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sea_caummisar's review against another edition
4.0
Who likes action with some horror? If you do, this book won't disappoint. Two bros get caught up in a twisted cannibal family's lair and have no choice but to fight.... I wish I had gotten more background on the one bro's wife, but maybe it really wasn't important to the story.... This would be a great read for action lovers.... Once the horror starts, it didn't let up until the end
skullheadface's review against another edition
4.0
This book is fucking awesome. You get exactly what you expect to get here, pure hillbilly horror. A fast paced storyline made the chapters fly by, I read this sucker in one sitting, I didn’t even get up to pee. Scrumptious gore in all the right places is the cherry on top. Again, I’m sold by a perfect synopsis and way, way more than satisfied with this book in every manner.
4/5 Precious Skulls
💀💀💀💀
4/5 Precious Skulls
💀💀💀💀
awesomelybadbooks's review
4.0
What in the Rob Zombie did I just read? lol
I think for what this book was supposed to be, it did it well.
Absolutely check your triggers with this one!
I think for what this book was supposed to be, it did it well.
Absolutely check your triggers with this one!
ghostthereader's review against another edition
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Cannibalism, and Murder
kkehoe's review against another edition
4.0
A great fast-paced take on Wrong Turn meets From Dusk til Dawn.
astoldbybex's review
5.0
A huge thank you to Matt Kurtz for sending me a copy of Kinfolk in exchange for an honest review!
Quick note! As what can be expected in a horror novel, there are quite a few of the common horror novel triggers in Kinfolk (i.e. gore, death, etc.); however, I would like to mention a certain trigger warning: rape. It occurs in the very first chapter of Kinfolk & it definitely made me cringe. If this is something that really bothers you, please keep it in mind when considering to pick up this book.
If real-life didn’t get in the way (– why must I suffer with responsibilities), I would have kept myself snuggled in bed, devouring each of the 193 pages that Kinfolk had to offer. Admittedly, I was slightly nervous in the beginning scene. Ya see, ghouls, I rarely find myself turned off by disturbing images in the horror genre. I mean, c’mon, when picking up a horror novel or film, it’s me signing up to be disturbed. Yet, that rape scene may have been a little too much for me. However. this theme does not carry on throughout the novel & was definitely a good set-up to show how terrifying Precious really is.
There is not a second of filler or any other boring tidbit in Kinfolk. The entirety of the novel held my attention & kept me on the edge of my bed. Seeing as Kinfolk is a story of survival, it carried some more umph than what’s typically found in a horror novel, which in turn, made this read extremely addicting. We all love an adventure, amiright? If you're looking for a page-turner, this is the book for you.
Kinfolk is spot-on when it comes to visuals. I was able to imagine the entire thing unfold in great detail, as if I was watching a film. This helped give me Texas Chainsaw Massacre (one of my all-time faves!!) & Hills Have Eyes vibes. Y’all want a dysfunctional, killer family? Look no further.
Throughout the book, perspective changes between the brothers & the family hunting them, allowing you to see the entire showdown. For me, this helped invoke more fear & empathy for the Kuttner brothers.
One thing I really loved about Kinfolk isn’t even the horror aspect. In 193 pages, Matt Kurtz managed to write a novel that contains a well-developed plot, a well-developed subplot, and some exceptional character development. What the what? And, here’s the kicker — it’s all extremely well written. Kudos to you, Matt Kurtz. Kinfolk is definitely on my list of favorite reads this year & I will be keeping my eye out for all future Matt Kurtz releases.
Quick note! As what can be expected in a horror novel, there are quite a few of the common horror novel triggers in Kinfolk (i.e. gore, death, etc.); however, I would like to mention a certain trigger warning: rape. It occurs in the very first chapter of Kinfolk & it definitely made me cringe. If this is something that really bothers you, please keep it in mind when considering to pick up this book.
If real-life didn’t get in the way (– why must I suffer with responsibilities), I would have kept myself snuggled in bed, devouring each of the 193 pages that Kinfolk had to offer. Admittedly, I was slightly nervous in the beginning scene. Ya see, ghouls, I rarely find myself turned off by disturbing images in the horror genre. I mean, c’mon, when picking up a horror novel or film, it’s me signing up to be disturbed. Yet, that rape scene may have been a little too much for me. However. this theme does not carry on throughout the novel & was definitely a good set-up to show how terrifying Precious really is.
There is not a second of filler or any other boring tidbit in Kinfolk. The entirety of the novel held my attention & kept me on the edge of my bed. Seeing as Kinfolk is a story of survival, it carried some more umph than what’s typically found in a horror novel, which in turn, made this read extremely addicting. We all love an adventure, amiright? If you're looking for a page-turner, this is the book for you.
Kinfolk is spot-on when it comes to visuals. I was able to imagine the entire thing unfold in great detail, as if I was watching a film. This helped give me Texas Chainsaw Massacre (one of my all-time faves!!) & Hills Have Eyes vibes. Y’all want a dysfunctional, killer family? Look no further.
Throughout the book, perspective changes between the brothers & the family hunting them, allowing you to see the entire showdown. For me, this helped invoke more fear & empathy for the Kuttner brothers.
One thing I really loved about Kinfolk isn’t even the horror aspect. In 193 pages, Matt Kurtz managed to write a novel that contains a well-developed plot, a well-developed subplot, and some exceptional character development. What the what? And, here’s the kicker — it’s all extremely well written. Kudos to you, Matt Kurtz. Kinfolk is definitely on my list of favorite reads this year & I will be keeping my eye out for all future Matt Kurtz releases.
tracyreads's review
4.0
4.5!
Recently, I have begun seeking out more and more titles from Grindhouse Press. They offer a diverse range of horror and dark fiction that pushes me to expand the boundaries of the types of horror fiction I enjoy.
Kinfolk, by Matt Kurtz is no exception. When I saw the synopsis mention a pair of brothers that “get stranded along a hunting ground patrolled by a family looking for fresh meat to feed their hunger for flesh”, I HAD TO READ IT. Backwoods gory cannibalism? Yes, please. This does put me in mind of some of my favorite horror movies; however, Kinfolk boasts a crisp storyline and manages to accentuate the best parts of tales like this in ways that can often be lost in a cinematic format.
A length of 167 pages does not afford much leeway to mince words. Kurtz’s first chapter is a rite of passage of sorts; it challenges the threshold of what a reader may be able to handle with one of the goriest, fantastically bloody, and disturbing scenes I’ve read recently. No detail is spared in showing the levels of depravity this family of hunters can reach as they play with their favorite “toys” – humans. There are plenty of other scenes that will sate a horror lover’s desire for carnage, but the beginning is the most brutal. There are a few places later on in which the pacing lags, as well as some minor issues with phrasing (for me), but it didn’t pull me out of the story.
Often I find that the depth of characters in a novella such as this can suffer, especially when much of the focus is on the action. The author does a great job of giving the characters just enough personality to make me cheer them on as they navigate these backwoods roads and the family that “hunts” there. The brothers are on a revenge mission and have a past of opportunistic crime; their imperfections endear them to me a bit. The reader is invested in seeing them try to escape the chaos that surrounds them. Additionally, I appreciate that Kurtz focuses on male characters for the victim pool; it is a refreshing change from seeing a young woman at the mercy of evil, strong male antagonists.
Intense, brutal, and bloody, Kinfolk delivers everything a reader might expect from a south Texas, backwoods cannibal tale…and then some.
Recently, I have begun seeking out more and more titles from Grindhouse Press. They offer a diverse range of horror and dark fiction that pushes me to expand the boundaries of the types of horror fiction I enjoy.
Kinfolk, by Matt Kurtz is no exception. When I saw the synopsis mention a pair of brothers that “get stranded along a hunting ground patrolled by a family looking for fresh meat to feed their hunger for flesh”, I HAD TO READ IT. Backwoods gory cannibalism? Yes, please. This does put me in mind of some of my favorite horror movies; however, Kinfolk boasts a crisp storyline and manages to accentuate the best parts of tales like this in ways that can often be lost in a cinematic format.
A length of 167 pages does not afford much leeway to mince words. Kurtz’s first chapter is a rite of passage of sorts; it challenges the threshold of what a reader may be able to handle with one of the goriest, fantastically bloody, and disturbing scenes I’ve read recently. No detail is spared in showing the levels of depravity this family of hunters can reach as they play with their favorite “toys” – humans. There are plenty of other scenes that will sate a horror lover’s desire for carnage, but the beginning is the most brutal. There are a few places later on in which the pacing lags, as well as some minor issues with phrasing (for me), but it didn’t pull me out of the story.
Often I find that the depth of characters in a novella such as this can suffer, especially when much of the focus is on the action. The author does a great job of giving the characters just enough personality to make me cheer them on as they navigate these backwoods roads and the family that “hunts” there. The brothers are on a revenge mission and have a past of opportunistic crime; their imperfections endear them to me a bit. The reader is invested in seeing them try to escape the chaos that surrounds them. Additionally, I appreciate that Kurtz focuses on male characters for the victim pool; it is a refreshing change from seeing a young woman at the mercy of evil, strong male antagonists.
Intense, brutal, and bloody, Kinfolk delivers everything a reader might expect from a south Texas, backwoods cannibal tale…and then some.
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