Book Review | Benny Rose, the Cannibal King by Hailey Piper

Benny Rose, the Cannibal King is a horror novella by Hailey Piper.

Blackwood, Vermont has one legend to its name—Benny Rose, the Cannibal King. Every local kid knows him and tells his stories, especially on Halloween. When a new girl moves to town in the autumn of 1987, the legend inspires high school junior Desiree St. Fleur and her friends to pull a Benny Rose-themed prank. A few laughs and screams, and they’ll have a Happy Halloween.

But a vicious storm crashes into Blackwood and interrupts the festivities. Soon the girls find themselves trapped and hunted in a strange neighborhood where no one will help them. There’s nothing made-up about Benny Rose this Halloween night. The truth is coming, and it's hungry.

Book 3 in the Rewind-or-Die series: imagine your local movie rental store back in the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, remember all those fantastic covers. Remember taking those movies home and watching in awe as the stories unfolded in nasty rainbows of gore, remember the atmosphere and textures. Remember the blood.

Benny Rose is another catch up review for me. It's been a couple of months since I read it, but I'm still happy to sing its praises.

Benny Rose is part of Unnerving's Rewind or Die series which I'm assuming are all written to play out like horror movies. This is the first of the Rewind or Die line that I've read, but I will definitely be picking up the rest of them.

Benny Rose is a gory, coming of age horror centered around an urban legend and a group of girls on Halloween. Is there a better way to spend your evening?

You don't need to wait until October to read this one, but if you haven't read it by the time October rolls around, it really is the perfect book to read for the Halloween season.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

4/5 stars

Book Review | To Be Devoured by Sara Tantlinger

To Be Devoured is a horror novella by Sara Tantlinger.

What does carrion taste like? Andi has to know. The vultures circling outside her home taunt and invite her to come understand the secrets hiding in their banquet of decay. Fascination morphs into an obsessive need to know what the vultures know. Andi turns to Dr. Fawning, but even the therapist cannot help her comprehend the secrets she’s buried beneath anger-induced blackouts.

Her girlfriend, Luna, tries to help Andi battle her inner darkness and infatuation with the vultures. However, the desire to taste dead flesh, to stitch together wings of her own and become one with the flock sends Andi down a twisted, unforgivable path. Once she understands the secrets the vultures conceal, she must decide between abandoning the birds of prey or risk turning her loved ones into nothing more than meals to be devoured.

Good Lord. I don't know how to feel about To Be Devoured. I "devoured" it... and I also wanted to throw up a bit.

If you are a squeamish reader or hate gore of any kind, move along. If you love to be pulled in and disturbed to your core, lay down your money on this one.

Sara Tantlinger is known for her (Bram Stoker Award winning) poetry. This novella is certainly poetic and it's also... I have no words.

In the end, I really liked it, and I was really glad I wasn't eating while reading it.

⭐⭐⭐⭐★

Book Review | The Sea Was a Fair Master by Calvin Demmer

The Sea Was a Fair Master is a collection of flash fiction from Calvin Demmer.

The world’s fate lies with a comatose young girl; an android wants to remember a human she once knew under Martian skies; men at sea learn that the ocean is a realm far different from land, where an unforgiving god rules; a school security guard discovers extreme English class; and a man understands what the behemoth beneath the sea commands of him.

The Sea Was a Fair Master is a collection of 23 stories, riding the currents of fantasy, science fiction, crime, and horror. There are tales of murder, death, loss, revenge, greed, and hate. There are also tales of hope, survival, and love.

For the sea was a fair master.

The Sea Was a Fair Master was such a fun read. I want more!

The Sea Was a Fair Master is a collection of 23 flash fiction stories. I have been toting these stories around for a few weeks now reading them when I had just enough time for bite size chunks. I'm going to have withdrawals now that I have finished the last story.

I always feel like the shorter the story is, the harder it must have been to write. I'm really impressed that Calvin Demmer was able to intrigue me and entertain me with such short selections.

If you are in the market for some wicked little stories, The Sea Was a Fair Master is a great collection to pick up.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Review copy provided by author