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Your Turn to Suffer
Lorelai Palumbo is harassed by a sinister group calling themselves The Cabal. They accuse her of having committed unspeakable crimes in the past, and now she must pay. The Cabal begins taking her life apart one piece at a time – her job, her health, the people she loves – and she must try to figure out what The Cabal thinks she’s done if she’s to have any hope of answering their charges and salvaging her life.
256 pages, Paperback
First published March 23, 2021
About the author
Tim Waggoner
280 books771 followersTim Waggoner's first novel came out in 2001, and since then, he's published over sixty novels and eight collections of short stories. He writes original dark fantasy and horror, as well as media tie-ins. He's written tie-in fiction based on Supernatural, The X-Files, Alien, Doctor Who, Conan the Barbarian, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Grimm, and Transformers, among others, and he's written novelizations for films such as Ti West’s X-Trilogy, Halloween Kills, Terrifier 2 and 3, and Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. He’s also the author of the award-winning guide to horror Writing in the Dark. He’s a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award, a one-time winner of the Scribe Award, and he’s been a two-time finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and a one-time finalist for the Splatterpunk Award. He’s also a full-time tenured professor who teaches creative writing and composition at Sinclair College in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
January 31, 2021
This... this is not something we see often anymore. It reminds me of some of the darker 80s paperback original horror novels, which is to say it's a dark and mean little book. It reminds me of something Clive Barker would have written early in his career (Books of Blood/Damnation Game era). I do mean that as a good thing.
Our plot follows Lorelei who has made a serious mistake. What is the mistake you ask? She finds herself asking the same question. A group of strange... human-like creatures calling themselves the Cabal have taken an interest in her. They have a message for her: "Confess and atone--or suffer." Their threat is serious. They won't tell her what she needs to confess to, they don't even point her in a direction. They get immediately to the suffering, both mentally and physically.
Let's get this out of the way fast, this one is a fairly brutal read. I’m pretty comfortable with horror, but there are scenes that are extremely hard to read. No one is safe in this book, doesn't matter if you're a main character, side character, man, woman or child... anyone can die. In fact, a minor criticism is that, at least for me, the suspense was slightly lessened because once anything started to happen, I immediately assumed the character WOULD die rather than possibly escape (fear not readers, I was sometimes wrong, so no spoilers here).
For this one I'm going to break out my old friends pros and cons.
Pro:
1. It made me uncomfortable. I'm not easy to bother and I'm not squeamish when it comes to horror, but there were scenes that I read going "No, we're not actually going to have this happen, we're going to fade out or there will be a miraculous escape or... nope, that happened." This happened not once, but several times. I'm putting this as a pro rather than a con, but some readers may want to prepare themselves before going in. Violence is rarely extreme, but it hurts when it's described.
2. Genuinely something I haven't seen before. While yes, I can say "Oh, this remind me of this book a bit" there are visuals in this novel that made me pause and admit that I've never read anything quite like it. Yes, it seems to draw inspiration from many different modes of horror and sources, it also uses them in a fresh way.
3. It does have a decent sense of humor about it. While the book is extremely dark and will do its best to make you uncomfortable, the author does a nice job of throwing out the occasional comedic line to give you a moment of relief. One of which honestly was such a horrible joke, but used in such a great way that it almost brought tears to my eyes. I did of course groan, but an intentionally good bad joke is to be commended.
4. The actual nature of the Cabal once revealed is actually rather fascinating. I will say no more on this, but I personally liked it.
5. The Garden of Anguish... another one I won't discuss, but those visuals won't be leaving me anytime soon.
Cons:
I actually only have one, and that is an issue with the the "Shadowkin" (one of the sets of monstrous things we see). The rules on them seem to change every time they show up. First they have to break through things, then they just absorb them. When they kill they cut through things... no, they turn them into a puddle, no they absorb them! They seemingly change as needed for the story. While inconsistencies in horror can be frightening, While there is a minor explanation for this, I found it distracting in this case as it felt like they would alter themselves anytime the story needed for them to succeed.
So, do I recommend it? Oh boy, to all horror fans, yes, I give it a solid recommendation. This is a treat and something we really don't see often anymore. While many "extreme horror" or "splatterpunk" books aim to make you uncomfortable, they frequently just come off as extremely gory, they frequently lack the psychological depth or get so over the top they become funny (obviously not all fall into this, but quite a few that I've read do). That is not a problem here. This is written by a talented author who wants to make the reader uncomfortable. Violence is there, but emotions, the psychology, those are where the central attack is upon. This is Waggoner using his talents to create something genuinely uncomfortable. Horror fans who miss that feeling need to check this out. Just beware, I'd classify it as a great horror novel, but as such it is not always a "fun" read. 4/5 stars.
ARC provided via Net Galley and Flame Tree Press in exchange for an honest review.
Our plot follows Lorelei who has made a serious mistake. What is the mistake you ask? She finds herself asking the same question. A group of strange... human-like creatures calling themselves the Cabal have taken an interest in her. They have a message for her: "Confess and atone--or suffer." Their threat is serious. They won't tell her what she needs to confess to, they don't even point her in a direction. They get immediately to the suffering, both mentally and physically.
Let's get this out of the way fast, this one is a fairly brutal read. I’m pretty comfortable with horror, but there are scenes that are extremely hard to read. No one is safe in this book, doesn't matter if you're a main character, side character, man, woman or child... anyone can die. In fact, a minor criticism is that, at least for me, the suspense was slightly lessened because once anything started to happen, I immediately assumed the character WOULD die rather than possibly escape (fear not readers, I was sometimes wrong, so no spoilers here).
For this one I'm going to break out my old friends pros and cons.
Pro:
1. It made me uncomfortable. I'm not easy to bother and I'm not squeamish when it comes to horror, but there were scenes that I read going "No, we're not actually going to have this happen, we're going to fade out or there will be a miraculous escape or... nope, that happened." This happened not once, but several times. I'm putting this as a pro rather than a con, but some readers may want to prepare themselves before going in. Violence is rarely extreme, but it hurts when it's described.
2. Genuinely something I haven't seen before. While yes, I can say "Oh, this remind me of this book a bit" there are visuals in this novel that made me pause and admit that I've never read anything quite like it. Yes, it seems to draw inspiration from many different modes of horror and sources, it also uses them in a fresh way.
3. It does have a decent sense of humor about it. While the book is extremely dark and will do its best to make you uncomfortable, the author does a nice job of throwing out the occasional comedic line to give you a moment of relief. One of which honestly was such a horrible joke, but used in such a great way that it almost brought tears to my eyes. I did of course groan, but an intentionally good bad joke is to be commended.
4. The actual nature of the Cabal once revealed is actually rather fascinating. I will say no more on this, but I personally liked it.
5. The Garden of Anguish... another one I won't discuss, but those visuals won't be leaving me anytime soon.
Cons:
I actually only have one, and that is an issue with the the "Shadowkin" (one of the sets of monstrous things we see). The rules on them seem to change every time they show up. First they have to break through things, then they just absorb them. When they kill they cut through things... no, they turn them into a puddle, no they absorb them! They seemingly change as needed for the story. While inconsistencies in horror can be frightening, While there is a minor explanation for this, I found it distracting in this case as it felt like they would alter themselves anytime the story needed for them to succeed.
So, do I recommend it? Oh boy, to all horror fans, yes, I give it a solid recommendation. This is a treat and something we really don't see often anymore. While many "extreme horror" or "splatterpunk" books aim to make you uncomfortable, they frequently just come off as extremely gory, they frequently lack the psychological depth or get so over the top they become funny (obviously not all fall into this, but quite a few that I've read do). That is not a problem here. This is written by a talented author who wants to make the reader uncomfortable. Violence is there, but emotions, the psychology, those are where the central attack is upon. This is Waggoner using his talents to create something genuinely uncomfortable. Horror fans who miss that feeling need to check this out. Just beware, I'd classify it as a great horror novel, but as such it is not always a "fun" read. 4/5 stars.
ARC provided via Net Galley and Flame Tree Press in exchange for an honest review.
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April 9, 2021Tim Waggoner has a unique storytelling voice that I have come to enjoy over the last year. His wheelhouse is taking familiar horror tropes and fashioning something new and fresh. I’ll write my review next week and share my reading experience—I took a lot of notes—but I will say, this book surprised me. I thought I knew what I could expect from Waggoner but YOUR TURN TO SUFFER was totally unexpected. Disturbing, bizarre, and totally off the rails.
September 5, 2021
This was my second book by this author and I highly enjoyed it. Was creepy and almost paranoia felling read. Who can she trust? Who are the canal people? What do they accuse her of doing? Very engaging and fast going read
March 12, 2021
Lorelai is a physical therapist in small town, Ohio and suffers from pretty severe migraines, but otherwise lives a pretty normal life. One day, at the grocery store, she's confronted by a strange looking woman with the eyes of a goat who demands that she "confess and atone, or suffer." She has somehow caught the attention of a very strange cult known as The Cabal, which has supernatural powers and the ability to invade her dreams and the minds of her friends, coworkers and family. The task of evading The Cabal quickly takes over her life. Lori takes the readers along as she scrambles to figure out what crime she has committed against them and how she can rectify it.
This book comes out of the gate very strong - the author Tim Waggoner immediately sets up some very scary scenarios for the protagonist, Lori. The smelly goat-eyed lady at the grocery store to start. Then her apartment is broken into that night - the tension in that scene is palpable - I was pulling the covers up around my neck as I read it. I can absolutely relate to that awful feeling when you wake up from a dead sleep - you don't hear or see anything amiss, but your senses are on high alert because you know something woke you up. The fear goes up another notch as Lori notices that the blinds are moving in the breeze - telling her that to door must be open. Up another notch as she catches her first glimpse of a Shadowkin. I don't want to give too much away, but the tension level and my fear went off the charts from there. Unfortunately, I didn't think the second half of the book lived up to the first half. The second half veered into what might be called "weird fiction" or maybe "cosmic horror." It was solid and pretty good, but didn't blow me away like the beginning did. It was so far out there that I could no longer put myself in Lori's shoes and feel her terror. I didn't dislike it, it was just less satisfying than I expected it to be. It was weird in a way that just didn't add up for me. And there were some things relating to the creatures in the story and the final resolution that left me a bit puzzled.
Lori was a great character I really liked and related to. She developed and grew emotionally through the course of the book. She had spent her life up until now running away from and avoiding a mistake she had made in her past. She acknowledges and confronts the mistake and makes her peace with it. She concludes the book in emotional place that's completely opposite from where she started - she is now running towards trying to confront and correct her past downfalls, rather than running away. I liked Tim Waggoner's characters and writing style, and I'll absolutely look for more books from him in the future. This one just didn't quite line up with my tastes. I would absolutely recommend this book if you're into "weird fiction."
Thank you to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book comes out of the gate very strong - the author Tim Waggoner immediately sets up some very scary scenarios for the protagonist, Lori. The smelly goat-eyed lady at the grocery store to start. Then her apartment is broken into that night - the tension in that scene is palpable - I was pulling the covers up around my neck as I read it. I can absolutely relate to that awful feeling when you wake up from a dead sleep - you don't hear or see anything amiss, but your senses are on high alert because you know something woke you up. The fear goes up another notch as Lori notices that the blinds are moving in the breeze - telling her that to door must be open. Up another notch as she catches her first glimpse of a Shadowkin. I don't want to give too much away, but the tension level and my fear went off the charts from there. Unfortunately, I didn't think the second half of the book lived up to the first half. The second half veered into what might be called "weird fiction" or maybe "cosmic horror." It was solid and pretty good, but didn't blow me away like the beginning did. It was so far out there that I could no longer put myself in Lori's shoes and feel her terror. I didn't dislike it, it was just less satisfying than I expected it to be. It was weird in a way that just didn't add up for me. And there were some things relating to the creatures in the story and the final resolution that left me a bit puzzled.
Lori was a great character I really liked and related to. She developed and grew emotionally through the course of the book. She had spent her life up until now running away from and avoiding a mistake she had made in her past. She acknowledges and confronts the mistake and makes her peace with it. She concludes the book in emotional place that's completely opposite from where she started - she is now running towards trying to confront and correct her past downfalls, rather than running away. I liked Tim Waggoner's characters and writing style, and I'll absolutely look for more books from him in the future. This one just didn't quite line up with my tastes. I would absolutely recommend this book if you're into "weird fiction."
Thank you to Netgalley and Flame Tree Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 4, 2021
I received a free review copy of Your Turn to Suffer from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review - my sincerest thanks to both the author and the publisher. :)
Mr. Waggoner does an excellent job of creating this nightmare filled psychosomatic world where things change in the blink of an eye and most of the way through you still aren't sure if the occurrences and creatures are actually real.
Sadly for me this is where the book started to fall apart and it's a damn shame because like I said his writing and world creation are superbly done and adrenaline inducing. The first 3/4's of the book are this intense wild ride through delirium and reality then this comes to a screeching halt with a rather suspect way of ending the book in my humble opinion. Without spoilers the ending happenings are just too plot armored for me and left me wondering "Why didn't they just do that on page 40?".
That said I have his Alien: Prototype novel and still have high hopes for that especially with his insane talent of world building and making you feel the terror/adrenaline.
Mr. Waggoner does an excellent job of creating this nightmare filled psychosomatic world where things change in the blink of an eye and most of the way through you still aren't sure if the occurrences and creatures are actually real.
Sadly for me this is where the book started to fall apart and it's a damn shame because like I said his writing and world creation are superbly done and adrenaline inducing. The first 3/4's of the book are this intense wild ride through delirium and reality then this comes to a screeching halt with a rather suspect way of ending the book in my humble opinion. Without spoilers the ending happenings are just too plot armored for me and left me wondering "Why didn't they just do that on page 40?".
That said I have his Alien: Prototype novel and still have high hopes for that especially with his insane talent of world building and making you feel the terror/adrenaline.
February 5, 2021
3 stars--I liked the book. This is primarily weird fiction, with a very strong horror element that flirts with splatterpunk. (In other words, not for the squeamish!) I don't read a lot of weird fiction, and I quite enjoyed this one--the plot is fiercely paced, Lori was a likeable main character, and the horror elements were both gross and scary. It's fun to read something different once in a while.
I'd give this four stars, but one of the deaths made me sad. Specifically, Yes, I'm a wimp.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
I'd give this four stars, but one of the deaths made me sad. Specifically, Yes, I'm a wimp.
I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!
May 10, 2021
2,5*
In this story we follow Lorelai Palumbo. Her life is turned upside down when a sinister group called the Cabal begin to harass her constantly. The Cabal accuse her of committing unspeakable crimes in the past which she now has to pay for but the only thing is, she doesn’t know what she is supposed to have done.
I found the story and the writing style particularly weird and our story keeps taking some wild turns. The more nightmarish bizarre parts of the story were my favorite ones.
My biggest issue with the book was the pacing. The book starts slowly building the story but we are already introduced to many fantastical horror elements. Unfortunately even at 40% into the book I did not care for the characters and what could happen to them. When I feel such a disconnection with the characters it is hard for me to really be invested in the story.
Perhaps it was in general too weird for me and even though I like to see some disturbing scenes and some gore, that this book definitely had to offer, it did not captivate me.
There were too many dream like sequences and it was at times just too much for me. This style of weird fiction I know appeals to many people but perhaps it is just not for me.
In this story we follow Lorelai Palumbo. Her life is turned upside down when a sinister group called the Cabal begin to harass her constantly. The Cabal accuse her of committing unspeakable crimes in the past which she now has to pay for but the only thing is, she doesn’t know what she is supposed to have done.
I found the story and the writing style particularly weird and our story keeps taking some wild turns. The more nightmarish bizarre parts of the story were my favorite ones.
My biggest issue with the book was the pacing. The book starts slowly building the story but we are already introduced to many fantastical horror elements. Unfortunately even at 40% into the book I did not care for the characters and what could happen to them. When I feel such a disconnection with the characters it is hard for me to really be invested in the story.
Perhaps it was in general too weird for me and even though I like to see some disturbing scenes and some gore, that this book definitely had to offer, it did not captivate me.
There were too many dream like sequences and it was at times just too much for me. This style of weird fiction I know appeals to many people but perhaps it is just not for me.
March 11, 2021
“The woman leaned closer to Lori, and although it wasn’t, couldn’t be possible, her rectangular pupils rotated in opposite directions.”
Lori is having a bad day. Headaches have been driving her crazy and now an old lady with goat eyes confronts her in the store giving her a warning “Confess and atone -or suffer.”
Things go from bad to worse to outlandish. Weird cosmic inter dimensional things keep happening to Lori, her friends and her town.
Lori needs to find out what she did wrong and make up for it or else her entire world could be overrun.
Not the type of story I was expecting at all. It was interesting, compelling and there definitely was a lot of suffering but not the kind I thought there would be. The story was odd and you never knew what to expect.
Lori is having a bad day. Headaches have been driving her crazy and now an old lady with goat eyes confronts her in the store giving her a warning “Confess and atone -or suffer.”
Things go from bad to worse to outlandish. Weird cosmic inter dimensional things keep happening to Lori, her friends and her town.
Lori needs to find out what she did wrong and make up for it or else her entire world could be overrun.
Not the type of story I was expecting at all. It was interesting, compelling and there definitely was a lot of suffering but not the kind I thought there would be. The story was odd and you never knew what to expect.
April 14, 2021
Three Words That Describe This Book: mix of weird fiction and extreme horror, original storyline, deeply unsettling.
Waggoner is a master storyteller because he understands how to write within the genre. His WRITING IN THE DARK [my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...] is THE book to both be a better horror writer and for library workers to learn to understand the genre and how authors manipulate words into the real emotions of fear, dread, and disgust.
This short novel is a great example of how Waggoner is a master at his craft; a teacher who can also do what he teaches.
In this case, the book is short, violent and shocking and I don't want to give away very much. The basics you need to know if this is the type of horror for you is simple. Do you like weird fiction and do you not mind the violence, disgust, and extreme discomfort of extreme horror? If you give this a yes, give this book a go. If not, Skipp it; it is not for you. I am fine with both so I was good.
The world building details behind the cult are good. It adds to the suspense as you learn about who, why, what, etc....
This novel is solidly in the "no one is safe" camp of horror, which is more common than not and I for one like it because it increases the dread, unease, and suspense.
The overall story is original and unique. You will not be able to figure it all out, which I like. It will leave you unsettled, which in my opinion, the best horror does.
For fans of Nick Cutter for sure. A younger writer I would suggest if you like this one is Wesley Southard, specifically ONE FOR THE ROAD. That also is extreme horror with touches of weird fiction. Parts also remind my of T Kingfisher, but this is much more violent.
Waggoner is a master storyteller because he understands how to write within the genre. His WRITING IN THE DARK [my review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...] is THE book to both be a better horror writer and for library workers to learn to understand the genre and how authors manipulate words into the real emotions of fear, dread, and disgust.
This short novel is a great example of how Waggoner is a master at his craft; a teacher who can also do what he teaches.
In this case, the book is short, violent and shocking and I don't want to give away very much. The basics you need to know if this is the type of horror for you is simple. Do you like weird fiction and do you not mind the violence, disgust, and extreme discomfort of extreme horror? If you give this a yes, give this book a go. If not, Skipp it; it is not for you. I am fine with both so I was good.
The world building details behind the cult are good. It adds to the suspense as you learn about who, why, what, etc....
This novel is solidly in the "no one is safe" camp of horror, which is more common than not and I for one like it because it increases the dread, unease, and suspense.
The overall story is original and unique. You will not be able to figure it all out, which I like. It will leave you unsettled, which in my opinion, the best horror does.
For fans of Nick Cutter for sure. A younger writer I would suggest if you like this one is Wesley Southard, specifically ONE FOR THE ROAD. That also is extreme horror with touches of weird fiction. Parts also remind my of T Kingfisher, but this is much more violent.
March 31, 2021
Review to come for official FTP blog tour but as always with Tim, this was excellently written and very dark. Bravo.
https://janinesghoststories.wordpress...
Your turn to suffer is only the second fictional Tim Waggoner book that I have read but he is already one of those authors where I know that I am likely to enjoy it. This book was very good. Tim is a veteran within the horror community but his writing is never complacent and he continues to up the ante in his narratives.
IN YTTS we follow a woman called Lori who is soon thrown into a nightmare when she meets a string of bizarre people and very quickly, terrible things start happening in both reality and her dreams. It seems that no one is safe and the one thing she has to do and confess and atone for her sin. Only Lori has a bit of a problem – she doesn’t know what she is supposed to have done …
Tim takes us to some pretty dark places in this and I dug that. There were a few scenes which were particularly nasty so anyone who likes a bit of blood will be happy.
But as will all good stories, it is the plot and characters that drives this tale. We are right with Lori as she tries to work out what the hell she has done that is so bad, it has unbalanced the universe …
I saw this compared to Barker in another review and I would agree, there are some very weird and wonderful creatures and images which I would also liken to del Toro.
I give YTTS 4/5.
Thank you to FTP for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
https://janinesghoststories.wordpress...
Your turn to suffer is only the second fictional Tim Waggoner book that I have read but he is already one of those authors where I know that I am likely to enjoy it. This book was very good. Tim is a veteran within the horror community but his writing is never complacent and he continues to up the ante in his narratives.
IN YTTS we follow a woman called Lori who is soon thrown into a nightmare when she meets a string of bizarre people and very quickly, terrible things start happening in both reality and her dreams. It seems that no one is safe and the one thing she has to do and confess and atone for her sin. Only Lori has a bit of a problem – she doesn’t know what she is supposed to have done …
Tim takes us to some pretty dark places in this and I dug that. There were a few scenes which were particularly nasty so anyone who likes a bit of blood will be happy.
But as will all good stories, it is the plot and characters that drives this tale. We are right with Lori as she tries to work out what the hell she has done that is so bad, it has unbalanced the universe …
I saw this compared to Barker in another review and I would agree, there are some very weird and wonderful creatures and images which I would also liken to del Toro.
I give YTTS 4/5.
Thank you to FTP for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 21, 2021
I received a copy for review from NetGalley and Flame Tree Press.
Lorelei's life is changed when she is pursued by an otherworldly cult called The Cabal. They say she has to "Confess and atone--or suffer." She has to endure unspeakable horrors as she tries to figure out how she should accomplish that before it is to late.
From this synopsis you may think this will be a typical evil cult book, but that only touches the surface of what the book is about. Readers will find that this will be a strange read almost right away even though the setting seems to be in our world. Your Turn to Suffer delves into some very dark subject matter. We are talking the darkest of the dark. This book is full of imaginative yet morbid fantastical elements. These elements create vivid images in the mind.
Lorelei's character is really well developed. We are given a full picture of her personality and the people in her life. This is a character that you can root for and want to succeed in her quest to make things right. There are many other well developed wonderful characters waiting within these pages as well.
At first the bizarre events did not make sense. About half-way through there are some explanations given that made the plot a lot more enjoyable.
This is a brutal, gory book that will not be for everyone. This one is for horror fans that don't mind weird fiction and a lot of graphic content. If you don't mind this content I would recommend this book.
Lorelei's life is changed when she is pursued by an otherworldly cult called The Cabal. They say she has to "Confess and atone--or suffer." She has to endure unspeakable horrors as she tries to figure out how she should accomplish that before it is to late.
From this synopsis you may think this will be a typical evil cult book, but that only touches the surface of what the book is about. Readers will find that this will be a strange read almost right away even though the setting seems to be in our world. Your Turn to Suffer delves into some very dark subject matter. We are talking the darkest of the dark. This book is full of imaginative yet morbid fantastical elements. These elements create vivid images in the mind.
Lorelei's character is really well developed. We are given a full picture of her personality and the people in her life. This is a character that you can root for and want to succeed in her quest to make things right. There are many other well developed wonderful characters waiting within these pages as well.
At first the bizarre events did not make sense. About half-way through there are some explanations given that made the plot a lot more enjoyable.
This is a brutal, gory book that will not be for everyone. This one is for horror fans that don't mind weird fiction and a lot of graphic content. If you don't mind this content I would recommend this book.
March 31, 2021
A new Tim Waggoner is upon us, horror readers. And let us all give thanks for that.
This book i feel is best described as a supernatural Occult Horror, and man does Tim bring the violence, strange, and scary in spades here. I really enjoy Tim’s narrative voice. It’s always descriptive enough that I can see the scenes, but I don’t ever feel it’s so descriptive that I get bored. It’s always just enough.
The plot kept me in its grip throughout the story. I wanted to know about the Cabal, about what Lorie could have done, and always needed to know what twisted thing Tim was going to think of next, and this book didn’t disappoint.
If you’re a fan of Waggoner, you know his brand of horror and this one is right up there among my favorites of the author. If you’re new to Tim, this is a great starting point.
This book i feel is best described as a supernatural Occult Horror, and man does Tim bring the violence, strange, and scary in spades here. I really enjoy Tim’s narrative voice. It’s always descriptive enough that I can see the scenes, but I don’t ever feel it’s so descriptive that I get bored. It’s always just enough.
The plot kept me in its grip throughout the story. I wanted to know about the Cabal, about what Lorie could have done, and always needed to know what twisted thing Tim was going to think of next, and this book didn’t disappoint.
If you’re a fan of Waggoner, you know his brand of horror and this one is right up there among my favorites of the author. If you’re new to Tim, this is a great starting point.
January 26, 2021
Dark doesn’t even begin to describe this book.
Imagine for a moment that you are suddenly told that you must confess to something – but you aren’t told what it is. And if you don’t confess, everyone you care about will face horrendous suffering.
This is the premise that the author gives us and he brings us into a world so horrific that it would drive you absolutely mad.
The book is chilling, gory, surreal and heartbreaking. It’s not a story for people who like everything neatly tied up in a box with marshmallow endings. Instead, it’s more like a punch to the gut again and again and again.
Extremely well written and exquisitely horrific.
And definitely not for the faint of heart!
*ARC provided via Net Galley
Imagine for a moment that you are suddenly told that you must confess to something – but you aren’t told what it is. And if you don’t confess, everyone you care about will face horrendous suffering.
This is the premise that the author gives us and he brings us into a world so horrific that it would drive you absolutely mad.
The book is chilling, gory, surreal and heartbreaking. It’s not a story for people who like everything neatly tied up in a box with marshmallow endings. Instead, it’s more like a punch to the gut again and again and again.
Extremely well written and exquisitely horrific.
And definitely not for the faint of heart!
*ARC provided via Net Galley
January 11, 2021
Waggoner’s new novel is a very different book that is not for the faint of heart but if you are a lover of Barker and Lovecraft than this maybe for you.
Waggoner’s excellent book deals with a reality that splits from our own that shows his unique of lulling the reader into a dark world that one hopes they can escape. Using a graphic fantastical imagery and mixing this with the mundane normal existence of a its main characters, you are left with two very unique experience that mesh together to jarring effects.
The characters are well written and fully three dimensional, although some of these will be forever carved into my brain which when I close my eyes are still present three weeks after finishing which is a huge bonus for me. The main character of Lorelei does balance on becoming a bit pathetic and heroic and but never annoying which Waggoner does exceptionally well. The other characters, human and other wise are so well scripted that a shudder goes down your spine not thinking that they are not real.
Plotting wise, this is a book that is like a hearty meal and once a chapter is finished, you need to take a breather before diving back in. This is not a criticism but there is a lot to unwrap and because the plot is tightly woven, one has to be digest what they have written.
If you are a fan of King’s horror, this doesn’t quite fit this bill as this is beyond the world of King dealing with darker themes and is an overall more rewarding experience that pulp horror. If you like your horror to be dark, deeply themed with a sly smile on the pulse of Barker and Lovecraft whilst making his own unique addition, you can not go wrong with Your Turn To Suffer. An Excellent read.
Waggoner’s excellent book deals with a reality that splits from our own that shows his unique of lulling the reader into a dark world that one hopes they can escape. Using a graphic fantastical imagery and mixing this with the mundane normal existence of a its main characters, you are left with two very unique experience that mesh together to jarring effects.
The characters are well written and fully three dimensional, although some of these will be forever carved into my brain which when I close my eyes are still present three weeks after finishing which is a huge bonus for me. The main character of Lorelei does balance on becoming a bit pathetic and heroic and but never annoying which Waggoner does exceptionally well. The other characters, human and other wise are so well scripted that a shudder goes down your spine not thinking that they are not real.
Plotting wise, this is a book that is like a hearty meal and once a chapter is finished, you need to take a breather before diving back in. This is not a criticism but there is a lot to unwrap and because the plot is tightly woven, one has to be digest what they have written.
If you are a fan of King’s horror, this doesn’t quite fit this bill as this is beyond the world of King dealing with darker themes and is an overall more rewarding experience that pulp horror. If you like your horror to be dark, deeply themed with a sly smile on the pulse of Barker and Lovecraft whilst making his own unique addition, you can not go wrong with Your Turn To Suffer. An Excellent read.
December 18, 2020
I've read a few Tim Waggoner books over the last few years, so when I saw this title available for request, I was happy to be approved and quickly jumped in.
Lori's a physical therapist plagued by migraines who wants nothing more than to get home for a relaxing night when she crosses paths with a strange woman with a dire warning: Confess and atone--or suffer. For what she needs to confess, she has no idea, but as her dreams become plagued by horrible nightmares that feel too real, and the lines between reality and nightmare become blurred, Lori realizes that if she's going to survive, she has to figure it out.
I enjoyed this book.
To start, Waggoner does a superb job structuring a layered and cohesive story. Utilizing minor characters to propel the plot and add depth to both conflict and atmosphere, we get a well-rounded, taut prose that provide another level of horrific unfolding.
My favorite moments were watching Lori react to the world around her, whether it be our reality or another, and seeing the nightmare moments overlapping. I can't speak enough to the imagery Waggoner was able to achieve. This is every worst fear come to life. Because of that, I will say that this won't be everyone's cup of tea. There are some graphic, disturbing events that are not for the faint of heart.
Don't get me wrong: this isn't just a book with horror for horror's sake. Through Lori's quest, we're given a chance to question our own choices, evaluate our own mistakes. Small decisions oftentimes make the biggest impact, and I appreciated the commentary on morality, faith, and realities.
Overall, Your Turn to Suffer is a wild, unpredictable, terrifying ride that you won't want to miss. Out in March, add this to your TBRs if you like gore, violence, and feats of unimaginable creatures.
Big thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.
Lori's a physical therapist plagued by migraines who wants nothing more than to get home for a relaxing night when she crosses paths with a strange woman with a dire warning: Confess and atone--or suffer. For what she needs to confess, she has no idea, but as her dreams become plagued by horrible nightmares that feel too real, and the lines between reality and nightmare become blurred, Lori realizes that if she's going to survive, she has to figure it out.
I enjoyed this book.
To start, Waggoner does a superb job structuring a layered and cohesive story. Utilizing minor characters to propel the plot and add depth to both conflict and atmosphere, we get a well-rounded, taut prose that provide another level of horrific unfolding.
My favorite moments were watching Lori react to the world around her, whether it be our reality or another, and seeing the nightmare moments overlapping. I can't speak enough to the imagery Waggoner was able to achieve. This is every worst fear come to life. Because of that, I will say that this won't be everyone's cup of tea. There are some graphic, disturbing events that are not for the faint of heart.
Don't get me wrong: this isn't just a book with horror for horror's sake. Through Lori's quest, we're given a chance to question our own choices, evaluate our own mistakes. Small decisions oftentimes make the biggest impact, and I appreciated the commentary on morality, faith, and realities.
Overall, Your Turn to Suffer is a wild, unpredictable, terrifying ride that you won't want to miss. Out in March, add this to your TBRs if you like gore, violence, and feats of unimaginable creatures.
Big thanks to Flame Tree Press and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.
January 14, 2021
This was my first dive into the wild imagination of Tim Waggoner and it was a crazy ride!
Our protagonist, Lori, suffers from debilitating migraines and selective memory loss. After a traumatic meeting with a strange woman at a grocery store, she is harassed by a sinister, otherworldly cult called the Cabal. She starts straddling two worlds, hers and the deadly alternate universe the Cabal belongs too.
The world building was highly detailed and terrifying! The Nightway is a long stretch of dark highway inhabited by monstrous vehicles and a a member of the Cabal, “The Driver”, who has no eyes but seems to see everything. The Vermillion Tower is a glowing bloody spiral that almost seems to be a part of a giant beast.
The author uses the secondary characters to flesh out the main character. My favorite characters were Jerry, her ex-boyfriend/roommate, who was the heart of the book. I also loved the weird members of the Cabal, The Driver, The cop Rauch and Goat Eyes. They all made the story flow and kept up the intensity.
The story did start slow for me. It was a slow burn. But for those readers who love fantastic worlds, gore and horrifying creatures this is the book for you!
Our protagonist, Lori, suffers from debilitating migraines and selective memory loss. After a traumatic meeting with a strange woman at a grocery store, she is harassed by a sinister, otherworldly cult called the Cabal. She starts straddling two worlds, hers and the deadly alternate universe the Cabal belongs too.
The world building was highly detailed and terrifying! The Nightway is a long stretch of dark highway inhabited by monstrous vehicles and a a member of the Cabal, “The Driver”, who has no eyes but seems to see everything. The Vermillion Tower is a glowing bloody spiral that almost seems to be a part of a giant beast.
The author uses the secondary characters to flesh out the main character. My favorite characters were Jerry, her ex-boyfriend/roommate, who was the heart of the book. I also loved the weird members of the Cabal, The Driver, The cop Rauch and Goat Eyes. They all made the story flow and kept up the intensity.
The story did start slow for me. It was a slow burn. But for those readers who love fantastic worlds, gore and horrifying creatures this is the book for you!
October 31, 2021
Tim Waggoner has an enviable imagination. While it feels like there's some Barker here and a dash of Sam Raimi, the unpredictability of the narrative is ultimately a Waggoner trait. If you get 20 pages in and have the vaguest idea where this is going, you're either wrong or a far better guesser than I.
The otherworldly Night Road is a pleasure to read and some of the grotesque happenings there will provide nightmares for days. It's in the real world the book ultimately feels a little held back. The reader spends a lot of time with Loralei, but never really latches onto her, taking a bit of the sting out of the trials and tribulations she goes through.
On the plus side, nobody does unhinged, everything going off the rails storytelling quite like this author. The story crescendos toward a horrifying ending that ultimately falls a little flat. Not because its not as big as hinted at, that worked fine, but because we're asked to believe in a payoff that feels hinted at but not earned.
Fans of Waggoner will find a great deal to like in this one. New readers to his work may want to consider 2020's The Forever House.
The otherworldly Night Road is a pleasure to read and some of the grotesque happenings there will provide nightmares for days. It's in the real world the book ultimately feels a little held back. The reader spends a lot of time with Loralei, but never really latches onto her, taking a bit of the sting out of the trials and tribulations she goes through.
On the plus side, nobody does unhinged, everything going off the rails storytelling quite like this author. The story crescendos toward a horrifying ending that ultimately falls a little flat. Not because its not as big as hinted at, that worked fine, but because we're asked to believe in a payoff that feels hinted at but not earned.
Fans of Waggoner will find a great deal to like in this one. New readers to his work may want to consider 2020's The Forever House.
January 20, 2021
This was great - a dark, twisted horror that pulled in elements of Clive Barker and other luminaries but with it’s own twists. Their were some absolutely brutal deaths in this novel and the way the author described the fantastical world was brilliant. Sometimes I find that novels with a different dimension can be difficult to understand however, for me, the world of the Cabal was dark, twisted and imaginative. More recommended for those who like their horror with some body shocks than paranormal affairs but, in general, this is a must read - whipped through in a couple of days and left me reeling for more!
December 6, 2022
DNF - stopped at 40%
It started off really well, I was excited by the concept and alternate reality with Clive Barker-like characters. However at about 30% it began getting so slower and slower with very little relevant content. By 40% I was skimming, it was then just like pulling teeth. I think it would have been better as a short story.
It started off really well, I was excited by the concept and alternate reality with Clive Barker-like characters. However at about 30% it began getting so slower and slower with very little relevant content. By 40% I was skimming, it was then just like pulling teeth. I think it would have been better as a short story.
March 27, 2021
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Tim Waggoner is easily one of my favorites for a good horror read! After reading “They Kill” and “The Mouth of the Dark,” “Your Turn to Suffer” did not disappoint.
What I love about the author’s style is how he gets his characters to step away from their element. You think you know the characters well, but then they get possessed to do all sorts of unspeakable things. This book had many such moments when Lori encounters Melinda, Katie, and Brian. Brian is someone who terrified me towards the end. I did not expect him to become prominent of all the characters, but it worked so well.
Similarly, the woman with the goat eyes and the shadowy man is terrifying, and the story gave me the creeps. Moreover, while I initially did not concern about Larry and Justin, my heart went out to them later. While this is primarily a horror novel, I did go through various emotions. I also loved Edgar! Although he appears briefly, he was memorable!
Furthermore, the author also keeps the story fresh, and there is never a dull moment. The story starts with a bang as Lori witnesses the car crash with Neil from the getgo. From then on, the author maintains the momentum as Lori journeys into The Nightway and meets spine-tingling characters like Driver, Rauch, and Haruspex. Also, one of the terrifying moments of the story is when Rauch brainwashes Maureen into doing the horrific act. I don’t think I will forget that scene ever!
Overall, “Your Turn to Suffer” is probably my favorite from all of his works, and I hope he continues to write many more!
March 3, 2021
Your turn to suffer is the kind of book some people will hate, and others will love. As a reviewer, I go beyond just the overall story; I look at structure, characters, style and the overall plot. If you enjoy Clive Barker-Neil Gaiman's styles, you’ll love this book. It’s a horror novel peppered with the weirdness of a Lovecraftian tale — sometimes called weird fiction. The overall story wasn’t my typical go-to genre, however I loved everything else about it.
In horror, many authors speak of the terror to horror to disgust elements in this genre. If you’re not familiar with these terms, basically terror is when you have a sense of dread. You’re afraid a monster is lurking in the shadows, but you don’t know what it is or where it is — fear incarnated. Horror is when an event shocks you, makes you angry or yelling out loud “Nooooo”. For example: your favorite aunt committed suicide while being the happiest human being you know. And finally disgust is when it almost feels like you’re going to throw up in your mouth, while reading a specific section of the book. Well, Your Turn to Suffer sits in between horror and disgust, and spends a good portion of the book in the disgust genre, sprinkled with unexpected horrific events waiting at the curve.
The story starts a bit slow, but eventually picks up speed as Lori, the principal character, tries to figure out — like us — what really is happening. There were a few areas in the book I’d structured a bit differently, such as the big reveal in the end where it feels a bit out of place or less than credible as we had gotten very little setup prior. Also, there was a big event with the shadowkin mid-book, like it was the end, and then we went back to the story as if nothing had happened. It felt misplaced. Also, as a comment probably to the publisher, I’d change the cover. It feels a bit dated and really not representative of the story.
In this third chapter in a trilogy of articles (see links on the others below) I wrote around Tim Waggoner, my expectations around this book were high and met in certain areas, especially where characters were involved. Tim spends a good amount of time building humanized characters we can root for (or hate), even when a truly horrific event occurs to them not long after. I also liked the constant sense of ignorance on what exactly brought such darkness around Lori, and as far as I was concerned, did not know where the story was going next, which is where you want your readers to be.
I also really enjoyed Tim’s style, where he inserted a few lines here and there to lighten the mood of the book and gave me a few laughs. Which is so important when you dabble in dreadful and shocking events throughout a story. Strike a good balance. In the end, the overall package that is Tim’s Your Turn To Suffer is a book I’d recommend to fans of the genre, especially those who truly enjoy tales of the weird and disturbing.
In horror, many authors speak of the terror to horror to disgust elements in this genre. If you’re not familiar with these terms, basically terror is when you have a sense of dread. You’re afraid a monster is lurking in the shadows, but you don’t know what it is or where it is — fear incarnated. Horror is when an event shocks you, makes you angry or yelling out loud “Nooooo”. For example: your favorite aunt committed suicide while being the happiest human being you know. And finally disgust is when it almost feels like you’re going to throw up in your mouth, while reading a specific section of the book. Well, Your Turn to Suffer sits in between horror and disgust, and spends a good portion of the book in the disgust genre, sprinkled with unexpected horrific events waiting at the curve.
The story starts a bit slow, but eventually picks up speed as Lori, the principal character, tries to figure out — like us — what really is happening. There were a few areas in the book I’d structured a bit differently, such as the big reveal in the end where it feels a bit out of place or less than credible as we had gotten very little setup prior. Also, there was a big event with the shadowkin mid-book, like it was the end, and then we went back to the story as if nothing had happened. It felt misplaced. Also, as a comment probably to the publisher, I’d change the cover. It feels a bit dated and really not representative of the story.
In this third chapter in a trilogy of articles (see links on the others below) I wrote around Tim Waggoner, my expectations around this book were high and met in certain areas, especially where characters were involved. Tim spends a good amount of time building humanized characters we can root for (or hate), even when a truly horrific event occurs to them not long after. I also liked the constant sense of ignorance on what exactly brought such darkness around Lori, and as far as I was concerned, did not know where the story was going next, which is where you want your readers to be.
I also really enjoyed Tim’s style, where he inserted a few lines here and there to lighten the mood of the book and gave me a few laughs. Which is so important when you dabble in dreadful and shocking events throughout a story. Strike a good balance. In the end, the overall package that is Tim’s Your Turn To Suffer is a book I’d recommend to fans of the genre, especially those who truly enjoy tales of the weird and disturbing.
March 9, 2021
2.5/5.0 Stars
‘Lorelai Palumbo is harassed by a sinister group calling themselves The Cabal. They accuse her of having committed unspeakable crimes in the past, and now she must pay.’
I would describe YOUR TURN TO SUFFER as a weird, Dark Fantasy, Occult Horror novel that borders on the bizarre—the imagery and corresponding dialogue Waggoner conjures up in certain scenes is ‘Chef’s Kiss’ perfection.
Before reading this book, I don’t recall having ever seen goat eyes before, so I made the mistake of Googling images of the aforementioned eyes. Let me tell you, Dear Readers, that imagery added a whole other layer of creepy to my reading experience.
I have to admit that though I stopped reading this book at a little over sixty percent of the way in, I have an almost desperate need to know how the story ends, so a may return to this book at a later date.
The main issue I had when reading was the inability to stay submerged within the narrative–scenes that, to me, felt over-explained or repetitive to the point I was skimming through some of the pages.
The tease of the main character Lori’s past related to her present-day circumstance is palpable on the pages, so perhaps, my need for answers bypassed my patience in a race to the reveal by way of the conclusion. So, again, I will be revisiting this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an eGalley of YOUR TURN TO SUFFER in the request of an honest review.
Scheduled For Release – March 23, 2021 (Subject To Change)
‘Lorelai Palumbo is harassed by a sinister group calling themselves The Cabal. They accuse her of having committed unspeakable crimes in the past, and now she must pay.’
I would describe YOUR TURN TO SUFFER as a weird, Dark Fantasy, Occult Horror novel that borders on the bizarre—the imagery and corresponding dialogue Waggoner conjures up in certain scenes is ‘Chef’s Kiss’ perfection.
Before reading this book, I don’t recall having ever seen goat eyes before, so I made the mistake of Googling images of the aforementioned eyes. Let me tell you, Dear Readers, that imagery added a whole other layer of creepy to my reading experience.
I have to admit that though I stopped reading this book at a little over sixty percent of the way in, I have an almost desperate need to know how the story ends, so a may return to this book at a later date.
The main issue I had when reading was the inability to stay submerged within the narrative–scenes that, to me, felt over-explained or repetitive to the point I was skimming through some of the pages.
The tease of the main character Lori’s past related to her present-day circumstance is palpable on the pages, so perhaps, my need for answers bypassed my patience in a race to the reveal by way of the conclusion. So, again, I will be revisiting this book.
Thank you, NetGalley and Flame Tree Press, for loaning me an eGalley of YOUR TURN TO SUFFER in the request of an honest review.
Scheduled For Release – March 23, 2021 (Subject To Change)
February 14, 2021
Also reviewed on www.curiosityboughtthebook.com
This is the second book I’ve read by Tim Waggoner, and also my second five star read by him. He is an extremely talented horror author, and his world building is simply “out of this world”. He has a real talent for seamlessly mixing the real world with fantasy worlds.
Waggoner’s writing is extremely dark, and absolutely no one is safe in this novel. It doesn’t matter whether a character is a child, an adult or an elder; everyone might suffer. I have to warn you: There is a specific part of the book that had me a bit shaken up. It involves children’s deaths, and that is something that really gets to me. So if that makes you as uncomfortable as me, just be aware that stuff like this does happen in this book. Nevertheless, it does not change my opinion on this book.
The last part I want to talk about is Lorelai herself. She is an amazing protagonist, and I took quite a liking to her. When the book was over, I was actually kind of sad that her and my story was over. But who knows, maybe I will find her on the Nightway one day!
A big thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the arc.
This is the second book I’ve read by Tim Waggoner, and also my second five star read by him. He is an extremely talented horror author, and his world building is simply “out of this world”. He has a real talent for seamlessly mixing the real world with fantasy worlds.
Waggoner’s writing is extremely dark, and absolutely no one is safe in this novel. It doesn’t matter whether a character is a child, an adult or an elder; everyone might suffer. I have to warn you: There is a specific part of the book that had me a bit shaken up. It involves children’s deaths, and that is something that really gets to me. So if that makes you as uncomfortable as me, just be aware that stuff like this does happen in this book. Nevertheless, it does not change my opinion on this book.
The last part I want to talk about is Lorelai herself. She is an amazing protagonist, and I took quite a liking to her. When the book was over, I was actually kind of sad that her and my story was over. But who knows, maybe I will find her on the Nightway one day!
A big thanks to Flame Tree Press and Netgalley for the arc.
Read
February 18, 2021DNF at 50% ... I felt like there was far too much filler for my tastes. I just read a chapter where a handful of characters are introduced, given detailed backgrounds, and then quickly killed in the same chapter I was unhappy while reading the book and it didn't improve all the way up to the half way mark, so I'm putting this one down. I will not be giving it a score. Thanks to Flame Tree Press for setting me up with this ARC for review consideration.
March 5, 2021
Review Copy
Loved this book! Why? It's not he same old thing. IOt twists, it turns and thens...well, it stands on its head. I've always liked Tim Waggoner books, but he really outdid himself with the story idea here. He had interesting characters, which was also a pleasant twist from the ordinary.
Check it.
Loved this book! Why? It's not he same old thing. IOt twists, it turns and thens...well, it stands on its head. I've always liked Tim Waggoner books, but he really outdid himself with the story idea here. He had interesting characters, which was also a pleasant twist from the ordinary.
Check it.
April 3, 2021
This is my first of Tim Waggoner's work, and I am hooked. The story didn't go like I was expecting from the description. It was extremely creative. There was gore and horror elements, both of which I enjoy. The descriptions were vivid. Driving home from work at night I imagined I was on the Nightway, very creepy. I will be reading more from Tim Waggoner again.
Thank you to Flame Tree Publishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.
Thank you to Flame Tree Publishing and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC.
February 11, 2021
What a ride! I haven't read a horror ish book like this in a very long time and I don't think I was truly prepared!
At first I wasn't sure if I"d enjoy it like I used to love these back in the day, but I ended up liking the horrific ride.
Well done in characters, plot, twists, scares and horror. Not for the squeamish!
Thankful for the ARC!
At first I wasn't sure if I"d enjoy it like I used to love these back in the day, but I ended up liking the horrific ride.
Well done in characters, plot, twists, scares and horror. Not for the squeamish!
Thankful for the ARC!
January 23, 2021
Talk about a wild ride, wow! This was definitely one of the more unique horror novels I've read, and I can say that I enjoyed every moment of it. I mentioned in another review that Waggoner wrote one of my favorite books as a child, and it's been a blast rediscovering his work in a different genre.
Trying to describe this book without giving away more than the descriptive summary is a difficult task. If you've ever seen the movies The Void and Baskin, this novel is like a blend of both. I would actually love to see either of those directors take a crack at adapting this!
Definitely an entertaining book from start to finish. This is one I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Trying to describe this book without giving away more than the descriptive summary is a difficult task. If you've ever seen the movies The Void and Baskin, this novel is like a blend of both. I would actually love to see either of those directors take a crack at adapting this!
Definitely an entertaining book from start to finish. This is one I would recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
January 16, 2021
Oh how I have missed horror novels of this caliber. So graphic and brutal. Fantastical and exciting. The mundane and the insane. I loved this story and devoured it's carnage even though it was enough to keep me up at night. Not for the faint of heart. So well written! Reminiscent of the true horror novels I read growing up. I must read more from Tim Waggoner
Thank you netgalley for this excellent arc
Thank you netgalley for this excellent arc
March 22, 2021
I really wanted to like this one but maybe this authors writing is just a bit to out there for me and weirder than I prefer or my taste in books is changing.
It starts off with a stranger wanting to ask Lori a question but she ignores him and goes on about her business, soon weird things start happening. A strange woman tells her she needs to confess and atone or suffer and she has absolutely no clue what she is talking about.
As more strange things happen from having dreams that seem very real she learns about the Cabal which is supposed to be some sort of strange between worlds occult like group that is seeks out balance and order and it seems that Lori has done something that has upset this balance.
When Lori was younger she can only remember a few things about what happened after she has an accident on the soccer field that ruined her sports career. Something bad happened afterwards that she can’t remember so she thinks that maybe it has something to do with that but she isn’t sure. Meanwhile, more strange things are happening like shadow creatures trying to come get her more people telling her to confess and atone or suffer and more frightening dreams, then one day she accidently gets herself onto this thing called the Nightway, and meets Edgar the bug man and learns more about the Cabal.
While she is there though the shadow people are wreaking havoc on her town and killing people, bad things are happening to people she knows and loves and she has no clue it’s happening while she is in the Nightway trying to figure out what she done wrong. The reveal of what it actually was sort of made me roll my eyes!!
There was so much going on in this book with what was happening in her home town while she had no clue, and I am talking weird stuff, some of her coworkers become like cat people and where eating people!!! Just weird weird stuff not to mention the shadow things just killing people left and right and I just felt like it was a bit much and made no sense. I kept thinking that if I keep going soon things will make sense and well they did a bit but by that time I was so tired of being confused that I didn’t care anymore.
I really didn’t care for any of the characters and the one character that I did like was creepy! Lori was not a great person and I didn’t like her nor care if she ever figured things out but I did like Edgar the bug man. I call him that because he can kill people with bugs, they come out his mouth and it’s just super creepy! Any of her other friends in the real world where not that great and I just didn’t care for them or what happened to them.
It has a lot of positive ratings on Goodreads so that is why I am just thinking that maybe this is a case of it was just not a book for me or my taste in horror is changing because I was bored out of my mind and almost DNFed it but at the same time I was curious to see what happened so I kept going but at times I wish I didn’t.
So I can’t recommend it but if it sounds like you might enjoy it then try it for yourself.
It starts off with a stranger wanting to ask Lori a question but she ignores him and goes on about her business, soon weird things start happening. A strange woman tells her she needs to confess and atone or suffer and she has absolutely no clue what she is talking about.
As more strange things happen from having dreams that seem very real she learns about the Cabal which is supposed to be some sort of strange between worlds occult like group that is seeks out balance and order and it seems that Lori has done something that has upset this balance.
When Lori was younger she can only remember a few things about what happened after she has an accident on the soccer field that ruined her sports career. Something bad happened afterwards that she can’t remember so she thinks that maybe it has something to do with that but she isn’t sure. Meanwhile, more strange things are happening like shadow creatures trying to come get her more people telling her to confess and atone or suffer and more frightening dreams, then one day she accidently gets herself onto this thing called the Nightway, and meets Edgar the bug man and learns more about the Cabal.
While she is there though the shadow people are wreaking havoc on her town and killing people, bad things are happening to people she knows and loves and she has no clue it’s happening while she is in the Nightway trying to figure out what she done wrong. The reveal of what it actually was sort of made me roll my eyes!!
There was so much going on in this book with what was happening in her home town while she had no clue, and I am talking weird stuff, some of her coworkers become like cat people and where eating people!!! Just weird weird stuff not to mention the shadow things just killing people left and right and I just felt like it was a bit much and made no sense. I kept thinking that if I keep going soon things will make sense and well they did a bit but by that time I was so tired of being confused that I didn’t care anymore.
I really didn’t care for any of the characters and the one character that I did like was creepy! Lori was not a great person and I didn’t like her nor care if she ever figured things out but I did like Edgar the bug man. I call him that because he can kill people with bugs, they come out his mouth and it’s just super creepy! Any of her other friends in the real world where not that great and I just didn’t care for them or what happened to them.
It has a lot of positive ratings on Goodreads so that is why I am just thinking that maybe this is a case of it was just not a book for me or my taste in horror is changing because I was bored out of my mind and almost DNFed it but at the same time I was curious to see what happened so I kept going but at times I wish I didn’t.
So I can’t recommend it but if it sounds like you might enjoy it then try it for yourself.
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