. Despite all that, these dudes partner up for the common good and eventually become fast friends. There are many other subplots that make this series a cool read like the hate cult that forms to worship The Growth and an Olympic boxer searching for her missing girlfriend in a dystopian land. Both books focus on the power of love and question the powers that be. Can we really trust our government or the military as a whole, or does it come down to each individual’s moral code? Interesting, thought-provoking, and sometimes, pretty damn funny. Check this guy out!

Well, my fiendish friends, 2023 is rushing to an end. So, it’s likely that this will be the last post from your old pal Skull until the New Year. If that’s so, many thanks for reading my writings and let’s hope that 2024 will bring good things to us all. Until then, hug your babies whether they be fur, feather, or human, and love your partner. Share holiday warmth with your chosen family and enjoy the small acts of kindness during this time of year. Love is love, all colors are equal, and real bodies are beautiful. Don’t let the haters win.

DAMAGED SKULL WRITER AND REVIEWER’S REVIEW OF “THE DAUGHTERS OF BLOCK ISLAND” IS NOW ON GOODREADS!

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The Daughters of Block Island by Christa Carmen

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The Daughters of Block Island
Christa Carmen
10/10/2023
Thomas & Mercer
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello speculative fiction fans, it’s your old pal Skull with an exceptional tale of mystery by the one and only Christa Carmen. The Daughters of Block Island is a two-part journey that follows sisters Blake Bronson and Thalia Mills who have reached their twenties with no knowledge of each other until the recent unfolding of events. It appears that they’re both daughters of Maureen Mills who lives and works on the New England summer vacation destination, Block Island. But it’s not a very nice place to visit in the off season when all the sunshine, laughter, and quaint beach umbrellas disappear into stormy darkness where it is easy to hide secrets and maybe even a few bodies.
Blake Bronson arrives on Block Island with the hopes of finding answers about her tumultuous life of foster homes, bad relationships, and addiction to drugs and alcohol that have made her life unmanageable to say the least. She wants her newfound sobriety to keep her strong and in control. Instead, she finds the B and B she’s staying at, a New England manor called White Hall, vastly unnerving. Blake feels as if she’s stepped into one of the Victorian novels she read as a child. Still, she squares her shoulders and tries to focus on her goals even as the ghosts of her past and the real one that inhabits White Hall do their best to push her off course. Maybe if she can meet her birth mother, it’ll help her to understand why she’s the way she is. Maybe they can even be friends? She finds some unexpected allies to help her with her quest and a few really smarmy ones, like the owner of Graham’s Resort whose hormones go into overdrive the minute anything remotely female comes into view. It is during this time that she gets ahold of Thalia’s address and writes her a letter about what’s happening on Block Island. Unfortunately, Blake meets a gruesome end before she can reunite with her sister…
Somehow Blake’s letter makes it to Thalia’s apartment in Boston and even after death she can still speak to her sister through the power of the written word. A quick internet search reveals that Blake is real and also quite dead. The media claims that it’s the work of one of White Hall’s owners. That’s enough to make Boston lawyer Thalia leave her partner Laura behind to tackle the mystery of Blake’s sudden death and also to revisit her difficult mother, Maureen, who appears to have forgotten to tell her some important things. Even though the geographic distance isn’t huge, Thalia feels like she’s on another planet when the ferry deposits her back onto the tiny place where she grew up. It’s not a good feeling and if it weren’t for her best friend Sarah greeting her at the dock, she’d probably just jump back on the ferry and abandon Block Island like she did so many years ago to be rid of the pain, her weird mother, and the discrimination she felt for preferring women over men. Having a friend on the island is good, but it isn’t long before Thalia finds herself deep into trouble. Her arrival hasn’t gone unnoticed, and a lot of people don’t seem very happy that’s she’s come home. White Hall’s owner claims she’s innocent of wrongdoing while her greasy boyfriend keeps showing up unexpectedly. Thalia begs her mother to just tell her the truth, but Maureen can’t. As she learns the reasons why, The Daughters of Block Island rockets into high gear, pulling readers along with it. Heart pumping action, unbelievably good plot twists, and the secrets being revealed will keep your eyes glued to the pages until the ending.
Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer gives The Daughters of Block Island a glowing 5 STARS! This is without a doubt, the best novel your ol pal Skull has read in many moons. In fact, The Daughters of Block Island by Christa Carmen gets my vote for best book of 2023. The twin story lines weave around each other beautifully and readers will be surprised by what develops before their amazed eyes. Carmen continues to pull tricks out of her hat until the terrifying, wave crashing finale. Not only is this one hell of a fine story but the author continues to do what makes her previous work so strong and special. Christa Carmen weaves important issues into her work without being preachy. She shows us all sides of addiction, the fear of relapse in recovery, the hurt and anger, and some of the whys. How violence against women is often condoned, the victims force fed excuses, repeatedly hurt and lied to. Carmen also pulls aside the curtains of a cute little town, the kind that is idolized in America, and shows what’s really going on, especially when no one’s looking. Her portrayal of Block Island really resonates with your old pal Skull because in a former life, I lived and ran a business in a similar place and the scars still remain. Bottom line, The Daughters of Block Island is an excellent book that appeals to a wide scope of readers. It’s for lovers of mysteries, horror, and excellent storytellers who have something to say and the power to help old wounds to finally heal.
Want more information about Christa Carmen’s work? Then go to: www.christacarmen.com She’s also taking orders for signed copies of The Daughters of Block Island which would make a great holiday gift! While you’re at it, please consider giving Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer a follow here on WordPress. This is your old pal Skull wishing you Happy Holidays and safe travels until we meet again!
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