Scan barcode
sharron_joy_reads's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Cousins Carson and Sophia are back in their hometown for the grandmother’s funeral, clearing out her house and catching up when they come across on old VHS tape. As children they loved horror movies and they decide to reminisce with this one, a movie neither has seen. But watching the film unleashes the monsters, the melon heads, local legends and soon they are fighting for their lives.
The first book in the Killer VHS Series (Candy Cain Kills by Brian Macauley was issue two) and this is a creature feature straight out of 80’s b- movie heaven. Fast paced, ridiculous, gory and exciting I roared through this book in one sitting. The cousins banter is wonderful and the way they slip back into how they were as kids growing up is a delight. The monsters are vicious and violent, the legend creepy and the location, on the banks of Lake Michigan, is wonderful.
Pure nostalgia wrapped up in juicy monster mash!
bbehring12's review
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
blatdriver's review
3.0
3.5 stars out of 5
This book is exactly what it seams, it is a tribute to the era of VHS horror movies, and it reads just like one of those awesome B-grade horror movies, so much so you can almost see the practical special effects and hear the bad acting, lol.
The cover is outstanding, and suites the book perfectly, Just like so many of the movies from that era, the plot is a bit predictable, but that is part of the fun.
One thing that I didn't expect is that this is actually based on a real American folklore of Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut.
If you love watching a dodgy b-grade horror movie, like me, that this is the book for you.
This book is exactly what it seams, it is a tribute to the era of VHS horror movies, and it reads just like one of those awesome B-grade horror movies, so much so you can almost see the practical special effects and hear the bad acting, lol.
The cover is outstanding, and suites the book perfectly, Just like so many of the movies from that era, the plot is a bit predictable, but that is part of the fun.
One thing that I didn't expect is that this is actually based on a real American folklore of Ohio, Michigan and Connecticut.
If you love watching a dodgy b-grade horror movie, like me, that this is the book for you.
bookworm4302000's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
schuman3d's review
5.0
I've had some fun with my last couple of reads. This read like a monster/creature movie from way back when, and I had a blast with it. Urban legends and blood galore!
horror_haus_books's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.0
Book 1 in the Killer VHS Series from Shortwave Publishing.
This was such a fun creature feature that definitely gave classic 80s horror movie vibes.
fearnerd's review against another edition
3.0
Melon Head Mayhem is the first book in the Killer VHS Series from Shortwave Publishing, but I actually read the second book Candy Cain Kills first. I think it actually worked out for the better because I loved Candy Cain Kills while I found Melon Head Mayhem to just be okay. If I read MHM first, I'm not sure if I would have immediately jumped to read the next book in the series, even though each book is a different author. Candy Cain Kills is proof of how much potential this series has.
MHM isn't without its charm with the monsters taking inspiration from the tiny horror monsters (Gremlins, Ghoulies, Critters, etc.) and Pumpkinhead. Like Candy Cain Kills, the action takes off fast and doesn't really let up after that. And you would think this means a fast-paced, fun book, but the monster attacks are repetitive and don't offer much threat to our protagonists. Then, it turns somewhat into a search and destroy mission with emphasis on the search.
Also, the book doesn't offer much in scares or tension. This could be due to the absurd, goofy subject matter, but why not try to emphasize just how messed up and terrifying this situation is rather than our characters fighting the Melon Heads like it's just a thing they have to do (an inconvenience). It had potential but never lived up to it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
MHM isn't without its charm with the monsters taking inspiration from the tiny horror monsters (Gremlins, Ghoulies, Critters, etc.) and Pumpkinhead. Like Candy Cain Kills, the action takes off fast and doesn't really let up after that. And you would think this means a fast-paced, fun book, but the monster attacks are repetitive and don't offer much threat to our protagonists. Then, it turns somewhat into a search and destroy mission with emphasis on the search.
Also, the book doesn't offer much in scares or tension. This could be due to the absurd, goofy subject matter, but why not try to emphasize just how messed up and terrifying this situation is rather than our characters fighting the Melon Heads like it's just a thing they have to do (an inconvenience). It had potential but never lived up to it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5. Fear Nerd says, "Check it out!"
mrerickeith's review against another edition
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
twilliamson's review against another edition
4.0
Melon Head Mayhem is deceptively straightforward in its premise: two cousins face off against an urban legend out to kill them; but what hides inside its pages is really more complex than that. It's a story about loss and about coping, about reflecting on the decisions we make as we grow older and about the difficulty of recovering what we've lost in "growing up."
The novella is a lot of fun, and it packs a lot of significance in its short, little space. The characters dialogue through much of their feelings about life and their situations, and it feels committed not just to throwing around mean little monsters, but to exploring genuine human questions about life and loss as we grow older and life gets more complicated.
There's great stuff in here.
The novella is a lot of fun, and it packs a lot of significance in its short, little space. The characters dialogue through much of their feelings about life and their situations, and it feels committed not just to throwing around mean little monsters, but to exploring genuine human questions about life and loss as we grow older and life gets more complicated.
There's great stuff in here.
bitchburgerbibliophile's review
adventurous
dark
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5