5/31 OktoberHorrorFest - Movie Review - Ghost Ship (2002)

Interesting movie on a ghost ship with a bunch of salvagers. It's one of the first works by Emily Browning and you've got some interesting people acting like Karl Urban (probably best know for Butcher (Tv Series The Boys) or Julianna Marguiles (ER or Hot Zone)m she is very hot (/but no nudity) but probably the best actor is Gabriel Byrne  best know by Usual Suspects, End of Days, Stigmata among others.  

 So we've got here a movie where a ship has been stranded for years now in international waters and they are tasked to save it and collect the price.  The first 30m we've got introduction to each individual actor backstory, interest and way of being. Since there are only 6 it's quite easy to differentiate each one.

There is a lot of gore, and lot of spooky stuff , delusion and interesting back story behind all of it. I think it nothing spectacular and you can see where stuff is going as soon as you start seeing weird shit. 

Now about the nudity and I know that's what you want to hear (there are a couple of scenes, great boobs  by Francesca Rettondini. 

4/31 OktoberHorrorFest - Movie Review - V\H\S 85 (2023)

This is the first fifth movie on the series. So if you don't know this is usually a compilation of short movies all recorded as people did in the 80's with their hand cameras, all screw and pixelized and so on. 

The first tale is a about a group of young teens that go to a lake that is prohibitive and after a while they are shot and dead. The problem is that they return

The second tale is a Mexican tale about the earthquake that happened in 1985 and the secrets that were uncovered then. The third tale is a mess of virtual reality that people think it would happen in the future. Think Tron.

The fourth tale, probably one of the best is the tale of a family celebrating something that we later learn is connected with the first story. Very good, very ground-breaking, and the ending was truly excellent.

The fifth tale is about a killer who is being tapped killing some random people, whilst the police receives the tape BEFORE. Truly interesting tale as well.

Inbetween of these tales there is an ongoing tale about a strange being, being study. Very odd one. 

There is a hint of nudity but nothing sexual and like one second (on the mexican tale)

3/31 OktoberHorrorFest - Movie Review - A Cat in the Brain (1990) - Lucio Fulci

 This is some weird shit I must tell you. 

You've got this movie direct (portrayed by the actual director of the movie called Lucio Fulci) which is filming one of his splatterpunk movies and becomes affected by it. He can't eat meat or hear chainsaws lest he becomes a bit of berserk - but nothing major. He then goes to a psychiatrist and the guy hypnotized him to do some really macabre things everytime he hears a sound.

What interesting is the flashbacks he has, some images and such. They are really bad. This is a very good novel but not to the feint of heart. Although I may say, or I will say it's very unbelievable, weird fake shots, fake blood, fake bodies etc. It's a masterpiece for the 1990 where really nothing existed. Nowadays is one more movie but I believe is still holds it's value.

2/31 OktoberHorrorFest - Movie Review - Bag Boy Lover Boy (2014) & Cellphone (2023)

BAG BOY LOVER BOY

So the first is low budget horror movie about a normal person who sells hot dog until the day some artist appears and says he wants him in this next art project. Being this horror, or somekind of it, the art itself looks like it's going to be somekind of kinky porn stuff but alas it was not (because he is putting a bag on top of her head). This guy which I have to tell is a bit of mentally challenged person wants to be artist as well now and things go downhill after all he can't really discern the difference between "art" and just being a murderer. It was bad movie, not worthy of 1h30 that it took. But being a low budget I guess I can accept it... This probably cost what? 10 dollars and a sandwich? Oh, there are some boobs but nothing really too graphic or interesting.. imdb

CELLPHONE

Since this was disapointed I went to Cellphone a 2024  horror novel set in a isolated house in the middle of nowhere. It started very interesting with a guy, going around his house, at night, with his cellphone and camera on and looking at things. We don't know what he sees but after looking at his wife  in her bed he find out him hang. Afterwards we start accompanying another inhabitant to the house and right from the bat you know something is going on. We then learn the reason she is there and funny thing is that the man who portrays her husband is her actual husband (well it wasn't but they are now). Did they meet in the movie? That's the most important thing... Getting back to the movie it sucked. IT was slow burning, boring conversations and the "evil" ghost kind of thing was overdone and pretty unconvincing. Most interesting part of the movie besides the real love between characters was Justin Malik Jackson performance. 

Okay I've search. This movie was filmed in 2021 which makes sense with the lack of characters (there several character but never meet , well almost) 

Whitney is now engaged to fellow co-star Jared Noble. They met in Chillicothe, Ohio while shooting the film 'Cellphone'.

No nudity. imdb

1/31 OktoberHorrorFest - Movie Review - Succubus

There were two movies called Succubus in 2024. One of them is Russian and from what I've heard it's better than the US counterpart. imdb

The Tale is set on a island where a bunch of couples get together to overcome somekind of adversity on their relation. Trust , lack of sexual appeal etc. Each one is given several tasks where they must perform or else... In the beginning you don't know what "else" is since is just some kind of jump scares but as the story progress you get the feeling of what it means to be there and what is at stake. After a while you see those guardians and their weird cult. To be honest, just from the get go with those masks you know that something was wrong but whatever.  There are some really interesting things like the monster and the twin thing. To be fair, this is nothing you haven't seen before on other movies out there.

There is a lot of  sexual tension, but unfortunately only two sex scenes although when they exist they are very good , well because Angelina Pahomova has great boobs and even for that only is sufficient to watch the movie. She gets naked thrice in the movie whereas one of them is pretty good. 

Some odd things is the lack of dialogue I don't know if they create this movie for English audiences , probably, but every character as English name like Stacy or Nick which I found odd. I've try to first hear in Russian and then English and couldn't tell which is better...  The Dubs are awful. The plot in the end is a bit convoluted, not going to spoil but I thought that everything ended quite easily... 

TBR Month of September (Plus Status at 13/9/2024)

I've been away for some time which I am sorry but unfortunately stuff happens and I had less time to write here. So this month of September I chose to read (to be fair it's going to be the same in November & December)  to read some oldies  - books written before 1980. My goal is to read one Horror, Fantasy & Sci-Fi & One Other.

For the month of September I have chosen:

1. The Secret of Chimneys Agatha Christie 400p 1925
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes Ray Bradbury 261p 1962
3. Roadside Picnic Arkady Strugatsky 197p 1977
4. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423p 1979
5. Three Hearts & Three Lions Poul Anderson 175p 1953

From last month it transitioned 

1. Crowfall Ed McDonald 454p          2019
2. Battlefield Earth L. Ron Hubbard 1135p 1982

As of today I've read

1. The Secret of Chimneys Agatha Christie 400p 1925 (Rated 86) 
2. Something Wicked This Way Comes Ray Bradbury 261p 1962 (Rated 45) 
3. Roadside Picnic Arkady Strugatsky 197p 1977 (Rated 25) 
4. Fulgrim - Graham McNeil  510p 2007 (Rated 85)  
5. The Secret Path Christopher Pike 144p 1995  (Rated 80) 
6. The New Girl R L Stine 168p 1989  (Rated 41) 

Currently Reading

1. Flowers in the Attic Virginia Andrews 423p 1979
2. Parasite Darcy Coates 422p 2016

Analysis of First Semester 2024

 As you know I've changed my goals that instead of being books read (Which I initially set to 104 (2 per week or so) I changed to 100 pages per day. 

So, how am I faring you ask..  Well I've read (concluded) 58 novels with total page count of 14993 pages that gives roughly 83 pages per day. So I am bit off on the page count.

I've read 6 Fantasy, 6 Thriller, 18 Sci-Fi & 27 Horror novels which makes sense since it's my favourite genre.

My Top 5 (without Re-Reading)

1. Swan Song - Robert McCammon *97*
2. Ship of Fools - Paul Richard Von Russo *93*
3. Tender is the Flesh - Agustina Bazterrica *93*
4. The Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancy *92*
5. Skyward - Brandon Sanderson *92*

Top Disappointing Books

1. The Resting Places - Anthology *23*
2. Gilead's Curse - Dan Abnett & Nik Vincent *25*
3. The Deep - Nick Cutter *32*
4. The Night House - Jo Nesbo *33*
5. Malorie - Josh Malerman *33*

In terms of Black Library Stuff I've read 11 books plus one ReRead which is pretty good. My Goal is to read 20 or so this year to dwindle my BL Books.

Series I finished  (not all in the same year)

 - The Beast Arises - Black Library (12 novels)

- Slob - Aron Beauregard (2 novels)

- Ambassador Chronicles (2 novels)

- Bird Box (2 Novels)

- Gilead - Black Library (2 Novels)

- Space 1999 - Audiobook (3 novels)

- Genevieve - Black Library (4 Novels)

- The Rewilding Report (3 novels)

- Arc of Scythe  (3 novels)

Series Started

- Alice - Christina Henry (1/3) 

- Skyward - Brandon Sanderson (1/4)

Series That I continued

- Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry (2/4)

- Ciaphas Cain - Sandy Mitchell (11/??)

- Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan (2/14)

- Horus Heresy - Black Library (4/54)

28/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

I will try to get back to this format on a weekly basis but it's being hard since it's vacations and the kid is at home etc... I was on vacation for one week and read several novels.

Books Already Read

1. All the Fiends of Hell - Adam Nevill  344p 💀4/7💀  ⭐45⭐
2. Conan the Destroyer - Robert Jordan 288p 💀5/7💀 ⭐88⭐
3. Murder at Spindle Manor (#1) . Morgan Stang 252p 💀7/7💀 ⭐93⭐
4. The Church Beneath the Roots - Felix Blackwell  343p 💀8/7💀 ⭐73⭐
5. It Waits on the Top Floor (#1)  - Ben Farthing 296p 💀12/7💀 ⭐70⭐

Ongoing

1. Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 - Ron L Hubbard 186/1050
2. Crucifax - Ray Garton 287/388

Books to Read July 

• DeathWorlder Victoria Hayward 344 2024
• Battlefield Earth L. Ron Hubbard 1135 1982
• Conan The Destroyer Robert Howard 271 1984
• Darkness, Tell Us Richard Laymon 504 1991
• Rogue Planet Greg Bear 330 2000
• Crowfall Ed McDonald 454 2019
• Hunger Jeremy Robinson 253 2023
• All the Fiends in Hell Adam L G Nevill 336 2023
• Murder At Spindle Manor Morgan Stang 249 2022
• My Sweet Satan Peter Cawdron 251 2014
• It Waits on the Top Floor Ben Farthing 289 2021
• The Church Beneath the Roots Fleix Blackwell 329 2024
• King Blood Simon Clark 534 1997

Books received. TBR Pile piling up...

• Every Dead Thing - John Connolly
• The Man Called Noon - Louis L'Amour
• Lolth's Warrior - RA Salvatore
• The Shadow on the Glass
• Herald of Ruin
• Let's Destroy Investutech - Tim Pratt (Special Edition)
• Neon Wings - David G Barnett (Special Edition)
• In the country of dreaming Caravans (Special Edition)
• Letters from Hades (special edition)
• Bubba and the Cosmic Blood Scukers (Special Edition)
• Powersat - Ben Bova
• Tales of the Grand Tour - Ben Bova
• Leviathans of Jupiter - Ben Bova
• Mars Life - Ben Bova
• Earth- Ben Bova
• Mercury- Ben Bova
• Moonrise- Ben Bova
• Farside- Ben Bova
• The Rock Rats- Ben Bova
• The Silent War- Ben Bova
• Empire Builders- Ben Bova
• The Precipice- Ben Bova
• Moonwar- Ben Bova
• The Return- Ben Bova
• Titan- Ben Bova
• Aftermath- Ben Bova
• Titan- Ben Bova
• Endurance - Jack Kilborn
• Project Nemesis - Jeremy Robinson
• Beta - Scott Sammy

26/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

I've been neglecting writing reviews and posting here. I will try to return to that, not this week since I am going on vacations but the second week of July. I've around 100 pages per day which is good. My favourite book of the month and a strong contender to book of the year is Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica.

1. The Toll Neal Shusterman 630p      ⭐45⭐
2. Fall of Night Jonathan Maberry 402p      ⭐83⭐
3. Crucifax Ray Garton 387p      ⭐⭐
4. Alice Christina Henry 323p      ⭐60⭐
5. Cold West Clayton Snyder 158p      ⭐80⭐
6. The Dark Times P. A. Douglas 264p      ⭐82⭐
7. Sleepwalking Daniel Barnett 217p      ⭐60⭐
8. Kjalma's Skuill Tom Horth 126p      ⭐75⭐
9. Nightcrawlers Tim Curran 239p      ⭐60⭐
10.  Boot Boys of the Wolf Reich David Agranoff 206p      ⭐74⭐
11. A Boy Possessed Jon Athan 191p      ⭐86⭐
12. Tender is the Flesh Agustina Bazterrica 221p      ⭐93⭐

Ongoing

None

Books to Read July (TBR). I know I am being ambitious but I really want to read a lot and I Am going to be on vacations for two weeks, so who knows.

• DeathWorlder Victoria Hayward 344 2024
• Battlefield Earth L. Ron Hubbard 1135 1982
• Conan The Destroyer Robert Howard 271 1984
• Darkness, Tell Us Richard Laymon 504 1991
• Rogue Planet Greg Bear 330 2000
• Crowfall Ed McDonald 454 2019
• Hunger Jeremy Robinson 253 2023
• All the Fiends in Hell Adam L G Nevill 336 2023
• Murder At Spindle Manor Morgan Stang 249 2022
• My Sweet Satan Peter Cawdron 251 2014
• It Waits on the Top Floor Ben Farthing 289 2021
• The Church Beneath the Roots Fleix Blackwell 329 2024
• King Blood Simon Clark 534 1997

TBR Pile, Books received piling up...

I bought a lot of books. Don't want to remember it.

Ongoing Book Series (Q2 of 2024)

So let's do an update on my ongoing series and such. So Far I finished 5 series

Pre 1(?) Books Series that I've started since January of 2024

• Alice - Christina Henry 1/3
• Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry 2/4
• Clown in a Cornfield Adam Cesare 1/3 (Dropped)
• Skyward Brandon Sanderson 1/4

1) Ongoing Book Series (To Finish in 2024)  (15 books)

• Multiple Authors - The Beast Arises 9/12   (Trying to Finish)
• Graham McNeil - Ambassador Chronicles 1//2 (Trying to Finish)
• Josh Maldernan - Bird Box 1//2 (Trying to Finish)
• Kathleen O'Neal Gear - Rewilding Report 1/3 (Trying to Finish)
• Neal Shusterman - Arc of a Scythe 1/3 (Trying to Finish)
• Hugh Lowey - Wool  1/3 (Trying to Finish)
• Jack Yeovil - Geneviere  3/4 (Trying to Finish)
• Ed McDonald - Raven's Mark 2/3 (Trying to Finish)
• C L Werner - Thanquol & Boneripper 2/3 (Trying to Finish)
• Gav Thorpe - Last Chancers 3/4  (Trying to Finish)
• J Todd Scott - Chris Cherry 1/3 (Trying to Finish)

2) Ongoing Book Series (Continuing Reading in 2024) (17 Books)

• Orson Scott Card - Ender's Saga 2/5 (One Book To Read)
• Mark Lawrence - Broken Empire 1/3  (One Book To Read)
• Hideyuki Kikuchi - Vampire Hunter D 10/30 (Two Books To Read)
• R A Salvatore -  Legend of Drizzt   18/39  (One Book To Read)
• Frank Herbert - Dune 3/6 (One Book To Read)
• Terry Pratchett - Discworld  4/41 (One Book To Read)
• J K Rowling - Harry Potter 3/7    (One Book To Read)
• Daniel Barnett -Nightmareland 2/6    (Two Books To Read)
• Douglas Adams - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 2/5   (One Book To Read)
• John Ringo - Black Tide Rising (only main story) 1/4   (One Book To Read)
• Dan Abnett - Gaunt's Ghosts 1/15   (One Book To Read)
• Multiple Authors - Gotrek & Felix (Warhammer) 13/17  (One Book To Read)
• Sandy Mitchell - Commissar Ciaphas Cain 9/12 (One Book To Read)
• Jack Campbell - The Lost Fleet -  6/21 (One Book To Read)
• Multiple Authors - Horus Heresy 4/54  (One/two Book To Read)

3) Ongoing Book Series (Probably Skipping in 2024)

• Robert Jordan - The Wheel of Time 1/14 (Reading book 2)
• Frontlines (Thinking about buying  book 2)
• C J Box - Joe Pickett 1/24   

4) There are also my pallete cleansers for 2024 (continuing from last few years that include: 

• Bentley Little 12/29
• Conan 0/68
• John Saul 1 / 27
• Jon Athan 6/32
• Gor 1/19
• Louis L'Amour 2/99
• Richard Laymon 14/34
• Shaun Hutson 2 /16
• Star Wars Legends 16/164
• Tim Curran 14/39

22/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

 It's unfortunately that I couldn't do more posts but that's how things are in life. It was good month in terms of reading. Let's hope June is as well.

1. On the Third Day - Thomas Rhys            631p           2/5/2024   ⭐40⭐
2. The Resort - Bryce Gibson                       170p           4/5/2024  ⭐39⭐
3. Mr Bliss - JRR Tolkien                             144p             5/5/2024 ⭐78⭐
4. Clown in the Cornfield  - Adam Cesare         346p     9/5/2024    ⭐65⭐
5. The Flight of Eisenstein - James Swallow (HH#4) 416 15/5/2024 ⭐85⭐
6. Naomi's Room - Jonathan Aycliffe  215                   16/5/2024     ⭐85⭐
7. Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry (audioook)  357  17/5/2024  ⭐80⭐
8. No Longer Human - Junji Ito    616                        17/5/2024  ⭐90⭐
9. Swan Song - Robert McCammon                 956      20/5/2024   ⭐97⭐ 
10. Hungry Tales - Jonathan Maberry (audioook)  200   23/5/204   ⭐73⭐ 

Ongoing

1. Junktion - Matthew Farrer                                  99/256 (36%)
2. Crucifax - Ray Garton 129/387 (33%)
3. The Toll Neal Shusterman 424/630 (68%)
4. Fall of Night - Jonathan Maberry  -Audiobook        85/402 (19%)

Books to Read May

• Crucifax Ray Garton 387
• Alice Christina Henry 323
• The Wolf and the She-Bear Morgan Stang 179
• Tomorrow's Children Daniel Polansky 355
• Naomi's Room Jonathan Aycliffe 215
• The Toll Neal Shusterman 630
• In the Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 344
• DeathWorlder Victoria Hayward 344
• Kjalma's Skuill Tom Horth 126

TBR Pile, Books received piling up...

1. The Complete Rynosseros - Terry Dowling - 1197p  (Special Edition)
2. Tim Lebbon - The Silence - 364p (Special Edition)
3. Quan Williams - Godmode - 244p  (Special Edition)
4. Patrick Malloy - Bang Bang - 247p  (Special Edition)
5. Blood of the Impaler - Jeffrey Sackett - 495p (Special Edition)
6. Mightier than the Sword - K J Parker  (Special Edition)
7. Downfall of the Gods- K J Parker (Special Edition)
8. My Beautiful Life- K J Parker (Special Edition)
9. Path of Reliquary - Ken Scott Smith
10. Host of the Armageddon - Ken Scott Smith
11. Still - Charlee Jacob
12. Demon Theory - Stephen Graham Jones
13. Don't Fear the Reaper - Stephen Graham Jones
14. The Proteus Cure - F Paul Wilson
15. Draculas - Sevaral Authors
16. Where They Came (Special Edition)
17. Sex and Violence in Hollywood - Ray Garton
18. Methods of Madness - Ray Garton
19. Meds - Ray Garton
20. The Triumph of the Spider Monkey - Joyce Carol Oates
21. The House that Horror Built
22. Legion - Jamie Sawyer
23. Artefact - Jamie Sawyer
24. Origins - Jamie Sawyer
25. My  Beautiful Life- K J Parker
26. Mightier Than the Swords- K J Parker
27. Downfall of the Gods - K J Parker

20/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

May Started and I restructed some goals that I will be talking a future post, on this month I am trying to read as much horror as possible since it usually helps my reading mood... I received several special editions novels and I am getting several more. I'm really having a good month so far

1. On the Third Day - Thomas Rhys     631p           2/5/2024  ⭐40⭐
2. The Resort - Bryce Gibson               170p           4/5/2024 ⭐39⭐
3. Mr Bliss - JRR Tolkien                    144p             5/5/2024 ⭐78⭐
4. Clown in the Cornfield  - Adam Cesare  346p     9/5/2024   ⭐65⭐
5. The Flight of Eisenstein - James Swallow (HH#4) 416 15/5/2024  ⭐85⭐
6. Naomi's Room - Jonathan Aycliffe  215  16/5/2024  ⭐85⭐
7. Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry (audioook)  357  17/5/2024  ⭐80⭐
8. No Longer Human - Junji Ito    616                        17/5/2024  ⭐90⭐

Ongoing

1. Swan Song Robert McCammon 805/956p (84%)
2. Junktion - Matthew Farrer                                  99/256 (36%)
3. Crucifax - Ray Garton 99/387

Books to Read May

• Crucifax Ray Garton 387
• Alice Christina Henry 323
• The Wolf and the She-Bear Morgan Stang 179
• Tomorrow's Children Daniel Polansky 355
• Naomi's Room Jonathan Aycliffe 215
• The Toll Neal Shusterman 630
• In the Coils of the Labyrinth David Annandale 344
• DeathWorlder Victoria Hayward 344
• Kjalma's Skuill Tom Horth 126

TBR Pile, Books received piling up...

1. The Complete Rynosseros - Terry Dowling - 1197p  (Special Edition)
2. Tim Lebbon - The Silence - 364p (Special Edition)
3. Quan Williams - Godmode - 244p  (Special Edition)
4. Patrick Malloy - Bang Bang - 247p  (Special Edition)
5. Blood of the Impaler - Jeffrey Sackett - 495p (Special Edition)
6. Mightier than the Sword - K J Parker  (Special Edition)
7. Downfall of the Gods- K J Parker (Special Edition)
8. My Beautiful Life- K J Parker (Special Edition)
9. Path of Reliquary - Ken Scott Smith
10. Host of the Armageddon - Ken Scott Smith
11. Still - Charlee Jacob
12. Demon Theory - Stephen Graham Jones
13. Don't Fear the Reaper - Stephen Graham Jones

19/52 Friday Update - Books Read; Currently Reading & TBR (and bought)

May Started and I restructed some goals that I will be talking a future post, on this month I am trying to read as much horror as possible since it usually helps my reading mood... I received several special editions novels and I am getting several more.

1. On the Third Day - Thomas Rhys     631p           2/5/2024  ⭐40⭐
2. The Resort - Bryce Gibson               170p           4/5/2024 ⭐39⭐
3. Mr Bliss - JRR Tolkien                    144p             5/5/2024 ⭐78⭐
4. Clown in the Cornfield  - Adam Cesare  346p     9/5/2024   ⭐65⭐

Ongoing

1. Swan Song Robert McCammon 805/956p (84%)
2. The Flight of Eisenstein - James Swallon (Horus Heresy #4) 295/416 (71%)
3. Junktion - Matthew Farrer                                       99/256 (36%)
4. Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry (audioook)           278/357 (78%) 
5. No Longer Human - Junji Ito                                365/616 (59%)

Books to Read May

• Crucifax Ray Garton 387
• Alice Christina Henry 323
• The Wolf and the She-Bear Morgan Stang 179
• Tomorrow's Children Daniel Polansky 355
• Naomi's Room Jonathan Aycliffe 215
• The Toll Neal Shusterman 630
• In the Coils of the Labyrinth David Annadale 344
• DeathWorlder Victoria Hayward 344
• Kjalma's Skuill Tom Horth 126

TBR Pile, Books received piling up...

1. The Complete Rynosseros - Terry Dowling - 1197p  (Special Edition)
2. Tim Lebbon - The Silence - 364p (Special Edition)
3. Quan Williams - Godmode - 244p  (Special Edition)
4. Patrick Malloy - Bang Bang - 247p  (Special Edition)
5. Blood of the Impaler - Jeffrey Sackett - 495p (Special Edition)