S.E. Howard (Author of What Lies Unseen)

S.E. Howard rated a book it was amazing The Camp by J. Rudolph (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
One part "The House on Haunted Hill," and one part "The Biggest Loser," the titular camp in author J. Rudolph's novel promises its guests not just weight loss, but a complete life makeover, rebuilding overweight participants into lean, mean, healthy ...more
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S.E. Howard rated a book really liked it Perspective by Kevin J. Kennedy (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Arguably one of the best cinematic representations of vampires was 2013's "Only Lovers Left Alive," starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton respectively as Adam and Eve, a pair of star-crossed bloodsuckers whose paths keep crossing and intertwining ...more
Aug 25, 2026 08:14AM · 1 like · like · see review
S.E. Howard rated a book it was amazing Red Inside by Bridgett Nelson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
I hate spiders. Thus, when confronted by the cover for "Red Inside" by Bridgett Nelson, which features an arachnid of unusually large proportions bursting out of a child's screaming mouth, my initial reaction as a reader was not just "nope" but "Hell ...more
Aug 21, 2026 06:53AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Red Inside by Bridgett Nelson. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Red Inside by Bridgett Nelson <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
S.E. Howard rated a book really liked it Crudely Drawn by Heather Ann Larson (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Ah, adolescence, a time when we're caught between childhood and adulthood, when we first begin to test the limits of our dependence on parents and our burgeoning autonomy. We begin to cross boundaries, break rules, and resist our parents' guidance an ...more
Aug 17, 2026 10:00AM · like · see review
S.E. Howard rated a book it was amazing Their Fragile Male Egos by Angel N. Van Atta (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Don't let the title of Angel Van Atta's new release, "Their Fragile Males Egos," fool you. This collection of short stories, some new, others previously published, are all about women. While male characters occupy space in these pages, it's the femal ...more
Aug 08, 2026 04:36PM · 1 like · like · see review
S.E. Howard rated a book it was amazing The Suffering by M.J. Mars (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
What could be spookier than conducting a seance on Halloween? Better yet, recreating one of your hometown's most infamous and tragic seances, one in which its participants wound up gruesomely slaughtered? Even better, recreating that horrific seance ...more
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S.E. Howard is now following M.J. Mars Author of The Suffering
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S.E. Howard rated a book really liked it Dark Eyes: A Horror Novel by Rikki Goodwin (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
In "Dark Eyes" by Rikki Goodwin, a boy named Isaac finds more than he bargains for when, on a dare, he sneaks into a vacant house in his quiet, unassuming neighborhood. What starts off as an innocent trespass becomes something unsettling, even terrif ...more
Jul 30, 2026 10:50AM · 1 like · like · see review
S.E. Howard rated a book it was amazing The Residency (The Residency, #1) by Kayla Frederick (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
"One decision can change a person's life." This isn't just the opening line to author Kayla Frederick's "The Residency," but it's also the overall theme of this cautionary tale, a clever take on the "Battle Royale" horror trope. In "The Residency," a ...more
Jul 21, 2026 07:59PM · like · see review
S.E. Howard rated a book really liked it Turn by Megan Stockton (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
One of the earliest descriptions of a werewolf can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," the first-ever recorded story in human civilization. In the millennia since that ancient debut, stories of wolves and men, and the amalgamation of the two, have f ...more
Jul 15, 2026 06:59AM · 2 likes · like · see review

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The Camp
by J. Rudolph (Goodreads Author)

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One part "The House on Haunted Hill," and one part "The Biggest Loser," the titular camp in author J. Rudolph's novel promises its guests not just weight loss, but a complete life makeover, rebuilding overweight participants into lean, mean, healthy One part "The House on Haunted Hill," and one part "The Biggest Loser," the titular camp in author J. Rudolph's novel promises its guests not just weight loss, but a complete life makeover, rebuilding overweight participants into lean, mean, healthy machines. With advertisements promising Michelin-star quality dining, luxurious amenities, state-of-the-art fitness training, and a scenic, isolated setting, it sounds too good to be true. Thus when main character Alana qualifies to attend one of The Camp's 3-week sessions, she leaps at the chance. She's tired of being overweight and feels like she's lost out on opportunities both in her career and personal life because of her size. She wants to change for good, and feels she's willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this.

For better or worse, The Camp is going to demand that of her.

"The Camp" is a slow burn at first, warmly welcoming readers just as the program's director and staff greet Alana and eleven other guests to the facility. Readers get to know a little about Alana and her new friends, including Sage and Gabby, all of whom have spent years struggling with their weight. Through therapy sessions included in the Camp's regimented program, we learn about their insecurities and fears, and through their tough physical training, we come to realize that, just like Alana, everyone else at the Camp is doing their best to change themselves for the better.

Anyone who ever watched the TV reality show "The Biggest Loser" knows that things don't ever go that easily for very long. When the going gets tough, some participants want to slack off or give up. At regular weigh-in sessions, Alana and the group aren't told how much, if any weight they've managed to lose, and instead are only told if they "pass," or meet their pre-determined metrics, or "fail." Fail once, and you get a warning. Twice, and you're taken for "intensive" individual therapy. Three times, and you're terminated from the program, no refunds, no redos.

Alana's friend Gabby is the first in their bunch to fail twice. And while neither Alana nor the others are privy as to what the "intensive" therapy Gabby is forced to endure entails, the readers are. And it's horrific.

This is where the story takes a very dark turn. Without excessive gore or crossing into extreme territory, Rudolph still manages to conjure up some of the most genuinely terrifying and disturbing scenes I have ever read. And as one by one, other characters begin to fail, earning therapy sessions of their own, Rudolph ups the horror ante, creating one nightmarish hellscape after another, each customized to meet each helpless victim's specific, individualized fears.

Without giving much away, suffice it to say it becomes a race against time for Alana and her friends to not only discover the horrifying truth behind The Camp's posh facade, but also escape before they become its next victims.

"The Camp" scared the hell out of me. The creatures Rudolph has dreamed up, and the level of sadistic depravity to which her demented antagonists will stoop are absolutely chilling. Again, it's worth pointing out that she achieves these things without excessive amounts of gore. That's truly remarkable. Developing that kind of sinister, all-encompassing dread takes incredible skill, not just as a writer, but as a storyteller, and Rudolph does a phenomenal job.

What makes "The Camp" such an unsettling, difficult read is the fact that Alana and her friends are so likable and identifiable, even if you've never struggled a day in your life feeling fat or unattractive or never quite good enough. As a reader, I empathized with Alana, and rooted for her. I wanted her to not only beat the system at its own game, but come out the other side triumphant, not just surviving but filled with newfound self love and acceptance. Watching her struggle, reading about all the terrible, horrible, very bad things that happen to her and her friends is like witnessing these occurrences to people you personally know and love.

Rudolph's writing, for all its dark elements, is amazing. Her characters are all richly developed and unique. Her descriptions of The Camp itself, the technology it employs, the landscape surrounding it, and the multitude of settings within its walls are mesmerizing and immersive in their detail. You feel as if you're right there in the thick of things -- which makes it even more awful when everything starts to spiral out of control.

Rudolph has several other titles beneath her belt, which makes me happy-dance, because I love finding new-to-me authors whose backlists I can binge-read. She's definitely earned a spot on my auto-buy list. "The Camp" is the most terrifying book I've read this year, and just landed near the top of my favorite reads list. ...more

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Perspective
by Kevin J. Kennedy (Goodreads Author)

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Arguably one of the best cinematic representations of vampires was 2013's "Only Lovers Left Alive," starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton respectively as Adam and Eve, a pair of star-crossed bloodsuckers whose paths keep crossing and intertwining Arguably one of the best cinematic representations of vampires was 2013's "Only Lovers Left Alive," starring Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton respectively as Adam and Eve, a pair of star-crossed bloodsuckers whose paths keep crossing and intertwining over the centuries. It's a quiet, brooding, introspective study on the tolls of an immortal lifetime not just on the individual doomed to endure it, but on those with whom they build and foster genuine relationships.

At first, "Perspective: A Vampire Novella" by Kevin J. Kennedy touches on similar themes. A lonely man recovering from years of self-loathing and depression meets Samantha, a beautiful redheaded woman at his local gym. One thing leads to another, and he discovers she's a vampire. When she bites him, it's not out of bloodlust or frenzy, but rather because she likes him, enjoys his company, and wants it to continue. With this newfound lease on a life that's practically immortal, he gladly accompanies her on a whirlwind trip through Europe, where the two sightsee, hunt, and party with abandon. Along the way, they are introduced to a pair of werewolves who are also traveling for leisure, and a mutual friendship develops among them.

Shortly after this, the story switches tacks, becoming less like "Only Lovers Left Alive" and more like "Underworld," or other action-oriented vampire flicks. When the enigmatic ruler of a subterranean demonic horde tries to recruit Samantha, the narrator, and their friends into the ranks of a supernatural army, they find themselves forced to choose sides and fight.

Samantha is a fun character: confident, strong-willed, and fierce. There's a certain aloof swagger about her that obviously comes from having not just lived, but survived for a very long time. In the story's beginning, when the narrator tries to intervene and protect her when an ex-lover tries to rough her up, she's caught by surprise by his would-be chivalry, and charmed. She doesn't need his help (being perfectly capable of fending for herself) and he gets his ass kicked in the process, but she's still touched by the gesture, and, I suspect, surprised by a human for the first in a very long time.

Elena, one of the werewolves they meet on their travels, was another character I enjoyed. She's carefree, vivacious, and utterly fearless, sometimes to her own detriment, and it's interesting to contrast her with both her companion and Samantha, who are both obviously much older, world-weary, and wise, but who look upon her antics with a sort of patient adoration.

"Perspective" is a quick read, but Kennedy provides plenty of action (both of the fighting and knocking boots variety). Despite its short length, Kennedy gives us great character development and an undeniably distinct mythos in terms of worldbuilding. The story feels like a prequel of sorts, as if the opening salvo in a longer work or series, which would be really fun to see. I know I'd sure be down for some further adventures of Samantha and Elena. ...more

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Red Inside
by Bridgett Nelson (Goodreads Author)

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I hate spiders. Thus, when confronted by the cover for "Red Inside" by Bridgett Nelson, which features an arachnid of unusually large proportions bursting out of a child's screaming mouth, my initial reaction as a reader was not just "nope" but "Hell I hate spiders. Thus, when confronted by the cover for "Red Inside" by Bridgett Nelson, which features an arachnid of unusually large proportions bursting out of a child's screaming mouth, my initial reaction as a reader was not just "nope" but "Hell, nah!" But I kept hearing good things about it, so despite my initial, knee-jerk reaction, I decided I'd give it a chance and check the story out. As it turns out, I'm really glad I did. While the book didn't change my mind about spiders whatsoever, it did prove to be a fast-paced, fun-filled, campy read that never takes itself too seriously, and adheres to the Sam Raimi principle that with enough technicolor gore, anything is possible.

In "Red Inside," beleaguered nurse Bethany is coming to the end of a very long shift at the hospital where she works. She's looking forward to kicking back once she's off the clock -- especially after a flirtatious exchange with a pretty coworker named Michelle promises there may be more than just rest and relaxation waiting for her when she punches out. Nothing is going to spoil Bethany's optimistic outlook for both her upcoming time off and the promise of a new romance -- not even getting a last-minute admission (which, if you're a nurse, is pretty much the bane of your existence). But when her patient rolls in from the Emergency Room, he's a bloated, screaming, cussing mess: Dr. Francisco Delgado, an arachnologist who has recently returned from a trip to Peru, where he'd been sent to study a previously undiscovered and highly aggressive species of tarantula. Dr. Delgado begs Bethany to "get it out of him," and although at first she has no clue what "it" could possibly be, I'm guessing that based on the cover art for this story alone, the reader already has a pretty sinking suspicion.

Spoiler alert: Yes, it's a spider -- the aforementioned previously undiscovered tarantula species, in fact. Not only are they hyper-aggressive, but they're parasitic, too, burrowing into the bodies of their host victims before devouring them from the inside out. They lay their eggs in the gory husks that remain, or spread them from one live host to another through vomitous insemination. Bethany's trusted nursing assistant Trudy is the first to be befouled when Delgado blows chunks in her direction, and once infected, Trudy goes from room to room throughout the hospital spreading the love...or at least, the vomited parasitic hyper-aggressive parasitic spiders.

Within hours, the entire hospital is awash in puke, blood, and bodily fluids, plus crawling with a bunch of hungry spiders to boot. To top it off, Bethany, Michelle, and a ragtag team of their coworkers and patients are trapped inside, unable to leave thanks to armed National Guardsmen stationed outside every entry to the facility, forcing them to remain quarantined. It's certain death to try and escape, but just as sure a horrific fate if they remain. So what's a girl and her almost-soon-to-be-girlfriend to do?

"Red Inside" is an absolute blast, calling to mind the raucous fun of "Zombieland," "Shaun of the Dead," or "Evil Dead II." It's a no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners wink and a nod to classic horror-comedy goodness that knows how to lean in the latter without compromising the former. Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year -- even with the spiders. ...more

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Crudely Drawn
by Heather Ann Larson (Goodreads Author)

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Ah, adolescence, a time when we're caught between childhood and adulthood, when we first begin to test the limits of our dependence on parents and our burgeoning autonomy. We begin to cross boundaries, break rules, and resist our parents' guidance an ...more

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Their Fragile Male Egos
by Angel N. Van Atta (Goodreads Author)

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Don't let the title of Angel Van Atta's new release, "Their Fragile Males Egos," fool you. This collection of short stories, some new, others previously published, are all about women. While male characters occupy space in these pages, it's the femal Don't let the title of Angel Van Atta's new release, "Their Fragile Males Egos," fool you. This collection of short stories, some new, others previously published, are all about women. While male characters occupy space in these pages, it's the female leads who take centerstage in eleven twisted tales of domestic abuse, physical assault, childhood trauma, psychological torture, and vengeful female empowerment.

Each story is both brutal and bleak, and Van Atta writes with a disciplined voice akin to a veteran war correspondent, delivering grim and gory details with matter-of-fact brevity and in unflinching detail. She doesn't try to smooth down rough edges or soften harsh narrative blows. She wields her keyboard like a weapon, driving home the full scope of anguish and agony, both physical and emotional, that her characters endure.

For some, like in "Abbie" -- where a woman faces the ghosts of her past, both literally and figuratively -- there's redemption in the end. For others, like "Susy" -- whose husband's cruel designs keep her hobbled with self-loathing and doubt -- there's vengeance. In others, like "Betty" -- a woman who must make an unimaginable choice during a violent home invasion -- the ending is more emotionally ambiguous and anything but happy.

(And don't get me started on "Sammie," because that story, thematically reminiscent of movies like "Eden Lake" or "The Strangers," is going to haunt me for a long time to come.)

It's hard to say I enjoyed a book as dark as this, but at the same time, it's impossible not to be moved by Van Atta's powerful, provocative writing. She knows how to trigger visceral responses in her readers, and clearly understands that the true horror in these stories is the grim realization that the relationships and situations they portray, although fictional, are only too real, and occur every day to countless women around the world. Maybe, Van Atta's stories posit, they're happening right now in your very neighborhood -- if not your own home. ...more

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The Suffering
by M.J. Mars (Goodreads Author)

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What could be spookier than conducting a seance on Halloween? Better yet, recreating one of your hometown's most infamous and tragic seances, one in which its participants wound up gruesomely slaughtered? Even better, recreating that horrific seance What could be spookier than conducting a seance on Halloween? Better yet, recreating one of your hometown's most infamous and tragic seances, one in which its participants wound up gruesomely slaughtered? Even better, recreating that horrific seance in the actual house where it happened, and having a direct descendent of the original medium for whom things went so terribly awry in the hotseat yet again? Sounds like a blast, right? I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

This is the setup for "The Suffering" by M.J. Mars, and the group of happy-go-lucky college friends residing in the notorious Brackenby House soon learn the answers to these very questions, much to their horror and dismay.

Kyle, the aforementioned descendent, manages to disturb a collection of malevolent spirits that have remained dormant in the home since their grisly, murderous rampage in 1876. Worst of all, they set their sites on the home's current residents: Kyle and his friends Cassie, Pete, Lance, and Tad. These ghosts are pissed at having been kept cloistered and bound for far too long, and hellbent on revenge. As one by one, they latch themselves onto Kyle and the gang, what starts off as ghoulish taunts and mischievous torment quickly escalates, and as the danger mounts, so, too, does the body count.

Kyle realizes way too late that maybe poking the proverbial bear by recreating the seance was not such a bright idea. He and his friends are left scrambling to try and rectify the mess by tracking down an old book his psychic ancestor hid somewhere within the Brackenby House, one that holds the key to expelling the evil spirits once and for all.

Along the way, the group must contend with more ordinary youthful problems, like hangovers, homework, unrequited crushes, backstabbing classmates, and cheating significant others. And while Mars does a great job with the horror plotlines, it's in these smaller, more nuanced moments of character development that she really shines. By inviting the reader to get to know each of the housemates to some intimate degree, she makes sure we are invested emotionally in them, and genuinely fear for their safety, dreading whatever horrific fate awaits them should Kyle not succeed in exorcising the entities plaguing them.

"The Suffering" was Mars's debut novel, published in 2023. She's gone on to follow it up with last year's gripping "The Fovea Experiments," her Pestilent Perils series: "Flea" and "Rat" (both equally phenomenal) and the award-winning short story collection "We've Already Gone Too Far." In "The Suffering," it's clear to see why she's established such a strong foothold for herself as an indie horror powerhouse. She knows how to skillfully build tension and dread, add just the right amount of gore in all the right places, and develop relatable, realistic characters.

"The Suffering" is tense, taut, and scary as hell. I can't believe I waited this long to read it. ...more

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M.J. Mars

Author of The Suffering

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Dark Eyes: A Horror Novel
by Rikki Goodwin (Goodreads Author)

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In "Dark Eyes" by Rikki Goodwin, a boy named Isaac finds more than he bargains for when, on a dare, he sneaks into a vacant house in his quiet, unassuming neighborhood. What starts off as an innocent trespass becomes something unsettling, even terrif In "Dark Eyes" by Rikki Goodwin, a boy named Isaac finds more than he bargains for when, on a dare, he sneaks into a vacant house in his quiet, unassuming neighborhood. What starts off as an innocent trespass becomes something unsettling, even terrifying, when Isaac discovers a small, cage-like room inside, and a ghostly presence that seems to follow him home. At first, that presence seems sinister, appearing as a pair of disembodied, dark eyes Isaac can't escape. But soon, he begins to suspect there's a connection between those spectral eyes, the secret room, and his mother, who died of a drug overdose when Isaac had been a baby.

All the while, Isaac finds himself plagued by inexplicable violent urges, and when the people he loves most -- father Quint, best friend Chuck, and babysitter Moss -- begin to fall victim to brutal attacks by an unknown assailant, Isaac fears those dark eyes belong to something that's taken up residence inside him -- something hungry and evil.

I fell in love with Goodwin's writing while reading her novel "Ghost Glasses." As in "Ghost Glasses," in "Dark Eyes," she explores themes of grief, remorse, and regret, as well as the heartbreaking desire many feel to undo the sins of the past. She also touches on the horror of addiction, and the multigenerational trauma it can cause. Goodwin's characters are flawed, fragile, and painfully human. There are no clear-cut villains or heroes, and even the most horrible in her cast (and believe me, there's one who's a real piece of work) still manage to have glimmers of decency and evoke empathy. That's a difficult task for a writer, but Goodwin has it mastered.

There are some unexpected twists in the story, and I don't want to give too much away. Suffice it to say, as Isaac and his loved ones try to unravel the mysterious truth behind the vacant house and its dark-eyed secrets, there are plenty of surprises -- of the good, bad, and gory variety -- to be had. "Dark Eyes" is a suspenseful, scary thrill ride, one you won't want to miss!

"Dark Eyes" releases on September 29, 2026. ...more

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The Residency (The Residency, #1)
by Kayla Frederick (Goodreads Author)

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"One decision can change a person's life." This isn't just the opening line to author Kayla Frederick's "The Residency," but it's also the overall theme of this cautionary tale, a clever take on the "Battle Royale" horror trope. In "The Residency," a "One decision can change a person's life." This isn't just the opening line to author Kayla Frederick's "The Residency," but it's also the overall theme of this cautionary tale, a clever take on the "Battle Royale" horror trope. In "The Residency," a group of starving artists from a wide variety of mediums receive what seems to be the invitation of a lifetime: to participate in a weeklong program on a private island resort, sponsored by an enigmatic and seemingly magnanimous philanthropist. The trip comes with the chance to win not only recognition for their art, but $500,000 to boot, a cash prize none of the participants can afford to refuse.

Among these are Ira, a troubled painter whose gruesome subject matter overshadows her talents with a brush; Isabella and Isaac, twins who specialize in graffiti murals; Tonya, a haughty graphic designer; Derrick, an earnest caricaturist; McKenzie, an ingenuous tattoo artist; Cameron, an idealistic sculptor; and James, a gruff, middle-aged illustrator.

Of course, we all know the old saying about how if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is, and it's a given from the first page that their would-be benefactor isn't quite as benevolent as he seems. In short order, the brutal, bloody truth behind his "contest" is revealed, much to the horrified dismay of his guests and once the game begins, there's only one way out: through it. As one by one, the contestants are eliminated (literally, as well as figuratively), alliances between the surviving players are forged and broken, sacrifices made, and horrific choices abound, all under the watchful, unflinching eye of the sadistic "Curator," their anonymous host.

I think the most difficult part of this book is that while all of the characters are flawed in some way, they're all also likable for the most part, and certainly relatable in their desperate determination to survive. It's hard to read about the terrible things that happen to them, because Frederick puts the reader inside each of their heads, giving us a birds-eye view of their perspectives, making us root for them even as she slowly, methodically picks them off one by one. There's no such thing as plot armor in "The Residency," and in the end, there can only be one winner. If one decision can change a person's life, Frederick forces us to question to just what lengths we might be willing to go -- what we'd suffer through -- to make that decision in the end.

Taut and suspenseful, with a truly despicable antagonist, and enough gore to leave you squirming in your seat, in "The Residency," Frederick delivers a fast, fun, bloody summer read you won't soon forget. ...more

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Turn
by Megan Stockton (Goodreads Author)

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One of the earliest descriptions of a werewolf can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," the first-ever recorded story in human civilization. In the millennia since that ancient debut, stories of wolves and men, and the amalgamation of the two, have f One of the earliest descriptions of a werewolf can be found in "The Epic of Gilgamesh," the first-ever recorded story in human civilization. In the millennia since that ancient debut, stories of wolves and men, and the amalgamation of the two, have fascinated and terrified mankind. In her latest novel, "Turn," author Megan Stockton offers an imaginative take on the classic horror trope, combining body horror, creature-feature, and, at its heart, a love story in a gruesome, heart-wrenching combination.

In "Turn," newlyweds Ezra and Holden are on their honeymoon, trading in the familiar skyline of the city for the quiet, wooded foothills of rural Tennessee. Holden grew up in the country, and wants to share his love for these quaint roots with his new husband. Ezra would much rather be vacationing at a deluxe resort with room service, but he loves Holden and thus is willing to play along. And at first, everything seems picture perfect. The cabin they've rented, although out in the middle of nowhere, is charming and cozy, within walking distance of hiking trails, a fire pit, and a beautiful lake that's perfect for fishing or swimming. And even though a woman at a local convenience store warns the lovebirds that they shouldn't go out after dark -- they shouldn't be staying at that cabin at all, she says -- Ezra tries to convince himself that it's not so bad, after all. Besides, he's with Holden, and that's all that matters.

Of course, from there, things start to go wrong. Ezra and Holden catch glimpses of a strange, hulking figure in the woods that seems to be watching them. The power goes out at the cabin, plunging them into darkness, and when the owner of the cabin sets off into the woods to restart the generator, he never returns. A powerful storm lambasts the area, knocking out trees and blocking the only road leading to or from the mountain, leaving Ezra and Holden stranded. Alone in the forest, while trying to track down their wayward landlord, Holden stumbles across something monstrous, and when he tries to flee for safety in the cabin, he's attacked. Although he manages to escape, he's bitten in the scuffle, and from there, things get even worse.

We all know the legends. Once you're bitten, you begin to turn. Stockton leans fully into this tried-and-true premise, but in an interesting twist, Holden's transition from man to monster isn't sudden, swift, or limited to only moonlit nights. Instead, it's insidious, a creeping hunger that begins to grow inside of him, a slow and methodical rewiring of his body's impulses and needs. At first, he mistakes these changes as physical desires, but slowly, to his horror, he discovers they are much worse. As that relentless hunger begins to consume him, he finds himself growing increasingly more helpless to resist it -- and the gruesome urges it compels him to slake.

As a reader, you expect a werewolf story to be bloody and violent, and Stockton delivers. Surprisingly, however, she also manages to portray horror in smaller, quieter moments as well, and it's here that the true terror lies. Holden is disgusted and dismayed by the lengths to which he finds himself -- against his will -- satisfying his new bestial compulsions, while Ezra struggles to reconcile the gentle, caring man with whom he fell in love with this new, bloodthirsty stranger jockeying for control of Holden's body and mind. It's their love that propels the story and allows Holden to hang onto the fraying strands of his humanity while Ezra desperately tries to find a way out of a seemingly hopeless predicament, some means by which he can free Holden from his terrible fate.

"Turn" swings back and forth between intimate-scale horror and big, bold, and bloody, but never feels like it doesn't know where it's going or what kind of story it wants to be. It's a tale told with confidence, sincerity, and heart, with as keen an eye toward the grisly details as it is the tender, heartbreaking moments in between. Stockton takes timeless lore and makes it uniquely her own, and the end result is fantastic. ...more

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	What Lies Unseen: A Horror Novel 4.06 avg rating — 559 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Vessel: A Horror Novel 3.97 avg rating — 105 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hauntings: A Collection of Short Horror Stories 4.08 avg rating — 51 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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	The Curious Case of Henry Harrington: A Short Story 4.21 avg rating — 39 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Food Noise: A Horror Short Story 4.36 avg rating — 22 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Prairie Madness by S.E. Howard (Goodreads Author), Michael Ojee-Jones (Narrator) 4.42 avg rating — 12 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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