How Good It Feels to Burn

by Michael R. Goodwin

Twelve stories of horror from the author of SMOLDER and THE LIBERTY KEY.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories

195 pages, Paperback

First published September 21, 2021

About the author

Michael R. Goodwin is the author of THE LIBERTY KEY, a novel of supernatural suspense, SMOLDER, a horror novella, and ROADSIDE FORGOTTEN, a collection of five short stories. His collection of short stories, HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BURN, was released by Dark Pine Publishing, and he has released several standalone short stories.

His work has been featured in multiple anthologies such as "124 Beloved" by Regulus Press, "Lunatic Lullabies" by Pyke Publishing, "October Blood" by Hawke Haus, "Devil's Rejects" by Dark Pine Publishing, and "The Sacrament" by Dark Lit Press. Aside from writing, he enjoys reading, composing music, and photography.

He lives in Maine with his wife and four children.

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has me completely hooked. His short stories here were no exception. My favorites probably were the story about the black man with the hat in the photos and the eerie boy at the closing tale. This is exactly what I like in good horror. Atmosphere, tension, twist and uncanny afterthoughts... inside you'll find a real master at work. Highly recommended!

[Kiera ☠ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael R. Goodwin is full of incredible stories and once again, I am blown away. There's a really great range of horror in here. Some are visceral, full of body horror and gore. Others are psychological and others lean more folk horror. I'm continuously in awe of Goodwin's writing. It feels very nostalgic to me. Reading his books feels like a early 2000's fall evening in October, Halloween just around the corner. It's comfy horror through and through.

Some stand outs for me were: THE LEECH, POWER LINES, LEAVES, THE PHANTOM & EXISTANCE. These will definately stay with me long after reading. I think one of my favorite things about Goodwin's writing is how he leaves a lot up to the readers imagination. He leaves you asking; "what just happened?" and for me personally this has me thinking about and breaking down the stories for days. Michael told me all the stories in this collection were ones that were rejected for anthologies and all I can say is, what a loss to those collections. I'm glad he compiled these together for us as they are all truly incredible. I've said it once and I'll say it again, Goodwin is one of my favorite horror authors out there and if you aren't reading his work, you are REALLY missing out.

[Haley Newlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The master of spooky short stories does it again!

How Good It Feels to Burn is an enthralling, twisted, ride through the eras of horror - inviting readers into the disturbingly dark, gothic Poe age to that of the King-manifested crazed and chaotic killers. Goodwin scorched my fear center and ignited my already growing desire to read everything he creates.

A must-read

[Miguel Gonçalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love short stories and short story anthologies.
So, when I got the chance to get an ARC for Michael R. Goodwin's new short story anthology, I was more than hyped.
And I wasn’t disappointed.

“There were four of us navigating the trodden paths of the graveyard that night.
Five, if you counted the boy who was slung over my shoulder. We had all walked the paths during the day dozens of times before, knowing we would be making the actual voyage at night without the aid of a lantern. Once each of us committed the route to memory, all we needed was the boy.”

This collection is made up of twelve short stories, of which two have also been published in other anthologies (that’s ten brand-new stories, even if you read the anthologies in question).
I won’t talk about all of them at length and will just reference some of my favourites instead.
What I will say is that they're all amazingly written and, even though their pacing is different, all of them will get to you one way or another. You won’t be able to put the story, or the book, down until you get to the very end.

It starts with a simple story of about 400 words. “The Bite” is its title and it sets the mood for the whole book.
It starts in a simple way. You seem to know where you stand, even amongst the strange description of what’s happening, and then the rug is pulled from under your feet, and you get lost in its elegant twist.
The second story, “Existence”, was one of my favourites maybe because of my interest in photography. A young boy is given an old camera and goes experimenting with it like all boys do, only to find there’s something more to the photos he takes. We follow him as he grows up and tries to get away from the presence that haunts his photos, in a story that turns out to be not only scary, but also introspective to some degree.
From there we have a lot of interesting tales, like “Oldsmobile” and “Of Dark Horizons”, but the one that got me next was “Mirror Man”.
In “Mirror Man” we follow a man that just found someone else in his reflection in the mirror. And soon he questions what is really happening.
“Leaves” was also another amazing tale about a village with scary tales of the nearby forest, where once you enter you're never able to leave, and a man who must overcome his fear to save his daughter.
And then there’s “The Boy”. A story that grabbed my attention like my life depended on it. The mystery behind it is so good and compelling that you just want more of it. And I was kind of sad that it was over, because I wanted to know more and for it to continue forever.

“Photos of the man in the black hat went into my albums, too. Always on the back pages, where no one ever looked. He appeared in the very last shot of every roll I took. It was different every time, but he was always there. Sometimes just his face, other times you could see his slender frame standing off in the distance. One thing was constant: he was always wearing that hat, and his face was always hidden in shadows.”

To summarize, “How Good It Feels To Burn” is an amazing short story collection that will make you forget everything else while you're holding it in your hands.
It will shock you at times, and scare you, but it will keep you on the edge of your sit, waiting for that twist coming to make you shiver. And you'll be happier for it.

[Melissa Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing. Short story collections you have some great stories and some not so great stories. Not in this book. Each story is well crafted. I’ve read the author’s other books and enjoyed them but How Good it feels to Burn is Michael’s best work. His story telling just gets better and better.

If you haven’t read this book yet, don’t put it off any longer.

[looneybooks79 · Rating 5 out of 5]

First there was ‘Smolder’ and then there was ‘𝕳𝖔𝖜 𝖌𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖎𝖙 𝖋𝖊𝖊𝖑𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖚𝖗𝖓’, a new wind is blowing through ‘The Land of Horror’ and this wind has a particular style and voice. And it is a voice I would gladly like to hear more, as a whisper or as a scream!
🔥
I was lucky to be one of the advanced readers of this collection of stories! I was really looking forward to this and I wasn’t disappointed by what I got!
What I like about these shorts is that they have to give information in as little as possible text and that leaves an enormous amount of imagination left for us readers! My top 3 of these were: Existence, Mirror Man & Phantom! Of dark Horizons was my least favourite (if I may be so blunt to say) but I’m glad to say that even that story never lowered my rating for this collection: a solid 5 ⭐️! Keep up the good work @michaelrgoodwin - this is a perfect Halloween gift for them horror lovers!

[Samuel (Still Reading Sam) M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's the thing about her, and with all fire really. Once you start to feed her, once she gets reminded of how good it feels to burn... Well she's fine. She's always going to want more. She's going to burn until there's nothing left
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ARC review for Michael R Goodwin's "How Good It Feels To Burn"
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Michael R Goodwin aka @michaelrgoodwin is dropping his new collection of short stories next week (Thursday September 21st to be exact!) And I got an ARC for it. I won't detail every story but rather 4 I was rather fond of. Here we go;
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Existence --> Our narrator's hobby was photography and they really enjoyed it! But a sinister figure threatens their hobby... The photographer and their hobby really works as a central focus and theme! You keep going on with this one to learn who is this sinister figure in the photos and where events are headed... 5/5 📸
Leech --> Jack, his Helen and their daughter Ellie go swimming in the lake one day. Jack finds a leech attached to his leg after they leave... Do you want to feel uncomfortable because this will make you feel that way! I winced a bit whilst reading it. A great creature feature! 4.5/5 🦠
Oldsmobile --> Our narrator's father brings home an Oldsmobile car one day. Soon the narrator sees a strange old man in the family vehicle... A superb and sinister story. So unexpected but so well done! 4.5/5 🚗
Leaves --> James' 5 year old daughter is taken by the forest. But he's scared to go in and get her back as he's heard what lies within... I love local myths in horror. This one works really well with the local myth of the forest and how the River Crane runs red when someone is taken is brilliant! Hard to stop reading...5/5 🍂
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Overall a great collection from Michael. There are lots of other great stories in this one! I strongly recommend "How Good It Feels To Burn" to all horror fans! Definitely check it out when it drops on Thursday. I'd probably rate it 4.5/5 on balance. Rounding up on here
Thank you to Michael for giving me an ARC for this! Check it out guys!

[Spencer Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two parts Stephen King, one part Brian Evenson, but with an empathy and boldness of prose that is all Michael R. Goodwin. HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BURN is one of the best collections of short fiction I’ve read in years.

Over a month has passed since I wrote the above paragraph as a blurb for Michael R. Goodwin's newest release. Sometimes I get so excited about a thing that I drift into hyperbole and later my memory of it isn’t nearly as fond. That has not been the case for this book in the slightest. My memory of these stories is crystalline, which is a true testament of their staying power because my memory is horrendous. I still perfectly recall the weird literary dark of stories like its opener, “Bite,” or my personal favorite, “Of Dark Horizons,” fitting right in with greats like Brian Evenson and Paul Tremblay and Nadia Bulkin. I still remember the dark, shivery terror that stories like “Existence” or “Power Lines” evoke (the latter being first published in WILD VIOLENCE from Blood Rites Horror alongside one of my own stories), a clear influence from some of Stephen King’s greatest fiction, marrying disparate decades of King’s writing from NIGHT SHIFT and THE BAZAAR OF BAD DREAMS.

This collection floors me. It looks so small, a pocket-size book, but it holds literary weight. You feel for these characters while also being uncannily unsettled by them. The clear empathy with which Goodwin writes characters suffering at the edges of society is perhaps this book’s greatest strength—something only the best of the genre does successfully, and Goodwin makes it seem effortless.

I implore you to pick up this book. It’s up there for me with my all-time favorite collections—Joe Hill’s 20TH CENTURY GHOSTS, Tremblay’s GROWING THINGS, King’s NIGHT SHIFT, Stephen Graham Jones’s ZOMBIE SHARKS WITH METAL TEETH. Goodwin’s HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BURN is truly a career-defining accomplishment.

So go buy it. Right now. Read it, and tell me which story is keeping *you* up at night.

[Robb Basham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed review coming soon!

[Gwendolyn Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edit: it’s been a week since finishing this book and it’s stuck with me every single day, the longer I sit with these stories the more their impact on me grows. So I’m changing my rating from 3 to 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ because any book that can stick with me like this one deserves more praise……………………………………………..

It seems I’m likely in the minority here but much of this book I didn’t care for. Starting with the opening Story called Bite that I disliked so much I nearly DNF’d the book then and there. Again nearly DNF’ed at Leech and yet again at The Hole. ( pretty evident body horror isn’t my thing)

But I’m quite glad I didn’t and continued to push through, this book contains 12 short stories all with the common thread of being fairly visceral with unique horror elements.

The stories very enough in tone and theme that I think there will be something here for every type of horror reader. I really enjoyed 5 of the stories one of which by itself gets a 5 star from me titled Phantom, this story stood out as well written, nuanced and engaging. It was gory like most of the others but in this story it really worked. Other honorable mentions The Wiseman Bridge and Leaves.

All in all it was a mixed bag but with a few gems so for me it’s a solid 3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I send my sincere thanks to the Author Micheal R. Goodwin for the advance e-copy of this book to read and review.

[Dave Musson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some weird reason I put off reading this collection for a while. It was all over my Instagram feed but I kept jumping in elsewhere. So, I appreciate how late I am to the party when it comes to raving about this collection of chilling shorts, but…wow, this is Really Very Good! I burned through this set (bad pun intended) in no time at all and was blown away by Goodwin’s creativity and confidence. This guy is one heck of a storyteller and I will be bumping his other work up my TBR pile!

[Spencer Borup · Rating 5 out of 5]

So incredibly good! Highly recommended for horror short fiction fans.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of 12 horror short stories that will surely be a hit with all types of horror fans. There is a little bit of everything in this anthology and really gives you a good view of the scope of the horror genre.

HGIFTB starts off with a bang with the story Bite. It's creepy, gory and detailed. All 12 stories are dreadful and atmospheric. He does not protect the reader in his descriptions and I really appreciate that.

Some of my favorite stories were Bite, Leech, Mirror Man, Phantom and Oldsmobile. Apparently I like my stories bloody and gross. 😅

Thank you so much to @michaelrgoodwin for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Cyndi McIntire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feel the Burn

This is a collection of short stories full of mirrors and cars and leeches and power lines and phantoms all doing things they really shouldn't be doing. You should read it.

[J.D. Keown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted over at my personal blog site, Night Terror Novels

“That’s the thing about her, and with all fire, really. Once you start to feed her, once she gets reminded of how good it feels to burn… Well, she’s fire. She’s always going to want more. She’s going to burn everything until there’s nothing left.”
– Michael R. Goodwin, “The Wiseman Bridge”

🔥I received an e-ARC of this story in exchange for a fair review!🔥

I’ve said it numerous times before and I’ll say it again: the anthology is one of my absolute favourite formats in the horror genre, both for their unpredictability and their diverseness in terms of the narratives on offer. In both of these respects, Michael R. Goodwin’s latest release, the short fiction collection How Good It Feels to Burn, does not disappoint.

This was the second ARC I’ve been lucky enough to check out from this author, and he really knocks it out of the park with an imaginative and thoroughly enjoyable collection of twelve horror stories. This anthology both harks back to the style of classic genre authors (there’s certainly a strong vein of King and Koontz in some of these offerings) whilst also being original and unique to the author and his own voice.

The stories found within How Good It Feels to Burn’s pages are varied in terms of both length and subjects, and as others have mentioned, this means it provides a little bit of something for every horror fan. This can be a really tricky thing to do, what with all the different flavours found in the genre. Anthologies can also often be a bit hit and miss; sometimes not all the stories will click for every reader, so it’s always a pleasant surprise to encounter one like this, where each entry works well and stands up on its own.

A few of my personal favourites from this book were “Existence”, about an unsettling man in a black hat appearing as an ill omen in photographs, “Leaves”, a story both dreamlike and nightmarish which concerns a mysterious red forest, and the terrific “Phantom”, which channels something of the horror-comedy film Idle Hands (1999) into a scary tale of possession and the effects of guilt. It was an honour to appear alongside Michael’s story “Power Lines” in the Wild Violence (2021) anthology from Blood Rites Horror, and it was great to revisit this chilling tale in this collection too.

In the first book I read from this author, his second novel SMOLDER (2021), it was clear that Goodwin has a distinct and engaging author’s voice, and that’s only solidified with this anthology: every story is just very readable; the characters are well-written, and the storylines highly engaging. The author really doesn’t shy away from the more grotesque and macabre details of his stories either (SMOLDER too had its share of gnarly, wince-inducing scenes), and Goodwin has the skill to work it effectively into the narrative.

Overall, this was a genuinely creepy collection from start to finish, and one that I found myself devouring over the course of a few days. The author manages to establish intriguing set-ups and self-contained narratives that are by turns unnerving, stomach-churning, and impassioned which, when taken as a whole, make for a terrific read. I’ll definitely be checking out his other anthology of short fiction, Roadside Forgotten, and eagerly anticipating his future publications as well.

VERDICT: How Good It Feels to Burn offers a varied and highly engaging collection of twelve terrifying tales, driven by Goodwin’s compelling voice as a writer. This is a polished, thrilling read that further cements the fact that the author is an exciting addition to the indie horror scene, and one to watch for the future.

It’s a ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from this reviewer. I also want to say a humongous thank you to Michael R. Goodwin for providing the ARC and giving me the chance to read and review it early.

Book Information

Title(s): How Good It Feels to Burn
Author(s): Michael R. Goodwin
Publisher(s): Dark Pine Publishing
Original Publication Date: 21st September, 2021
Page Count: 116 pages
Format Read: Digital
Advance Review Copy (Y/N): Y
Website(s): http://www.darkpinepublishing.com/
https://www.michaelrgoodwin.com/

[Ewreck82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bite : Short, sweet, and unsettling. This story has me excited for what else is in store with this collection! I have questions but those are best left unanswered, left up to my imagination. 🫁🫁🫁🫁.5/5 yeah yeah yeah I know those are lungs, not livers
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Existence : I have taken some pictures that just did not make sense. I have a picture on my phone that has two versions of the moon in it. Every time it happens I am slightly unsettled. I can't even imagine having a picture like that pop up every time I used my camera. Thoroughly unsettled by this one yet couldn't stop reading. 📸📸📸📸📸/5 phantom photos
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Leech : Y'all, this one got under my skin. You know this is true because I'm a New Yorker that just said y'all! There's three things I hate in life. Ticks, leeches and the Dutch! Oh wait, just the first two. I keep forgetting I'm not Nigel Powers! 🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱/5 creepy ass leeches (pretend thats not the worm emoji)
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Of Dark Horizons : The longer I sit with this story the more effective it is. There are multiple layers that aren't necessarily apparent right away. I had no idea where it was going but ultimately it felt like a stark examination of mental illness. ☁️☁️☁️☁️/5 cushiony clouds
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Oldsmobile : Quick, effective, and creepy. This is another story that stuck with me for some reason. The descriptions of the family are straight out of a child's nightmare. That aged, decaying visage imposed on each family member. 🚗🚗🚗🚗/5 family road trips 😬
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The Hole : Yet another quick, effective, and incredibly wicked story. This one made my skin crawl and yet again, Goodwin makes me irrationally itch all over. Well played, sir! 🕳🕳🕳🕳🕳/5 gaping holes... wait that sounds bad.
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The Wiseman Bridge : Reading this story I couldn't help but think of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia and how it will take people and cast them into the fringes of our society. This story had horrific elements but ultimately it made me sad, which I always appreciate when a story can make me feel something. 🔥🔥🔥🔥.5/5 flaming phoenices
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Power Lines : I've mentioned on here before how I grew up playing in the woods. I spent a majority of my time outside in the woods year round. Everything became so familiar that I could even tell if anybody else had been in the woods. This story made me feel so uneasy because the fear was heard and felt but not seen until the end. Things were not as they should have been and there was no explanation to ease the MC's mind. ❄❄❄❄.5/5 snowy trails
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Mirror Man : I loved that this story leads you in one direction and then flips the script on you in just a couple of pages. Gruesome, creepy, and honestly relatable but I won't say how because of spoilers. 🎻🎻🎻🎻🎻/5 poorly played violins
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Leaves : Who doesn't love a forbidden, creepy forest? Add in the fact that nobody ever comes out of it and a mysterious red tinge to the river and I'm all in. One of the longer stories so far and again very effective. 🍁🍁🍁🍁.5/5 red leaves
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Phantom : This story right here. This was a doozy. Any story that has a gruesome carnival scene immediately draws me in. Carnie rides have always sketched me out and even more so now. 🎡🎡🎡🎡🎡/5 off balance carnival rides
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The Boy : I loved the setting of this story from the beginning. To me there isn't much creepier than an old orphanage. You just know that some shit was going down there. This one kept me guessing most of the way through. 👦👦👦👦/5 mute orphan boys
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From start to finish this collection was fire! See what I did there?! Does that qualify as a dad joke or just an old man joke? I was interested in reading more by Michael R Goodwin after reading Power Lines and after this collection I am officially a fan!  🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 for this one

[Joseph Hood · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Just shy of greatness." (3.5 out of 5 stars)

A collection of short tales that is slightly held back by their uneven quality. I read this book in one sitting, and though I could not get into the first story, the quality of writing and story crafting improves later on. Goodwin is a talented writer that has a lot to offer, and I look forward to seeing how he fine tunes his craft in future literary entries.

[Jack Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael R. Goodwin’s little book of horrors is packed full of curiously grotesque, grim and pretty damn great horror shorts that’ll get under your skin with ease. Some really fun and imaginative ideas in these pages including some superb flash fiction. Highly recommended!

[Felix Dimaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ 3.5 Stars ~

Overall, I thought this was a solid collection. I think Goodwin has a way of strongly setting a scene in a short space, allowing you to almost feel and absorb what the characters are going through in a way that doesn’t seem forced or overly descriptive.

Each story was different from the last, showing a good range of horrors. My favourite of the bunch was “Leaves”, a tale about a small village, a forbidden forest, and a father whose decisions will determine the fate of his family.

I enjoyed some of these stories more than others. I found that the stories I didn’t enjoy were those containing gore or body horror for the sake of it, which is something I’ve never been drawn to in horror. I more so appreciate psychological horror, so I understand that my rating of some of these stories is simply due to personal preference. But I know a ton of people do love body horror and gore, and, judging by the reviews of this collection, Goodwin is adept at it.

If you’re looking for a series of quick scares, or maybe to be grossed out a little, you might want to check this one out.

[Myreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of “How Good It Feels To Burn” by Michael R. Goodwin. 12 stories, one for every type of horror fan. It can be difficult to rate an anthology as based on personal taste some stories will be more interesting to the reader than others. “How Good It Feels To Burn” does an excellent job of including stories that cover the gamut of horror, but with a cohesive thread of longing, dread, and passion which manages to weave a cohesive story throughout the entire anthology.

All 12 stories have their merits but I really wanted to highlight the three that most resonated with me:

1. Power lines- a bleak study on the effects of industrialization. This story was claustrophobic, well paced, and incredibly engrossing.
2. The Wiseman Bridge- you will never look at a zippo lighter the same way after reading this dark story of lust, fate, addiction and revenge.
3. The boy- my favorite story of the 12, and the one I hope becomes a full length novel someday. Depending on your interpretation of this story, this is either incredibly sad or the closest you will get to a “happy ending” in this anthology. I actually missed these characters when the story was done and was left craving more.

This is an excellent set of stories that I am sure any horror fan will appreciate and I highly suggest picking up a copy when the anthology releases on September 21st.

[H. Everend · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible!! This is my first time reading Michael's work, and I was not disappointed! Ranking my top three favorite stories, I would have to say: 1) Existence. 2) Phantom. 3) Power Lines. But you are seriously missing out if you don't check out this macabre collection of tales. If you are into horror stories and want to be creeped out or unsettled, I highly recommend checking out this book. This man has a gift.

[Delmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

How good it feels to burn is a collection of short stories by Michael R. Goodwin. I thoroughly enjoyed these little tense, horror filled little stories. Quite a bit and I am a very picky reader and i enjoyed them a lot.



I decided to rate each individual short as follows and in the order they are written in the book:
Bite ⭐
Existence ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Leech ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Of Dark Horizons ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oldsmobile ⭐⭐⭐
The Hole ⭐⭐
The Wiseman Bridge ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Powerlines ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mirrorman ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Leaves ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Phantom ⭐⭐⭐
The Boy ⭐⭐

Standouts for me are Existence, Leech, Leaves, and The Wiseman Bridge. The first and last are not as strong as some of the others. Goodwin is great at building tension and an eerie atmosphere. My only criticism is that I wish he would push it a little more. These stories, as well written as they are, still are a little safe.

These short stories will definitely hold your attention. Like most collections of short stories, some are hit or miss but some are so impactful that you'll remember them for a long time. So read them please, this is a great selection of shorts.

[Yesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A forest that takes, a man that only reacts at the whisper of a lighter, an apparition that appears with the shutter of a camera, and a plague that can only be stopped with a sacrifice. These are just some of the stories included in How Good It Feels To Burn, a collection of 12 short stories by author Michael R. Goodwin.

I enjoyed this collection. The first story was short and grabbed my attention. Each story was different and they had something that kept me engaged. I felt content with the journey and conclusion to all the stories. There are some stories I didn’t care for compared to others, but I wouldn’t rate them less than 4 stars. One of my problems with reading short stories is the length. I’ll usually gripe that one story should’ve been fleshed out more into a novella or that one is not short enough. Did not have a problem with this collection

This collection would be great to use during the month of October to chill people at a party among fear lovers. There is something in here for everyone who is looking for a quick read and a quick fright. I do want to recommend my favorite stories which are The Wiseman Bridge, Leaves, Leech and The Boy. 

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“HOW GOOD IT FEELS TO BURN” by @michaelrgoodwin
(Available September 21st)

I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of receiving an ARC of this anthology.

When I tell you that I couldn’t put this horror anthology down, I mean that I was standing in the middle of my bedroom in my bathrobe post-shower, looking at my phone checking the pdf of the ARC that I received via email.
I opened it just for a moment to check the file and found myself standing in my bathrobe in the middle of my bedroom for 30 minutes. I. Could. Not. Put. It. Down.

Idk friends, I think he wrote crack in these words somehow, but I felt so magnetized to these short stories, I haven’t been able to find something this addictive in YEARS.

Michael Goodwin has mastered the power of the dark imagination, and has successfully made it so that I find myself double checking locks at night, securing my own gaze in my reflection, and never go into a lake, like ever again.

After I write this post I’m adding his other books to my cart pronto, and you should too.

[Jody Blanchette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Indie Horror writer, Michael R Goodwin, has packed twelve short stories into this book. Each story is uniquely different and a quick fix. If you just want a little taste of terror, this is the book for you.
Of all the stories in the compilation, The Wiseman Bridge, is my favorite. This is the story where the book's title was plucked from. It is about a homeless man who meets a fellow vagabond, with a strange object of obsession, a Zippo lighter. Without ruining the story for you, I can tell you that the flame from the lighter is unique and hypnotic. I loved the direction the story was going, and found I wanted to hear more. It could have been a great novella, maybe even a full length novel.
Books of short stories are always a favorite of mine. I enjoy the non commitment and quick overturn of characters. Granted I always want more character development, but thats not what you get with shorts. It's a to the point quick thrill. Its a look into the mind of a writer, with too many stories to commit to one book. Sometimes its best just to get them all out at once!

[rich_reads_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge thank you to the author for sending me an Arc of this short story collection to review. I'm so grateful!

I was so intrigued by the title and cover of this book and I couldn't wait to get into it. This collection is dark, gross and spooky and I loved it.

Some of these stories are really short and the authors done an amazing job of making you feel creeped out and genuinely uneasy in a short amount of words.

The first story 'BITE' was an absolutely fantastic opening and super eerie. All of the stories in here are just great and bring something different to to collection but faves of mine are the great opener that set the mood as mentioned above, 'Existense' and 'Mirror man'.

This book is out real soon and I recommend you pick it up! It's a perfect read for the spooky season and I wish the author all the best with it as it really is everything you could want in a horror collection.

[Sabrina Voerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories will have something for everyone. Many of the stories are very different from one another, and yet there is a theme that I began to notice weaving its way into the narrative, one that correlates with the title, and for that I deeply appreciated it. There was one short story, The Hole, which I would recommend not reading while eating.

It is hard to rate a collection of short stories, but for general enjoyment reading this book, for each story being unique and quite different from many I've seen before, I give it four stars.

My favourite reads in this collection are Existence, Leaves, and The Boy. Each of these had a certain humanity within them that made me connect quite strongly with the characters. The Boy, however, became my favourite, and I think it was a perfect story to end the collection with.

[Christy Aldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having previously read Smolder, I knew going into this collection that Goodwin was a fantastic writer. These stories only further prove that I was right about this. They are chilling, thought provoking, and entertaining.

Goodwin has a strong voice and a desire to write. You can see the talent in these stories, from beginning to end. His ability to enthrall the audience is refreshing. His voice within the horror genre is growing louder and it's proven now that it's here to stay. I'm honestly very excited to see where he goes from here and how much stronger and louder that voice becomes.

I have yet to read Liberty Key or Roadside Forgotten, but if I were to recommend a starting point with Goodwin, I'm sure this collection is where I would start. Collections are a good way to really get to know an author's range, and this one, this one is great.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for sending me an EARC for review!
I have to say this is probably the first time I’ve given 5 stars to a short story collection. Normally, not every story hits home with you so it’s difficult giving all those stars. With this collection in particular, every single story did give me chills. I will list my favorite stories in a second. Each story is haunting in its own way, wether it be a 3 page story or a 15 page story. They all seem to pack that punch! If you are looking for a spooky collection for Halloween Season, look no farther! My three favorite stories include: Existence, Oldsmobile, and The Boy.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I sat down to start this book and read it in one sitting...which is truly one of the marks of a FANTASTIC BOOK. It's really rare that I read a book of short stories and love them ALL but WOW lightning struck here folks, because they're all fucking awesome. It was also really cool that the author is from Maine, because I knew a bunch of places / things he mentioned (that are actually near to where I live here). Anyway, this is an absolute do not miss book for my horror fans. It's amazingly well written and just the right kind of creepy.

OH ALSO---cannot wait to pick up some of his other stuff!!!