Book Review: Little Feasts

Little Feasts is the perfect title for this collection, because every single story is a delicious bite-sized meal. I couldn't get enough of this book and devoured every dish author Jules Archer served up. This is feminist horror at its finest, and I cannot recommend it enough.

I can't pick a favorite story, they're all so wonderful. In "Prettier Things" a woman watches her mysterious neighbor and the blondes who enter his home, but never leave. In "Skillet," the title item makes quick work of awful or abusive partners. "Anne Boleyn Could Drink You Under the Table" features the reincarnated English queen's new life and search for revenge. "Far Away from Everywhere" concerns an apocalypse cult, and in "Garbage Girl," a girl's period serves as a warning.

Each story in this collection is delectable, often both bitter and sweet. I'm officially a fan of Archer and will eat up anything she writes.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

TV Terrors: Tales from the Darkside

Image
Tales from the Darkside was produced by the late great George Romero from 1984 to 1988. It's not quite as showy as the later Tales from the Crypt , and the episodes were often low budget and kind of creaky. However, Darkside still has its charms. Here are some notable episodes listed below. What are your favorites? A Case of the Stubborns (Season 1, Episode 9) Featuring a young Christian Slater and Brent Spiner (Data from Star Trek ), A Case of the Stubborns is more gross than scary. The episode tells a humorous tale of an aged family patriarch who refuses to believe that he has actually died. Slater is great here, as is comedic actor Eddie Bracken as his rapidly decomposing but remarkably still kicking grandfather. The makeup effects on this one are pretty gnarly, and I mean that in the best way possible. I have a pretty cast iron stomach when it comes to gore, but I had to turn my face away from the grody grandpa more than a few times. Anniversary Dinner (Season 1, Epi
Read more

Book Review: How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend

Image
 I don't know why I put off reading this for so long. Linda Addison's How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend is an excellent collection of horror prose and poetry. My favorite poems were the clever bookending pair of "How To Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend" and "How To Recognize Your Friend Has Become a Demon," as well as the beautiful "Demon Dance." "Land Sharks" was another favorite. The stories were all strong, but I had a few favorites among them as well. The collection's two longest stories, "The Power" and "Milez to Go," were companion pieces about two magically gifted cousins, and I could happily read many more stories about both of them. "Excerpts From the Unabridged Traveler's Guide as UFO's in Galaxy A.G.2" was one of the most creative and original stories in the book and made me chuckle more than a few times. Finally, "Boo" absolutely broke my heart. It's
Read more

House by the Cemetery

Image
I just finished watching House by the Cemetery , a movie that's been sitting in my collection for several years, but which I only now got around to viewing. And, honestly, I loved it. It fits into a particular style, or sub-sub-genre of horror film that I am particularly fond of. That is the "haunted house" movie (whether it be haunted by actual ghosts or demons, witches, the undead, or something similar) where everything is moody, gothic, and a bit bizarre (kind of kitchen-sink horror, or "let's throw everything at the wall and just see see what sticks" horror). House by the Cemeter y is along the lines of two of my other favorites, Superstition and Ghosthouse (which, incidentally, is filmed in the same house as this one), as well as earlier entries into the Amityville Horror series. A particularly lovely house, the kind of place I'd like to live if it weren't for, you know,  all the demons and ghosts and murders, etc. Now, I will admit
Read more