Archive for the ‘reviews’ Category

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #16 ~ Subhuman By Michael McBride

Posted: October 16, 2026 in horror, reviews, Science Fiction
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Subhuman

By Michael McBride

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Genre: Horror / Science Fiction

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MY REVIEW

Did you read the synopsis? It sold me. One of my favorite settings is a cold desolate place where isolation is it’s own character. Antarctica is that on steroids.

A group of scientists, some of the best of the best, are tasked with unraveling the mystery of something discovered under the ice. A lost civilization. It seems to have connections to other discoveries from around the world. Disturbing carvings, mutated skulls and a mummified nightmare.

Can you see where this is going? Yep, what was buried should have remained buried. But, now exposed, a virus is unleashed and beings that see us as prey begin targeting the scientists.

Some people may not enjoy stories told from multiple points of view but I felt it made it a more tantalizing experience for me. Especially as these are scientists with their own disciplines and belief. They ask and answer their own questions and this made me excited for each new chapter.

Do you enjoy isolated settings, ancient discoveries, possibilities of previous alien life and being dropped into immanent danger of unknown origin, this is one for you.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

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THEY ARE NOT HUMAN.
At a research station in Antarctica, five of the world’s top scientists have been brought together to solve one of the greatest mysteries in human history. Their subject, however, is anything but human . . .

THEY ARE NOT NATURAL.
Deep beneath the ice, the submerged ruins of a lost civilization hold the key to the strange mutations that each scientist has encountered across the globe: A misshapen skull in Russia. The grotesque carvings of a lost race in Peru. The mummified remains of a humanoid monstrosity in Egypt . . .

THEY ARE NOT FRIENDLY.
When a series of sound waves trigger the ancient organisms, a new kind of evolution begins. Latching onto a human host—crossbreeding with human DNA—a long-extinct life form is reborn. Its kind has not walked the earth for thousands of years. Its instincts are fiercer, more savage, than any predator alive. And its prey are the scientists who unleashed it, the humans who spawned it, and the tender living flesh on which it feeds . .

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

    

    

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #15 ~ Meddling Kids By Edgar Cantero

Posted: October 15, 2026 in horror, Mystery, Paranormal or fantasy, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

,

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Meddling Kids

By Edgar Cantero

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Genre: Horror / Mystery / Paranormal

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MY REVIEW

The title and cover say it all. A group of teenagers, once calling themselves the Blyton Summer Detective Club, are thrown back together as something is once again terrorizing their home town.

I’m huge on character driven stories. Oh boy are their some in this book.  And it looks like they haven’t come close to living up to their full potential. I had huge doubts on their capability to handle the dangers coming their way but I did think it would be fun to see how they coped, and it was. A disorganized, harrowing mess that got scary and weird. Gotta love that, right?

My favorite thing was how clueless I was about where things were going to end up. There was so much coming at me and I just let myself go with the flow. Lots of action, mystery and some scenes that made me cringe. I had a pretty good feeling that I would enjoy Meddling Kids and I’m happy to tell you I did.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

1990. The teen detectives once known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club (of Blyton Hills, a small mining town in the Zoinx River Valley in Oregon) are all grown up and haven’t seen each other since their fateful, final case in 1977. Andy, the tomboy, is twenty-five and on the run, wanted in at least two states. Kerri, one-time kid genius and budding biologist, is bartending in New York, working on a serious drinking problem. At least she’s got Tim, an excitable Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team. Nate, the horror nerd, has spent the last thirteen years in and out of mental health institutions, and currently resides in an asylum in Arkham, Massachusetts. The only friend he still sees is Peter, the handsome jock turned movie star. The problem is, Peter’s been dead for years.

The time has come to uncover the source of their nightmares and return to where it all began in 1977. This time, it better not be a man in a mask. The real monsters are waiting.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

    

    

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #14 ~ Little Monsters By Maire Roche

Posted: October 14, 2026 in Fantasy, horror, middle grade, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Little Monsters

By Maire Roche

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Genre: Fantasy / Horror / Middle Grade

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MY REVIEW

I read the synopsis and quickly felt I could relate. I also have three sisters and I’m sure the neighborhood kids thought we might be monsters. It got me thinking how cool it would be if we had been. What mayhem we could cause.

What a fun retelling of Little Women. The sisters are monsters. They keep it secret, fearing what that knowledge might do with their relationship with the neighbors. Monsters mean scary, something to be feared. So, when a strange monster ventures near their town and bad things start happening, Meg is determined to get to the bottom of things and protect her secret.

There was a lot more going on here than just a mysterious creature lurking in the woods. Meg is waking up in strange places with no memory of how she got there. She has to hide from her foster mother the fact all of the sisters are monsters. What if they get split up? That was a heavy burden to carry all by herself. When she meets Brooks she’s smitten. He’s cute and kind. Can she trust him with her secret? I sure hoped so. Meg worked her way into my heart and a little bit of joy for her would also make me happy. I kept my fingers crossed.

The forest was a character in itself. And the monster lurking there? I wondered. Made a few guesses on who it was. And had a rollicking good time finding out.

Young angst and family unity made this a special story for me. Took me back to my own experiences and I feel young readers will enjoy the fun story and relate to these girls.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

In this modern supernatural middle grade retelling of the beloved classic Little Women, the March sisters have a monstrous secret Meg will do anything to protect—especially with another beast lurking in the woods threatening to expose them.

Meg March and her three sisters are monsters. No, really. Meg has teeth that are a little too sharp. Jo gets furry under the full moon. Beth goes night flying on wings that are impossible to hide under her sweaters. And Amy? Well, don’t let her near a body of water or she’ll start sprouting her mermaid’s tail.

Meg is sure their foster mom, Marmee, wouldn’t like any of this if she knew. And Jo’s best friend Laurie, the nice boy next door, would run screaming. To make matters worse, Meg’s small town outside of Salem is on edge. A vicious beast has been spotted in the forest, and Farmer Bhaer believes it’s responsible for his missing chickens. Meg is sure to be blamed if anyone realizes she’s a monster in disguise. And the closer it gets to Halloween, the surer the town is that something evil is hiding in the forest.

Meg doesn’t always remember what she gets up to at night, and sometimes, she wakes alone in a mossy part of the forest and has to find her way back. With John Brooke determined to find out just what Meg is hiding and locals working to uncover the monsters in their midst, Meg must find the culprit herself—or risk losing the little home she’s found with her sisters.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

    

  

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #13 ~ Fright Before Christmas: 13 Tales Of Holiday Horror By Shannon Delany

Posted: October 13, 2026 in horror, reviews, Short stories and collections
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Fright Before Christmas: 13 Tales Of Holiday Horror

By Shannon Delany

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Genre: Ya / Middle Grade / Horror / Collection

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MY REVIEW

I want a Christmas just like the one on the cover! Me thinks that want should be revisited after reading this collection.

I love Christmas. The excitement leading up to it. The decorating. The holiday shows and movies. Time spent with family. And I love horror. The spooky. The eerie. And the long lasting. Put those together and I can’t resist.

These tales provide many different views on the holiday season in twisted, scary ways. I wouldn’t want any of them left under my tree to open on Christmas morning. If you thought the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future were scary, just wait until you meet the things bumping around in here.

I had a blast. There wasn’t a bad one in the batch!

4 STARS

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Synopsis

It’s the most wonderful time of year…or is it?

Christmas Eve is a night of mystery and magic, but not always in ways we expect. Things lurk in the shadows and they’re not the least bit jolly or merry. Let’s just say some presents are better left unopened.

‘Tis the season to be screaming along with our thirteen tales of holiday horrors. Ghosts. Monsters. Demons. And more!

This Christmas, be careful what you wish for…

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

    

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

 

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #12 ~ Wild Spaces By S. L. Coney

Posted: October 12, 2026 in Fantasy, horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Wild Spaces

By S. L. Coney

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Genre: Horror / Fantasy

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MY REVIEW

Well, the synopsis sure hooked me. A young boy was living his best life with his supportive parents and his trusted companion, his dog Teach. His grandfather descended on this idyllic life and everything changed.

If you notice that I didn’t give the boy’s name, it’s because the author only named one character, the dog, Teach. I enjoyed the character’s being named as what they were, not who they were. It allowed me to see them for myself, and as the foreboding and darkness fell upon the family, the more clearly I saw them.

Right from the beginning I could feel the suspense looming over the events even before anything really occurred. It was almost like a flavor sprinkled over the words. And as my curiosity grew, I anxiously waited for the other foot to drop. Boy, did it. And in a way I was hoping it would. This may be a coming of age tale but it also had some pretty dark, disturbing and scary elements. Gotta love it when your heart rate speeds up.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Robert R. McCammon’s Boy’s Life meets H. P. Lovecraft in Wild Spaces, a foreboding, sensual coming-of-age debut in which the corrosive nature of family secrets and toxic relatives assume eldritch proportions.

An eleven-year-old boy lives an idyllic childhood exploring the remote coastal plains and wetlands of South Carolina alongside his parents and his dog Teach. But when the boy’s eerie and estranged grandfather shows up one day with no warning, cracks begin to form as hidden secrets resurface that his parents refuse to explain.

The longer his grandfather outstays his welcome and the greater the tension between the adults grows, the more the boy feels something within him changing —physically—into something his grandfather welcomes and his mother fears. Something abyssal. Something monstrous.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

   

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #11 ~ Night Magic By Jenna Black

Posted: October 11, 2026 in horror, reviews, urban fantasy
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

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Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Night Magic

By Jenna Black

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Genre: Horror / Urban Fantasy / YA

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MY REVIEW

After loving the first book, Nightstruck, I had high hopes for this next book. The ending had left me very concerned for Becket.  She wasn’t herself anymore, fully embracing the change.

Becket wasn’t recognizable anymore. She looked the same but her sense of self was buried, pushed aside since becoming Nightstruck.  It really saddened me. The influence of her boyfriend took her farther and farther out of reach of her friends and family. The city was in peril as were the residents and Becket couldn’t care less.

This book was intense. It was creepier and darker. More character development, something I always appreciate, and more danger amped up my anticipation. And the finale…. woop woop.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

Jenna Black returns to the quarantined city of Philadelphia, where an unsuspecting seventeen-year-old has unknowingly unleashed a dark power that transforms the city into a monstrous hellscape in Night Magic.

Philadelphia is locked in the grip of an evil magic that transforms its streets into a nightmare landscape the minute the sun sets each night. While most of the city hunkers down and hopes to survive the long winter nights, Becket Walker is roaming the darkened streets having the time of her life.

Once, the guilt of having inadvertently let the night magic into the city―and of having killed her onetime best friend―had threatened to destroy her. But now she’s been Nightstruck, and all her grief and guilt and terror have been swept away―along with her conscience. So what if she’s lost her friends, her family, and her home? And so what if her hot new boyfriend is super-controlling and downright malevolent?

Mesmerized by the power and freedom of not having to care about anyone but herself, Becket is sinking ever deeper into the night magic’s grasp. But those who love her refuse to give up on her―even if she’s given up on them. If they can’t find a way to help Becket break the night magic’s hold, the entire city might soon find itself shrouded in perpetual night. But the last thing Becket wants is to be “rescued” from her brand new life, and she will fight tooth and claw to stay exactly where she is.

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #10 ~ A Bite Above The Rest By Christine Virnig

Posted: October 10, 2026 in Fantasy, middle grade, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

 

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

,

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 A Bite Above The Rest

By Christine Virnig

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Genre: Fantasy / Halloween / Middle Grade

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MY REVIEW

There be monster’s in Samhain, Wisconsin. Big Ones. Little ones. Some with wings and fangs and fins. Not such a surprise for a town that keeps their decorations up year round. They even wear their costumes every day. But wait…… I mentioned monsters so…. are they really costumes?

Caleb was not happy about moving to Samhain. The town was weird. The residents were even weirder. His refusal to buy into the Halloween obsession doesn’t earn him any points. He does find a friend in Tai and that’s going to be important as he discovers the secrets of his new town.

Caleb and Tai were such a delight. I loved every bit of their investigations into the strange goings on. Their texts back and forth and the quirky illustrations just added to this super fun book.

In my younger years I would have devoured A Bite Above The Rest. As an adult, I did eat it up, smiling and laughing all the way.

5 STARS

Thanks so much to Simon & Schuster and Author Christine Virnig for a complimentary copy. My review is voluntarily given.

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Synopsis

A boy moves to a Halloween-themed town only to realize there may be more to the tourist trap than meets the eye in this fast-paced romp of a middle grade novel perfect for fans of The Last Kids on Earth and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library !

When Caleb’s mom decides they are moving to her childhood home in Wisconsin, Caleb is not thrilled. Moving schools, states, and time zones would be bad enough, but Mom’s hometown is Samhain, a small and ridiculously kitschy place where every day is Halloween.

Caleb is not a fan of Halloween when it only happens once a year, so Halloween-obsessed Samhain is really not the place for him. How is he supposed to cope with kids wearing costumes to school every single day ? And how about the fact that the mayor is so committed to the bit that City Hall is only open from sundown to sunup to accommodate his so-called vampirism? Sure enough, Caleb becomes an outcast at school for refusing to play along with the spooky tradition like the other sixth graders. Luckily, he manages to find a friend in fellow misfit Tai, and just in time, because things are getting weird in Samhain…or make that weird er .

But there’s no way the mayor is an actual vampire, and their teacher absolutely cannot really be a werewolf—right? Caleb discovers Samhain is so much stranger than he ever could have imagined. As one of the only people who realizes what’s happening, can he save a town that doesn’t want saving?

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #9 ~ Horror Library, Volume 9

Posted: October 9, 2026 in Anthology, horror, reviews
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

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I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

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 Horror Library, Volume 9

Editor Eric J. Guignard

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Genre: Horror / Adult

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MY REVIEW

I was so lucky to be introduced to this Horror Library back at the beginning. Appreciating how difficult it must be to tell a story in fewer words, put you in that story, develop characters and move the plot quickly has made me a huge fan.

I also love finding new authors in genres I love. I’ve sure found so many, and including new ones in this volume. And there are some familiar names in the lineup too.

With 30 stories it would take up so much space to review them individually.  So, while I’m not one to mention favorites, I’m making an exception. Here are my top five in no particular order. Found You, Before His Time, Third Floor Windows, The Drowning Kind and I don’t Wanna Go To Mexico No More, More, horror,More.

So many stories. So much individuality. So many chills and thrills. Fans of the unexpected and fearful will enjoy these sips of the known and unknown. I sure did.

5 STARS

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Synopsis

The +Horror Library+ anthologies are internationally praised as a groundbreaking source of contemporary horror short fiction stories–relevant to the moment and stunning in impact–from leading authors of the macabre and darkly imaginative.

Filled with Fears and Fantasy. Death and Dark Dreams. Monsters and Mayhem. Literary Vision and Wonder. Each volume of the +Horror Library+ series is packed with heart-pounding thrills and creepy contemplations as to what truly lurks among the shadows of the world(s) we live in.

Containing 30 all-original stories, read Volume 9 in this ongoing anthology series, and then continue with the other volumes.

Shamble no longer through the banal humdrum of normalcy, but ENTER THE HORROR LIBRARY!

Included within Volume 9:

–  In “Head Over Heels,” a sentient unicycle enacts long-sought revenge against those who have wronged it.

–  In “Eyes Without Their Lids,” a couple with no memory of their prior lives, awaken in a doorless room and in full sight of a camera that watches all they do.

–  In “False Witness,” a man whose life was saved by a mysterious voice finds himself in the midst of a worse fate.

–  . . . and more!

–  Also including a special guest-artist’s gallery of Michael A. Livolsi!

Amazon

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

31 Days Of Thrills And Chills #7 ~ Night Of Madness By Ryan Douglass

Posted: October 7, 2026 in horror, reviews, thriller, YA
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Welcome to My 31 Days Of Thrills And Chills 2026! I’m so excited to do it again. I’ll be sharing reviews and lots of extra spooky stuff every day leading up to Halloween. I hope you’ll join me!

.

Free Computer Seeks photo and picture

.

I’m sharing all kinds of books, movies, and other spooky stuff for every day in October. Gots to get those scares on for the 31st!

~~~~~

 Night Of Madness

By Ryan Douglass

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Genre: YA / Horror / Thriller

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MY REVIEW

For slasher horror themed books, this one is right up my alley. Sure, it’s YA, but don’t let that fool you. The danger and mayhem real and intense.

The plot may not sound like a new one. Just you wait. Young influencers are selected to survive an overnight contest taking place on the set of a horror movie. Whoever lasts until morning wins a bunch of money. You expect things to go wrong, and they do. Very wrong.

What’s my bread and butter is the character driven story. You put several strangers together, place then in a life or death situation, and wait to see who survives. I enjoy trying to guess who steps up, who cracks under pressure and who is the first to lose. I sorted out who I wanted to win. But…… this is a horror thriller and nothing is guaranteed. There are no rules. And the person running the show likes that idea.

I really liked Night Of Madness. Ryan Douglas is now on my author’s list to keep an eye on.

4 STARS

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Synopsis

Teen influencers compete in a horror movie–themed overnight competition, only to realize the real test is staying alive in this chilling, blood-soaked horror novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Taking of Jake Livingston and the production company behind Clown in a Cornfield.

Mara is a horror buff whose only fond memories of her dad are bonding over movies by Jack Stanley—the producer of the eighties. Stanley’s campy slasher movies may have kept Mara’s fraught parental relationship on life support and gained a cult following, but the man himself has faded from the public eye…until he announces a contest centered around Asylum, his most terrifying film. Five teen influencers will be invited to spend the night on the fully constructed set; whoever sticks it out until morning wins a hundred thousand dollars.

Stuck in a dead-end job, Mara seriously needs that cash. She may not be a famous influencer, but there has to be a way to manufacture an online presence that will capture Stanley’s attention. With the help of her brother and best friend, Mara finds some creative solutions to her dilemma and lands herself onto the roster of the lucky chosen few by way of her engaging authenticity.

When Mara and the other contestants arrive on set, it’s a horror fan’s dream being immersed in the asylum setting, but as the night wears on, they realize the danger is more than movie magic… They’re not there to win or lose but to live or die. As Mara fights to survive, she discovers an inner ruthlessness she didn’t know she had. Just how far will she go to see the sunrise—and will she still recognize herself by the end?

Amazon / B&N

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Click on the covers for more Thrills And Chills reviews.

 

 

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

Candidate For Murder By Lauren Carr ~ Guest Post And Review

Posted: October 7, 2026 in Guest Post, Mystery, reviews
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Book Details:

Candidate for Murder

By Lauren Carr

Series:  A Mac Faraday Mystery (Volume 12)
Category:  Adult fiction (18+), 410 pages
Genre:  Murder Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  June 16, 2016
Content Rating:  PG-13 (Lauren Carr’s books are murder mysteries, so there are murders involved. Occasionally, a murder will happen on stage. There is sexual content, but always behind closed doors. Some mild swearing (a hell or a damn few and far between). No F-bombs!

“OMG! Carr is over the top and giving us an easy “10”  with her latest, Candidate for Murder!…Don’t just sit there thinking that this might be the book to try for Lauren Carr! I’m telling you right now it’s a must-read for daring, adventure, crime-busting, high-level government criminal elimination.” – reviewer by Glenda Bixler, Book Readers Heaven

“OMG!!! The best Mac Faraday…yet. Lauren Carr is a master storyteller who combines the humor of Janet Evanovich and the investigative skills of Patricia Cornwell. She is always at the top of my reading list.” – review by Sherry Fundin, Fundinmental, As Eye See It

Book Description:

When the candidate is a dog, the election gets deadly.

It’s election time in Spencer, Maryland, and the race for mayor is anything but civil.

When the two major parties offer up a pair of thoroughly unpleasant candidates, Police Chief David O’Callaghan decides to make a statement — by nominating Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s brilliant and mischievous German Shepherd, to run for mayor.

What begins as a hilarious joke quickly turns deadly serious when Gnarly becomes the front-runner overnight. Suddenly, the campaign gets ugly. One of the human candidates ends up murdered, and all signs point to the canine contender.

With the entire town watching and political enemies circling, Mac Faraday and the gang must dive headfirst into a dirty election filled with long-buried secrets, dirty tricks, and at least one very determined killer.

Can they clear Gnarly’s name before the votes are counted — or will this be one election that ends in murder?
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A witty, fast-paced Mac Faraday Mystery packed with small-town charm, sharp humor, and a German Shepherd who just might be smarter than the voters.

​Buy the Book:  
 Audible ~ Amazon
B&N ~ BookBub
Add to Goodreads
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MY REVIEW
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I’ve read several books in the Mac Faraday Mystery series and was so excited after reading the synopsis for this newest one.

Gnarly, Mac Faraday’s german shepherd and my favorite four-legged friend, is running for Mayor of Spencer. Most folks in town don’t care for either of the candidates running on the ballot. Sound familiar? They jump on board to vote Gnarly in. Of course, the other nominees aren’t taking this lying down, and they dig for the dirt. I don’t think they’ll find anything. After all, Gnarly is man’s best friend. Well, except for the thing about the disappearing food. His partner in crime, Storm, knows all about that, and she’s not talking.

What started as a lark snowballs, and the fun begins. Can you imagine Gnarly debating the other candidates? How about kissing babies and shaking hands? Gnarly is on the campaign fast track. I wonder if his four-legged companions will be allowed to vote.

In between all of the crazy political scheming, the gang is working a cold case. Secrets are uncovered and the town of Spencer might not survive the fallout.

I love that Lauren’s characters are all animal lovers and their pets go wherever they go. And they are just as individual in personality as the humans. It’s a load of laughs to see what they get into.

When an author can spin a good mystery and keep me in stitches at the same time, it’s all good. I loved this book and it’s now one of my favorites in the series.

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5 STARS
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GUEST POST by Lauren Carr

You Nominate a Dog as a Joke. Then He Wins.

I have started a lot of books with a joke that was only supposed to last a page.

In Candidate for Murder, the joke is an election. Spencer, Maryland, is being offered two mayoral candidates who could not sell water at the lake. Police Chief David O’Callaghan, who is Mac Faraday’s half-brother and occasionally his common sense, decides the town should see what it is being handed. He nominates Gnarly.

Gnarly is a German shepherd. He has been thrown out of the Army. He has opinions about sandwiches, wedding rings, and furniture. He does not have a platform. David does not think he needs one. The point is the insult.

Spencer misses the point.

Overnight the dog is the front-runner. Someone prints signs. Someone writes ads. A campaign manager appears, which is how you know a bit has escaped the outline and is now paying rent. The human candidates, who were happy to sneer at a stunt, stop sneering when the poll numbers move. If you are behind, you dig up dirt. If the front-runner is a dog, the dirt is whatever you can find in a military file.

That is where the book stops being a comedy sketch. The opposition does not only want Gnarly embarrassed. Somebody wants a body in the race. Mac is not even supposed to be running this circus. He comes home to a town that has elected itself a problem, and a rumor that his dog killed the soldier who handled him.

I did not outline “dog for mayor” as a thirteen-chapter bit. I outlined a fed-up police chief and a bad ballot. The rest is what happens when a small town is funnier, and meaner, than the author.

If you have met Gnarly before, you already know he will not apologize. If you have not, you can start here. The race is on the front page. The murder is not a civics lesson. Bring a pencil if you like guessing. Leave it in the drawer if you came for the dog. He does not share.

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Meet Author Lauren Carr:

​Lauren Carr is the author of over thirty acclaimed mystery novels, with more than half a million copies sold worldwide. Her fast-paced series—the Mac Faraday Mysteries, Chris Matheson Cold Case Mysteries, and more—blend twists, suspense, humor, and unforgettable characters (including clever German shepherds!).
 
It’s Murder, My Son organically hit #1 in Mystery on Amazon, and her books consistently rank in the Top 20 Police Procedurals in the US and international markets.
 
A popular speaker and publishing consultant, Lauren lives on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV, with her husband and three spoiled rotten German shepherds.

connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ X/twitter ~ pinterest ~ goodreads

 

 

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