Recreational Panic: Stories by Sonora Taylor REVIEW

 Summary:

Fear is so much a part of our lives that instead of running away from it, we're finding ways to relax with it. Could it be through a true crime obsession that leads to stalking, or a camp song sung with murderous intent? Maybe it's better suited in an unwieldy email chain, or making crafts with materials dug from the grave. It could even be as simple as petting a kitten - whether it's truly a kitten remains far from simple . . .

My Thoughts:

I flew right through this book. A collection of short stories is a hit or miss, and this was definitely a hit. 

While a couple stories fell flat to me, the majority were intriguing and fun to read. My favorites were definitely "Harvey Carver", "Easy Bake", "Laughter in the Night", "From Scratch", "Bones Into Blood", and "Salty Air".

Sonora Taylor does a fantastic job with her writing. The vivid imagery is arguably the best part of these stories.

I would whole-heartedly recommend this anthology to any horror fan.

My Rating: 5 stars

In the Valley of the Headless Men by L. P. Hernandez REVIEW

Summary:

Nahanni National Park is one of the last truly wild places on earth. Accessible only by plane, and only when the weather cooperates, it's the perfect place for estranged brothers Joseph and Oscar to have an adventure following the death of their mother. Gillian, Joseph's first love, invites herself along in the spirit of friendship.

The park is much more than beautiful. It's mysterious. Legends of giants and hidden prehistoric animals. And among its few visitors, an outsized number of violent deaths inspiring it's second, more seductive name.

While dreaming of the future, the group will find themselves confronted by the past. Far from home and far from help. In the Valley of the Headless Men.

My Thoughts:

This was such a good read. It pulls you in through the emotions of the grieving brothers at the beginning when they are going through their mother's things at her home. 

The idea of the trip comes from letters Oscar found from Joseph's dad that his mother had kept. His parents had separated, and the longer they were separated, the longer time was between his father's visits, which eventually stopped altogether. Having a different father who was also abusive, Oscar was never close to his brother, and suggests they take a trip to Nahanni after reading about it in a letter from Joseph's father. 

The trip itself was uneventful, but the place starts to fuck with their heads. Oscar is reliving memories of his terrible father, while Gillian is reliving her pregnancy that ended in a still birth. Joseph seems to be the only one not effected - until they meet a stranger who is also wandering the area. He takes them to his cabin, and Joseph starts reliving some of his past memories. But the stranger isn't normal - he's been dead for decades, and he urges the group to travel to the heart of the valley.

I love the raw emotions and realism that this novella exudes, but I can't help but wish it was longer. The ending seemed rushed and unfinished - although maybe that's how it is supposed to feel. Gillian never returns at the end - leading me to think she is dead or she became one with the valley - although maybe that's the same thing.

My Rating: 4 stars