The Shivers Collection is a compilation of five short stories, each penned by a prominent name in contemporary horror: Joe Hill, Stephen Graham Jones, Grady Hendrix, Catriona Ward, and Owen King. Each story runs around 40–50 pages, so they’re substantial enough to feel like more than just a glimpse into the author’s world, but still … Continue reading A Mixed Bag of Short Stories
⭐️⭐️ Incidents Around the House was my first Josh Malerman book. I’ve heard good things about his writing, so I went in with fairly high expectations, thinking this would be a great introduction. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me, and I came away feeling pretty underwhelmed. The premise itself has a lot of potential—a … Continue reading A Disappointing First Encounter with Malerman
Mona Higgins lived on Willow Crescent, in one of those neat little post-war houses where the hedges were clipped straight and the curtains were drawn at half-past six sharp. It was 1963, and her world moved to a clockwork rhythm: Her husband, George, left for work at the insurance office each morning at seven; she … Continue reading The Dial Tone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Don’t Let the Forest In is one of those books that sneaks up on you. At first, it feels like a quiet story about grief, family, and the lingering ache of loss, but before long, it grows into something much darker, stranger, and more unsettling. C.G. Drews has a real talent for weaving emotion … Continue reading Haunting, Lyrical, But Just a Little Uneven
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This book floored me. I went in expecting a fun slice of horror and came out the other side completely obsessed. The Haar has everything I want in a read: eerie atmosphere, creeping dread, sudden bursts of nastiness, and at the same time, a real emotional core that caught me off guard. Sodergren has … Continue reading Creepy, Atmospheric, and Surprisingly Emotional
There’s a particular kind of paralysis that creeps in when you stare at a blank page for too long. You’ve got the idea. You’ve got the characters (or at least a whisper of them). You’ve got the mood, the spark, the itch to write. But then your brain, ever so kindly, decides to intervene: “Hang … Continue reading The Art of Writing Without Overthinking: Discovery Writing and Trusting Your Instincts
⭐️⭐️ I’ve always enjoyed Grady Hendrix’s books — they’re usually sharp, witty, and imaginative with just the right balance between horror and humour. How to Sell a Haunted House was one of my most anticipated reads, but sadly it fell flat for me. This one felt oddly lazy, as if it were rushed out without … Continue reading Repetitive, Overblown, and Nowhere Near Hendrix’s Best
⭐⭐ I went into Overgrowth by Mira Grant with high hopes. The premise was strong, and the opening chapter had a tight atmosphere and a hint of something bigger beneath the surface. I was genuinely intrigued for a while—it felt like it might evolve into something creepy and original. But sadly, it didn’t. What started … Continue reading A Promising Seed Choked by Its Own Vines
Hello. I’m the mug. Not chipped. Not novelty. Not one of those gaudy, slogan-slapped things that scream “World’s Best Writer” like a curse. I’m classic. Ceramic. Weighty. Deep red glaze, almost blood-dark in low light. A gift. From their mum. A Christmas morning. Hands trembling with emotion that never quite made it to speech. Wrapped … Continue reading The Mug on the Desk (And the Darkness It Holds) – Memoirs from the Edge of the Abyss
The bathroom always smelled faintly of lavender and damp. Not fresh lavender, but the cloying, synthetic kind that tried to cover mould and failed. It clung to the cracked tiles, the rust-flecked radiator, the blackened corners of the old tub. Hannah didn’t love the bathroom. But then again, she didn’t love the house, either.Still, it … Continue reading Bath Time
Gareth Ellis - Author 