UNSETTLED by Jay Sigler

UNSETTLED: A NOVELLA by Jay Sigler

Published April 19th 2019

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(from the book description)

Friends since high school, Brendan and Matt have been there for each other through all of life's ups and downs. But when a devastating accident takes everything from Brendan plunging him into a state of paranoid obsession, their friendship is put to the ultimate test. Fighting to keep his own family from falling apart, Matt struggles to help his friend, and his long suppressed anger begins raging to the surface.

As raw emotions take over, the lines of reality begin to blur. And when actions are taken solely on perceived reality, can anything truly be settled?

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Wow! Yes that is my expert, official statement about UNSETTLED. I just finished it and had to sit for awhile to gather my thoughts and decide how to right up a review that is both informative and at the same time not ruin what is such a well crafted story. So I decided to just talk about my views on the story and let the description from the book cover above be the only peek at the actual story line.

I went into this novella knowing I was not going to get a smiley happy tale. If you have read the author's first novel TRAIN THOUGHTS (review available HERE), you will already know that his style is very raw and emotional and at times horrifying. 

UNSETTLED takes the agony and despair from TRAIN THOUGHTS and turns it up to 11. Jay's ability to create a believable character is on display right up front. This is a small cast, our two main characters, Brendan and Matt, and 3 more that figure into the story. The attention given to these few characters is wonderful. They are your normal, every-day people, they have flaws, they have ups-and-downs and most of all they have inner turmoil and secrets. 

This story is 100% emotion. From the first page, till the last you will be biting your nails as the next chapter unfolds. There are no creatures here or malevolent forces, the true monsters are the human characters themselves. Whether driven by anger, despair or resentment, sometimes what man can do to man is the most horrible thing we can witness. 

The despair and tension build to a crescendo in the final chapters and all boils over into a utterly horrifying, bloody and tragic ending.

 This is only the 3rd published work by author Jay Sigler, and with UNSETTLED he has placed himself in some rare company with other authors who excel at emotional horror such as Chad Lutzke and Brain James Freeman.

UNSETTLED is a small novella at just over 60 pages, so it is perfect for your weekend read. Just have 1, no maybe 2, OK let's just say 3 glasses of wine ready while you read. This story will make you gasp and leave your heart aching, but you don't want to pass it up.

You can purchase UNSETTLED in ebook and print on AMAZON.

To learn more about JAY SIGLER and his works you can follow is author's page on FACEBOOK.

ROTTEN LITTLE THINGS by Justin M. Woodward

ROTTEN LITTLE THINGS by Justin M. Woodward

Published April 12th 2019

Published by Simple Bicycle Publishing

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(from the book description)

TWELVE YEARS BEFORE THE EVENTS OF TAMER ANIMALS

Monica has suffered from paranoid schizophrenia her entire life. For the most part, she manages her disease well--that is, until her family moves into an old house in the woods, and she starts seeing an imaginary entity from her childhood creeping around the property.

NEW HOME. OLD HAUNTS.

Things quickly become terrifying for Monica as her reality begins to blend with fiction, and something else entirely. . . some indescribable evil out in those woods.

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I was a big fan of Justin Woodward's TAMER ANIMALS that came out last year. (you can read my review of that book HERE) It was a very well written and creepy coming-of-age story that featured a legendary creature named the Goatman. Myself and other readers really wanted to see more about that character. With ROTTEN LITTLE THINGS, we finally have more of a look at the elusive and deadly Goatman.

ROTTEN LITTLE THINGS is a prequel novella taking place 12 years before the events from TAMER ANIMALS.  You can read the new novella on its own without having to have read TAMER ANIMALS, but you will miss out on those "holy crap" moments that come to light in the new novella.

 The story introduces us to the Dresden family who have moved to a new home in a small town in Georgia. Monica, the wife/mother suffers from paranoid schizophrenia which she has dealt with for most of her life. They are hoping for a new start, but Monica starts seeing a creature that has haunted her since her youth, appearing in and around the new home. As her episodes get more violent and disturbing, how will she tell real from delusion? And are her visions a warning to what is coming for her next?

The author has managed to pack a lot into this fairly short novella. The tension builds from the first pages and we are pulled along as we watch poor Monica's sanity unravel. We are witness to a whole family in decline. Monica's husband and son are there as a support structure, but are helpless to stop what transpires. Justin's writing style is super-tight and you will never feel a lag in the story. It just barrels on to it's very horrifying conclusion.

Those who have read TAMER ANIMALS will notice references to places and people they are familiar with. Weather it be a creepy old covered bridge, a ragged house deep in the woods or one single name uttered on the last page.

Once again Justin M Woodward has given us an excellent story and left us wanting more. I cannot wait to see were the author, and the Goatman take us next.


Both books mentioned in this review are available on Amazon.
ROTTEN LITTLE THINGS and TAMER ANIMALS

To learn more about Justin M. Woodward you can follow him on FACEBOOK.