Book Review: Open Wounds by Brandon Ford

We've reviewed a few earlier works by horror author Brandon Ford (here, here, and here) and now he is back with his latest novel, Open Wounds. This time though, he is treading on different ground. This is a different type of horror and it has Ford traveling on roads with the likes of Jack Ketchum.

Truth be told? He travels the road well and gives us a dark, haunting, and tragic story of a young girl whose life spirals out of control after her parents divorce and her mother hauls her to Philadelphia.

While horrific things happen in this story, I'd almost hesitate to call it a horror novel. It really is a dark drama and a nightmarish coming of age story. I don't want to get to deep into the plot for fear of spoilers but let's just say that Ford puts his heroine through hell.

I'm a big fan of Ford's and have enjoyed his work thus far.  Open Wounds is another success for him but it is not without a few flaws. Personally, I think we lose a few of the characters too soon and their involvement and actions sort of feel forced to fit the scope of the story. This doesn't ruin the book by any means, I just think certain characters should have reacted differently and been more intricate in how things eventually turn out.

That said, Brandon Ford has again given us a dark and at times disturbing story that gets under your skin and stays there for days after having finished it. That is not an easy task and it is a testament to his talent that he can give us characters that we feel for and root for and who sticks with us even after the book is closed.

Open Wounds is not for the faint of heart, it is not for those looking for a fun scary read. It is intense, it is dark, and it is an author flexing his skills and delivering a truly affecting work of fiction.

Open Wounds by Brandon Ford

8/10 Cuts!

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Book Review: Merciless by Brandon Ford

We've had nothing but praise for independent horror author Brandon Ford (Pay Phone, Decayed Etchings), as you can see from our inclusion on the cover of his latest offering, Merciless, and I have to say the praise will keep coming.

Merciless is a devastating novella based on true events that will get right under your skin, nearly from the start.  It's extremely intense and all the more horrific considering the factual events it is based on. 

I hesitate to go too much into detail as far as plot goes.  I will say that you get brutal murders, kidnappings, lots of blood, well, all you want from a dark and creepy story.

I watch a lot of horror films and read a lot of horror books so it's not often that I have a "holy shit!" moment.  I'm happy to say I had a few reading this, and not just from Merciless either.  The book also includes 3 other stories including, "The Neighbor," "All I Ever Wanted," and "Last Call," each of which showcase the ever growing talent that Brandon Ford has at his fingertips.

 With each book of Ford's that I read I am only more impressed.  He just gets better and better and his grasp on short fiction is just as strong as it is on long form.  You never grow tired of his words or his characters and he does a great job of sending the chills right down your spine.

Merciless is a prime example of the versatility Ford has.  While the majority of the book is terrifying and disturbing he does sneak up and gives a little tug on the heartstrings (and not with a serrated blade).

I can't recommend Brandon Ford enough and Merciless is an excellent place to start if you wish to dive into his work.

If you subscribe to the idea of a new class in independent horror then Brandon Ford is valedictorian.

Mercliess is available now on your favorite eBook reader  (Kindle or Nook)or physical copy!

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Book Review: The Man Who Loved Books Too Much

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much
Written by: Allison Hoover Bartlett

From the book: John Charles Gilkey is an obsessed, unrepentant book thief who has stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rare books from book fairs, stores, and libraries around the country. Ken Sanders is the self-appointed "bibliodick" (book dealer with a penchant for detective work) driven to catch him. Journalist Allison Hoover Bartlett befriended both eccentric characters and found herself caught in the middle of efforts to recover hidden treasure. With a mixture of suspense, insight, and humor, she not only reveals exactly how Gilkey pulled off his dirtiest crimes and how Sanders ultimately caught him, but also explores the romance of books, the lure to collect them, and the temptation to steal them. Immersing the reader in a rich, wide world of literary obsession, Bartlett looks at the history of book passion, collection, and theft through the ages, to examine the craving that makes some people willing to stop at nothing to possess the books they love.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is the biggest surprise of the year. I certainly wasn't prepared to fall so deeply under its spell, but by the time I finished, I was ready to fall all over again.

Click the Rawr! for the full review.




The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession. So says the text on the front of Allison Hoover Bartlett's brilliant new book. From page one I found myself captivated by her narrative. It reads like a novel but you never forget that this tale is a true one.

It's full of intrigue, laughs, and characters that you find yourself sympathizing for. I'm talking about Gilkey, the man behind the thefts of hundreds of thousands of dollars in rare books, as well as his victims.

For someone thinking that a book about stealing books can't possibly interested, I'll tell you now, that's wrong. I was captivated by this book from page one. Bartlett weaves a spectacular tale the allows us to connect not only with those involved, but with her and her experiences in dealing with Gilkey and those he's stolen from.

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is by far one of the best books I've had the pleasure of reading this year. It's gorgeously paced and intricately plotted with charming and off beat characters. We are taking through the same emotions that Bartlett experienced in trying to understand the reason behind Gilkey's deeds.

Even as I read this book, I found myself getting the bug of book collecting. I've always kept books but I never really thought to seek out rare books until reading this book. It opened my eyes to a world I never really realized I was interested in until reading about it in this book.

That might be the danger is reading this book. You'll fall into it and when you finish, you might find yourself planning a visit to the thrift store and scanning your shelves for a First Edition Stephen King (which I'll be doing this evening!).

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much is in stores now and I highly suggest grabbing a copy. Not only will you discover a great book you'll also discover a great new writer as well. I can't wait to see what she gives us next.

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Book Review: F U Penguin

F U, Penguin: Telling Cute Animals What's What
Written by: Matthew Gasteier

From the back of the book:

There is a cute and present danger lurking out there - in the wild, in the zoos, and sometimes even in our very own homes. Spurred on by the Cute Industrial Complex, these cuddly animals have taken over blockbuster films, inspirational posters, and computer desktops everywhere, further weakening the innocent civilians who are beguiled by these fuzzy frauds.

But you are stronger than them, aren't you? Those soft bellies and wet noses are no match for you - and their free ride has just come to an end.

Inspired by the hugely popular blog, F U, Penguin is the rallying cry for those who choose to fight these power-hungry cute-mongers. Loaded with color photographs and hilarious commentary, this book will have you laughing out loud while it simultaneously saves you from the tragic fate of tossing yarn with big-eyed kittens and bottle-nursing baby pandas forever.

Think puppies, penguins, kangaroos, kittens, moose, and other various animals are cute? Well so does Matthew Gasteier and he's taking them to task for it in this collection of essays from his popular blog, fupenguin.com.

The book is funny and full of ridiculously cute animals being berated by Gasteiers snarky commentary. His tirades aren't limited to just penguins as the book title may suggest. He sets his sites on a menagerie of animals, each one cuter than the last.

The essays are funny and clever but the problem is that they are best in small doses. I found myself getting bored if I read for too long.

I think in most cases a blog is best kept as just that, a blog. Collecting the entries and releasing them as a book takes the uniqueness out of them and makes them a little less enjoyable over time.

Gasteier is a very talented writer and his essays are very funny but I found myself losing the pleasure of reading the book if I read more than a few at a time.

Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy the book, it's just not a book I would recommend reading in one sitting or for longer than ten minutes or so at a time.

Is it worth the $15.00 it costs? Well, that depends really. First read through is entertaining enough (spread over a couple of weeks) but I don't ever see myself going back and reading it again.

I feel like this is ultimately just a novelty book that is doomed to gather dust on a shelf once its reader gets bored with it. That is a shame because Gasteier's work is deserving of more. It might be best to just make his blog a regular stop when you need a laugh at work.

F U. Penguin is in stores now.

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Book Review - The Retreat

The Retreat
Jordan M. Bobe
281 Pages
Publish America

I was lucky enough to get a copy of The Retreat from its author Jordan M. Bobe. I say lucky because, it is quite a read. I have to admit when I read the synopsis and found out the book was about werewolves I was a little skeptical. How many good werewolf books have there been? I'm sure there are some, I just haven't read them. It just seems to me there werewolf stories are better fit for film or television, where we can see the transformations. There is a reason the transformation in "An American Werewolf in London" is one of the most memorable scenes in film history.

In the case of The Retreat, I am proud to say that I'm wrong.

Let's get the basics out of the way. The Retreat is about a group of people in a remote lodge located deep in the Rocky Mountains who find themselves being hunted by a vicious beast. We have a cookie doctor, a creepy medicine man, some guests who don't want to be there, and some interestingly enigmatic resort employees.

Our main character is Nate, a zoologist hired by the retreat owner to research the history of the mountain. We learn early on that Nate is not what he seems and has a past shrouded in darkness.

The region is rife with old Indian legends of Skinwalkers, or people who could transform into various animals. These legends play an important part to the story and Bobe handles them well. Never burying us in the history of the Ute people, he deftly navigates the ancient prophecies and legends and uses them to bring us an exciting and surprising story.

The Retreat is a twist filled horror tale with genuine scares and some excellent wolf transformations. I can totally see this as a movie (Brad Pitt as Nate anyone?).

There is the occasional clunky dialogue, but for the most part his characters ring true. His action is crisp and his plot solid. I have to say it is a great fast read. The majority of his chapters are just a few pages long and if you are able to put it down, you'll have plenty of ready made pause points.

There is plenty of gut churning kills in this for those of you into that. The death scenes are plenty and if a werewolf were real, this is probably exactly how it'd kill someone.

Bobe does a great job of building the tension in the book you never really know who the wolf is until the end. The remote location and the impending major snow storm ratchet up the stress factor.

Overall, the book is a lightning fast read with some great genuine thrills and chills. It's quite possibly one of the best werewolf books of the last few years and Hollywood should snatch it up ASAP.

The Retreat is available now.

Pick up your copy from the Pop Culture Beast Store

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