Pisces51 > Recent Status Updates

I just stopped at the 60% mark, and I have really enjoyed this novel thus far. It is thoroughly entertaining. There is no flowery prose or big words because this is written very straightforward, utterly candid, and with a great sense of humor. It is a unique take on the MPD for sure. This is earthy, gritty, brutal, sexually explicit and extreme horror for days. I was not excited about this title, but got that way.

This is the Group Read for HGW Horror Book Club. See Discussion Thread for detailed update. Generally speaking, tonight's read was disappointing. Ji-Won is seriously disturbed and dangerous, with total meltdown in progress. She is depicted as perhaps too sick to despise, but I am not sure yet. I like those Unreliable Narrators you love to hate. Sis is trying to stop the clock while Mom is hearing wedding bells.

Started reading Evangeline Memoirs of A Teenage Serial Killer (2024) by KC FRANKS and read to 28%. The writing style may be the alter ego of the host personality. The theme is vigilante justice, but more intriguing is the author's choice to tell the bloodthirsty tale of serial murders through the visage of her alter ego. Narrative is kind of rough but the word choices and nuances are from the alter ego. MPD.

It is past the halfway mark when the reader abruptly finds out that there are dark forces at work on the church camp grounds by evil men whose allegience is to a dark deity. 13-year old Tanner and his two new buddies are at the epicenter of abrupt senseless, and brutal violence. Motivations of the killers is not yet apparent.

I am at approximately a third of the way into the novel and I continue to be impressed by Kim's writing style, her pacing of the plotline, and descriptive prose. The reader is learning that the MC is an unreliable narrator and I loved the way this revelation was interwoven sleekly into the storyline about the friends from high school who deserted her. Thanksgiving break bringing the parties together. Very good so far

Just started reading Judith Sonnett's Summer Never Ends and I am reading the very beginning of the events leading up to and immediately following 13 year old Tanner's arrival at Crest Camp and making some new friends. I am looking forward to reading this book over the next couple nights. I like Sonnett and own a few of her works that are unfortunately Unread. I plan to change that before the end of the year.

I began reading Monika Kim's debut novel The Eyes Are The Best Part tonight to the 25% mark. The story is unfolded by an 18 year old Korean girl using first person POV. She lives with a younger sister and their mother in a small rented apartment. Her father walked out on them for another woman in the recent past and a divorce decree is pending. The narrative is well-written, and easily held my interest.

Looks like a good place to pause. I love it! This theme is unlike any I have read by Jon Athan before. Things have kicked into high gear at this point and Malcolm's war hero Granddaddy is taking no prisoners! Can the conniving teenager really be molded into a "man" by Hitler's Best Man? It will be fun to find out! Good one as usual from Jon Athan! Will finish tomorrow!

This seemed like a good place to pause for an intermission. I plan to finish this read tomorrow. The high tension, sense of the unknown, and feeling of being glued to the story with Crazy Glue started to gradually dissipate around the halfway point or perhaps a little deeper. The novel remained ineresting and definitely readable, but some of the magic was gone. A palpable intensity vamoosed. This was not a surprise.

I read to the 65% mark today, but kept drifting off. In past tense Louie is gradually delving into the heartbreak of his boyhood but also illuminating the vampire legend with more facts about the circumstances of how it all evolved. Present tense is primarily Noemi lamenting the loss of Roddy her second chance at life. But the adult Louie in present tense hints at something supernatural or mystical about the death.

Just passed the halfway mark. Malcolm is finding it difficult to understand that actions have consequences. Nothing that I would classify as horrible has happened as yet. But Malcolm is too stupid to comprehend that his continued defiance is going to reap unimaginable payback from his Grandfather. The sneaky things he has done already is going to ensure "that Hell follows". Just Jon Athan hitting his stride.

I just reached 50% and Part III of the book. Felix is just about to leave his future in-laws for the mountain cabin that has turned his and Faye's world upside down. Felix managed to obtain input from the Native American faction and the knowledge that was gained was valuable and leeches out a clue to the reader. That said most of the whole experience is still shrouded in mystery.

I resumed reading Indian Burial Ground tonight and the going was slow. The story in the past which features young Louis is interesting to me because there are numerous occurrences recounted which cannot be explained by science. There is intriguing facts about the Native American beliefs that are revealed are are equally interesting. In the present day Naomi is not a sympathetic character for me.

Approximarely a third of this First Edition of Grandfather's House [2018] is in the rearview mirror. I enjoy Jon Athan's novels on a regular basis. This is the story of a high school junior being raised by a single mom, a discipline problem who finds trouble like a heat seeking missile. In major hot water with the school, mom has driven him to his Grandfather Ronald's house for some tough love.

This this has been an engrossing novel from the start. The first person narrator Felix is relating all of the strange and chilling experiences that he and Faye have encountered since their stay at her parent's cabin in the Rockies. The writing style is one of immediacy and you feel like you are there. Felix and Faye are back in Northern California but not alone. "It" has followed them home.

Just started reading late so not much to say except I thought I heard noises outside awhile ago. I'm serious. Log cabin situated on a hill with no close neighbors. Defenseless partner deep asleep beside me. I almost went for the guns. This novel actually spooked me! (I hope). I think my heart rate went up. I will make sure tonight I don't wait until the dead of night to start reading it again!

I am reading this novel in conjunction with Splatterpunk Horror Book Club's celebration of Native American History month. My notes are posted in the Discussion Thread. It is taking me some time to adapt to the author's somewhat challenging writing style. Highly praised work from Nick Medina and contains rich historical data in addition to Indian folklore.

LINGER By Daniel I Russell-Harry tries to sell telephone plans ove the phone in his cubicle. Co-worker Dave is friendly but cautions Harry not to take a girl too seriously.Harry has schizophrenia in his genes, and exhibits persistent olfactory hallucinations which begin to focus on the casual date Susan. He can't escape her smell, entertains killing her. Predictable outcome. Rated a weak 3 Stars.

Todd sees his ex girlfriend to borrow her car for nefarious reasons and learns about the changes in her life the past 5 months. She has a new partner and love interest but it is another discovery that spins his psychotic ideation in all directions. We see how Todd's course following his mentor and especially his literal interpretations of his mission is creating a monster. His psyche is fracturing and he knows it.

Todd had sank deeper into the morass of his madness. His mission at the Welfare Dept. enabled him to get proactive with clients in certain cases. His extremist beliefs got the best of him when he lost the arguments. An excellent work of extreme horror by WJW, peppered with sprinkles of black humor, maintains the readability and sense of immediacy even writing in second person. Well written and good characterization.

I started reading the Kindle version tonight. It is an interesting topic and WJW never disappoints, well reseached, characters that are fleshed out, very readable. My favorite component of a story by WJW is that all books and short works are different.. His intelligence and sense of humor shines through any topic he chooses.Like this one alot and no surprise.

GIVE ME SOMETHING GOOD TO EAT By Shane McKenzie-Spooky Halloween tale about a small town whose adult population lived with a frightening fear and their very lives dependent upon all citizens towing the line. All children in the town were to be restrained securely and in lock step precision. Compliance was signalled by a lit pumpkin, but one night...the curb in front of a house was dark. Hell reigned.Very good.5 Stars

GAME OF GOLF By Gregory L. Norris-A truly bloody, gory, violent, and brutal mass murder of 29 adults on the green of a well appointed golf course. The authorities eventually arrived at the horrific scene. The ending was an example of perfect irony. Really pretty good. 4 Stars.

THE PROUD MOTHER By Ken MacGregor- A terrifying Victorian tale of madness and the unexplained. Certainly an original spin off of virtuous girl meets handsome man and they get married, have great sex on the wedding night. It is all perfect and erotic until fear followed by terror come out to play. Genuinely creepy and rated a solid 4 Stars. I'm starting to think male genitalia is on an endangered organ list.

THE PUBIC HAIR TUMBLEWEED By Joshua Dobson-Well, this story reads like a disgusting futuristic nightmare. The "Tumbleweed" central to the story and the guy delegated to sweep the laundromat floor encounter each other and it was kind of amusing in a sick way. Rated 3 Stars.

FAT BOY By Kelly M. Hudson- This revolting story of a morbidly obese young misfit named Tommy was gross, gory and as extreme and psychotic as a tale of sick, sated revenge can get. Original, shocking, locked and loaded with terror. Parental abuse through enabling, verbal abuse with relentless bullying and demoralizing at school. Rated 5 Stars for originality,writing, and unapologetic brutal bloody payback.

STD By David Bernstein-Brian awakens the morning after sexual escapades with a flight attendant he just met named Jackie. He has the need to empty his bladder and that was the beginning of his waking nightmare. I was snagged like a largemouth bass on a moss covered pond by a master angler. The author kept me intrigued and the "kill shot" was a complete surprise, both satisfying and imaginative. Liked it. 4 Stars.

DR. SCABS AND THE HAGS OF EL CAJON By Robert Essig-Lindsey's desire for a drink was stronger than the uneasiness triggered by the looks and feel of the disreputable looking bar she was passing. A man followed her onto the dark streets after she had left after that drink. You'd think he was the source of Lindsey's horrific fate just around the corner. Nope. Essig is hit or miss with me. This was a miss. Rated 2 Stars.

EVERY DROP OF BLOOD HAS A SOUL-A Tale Of Faust By David Quinn.
Presented as a glimpse of the professional relationship between a psychotic mass murderer and a female consulting psychiatrist at infamous Bellevue. The story is very brief and laden with symbolism. It seemed to me to take a page out of Nietzsche and his cautionary advice about the abyss. Rated 3 Stars.