Slap Happy Fun Time

     Whore  - Matt Shaw  4/5      What can I say about Matt Shaw that hasn't already been said? You could say that he's sick, twisted, and yes even brilliant. Whore is one of the titles in the black cover series and I've begun to notice that more and whore writers are presenting these covers which tells you that Shaw is doing something right. Right off I should warn you that this is not your typical paint by the numbers piece of fiction. Shaw grabs you by the throat and when he's done choking the life out of you he just tosses you in a corner and waves good-bye.      Whore is a jarring work. This is reality based fiction at its finest and Shaw offers no apologies at all for what he's written and that's how good fiction should be. Even at its darkest point you can't help but feel drawn to the title character. This is a woman who feels justified in what she's doing, but is she? That is the question here. Shaw writes dark brut...

Salem's Vengeance - Aaron Galvin  3/5                                                I received a free copy of this from Netgalley and I have to be honest and admit that I'm not a fan of historical fiction, but being a horror writer I am intrigued by the Salem Witch Trials and have read countless books regarding the subject both fiction and nonfiction. As I began to read Vengeance I was immediately pulled into the story. Galvin certainly did his research and it shows in his writing. It's a well thought out book that truly captures the era that the story takes place. This is also the first book in a trilogy which usually means a lot of back story so that the next two books have something to hinge upon. The first book is how the author captures your attention and Salem's Vengeance does that.      As a whole the book is hit or miss. By the ...

   The Mind Is A Razorblade - Max Booth III  5/5          I got a copy of this from Max himself and in all honesty I can't say that I simply read his latest novel, I devoured the damn thing in two days. Hands down this is easily one of my favorite books and if you've never heard of this guy you should just stop reading for a second and just buy the book. The influences here are too many to name but if you like dark noir fiction, or ever wonder what Dark City would look like if David Lynch directed it you have a pretty good idea of what you're in for. Booth just doesn't write in one genre. He experiments in many and it all flows seamlessly. You have elements of bizarro and splatterpunk making out with science fiction, but it never bogs down the plot. If anything all of these different genres make the overall story that much better, and stronger.      The strength of Razor Blade is Booth's writing style. You are su...

     The Ghost - Andrew Lowe   2/5                                                                             The premise to Andrew Lowe's debut novel sounds pretty exciting. When I saw it on Netgalley I was instantly intrigued and wanted to check it out. The problem is that the premise makes the book sound more exciting than it actually is. This is one of those novels that show a great deal of promise but never gains a great deal of momentum. I've read books with the same themes and they're executed a lot better than this one is. Don't get me wrong. Andrew Lowe is a talented writer, but the book limps along and I really felt obligated to finish it just to see what happens. The book is just boring and the end left me feeling as if I had just wasted three days of my life....

Richard Laymon - Allhallow's Eve 4/5                                                             All Hallow's Eve is an interesting novel for a variety of reasons. It's not your typical Laymon novel. By this time people knew what to expect from him so this to me felt as if he were showing the critics that he was capable of creating a novel that was void of its usual mayhem. Eve is Laymon's attempt at a straight horror novel and surprisingly it works. Laymon proves here that he is a great story teller, but there is the usual references to sex, but not as much as say Come Out Tonight. These are still Laymon characters and when I say that I don't mean that to be derogatory at all. Laymon's characters are all a little flawed and show us that everyone has a darkside. All Hallow's Eve is no exception except for the fact that the action...

      Vampire Strippers From Saturn 5/5                                       I know what you're thinking. Another vampire novel? This isn't you're ordinary run of the mill vampire tale though. Bilof's has a knack for invading other genre's and blending them all together into something unique. With Strippers you have horror, sci-fi, and bizarro melding together with excellent results. As a writer you just need to take risks and Strippers is the kind of book that will at times seem to make no sense at all, but as the story progresses you begin to see pieces fall into place and the story overall is like an B-movie from the fifties force fed a bunch of really good drugs and allowed to run amok.       I loved the overall idea of the novel. The strippers are here to destroy earth but nothing is ever easy and this is where the book really shines. ...

      Time Of Grace - Catt Dahman   5/5                                           I have to be honest and say that this is the first time I've read one of Catt's books and I can assure you that this won't be the last. This is a well written novel that isn't exactly a straight up horror novel but it does contain some supernatural elements that add a bite to the story. The thing I loved about Time Of Grace was Catt's writing style. Written in the first person but you feel as if you know these characters and as the story unfolds the key elements feel almost real and I was shocked as the story progressed, Anytime I read a book that starts of strong I always expect it all to fall apart at some point, but this never did.        Catt's a talented writer that knows how to hook her readers and this one has big giant meaty hooks. Sometimes...