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m_lefaye's reviews
100 reviews
The Summer I Died by Ryan C. Thomas
4.0
The Summer I Died
by Ryan C. Thomas
Overview:
Roger and his best friend Tooth want to make the most of their summer. Best friends on the cusp of adulthood, both know life is taking them in different directions and sooner rather than later, they'll drift away from each other and the way things used to be. Determined to hold on as long as possible, they fill their days with cheap beer, late night talks, and target shooting Tooth's guns, then one afternoon, they hear screaming coming from the woods and decide to investigate. What follows is a gruesome and heart-stopping story of pain, friendship, and the price of survival.
My goodness, this was a gruesome read. I have recently become a fan of extreme-horror and decided to give "The Summer I Died a go after seeing numerous recommendations and to say I was on the edge of my seat is an understatement. Wonderfully gory and heartstopping, what makes this one so hard to swallow (no pun intended, but iykyk) is the genuine likeability of the characters. Roger, Tooth, and Roger's little sister Jamie have their faults, but overall are good kids figuring out their lives and place in the world. They do nothing wrong or deserving of the fate that awaits them, and it's all the more difficult to watch those events unfold as an unblinking fly on the wall.
I would say the build-up to the main events is gradual and well spaced, but be ready because about 30% in, the depravity starts and will NOT let up till the end.
Final Thoughts:
PROCEED WITH CAUTION! This book is NOT for everyone, so be sure to read trigger warnings and mentally prepare for the roller coaster you are getting on. Each time you think it's over, or close to over, it's just getting started.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trigger Warnings:
Murder
Mutilation
Torture
Animal Death
Imprisonment
Kidnapping
Trespassing
Necrophilia
Cannibalism (implied)
Rape (implied)
Assault
Survivor Guilt
PTSD
Mental Illness
by Ryan C. Thomas
Overview:
Roger and his best friend Tooth want to make the most of their summer. Best friends on the cusp of adulthood, both know life is taking them in different directions and sooner rather than later, they'll drift away from each other and the way things used to be. Determined to hold on as long as possible, they fill their days with cheap beer, late night talks, and target shooting Tooth's guns, then one afternoon, they hear screaming coming from the woods and decide to investigate. What follows is a gruesome and heart-stopping story of pain, friendship, and the price of survival.
My goodness, this was a gruesome read. I have recently become a fan of extreme-horror and decided to give "The Summer I Died a go after seeing numerous recommendations and to say I was on the edge of my seat is an understatement. Wonderfully gory and heartstopping, what makes this one so hard to swallow (no pun intended, but iykyk) is the genuine likeability of the characters. Roger, Tooth, and Roger's little sister Jamie have their faults, but overall are good kids figuring out their lives and place in the world. They do nothing wrong or deserving of the fate that awaits them, and it's all the more difficult to watch those events unfold as an unblinking fly on the wall.
I would say the build-up to the main events is gradual and well spaced, but be ready because about 30% in, the depravity starts and will NOT let up till the end.
Final Thoughts:
PROCEED WITH CAUTION! This book is NOT for everyone, so be sure to read trigger warnings and mentally prepare for the roller coaster you are getting on. Each time you think it's over, or close to over, it's just getting started.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trigger Warnings:
Murder
Mutilation
Torture
Animal Death
Imprisonment
Kidnapping
Trespassing
Necrophilia
Cannibalism (implied)
Rape (implied)
Assault
Survivor Guilt
PTSD
Mental Illness
Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana
4.0
Gone to See the River Man by Kristopher Triana
These people will give anything for the idols they worship, be they rock stars, actors or authors. Or even serial killers.
Yep, this one is a doozy.
There are several trigger warnings out there about this book and its content, and I can honestly say they were all justified, but in a kinda good way. It is gruesome, chaotic, and cruel, but the writing is shockingly articulate and well executed. Akin to finding a made for sci-fi channel movie and it being well done.
Lori is a woman with an unhealthy obsession for imprisoned serial killer Edmond Cox and when he tasks her with a quest of retrieving a key from his old family home and delivering it to an entity known as "The River Man", she jumps at the opportunity to prove her worth.
Bringing her older handicap sister Abby, Lori begins her journey at a town called "Killen" and "The Hollow River", but quickly learns this isn't some easy wayward errand, and not long into the trek, Lori is forced to confront her both her and her sisters long buried demons. In the end, the only questions that remain are how does one accept the terrible things they have done and how far are they willing to go for what they call love.
I thought I knew the dark places this story would go, but my goodness I had no idea the extent. Never have I seen a sympathetic protagonist become so detestable in such a short amount of time. This one is tough and won't be everyone's cup of tea but for splatter punk fans who enjoy a good slow burn mixed with southern gothic horror, I would say at least give it a try but tred lightly.
ALL the Trigger warning;
SA
Murder
Mutilation
Necrophilia (hinted)
Suicide
Depression
Ableism
Racism
War Crimes
These people will give anything for the idols they worship, be they rock stars, actors or authors. Or even serial killers.
Yep, this one is a doozy.
There are several trigger warnings out there about this book and its content, and I can honestly say they were all justified, but in a kinda good way. It is gruesome, chaotic, and cruel, but the writing is shockingly articulate and well executed. Akin to finding a made for sci-fi channel movie and it being well done.
Lori is a woman with an unhealthy obsession for imprisoned serial killer Edmond Cox and when he tasks her with a quest of retrieving a key from his old family home and delivering it to an entity known as "The River Man", she jumps at the opportunity to prove her worth.
Bringing her older handicap sister Abby, Lori begins her journey at a town called "Killen" and "The Hollow River", but quickly learns this isn't some easy wayward errand, and not long into the trek, Lori is forced to confront her both her and her sisters long buried demons. In the end, the only questions that remain are how does one accept the terrible things they have done and how far are they willing to go for what they call love.
I thought I knew the dark places this story would go, but my goodness I had no idea the extent. Never have I seen a sympathetic protagonist become so detestable in such a short amount of time. This one is tough and won't be everyone's cup of tea but for splatter punk fans who enjoy a good slow burn mixed with southern gothic horror, I would say at least give it a try but tred lightly.
ALL the Trigger warning;
SA
Murder
Mutilation
Necrophilia (hinted)
Suicide
Depression
Ableism
Racism
War Crimes
Along the River of Flesh by Kristopher Triana
4.0
Along the River of Flesh by Kristopher Triana
Having escaped from prison, serial killer Edmund Cox returns to his hometown of Killen. Entering the woods with his “darlings” in his pocket, he begins a new quest along the Hollow River, hoping to make good on one final deal with The River Man.
What Edmund doesn’t realize is he’s not going alone.
Just when I thought I read it all with Gone to See The River Man , Book 2 of Kristopher Triana's Duology gets that much worse while somehow remaining a surprisingly well written read. There's murder, mayhem, debauchery and a new cast of characters unwillingly joining Edmund on his final quest in what I can only describe as a pit of sadness and horror.
Keith Drakeson, one of the detectives who brought Cox in the first time around, has a list of skeletons in his closest that will make your skin crawl as he embarks on recapturing Edmund, considering the killer’s escape an insult to his legacy.
Gary Chatmon, a private investigator looking for a missing girl named Jessica Hong, who he believes was one of Edmund Cox’s victims, has a history steeped in sadness and the unfairness of life. His past comes full force as he journeys down the hollow river, teamed up with Drakeson in a shaky, at best, alliance.
And Finally, June Audrey, a mysterious young woman on the hunt for Edmund to finally receive the answers she's been searching for all her life. Her connection to Cox is predictable but the end result is nothing short of mind numbing.
As with my review of Gone to See The River Man Traina manages to make Splatterpunk a well written and eloquent read, even if I needed a long hot shower afterwards. This book isn't for everyone but I do recommend reading Gone to See The River Man first. It isn't ESSENTIAL to the plot but some characters overlap and you may get a little lost on the nuances. Also, again, and I really cannot stress this enough, read at your own risk . This book is enjoyable but only for a niche audience who can accept the trigger warnings and take it all for what it is.
And Remember, the River Man will appear to those who seek him, but be ready to ask yourself what are you willing to sacrifice for his audience.
Once again ALL the trigger warnings;
SA
Child SA (implied)
Necrophilia (implied)
Mutilation
Murder
PTSD
Ableism
Racism
Alcoholism
Hate Crimes
Incest
Having escaped from prison, serial killer Edmund Cox returns to his hometown of Killen. Entering the woods with his “darlings” in his pocket, he begins a new quest along the Hollow River, hoping to make good on one final deal with The River Man.
What Edmund doesn’t realize is he’s not going alone.
Just when I thought I read it all with Gone to See The River Man , Book 2 of Kristopher Triana's Duology gets that much worse while somehow remaining a surprisingly well written read. There's murder, mayhem, debauchery and a new cast of characters unwillingly joining Edmund on his final quest in what I can only describe as a pit of sadness and horror.
Keith Drakeson, one of the detectives who brought Cox in the first time around, has a list of skeletons in his closest that will make your skin crawl as he embarks on recapturing Edmund, considering the killer’s escape an insult to his legacy.
Gary Chatmon, a private investigator looking for a missing girl named Jessica Hong, who he believes was one of Edmund Cox’s victims, has a history steeped in sadness and the unfairness of life. His past comes full force as he journeys down the hollow river, teamed up with Drakeson in a shaky, at best, alliance.
And Finally, June Audrey, a mysterious young woman on the hunt for Edmund to finally receive the answers she's been searching for all her life. Her connection to Cox is predictable but the end result is nothing short of mind numbing.
As with my review of Gone to See The River Man Traina manages to make Splatterpunk a well written and eloquent read, even if I needed a long hot shower afterwards. This book isn't for everyone but I do recommend reading Gone to See The River Man first. It isn't ESSENTIAL to the plot but some characters overlap and you may get a little lost on the nuances. Also, again, and I really cannot stress this enough, read at your own risk . This book is enjoyable but only for a niche audience who can accept the trigger warnings and take it all for what it is.
And Remember, the River Man will appear to those who seek him, but be ready to ask yourself what are you willing to sacrifice for his audience.
Once again ALL the trigger warnings;
SA
Child SA (implied)
Necrophilia (implied)
Mutilation
Murder
PTSD
Ableism
Racism
Alcoholism
Hate Crimes
Incest