indie author

[Book Thoughts] BRUISES ON A BUTTERFLY by Chad Lutzke

SYNOPSIS:

A young boy runs away from his abusive home to live in the fort he’s built in the middle of a Michigan cornfield. But when a cosmic discovery late one night warps reality into a mutating nightmare, it’s up to loyal friends to fix what they can… and bury what they can’t.

🦋Three Friends, One Secret, and a Heart-Wrenching Discovery: My Bookish Thoughts on BRUISES ON A BUTTERFLY by Chad Lutzke

Calling all fans of STAND BY ME and THE FLY! Prepare to be swept away by a powerful tale of friendship, loss, and the complexities of being a preteen boy. This book follows three inseparable teenagers who find solace and adventure in their hidden clubhouse in a cornfield. But their world is turned upside down by an unexpected event that forces them to confront uncomfortable truths and acknowledge dark secrets.

Chad’s masterful storytelling paints vivid portraits of each boy, their unique struggles, and the delicate dynamics of their friendship. He doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of life, tackling sensitive topics with honesty and nuance. Be prepared to have your heart wrenched – but in the best way possible. This is a coming-of-age story that packs a punch, leaving you with a rollercoaster of emotions long after the final page.

If you’re looking for a quick read that delves into grief, trauma, and the enduring power of friendship, look no further. This book is a must-read for anyone who appreciates raw, emotional storytelling and characters you can’t help but root for. It’s a guaranteed “feels” trip, and you won’t regret taking the plunge. So grab your copy, settle in, and prepare to be surprised, challenged, and deeply moved.

This author really is one of the top authors in the indie world. Thank you for making me feel my feels Chad 😅🖤🦋

*Thank you to Chad and Cemetery Dance for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

**CW – if you want to know them, look them up or DM me.

***I’m currently not giving star ratings and just focusing on reviews.

Author: Chad Lutzke

106 pages, Physical Book and Kindle Unlimited

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[Book Review] PLANET DEAD: NOVELLA | THE BRIGGS BOYS MIXTAPE by Sylvester Barzey

Synopsis:

Gear Up! For another thrill ride into the zombie hell known as Planet Dead! One ex-soldier has to decide what is more important, his family? Or his country?

Catherine & friends have their hands full with killer clowns, a crooked government, shady people and oh yeah, zombies! Life on Planet Dead is one endless horror show. There isn’t always time to sit back and share war stories. Some tales get lost in the madness. Lucky for you, they don’t always stay lost.
This is the story of retired Army Sergeant First Class Robert Briggs, who’s dealing with all the daily problems of being a single father and widowed husband.

Making breakfast.

Doing the laundry.

Killing his mother.

Fighting the military.

And killing zombies!
You know, dad things.

This is my first experience reading Sylvester Barzey (I believe) and he did not disappoint!

This little novella is about a father, young son and uncle trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. The reader is dropped into the middle of all the chaos and experiences the wild adventure the three go through.

I have been semi burnt out on zombie stories for awhile but this has reignited my love for the undead genre. THE BRIGGS BOYS has great dialogue and character interactions–so many times I laughed out loud. I think this is a great introduction to Barzey’s writing and an option to dip your toe into this world to see if it’s up your alley.

I also would highly recommend reading Barzey’s author note at the end. It’s great insight on having Black survivors in horror stories and rethinking what a “Final Girl” can look like. The need for more BIPOC characters is such an important thing needed in all genres, especially horror/fantasy.

Great story–Terrific writing.

Highly recommend.

This is my first experience reading Sylvester Barzey (I believe) and he did not disappoint!

This little novella is about a father, young son and uncle trying to survive a zombie apocalypse. The reader is dropped into the middle of all the chaos and experiences the wild adventure the three go through.

I have been semi burnt out on zombie stories for awhile but this has reignited my love for the undead genre. THE BRIGGS BOYS has great dialogue and character interactions–so many times I laughed out loud. I think this is a great introduction to Barzey’s writing and an option to dip your toe into this world to see if it’s up your alley.

I also would highly recommend reading Barzey’s author note at the end. It’s great insight on having Black survivors in horror stories and rethinking what a “Final Girl” can look like. The need for more BIPOC characters is such an important thing needed in all genres, especially horror/fantasy.

Great story–Terrific writing.

Highly recommend.

4/5 stars

Author: Sylvester Barzey

104 pages, E-book

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A Novella Review – THREE-SMILE MILE by Chad Lutzke

This is a cat and mouse crime thriller story about a diner cook who suddenly runs away with a married woman he just met while working. There are many obstacles and threats they have to face in order to get what they want or need.

PUB DATE: 1/27/2023

Ahhh Lutzke does such a great job at writing characters that I end up adoring. The main male character’s name is Cake which I love so much and his counterpart is Diane. Even in a short amount of pages, the characters have depth and some growth.

There is insta love which I typically don’t care for but it didn’t bother me hete. I was surprised at how much this is a love story and it was really refreshing. Plus some moments surprised me–yeeesss!!

There are some violent characters that are unpredictable and this perfectly adds tension to many different scenes. It gave me the same uncertain feeling as the series FARGO/TRUE DETECTIVE and I love that!

This is a story about love, adventure, knowing yourself and what you really want. In order to break free from your insecurities and chains of the mundane, sometimes you have to follow your gut and run away with that mysterious stranger sitting in a diner booth.

Happy Pub Day THREE-SMILE MILE!

CW – DM me if you want to know them.

4.25/5

*Thank you to the author for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

Kindle E-Arc

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Author: Chad Lutzke

Netgalley Review – THE GRAVITY OF EXISTENCE: POEMS by Christina Sng

“It wonders,

Is it me

Or is it them?”

[excerpt from EBOLA VIRUS]

I enjoyed this poetry collection. This is my first Sng read and I thought it was decent. I liked the movement of the poems and topics. The first half and second half do feel a bit disconnected but I thought separately they were solid. The sci-fi half actually made me feel a bit panicked since space stuff is terrifying to me (lol) and I loved that just a few short poems were able to have that effect on me.

I see from other reviews that people see it as “instagram poetry posts” in a negative way but I guess I like that style of poetry. It’s a super quick read and I look forward to reading more from Christina.

Also, STUNNING cover design.

4/5

Pub Date: December 5, 2023

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange of my honest review.

Synopsis:

A collection of tiny terrors from Bram Stoker Award ® winner Christina Sng. The Gravity of Existence is a weight lifted, a monster freed, a princess with sneakers, a spell for a better world. From one of the leading voices in dark verse, this collection delights in the misunderstood, putting a new spin on werewolves, basilisks, sirens, ghosts, aliens, pandemics, fairy tales and myths. Sng gives new voice to classic heroines and the result is terrifying, magical, and fantastic.

Netgalley Ebook – 94 pages

Author: Christina Sng

Publisher: ‎Interstellar Flight Press

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Short Story Review – SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE by Ruth Anna Evans

SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE is a great medical horror that makes all your WebMD nightmares come true.

Laura has come to a point of her life that she is unhappy with her appearance, her marriage..pretty much everything. Laura tries to fix one “issue” but slowly falls into an abyss of symptoms that are out of her control.

I really enjoyed this super short story! This poor character is stuck on a slippery slope and goes through A LOT. I thought the ending was great. I wasn’t expecting it to go the route it did but I’m happy it did.

There is body horror and gory moments so look up the CWs if you need to.

I think this is my favorite Ruth Anna Evans story so far. Brava!

5/5

Synopsis:

Middle age is hitting Laura hard: her husband has lost interest; her hair is thinning; she’s gaining weight. But when she seeks medical help, the side effects are so much worse.

A disgusting 6,000 word medical horror story, Side Effects Include will have you squirming in your seat. Everyone promises Laura she’ll feel better, but before long she finds herself tied to a hospital bed with a needle in her neck. For Laura, it’s hell. For the horror lover, it’s a bloody good time.

This story contains topics that will be disturbing for some readers.

Content Warnings can be found at: ruthannaevans.com/content-warnings.

KU Ebook – 30 pages

Author: Ruth Anna Evans

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Short Story Review – DOGS by Mike Sullivan

DOGS is an interesting take on animal horror and what it would possibly be like if we were their prey.

A guy travels back home after his mother’s passing in order to help his father out. Once he gets there, he has to fight an unsuspecting enemy.

This had some fun action scenes and interesting twists. I really enjoyed a nightmare scene the mc would have–one specific moment was very eerie and dark..loved it.

DOGS also has a bit of an open ending that leaves you with more questions than answers.

Overall, I thought it was a fun, quick read. There is CW but specifically, if you are sensitive to animals getting hurt on the page..here’s your heads up.

This is a mix between CUJO and DAWN OF THE DEAD (no there aren’t zombies..lol).

4/5

*Thank you to the author for an ecopy in exchange for my honest opinion.

KU Ebook – 63 pages

Author: Mike Sullivan

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A Novella Arc Review – FUCKED [An Extreme Horror Novella] by Wesley Winters

A great mix of different horror subgenres put into a blender with a pinch of humor and a HEAVY splash of extreme–it was truly fucked.

PUB DATE: February, 2023

This is a story about a mysterious forest that has weird, supernatural elements within its trees and skies. We follow a group of college kids as they camp in these woods and trip on some shrooms. Needless to say, some things don’t go as planned.

I found this story quite enjoyable and easy to read. I REALLY loved the beginning where we follow a father and daughter who are in the forest hiking/camping, then a super graphic scene kicks off the novella. It played out in my mind like a movie and it was very unsettling. I absolutely love when the unknown and horror get together to make an extreme horror baby…and extreme this is.

There is a lot of body horror so if you are at all sensitive, definitely look into the content warnings. FUCKED felt very out of control and unpredictable, which is how the high characters are feeling during their night of hell. The author did a great job with having the cosmic horror not be TOO cosmic for me–typically high cosmic horror goes over my head and I get confused but with this novella it added to my reading experience, not distract from it. Also, it is based around another trope I normally don’t care for but again, I was pleasantly surprised at how original it was.

As for the ending, it worked for me. This type of ending is the kind I always enjoy and thrive on. Another thing to note, there are sexual moments that for some reason caught me off guard. All the scenes were pretty spicy and contributed to some fucked up moments.

I would recommend this to people who don’t mind being in the minds of 20-somethings and experiencing their bad decisions with them. Again, this has bits of cosmic horror, tons of body horror, space (?) horror and doomsday horror. This novella also gave me similar vibes as Cabin in the Woods mixed with The Evil Dead and a dash of Midsommar.

Give me all the fucked up horror Mr. Winters–I’m here for it!

4.5/5

*Thank you to the author for this e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Kindle E-Arc

Author: Wesley Winters

Short Story Review – THE GLOBSTER OF CAPE FRANKFORT by C.F. PAGE

Damn..this author is such a great storyteller.

This is such a doom filled short story that is told in such a intricant way. I am currently a third of the way through his debut (NATIVE FEAR..loving it) and after reading this, I think I just jive with his writing style.

THE GLOBSTER OF CAPE FRANKFORT is about a mysterious thing that washes up on a shore and slowly bad things begin to happen. The little hints that are revealed and then the full scene being shown, I love this way of storytelling. It hooked me right away and I easily read it in one sitting.

I think this would be a great story to read from this author to see if you would vibe with his novel. If you liked THE GULP by Alan Baxter then you will most likely like TGOCF. This story also gave me a similar feeling as MIDNIGHT MASS but without the vampiric genre but that mood of doom.

The ending of this had a great mini twist and had the kind of conclusion that I love. I recommend this to readers who like gloom, mysterious creatures and the unknown. Perfection.

5/5

KU Ebook – 28 pages

Author: C.F. Page

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Short Story Review – IT’S ME, CHARLIE by C.M. Guidroz

I think I’m triggered by Taco Bell cups now..

I finished this in one sitting and wow..it’s gross.

It’s about a man obsessed with a woman online and takes things into his own hands to make their paths cross.

I loved the fact that this is based around a bookish online community since I also have met quite a few people online but not in person. This is mostly where the horror is–you really don’t know who you are talking to online.

I enjoyed being in the mind of the main character ‘Charlie’ and seeing his rationale behind doing horrific things. It’s wild. I don’t normally get a physical reaction from gross stuff in books but I now know what can do that to me thanks to this writer.😅 Once this dark foreshadowing was shown, I dreaded the moment it would happen and even though it was absolutely disgusting, I loved it gave me such a strong reaction.

Overall, this is fairly fast paced and a solid story. This trope never gets old for me and the fact that the MC seems like your average type of person..it adds to the unsettling atmosphere.

I think I wanted more gore to balance out the gross but really it’s a pretty decent read if you like to be shocked and grossed out.

4.5/5

Watch my mini TikTok Review for this as well: Click Here

Ebook – 55 pages

Author: C.M. Guidroz

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A Novella Review – THIS IS WHERE WE TALK THINGS OUT by Caitlin Marceau

A gripping story about a mother and daughter reconnecting to hopefully improve their relationship with one another but things go wrong.

The premise and setup to this was great. I am a big fan of characters who are “off their rocker” and of weird scenes. It does have a similar vibe as Stephen King’s Misery and Mommie Dearest.

As someone who had a rough relationship with my own birth mother, this hit the nail on the head with why making boundaries and keeping them are so important 😅😅

I figured out the reveal pretty quickly but the bits I didn’t expect made this horror story creepy and fun.

4/5

Synopsis:

This Is Where We Talk Things Out by Caitlin Marceau, author of Palimpsest: A Collection of Contemporary Horror, follows the gut-wrenching journey of Miller and her estranged mother, Sylvie, who have always had a tense relationship.

After Miller’s father dies, she agrees to a girls’ vacation away from the city to reconnect with the only family she has left. Although she’s eager to make things work, Miller can’t help but worry that her mother is seeing their countryside retreat as a fun weekend getaway instead of what it really is: a last-ditch effort to repair their relationship.

Unfortunately, that quickly becomes the least of Miller’s problems.

Sylvie’s trapped in the past and if Miller’s not careful, she will be too. A cross between Stephen King’s Misery and Stephanie Wrobel’s Darling Rose Gold, This Is Where We Talk Things Out explores the horror of familial trauma, mother-daughter relationships, and what happens when we don’t let go.

*CW: DM if you want to know.

Paperback 93 pages | KU

Author: Caitlin Marceau

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