LIMBS: A LOVE STORY by Tim Meyer

LIMBS: A LOVE STORY by Tim Meyer

Published February 9th 2019

Published by Grindhouse Press

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(from book description)

I am not a monster.

Ray Bridges, a professional electronics salesman, is looking for love in all the strange places. He spends most nights sneaking into support group meetings for the disabled in order to satisfy his deepest, darkest desires—to hook up with unfortunate, down-on-their-luck women who’ve recently lost a limb. There's a name for Ray’s preference; it’s called acrotomophilia, a paraphilia involving amputees.

Conflicted, Ray wishes he could change. But he can’t. His body won’t let him. Nor will his mind. He’s destined to live this life, forever. That is . . . until he meets the perfect girl. Falls in love with her. Only problem: her arms and legs are attached.

Unable to find her attractive, Ray embarks on a dark, twisted journey of self-discovery, one that will force him to make an impossible choice: abandon his pursuit of true love or find a way to make it work, even if that means getting the girl of his dreams to shed an appendage.  

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It is February and love is in the air as we approach Valentines day. There is no better time than now to read a touching, heartfelt love story. Or better yet a love story peppered with blood, dismemberment and deceit. That is exactly what we get and more in the new release LIMBS: A LOVE STORY by Tim Meyer.

I do not have to go into too much detail of the story, as the above description from the book gives you a lot of the story background. Let's just say that Ray is a very complicated guy. His peculiar preferences has lead him to lead a life of lies and deceit as he trolls support groups for his next fix. But when true love finally finds him, can he truly love her when his mind is not happy with her body, or more so the completeness of it.

By all accounts this is a love story at heart, but it is also contains a good dose of horror and gore. The author sets up a great story that may start off slow to some, but he uses this time to really develop Ray and helps the reader make that connection. Some will hate him and others will sympathize with him as he deals with his internal struggles. There is a small set of supporting characters, my favorite being Ray's horror movie loving friend from work who adds a touch of humor and lightheartedness to the story.

The third act of the story is where the author throws the tale into overdrive and delivers a few unexpected surprises and the blood truly starts to flow. I do have to admit that the author had me fooled as to the outcome as the tale progressed, and I loved it.

On a personal note, being an amputee myself and having attended support groups, I had heard stories about just this kind of character that the author created in Ray. We had a leader who told us a story of one guy who would came to the meetings for almost a year and no one ever knew he was faking until a member ran in to him outside the meeting. It's was really interesting to me to see the author create a story about this real life occurrence and it's possible outcomes.

I highly recommend this book. In fact it would be a wonderful Valentines gift for your loved ones (if they have a slight dark side), along with a nice box of chocolates of course.


You can purchase LIMBS: A LOVE STORY on Amazon in EBOOK and PRINT.

To learn more about Tim Meyer and his other works click HERE.

And to learn more about the publisher and their other great books please visit
GRINDHOUSE PRESS.

AS SEEN ON T.V. by John Wayne Comunale

AS SEEN ON T.V. by John Wayne Comunale

Publish date January 19th 2018

Published by Grindhouse Press

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(from book description)

Artie is a serial killer obsessed with As Seen On T.V. products. Collecting and modifying these items is his only passion outside of killing, which he’s been doing a long time. Far longer than most of his peers, but Artie always took special care to make sure he remained free. Now a strange, small man has moved next door to him, and the smell of popcorn hangs thick in the air. After a few odd interactions with him, Artie starts to wonder if there’s something other than himself that’s kept him from being caught.

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Who does not love those classic "As Seen On TV" household items. From the Clapper to Spray on Hair, they have in one way or another become part of everyone's life and an icon in TV advertising. Now take those wonderful inventions, add a serial killer, buckets of blood and copious amounts of popcorn, and you have AS SEEN ON TV, the new novel from John Wayne Comunale.

I will have to be careful on talking about the story. There are some plot points I do not want to give away as spoilers. So bear with me as we jump around a little bit to keep this review spoiler free.

Artie, our main character, is a serial killer who also has a compulsive addiction to As Seen On TV items. His life revolves around the daily use of these gadgets and of course, his love of killing. Artie has a solid routine and it has kept him safe for many years, but suddenly something has changed and he finds his world upended by the appearance of a strange man. Events start to spiral out of Artie's control and he will begin to question the safety of his anonymity and his sanity.

Artie is a great character. It is not often that you find yourself rooting for the serial killer, but in this story you will find yourself doing just that. Artie could be your average every-man, the person you pass by each day and not think twice about. But he is a killer, and a very creative one at that. The author gives us good background on Artie and really brings him to life as the story moves along. This is really Artie's story. There are a few other characters in the story, but the author keeps it simple and tight with a small cast and only a couple key locations. 

The author has fun with the As Seen On TV items. Using existing tools and making up some truly funny combinations. Who wouldn't want a Hair De-Greaser and Straightener with a built in popcorn maker. He might start his own trend and soon Ronco will be making some surprising new items.

The author has fun with the gadgets, but in the end this is a horror novel. As the story progresses, more and more blood is spilt as Artie's world unravels. The last act of the story has a scene that makes any Clive Barker story look tame in comparison. 

So plug in your book reading light with optional popcorn maker and GPS, and enjoy AS SEEN ON TV.  (Available now in limited quantities, selling fast, first 10 callers get a self-sharpening steak knife with detachable toe-nail clippers)

AS SEEN ON TV can be purchased on AMAZON.

You can learn more about JOHN WAYNE COMUNALE and his other works HERE.

Please visit GRINDHOUSE PRESS to see all the other great books they offer.

AND HELL FOLLOWED: AN ANTHOLOGY by Death's Head Press

AND HELL FOLLOWED: AN ANTHOLOGY

Publish date January 15th 2019

Published by Death's Head Press

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(from the book description)

Seventeen authors re-imagine the biblical apocalypse and all the hell that follows in sixteen horrifying tales. What if the prophecies of Revelation hit today? What sort of craziness and evil would ensue? 

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AND HELL FOLLOWED is the first book from the new publisher Death's Head Press. They have pulled together an amazing group of authors who have all written short stories based on events from the Book of Revelations. Stories range from the first horn blast and the Horsemen to the final day and everything in-between. It can be read as a sort of primer as what and what not to do to survive during the Apocalypse.

Let's take a look at what's inside.....

THE WHORE OF BABYLON by Sam West

A horror author meets a mysterious woman in a bar and learns he may have unknowingly contributed to a coming apocalypse.

BEHIND BLUE EYES by Chris Miller

Jack has just lost the love of his life.  But he has no time to mourn as he hears the first trumpet blast.

This story is one of my favorites of the collection. Such a frightening and grisly view of the beginning of the end.

CENSERED by Christine Morgan

One of the lighter tales in the book. A rebel angel in God's court is very upset in his role in the planning of the apocalypse.

THE DAY AND THE HOUR by Wile E. Young

Four survivors during the end-time must now face the 6th trumpet blast and the horrors it unleashes.

THE OLD MAN AND THE LAMB by Patrick C. Harrison III

In a land ruled by the church, an old man encounters what could be the catalyst to the further destruction of the world.

APOCALYPSE... MEH by John Wayne Comunale

The apocalypse has come and it is not quite what people expected.

FALLEN by James Watts

175 years after the horseman's ride, one fallen angel meets a man who is connected to his death as a child centuries ago.

GODLESS WORLD by Michelle Garza and Melissa Lason

Four girls trying to survive during the end time. A video game and a promise keep them together.

This is a great little story. The Sisters of Slaughter give us a tale full of action and beasties, but still give the story a heart.

HAM AND PUDGE by K. Trap Jones

The story of two creatures, created by God to scavenge the site of the last battle between Satan and Jesus.

This story is just brimming with dark, dark humor and one of the best donkeys ever.

HORSE by Wrath James White

Could a new designer drug called Horse be the beginning of the Apocalypse? A drug dealer learns the truth as he tries to make his way home.

HELL PASO by C. Derick Miller

A portal has opened at the Mexican/American border and all Hell is coming through it. Two soldiers try to survive after one fires a shot that has just changed some very important preordained events.

CULT OF THE ANGEL EATERS by Mark Deloy

A man with the ability to see angels and then eat them for their powers gathers followers to teach them his ways and to prepare for the coming of demons.

SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION by Delphine Quinn

Chips implanted in your body keep a running score of your life or social merit. Say or do the wrong thing and your score could drop and have very serious consequences. Two teens decide to change their lives and leave the city and their families behind, and say goodbye to the Six Degrees.

Another favorite in this collection. The mixing of the Mark of the Beast with technology was handled well. Read like a mix of Orwell's 1984 and the Black Mirror episode Nosedive.

THE UNVEILING by Hyane Sawbones

 A wife and mother, distraught from the sudden death of her husband gives birth to a boy who may be something much darker.

MARK OF THE BEAST by Richard Raven

Something is wrong at Antioch Baptist Church, and the new Pastor seems to be the center of it.

OUTPOURING by Jeff Strand

Caleb awoke with a terrible sore on his back. Who would have thought the End could begin in a little apartment.

I have to say I really enjoyed this anthology. I have always been interested in stories about Revelations. Starting back in Catholic grade school when the nuns would use it in ways to scare the crap out of us kids. As with any anthology some stories are better than others, but none will leave you feeling disappointed. I would recommend this book to everyone.

Death's Head Press has put together a very impressive collection for a first time publisher. I can't wait to see what they have in store for us in the future.

The End is Nigh! Pick up this book before it's too late.

You can purchase AND HELL FOLLOWS: AN ANTHOLOGY on AMAZON.

To learn more about the publisher, please visit their site at DEATH'S HEAD PRESS.

THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU by Chad Lutzke

THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU by Chad Lutzke

Publish date January 11th 2018

Published by Static Age Books

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(from the book description)

Music, beer, skateboarding, and tragedy star in this coming-of-age lesson on love and lust and the line that divides them, as 19-year-old Jex experiences a life that meets River’s Edge and Kids with Dazed & Confused––a parentless indie yarn with the dark heart Lutzke is known for.
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I have come to learn the need to have a box of Kleenex ready when starting a Chad Lutzke book.

Chad has given us a heartbreaking tale of friends, love and loss that I dare anyone to finish with dry eyes. THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU is another Chad Lutzke masterpiece. He just has a way of drawing you into a story and keeping you there until the end. As with all his books, this just feels so real. This could be you and your friends going through the events in this story.

The character development is top-notch. You become vested in the crew quickly and come to the point where you are feeling what they are experiencing. We follow Jex as he deals with life on a daily basis, his lost love, friends, skateboarding, music and hanging out. The cast of friends changes as the story progresses, but the core tight knit group remains.

What the author does so well is to make everyday life into a captivating story. While not really a horror story, he does convey the true horror that can force its way into someone's life unexpectedly.

I don't want to give anything away that will spoil this story for the reader.  Just pick this book up and enjoy a master at work.

And while you're in a Chad Lutzke mood, I would recommend also picking up STIRRING THE SHEETS. A book that is guaranteed to bring the strongest man to tears.


You can purchase THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU on AMAZON.

To learn more about CHAD LUTZKE and his works please visit HERE.

WHERE STARS WON'T SHINE by Patrick Lacey

WHERE STARS WON'T SHINE by Patrick Lacey

Publish date January 5th 2019

Published by Grindhouse Press

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(from the book description)

I'll be seeing you.

That's the note left behind for Ivy Longwood when infamous killer Tucker Ashton murders her boyfriend. Several years later, after Tucker vanishes from his jail cell, Ivy travels to Ashton's hometown of Marlowe, Massachusetts. Not for closure or therapy. She's being called there. Steered by forces beyond her control. What she'll find is not the quiet suburban town Marlowe once was. It's something new. Something dark. Something that answers the question: Where did Tucker Ashton go?

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 2018 was a great year for horror and the small press, and it looks like that trend is carrying on into 2019 with one of the first releases of the year, WHERE STARS WON'T SHINE by Patrick Lacey. 

Tucker Ashton is a serial killer. He has murdered people from coast to coast, and then went on a killing spree in his home town of Marlowe, Massachusetts. After being caught he just disappeared from his cell and was not seen again. Most believe that Tucker is dead, or at least they hope he is. Four strangers will soon learn the truth as they are drawn to the town of Marlowe. What they find there will make them question their reality and their sanity. Can they survive Marlowe, and its dark starless night?

Patrick Lacey has given us a horrific, mind-bending story that will have you continually checking the dark corners of your room while you're reading. Tucker Ashton is a truly frightening character, brought to life (really almost too real) by the author's use of character building and interactions.  All the main characters are believable and well fleshed out. They are all given enough back-story for you to care about them (and of course hate others). The world the author has created for them is split in two. One side being your normal small home town, the other a perverted mirror image (think the upside-down from Stranger Things on crack). It is the author's ability to blend these two worlds into one constantly shifting narrative that makes this story so terrifying. At times you do not know which world you might be in. 

But the star of this story is Tucker himself. A lot of his background is given through excerpts from an autobiography that was written by an author who died on the day of its release. At times you can almost feel bad for Tucker, he is a product of the hard childhood he was subjected to. I think one of the scariest aspect of the character is that he could be real. Kids see horrifying images on TV and the internet on a daily basis. This does not have adverse effects on all kids, but those that it does could lead them down a dark path. You see it in the news regularly. Just imagine this going on unchecked, then add in the loss of a parent and abuse at the hands of another; this is the world the author had Tucker reared in. 

Another aspect of the story that I think was important that the author touched on was how the public views such horrors. There are websites dedicated to killers. Have we just become desensitized by it all? And there is, scary as it sounds, people who idolize these killers (as also shown in the story). By this idolization, do we give these "larger-than-life" killers more power than they deserve? Does the public's view and sometimes misguided support strengthen and help create theses characters? That is a whole other discussion that could go on forever. Let's just say that Patrick covers some of these questions in the story.  So along with the well crafted tale, he makes you really think about the world around you.

 It also might instill in you a dreaded fear of potatoes.

I would highly recommend picking this book up to start your New Year off right.

So prepare yourself, Tucker Ashton has come home. God help us all.

You can purchase WHERE STARS WON'T SHINE in ebook and print on AMAZON .

 

To learn more about all their upcoming books please visit GRINDHOUSE PRESS .

(I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review)

VICTORIA by Jason Parent

VICTORIA by Jason Parent

Published December 21st 2018

Published by Bloodshot Books

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(from book description)

Victoria Menard has had a hard life. She’s an orphan and a thief… and perhaps even a murderer. Worst of all, her only friend is a talking spider named Chester that lives in her head.

 

For the last eight years, Victoria and Chester have traveled the world, seeing the sights, learning half a dozen languages, and terrorizing communities indiscriminately. Now sixteen, Victoria wants her independence. But the parasite inside her won’t let her go.

Chester has big plans, but Victoria’s brain may no longer be big enough for the both of them. How can a girl rid herself of an unwanted guest when that guest refuses to leave?

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Just a quick note to the readers. This story takes place in the same shared universe as Jason's 2017 novel WHAT HIDES WITHIN, but you do not need to have read it to enjoy this story. VICTORIA is a stand-alone story. I would recommend picking up WHAT HIDES WITHIN for more spidery goodness.

I have never had a problem with spiders like a lot of people. If they leave me alone, then I will do the same for them. But spiders living in your head, and intelligent speaking spiders at that, well that's a whole different matter.

Jason Parent's new novel VICTORIA gives a a strong female lead who may, or may not be in control of her own destiny. This is because Victoria has a stow-away, a little spider named Chester who lives in her head. We are not talking about an imaginary friend here, no, this is an honest to goodness eight-legged freak living in her actual noggin. Chester has lived in Victoria's head since she was a child and has influenced her action for years. Teaching her to be strong and smart, a fighter and yes, at times, a killer. Victoria thinks of Chester as her friend and mentor, but Chester has much darker plans in mind.

The character of Victoria is a bad-ass, take-no-crap-from-anyone lead. She barrels through the story fists-flying, never letting anything thrown in her way slow her down. And boy, do some things get in her way. The author has created the perfect character. She is strong and determined and living in a world that is quickly spiraling out of her control.  But he does not let us forget that Victoria is still just a young girl longing for a sense of family and belonging.

Chester, our resident spider, is truly an evil being. For a spider, Jason has transformed the character into a believable and really frightening force. As a member of a race that has been around for centuries, Chester reveals just enough info about her race to keep us interested and guessing without bogging us down with too much lore.

One of the best things about this book is Jason's characters. The love/hate relationship between Victoria and Chester is great. Then add in a possible love interest and things get very interesting with all of it leading up to a totally surprising ending.

The story is fast-paced and exciting. It reads like an espionage thriller, mixed with The Da Vinci Code and sprinkled with spiders. I really enjoyed this book and hope that Jason Parent revisits the character of Victoria again in the future, and of course, brings us more history of Chester and her kin.


You can purchase VICTORIA in ebook and print on AMAZON.

You can learn more about JASON PARENT and his works HERE.

And to learn more about the publisher and the other books they offer please visit 
BLOODSHOT BOOKS

HEADCHEESE by Jess Hagemann

HEADCHEESE by Jess Hagemann

Published December 18th 2018

Published by Cinestate

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(from the book description)

The day that Lorrie “accidentally” cuts off her little toe, she discovers what it’s like to be able-bodied and not want that body.

After Bartholomew loses his left arm to a Sunni sniper, he’s inspired to start a new kind of church―one where both amputation and sex are types of performance art.

Trice, a prosthetics engineer, receives the assignment of a lifetime when he’s asked to rebuild his son’s crippled frame.

Haunted by the memory of his dead wife, George must take the ultimate measure to excise her ghost. For good.

From sexual fetish to the clinical diagnosis of Body Integrity Identity Disorder, Headcheese makes the first cut, peeling back the epidermis to peer inside the minds and hearts of 26 people navigating the topography of flesh.

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 I don't think I have ever had such trouble starting a review on a book. I finished HEADCHEESE by Jess Hagemann and then sat with it rolling around in my head for a few days as I thought about its message. This book did hit close to home for me. I am  amputee. I lost a leg to traumatic injury just over 18 years ago. The thought of someone wanting to voluntarily have a healthy limb removed just baffles me. I have been through multiple operations and therapies and would not wish it on anyone. Yet there are people in the world who do just that, and this book takes a look inside the life of these individuals.

The book deals with a very real mental illness called Body Integrity Identity Disorder. This disorder makes a person want to have a body part amputated because they feel it is not really a part of them. Like looking at your arm and feeling that it is just not right and wanting it gone. A person can go from trying to have it removed by a doctor to the more extreme cases of DIY at-home-amputations with electric saws and other devices.

HEADCHEESE is a very well written story that is part character narrative and part info dump from the author. Now, that term is not meant in a bad way, Jess Hagemann covers a lot of topics through the course of the book. Interwoven with the ongoing story, she adds story background, history lessons, news stories and more. The book jumps page to page with some pages only having 2 sentences on them, while others could be 3 pages of ongoing story. It didn't bother me, but some readers might find it off-putting. I found myself reading large chunks at a time and finishing the book in 2 days. The main story-line has an amazing 26 characters. Some are not given much attention at all, but the main few like Lorrie, Bartholomew, Trice and George carry the story along. The author has a great way of weaving the story elements together until everyone at some point has crossed paths with each other. The author does not hold back in her descriptions of amputations and other bloody events. I really enjoyed reading some of the informative tidbits and real life stories that are peppered every few pages.

There are also illustrations by Chris Panatier scattered throughout the book. Some are fairly tame while others are down right cringe worthy.

HEADCHEESE gives us a deep look inside the lives of a group of people dealing with Body Integrity Identity Disorder. At time it can be a terrifying display of raw body horror, made more disturbing by the fact that these are incidents that could be, and have taken place in the real world.

HEADCHEESE is definitely not a book for everyone and at times can be very difficult to read. Everyone is bound to take away something different from the story. Myself, being an amputee, found it very interesting that this could really be happening out there, even though the thought of it still upsetting to me deep down inside. In the end tho, I would recommend that you read this book. The story is intriguing, but the background information and thoughts from the author make this book shine even more.

This is one book that could spark some interesting debates between readers. Do we look at the sanctity of the human body and condemn people suffering from BIID for their actions, or is it a personal choice issue like sexual orientations and gender identity? This is an issue that really has not been addressed like some other disorders, but HEADCHEESE open the door to discussion. It's up to you, the reader, if you will step inside.


You can purchase HEADCHEESE on AMAZON.

You can find out more about the Publisher CINESTATE and all their other projects HERE.