⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Stephen King’s Insomnia surprised me in the best way. I went in expecting a fairly straightforward horror story, but it turned into something much stranger and more ambitious. Ralph’s sleeplessness starts off feeling uncomfortably real—King captures that foggy, irritable, slightly surreal feeling of being overtired so well that I could practically feel my own … Continue reading A Restless, Haunting Journey Through Derry
⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m honestly not quite sure what to say about Morsels by Abe Moss. It’s one of those books that isn’t bad at all — the writing’s solid, the pacing works fine — but for some reason it just feels very… average. “Meh” really sums it up. I didn’t dislike it, but I never felt … Continue reading Decently Readable, But Mostly Meh
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Dead Famous by Ben Elton is one of those books that takes a little while to find its rhythm. The opening feels like you’ve been dropped straight into an episode of Big Brother — full of big personalities, forced banter, and that strange mix of boredom and spectacle that reality TV does so well. … Continue reading A Wickedly Funny Murder in the Big House
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I absolutely loved The Hotel Avocado by Bob Mortimer — it’s one of those books that makes you laugh out loud, grin like an idiot, then unexpectedly tug at your heartstrings. From the very first page, Mortimer’s voice comes through loud and clear: dry, surreal, and oddly comforting. He’s got this rare knack for … Continue reading Warm, Weird, and Wonderfully Mortimer
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I never thought I would say it, but it was a real pleasure to read a story from the perspective of someone so utterly unhinged. Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito is not your usual historical novel – it’s a dark, twisted character study wrapped up in lace, corsets, and all the suffocating etiquette of … Continue reading A Fascinating Descent into Madness
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I went into Episode Thirteen with cautious optimism. I’ve picked up a fair few books lately that had been hyped up online, only to find them flat, predictable, or just not worth the buzz. Honestly, I was ready for another disappointment, but wow, Craig DiLouie completely blindsided me with this one in the best … Continue reading A Chilling, Clever Horror That Exceeded Every Expectation
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I just finished Wake Up and Open Your Eyes by Clay McLeod Chapman, and I’ve got to say—it’s one hell of a ride. I’m giving it a solid 4 out of 5 stars, mostly because while I really enjoyed it, it definitely pushed me further into the extreme horror territory than I usually like … Continue reading A Brutal Glimpse of the End
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Lamb by Lucy Rose is one of those books that creeps under your skin almost from the first page, and once it’s there, it refuses to leave. It’s hard to believe this is a debut because the voice is so assured, the world so fully realised, and the atmosphere so thick with tension … Continue reading A Feast of Darkness, Beauty, and Motherhood
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
Gareth Ellis - Author 