Thursday, October 3, 2024

Stephen King's Fairy Tale Read-along - Discussion Two


Wow! Things really developed in this section of our read-along! I am really loving this book. As a lifelong lover of fairy tales, and The Wizard of Oz, and yes, Something Wicked This Way Comes (which is the actual inspiration for this yearly Something Wicked Fall event), I think how King has woven these themes into the story is fantastic. 

We found out what was in the shed! So, is Empis another dimension, or a world beneath our world? The weird feeling experienced just before exiting the tunnel leads me to believe it's the former. Theories?

Stories with animals are always so hard for me. I'm constantly thinking Radar is going to die before Charlie can get her to the sundial. But seriously, how absolutely terrifying it all sounds. This Hana he is warned to watch out for...I can only imagine how horrible she is. A giant (or giantess?), but what does she look like? I hope we get a good description, or a picture at the beginning of a chapter. Side note: I've been enjoying the illustrations too.

And who is this Flight Killer? I can't wait to find out. I just keep hoping Radar is going to make it, but I'm also trying to shield my heart from the inevitable. If only pets could live as long as we do. It's just heartbreaking.

I must circle back to Charlie though. I mean, how brave can he be? I guess he is like the prince in all the stories. And did you notice how Woody said the prince should have blond hair and blue eyes, and then later, Charlie notices his hair looks lighter in the mirror. Hmm.

A final thought on this section. The poor people of Empis and their afflictions. How awful. And while the royals, the Gallien, escaped the grey, they still were cursed...blindness, mouth closed up, no ears to hear. What evil overlord is responsible? Gogmagog? Flight Killer? I'm equally excited and apprehensive to find out. 

What did you think of this section? Let me know if I failed to touch on anything, and add your personal thoughts in the comments.

Our next discussion will be on October 13th. If you need to refresh your memory on our reading schedule, check out this post.

This post is part of Something Wicked Fall.


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Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Jason Parent's Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween - Happy Release Day (and a giveaway)!


A big congratulations to Jason Parent on the release of Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween!

Guess what? You can win a signed paperback copy! Simply enter via the King Sumo form at the end of this post. (This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only.)

But before you do that, check out all the details on the book...


From the back cover

Halloween. For the costumed child skipping along a safe, well-lit street, pillow case chock full of candy, it is a night of magic and mischief, delightful frights met with sugar-toothed grins. But for the would-be revelers in these tales, Halloween is a horrifying ordeal the likes of which many will not survive. And those who do make it to November may wish they hadn’t.

In this collection, Jason Parent gathers ten tales that embody the holiday in ways surely to surprise and delight the most avid horror reader. From traditional settings like amusement parks, Halloween parties, and haunted houses to more obscure locales where you might think terror couldn’t possibly find you, each story will have you breathing a little faster, startling at every bump in the night.

"If you're looking for a collection that pays homage to all things Halloween, look no further than Jason Parent's Mischief Night Massacre: Ten Tales of Halloween. Featuring its own unique brand of urban legend lore, horror-savvy kids, and more monsters than you could squeeze into an entire season of Creepshow, Mischief Night Massacre is a collection of tales you'll want to reread (and recommend!) every October...and beyond.”
—Christa Carmen, Bram Stoker-winning author of The Daughters of Block Island and Something Borrowed, Something Blood-Soaked

“Every Halloween theme—and many unexpected ones—are featured in this terrifyingly exciting collection. You’ll stay up long past your bedtime gorging on these seasonal confections.”
—Anthony J. Rapino, author of Soundtrack to the End of the World

Purchase the book on Amazon here

About the author

Jason Parent is an author of horror, thrillers, mysteries, science fiction and dark humor, though his many novels, novellas, and short stories tend to blur the boundaries between genres. From his EPIC and eFestival Independent Book Award finalist first novel, What Hides Within, to his widely applauded police procedural/supernatural thriller, Seeing Evil, to his fast and furious sci-fi horror, The Apocalypse Strain, Jason’s work has won him praise from both critics and fans of diverse genres alike. He currently lives in Massachusetts, surrounded by chewed furniture thanks to his corgi and mini Aussie pups.


Watch for my review coming up soon!
I also reviewed another excellent collection by Jason back in 2016, Wrathbone and Other Stories

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW



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Sunday, September 15, 2024

Stephen King's Fairy Tale Read-along - Discussion One


What's in the shed?! I guess we will find out in the next section...maybe. Yikes. I found myself feeling quite emotional in this first section. Charlie losing his mom, his dad's alcoholism, meeting (saving) Howard Bowditch, and Radar. Knowing the impending deaths of Howard and Radar. Somehow Radar makes me particularly sad. Pets have such short lives. Anyone who has them knows just what I'm talking about. Of course, she hasn't died yet, but it's inevitable, isn't it? Maybe I'm thinking there is something magical in the story that will save her. Naive, right? 

Stephen King always meanders along with his stories, but I'm never bored. Maybe it's just because I know his writing so well. There is always a feeling of impending doom under the words, no matter how mundane the details may seem. He's great at coming-of-age stories, as we know. Also, friendships, whether it be a group of friends, or a teen and an elderly man. My mom and I were discussing the latter and she said maybe he had an elderly friend when he was a teen. I've never heard that, but as they say, write what you know. Of course, people can "know" a lot of things so I myself don't put too much stock in the phrase.

I guess this is all I can really think of to say at this point. Regarding the gold...anyone else thinking there might be a leprechaun involved? It did cross my mind. Pot (bucket) of Gold. I guess we shall see about that as well going forward.

What did you think of this first section? Let me know if I failed to touch on anything, and add your personal thoughts in the comments. 

Our next discussion will be on September 29th. If you need to refresh your memory on our reading schedule, check out this post.

If you haven't already, be sure to stop by my Friday the 13th post. I created a fun gift for my followers and friends. 


This post is part of Something Wicked Fall.


Stay spooky!

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Friday, September 13, 2024

Something Wicked Fall - Happy Friday the 13th!


The rare and auspicious day who some may deem bad luck, but us witch-y folk see it as a lucky day...and, of course, horror fans rejoice. Friday the 13th movie marathons and more horror to boot. What's not to like?

I was hoping there would be a Friday the 13th film series marathon on at least one of the streaming services, but unfortunately I could not find one anywhere. I guess it's because they're going to be playing the movies in theaters (?). Oh well...it is what it is. I did find the 2009 Friday the 13th remake on Max. It wasn't terrible. I might even watch it again myself. Jared Padalecki (Supernatural) is in it so that's something anyway...lol. Also, one of my favorite horror films is also streaming on Max. Trick 'r Treat (also 2009). I highly recommend it if you haven't already seen it. I have seen it many times. It's a great one for rewatching. Never gets old.

Below are some graphics from Fangoria with all the streaming horror films streaming in September and there is a TON!! So you can definitely find something scary to watch this Friday the !3th.









As promised, I have a special treat for you today. I created some spooky fall/Halloween bookmarks that you can print out at home. You can print them out on card stock, or if you don't have it, you could print them out, cut out cardboard to size, cut the bookmarks out, and glue them on. 

I hope you like them! Just click the link below the image to download to your device for printing.



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What are your Friday the 13th plans? What will you be watching, or reading? 

Don't forget...the first discussion for our read-along of Stephen King's Fairy Tale will be posted here on Sunday, September 15. Here's the schedule again, and the kick-off post for the event, just in case you missed it.


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Sunday, September 8, 2024

Something Wicked Fall - Horror Book Review Roundup

Here are (mostly) short reviews of the horror novels I've read so far this year. Most were posted on Goodreads. My "read in 2024" list is here.

List order - most recent first


Fast read. Brutal and thrilling. This kind of "apocalypse" would rate right up there with a zombie apocalypse...probably even worse. Note: This was WAY better than Zoo by James Patterson. I couldn't even finish that one because of the cliched writing.


Wow...this book! SO good. Victor LaValle never ceases to amaze me. This one though is now my favorite of his books. There's something about the melding of horror with historical fiction...it takes real skill to pull it off. So, not just a fascinating (and bloody and horrifying) read, but interesting in its exploration of women in history, and particularly women of color. Read this book!


Reviewed on Castle Macabre - read the review here.


I am a fan of Nevill's novels. Of the ones I have read, this one is now my favorite. I love folk horror and he knows how to write it. The ball got rolling in the first 12 pages and it didn't stop until the terrifying end.

There was a passage around halfway that really spoke to the cult mentality. I could not help but draw parallels, if you get my meaning.

"There's what, seven billion of us?...Who gives a fuck? They don't. You's all going. You is, yeah?

She'd not understood much of the idiotic jabber either and thought it a half-understood version of what the bearded oaf had been told by someone else: knowledge he believed fervently that had enabled him to perform such inhuman acts upon a stranger. She'd truly entered a land of psychotics and met its crazed inhabitants."

So yes...terrifying AND insightful. I can't wait to read the next one, which for me will be Cunning Folk.


I don't know what to say. The first quarter or so, I was like "Creepy, creepy, creepy!" Arriving at the end, I can't really say how I feel. It was compelling for sure. Something kept me reading and I didn't want to put it down. But there was no payoff or true resolution at the end. Hence the three stars.


This was my kind of book. (Obviously...I finished it in less than four days.) With a premise steeped in folklore, but also an almost sci-fi vibe, I was mesmerized. Though I did figure it out, this did not deter me from enjoying it. Now I'm excited to see the film directed by one of my favorite directors, M. Night Shyamalan's daughter.


For some reason, I didn't review this one, but I loved it because I gave it five stars. This is the sequel to The Descent which is also really good. Read my review of The Descent here.


Reviewed on Castle Macabre - read the review here.


I would actually give this 3.5 stars, if it was possible. I was really enjoying it. The part with the creatures was quite frightening at times. Then he decides to go in the cave from whence they came. Idiot! That part was quite harrowing. Suddenly, it descends into the world speeding up, the sun dying, whatever else was going on (this is the part where it borders on science fiction). A lot of pages covering that period which I felt did not need to be that drawn out. But what do I know. Still, it's an impressive work in its own right. I can't deny a feeling of dread while reading parts of it.


It's so satisfying when an author's debut novel is this striking. It takes a deft hand to bring across true horror while infusing the story with emotion. Often the monsters are not some supernatural beings, but are actually people we would expect to treat us with kindness and care. The horrors these monsters inflict I think are much worse because we are expecting good and fair treatment. That being said, there are supernatural beings here. Their appearances are frightening, to say the least. With a mystery, and a twist I didn't see coming, the book is a riveting read...one you just might finish in one sitting.


Was Janz channeling Poe? I think so! This novella is a must-read if you love Gothic books/movies. I couldn't help but picture Vincent Price as the diabolically evil Count Richard Dunning. Thoroughly impressed, not only with the horrific doings, but with the authentic depiction of the time period. Nicely done!


Reread - reviewed on Castle Macabre - Read the review here.


I've always been fascinated with H.G. Wells' The Island of Doctor Moreau so when I saw that one of my favorite contemporary authors had written a reimagining, I knew I had to read it. I was not disappointed. Moreno-Garcia tells the tale from the viewpoint of Doctor Moreau's daughter, Carlota, and Montgomery (a character who is in the original story and other incarnations of it). However, Montgomery is far different from the man in the original story. He is a broken man, but he is also compassionate, and treats the hybrids with respect. I really liked his character. Carlota is also compassionate, and though not a doctor herself, she holds firm to the idea of the Hippocratic Oath...Do No Harm. She is conflicted. She loves her father, but she also feels his attitude toward the hybrids is unfair. Of course, a lot more happens in the book, but I'm not giving anything away. It's a rich and compelling retelling and I commend the author for giving the hybrids dignity and humanity, something I have not seen in other versions.


I did not think I was going to like this as much as I did. That changed very quickly. I won't say too much...I'm not big on rehashing the plot, etc. I will say that this would be a great movie. I mean seriously. It's a relatively self-contained story so I would think filmmakers wouldn't mess it up too much, but then again, we know how that usually goes.

That ending though. Wow. Excellent!


I watched the Netflix film adaptation of this when it came out in 2020. I hated it. I still wanted to read the book because I knew it would be better. It is. That being said, it is a difficult read, but something compels you to keep reading. It's not outright scary, but there are creepy moments that are quite unnerving. Incidentally, I watched the movie again...still hated it.

There were a couple of great quotes I thought I'd share.

"Forfeiting solitude, independence, is a much greater sacrifice than most of us realize. Sharing a habitat, a life, is for sure harder than being alone. In fact, coupled living seems virtually impossible, doesn't it? To find another person to spend all your life with? To age with and change with? To see every day, to respond to their moods and needs?"

"There's grace in doing the right thing, in making a human decision. We always have the choice. Every day. We all do. For as long as we live, we always have the choice. Everyone we meet in our life has the same choice to consider, over and over. We can try to ignore it, but there's only one question for us all."


I know it might be cliche to say this, but I could not put this one down. I'm a huge fan of found footage horror films and this book kind of had that element. A documentary filmmaker travels with her team to scout the location for her planned film...a village where over 60 years ago, the entire population of 900 people mysteriously disappeared. No filming at this stage so no found footage per say, but still a similar vibe. The author talks about mental illness and her characters in the foreword. The book does a great job of touching on how mentally ill people can be perceived, and how they can be treated because of their illness. In all, a solid premise for a subtle horror novel. Atmospherically creepy, with some downright scary moments.


When it comes to short story collections, I generally only read them in the horror genre. Not sure why. I guess part of it is because I feel that horror is well-suited to the medium. I credit this belief in no small way to TV series like The Ray Bradbury Theater, Twilight Zone, Tales from the Crypt, Tales from the Darkside, and movies like Creepshow, The Twilight Zone movies, Tales from the Crypt (1972), etc. Of course, I can't forget my love of Ray Bradbury's collections, especially The Martian Chronicles I read and loved as a kid (more science fiction, but horrific in its own right), and my favorite of all time, the short stories of Edgar Allan Poe.

This collection of stories, all written by black authors, is one of the best I've read. They touch on racism, civil rights, social justice, artificial intelligence, and more. Each topic is woven into mesmerizingly horrific and disturbing stories. Just the way I like my horror.

My favorites:
"Eye & Tooth" by Rebecca Roanhorse
"The Other One" by Violet Allen
"The Rider" by Tananarive Due
"Dark Home" by Nnedi Okorafor
"The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World" by Nalo Hopkinson
"The Norwood Trouble" by Maurice Broaddus
"An American Fable" by Chesya Burke
"Hide & Seek" by P. Djeli Clark


Damn good book! Labyrinthine. Keeps you guessing until the end. I normally do not read the next book immediately upon reading the first book, but may have to make an exception here. Maybe not right away, but soon, Hell Bent.


Not at all what I was expecting. SO damn good! You'll think you've figured it out, but you never will until the very end...when all is revealed. Be sure to read the Afterword. It made me love the book even more. Definitely a favorite read this year.


I love a good haunting story, especially when it blurs the line between "is it an actual haunting, or is the protagonist just bonkers?" A little bit of both works for me. Throw in some Beowulf, which is my favorite Old English epic, and I'm there. This is my first time reading one of Simmons' older novels. "The Terror" was my first discovery of his work (another excellent read). This is number four in his Seasons of Horror series, of which I also own book two, "Children of the Night." I will definitely be reading it sooner than later.


I'm not going to gush too much because, unless my friends have been living under a rock, everyone knows I love his books. But man, this collection of novellas...suffice it to say, every one of them winners. Each one touches on a fear I think pretty much everyone has. He sums it up pretty well in his author's note: "...they conspire to create a tapestry of mounting dread." That right there is what I love about his books. That delicious mounting dread you can only get from great horror.


What horror books have you been reading this year? Recommendations?

This post is part of...


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Sunday, September 1, 2024

2024 Something Wicked Fall featuring a Stephen King read-along + stories, movies, and more!


It's September 1st so it's officially fall here at Castle Macabre and spooky season starts NOW! I can't believe this is our 7th year...and we have a Friday the 13th in September this year. I might have some goodies for you on that auspicious date. 🎃 Update: Visit my Friday the 13th post here to grab the free gift I made for you!

Everything on the agenda is on the button above, but I'm going to share more details below. If you're on Facebook, we have a Seasons of Reading group and page, where we interact during readathons so I'll be sharing info there, and also on the Seasons of Reading Instagram, and in the Seasons of Reading Goodreads group. Castle Macabre also has a Facebook page and we're on Instagram here. Also, if you like Discord, join us on the Seasons of Reading Discord. There is a Something Wicked Fall channel if anyone is up for some live interaction. Here's the invite link: https://discord.com/invite/e6uAmXtGqA

👿 Stephen King's Fairy Tale read-along. We will be reading the book for the entire two months.


Discussions will be held on this blog. I will put a new post up the day after each reading section ends. We will read along according to the schedule below.

My edition is the Scribner (hardcover) edition, published in 2022. 599 pages.

Read-Along Schedule
September 1 - 14 - Ch. 1 - 9, pp 1 - 153 
(Discussion post September 15)
September 16 - 28 - Ch. 10 - 16, pp 155 - 295 
(Discussion post September 29)
Sept 30 - Oct 12 - Ch. 17 - 24, pp 297 - 450 
(Discussion post October 13)
October 14 - 26 - Ch 25 - Epilogue, pp 451 - 598 
(Discussion post October 27)

💀 For the two months of Something Wicked Fall we focus on everything horror...Gothic (Best Gothic Books of All Time), Classics, Folk Horror (Goodreads Folk Horror List) and any other kind of horror (Best Horror Anthologies and Horror Collections - Single Author). This post will be the master post where we can post about what we're reading in the comments (or leave links) so be sure to bookmark it (I will also have Something Wicked Fall linked in the menu at the top of the blog).

👹 Horror movie/shows I watch an inordinate amount of horror movies and shows during the season so I will be sharing my take on some of those, and will probably share a few book reviews as well. As always, I invite guest posts or reviews from anyone who cares to contribute. The more the merrier!


👻 #FrightFall Readathon, October all month long, at Seasons of Reading. Sign-up for the readathon will be open soon. Reader's Imbibing Peril (R.I.P.) is going on right now as well.


I believe I've covered everything. If you have any questions, feel free to comment, or contact me via the contact form (click the image near the top of the sidebar) No official sign-up for this. Just share that you're in by leaving a comment. You can join in as little or as much as you want.

Stay Wicked!!

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