books – Damaged Skull Writer

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.

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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