February 2024 Reading List
12.) Where the Deep Ones Are by Kenneth Hite (Kids Book, 32 pgs) | 3/5
13.) HP Lovecraft's Dagon for Beginning Readers by RJ Ivankovic (Kids Book, 80 pgs) | 5/5
14.) HP Lovecraft's The Call of Cthulhu for Beginning Readers by RJ Ivankovic (Kids Book, 108 pgs) | 5/5
15.) Horror Trope Thesaurus: Killing It with Tropes by Jennifer Hilt (Nonfiction, 226 pgs) | 5/5
16.) The Silence by Don DeLillo (Novella, 117 pgs) | 2/5
17.) We Are Here to Hurt Each Other by Paula D. Ashe (Stories, 131 pgs) | 5/5
18.) Lullabies by Lang Leav (Poetry, 248 pgs) | 2/5
19.) Einstein's Dream by Alan Lightman (Novel, 179 pgs) | 5/5
20.) Out of Aztlan by V. Castro (Stories, 186 pgs) | 5/5
21.) Amygdalatropolis by B.R. Yeager (Novel, 154 pgs) | 5/5
22.) Mine: An Anthology of Body Autonomy Horror by Roxie Voorhies (Stories, 212 pgs) | 5/5
23.) Delta Green: The Way It Went Down, Vol. 1 by Dennis Detwiller (Microfiction, Stories, 69 pgs) | 4/5
24.) Delta Green: The Way It Went Down, Vol. 2 by Dennis Detwiller (Microfiction, Stories, 109 pgs) | 4/5
25.) Sphinx by Anne Garreta (Novel, 152 pgs) | 4/5
26.) No One Will Come Back for Us and Other Stories by Premee Mohamed (Stories, 286 pgs) | 4/5
27.) Fluids, An Extreme Horror Novel by May Leitz (Novel, 186 pgs) | 4/5
I paid for a large organization to review my book; they do not guarantee that it will be a positive review, which is perfectly fine as I'm not the type to have my ass kissed unnecessarily. But, the review I got back felt very...combative and personal. Like the reviewer either had a bone to pick with me somehow (I have no idea who the reviewer is) or my genre just ain't their thing. If they enjoyed any part of the book, they didn't make much mention of it. Pretty much a completely negative review across the board.
Normally, that's not the type of thing I worry too much about. I write for a pretty niche audience, and I've been aware of that for a while. But, considering how many extra eyes would've seen a GOOD review of the book from this company, it was important to me that this particular review be a good one, if only to get more exposure. Because I'm the only one making the book and hyping the book, the reviews of others are literally the only way I can entice others outside of my normal promo reach to read my stuff. Beyond that, I have very little control over anything.
I'm still really happy with the final book, regardless of what one individual has to say about it.
Having said all that, I found another review site (with less industry reach) that gives three reviews for a quarter of the price and they seem to be enjoying the book:
Review 1 -
In this absorbing anthology, Adam "Bucho" Rodenberger takes readers on a dreamlike odyssey to explore different facets of the human experience. Under a Black Rainbow touches upon topics such as loss, grief, trauma, and more through an enthralling collection of tales, each delving into aspects of the human condition we're all familiar with. Thematically rich and emotionally powerful, these short stories incorporate magical realism in a way that fascinates, shocks, and, at times, even terrifies. Yet you find yourself thinking about them long after you've finished reading. Rodenberger is very descriptive with his prose, creating an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue that keeps you glued to the pages. I was very impressed by the author's ability to build these immersive worlds within a short word count.
Review 2 -
With each narrative, Rodenberger delivers a journey into the eerie and unexpected, where arousal comes from the unusual and deserted museums materialize in urban landscapes. These stories are twisted reflections of the human experience, offering unsettling insights and lessons that linger long after the final page is turned.
Author Adam "Bucho" Rodenberger has crafted a work that masterfully weaves together elements of horror, surrealism, and psychological tension to create a collection that challenges conventional notions of reality and taps into the darkest corners of the human psyche. The characters in these stories grapple with profound and often disturbing experiences, confronting their deepest fears and desires in a series of haunting vignettes. What struck me most was the author's ability to evoke a sense of unease and disquietude, drawing readers into a world where the boundaries between the real and the surreal blur with unsettling ease.
Rodenberger’s command of atmosphere, dialogue, and emotion is precise and deadly, hitting readers’ minds where it will disturb them most, with gloriously poignant results. This anthology proves the power of speculative fiction to explore the complexities of our minds and the myriad ways we confront the darkness within ourselves, which is an incredible feat in such short story episodes. Overall, I would certainly recommend Under a Black Rainbow as an immersive and thought-provoking experience for fans of short stories everywhere.
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Work on the next book continues on at a fast pace. Even if I get all the stories done this year, I'm not sure I'll have the formatting done by December. There's a big chunk of the book I have to figure out how to handle as of yet. I'm also dabbling with the idea of off-setting the non-fiction sections from the fiction sections by using two different fonts, but...that could be mad annoying for readers.
Where's the bad review? Sorry to hear about that. That can kind of torment. The reviews above are good although, Review 1 sounds as if it originated from an AI. I cannot put my finger on it. I just get the sense out of the last sentence.
ReplyDeleteUnless I give the offending review company the approval to publish the review, I can't excerpt it or quote it in any way. Not that I'd want to post any part of it; it was pretty spectacularly bad.
Delete