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Illusions of Isolation
Is anyone ever really alone?
When a young man’s wife goes away for the weekend, he lies awake all night wondering what the otherworldly sound in the attic is, and why only he can hear it.
After her husband’s death, a mother who interacts with her son exclusively through stationery notes grapples with the strange ways her lost love seems to be haunting them both.
And inch by inch, room by room, a young girl’s home is overtaken by a savage jungle, even while her parents are being gradually replaced by somewhat…wilder housemates.
In this debut collection Brennan LaFaro, the author of Noose and Slattery Falls, brings you these stories of creeping dread and much, much more. Contained within are 13 tales of horror, humor, and heart, (including nine which have never before seen the light of day) and an introduction by the legendary Jonathan Janz.
Is anyone ever really alone? Or are they merely suffering....
Illusions of Isolation
When a young man’s wife goes away for the weekend, he lies awake all night wondering what the otherworldly sound in the attic is, and why only he can hear it.
After her husband’s death, a mother who interacts with her son exclusively through stationery notes grapples with the strange ways her lost love seems to be haunting them both.
And inch by inch, room by room, a young girl’s home is overtaken by a savage jungle, even while her parents are being gradually replaced by somewhat…wilder housemates.
In this debut collection Brennan LaFaro, the author of Noose and Slattery Falls, brings you these stories of creeping dread and much, much more. Contained within are 13 tales of horror, humor, and heart, (including nine which have never before seen the light of day) and an introduction by the legendary Jonathan Janz.
Is anyone ever really alone? Or are they merely suffering....
Illusions of Isolation
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
Audible Audio
Published October 3, 2023
12 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Brennan LaFaro
24 books156 followers Brennan LaFaro is a music teacher by day, horror writer by night, living in southeastern Massachusetts with his wife, two sons, and his hounds. He is the author of the Slattery Falls trilogy, as well as Last Stay, and the horror western, Buzzard's Edge Saga. You can read his short fiction in various anthologies and find him on Twitter at @brennanlafaro or at www.brennanlafaro.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 1, 2023
Illusions of Isolation is a short story collection of 13 works. This was a great way to get to know Brennans writing having not read anything of his previously.
As with all short story collections some are better than others but nearly all of these stories are great reads with only two missing the mark for me personally. They follow all types of sub genres here from creatures, home invasion, sci-fi horror, haunted house plus more. I LOVED the authors notes after each story too which is a paragraph or two explaining where the story came from and what he was trying to achieve.
My favourite stories of the collection are as follows.
Piece by Piece: Mac a school aged boy heads down to the river after school where he starts to find body parts floating in the water. A toe here, a hand there and they keep appearing day after day. He becomes fascinated with the discoveries and takes them as keep sakes to store at home. Little does he know what is causing it and that it wants the pieces back. A coming of age story and genuinely creepy and intriguing. I could read a full length novel on this premise it was lots of fun.
A Little Piece of Civilization: Isabella wakes up one morning and comes down stairs for breakfast where she discovers a tiny patch of grass growing in the living room. Her parents seem disinterested I'm the weirdness of it however as the grass continues to grow and turn into a full blown forest along with it come the animals which make it its home. I found this story very original, well written and the authors note on how it must feel for animals when there habitats are destroyed and how he turned that story around to make humans face the same situation was a great insight.
The Irreversible Flow Of Time: A man wakes up in a warehouse with no idea where he is or why. As he makes his way through the warehouse he encounters numerous evils, monsters and the answers he is looking for as to why he is there and who put him in this position. This story is action packed and just lots of fun from start to finish.
I Will Meet You There: A sci-fi horror story set on a space ship. The story goes between time lines of a month back and forth. We learn what Matt is currently dealing with being the only person now alive on the ship and during the return to the past we learn what happened to the crew and what evil is lurking on board. Full of gory deaths, tension and dread.
Red Sands: The longest story in the collection of novelette length. It's a western themed post apocalyptic type world full of winged creatures which attack at random the desert town to feed. Decker and Aofie go on a mission to find the nest of these creatures to find a way to stop the attacks once and for all. This being a bit longer than the others really gave him time to set up our characters and you love the relationship between the two who are like father and daughter. We get a great feel for the town and what it's like living there under these attacks. This story packs an emotional punch as well and was maybe my favourite of the entire book. I hope he writes more of Decker and this world in the future.
If you are a fan of short story collections check this out. They are all so different to each other which I loved and had a great time reading this.
As with all short story collections some are better than others but nearly all of these stories are great reads with only two missing the mark for me personally. They follow all types of sub genres here from creatures, home invasion, sci-fi horror, haunted house plus more. I LOVED the authors notes after each story too which is a paragraph or two explaining where the story came from and what he was trying to achieve.
My favourite stories of the collection are as follows.
Piece by Piece: Mac a school aged boy heads down to the river after school where he starts to find body parts floating in the water. A toe here, a hand there and they keep appearing day after day. He becomes fascinated with the discoveries and takes them as keep sakes to store at home. Little does he know what is causing it and that it wants the pieces back. A coming of age story and genuinely creepy and intriguing. I could read a full length novel on this premise it was lots of fun.
A Little Piece of Civilization: Isabella wakes up one morning and comes down stairs for breakfast where she discovers a tiny patch of grass growing in the living room. Her parents seem disinterested I'm the weirdness of it however as the grass continues to grow and turn into a full blown forest along with it come the animals which make it its home. I found this story very original, well written and the authors note on how it must feel for animals when there habitats are destroyed and how he turned that story around to make humans face the same situation was a great insight.
The Irreversible Flow Of Time: A man wakes up in a warehouse with no idea where he is or why. As he makes his way through the warehouse he encounters numerous evils, monsters and the answers he is looking for as to why he is there and who put him in this position. This story is action packed and just lots of fun from start to finish.
I Will Meet You There: A sci-fi horror story set on a space ship. The story goes between time lines of a month back and forth. We learn what Matt is currently dealing with being the only person now alive on the ship and during the return to the past we learn what happened to the crew and what evil is lurking on board. Full of gory deaths, tension and dread.
Red Sands: The longest story in the collection of novelette length. It's a western themed post apocalyptic type world full of winged creatures which attack at random the desert town to feed. Decker and Aofie go on a mission to find the nest of these creatures to find a way to stop the attacks once and for all. This being a bit longer than the others really gave him time to set up our characters and you love the relationship between the two who are like father and daughter. We get a great feel for the town and what it's like living there under these attacks. This story packs an emotional punch as well and was maybe my favourite of the entire book. I hope he writes more of Decker and this world in the future.
If you are a fan of short story collections check this out. They are all so different to each other which I loved and had a great time reading this.
March 5, 2023
LaFaro Delivers!
This collection is outstanding. I enjoyed all the stories, but some of my favorites were "Piece by Piece," "Then You Smiled for a Second," "I Will Meet You There," "A Shine in the Woods," and "Year of the Black Rainbow." There's something in here for everyone, and the writing is incredible. Don't believe me? Here, check this out:
Hope endured that any day now the blue orb might grow closer, even by the most insignificant distance. Perhaps tomorrow would be the day communications came through—a letter, even a single word from his family. His hope fought against the innate knowledge that the ship ferrying him through space was dead. A coffin suspended in zero gravity.
See what I mean? This dude has mad skills. I'm a huge fan of LaFaro's work, and I'm looking forward to anything he releases. This one gets all the stars from me. Highly recommended!
This collection is outstanding. I enjoyed all the stories, but some of my favorites were "Piece by Piece," "Then You Smiled for a Second," "I Will Meet You There," "A Shine in the Woods," and "Year of the Black Rainbow." There's something in here for everyone, and the writing is incredible. Don't believe me? Here, check this out:
Hope endured that any day now the blue orb might grow closer, even by the most insignificant distance. Perhaps tomorrow would be the day communications came through—a letter, even a single word from his family. His hope fought against the innate knowledge that the ship ferrying him through space was dead. A coffin suspended in zero gravity.
See what I mean? This dude has mad skills. I'm a huge fan of LaFaro's work, and I'm looking forward to anything he releases. This one gets all the stars from me. Highly recommended!
February 24, 2023
Huge thanks to Brennan for sending this e-ARC my way!
Over the last few years, I’ve really enjoyed reading Brennan’s ‘Slattery Falls,’ series, so when he reached out, I said absolutely. As you’ve heard me say a million times – I have been burned out on short-story collections for some time – BUT – I also know the difficulty it has been for many, many people to find reviewers open for reviews, so I gladly took this, wanting to do my best to support Brennan.
To be upfront – I’ve actually only read one previous short story from Brennan (which happens to be in here) and full disclosure – I also had a story in that anthology. Saying that, the story is superb and us appearing together in that book had no bearing on my thoughts towards this collection.
What I liked: This may sound weird, but while I greatly enjoyed the Slattery Falls books so far, I think I enjoyed the short stories even more and I think part of that was the new and fresh approach each story took. While the Slattery Falls stuff is really well done, if something bothers you, it’s there the entire time. Here, not so much. The story ends and you move on and it was that aspect that really elevated how these stories flowed for me. It was like an all you can eat buffet of sliders versus having one deluxe hamburger, if that makes sense?
The highlights for me – and it was tough picking only four (I like to pick four because it’s a number I think is high enough to convince folks to buy a collection or anthology), but I managed are;
Dressed for Success – this one follows a new kid at school who gets bullied. It starts small, but picks up and then all Hell breaks loose.
Piece by Piece – this one was verrrrry close to be my favorite in the collection. A young kid visits the creek by his home and begins to find pieces of a body. It was interesting to see how Brennan framed it but also how the kid responded.
Year of the Black Rainbow – a multi-layered story, this starts out with a teenager getting kicked out of their house by their overzealous, religious, whack-a-doodle parents. With no other options, they decide their only option is to find shelter in an abandoned building in town… one that is supposedly haunted.
A Shine in the Woods – my favorite story (and the story that we shared space with in the Shiver anthology) this should be no surprise to anyone who knows what I love to read and write. This one follows a kid and their parents as they head to their winter cabin over Christmas break. The caretaker warns them that some odd animals have been lurking around, rummaging for food. Brennan doesn’t hold back and we get a really great winter-survival-creature-feature short story.
Additionally, I’m a huge fan of story notes/author notes, but I prefer them directly after the story instead of compiled into one section at the very end. LaFaro gives some quick, fun insight into each story and thankfully these are slotted in directly after each piece.
What I didn’t like: Hey, it’s a collection, some will hit and some will miss. All of the stories are great in here, but there was one that was written back and forth in letter form that was just meh for me, but that’s purely because I’m not a fan of that type of storytelling. Epistolary. Not for me.
Why you should buy this: This collection flows from story to story hitting high point after high point. Each story is relatively short – I think the longest my Kindle told me was twelve minutes – excluding the last one that was a novelette. Brennan is as solid of a writer that you’ll find out there and even when he takes chances he handles it like an old pro.
If you’ve not read any of his work before, this is an excellent place to start. If you’ve already read some of his work, you’re in for a treat. Really well done.
Over the last few years, I’ve really enjoyed reading Brennan’s ‘Slattery Falls,’ series, so when he reached out, I said absolutely. As you’ve heard me say a million times – I have been burned out on short-story collections for some time – BUT – I also know the difficulty it has been for many, many people to find reviewers open for reviews, so I gladly took this, wanting to do my best to support Brennan.
To be upfront – I’ve actually only read one previous short story from Brennan (which happens to be in here) and full disclosure – I also had a story in that anthology. Saying that, the story is superb and us appearing together in that book had no bearing on my thoughts towards this collection.
What I liked: This may sound weird, but while I greatly enjoyed the Slattery Falls books so far, I think I enjoyed the short stories even more and I think part of that was the new and fresh approach each story took. While the Slattery Falls stuff is really well done, if something bothers you, it’s there the entire time. Here, not so much. The story ends and you move on and it was that aspect that really elevated how these stories flowed for me. It was like an all you can eat buffet of sliders versus having one deluxe hamburger, if that makes sense?
The highlights for me – and it was tough picking only four (I like to pick four because it’s a number I think is high enough to convince folks to buy a collection or anthology), but I managed are;
Dressed for Success – this one follows a new kid at school who gets bullied. It starts small, but picks up and then all Hell breaks loose.
Piece by Piece – this one was verrrrry close to be my favorite in the collection. A young kid visits the creek by his home and begins to find pieces of a body. It was interesting to see how Brennan framed it but also how the kid responded.
Year of the Black Rainbow – a multi-layered story, this starts out with a teenager getting kicked out of their house by their overzealous, religious, whack-a-doodle parents. With no other options, they decide their only option is to find shelter in an abandoned building in town… one that is supposedly haunted.
A Shine in the Woods – my favorite story (and the story that we shared space with in the Shiver anthology) this should be no surprise to anyone who knows what I love to read and write. This one follows a kid and their parents as they head to their winter cabin over Christmas break. The caretaker warns them that some odd animals have been lurking around, rummaging for food. Brennan doesn’t hold back and we get a really great winter-survival-creature-feature short story.
Additionally, I’m a huge fan of story notes/author notes, but I prefer them directly after the story instead of compiled into one section at the very end. LaFaro gives some quick, fun insight into each story and thankfully these are slotted in directly after each piece.
What I didn’t like: Hey, it’s a collection, some will hit and some will miss. All of the stories are great in here, but there was one that was written back and forth in letter form that was just meh for me, but that’s purely because I’m not a fan of that type of storytelling. Epistolary. Not for me.
Why you should buy this: This collection flows from story to story hitting high point after high point. Each story is relatively short – I think the longest my Kindle told me was twelve minutes – excluding the last one that was a novelette. Brennan is as solid of a writer that you’ll find out there and even when he takes chances he handles it like an old pro.
If you’ve not read any of his work before, this is an excellent place to start. If you’ve already read some of his work, you’re in for a treat. Really well done.
March 8, 2023
The author offered ARCs of his horror story collection on the Facebook group Books of Horror Freview, and I immediately snatched one up! This has gotten a lot of hype, and it’s all absolutely justified. ‘Illusions of Isolation’ is a very strong collection of 13 stories, and it should go into your TBR list immediately. I’ll say a few things about the stories I loved (short stories can be easily spoiled if you say too much), though all the tales are well worth reading. The first story, ‘Dressed for Success,’ about a boy’s first day in a fancy school, got me deeply engrossed: I had no idea where this was going, the writing lulled me into a false sense of security, and then -bam!- my heart got pumping as things escalated quickly into a nightmare! Second story: ‘Piece by Piece’ – a boy finds toes in a creek. The imagery in this story was phenomenal and won’t be forgotten any time soon! (It also mentions LaFaro’s Slattery Falls.) Fourth story, ‘Year of the Black Rainbow’: actually, this story’s setting is not very original, it’s about an abandoned hospital that’s haunted, but LaFaro manages to invest it with so much emotion and meaning, it’s bound to leave a mark; the teenager, whose pronoun is ‘they,’ could easily sustain a book. I, for one, would like to see where they end up in the future. Seventh story, ‘A Shine in the Woods’, a traditional creature feature story in a winter cabin, has great atmosphere and is so well-done that it can get you into reading more horror of this kind. Ninth story, ‘Just a Note’: I cannot praise this ‘found-footage’-type, epistolary story enough! A mom communicates with her teenage son through notes; they soon realize there’s something in their house; whatever it is, it’s paying attention – and no, it’s not friendly. The last note will chill your soul! My favorite story by far! Tenth story, ‘The Attic’ – well it’s about… a noisy attic. The merits of this spooky story lie in the tightly controlled narrative, the eerie atmosphere, and the very personal tone creeping in. Last, but certainly not least, there’s the twelfth story, ‘The Lights’. The writing makes this sound like a true story, or an urban legend. It’s about a guy, famous in the neighborhood for his burger grilling skills, who gets stuck in his back deck. Why? Well, I’m not entirely sure, but his answer, short as it is, will give you shivers. To sum up, this is a collection that deserves a huge spotlight, and some of the stories will definitely hit you in the feels!
March 31, 2023
I love a short story collection with variety and LaFaro delivered on that. Each tale is unique and they're very snappy reads. Truly something for everyone here. I really appreciated the author notes after each one as well. It's fun getting the extra details like what inspired that particular tale or the song that was playing while writing it. That just adds a little something extra to it for me. While the stories are short they don't lack for substance. Some of my personal favorites were as follows:
Piece By Piece- Creepy in a way that reminded me of childhood horror stories.
Year of the Black Rainbow- I extra appreciated the MC being so fleshed out in this one and the play on who the REAL monsters are.
Then You Smiled For a Second- The violation of the place you feel safest is chilling.
Just a Note- The format of this one was super cool to me.
I Will Meet You There- Kinda reminded me of that movie Event Horizon. There's something inherently frightening about being in space in general imo.
All in all I enjoyed this collection and as this is my first LaFaro book I'm really curious to see what he can do with a full length novel now so I'll be checking more by him.
I received a copy of this book from French Press Publishing and this is my honest review.
July 3, 2023
I just finished the latest release by Brennan LaFaro and I’m pleased to say that I really enjoyed this one. I must admit, I’m not a huge fan of the short story format, but despite having that stacked against it, I loved this book. There is a nice range of stories here, and all of them feel different enough that I never felt I was reading more of the same, which can happen from time to time. With short stories, sometimes it feels like there are padding stories, thrown in to add girth to the book, and while every story won’t be for every reader, I don’t think anything here is filler, every story in this collection has earned its place.
Some of my favorites were I will meet you there, piece by piece, dressed for success, and red sands.
Highly recommend this one for fans of Brennans previous work and new readers alike
Some of my favorites were I will meet you there, piece by piece, dressed for success, and red sands.
Highly recommend this one for fans of Brennans previous work and new readers alike
March 1, 2023
Haunting chilers
Mac finds a toe in the creek. He goes back every day. What follows him home? A family on vacation encounter something unexpected and very hungry. A man alone while his wife is on a trip hears something in the attic. These and other creepy tales take you by the hand and on a frightening journey.
Mac finds a toe in the creek. He goes back every day. What follows him home? A family on vacation encounter something unexpected and very hungry. A man alone while his wife is on a trip hears something in the attic. These and other creepy tales take you by the hand and on a frightening journey.
February 20, 2023
Illusions of Isolation by Brennan LaFaro is a collection of fantastic short stories that are a mix of perfect horrifying nightmare fuel and lighter entertaining terror.
It was a blast not knowing what tone the next story would take! Even for a handful that started out deceptively calm, they soon took a turn that got me every time! And the range here is wild! From cosmic horror to real-world horror, from creature stories to slashers, and so much more, this collection covered a lot of ground!
The way Brennan writes just makes every single thing pop right off the page. It was so easy to get lost in each tale.
I absolutely loved every entry in this collection. But if I had to choose a top five, I’d pick:
Then You Smiled for a Second
Piece By Piece
Year of the Black Rainbow
Shine
Red Sands
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/illus...
It was a blast not knowing what tone the next story would take! Even for a handful that started out deceptively calm, they soon took a turn that got me every time! And the range here is wild! From cosmic horror to real-world horror, from creature stories to slashers, and so much more, this collection covered a lot of ground!
The way Brennan writes just makes every single thing pop right off the page. It was so easy to get lost in each tale.
I absolutely loved every entry in this collection. But if I had to choose a top five, I’d pick:
Then You Smiled for a Second
Piece By Piece
Year of the Black Rainbow
Shine
Red Sands
Check out my full review here:
https://www.ericarobynreads.com/illus...
November 2, 2023
Great collection of shorts!
March 2, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed receiving an advanced reader copy of Brennan LaFaro's Illusions of Isolation, totaling 13 stories in its entirety. The stories were extremely well written, and all of them thought-provoking! Each one is more unique than the last from western, sci-fi, paranormal, and more...
Each chapter and each new story brought a different perspective and a different voice or protagonist forward and we as the reader get to share in the eerie, haunting, otherworldly experiences that the author has created for us. I found myself excited for a new chapter to begin, as I was unable to determine what was waiting "behind the next door."
In my opinion, what a writer can do with imagery and writing technique speaks volumes to their overall ability to story build & entertain. I can say there were stories in this collection that left the mind to wander in the creepiest and most imaginative way, and I loved every minute.
Favorites:
*Piece by Piece
*Then You Smiled for a Second
*Just a Note
Each chapter and each new story brought a different perspective and a different voice or protagonist forward and we as the reader get to share in the eerie, haunting, otherworldly experiences that the author has created for us. I found myself excited for a new chapter to begin, as I was unable to determine what was waiting "behind the next door."
In my opinion, what a writer can do with imagery and writing technique speaks volumes to their overall ability to story build & entertain. I can say there were stories in this collection that left the mind to wander in the creepiest and most imaginative way, and I loved every minute.
Favorites:
*Piece by Piece
*Then You Smiled for a Second
*Just a Note
June 9, 2023
This is one of the better short story collections I've read in recent memory. It has something for everyone; devils, ghosts, monsters, and tons more. LaFaro has an amazing imagination and works it to the bone in this anthology.
April 28, 2025
This is a very solid short story collection from front cover to back. The writing is crisp and clean in every single story, and they all moved at their own pace which made it easy to breeze through the collection. Dressed for Success is the first story in the collection and it is horror through and through. Red Sands is the last story in the collection and it is a western action-packed story that reminded me of the Fallout games. I point this out to tell you that the stories in this collection are extremely diverse in genre, while all having horrifying elements to them. My three favorites of the collection are probably Piece by Piece, The Last Little Piece of Civilization, and A Shine in the Woods, but there is not a bad story in the collection. It's got some great body horror and some great sci-fi horror within. I truly think all fans of horror could find a story they like in this collection!
February 6, 2023
I LOVE this collection and I'm so excited for its official release so that everyone else can enjoy it too. I liked every single story in it but my favourite, by far, is 'Just A Note', which has not left my mind. I'm jealous that I didn't think of it myself.
I'd say the stories are varied enough in sub-genre, style, and theme that there's probably something in this collection for everyone (provided you're a horror fan, obviously).
I'd say the stories are varied enough in sub-genre, style, and theme that there's probably something in this collection for everyone (provided you're a horror fan, obviously).
March 5, 2023
The name Brennan LaFaro is fast becoming synonymous with quality horror writing! Having read some of his previous work in longer form, I absolutely jumped at the opportunity to read his short story collection, Illusions of Isolation. Can we just take a minute to appreciate that title?? LeFaro has a masterful way with words as well as titles. The stories in this collection vary wildly in length and subject, but all are wonderful. With different nuances of the genre, and an underlying connecting theme of parent/child relationships, LeFaro covers eco-horror, creature feature, western and everything in between. It was difficult to choose a favourite but standouts for me were Then You Smiled for a Second, Just a Note and Red Sands. An amazing writer with a hugely bright future ahead of him!
February 26, 2023
After reading the wonderful noose I couldn't wait to read this and I can happily say it didn't disappoint. I enjoyed every single story and there wasn't A single dud in the collection. I will be reading everything Brennan Lafaro puts out from now on. Highly recommended!
July 21, 2023
Thank You Brennan Lafaro
This collection of 13 horrifying, spine-tingling and masterfully written short stories shows the range of Brennan Lafara. He is a Three-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens and Reluctant Immortals
Beware of the Children meets Do you know where the children are.
Coming of Age Novella for older children preteens and up.
Supernatural
Corpses
Splatterpunk
This collection of 13 horrifying, spine-tingling and masterfully written short stories shows the range of Brennan Lafara. He is a Three-time Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Rust Maidens and Reluctant Immortals
Beware of the Children meets Do you know where the children are.
Coming of Age Novella for older children preteens and up.
Supernatural
Corpses
Splatterpunk
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2023
Thirteen horror stories that Clay McLeod Chapman calls a “Norman Rockwell nightmare”.
June 17, 2023
I say this a lot, but I am notorious for my caution with anthologies and collections. It's so hard to find one that's solid and consistent; one that you're into from start to stop. I can probably count on one hand the story collections/anthologies that have impressed me, but I'm very happy to add this one to the list.
While not your traditional horror experience, what's more horrifying than finding yourself alone to deal with the unknown? Brennan portrayed this beautifully, especially in stories like "The Last Little Piece of Civilization" and "I Will Meet You There." And let's not forget the massive ice spiders in "A Shine in the Woods." Brennan......totally unnecessary. Of course, the complete apathy in "Snap" definitely deserves some attention!
But let's be real, the star of this series is Red Sands. I 100% should've seen that event happening, but I didn't, so I was rather blindsided, same as Decker. I got chills reading this one. There's something about that moment of letting someone go because you know that holding onto them is only making them suffer. It's such a beautifully tragic scene, and God, if it didn't get me. In a book centered on feeling alone and circumstances forcing you to be alone, this one is a knockout. Seriously.
If you haven't read this yet, you're really missing out. You won't get loud jumpscares or fast-breathed hysteria, but you'll get the quiet, creeping sense of being utterly alone. And what could be more scary than that?
Brennan, thank you so much for sharing this book with me! It's a real treasure.
While not your traditional horror experience, what's more horrifying than finding yourself alone to deal with the unknown? Brennan portrayed this beautifully, especially in stories like "The Last Little Piece of Civilization" and "I Will Meet You There." And let's not forget the massive ice spiders in "A Shine in the Woods." Brennan......totally unnecessary. Of course, the complete apathy in "Snap" definitely deserves some attention!
But let's be real, the star of this series is Red Sands. I 100% should've seen that event happening, but I didn't, so I was rather blindsided, same as Decker. I got chills reading this one. There's something about that moment of letting someone go because you know that holding onto them is only making them suffer. It's such a beautifully tragic scene, and God, if it didn't get me. In a book centered on feeling alone and circumstances forcing you to be alone, this one is a knockout. Seriously.
If you haven't read this yet, you're really missing out. You won't get loud jumpscares or fast-breathed hysteria, but you'll get the quiet, creeping sense of being utterly alone. And what could be more scary than that?
Brennan, thank you so much for sharing this book with me! It's a real treasure.
July 4, 2024
Full review on Happy Goat Horror:
https://happygoathorror.com/2023/03/0...
This is an outstanding collection - one of the best we've had the pleasure to review. The genre mix across its 13 stories keeps it fresh and interesting, as do the multiple writing styles that the author plays with. For sure, I'd say there's something for everyone here - and some of them are sincerely scary to read!
Wholehearted recommendation for genre fans.
https://happygoathorror.com/2023/03/0...
This is an outstanding collection - one of the best we've had the pleasure to review. The genre mix across its 13 stories keeps it fresh and interesting, as do the multiple writing styles that the author plays with. For sure, I'd say there's something for everyone here - and some of them are sincerely scary to read!
Wholehearted recommendation for genre fans.
June 10, 2023
Loved this book.
I have yet to read a Brennan LaFaro book I haven't loved. I recommend this book. I give it five goat horns. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
I have yet to read a Brennan LaFaro book I haven't loved. I recommend this book. I give it five goat horns. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘
September 14, 2023
(originally reviewed at
thelibraryladies.com
)
Thank you to French Press for sending me an eCopy of this short stories collection!
One of my favorite things is when a book shows up in my inbox or comes across my path that is unknown, and it catches my eye even though I’m unfamiliar with the author due to the description and hype work done around it. That is really the situation I had with “Illusions of Isolation” by Brennan LaFaro, a collection of horror short stories that were completely new to me. I’m someone who really likes routine and control over many aspects of my life, so taking chances on books, while novel and fun at times, is also a little stressful for me. But reading the description of this book, I knew that I wanted to give it a chance because it just struck me in the right away. And I ended up really enjoying it.
Before we begin, one of the things that I really REALLY loved about this collection is that each story has an author’s note at the end, which provides some context and insight into the story itself. As someone who likes to write for myself on occasion, I always like seeing the process that other authors use when writing their own stories. I found it very enlightening and interesting in this collection, and seeing where LaFaro gets his inspirations and how he crafted these short stories was such a treat. It also provided some good background or thought process information of some of the more disturbing tales (I really liked having it for “Dressed for Success”, the first story in the bunch that has violence within a school setting. It really contextualizes the content so it doesn’t feel exploitative or distasteful). It feels a bit like the author’s notes behind the stories in the “Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark Books” in a way, and I really enjoyed it.
So I’ll tackle this like I do all short stories collections: I will talk about my favorite three stories, and then talk about the collection as a whole.
“Year of the Black Rainbow”: There were a few stories in this collection that used topical issues to help fuel the horror aspects (given that social anxieties influence horror a lot it’s not shock), and “Year of the Black Rainbow” was one of those and my first favorite of the collection. Alex, a non-binary teen whose parents have kicked them out of their home, has found themself alone and living in an unhoused community in an old abandoned hospital. While others have avoided the basement for its strange happenings, Alex has made it their home. But when intruders threaten them, the basement’s reputation comes to the forefront. I love a haunted house story, I love a story about a marginalized person finding a place to call home, and I love a story that has a nice heaping helping of comeuppance for shit heads. And this story has all of that.
“A Shine in the Woods”: Isolation cabin horror is always going to be top notch for me, and if you bring in some really unique elements and I am totally roped in. A family is having a vacation in a winter cabin setting, but something keeps knocking over their garbage cans and making a mess outside. As the snow comes down harder and the unknown threat becomes more pressing, the family starts to wonder if they are going to leave their vacation alive. I’m not going to say any spoilers here, but I LOVED where LaFarro went with this one! I had an idea as to what was maybe going on, but as the tension built and the stakes were raised he went in a completely different direction and I thought that it was so creative and so out there in the best way.
“The Lights”: Break out the tissues for this one folks. A neighborhood nice guy named Gus, known for his kind disposition and his love of the grill, is suddenly rendered catatonic in his backyard chair with a relaxed smile on his face. His wife has kept it secret until neighbors come by concerned, and he only speaks of ‘the lights’. As Gus remains in this entranced state, his wife, and his neighbors, start to realize the impact this quiet but gentle man had on their lives. This one is probably the least horror-esque story in the collection and a bit more Sci-Fi, but I thought that it was so lovely and a glimpse into the way loved ones impact our lives. It’s a bit ambiguous, but the ending is filled with so much genuine, bittersweet pathos that it brought tears to my eyes.
And truly, I thought that all of the stories in this book were pretty well crafted and well imagined. None of them felt like clunkers to me, and I thought that LaFaro really explored a lot of different sub genres and did them justice for the most part. There was definitely something to like about all these stories, and again, the author’s note for EACH story was so, so awesome. The tone could shift from splatter punk brutality to bittersweet pathos and the shift isn’t jarring or distracting. It’s just nice seeing different themes and tonality flowing well in an anthology, especially when there is such a dichotomy and it’s from a single author.
There is definitely something for everyone in “Illusions of Isolation”. I am going to be keeping an eye on Brennan LaFaro going forward, because this collection is filled with lots of goodies.
Thank you to French Press for sending me an eCopy of this short stories collection!
One of my favorite things is when a book shows up in my inbox or comes across my path that is unknown, and it catches my eye even though I’m unfamiliar with the author due to the description and hype work done around it. That is really the situation I had with “Illusions of Isolation” by Brennan LaFaro, a collection of horror short stories that were completely new to me. I’m someone who really likes routine and control over many aspects of my life, so taking chances on books, while novel and fun at times, is also a little stressful for me. But reading the description of this book, I knew that I wanted to give it a chance because it just struck me in the right away. And I ended up really enjoying it.
Before we begin, one of the things that I really REALLY loved about this collection is that each story has an author’s note at the end, which provides some context and insight into the story itself. As someone who likes to write for myself on occasion, I always like seeing the process that other authors use when writing their own stories. I found it very enlightening and interesting in this collection, and seeing where LaFaro gets his inspirations and how he crafted these short stories was such a treat. It also provided some good background or thought process information of some of the more disturbing tales (I really liked having it for “Dressed for Success”, the first story in the bunch that has violence within a school setting. It really contextualizes the content so it doesn’t feel exploitative or distasteful). It feels a bit like the author’s notes behind the stories in the “Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark Books” in a way, and I really enjoyed it.
So I’ll tackle this like I do all short stories collections: I will talk about my favorite three stories, and then talk about the collection as a whole.
“Year of the Black Rainbow”: There were a few stories in this collection that used topical issues to help fuel the horror aspects (given that social anxieties influence horror a lot it’s not shock), and “Year of the Black Rainbow” was one of those and my first favorite of the collection. Alex, a non-binary teen whose parents have kicked them out of their home, has found themself alone and living in an unhoused community in an old abandoned hospital. While others have avoided the basement for its strange happenings, Alex has made it their home. But when intruders threaten them, the basement’s reputation comes to the forefront. I love a haunted house story, I love a story about a marginalized person finding a place to call home, and I love a story that has a nice heaping helping of comeuppance for shit heads. And this story has all of that.
“A Shine in the Woods”: Isolation cabin horror is always going to be top notch for me, and if you bring in some really unique elements and I am totally roped in. A family is having a vacation in a winter cabin setting, but something keeps knocking over their garbage cans and making a mess outside. As the snow comes down harder and the unknown threat becomes more pressing, the family starts to wonder if they are going to leave their vacation alive. I’m not going to say any spoilers here, but I LOVED where LaFarro went with this one! I had an idea as to what was maybe going on, but as the tension built and the stakes were raised he went in a completely different direction and I thought that it was so creative and so out there in the best way.
“The Lights”: Break out the tissues for this one folks. A neighborhood nice guy named Gus, known for his kind disposition and his love of the grill, is suddenly rendered catatonic in his backyard chair with a relaxed smile on his face. His wife has kept it secret until neighbors come by concerned, and he only speaks of ‘the lights’. As Gus remains in this entranced state, his wife, and his neighbors, start to realize the impact this quiet but gentle man had on their lives. This one is probably the least horror-esque story in the collection and a bit more Sci-Fi, but I thought that it was so lovely and a glimpse into the way loved ones impact our lives. It’s a bit ambiguous, but the ending is filled with so much genuine, bittersweet pathos that it brought tears to my eyes.
And truly, I thought that all of the stories in this book were pretty well crafted and well imagined. None of them felt like clunkers to me, and I thought that LaFaro really explored a lot of different sub genres and did them justice for the most part. There was definitely something to like about all these stories, and again, the author’s note for EACH story was so, so awesome. The tone could shift from splatter punk brutality to bittersweet pathos and the shift isn’t jarring or distracting. It’s just nice seeing different themes and tonality flowing well in an anthology, especially when there is such a dichotomy and it’s from a single author.
There is definitely something for everyone in “Illusions of Isolation”. I am going to be keeping an eye on Brennan LaFaro going forward, because this collection is filled with lots of goodies.
February 23, 2023
Brennan LaFaro brought it. His collection of short stories - Illusions of Isolation - is solid from the first to the last. He brings you into his tales quickly, but he never sacrifices character development or mood for plot. Each story is like a picture in a slide show, and he gives us just enough time to view each portrait before moving on to the next fearful image. These stories vary greatly from each other, but each contains LaFaro's signature. His voice is the last scream of innocence in a downpour of darkness. This is a very consistent book, but several stories stand out above the rest. "Piece by Piece" is a child-like fragment with dark intentions and discarded body parts. "Then You Smiled for a Second" doesn't flinch as it tears apart an idyllic family home with senseless violence. "The Attic" goes bump in the night. "The Lights" is a pretty little tale about a nice family, somehow funny and frightening. The best of the bunch is "Just a Note." It's told in notes from mother to son. Things go poorly for them. Worse than you're thinking, too. Great book. Buy it. Read it. I was lucky enough to get an advanced reading copy and it took over my nights as I devoured it greedily.
February 29, 2024
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Let me start by saying, wow. I went into this collection completely blind without reading any other works from Brennan and was not disappointed.
What I liked most was the eclectic variety of different types of horror. There was a nice range varying from grief horror to sci-fi to western. There is literally something for everyone within these 13 short stories. Some of them can easily be expanded on into full length novels and I would eagerly divulge. Even though some of these stories are fairly short, they pack a nice punch.
The author's notes following each story was a nice touch and gives insight into his inspiration for his stories as well as any personal meanings behind them. The technical execution was nice and cohesive and it is also well edited and carries a nice writing prose and for all the aforementioned, I give this book 5 stars!
I will definitely be diving into other works by Brennan in the future and hope he makes it past the intention stage of the BOH brawl for 2024 because he is definitely a contender!
Let me start by saying, wow. I went into this collection completely blind without reading any other works from Brennan and was not disappointed.
What I liked most was the eclectic variety of different types of horror. There was a nice range varying from grief horror to sci-fi to western. There is literally something for everyone within these 13 short stories. Some of them can easily be expanded on into full length novels and I would eagerly divulge. Even though some of these stories are fairly short, they pack a nice punch.
The author's notes following each story was a nice touch and gives insight into his inspiration for his stories as well as any personal meanings behind them. The technical execution was nice and cohesive and it is also well edited and carries a nice writing prose and for all the aforementioned, I give this book 5 stars!
I will definitely be diving into other works by Brennan in the future and hope he makes it past the intention stage of the BOH brawl for 2024 because he is definitely a contender!
December 27, 2024
So I tried to buy this three times, after the first time i purchased it, and the last time, i figured , its a sign to read it right ?
What a fucking billboard of a sign that was, fabulous.
The creepy attic noises, okay so I wasnt sure, was it his conscious because he might have murdered the wife, instead of her "being out of town" or is it just him, crazy or is it something even more sinister?
A Shine in the Woods, was my hands down top tier story of this collection, family vacation gone wrong, and then things get super freaking creepy, a family having to survive the winter, the horrors going on around them, possibly the supernatural, and then the worst of them all, being with themselves...
Second favorite Piece by piece, and this one is pure just what the fuck.
A kid finding pieces of a body near the creek by his house, is it the same body, different ones, is this some kind of murder situation, what is going on, and also why is this kid continuing the search, i find ONE piece of a body and i am gone..
This story was so weird, but so well done.
What a fucking billboard of a sign that was, fabulous.
The creepy attic noises, okay so I wasnt sure, was it his conscious because he might have murdered the wife, instead of her "being out of town" or is it just him, crazy or is it something even more sinister?
A Shine in the Woods, was my hands down top tier story of this collection, family vacation gone wrong, and then things get super freaking creepy, a family having to survive the winter, the horrors going on around them, possibly the supernatural, and then the worst of them all, being with themselves...
Second favorite Piece by piece, and this one is pure just what the fuck.
A kid finding pieces of a body near the creek by his house, is it the same body, different ones, is this some kind of murder situation, what is going on, and also why is this kid continuing the search, i find ONE piece of a body and i am gone..
This story was so weird, but so well done.
February 23, 2023
Brennan LaFaro has quickly become a "must read" horror author for me, so I was ecstatic to read his new collection of creepy stories. Illusions of Isolation is an incredible collection of stories spanning multiple horror genres–Slasher, creature-feature, sci-fi horror and the most terrifying of them all–Real world horrors. This collection reads like your own personal nightmare of Creepshow-esque terror, filled with stories that will sink their teeth into your mind and hold on well after you've turned out the lights. LaFaro's writing will transport you straight into the pages, while you lose yourself–And your mind–As each nightmare unfolds before your wide-open eyes. A terrific collection from an absolutely powerful voice in the genre of horror.
March 12, 2024
I really liked the last story a lot. It was my favorite. There were only about two others I enjoyed. I thought all the others felt incomplete. That they needed more to the story, like it was cut off mid thought.
I do love the authors notes at the end of each story.
I do love the authors notes at the end of each story.
October 4, 2023
I flew through this and enjoyed the uniqueness of each story in this collection.
My favorites were Just a Note, Piece by Piece, Then You Smiled For a Second, The Attic, and A Shine in the Woods.
I read Just A Note and then I had to gather the family at the table and read it to them - they really enjoyed that one, got chills.
My favorites were Just a Note, Piece by Piece, Then You Smiled For a Second, The Attic, and A Shine in the Woods.
I read Just A Note and then I had to gather the family at the table and read it to them - they really enjoyed that one, got chills.
March 19, 2023
Illusions of Isolation - Brennan LaFaro
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another wonderful read from the pen of Brennan LaFaro. A superb collection of short stories, thirteen in fact, my favorites were "Dressed for Success", "Snap", "The Last Little Piece of Civilization " and "Just a note". There is quite a mix of genres but all containing the right amounts of horror, terror and mystery. Definitely an author to watch. This should be top of your TBR list.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another wonderful read from the pen of Brennan LaFaro. A superb collection of short stories, thirteen in fact, my favorites were "Dressed for Success", "Snap", "The Last Little Piece of Civilization " and "Just a note". There is quite a mix of genres but all containing the right amounts of horror, terror and mystery. Definitely an author to watch. This should be top of your TBR list.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 18, 2023
📕 Illusions of Isolation by Brennan LaFaro
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was gifted this book to review and let me tell you, this has definitely hit my Top 5 of 23!
For starters, the author’s name is Brennan, so that’s an automatic win for me 😝😉
But seriously, is a horror book full of short stories! My absolute favorite story is called Just A Note, which is a series of notes between a mom working the late shift and her 14 year old son of strange things happening in their home!! And, in all honesty, this book is incredible, it’s not so terrifying that you can’t finish, but some make the hairs on your neck stand up!!
Highly, highly recommend. You will not be disappointed!!!
Thank you, Brennan!! It was a wonderful opportunity!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I was gifted this book to review and let me tell you, this has definitely hit my Top 5 of 23!
For starters, the author’s name is Brennan, so that’s an automatic win for me 😝😉
But seriously, is a horror book full of short stories! My absolute favorite story is called Just A Note, which is a series of notes between a mom working the late shift and her 14 year old son of strange things happening in their home!! And, in all honesty, this book is incredible, it’s not so terrifying that you can’t finish, but some make the hairs on your neck stand up!!
Highly, highly recommend. You will not be disappointed!!!
Thank you, Brennan!! It was a wonderful opportunity!
March 8, 2024
Wow! This anthology has ✨everything✨
Sci-fi, western, paranormal, creature, and a new one for me, eco-horror.
There wasn't a story in this collection that I didn't enjoy and quite a few that I really loved! Every story was so imaginative and thought out. It's really amazing to me that one author can traverse so many different genres in one book and have it seem so natural. This was my first time reading LaFaro and I will definitely be checking out more of his work and hope he continues to write great stories!
I also really liked his author's note at the end of each story which gave a little insight into his process/ideas. I've never seen that done before and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks so much to the author for the free ebook copy, I can't wait to read more!
Sci-fi, western, paranormal, creature, and a new one for me, eco-horror.
There wasn't a story in this collection that I didn't enjoy and quite a few that I really loved! Every story was so imaginative and thought out. It's really amazing to me that one author can traverse so many different genres in one book and have it seem so natural. This was my first time reading LaFaro and I will definitely be checking out more of his work and hope he continues to write great stories!
I also really liked his author's note at the end of each story which gave a little insight into his process/ideas. I've never seen that done before and I really enjoyed it.
Thanks so much to the author for the free ebook copy, I can't wait to read more!
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