New Review for THE TUB!

Reviewed by Claudia Rhyes, Manic Readers

Amanda Storey works for RiteCost, and has been sent to the little town of Itsy, Oklahoma to try and persuade the town’s people that having the mega-store built in their small community will benefit everyone. When her reservation at the town inn has been filled, she finds another room at a little bed and breakfast. The only problem is the B&B has more in store for her then just a bed to sleep in.

The Tub kept me interested the entire time. There was sex, albeit horrific toward the end, and horror that had me widening my eyes in shock. I don’t want to say too much and give the story away, but all I have to say is when Amanda pulled that head out of the water, I felt my stomach turn. The horror was definitely there, and despite this being a very short tale, it packed quite a punch!

CODE 30 Has Been Reviewed by Manic Readers!

Alexis Hembree is a cop. She and her partner may beat the bad guys, but they are also fighting against something far more dangerous. Evil is attracted to them, and no matter where they seem to go, it follows close on their heels.


303 Lexington St. isn’t your average house, no; it is something much, much more. Used as a crack house, criminals come and go, but more times than not, who enters 303 Lexington St. typically doesn’t leave.

There are things in the world that just can’t be explained. But when those supernatural creatures present themselves to Alexis, she must fight them with everything she has. Although some cops may fight your average run of the mill criminals, Lexie fights something much more deadly, and a whole lot scarier.

What can I say about Code 30? The better question is what can’t I say?! This story is set in first person, Alexis (Lexi) Hembree being our narrator. The story was well over a hundred pages, and so worth the read. Lexi is a tough cop that doesn’t take crap from anyone. The house on Lexington St. isn’t your average house. Couple a frightening building, with a woman who has strength and courage, and you have yourself a scene that will knock your socks off…literally.

This is definitely a horror story, for sure, and if you are squeamish I would suggest not reading this. But if you want a story that is frighteningly authentic and will make you remember the details long after the light has been turned off, then I would suggest this story. Below are a few quotes from Code 30 that I found particularly horrifying and descriptive.

“Two bodies completely dismantled, yet their hands were as clean and pristine as if they’d just washed them. Their bodies hacked almost in half, yet there was no evidence of who had done in whom.”

“She was there as I had known she would be. The ice picks glittered in the light. Blood dripped off the tips of her toes, forming a puddle of reddish-brown gore on the dirt-packed floor.”

There were twists and turns, and situations I didn’t see coming. The horror in this story was spine tingling. I can’t even begin to explain how Ms. Mooney described so well and so fluidly the acts and deprivations that occurred. There was sadness in this story, but don’t get me wrong, this was 100% horror city.

Well done Ms. Mooney, I hope every horror fans takes a look at Code 30 because it is so worth it!

~ Reviewed by Claudia, Manic Readers

Book Review - IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE ZOMBIES

A few years back I came across a "book" (it was really a greeting card) of Peanuts Halloween Carols, sung to the tune of traditional Christmas carols. As an elementary school teacher, I loved pulling out the overhead transparencies I'd made of them, and shining the words up on the screen for my upper grades to sing. What was neater was to play instrumentals of those carols, and sing them.

Now comes It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Zombies. For the horror fanatic in me, it was ideal. Although very tongue in cheek and a bit gross in spots, nevertheless the songs in this book are hilarious and would make ideal karaoke at parties. Just plug in the music!

One small gripe, however. As an ex-music teacher (with a BM and MM, and 25+ years teaching music before I went into the Kindergarten classroom), I'm very picky about "piggyback songs" - ie. songs with new words being sung to already familiar tunes. IBtLaLLZ has problems with the words of some songs not quite fitting the tunes assigned to it. But if this sort of thing doesn't bother you, my recommendation is to

Book Review - AFRAID by Jack Kilborn

The US government spends billions of dollars training soldiers to kill. Now they’re attempting an alternative approach. Instead of turning soldiers into killers, the military has trained five psychopathic murderers to be part of a classified Special Forces unit.

Codename: Red-Ops

They are the most fearsome weapon ever created, meant to be dropped behind enemy lines. Their goals: Isolate. Terrorize. Annihilate. Five Hannibal Lectors with Rambo training. But something horrible has happened...

Welcome to Safe Haven, Population 907

A tiny community of families, retirees, and artists, nestled between Big Lake and Little Lake MacDonald in the northwoods. One road in, one road out, thirty miles away from everything. A town so small and peaceful they don’t even have a full time police force.

Hell has come to Safe Haven

On their way to a mission, the Red Ops helicopter has crashed just outside of town. The team is now roaming free in the wilderness, heading for the nearest lights. Heading there to do what they do best.

Soon the phone lines are cut, the cell phones jammed, and the road blocked. Safe Haven’s only chance for survival rests on the shoulders of an aging county Sheriff. And as the body count rises, he’s quickly realizing something terrifying—maybe the Red Ops haven’t come to his small town by accident...

Safe Haven, Wisconsin. Population 907. . . 906. . . 905. . .

Are you afraid of the dark? You should be. You will be.

~~~~~~~~

I knew I was getting into something great when I heard myself whisper "Oh, shit!" while reading.

I think the above blurb (found on Kilborn's website here) is enough explanation as to what the story is about. What it doesn't give you is the flat-out stomach churning atrocities dealt to these residents. As a woman, I wasn't much impressed with the details and descriptions about what kinds of guns, etc., were being used, but I could understand why that information was crucial to the story. I'm normally not a fan of military type stories, but the blurb drew me to this book, and I'm so glad I bought it.

This is definitely one story I would love to see in film!

My recommendation?

A New Review for EENIE MEENIE

My short horror story gets kudos!

http://blog.lyndacoker.net/2009/08/10/wrdf-review-of-eenie-meenie-by-gail-smith.aspx?results=1

A tantalizing short story, Eenie Meenie wastes no time racing out of the starting gate to seize the reader’s attention. Gail Smith immediately sets her tone, reaching out to her audience through the eyes of Jack, a sinister vagrant whose ruthlessness knows no bounds. However, just when the reader thinks he has the story figured, Smith unleashes a surprise of her own, keeping the reader thrilled from start to finish.

Character description good, dialogue spot-on accurate, my only reservation was the trace of passive language used, barely noticeable amidst the well-paced developed plot. Eenie Meenie earns its black ribbon.

Reviewed By Evie Alexis
WRDF Review

You Gotta Read Reviews Gives EENIE MEENIE Its Highest Praise!

Rating: You Gotta Read
Reviewer: Laura

Something lives in the big black plastic garbage bag. Something that isn't human. Something that depends on the goodwill of others to provide it with food. Fortunately, it's not particular if its meal is dead, long dead... or alive.

Ms. Smith definitely knows how to write a story. I was reading along the first page or so not expecting at all what came next. I am a great reader of horror stories. Never have I been grabbed by the throat and so thoroughly scared within a matter of a few pages. The fact that this writer can generate that kind of emotion in a reader in a story that is less than 20 pages speaks volumes. There is build up; there is anticipation; there is speculation, and there is a whopping, power-punch conclusion. This is one story not to be missed by any fan of great horror stories.

http://yougottareadreviews.blogspot.com/search?q=eenie+meenie