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Book Review: Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger


Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge by Paul Krueger

Quirk Books, 2016

ISBN: 9781594747595

Available: Paperback, audiobook, Kindle edition

 

Bailey Chen is struggling with life after college.  She is living with her parents, and working as a barback, with no prospects on the horizon. She’s also trying to salvage her relationship with Zane, a high school friend who now manages the Nightshade Lounge, where she is employed. After a particularly difficult evening at the Nightshade Lounge, a flighty bartender leaves a secret door open, and Bailey mixes the perfect screwdriver. As she heads toward home, she starts seeing… things. Supernatural creatures are hunting in Chicago.

Zane then reveals that he belongs to a secret society of bartenders that has kept evil at by for centuries, using specially mixed cocktails, to combat evil forces that plague the city. Each one lends different supernatural powers to the imbiber: vodka carries super-strength, dry vermouth has fortifying qualities, and whiskey grants the power of telekinesis. Zane introduces her to a smaller coterie within the organization, the Alechemists. She learns that their ancient tome and spell book, The Devil’s Water Dictionary, is not the original, which was destroyed; the secret society has tried to piece things back together through experimentation and sharing discoveries to create the current document, but it hasn’t been entirely successful. The recipe for the legendary Long Island Iced Tea, their philosopher’s stone, is missing. It could grant any number of powers to the imbiber, but its effects are largely unknown. There are a few people in the organization experimenting to find the right formula. However, the process is drawing some unwanted attention. and as they get closer to the proper formula, supernatural forces are aligning.

This book reads like a Mage game. It’s a fast-paced adventure, and I found myself liking all of the characters, even the baddies. The characters in the Alechemists were relatable, and strangely realistic. Adding to the realism, there are cocktail recipes sprinkled throughout the book. The concept of using alcoholic drinks to fuel the magic was unique, and mixing the drinks was treated nearly like a science; if the potions weren’t mixed properly, the formula wouldn’t work.  I really couldn’t find anything not to like about Last Call at the Nightshade Lounge.
I only have one question for the author: will there be a sequel?
Highly recommended.

Reader’s advisory note: This might also appeal to readers of the Esther Diamond series by Laura Resnick or the InCryptid series(especially the first two books) by Seanan McGuire

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker


Posted on July 26, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: Borderlands 6 edited by Thomas and Olivia Monteleone

Borderlands 6: The Anthology of Imaginative Fiction, edited by Thomas and Olivia Monteleone

Samhain Press, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1619234987

Available: Paperback, Kindle edition

 

In 1989, Thomas Monteleone, already a stellar author in several genres, decided to publish an anthology series that bucked the trends. He compiled a collection of unique stories that stretched the parameters of horror and weird fiction. There are no tired tropes or recycled plots here. Monteleone was interested in publishing great stories, not just big names, and many of the best tales came from the minds of previously unknown writers, many of whom became rising stars. After a 12 year hiatus, Borderlands 6 follows suit, and succeeds just as well as the previous five volumes. Some stories will leave readers with a sense of wonder, and others with the best sort of unsettling feeling.

There are some big names: Jack Ketchum, David Morrell, Steve Rasnic Tem, Gary Braunbeck, and new sensation Paul Tremblay all make an appearance, as does John McIlveen, whose novel Hannawhere was a Stoker nominee this year. Braunbeck’s satiric take on “mart-type-box stores” is chilling in its pure weirdness. However, the success of the Borderlands anthologies comes from sharing hidden gems, and this volume is no different. Many of the best stories are by relative newcomers. “Cocoa”, by Bob Pastorella, is the oddest tale here, and lingers in the memory; “The Dress”, by Peter Salomon, is similar in its strangeness, and has a twist that is both organic and perfect; “The Palace Garbage Man”, by Bradley Mitchell Zerbe, feels both medieval and modern in its unique take on evil; and “In God’s Image”, by Sean B. Davis, a story that feels like a warped episode of The Twilight Zone hung around in this reviewer’s darkened imagination for days.

Olivia and Tom have done a fine job here in continuing the Borderlands legacy. Highly recommended for all fans of short fiction looking for something new and different.

Reader’s advisory note: This anthology may be a good way to introduce new authors to horror readers looking for a change.

Reviewed by David Simms


Posted on July 22, 2016 by , Reply

Book Review: My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix

Quirk Books, May 2016

ISBN: 9781594748622

Available: Hardcover, Kindle edition

 

My Best Friend’s Exorcism is set in the 80s, a time of big hair, awesome music, and the Satanic Panic. Abby Rivers and Gretchen Lang have been best friends since they were thrown together at Abby’s tenth birthday party. Now in high school, they are experiencing the awkwardness and discomfort of growing into teenagers, and their friendship is changing.

After a night of dropping acid with a few other friends goes bad, Gretchen goes missing for the entire night. When she reappears the next day, acting strangely, Abby seems to be the only one to notice.  As bizarre things start to happen to people, Abby, making her observations in the context of the 1980s fears of demonic possession that could happen to anyone, comes to the conclusion that her best friend must be demonically possessed; that something happened in the woods the night they took LSD. What other option could there be for Gretchen turning on her best friend? Unsurprisingly, no one believes her, except a bodybuilding evangelist who turns out to be fighting his own demons.

The story is narrated by Abby in first person, so we only see her point of view. As a teenager dealing with significant life events, changing hormones, emotional, physical, and psychological challenges, and a brain potentially altered by her experience with LSD, she is not necessarily a reliable narrator. In fact, several adults accuse Abby of being a bad influence on Gretchen, whose behavior changed after the girls’ shared drug experience. Abby’s own behavior is erratic, as well: she plans and executes a midnight break-in at Gretchen’s house.  While My Best Friend’s Exorcism could be read as a straightforward tale of demonic possession, it also can be read as an examination of a psychological breakdown. Hendrix has a talent for description: the description of Gretchen’s kitchen during Abby’s break-in as smelling of mold and old food, with temperature so cold she can see her breath, is so specific that it is easy to believe that Abby is giving us an accurate picture of events.

Overall, I think My Best Friend’s Exorcism is a great read. For anyone who grew up in the 80s, especially around the time of the infamous Satanic Panic, this book will bring back memories. One of the best things about this book is the chapter titles: if you guessed that they are titles of popular 80s songs, you would be correct. Admittedly, some of this may go over the heads of younger readers if they aren’t familiar with 80s culture, but for those of us who grew up in that time period, you will love it. Recommended.

Contains: drug use, blood

Reviewed by Lizzy Walker


Posted on July 19, 2016 by , Reply
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