The Crooked Boy

A group of teens are heading to an abandoned institution ready to film any strange happenings. On the way they are in a car accident which they don't want to report, accosted by police, and attacked by birds, all before they get to their destination. Inside they discover a room where someone has left a dire message scrawled across the walls in blood "He is coming he is here we can't escape even death can not free us God is dead"

I have some mixed feelings on this one. It has a fast pace and large volume of downright scary scenes. It's a good story that could have been great if it didn't some times take a stumble through a strange turn of phrase or odd choice of word which made it somewhat difficult to follow. There were parts that evoked chills, for example "Crows and crows and crows. Thousands of them swarmed her like flies. She swatted at the group of winged beasts, to no avail. She felt razors cut through her, sheering her skin like rice paper. She couldn't escape. There was no left or right in the tornado of demon birds. There was only black and red. Feathers and blood, feathers and blood."
Yet there were also parts that left me scratching my head. "She laughed a smile" for example.

Worth a read but I think it could benefit from a little cleaning up

A group of kids head to an abandoned institution to film any activity. They get more than what they bargained for. One ends of dead and they proceed to unleash pure evil. I found this book to be good. In the beginning I was a little lost as to what was going on, but it all comes together at the end of the book. Some scary moments and some seasoned language, but that will not stop me from recommending this book. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

This story had all the promise of a good horror but I wasn't keen on the style of writing.
It was creepy and gory with some good descriptions and an interesting storyline but I never really warmed to the main people or found myself caring much about what happened to them.
Would have liked to have seen a bit more fleshing out of characters before it all started as sometimes I was left wondering what was going on.

This was a nice, late night read with just enough chills and thrills to make you keep the light on. The characters were complex and interesting and the plot was well-written and fast-paced. This definitely tapped into and fed my personal fear of being trapped in an old, abandoned hospital. The creep factor was on point!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this story collection from NetGalley and Black Rose Writing in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

Scary as hell with plenty of action! The author is quite talented, and anything goes in this book. Those with weak stomachs need not apply. No one is safe so don't bother locking your doors. This was the perfect bedtime reading for me because I'm a huge horror fan. I love experiencing a new author. High octane fear and an adrenaline rush are what's in store when you read this.

The Crooked Boy by Moses Barraza is a good old-fashioned horror scarefest which makes your palm sweat and your pulse race. The perfect Halloween read.