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estark16's review against another edition
4.0
I've really been enjoying collections of short stories and poems as of late, and this latest one is no exception. Sawney Hatton's Everyone Is a Moon: Strange Stories is an excellent collection of weird, creepy, and darkly humorous tales that have a nightmarish quality.
The collection's opener, "The Good Touch", also happens to be one of the best. Between the dialogue written with the colloquial quality of real conversation and the irony that almost drips through the pages, I was reminded of some of my favorite early Stephen King stories.
Another standout was "The Boy Who Cried Alien", an homage of the '50s alien B-movies and definitely does well to evoke the nostalgia of those so-bad-they're-good films.
"The Lord Is My Rocket" and "Pet" were both two very different tales, but definitely make it to round up my third and fourth favorites, respectively. One is a tale about the limits of religious zealotry, and the other...well, it's very hard to to describe "Pet". Let's just say, it's dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.
If this is a glimpse into the mind of Hatton, I have to say...I do not envy their nightmares. If you love dark and disturbing stories, or have a dark and disturbed sense of humor, you'll probably love this.
Thank you Sawney Hatton, Dark Park Publishing, and Booksirens for allowing me to access an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
The collection's opener, "The Good Touch", also happens to be one of the best. Between the dialogue written with the colloquial quality of real conversation and the irony that almost drips through the pages, I was reminded of some of my favorite early Stephen King stories.
Another standout was "The Boy Who Cried Alien", an homage of the '50s alien B-movies and definitely does well to evoke the nostalgia of those so-bad-they're-good films.
"The Lord Is My Rocket" and "Pet" were both two very different tales, but definitely make it to round up my third and fourth favorites, respectively. One is a tale about the limits of religious zealotry, and the other...well, it's very hard to to describe "Pet". Let's just say, it's dark, twisted, and not for the faint of heart.
If this is a glimpse into the mind of Hatton, I have to say...I do not envy their nightmares. If you love dark and disturbing stories, or have a dark and disturbed sense of humor, you'll probably love this.
Thank you Sawney Hatton, Dark Park Publishing, and Booksirens for allowing me to access an advance review copy for free. I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
wellwortharead's review against another edition
4.0
I read horror for the scares. I'm all about the chills and less about the shock factor or the gore. Not that gore bothers me, it just doesn't terrify me. So with that in mind I took no heed of the "graphic material" warning, and plowed ahead. Not all of the stories were my cup of tea but I did love the first 3. In The Good Touch we meet two friends with very different personalities. One quite selfish and the other his polar opposite. Perhaps that is why their friendship works. But when one comes into possession of a gift from God it sparks a jealousy in the other that is the undoing of both.
Cutting Remarks is the story of a bullied housewife who at last finds happiness in her marriage. It was both humorous and darkly disturbing. The Boy Who Cried Alien was another dark comedy, if only someone had explained about the birds and the bees to this boy it may have avoided such a catastrophe.
When I got to the 4th story Pet I put the book down and almost didn't finish it. I am not a fan of animal cruelty. I don't care how many people may get beheaded or dragged to hell in any book but I need you to leave the animals alone. To me the only saving grace to this story is that no such animal exists on this planet. I don't mean that it was badly written because it wasn't. It's just my own personal limit of what I choose to read. I do not actively seek out animal abuse stories and I guess this is what the graphic content warning was for.
I liked The Mortality Machine, in which a couple who is running out of time together don't really make the most of what they have left. I loved Mr Gregori who is the lonely ghost haunting an apartment, watching people move in and out but never being able to engage with any of them.. until now.
So although every story was not a hit with me, that is the joy of short stories, take what you like and leave the rest. I would recommend this collection to all who have a dark sense of humor and those with a stomach for disturbing subject matter.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
Cutting Remarks is the story of a bullied housewife who at last finds happiness in her marriage. It was both humorous and darkly disturbing. The Boy Who Cried Alien was another dark comedy, if only someone had explained about the birds and the bees to this boy it may have avoided such a catastrophe.
When I got to the 4th story Pet I put the book down and almost didn't finish it. I am not a fan of animal cruelty. I don't care how many people may get beheaded or dragged to hell in any book but I need you to leave the animals alone. To me the only saving grace to this story is that no such animal exists on this planet. I don't mean that it was badly written because it wasn't. It's just my own personal limit of what I choose to read. I do not actively seek out animal abuse stories and I guess this is what the graphic content warning was for.
I liked The Mortality Machine, in which a couple who is running out of time together don't really make the most of what they have left. I loved Mr Gregori who is the lonely ghost haunting an apartment, watching people move in and out but never being able to engage with any of them.. until now.
So although every story was not a hit with me, that is the joy of short stories, take what you like and leave the rest. I would recommend this collection to all who have a dark sense of humor and those with a stomach for disturbing subject matter.
I received a complimentary copy for review.
mvvre's review against another edition
4.0
I would go as far as saying this is even more fucked up than Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. I really enjoyed these short stories (except Pet, only because it made me too uncomfortable, really can't stomach *that* topic at all).
Hoping there will be more like this from Hatton.
Hoping there will be more like this from Hatton.
elna17a9a's review
3.0
A substantial collection of creepy little stories exploring the dark side of us all, hence the excellent title based off the excellent Mark Twain quote.
While not all of them are great, most of them are good and some a really good. Particularly “Pet,” in which the horror and sense of wrongness just mounts and mounts until it breaks. For the amount of stories, there’s quite a few original themes as well.
“The Good Touch” - 5/5
A man is gifted one of God’s own fingers so that he may heal, but his best friend is a little jealous. A truly original premise to me, with a wonderful main character (the best friend) and ironic ending.
“Cutting Remarks” - 1/5
A woman grows tired of her husband’s behavior. It’s been done before.
“The Boy Who Cried Alien” - 3/5
A boy is convinced he’s stumbled upon an alien invasion in progress. Not the most original, again, but well-done enough to be entertaining.
“Pet” - 5/5
After a breakup, a woman leaves her pet with her ex. See above; one of the highlights of the collection.
“In Memoriam the Ostrich” - 3/5
A man’s final wishes deeply disturb the local pastor. Not the most original, but well-executed.
“The Mortality Machine” - 2\5
A man builds a machine so he and his wife can be together forever. It was almost there, but it just needed some more development. Though it did make me sad.
“The Lord is my Rocket” - 4/5
After her mentally disabled charge is terminally diagnosed, his nurse takes him to a monastery so he can accept Jesus into his heart before he dies. Surprisingly poignant and bittersweet.
“The Beholder” - 2/5
A homeless man discovers something new. A good little vignette, but that’s it.
“Mr. Gregori” - 3/5
The ghost of the previous tenant becomes obsessed with the current one. Interesting, spooky, and quick.
“FYVP” - 3/5
A man in search of a penis piercing gets way more than he wanted. Surprising and a little gross.
“The Dark at the Deep End” - 4/5
A view into the mind of a serial killer reminiscing on his youth. Great senses of character and overall unease.The scene where he thinks about torturing the homeless woman is brutal and unflinching
“Suitable for Framing” - 3/5
A photographer finds new inspiration. Not bad, but suffers directly after “the dark at the deep end”.
3 star average.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
While not all of them are great, most of them are good and some a really good. Particularly “Pet,” in which the horror and sense of wrongness just mounts and mounts until it breaks. For the amount of stories, there’s quite a few original themes as well.
“The Good Touch” - 5/5
A man is gifted one of God’s own fingers so that he may heal, but his best friend is a little jealous. A truly original premise to me, with a wonderful main character (the best friend) and ironic ending.
“Cutting Remarks” - 1/5
A woman grows tired of her husband’s behavior. It’s been done before.
“The Boy Who Cried Alien” - 3/5
A boy is convinced he’s stumbled upon an alien invasion in progress. Not the most original, again, but well-done enough to be entertaining.
“Pet” - 5/5
After a breakup, a woman leaves her pet with her ex. See above; one of the highlights of the collection.
“In Memoriam the Ostrich” - 3/5
A man’s final wishes deeply disturb the local pastor. Not the most original, but well-executed.
“The Mortality Machine” - 2\5
A man builds a machine so he and his wife can be together forever. It was almost there, but it just needed some more development. Though it did make me sad.
“The Lord is my Rocket” - 4/5
After her mentally disabled charge is terminally diagnosed, his nurse takes him to a monastery so he can accept Jesus into his heart before he dies. Surprisingly poignant and bittersweet.
“The Beholder” - 2/5
A homeless man discovers something new. A good little vignette, but that’s it.
“Mr. Gregori” - 3/5
The ghost of the previous tenant becomes obsessed with the current one. Interesting, spooky, and quick.
“FYVP” - 3/5
A man in search of a penis piercing gets way more than he wanted. Surprising and a little gross.
“The Dark at the Deep End” - 4/5
A view into the mind of a serial killer reminiscing on his youth. Great senses of character and overall unease.
“Suitable for Framing” - 3/5
A photographer finds new inspiration. Not bad, but suffers directly after “the dark at the deep end”.
3 star average.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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