Sour Candy Review

Sour Candy by Kealan Patrick Burke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Sour Candy is my introduction to Kealan Patrick Burke. I was familiar with the authors name, and was sold on this particular Novella because of its beautiful cover. People can tell you not to judge a book by its cover all they want, I did, and it worked out perfectly.

Sour Candy tells the story of a man name Phil, who’s trip to the grocery store introduces him to a haggard looking woman and her creepy child. A seemingly chance encounter with the pair literally changes everything Phil has known about his life and calls into question his mental stability. I absolutely loved Sour Candy. It packs so much more into a tiny package than many 300 page books do, much like the candies it’s named after. This is a tough one to talk about without spoilers because of the length. I really enjoyed the story, I haven’t read anything quite like it before. I had no idea where Burke was taking me and that made it even better. One thing that often unsettles me in books and movies are creepy children, and it’s safe to say that Sour Candy delivers in that regard. This is a wonderfully written novella, Burke is very descriptive and really sets the atmosphere. Not a single word is wasted on the page.

Sour Candy is my kind of nightmare fuel. It’s a quick read and can easily be finished in one sitting. In the short duration it took me to read it, I found myself creeped out more than I have in a lot of books I’ve read lately. This one will have you glad you were taught not to take candy from strangers.

5/5



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The Class Reunion Review

The Class Reunion by Sean McDonough

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I’ve got two confessions to make. First, is that of all the horror sub genres, Slashers are my favorite. The second, is that despite the fact that I’ve been strictly reading horror for a while now, I haven’t read many Slashers. Naturally when I was given the opportunity to get my hands on a pre-release copy of The Class Reunion By Sean McDonough I jumped all over it.

The Class Reunion follows Vickie Fields as she tags along with her old friend Bridget to a party being thrown at the abandoned St. Regina Academy. She wants no part of the shenanigans. Vickie hated St. Regina Academy, and the people throwing the party were some of the students who were most cruel to her. Sensing Bridget wanted to go for a specific reason, Vickie ends up making the biggest mistake of her life, accompanying her friend to the party.
What McDonough does with his latest, is none other than the written equivalent of a modern B movie slasher. I don’t mean that in a bad way, the book was quite fun. Like any good slasher, you’re given just enough information and characterization to keep you hooked between each brutal murder. Many of the characters are genre tropes, but they are well done. They feel like real people and the dialogue between them feels natural. Part of the problem with many slashers in the modern era, is finding a way to work around the fact that help is a few button presses away thanks to technology. McDonough uses the setting to bypass that problem and create an arena perfect for the slaughter of 20 something year olds. Class reunion is a breeze to read and McDonough writes a story interesting enough to get you to keep turning the pages. The conclusion of the book was nicely done, something you don’t see often in slashers. I have one real complaint about the book. The Class Reunion has quite a few spelling and grammatical errors. I’m not usually one to really pay much mind to that, but there were enough of them that I took note.

I read Sean McDonough’s latest, The Class Reunion, in one sitting. It was the exact type of book I expected, a B movie slasher set in modern times. The setting worked, the characters were given enough life on the page to feel real and I had a good time reading it. I was left with a feeling similar to discovering a hidden gem on Netflix that you had no real knowledge of. If you’re into slashers, as long as you can get past the editing mistakes I think you’ll enjoy this one.



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The Fearing:Book 2 - Water and Wind review

The Fearing: Book Two - Water and Wind by John F.D. Taff

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Please, do yourself a favor. Before starting this review, buy book one of The Fearing, by John F.D. Taff. With that out of the way. OH MY GOD. How do you top the first book in this serialized novel? Ask Taff, because 2 days ago I didn’t think it possible. I said it before and it must be said again. This is a masterclass on serial novelization. It’s an event. It’s amazing.

Book 2: Water and Wind begins immediately where Fire and Rain leaves off. It continues the journey of the main characters from the first title as they navigate their way through this supernatural apocalypse. The characters you love and the ones you hate (Carli) all make a return, with the addition of two new characters, a reverend and a girl named Monday. Monday is mysterious, and based off of what the book gives you to use as speculation, i need to know more. Sigel is still a creep and book two lays the ground work for what I expect is going to be an interesting reveal for him down the line. It must be said, Taff is doing such an amazing job in the way he is writing this book. He has a way with words that really just lends a beauty to the page, even though what’s taking place in the print is utterly horrific. By the time book 2 ended, I discovered why Taff has been branded the king of pain. The book ends with a punch to gut. I was on my heels before, with the last two pages Taff knocked me on my ass. Book 1 is a one sitting read. Book 2 cut to the top of my TBR and book 3 will do the same.

In my previous review I had said that there’s no reason to expect anything other than greatness from the books to follow. What I didn’t expect, is for Taff to somehow top perfection. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. If you aren’t reading The Fearing you need to. School is in session. Taff is the professor and you all need to sit down and pay attention.

5/5 stars



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