en-US Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:19:14 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg Review7696149666 Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:19:14 -0700 /review/show/7696149666 Joe gave 1 star to Jasper Cliff (Paperback) by Josh Kemp
DNFing at about 50% read.

It’s very much a slow burn, with a lot of talk about the heat. Not much seems to happen in Jasper Cliff, and not much has happened in the story so far. I’m just not excited to pick this one up and keep reading, so I’m going to set it aside.

Rating reflects DNF status, not book as a whole. ]]> Review7696122541 Sun, 29 Jun 2025 21:02:14 -0700 /review/show/7696122541 Joe gave 3 stars to Never Have Your Dog Stuffed: And Other Things I've Learned (Paperback) by Alan Alda
I was disappointed by this autobiography from one of my favorite actors. The voice was challenging, and disconnected me from what I think otherwise could have been great stories.

As someone who isn’t too fond of audiobooks, I actually think I might have enjoyed this more as an audiobook. It might have given life to the voice in a way ink on paper couldn’t.

Definitely worth the read, especially if you’re an Alan Alda fan! If not, you may struggle to finish. ]]> Review7676406446 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 18:23:11 -0700 /review/show/7676406446 Joe gave 5 stars to The Pulse Remains (Paperback) by Rob Grimoire
There is a lot in these fifty or so pages.

My historical intrest has always been the Civil War era, and in THE PULSE REMAINS, Grimoire brings a powerful tale from the early reconstruction of a family trying to escape the worst of the South.

I'm not sure what this should be classified as. There are definitely mythological elements, but also strong historical details too. It might fall into the cosmic realm as well.

No matter what it is, Grimoire has brought his unique voice to horror in his debut effort. This is a BIPOC voice to keep an eye on!
]]> Review7674975625 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:36:16 -0700 /review/show/7674975625 Joe gave 4 stars to Vulpine Curse (Paperback) by Katherine Silva
VULPINE CURSE
by Katherine Silva

VULPINE CURSE is the Deadlands prequel I didn't know I needed!

Set in the time before the Deadlands trilogy, VULPINE CURSE provides needed backstory for the relationship between Hugh and Amos, and shows how events progressed to the world we find in UNDEAD FOLK. It focuses on the events around Amos's decline and Hugh's work for Steele.

Silva's strong, heavy prose carries a brilliant story. This is literary horror that pulls no punches and makes the reader endure the same emotions as the characters.

One thing I will say is that I don't feel that it succeeds as a stand-alone work. If you haven't read the Deadlands trilogy, there may be some spots that don't make a lot of sense or don't hit with the emotional impact Silva is going for.

Overall, this is a great book, and I highly recommend you check it out—after you read the original Deadlands trilogy (UNDEAD FOLK, DEAD FOLK, and NEVERLAND). ]]> Review7674975216 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:36:05 -0700 /review/show/7674975216 Joe gave 4 stars to Nothingland (Paperback) by Katherine Silva
]]> ReadStatus9576840206 Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:35:34 -0700 /review/show/7674975216 Joe has read Nothingland by Katherine Silva
]]> Review7647378908 Wed, 11 Jun 2025 17:47:05 -0700 /review/show/7647378908 Joe gave 4 stars to The Rotting Room (Kindle Edition) by Viggy Parr Hampton
It's probably best to avoid this nunnery...

After turmoil at the convent she previously called home, Sister Rafaela moves to the convent of the Sisters of Divine Innocence. But soon, she discovers that her new home may be infected by problems worse than the ones she previously faced...

I really enjoyed this one. The pacing was fantastic, and Sister Rafaela presented as an unreliable narrator doing her very best to be reliable—something difficult to pull off, at best. The (too) few scenes presented from Father Bruno's perspective helped to ground the story.

The villains, ah, the villains, Mother Superior and her sidekick went above and beyond to do things that pushed Sister Rafaela to her limits. Beyond them, the rest of the sisters worked against Sister Rafaela as well, isolating her from any form of support.

Two things kept me from feeling this was a five-star read:
1) The historical setting wasn't very clearly defined. At first I thought it was set in the time after the Spanish Civil War (Mid-twentieth-century), but as I read more, I realized it was intended to be older, but I didn't find many details to help me nail down the date. It could have been anytime before electricity became commonplace. To call something historical horror, I feel like the history needs to stand out more.

2) I felt like there wasn't enough story told from Father Bruno's perspective. He wasn't really a co-narrator, more of a different perspective that popped in every so often. While I liked seeing things from his perspective, I found myself wanting to see more from his perspective to help balance Sister Rafaela's unreliability (she was dangerously close to being unreliable to the point of being unbelievable).

Overall, this is a solid read that lovers of religious horror will fall in love with! ]]> Review7621116644 Mon, 02 Jun 2025 06:42:58 -0700 /review/show/7621116644 Joe gave 5 stars to Tell Me How It Ends: A Horror Collection (Kindle Edition) by Desiree Horton
Lately, I've been bearish on short story collections, because they tend to be slow reads for me. I tend to read one story at a time and take some time to chew on it before coming back to the next one.

That wasn't the case here.

I devoured TELL ME HOW IT ENDS in less than a day. I'd finish a story and come back as soon as I could to read the next one. Desiree's stories are quick and brutal, and the collection is a smorgasbord of body horror that is impossible to beat!

She even hints at a happy ending. Is it really? You'll have to decide for yourself.
]]> Review7561865130 Sun, 11 May 2025 19:57:20 -0700 /review/show/7561865130 Joe gave 5 stars to Defeating the Moose (Kindle Edition) by Laura Bilodeau
A satisfying tale of abuse and revenge. When people get what they have coming, it always makes for good reading. Laura keeps the story moving and keeps the action coming! ]]> Review7548438728 Tue, 06 May 2025 13:24:57 -0700 /review/show/7548438728 Joe gave 4 stars to Devil Dancers (Kindle Edition) by Bo Chappell
DEVIL DANCERS is a fast-paced western horror novel with an interesting premise. The prose is excellent and the stream-of-consciousness writing style is not something you see every day.

The reason I gave this only four stars is the characters. At times, it felt like there were too many for such a short work, and the extra characters kept the main characters from being as well-developed as they could have been.

Overall, it’s a great story with prose that will draw you in and keep you entertained! ]]>