BLOG
Mastodon by Steve Stred
BOOK REVIEW: MASTODON BY STEVE STRED
Lions and tigers and...WTF!!
Stred takes fans deep into the woods with this thrilling and twisted horror that will leave readers delightfully queasy! Tyler Barton's mother vanished in the forest seventeen years ago. Fast forward to the present and his father disappears in the exact same spot. Determined to not lose another parent, Tyler sets out on a rescue mission only to quickly discover that nothing is as it seems.
This book is W-I-L-D! Stred quickly captures the reader's attention and doesn't let go as this adventure unravels an unsettling secret lurking deep in the Canadian wilderness. Tyler is a likable and sympathetic character with the exact skills needed to rescue his dad. Too bad things don't go as planned and he finds himself being hunted by...well, that's for the reader to discover! But if anyone picks up this book certain they know what's lurking in the shadows, they will be pleasantly surprised (and perhaps a tad grossed out) by the twists!
The tension drips off the page, and while perhaps a little more time could have been spent on the father's POV in order to add another delicious layer of horror to the plot, there's plenty of disturbing fright to keep scare-enthusiasts glued to the page. Readers who enjoy Hunter Shea or Kealan Patrick Burke will easily feel at home diving into Stred's fast-paced creature-feature.
FOUR STARS
Meet Susan, my Eating Disorder.
No one cares about your diet, Susan.
CW: ED
I named my ED Susan because I don’t give a fuck about her diet.
I’ve mentioned my ED on social media. It’s no surprise that I’m vocal about my anti-diet stance, and I’m a huge body positive advocate having preached self-love from the rooftops for years; however, I’ve never peeled back the layers and shown y’all how all this started, my gritty struggle to health, and what I pray others learn before it’s too late. But with the holidays around the corner, and more diet ads popping up, it is my purest desire for people to realize their self-worth off of the scale, and maybe my story can help. So here it is, in all it’s vulnerability. Please, be kind.
I stared my first diet in third grade after the neighborhood boys decided I was fat. I say “decided” because when I look back at pictures, I see an adorable little kid with a round soft belly that’s perfectly normal for a child. But they pointed at me, that one day at the community pool, and called me fat, and that’s all it took. I ran to my mom and asked if my belly was too big. Her reply, “Don’t worry. Just suck in your stomach. All women do it.”
I don’t blame her. I don’t even blame those boys. We are programmed from childhood to believe a certain body is beautiful, healthy, worthy, ect. My mom truly thought she was given me a good tip, and considering that she’d spent most of her life on diets, what else could she offer?
So, I started eating the same foods she did which was dry grilled chicken and lettuce with fat-free Italian dressing, and the foundation of a lifetime of disordered eating and eventually an ED was set. (Again, I feel it’s important to note that my mom wasn’t at fault. She was just as much a victim of diet culture as the rest of us.)
My first diet didn’t last long. I loved McDonald’s too much. Instead, I gave up breakfast. I wasn’t a big fan of eating in the morning, so this wasn’t hard, and soon, I reduced lunch to a few cookies and maybe a bite of ham. Not a ham sandwich, just ham, which I would pack in a zip lock bag and stuff in my lunch bag with carrots that I threw away and, of course, cookies. I loved and still love sweets, so I wasn’t giving those up. Not yet.
Things only got worse. More boys decided I was fat and picked on me. The popular girls chimed in. It became a scene out of a typical coming-of-age teen movie, but rather than fade in the background wearing bagging sweatshirts, I got angry. I didn’t know then, but that anger would serve me later in life and save me from a life of diet culture. Back then, it gave me an edge, and when those asshole bullies came at me, I dished it back. It’s not something I’m proud of. I wasn’t particularly kind to those kids, but at the time, I felt justified since they were making my life hell.
There was a lot going on in the background that I won’t talk about, but food became my comfort, specifically fast food and desserts. Because I wasn’t eating breakfast or lunch, I was starving during dinner. My mom tried every diet under the sun but our dinners were usually the same dry chicken breast and salad with fat free Italian dressing I mentioned before. This time, I refused to eat it. If I was going to only eat one meal a day, it was going to be a meal I loved, and since we lived close to a fast food place, it was easy for me to get my way.
And that’s how I ate while living at home. One meal of fast food. When I learned to drive, I’d go to the grocery store and get candy, eat it in the car, and drop the trash in one of the sidewalk cans. Or, I’d hide it in my bedroom and eat late at night when everyone went to sleep.
I’d also exercise when people went to bed. I’d wait until the house was dark and silent, get up, lock my door, and do sit-ups, or march in place being careful to keep my steps as quiet as possible. I’d go over what I ate in my head, count up the calories (counting calories was something I’d become good at over the years), and then try to figure out how much exercise I needed to do to burn it off.
That was just my secret exercises. During the day, I did Cindy Crawford’s exercise VHS or go for a run or walk the dog or all of the above over and over.
During this time, I was still being called fat by my peers, still being made to feel ugly, lazy, disgusting. Still believing that no one would love me or even like me because of my weight. And I was still angry, still defending myself, still pissed at them and myself for “allowing” myself to gain weight, for being too stupid to figure out the magic cure to fatness, still believing that my worth was measured on the scale, which I had in my bathroom and used multiple times a day.
There were still things going on behind the scenes.
And then, I went to college.
This was the moment I’d been waiting for because I couldn’t wait to get out of the house where my mom was always dieting and finally be able to control my own food all the time. I planned on binging, and that’s exactly what I did. My poor body had been starved for so long that it didn’t know what to do with all the new food options. I remember one day in the lunch hall where I piled my tray with options. Literally, a pile of food, and a friend looked at me and said, “Holy hell, are you going to eat all of that?” The disgust on her face was clear, and it soon made me feel disgusting as well. So, I did the only thing I knew how to do. I went on a diet.
For the next ten years, I would go on every diet imaginable, but at the end of the day, it was the same pattern. Starving myself (sometimes I would eat nothing more than a handful of food each day for multiple days before a binge) and then eating literally anything I could get my hands on, only to feel gross and start restricting again. Over and over I did this. I spent so much money on weight loss programs, diet food, diet pills…I cringe thinking about it.
All this time, I was exercising intensely, sometimes multiple times a day, seven days a week, sometimes with an injury. I weighed myself at least twice a day, but often more, especially if I ate a large meal. I didn’t need to count calories or assign a number value to food (Weight watchers) because that information was now engrained into my brain. I didn’t even have to think. The information just popped into me head. (It still does sometimes.)
As my body was being abused by myself, my weight was going crazy. Sometimes, I was slender (of course, it was never good enough. Just five more pounds…), other times, I was overweight, and then fat. When I say I started the week in one size of jeans and ended it in the next size up, I’m not exaggerating. My clothing size fluctuated quickly, so my closet was packed with multiple sizes. I hid food, and I binged in secret. I ate food with flies on it and out of the trash can.
Why did I do all of this?
To be thin. To be beautiful. To be “healthy.” So people would think I’m active and not lazy. So people would respect me. So people would like me, or love me, or or or….And, when I was slender, I was getting compliments. “Wow, you look great.” “Did you lose weight? You look fantastic!” But when I was fat, all that went away, and I’d get silence, or worse, I’d get “concerned” talks about my “health.”
But here’s what people don’t mention when it come to dieting and weight loss and especially ED…It’s never enough, and a point comes when you realize this, and you have a decision to make. When the diets aren’t giving you want you need (what you REALLY need), what do you do?
Do you turn to alcohol? Drugs? Sex? Do you start cutting yourself?
I experimented with one of these, and I knew there was no going back. I knew that I had crossed some sort of invisible barrier and that I would never be able to go back without help.
During this time, I would crumple to the floor in a pile of tears on a regular basis. I hated myself. Truly, utterly, hated myself. That’s what dieting had done to me. It stripped me of every good thought I had about myself and replaced it with hate and ugliness. I was a nightmare to be around. My moods shifted from “fake happy” to “hangry” to depressed to sad to self-loathing to anger to sorrow…I can’t believe my husband stuck around, but I’m thankful he did because it wasn’t me who finally called the ED treatment center and made my first appointment. He did it.
I hated my first day at that place. It was an outpatient program, designed to last eight weeks, and it was intense. There were so many rules and I have an inherent dislike of authority. At this point, I was in my early thirties and the idea of having so many restrictions pissed me off. We couldn’t even go to the bathrooms without a buddy who had to stand outside the stall while we went. It was a way to keep us from throwing up or flushing food.
I left that first day, drove to a grocery store, bought all my favorite desserts, and binged in the parking lot. Then, I vowed never to return to that terrible place. I waited until the center closed, then called them up and left a message on their machine saying I wouldn’t be back. I got a return call in less than five minutes from a very polite counselor who convinced me to give it another chance.
So, I went back, and day after day, things got a little better. I loved that I wasn’t alone, and the others in the program made me feel supported. I left after two weeks and decided to do private therapy with a therapist who was a former counselor at the center. The center had super strict rules about not missing a session, no exceptions. I needed an exception, and when it wasn’t granted, I left, but those two weeks were life changing, and I have no doubt that the skills I learned from my private therapist were the same things I would have learned quicker if I had stayed the full eight weeks.
So, remember my anger? Well, it came out in full force during therapy. We talked about all my secrets, we examined my eating and the reasons for it, we took a magnifying class to our society and culture and how it treats fat people, we went deep into my relationships with others and how I handle negative feelings. We talked about everything going on in the background, but most importantly, my therapist gave me a big box of tools that I now carry with me through life that keeps me on the right track.
The best thing about being in recovery from an ED is the mental health benefits. I’m free in a way I never imagined possible. I’ve unlearned a lifetime of “truths” and healed not only my body but my mentality and self-esteem.
I went to graduate school and now have a MFA in Writing. I’m published in both short stories, poetry, and novels. I’m so much happier in general, and that shows in my relationships. I don’t get angry as quickly or as much as the past. I don’t care what other people think. I wear what I want and wear my hair how I want, and this has translated into also living my life how I want without worrying about meeting other people’s idea for success. I don’t think about food or diets or my body, which means my brain is free to think of more important things like deconstructing diet culture and dismantling the patriarchy and my career aspirations in horror writing.
I eat whatever I want, when I want, and I stop when I’m full. (I fully acknowledge the racism and ableism that is associated with intuitive eating. That’s a subject for another time.) I don’t count calories, and I took a hammer to my scale and smashed it to bits.
So, for those wondering, what is my weight and does my body fluctuate? I have no idea what I weigh (See above about my scale), but in the three years I’ve been on this journey, my weight stabilized early on and hasn’t changed. My closet is one size, and has been this whole healing journey.
I know everyone wants to talk about health with weight loss or gain, but I hope people can see that’s what I’ve just done. I hope people can see that diets aren’t health, and that slender doesn’t automatically equate to healthy, and that fat doesn’t mean someone is lazy. Fat people deserve love, respect, equality, and kindness, just like anyone else. Body positivity isn’t about loving one’s curves. It’s about everything in this article, about fighting a system that’s designed to make us fail and hate ourselves. It’s activism and being an ally.
I never imagined I’d be where I am today, but if I can do it, anyone can. Please, reach out to an ED specialist to get the help needed and to take that first step. You’re worth it!
A List of Feminist Horror Writers
Feminist horror Writers
What is feminist horror? For some, it means female driven horror that brazenly challenges social norms. For others, it’s a subtle nod toward dismantling the patriarchy. It’s female protagonists, female villains, female love interests. Feminist horror promotes sisterhood and female writers stepping into male dominated tropes. It’s a term that casts a wide net, and will have slightly different variations for each individual. Some writers consider themselves “feminist horror writers”, while others consider themselves feminists who just so happen to love and write horror. There’s room in this genre for all definitions. When I set out to highlight feminist horror writers, I got a variety of responses, including a few males. Yes, males can be feminist horror writers as well.
This is a list of self-identifying feminist horror writers. Please contact me if you are interested in being added!
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
N
P
R
S
T
W
V
Z
Let's Talk About Brand New Cherry Flavor and THAT scene!
If you’re into weird creepy horror, than you’ve probably already heard about the new Netflix limited series Brand New Cherry Flavor. Based off a book by the same title published in 2011 by Todd Grimson, this show tumbles viewers down a twisted dark rabbit hole filled with occult fever dreams and a sex scene (yes, THAT scene) that will forever be seared into the my brain.
Enter Lisa Nova, our fearless young protagonist who dreams of directing her own movie and making it big in show business. She is in possession of cinematic gold, an artsy black-and-white feature with an ending that leaves viewers wondering, “how did she pull that off?” Lisa puts her trust into Lou Burke, an industry veteran who is hungry for a hit. The two strike a deal which quickly goes sour leaving Lisa Nova fuming and wanting revenge. Lucky for her, she’s introduced to a mysterious woman named Boro who promises to make Lou pay if only Lisa agrees to a few concessions.
This show dazzles and disturbs from start to finish. The relationship between Lisa and Boro navigates between hunter and prey as the two women (played by Rosa Salazar and Catherine Keener) dance the line between life and death. Revenge plays a major role inciting the action, but there is a clear “be careful what you wish for” vibe that resonates with each episode. If viewers feel a strong “Channel Zero” (they absolutely will), it’s because Nick Antosca created both. Here he works alongside Lenore Zion to once again produce a high tension experience with jolts of terror. And kittens.
There’s plenty of memorable scenes, but it’s THAT scene in episode four that comes up most often on social media. Antosca and Zion hold nothing back when it comes to finding imaginative ways to equally arouse and disgust their audience. While the show leaves a few questions unanswered and the possibility for a second season, Lisa Nova’s journey feels complete even if the show doesn’t get a chance to expand with more bonkers adventures. This is a show that will have viewers glued to their television set, and rightfully so.
I have TikTok!
I’ve loved exploring social media and meeting writers, so I decided to jump onto TikTok and give it a try! Hop over to TikTok and follow me @nicobellfiction for the fun!
Here is my most watched video:
Anndddddd….here is my least watched video :)
And now, I present my favorite video I made so far:
June Book Reviews!
June Book Reviews!
Wow...
This book...
Okay, let me start by saying I'd seen this book all over Twitter and Instagram. I didn't really know what to expect other than it was a popular book being read by a lot of reviewers, so it must be engaging. What I got was so much more. Ward is putting on a clinic for writers. The writing, the plot, the characters, the twist...Holy guacamole the twists!! It's a dark book with really intense topics, and every time I assumed I knew what was happening, I was proven wrong. It's a book the explores mental illness.
It sticks with you.
Honestly, it wasn't at all what I was expecting, and that's always a pleasant surprise. If you like unsettling horror, this is for you! all over Twitter and Instagram. I didn't really know what to expect other than it was a popular book being read by a lot of reviewers, so it must be engaging. What I got was so much more. Ward is putting on a clinic for writers. The writing, the plot, the characters, the twist...Holy guacamole the twists!! It's a
CW: Child abuse and child death
After getting caught up in a tragic accident, Stephen Barber is eager to move on with his life. Except, the past won't die. Stephen is the target of a century old curse that is slowing transforming him into something unrecognizable. It's up to his wife Moira to piece together the puzzle and save him before it's too late.
Generous writes a quick paced, high tension horror that will have readers glued to the page. Despite Stephen's poor judgement and inexcusable actions revolving around the accident, he exhibits remorse and guilt, casting him as a sympathetic protagonist. The punishment of his actions is harsh, and centers on a mystery a hundred years in the making. His punishment involves a transformation that is unique and thrilling. There are some vivid scenes of violence* related to the backstory of the curse, but the majority of the horror falls in the "weird" category, which makes it a lot of fun to read.
Readers looking for a fast fulfilling horror read with a sympathetic protagonist will love this book!
*CW: rape, child death
Eric LaRocca weaves a fast paced story of obsession and twisted love in this weird-fiction horror novella. Two women meet through an internet chat room and begin exchanging harmless emails. Things progress rapidly and the women begin talking more frequently, revealing their own secret desires. What started out as a simple friendship quickly spirals into madness leaving the reader wondering, "What the hell did I just read?"
Zoe and Anges are well-developed characters who instantly capture the reader's focus. While their tone is a bit overly formal at times (even in the context as strangers on the internet), they each compliment the other's needs and secret desires. These two were made for each other- until they weren't.
This short novella packs a lot of tension and sorrow, a mix of empathy and despair, all within the confines of emails and Instant Messages (remember those, kids?). LaRocca masters the art of storytelling within the experimental story telling structure. He holds nothing back, which allows the reader to experience a wealth of emotions as the relationship between these two women takes several unexpected twists and turns.
Readers who love Palahniuk will devour LaRocca's story of infatuation.
Make Horror Gay AF!
Sticker by LunaMay: https://www.teepublic.com/sticker/11526257-lgbtq-horror-movie-addict
Happy Pride!!
Raise your hand if you want to make horror more gay!! Me!!
Let’s start with authors!
EV Harms is amazing! Author of Transmuted, which is a book about a trans-woman who will do anything to get her surgery. It will have you glued to the page!
Eric LaRocca just released Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. Wow. It’s received a lot of praise, and it’s all worth it. I gave it 5 stars!
E.E. W. Christman has a story featured on the No Sleep podcast!
How about some merchandise to support indie horror sites?
Check out this shirt from Horror Oasis.
Looking for a new podcast to support?
Check out FriGay the 13th Horror Podcast! They explore the horror genre from a LGBTQIA+ perspective.
Or Jar of Rebuke, which is a thriller/mystery podcast that features many queer characters.
How about a dark horror romance? Try Dos: After You, which is queer character heavy and is produced bilingually!
Maybe you’re looking for some art.
Check out Elizabeth Leggett, who does beautiful yet subtle and dark horror artwork, full of surrealism with a perfect balance of light and dark.
If you’re looking for something with bold colors, try Jason Edward Davis. I want all of his work.
The Haunting of Mile Marker 14, Jason Edwards Davis.
Obviously, this is just a small taste of gay horror, and I encourage everyone to support the LGBTQIA+ community all year long. Also, please keep in mind that some members of the queer community can’t come out. If you’re a queer writer and want to submit to a queer submission, ask to the publisher to keep your anonymity and make sure it’s stipulated in the contract, with some sort of consequence if the publisher reveals it. For those who don’t feel safe to do that, please know you’re still a valued member of the community, and you’re still loved :)
Happy Pride!
The Best and Worst Depictions of Mental Health In Horror
I actually enjoy horror based around mental health, because I have a mental illness and I’m always curious how it will be depicted on the big screen. It’s with an odd morbid curiosity I seek out asylum horror or characters suffering from depression. To me, it’s an opportunity to show the world the dark side of mental illness, but I want this type of horror done right. Think along the lines of Shirley Jackson, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Chuck Palahniuk. They treat mental illness with accuracy and respect. So, here is my list of best and worst movies and books.
BEST
They Look Like People
Movie summary:
Suspecting that people around him are turning into evil creatures, a troubled man questions whether to protect his only friend from an impending war, or from himself.
Why it’s the best:
This is a haunting look at one man’s struggle to stay grounded in reality that will relate to many struggling with the same affliction.
Lullabies for Suffering: Tales of Addiction Horror
Back of the cover:
Addiction starts like a sweet lullaby sung by a trusted loved one. It washes away the pains of the day and wraps you in the warmness of the womb where nothing hurts and every dream is possible.
Yet soon enough, this warm state of bliss becomes a cold shiver, the ecstasy and dreams become nightmares, yet we can't stop listening to the lullaby. We crave to hear the siren song as it rips us apart.
A powerful list of talent has woven tales featuring the insidious nature of addiction--damaged humans craving for highs and wholeness but finding something more tragic and horrific on the other side. You're invited to listen to these Lullabies for Suffering.
Why it’s the best:
These stories dive into the horror of addiction while portraying realistic mental health struggles.
A Tale of Two Sisters
Movie summary:
After being institutionalized in a mental hospital, Korean teen Su-mi (Yeom Jeong-ah) reunites with her beloved sister, Su-yeon (Im Soo-jung), and they return to live at their country home. The girls' widower father (Mun Geun-yeong) has remarried, and the siblings are immediately resentful of his new wife, Eun-joo (Kap-su Kim). As Su-mi and Su-yeon try to resume their regular lives, strange events plague the house, leading to surprising revelations and a shocking conclusion.
Why it’s the best:
This movie is beautifully tragic with intense emotion and heartache. It explores multiple aspects of mental health that center around grief. Extremely well done.
The Babadook
Movie summary:
A single mother, plagued by the violent death of her husband, battles with her son's fear of a monster lurking in the house, but soon discovers a sinister presence all around her (2014).
Why it’s the best:
This is one of the scariest depictions of postpartum depression and grief on the big screen. I absolutely loved the ending.
Her Body and Other Parties: Stories
Book summary:
In Her Body and Other Parties, Carmen Maria Machado blithely demolishes the arbitrary borders between psychological realism and science fiction, comedy and horror, fantasy and fabulism. While her work has earned her comparisons to Karen Russell and Kelly Link, she has a voice that is all her own. In this electric and provocative debut, Machado bends genre to shape startling narratives that map the realities of women’s lives and the violence visited upon their bodies.
A wife refuses her husband’s entreaties to remove the green ribbon from around her neck. A woman recounts her sexual encounters as a plague slowly consumes humanity. A salesclerk in a mall makes a horrifying discovery within the seams of the store’s prom dresses. One woman’s surgery-induced weight loss results in an unwanted houseguest. And in the bravura novella “Especially Heinous,” Machado reimagines every episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, a show we naïvely assumed had shown it all, generating a phantasmagoric police procedural full of doppelgängers, ghosts, and girls with bells for eyes.
Earthy and otherworldly, antic and sexy, queer and caustic, comic and deadly serious, Her Body and Other Parties swings from horrific violence to the most exquisite sentiment. In their explosive originality, these stories enlarge the possibilities of contemporary fiction.
Why it’s the best:
This book tackles many sensitive topics that will grip reader’s by the gut and never let go.
But it here!
WORST
Gothika
Movie Summary:
The life of psychiatrist Miranda Grey (Halle Berry) is derailed after she nearly hits a girl with her car one night. Later, Miranda wakes up in her own mental hospital under the care of her peer, Pete Graham (Robert Downey Jr.). Completely disoriented, Miranda is accused of killing her own husband, but she has no memory of anything after she encountered the girl. Slowly Miranda begins to uncover what happened, but she has to escape the asylum to solve the mystery.
Why it’s the worst:
No, no, no, no, no, noooooooo! This movie gets it wrong from start to finish, using mental health as a way to discredit the female character from abuse. NO!
Distorted
Movie summary:
A couple moves to an isolated, modern, safe apartment building with CCTV after the wife has problems with nightmares. However, something's not quite right with the building (2018).
Why it’s the worst:
While I love Christina Ricci and John Cusack, this movie is the worst. It’s the definition of exploiting bipolar to create an unreliable narrator who isn’t taken seriously.
Perfume
Book Summary:
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer is a 1985 literary historical fantasy novel by German writer Patrick Süskind. The novel explores the sense of smell and its relationship with the emotional meanings that scents may have.In the slums of eighteenth-century France, the infant Jean-Baptiste Grenouille is born with one sublime gift—an absolute sense of smell. As a boy, he lives to decipher the odors of Paris, and apprentices himself to a prominent perfumer who teaches him the ancient art of mixing precious oils and herbs. But Grenouille’s genius is such that he is not satisfied to stop there, and he becomes obsessed with capturing the smells of objects such as brass doorknobs and fresh-cut wood. Then one day he catches a hint of a scent that will drive him on an ever-more-terrifying quest to create the “ultimate perfume”—the scent of a beautiful young virgin. Told with dazzling narrative brilliance, Perfume is a hauntingly powerful tale of murder and sensual depravity.
Why it’s the worst:
I feel like out of everything on the list, this one is going me the most push back. This is an acclaimed novel that was given an extra popularity boost when Kurt Cobain mentioned it happened to be his favorite books. And to a degree, I get it. It’s a unique story, well written, very dark, but the mental health aspect seemed one-dimensional (I feel fans of this book cringing). This will have to be one where we “agree to disagree” on whether or not it’s one of the greats. Oh, and it was made into a movie.
The Visit
Movie summary:
A single mother sends her two young children to visit their grandparents on a remote Pennsylvania farm for a week-long trip, but the children discover that the elderly couple is involved in deeply disturbing activity, and the youngsters' chances of getting back home look less and less likely with every minute that passes.
Why it’s the worst:
Not only does this movie make a mockery of mental health, it does so by using the elderly as a vessel. The details of the character’s mental health illness are simply wrong. Did anyone research before putting this movie into production?
The Despicable Fantasies of Quentin Sergenov Kindle Edition by Preston Fassel #BookReview
Book Description:
His name was Quentin Sergenov - the unexpected hero of the 90s wrestling scene. A middle-aged bruiser called up to the big leagues on the eve of what should’ve been his retirement, his story of late-in-life success and can-do attitude won the hearts of fans all over the world- and the heart of Wave, his in-ring rival. The two shared a forbidden love that was doomed from the start; but the end of their affair would prove to be the beginning of something terrible for Quentin…
His name is Quentin Sergenov - recluse, artist, romantic. Something happened to Quentin after he was cast out of the wrestling world: something that left him less—and more—than human. Now that he’s been given a second chance, Quentin is about to go on a quest—one that will find him crossing paths with Nazi scientists, internet celebrities, sci-fi groupies, and bodybuilding CEOs. It’s a quest to reunite with Wave and finally take back what was stolen from them; and the results will be as gruesome as they are hilarious…
4 Star Book Review
Every once in a while, I come across a diamond in the rough that makes me say, “I didn’t know I needed a book about wrestlers, Nazis, twisted love, and dinosaurs, but thank goodness it exists!”
This book is B-O-N-K-E-R-S in the best possible way! Fassel’s fast-paced sci-fi horror mashup is a perfect escape from reality. Quentin is a trouble protagonist with love and career success on his mind. The poor, um, “guy” can’t catch a break, and he ends up alone, longing for companionship, devising a rather twisted plot to fulfill his need. There’s a dash of gore for the horror fans, some unusual technology for the sci-fi lovers, and enough wresting references to appease the biggest Sasha Banks fan.
But if wrestling isn’t your thing, don’t worry. All readers will quickly sink into this bizarre reality, eagerly soaking up the vivid descriptions and unsavory characters until the final moments. While some may feel this book ended a bit abruptly, that just means the imaginative plot did its job of captivating an audience. Readers who have been sinking into the Rewind or Die series will easily make the transition to Fassel’s novel which has the same campy vibe. This is an author to watch!