Book Recommendation

Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: How Good it Feels to Burn

For Fully Booked, I strive to call attention to indie horror books. It’s not that I don’t read (and enjoy) more traditional horror fare—I just want to use my platform to call attention to marginalized authors and other horror writers who might not get mainstream attention. And, when I get the chance to promote a spooky friend, I’m chomping at the bit to get started.

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Today, I’m sharing my thoughts on a short story collection by Michael R. Goodwin called How Good It Feels to Burn. This collection includes a dozen terrifying tales I could see adapted into an anthology film or a series of Creepshow episodes. It boasts many different flavors of horror to appeal to almost anyone.

“That’s the thing about her, and with all fire really. Once you start to feed her, once she gets reminded of how good it feels to burn… Well, she’s fire. She’s always going to want more. She’s going to burn until there’s nothing left.”

Here’s the Goodreads summary:

Twelve stories of horror from the author of SMOLDER and THE LIBERTY KEY.

It’s not much to go on, but it’s enough. Goodwin is one of my spooky friends and a talented writer as well. Having read both Smolder and The Liberty Key earlier this year, I’d be excited to dive into this collection even if I didn’t know Goodwin. Plus, I have a thing for short story collections.

Another thing that piqued my interest in this book is its physical size. Since I received a paperback ARC, this won’t apply to the ebook version. But the paperback is tiny, like pocket-sized. I’m talking small enough for me to comfortably hold, and my ring size is a 4. At two-thirds the size of a traditional paperback, its dimensions make it easy to slip into a purse or toss into a beach bag. The stories contained within are not lighthearted beach reads, though.

If anything, this short collection proves Goodwin’s storytelling proficiency. In each piece, he conveys evocative, visceral descriptions and uses the five senses to spectacular effect. This excellent use of description and imagery puts you right in the heart of the narrative, imagining yourself in the protagonist’s place. This enhances the chilling nature of each of his stories.

It’s hard to choose a favorite from the collection. I thoroughly enjoyed the “found footage” feel of “Mirror Man” and “Existence,” but found something to appreciate in every piece. Goodwin offers not only rich settings and easy-to-picture descriptions, but also a pervasive sense of creeping dread that builds to terror. These tales will make you anxious in the very best way possible.

If you’re eager to sink your teeth into a spooky short story collection, try How Good It Feels to Burn. It gets five stars from this reviewer. You can grab your own copy from Amazon here. If you enjoy Goodwin’s work, check out Smolder and The Liberty Key as well. You can also follow Goodwin on Instagram. Thanks for joining me!

What book should I review next?

Briana Morgan (she/her) is a horror author and playwright of books such as THE TRICKER-TREATER AND OTHER STORIES, UNBOXED, and BLOOD AND WATER. She is also a proud member of the Horror Writers Association. Briana lives with her partner and two cats in Atlanta, GA.

Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: Twisted: Tainted Tales

September 17, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

I almost love devouring short story collections as much as I do writing them. In recent years, it seems like my hunger for them has only increased. What I love about bite-sized fiction is that no matter how busy I might be, I can dip in and out of the collection as I please. Collections are much easier to fit into my life.

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Another great thing about short story collections is they showcase an author’s range. You have to be a solid writer to produce a collection that works. Such is the case for Janine Pipe and Twisted: Tainted Tales.

Full disclosure: Pipe is a friend and a sweetheart. However, when the cover for this collection first popped up in my feed, I was eager to grab it without even realizing it was hers. The cover screams vintage horror in the best way possible. It gives off the same 80s vibes as the stories contained within—but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Before we get into my review, here’s a Goodreads summary:

An abandoned house. A locked desk drawer full of old papers. And an 80’s mix tape? Jill is tasked with seeking out any legal documents from the property. What she discovers, transports her into a world of nightmares, ranging from the macabre to the downright chilling. Jill knows she has to share the stories she’s uncovered…
In Twisted: Tainted Tales, the Splatterpunk Award-nominee delivers creature features, supernatural urban legends, cannibalism and a few other surprises. Mixing flash fiction with short stories, these tales might be tainted and will be twisted.
Includes foreword from the amazing Flame Tree Press author, Glenn Rolfe.

Twisted: Tainted Tales is visceral horror. The stories it contains aren’t for the faint of heart. If you’re not big on splatterpunk, you won’t have a good time here. Pipe’s writing is evocative and vivid throughout—so much so that it might be difficult to eat anything while reading. I mean that in the best way possible.

The collection has something for almost everyone. Whether you’re into coming-of-age horror, ghosts, haunted houses, gore, vampires, werewolves, or creeping dread, you can’t go wrong here. Twisted: Tainted Tales gets five stars from me.

Looking to score your own copy of Twisted: Tainted Tales? You can grab it from Amazon here. If you’d like to keep up with Piper, check her out on Twitter and Instagram. I’ll see you all next week for more Fully Booked.

Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: We Need to Do Something

September 10, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

Welcome back to Fully Booked! It’s September, and that means spooky season is officially upon us. And what better way to kick off spooky season than with a book about witches and a tornado? Today I’m sharing my thoughts on We Need to Do Something by TWL alum author Max Booth III.

☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5

Click on the image below to Hear “Fish” by Max Booth III from Season 6.

If you think the title of this book is ominous, just wait until we get into the content. Although I read this book some time ago, I’m covering it now in honor of the movie adaptation, which released last week. It’s been so much fun to watch Booth tweet and post about the project from the screenplay stage to its film festival premiere. If you haven’t yet read We Need to Do Something, now’s the perfect time to do so. Check it out before the movie.

Here’s a Goodreads overview:

A family on the verge of self-destruction finds themselves isolated in their bathroom during a tornado warning.

Yes, that’s it, and yes, it’s brief. But there’s a great deal not mentioned here. We Need to Do Something includes queer witches (subjects near and dear to my heart), natural disasters, claustrophobia, family drama, snakes, the occult, and so much more. Let’s get into it, shall we?

I’m a claustrophobic person. When the plane lands and everyone stands up, it makes me anxious. I can’t think too hard about being up in the air in a little silver tube or I get panicked. When I was in college, I got stuck in an elevator and had a panic attack so bad, I had to skip my biology lecture. You get the point.

We Need to Do Something is a claustrophobic book. It contains expansive, far-reaching ideas, but it does take place in a bathroom. I grew up in Florida and spent a lot of my youth in bathrooms, hiding from tornado warnings. Honestly, I used to have night terrors about tornadoes. At first, I feared that picking up this book might trigger a panic attack. It didn’t. If anything, it made me feel better about storms.

What I love most about this book is that it primarily takes place in a single location: the family bathroom. It’s difficult to pull off telling a story with no scene changes, but Booth doesn’t flinch at the challenge. He surpasses it, crafting a suspenseful tale that raises questions throughout and leaves you reeling at its conclusion. It’s uncomfortable. It’s real.

Four characters is too many to have in a bathroom at one time, and Booth makes sure you feel that. He makes sure you sit in it. Things start out bad and get so much worse. As I kept reading, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted the characters to make it out alive. Even if they did, I knew they wouldn’t be the same.

One of my hobbies is reimagining books as plays. I love figuring out sets, lighting, and blocking choices in my head. Even if my imaginings never see the spotlight, it feels good to flex those creative muscles. Since it takes place in one setting, I think We Need to Do Something would make a great play. It makes a phenomenal movie and gets five spooky stars from me.

If you want a copy of We Need to Do Something, you can pick it up from Amazon or on Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing’s website. You can also follow Max Booth III on Instagram and Twitter. He also has a podcast called Ghoulish, which I was honored to appear on (we talked about time loops!). And, if you want to check out the movie adaptation, you can watch it on your preferred VOD service.

Thanks so much for reading. See you all next week!

Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: Dear Laura

August 27, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

I've been a fan of Gemma Amor since I heard her work read on the NoSleep Podcast. I can't remember which story of hers I heard first, but afterward, I eagerly snapped up every short story collection of hers that I could get my hands on. Since then, I've read everything she's published. Hell, she even blurbed my book Unboxed. How did I get so lucky?

I was also lucky enough to get a copy of her upcoming book Six Rooms. Since I blurbed that one, that should give you a good idea of how I feel about it. I'll also be discussing it in an upcoming weekly review. For now, though, let's focus on Dear Laura.

Published in the summer of 2019, Dear Laura offers a fresh take on the horror genre's traditional stalker trope. While the stalker could easily be a bigger part of this story, Amor instead lays out a woman's life interrupted once a year instead by a twisted man's notes. Dear Laura is a speedy, chilling read that will stick in your mind long after you read it. If you're looking for more short horror reads, this one won't let you down.

Anyway, here's a Goodreads overview of the book:

Every year, on her birthday, Laura gets a letter from a stranger. That stranger claims to know the whereabouts of her missing friend Bobby, but there’s a catch: he’ll only tell her what he knows in exchange for something... personal.

So begins Laura’s sordid relationship with her new penpal, built on a foundation of quid pro quo. Her quest for closure will push her to bizarre acts of humiliation and harm, yet no matter how hard she tries, she cannot escape her correspondent’s demands. The letters keep coming, and as time passes, they have a profound effect on Laura.

From the author of Cruel Works of Nature comes a dark and twisted tale about obsession, guilt, and how far a person will go to put her ghosts to bed.

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Though this book is small, it packs a mighty punch. As Laura strives to get to the bottom of her friend Bobby's disappearance, she goes to lengths she never imagined in exchange for information. Warning: there's a scene with self-performed dental surgery in this one, so if teeth aren't your thing, you might want to tap out. I won't say much else about the scene because it's one of the most jarring in the novella. Teeth and eye injuries tend to squick me out, but Amor balances emotional turmoil and physical anguish admirably here. Although the worst scene was hard to read, I'm glad I put the work in.

It's also worth noting that Dear Laura earned Amor a Bram Stoker Award

Nomination. That's certainly nothing to scoff at.

Author, Gemma Amor

Gemma Amor's Dear Laura earns five stars from me. If you're interested in reading this one, pick it up on Amazon. You can also hear it read as a NoSleep Podcast serial. For more of Amor's work, visit her website, and keep up with her on Twitter and Instagram. Her upcoming projects include Six Rooms from Cemetery Gates Publishing, as well as her traditionally published debut, Full Immersion, from Angry Robot Books. I plan on reviewing both of them once they're out, so prepare for that.

See you all next week!

Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: Woom

August 20, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

How familiar are you with extreme horror? I'm asking because the book we'll be talking about today, Woom by Duncan Ralston, falls into that category. I'm familiar with some of Ralston's other work, but hadn't heard about Woom until I saw it on TikTok. A lot of readers on the platform said the book tested their limits or mentioned that they had to stop reading at parts because it made them physically ill. Naturally, this piqued my interest. I'm not sure what that says about me.

I've mentioned before that I'm a massive horror fan. Since I was 12, I've been consuming any horror content I can get my hands on. When I started diving into horror, there were a lot of things I couldn't handle. Nowadays, I'm a lot more desensitized. I like to think I'm hard to shock. Woom manages to do that. This book hits on so many things that make me uncomfortable, but I still couldn't put it down. Here's a back-cover summary:

"I believe pain lingers," Angel said. "Do I believe in spirits? In the supernatural? Probably not."

The Lonely Motel holds many dark secrets... and Room 6 just might possess the worst of them all.

Angel knows all about pain. His mother died in this room. He's researched its history. Today he's come back to end it, no matter the cost, once and for all.

Shyla, a plus-sized escort, thinks the stories Angel tells her can't be true. Secrets so vile, you won't want to let them inside you.

But the Lonely Motel doesn't forget. It doesn't forgive. And it always claims its victim.

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Extreme horror is a subgenre full of explicit, violent detail. It's an assault on the senses. In terms of MPAA ratings, extreme horror films typically garner NC-17 ratings. Hopefully, this loose definition gives you an idea of what we're working with.

Some common themes and elements of extreme horror include mutilation and gore, violence that doesn't "cut away," bodily fluids and excretions, crimes against humanity, and animal abuse. For the most part, I avoid extreme horror because it can veer into sexual assault territory for the sake of shock, which I've never been a fan of. I am pleased to report that no sexual assault happens in this book. It is mentioned as something that happened to a character in the past, but she doesn't go into detail. I appreciated how respectfully Ralston handles that in a genre where he could have gone so much further.

Now, I'm about to spoil a significant plot point in the book. If you don't want to be spoiled, you can skip this paragraph and continue reading the review below. Ready? Here we go. Although it could be argued that Angel's invasion of Shyla is an instance of sexual assault. I didn't find anything sexual about it.

Author, Duncan Ralston

After all, Angel isn't sticking his head inside her to get off. He wants to be reborn. Still, I'd be remiss if I didn't touch on this point. It's one of the most flagrant examples of how wild and explicit this book gets. If you don't think you can handle that, I'd encourage you not to read it.

Other things in the book that might turn readers off include self-performed abortion, sticking foreign objects in body cavities, drug overdose, and feces. I struggled at some of these points, but Ralston does such a great job setting the scene and conveying suspense and creeping dread that I had to keep reading to see what came next.

Woom is a short, brutal read with an ending that sticks with you. I read the whole book in one sitting. It gets four stars from me. If you're interested in reading the book for yourself, you can purchase it on Amazon (or read it for free with Kindle Unlimited). You can also follow Duncan Ralston on Twitter and Instagram. Until next time!

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Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven

August 13, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

Hey, you all. Welcome back to Fully Booked! Today, I'll be sharing my review of Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven by Jessica McHugh. I haven't seen much discussion about this book, so I'm thrilled I get to cover it in this week's column. This was my first time reading McHugh's work and it certainly won't be my last. This book is eerie, engrossing, and extreme in all the right ways. Here's a summary from the back cover:

Since the rise of The Council, an oligarchy of despots and deviants, the legendary Capesman undertakes daily soul collections from Cartesia’s wasteland cities and battlefields. He also frequents Malay Prison, where a vigilante named Shal plots her escape. Armed with a thirst for vengeance and a sharp Shakespearean tongue, Shal must navigate a maze of trauma to save Cartesia and protect her sister from the brutal machinations of Chancellor Doa.

It will require all of Shal’s strength and cunning to resurrect her former army, battle the betrayals of the past, and avenge her father’s death. Will she survive long enough to see the Council fall, or is the Capesman coming for her next?

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In case you can't tell from the summary, this horror book leans heavily into the fantasy genre. I wasn't expecting that when I started reading, but since that is also a genre I enjoy, I certainly didn't mind. As I dove into the book, I had a hard time putting it down. McHugh combines gritty, evocative imagery with captivating characters and compelling prose for a visceral, unforgettable ride. Shal is easy to relate to, and throughout the book, I found myself eager for her to succeed. It felt like her wins were my wins, her failures my failures.

For me, the cast of characters can make or break a horror book. If I can't relate to them or fully understand their stakes, I can't root for them. If I don't care whether they succeed, there's no point in continuing the story. Thus, Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven captured my imagination and attention almost right away and held both throughout--which is even more impressive. If you're like me and want horror with characters you can relate to, this novel is a must-read.

Another thing worth commending here is McHugh's pacing. Although fantasy lends itself to info-dumping, McHugh never crossed into that territory. When conveying information about Shal's world, she kept it short and relevant to the action unfolding on the page. There were no parts of this book that felt too slow or too quick. I would say that the pacing, along with McHugh's top-notch characterization, is what encouraged me to keep turning the pages.

Author Jessica McHugh

A word of caution, however: This book can be confusing. Although the pacing is well done, there are time jumps that could be disorienting to some readers. Also, since the book is set in a different world, some worldbuilding aspects might be difficult to grasp. I don't mind putting in a little work to get the story, so I felt fine. However, I've seen similar points in other readers' reviews. I would be remiss not to list them here.

I can't believe I haven't touched on the dialogue yet! The humor, wit, and realism of the dialogue not only helped characterize the people in the book but also made the world of Cartesia more real. If you're a sucker for good dialogue, this book would be perfect for you. Overall, I give Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven by Jessica McHugh five stars. It's a stellar read that I'd wager flourishes with a reread, too. I'll keep you posted on that one.

If you're interested in Nightly Owl, Fatal Raven, you can snag your own copy on Amazon. You can also keep up with Jessica McHugh on Instagram, Twitter, and her website. McHugh is also a frequent contributor to The Wicked Library, and you can hear her work by clicking on the cover images on her author page.

Let me know what indie horror book you think I should review next!

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Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: The House on Abigail Lane

August 6, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

Happy, happy Friday! Let's get down to business now—book business, that is. Once again, you're reading Fully Booked with Briana Morgan, and today I'm reviewing Kealan Patrick Burke's The House on Abigail Lane. Kealan is a five-time Bram Stoker Award Nominee and a Bram Stoker Award Winner for his book The Turtle Boy. Two of his books, Sour Candy and The House on Abigail Lane, have been optioned for film. I'll probably review Sour Candy in the future. For now, we'll focus on The House on Abigail Lane.

Here's an overview of the book:

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary American home, but since its construction in 1956, people have vanished as soon as they go upstairs, the only clues the things they leave behind: a wedding ring, a phone...an eye.

In its sixty-year history, a record number of strange events have been attributed to the house, from the neighbors waking up to find themselves standing in the yard outside, to the grieving man who vanished before a police officer's eyes. The animals gathering in the yard as if summoned. The people who speak in reverse. The lights and sounds. The music. The grass dying overnight...and the ten-foot clown on the second floor.

And as long as there are mysteries, people will be compelled to solve them.

Here, then, is the most comprehensive account of the Abigail House phenomenon, the result of sixty years of eyewitness accounts, news reports, scientific research, and parapsychological investigations, all in an attempt to decode the enduring mystery that is...

...THE HOUSE ON ABIGAIL LANE.

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This book reminded me of Mark Z. Danielewsk's House of Leaves. Like that book, The House on Abigail Lane plays with warping space and time, as well as providing an unsettling and immersive atmosphere. Much like House of Leaves, The House on Abigail Lane unfolds via news reports, eyewitness accounts, and more documentary-style "footage," so to speak. I'm a self-proclaimed found footage fanatic when it comes to horror. I love The Blair Witch Project, The Houses October Built, Paranormal Activity, and all your standard found footage films. I'm also a sucker for found footage in video games, like sections of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (which I have played through twice this year). In books, some of my recent found footage favorites include Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke (which you're welcome to read my review of here) and Devolution by Max Brooks. Now, I would add The House of Abigail Lane

to that list.

I love found footage so much that I'm working on writing my own found footage book--but I digress. In addition to providing an engrossing and engaging spooky atmosphere in The House of Abigail Lane, Kealan comments on issues such as post-Vietnam War PTSD and racial injustice. At its core, the book is a haunted house novella, but it is also so much more than that. As a credit to Kealan's storytelling, as I read, I was tempted to Google whether the events of the book actually happened. They haven't, of course, but they could. That's an earmark of good horror.

One of my favorite things about The House on Abigail Lane is how much terror and unease Kealan unleashes in 68 pages. It's a

Author, Kealan Patrick Burke

quick read that never lets up, and the tension throughout makes the novella difficult to put down. The worldbuilding here is phenomenal too--as I mentioned before, the events referenced in the book felt so real that I could believe they had really taken place. If it's not clear, I give The House on Abigail Lane by Kealan Patrick Burke five stars.

You can find Kealan's books on Amazon as well as other retailers. He's active on Twitter and Instagram and designs book covers as Elderlemon Design. Full disclosure: he's my cover designer, so maybe I'm biased, but his work is impeccable. What do you think of The House of Abigail Lane? Please let me know in the comments below! I'll see you all next Friday for more Fully Booked.

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Fully Booked, with Briana Morgan: Seeing Things

July 30, 2021 Briana Morgan Comments Off

As a reader, I tend to gravitate toward adult fiction. I used to read a lot of young adult fiction—when I was writing more young adult fiction myself—but have seldom strayed into middle grade fiction. At least, not since I was at the “right” age for middle grade fiction.

For a long time, I also (mistakenly) assumed that middle grade horror didn’t have any bite. I didn’t think it could unsettle me or find a way to get under my skin. The first book I read that changed my mind was Seeing Things by Sonora Taylor.

Released in June 2020, Seeing Things tells the story of a girl named Abby who is spending the summer at her uncle’s house. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, as you can tell from the back cover text:

Abby Gillman has discovered that with growing up, there comes a lot of blood. But nothing prepares her for the trail of blood she sees in the hallway after class - or the ghost she finds crammed inside an abandoned locker.

No one believes Abby, of course. She’s only seeing things. As much as Abby wants to be believed, what she wants more is to know why she can suddenly see the dead. Unfortunately, they won’t tell her. In fact, none of them will speak to her. At all.

Abby leaves for her annual summer visit to her uncle’s house with tons of questions. The visit will give her answers the ghosts won’t - but she may not like what she finds out.

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In Seeing Things, we experience the world through Abby’s point of view. I’m not so far removed from being a preteen that I don’t remember what it’s like, and Sonora does a great job of portraying such a youthful character without oversimplifying her thoughts and emotions.

The story is a mystery, but more than that, it’s horror with the elements of a supernatural thriller. It’s also an engaging narrative about a girl trying to find her place in the world and in her family while solving a decades-old local murder. I love the voice in the book as well as Abby’s frustration—not only with her sudden ability to see ghosts, but with the adults in her life for treating her like a child and not taking her seriously because of her age.

The ghosts presented throughout the book are also pretty scary. Sonora’s use of evocative description and vivid imagery made it easy for me to picture them, as well as to understand why Abby is so afraid of them. I was surprised by how spooky they were.

Author, Sonora Taylor

I love a good coming-of-age story intermingled with some family drama, and Seeing Things provides exactly that. Along with Abby’s newfound ability to see the dead comes the unraveling of some long-buried secrets. Like most of the other books I’ve reviewed for this column so far, this one is short, so I won’t go too much in depth here. But trust me when I say this story builds toward a compelling climax that wraps up in a neat resolution.

Seeing Things makes a short, emotional read that’s perfect for the summer. If you’re looking for bite-sized thrills, you’ll want to snag a copy. The book is available on Amazon, and you can follow Sonora Taylor on Instagram and Twitter. I’ll also be tabling with her at Scares that Care! It’s okay to be jealous.

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