book reviews

Book reviews for horror fans; weather a sleepless night with literary accounts of hauntings, possessions, zombies, vampires and beyond.

The Cabin in the Woods
Nestled deep within a dense, ancient forest, there stood a secluded cabin, a relic of a bygone era. The cabin was a haven for those seeking solace and escape from the noise and chaos of the modern world. Surrounded by towering trees and a tranquil lake, it was a place of serenity and beauty, a place where one could reconnect with nature and find peace.
By Rajesh kumar 3 years ago in Horror
The Mirror's Malevolence
In the quiet, forgotten town of Ravenscroft, nestled deep within a dense forest, there stood an imposing mansion known as Blackthorn Manor. The manor was a relic of a bygone era, with its grand architecture and dark, looming presence that sent shivers down the spines of those who passed by. The townsfolk whispered stories about the mansion, tales of mysterious disappearances and eerie occurrences that seemed to plague it for centuries.
By Rajesh kumar 3 years ago in Horror
The Abandoned Asylum. Content Warning.
The night was moonless, and the air was thick with an eerie stillness as a group of friends gathered around a flickering campfire deep in the heart of the forest. The fire's feeble light cast long, dancing shadows on their faces as they huddled together, their faces aglow with anticipation. It was a chilly autumn evening, perfect for sharing ghost stories, and they had come to hear the tale of the Abandoned Asylum.
By Rajesh kumar 3 years ago in Horror
The Haunting of Chandramukhi Mansion. Content Warning.
Once upon a chilling October night, in a remote village nestled deep within the dense forests of India, stood the ominous Chandramukhi Mansion. This decrepit structure had long been abandoned by the villagers, who believed it to be cursed. The air around the mansion was thick with an eerie silence, and the moonlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy of trees that surrounded it.
By anu shani3 years ago in Horror
Whispers in the Shadows. Content Warning.
The Old Manor! In the heart of a remote, mist-shrouded valley, nestled deep within a dense forest, stood the old Wilkins Manor. It was a mansion with a storied history, one whispered about in hushed tones by the locals. The manor was rumored to be cursed, and those who dared to venture too close claimed to have heard eerie whispers emanating from its darkened windows.
By Rajesh kumar 3 years ago in Horror
The Wailing Willow!. Content Warning.
In a secluded corner of a quaint village nestled beside a meandering river, there stood a grove like no other. Tall, ancient trees stretched their gnarled limbs towards the sky, casting a perpetual twilight beneath their canopy. But among these majestic trees, one in particular was known to all—the Wailing Willow.
By Rajesh kumar 3 years ago in Horror
a ghost story
One day, a tale of ghosts emerged, sparking beliefs and skepticism among individuals. Neela, positioned between the two camps, adamantly dismissed the existence of ghosts and disembodied spirits. She frequently admonished the children of the household, challenging the notion of ghosts: were they truly real? Why did people ghost? What was the rationale behind their fear?
By Md Babul Hossain3 years ago in Horror
The Coven's Unseen Bond
Title: "The Coven's Unseen Bond" Spell: Serpentis spiralis, umbra in tenebris. In the heart of the mystical Blackwood Forest, a coven of witches gathered beneath a moonlit canopy of ancient oaks. They stood in a circle, their cloaks fluttering in the cool night breeze, and their eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. At the center of their circle, a cauldron simmered, casting eerie shadows that danced on the forest floor. The coven's leader, Lady Seraphina, raised her gnarled staff and chanted the incantation that would bind them together in a web of magic.
By ARTIST3 years ago in Horror
Scout's Honor
This was a new addition to my bookshelf, and my growing TBR pile, that was bought on a whim during an unscheduled (and quite unnecessary) trip to the bookstore. This particular book happened to be on one of the display tables around the store, and I’m a sucker for a good book display, so I grabbed myself a copy and, after some more browsing and selecting, made my way to the cashier with a small stack of books wrapped in my arms. I’m not entirely sure why, perhaps something intuitively sank its hooks in me, but I knew that this was a book that I needed to begin right away. After more than 150 pages in one night, I was captivated, engrossed, and frankly horrified, but I couldn’t seem to put it down.
By Kurt Mason3 years ago in Horror
Don’t go into room13. Content Warning.
I was walking through the hallways of the hotel, when I passed Room 13. I thought nothing of it, until I heard a small noise, almost like a scratching sound, coming from inside the room. It made me stop in my tracks, and my instincts wanted to open the door and see what was going on, but I remembered the rule. Knowing that I was not allowed to enter Room 13, I turned around to walk away. Suddenly, I heard another loud crash. It was undeniable that it had come from Room 13. I couldn't ignore all of these strange sounds coming from the room. I had always been taught to act on instinct, and all of my instincts told me that there was something very, very wrong with Room .The door was locked, but it was not impossible to force it open. It took a lot of strength, but eventually, the door opened a crack, and then I was able to pull it open enough for me to be able to carefully slip into the room. The first thing that I noticed was that the room was pitch black inside. I tried to adjust my eyes, but I couldn't see a thing. It was like stepping into a complete void of darkness. I knew where the light switch should have been, so I felt all the way up the wall for it, but there was no switch. I tried to take a step forward into the room, but I as I stepped, my foot hit something. It was solid enough to make me lose my balance slightly. Slowly, I bent down to touch whatever this thing was. As soon as I put my hand on it, I could feel that there was something very strange going on. It almost felt like a leg, almost like that of a person.But that couldn't be possible. I reached out, behind me, but all I could feel was another leg, seemingly coming from another body. I reached out again, only to feel another. An arm this time, then a torso, another leg. It was endless. I felt as though I was surrounded. Except, there was something odd about these arms and legs. They just didn't feel quite...alive.I immediately felt sick. There was no way, absolutely no way that I could be standing in the middle of a room full of bodies, but it all made sense. The strange rule about not stepping foot in Room 13. Of course. It all made sense. This was where the bodies were hidden.I didn't want to believe it, but there seemed like no other explanation. I felt completely sickened, my head spinning, a shiver running up my spine. There was no way. I'd never even seen a dead body before, let alone be surrounded by them in a pitch black hotel room. Was this what happened to people who entered Room 13?I put a hand on the wall to steady myself, and I suddenly felt the light switch. Feeling relieved by that, I quickly turned it on, and watched light flood the room. This was it. I was mentally preparing myself for the sight of, possibly over twenty dead bodies, a sight that would surely make me sick.However, when the light turned on, I was not met with the horrifying sight of countless murder scenes. Instead, all lined up around the room, some perfectly propped up, and others sprawled on the floor, were human-sized, doll-like figures. They looked just, almost human, except for one eerie difference.They didn't have eyes. Just black, void-like holes where eyes should have been. Their necks were oddly floppy too, drooping to the side. What was most horrifying about these life-size dolls, was that they almost exactly resembled all of the hotel staff members that I had become so familiar with.I saw the doll version of Kelly, her head falling into her lap. I saw Mark, the waiter, with huge black holes where his eyes should have been. I saw Elizabeth, who was sprawled on the floor, legs sticking out. I even saw Catherine, propped up against the wall, like she was in a child's dollhouse. I wanted to scream, run away, do anything. This was somehow worse than seeing the disgusting sight of bodies. This was ten times creepier, and made me feel goosebumps up my arms. I wanted to drive away from the hotel, from the town, and never look back.The one thing that still stuck in my mind, was the fact that every single staff member had a doll here, even the newest hires. Everyone had a life-like, floppy doll, looking like an eyeless corpse. The only doll that was missing, the only member of staff that didn't have a matching doll, was me. There was no doll in Room 13 that resembled me. Somehow, that fact was far more chilling.I was about to take my phone out of my pocket, to take photos, or call the police, or do anything about this terrifying situation, when all of a sudden, the room went black. Pitch black. I tried to move again, but I couldn't. My legs would not stand up and run, my arms would not reach out to steady myself. I couldn't move. I was fixed, I was stuck, I was trappedJust then, I felt someone holding my shoulders, propping me up against the wall. I wanted to scream, or see who it was, but it felt like I was trapped inside my own body. I was completely unable to move.The hands extended my arms and legs, and I even felt the hands around my neck, making it flop forward ever so slightly, just as it had done on the dolls. That was when I realised it. The 'dolls' inside Room 13 were not life-like copies of the hotel staff members, they were the hotel staff members. And I was about to meet the very same fate, in Room 13.If only I had just listened.
By Luther3 years ago in Horror
5 Great Folk Horror Novels
Here I am again. Here I am talking about folk horror... We have covered books, we have covered films and we have even covered short stories. Now it is time for novels to get their own little section and unfortunately enough for me, I have already included the horrifying Starve Acre in one of the lists so it will not be making an appearance here.
By Annie Kapur3 years ago in Horror
No One Will Save You . Content Warning.
Brian Duffield’s newest feature, “No One Will Save You,” is a sci-fi horror film with a lot of potential. Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) is isolated from her community. She spends her days alone at
By faisal khan3 years ago in Horror