bmacenlightened's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty great collection from an author whose story telling chops rival any others. The stories are sick, but in general not that over the top, this isn't extreme horror. A couple of the stories definitely stuck with me more than others, but I believe most people could feel the same way about different subsets depending on what sticks with them.
pbanditp's review
4.0
“You see, perversity is my forte. It is normality that drives me insane.” -Jerry Weller in the story Diary
These are nice quick stories that make for easy reading with a small twist or unsettling gore to make each story interesting and fun.
Ronald has amazing creativity, I mean, one of the stories is called “The Nipples in Dad’s Toolbox”. His stories are unique and bring you into the southern backwoods. With a great variety of creatures, twists, tension, humor, and let’s face it, sick stuff, Ronald keeps you engaged and entertained
These are nice quick stories that make for easy reading with a small twist or unsettling gore to make each story interesting and fun.
Ronald has amazing creativity, I mean, one of the stories is called “The Nipples in Dad’s Toolbox”. His stories are unique and bring you into the southern backwoods. With a great variety of creatures, twists, tension, humor, and let’s face it, sick stuff, Ronald keeps you engaged and entertained
pbanditp's review against another edition
4.0
“You see, perversity is my forte. It is normality that drives me insane.” -Jerry Weller in the story Diary
These are nice quick stories that make for easy reading with a small twist or unsettling gore to make each story interesting and fun.
Ronald has amazing creativity, I mean, one of the stories is called “The Nipples in Dad’s Toolbox”. His stories are unique and bring you into the southern backwoods. With a great variety of creatures, twists, tension, humor, and let’s face it, sick stuff, Ronald keeps you engaged and entertained
These are nice quick stories that make for easy reading with a small twist or unsettling gore to make each story interesting and fun.
Ronald has amazing creativity, I mean, one of the stories is called “The Nipples in Dad’s Toolbox”. His stories are unique and bring you into the southern backwoods. With a great variety of creatures, twists, tension, humor, and let’s face it, sick stuff, Ronald keeps you engaged and entertained
blatdriver's review
5.0
I loved this book, it is one of my favourite reads this year, a lot of fun.
I was a bit worried that these tales would be too extreme for me, but they weren't at all.
Don’t let the name put you off, sure there are icky bits, and blood and gore, but this is horror after all.
There are quite a few stories including a few different creature features, with creepy crawlies, a large ravenous dangerous but intelligent animal, a mad scientist tale, a few psycho tales, a lovecraftian tale, and some good old fashioned revenge.
I will defiantly be reading more by Ronald Kelly!
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*
I was a bit worried that these tales would be too extreme for me, but they weren't at all.
Don’t let the name put you off, sure there are icky bits, and blood and gore, but this is horror after all.
There are quite a few stories including a few different creature features, with creepy crawlies, a large ravenous dangerous but intelligent animal, a mad scientist tale, a few psycho tales, a lovecraftian tale, and some good old fashioned revenge.
I will defiantly be reading more by Ronald Kelly!
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*
wellwortharead's review against another edition
5.0
I love short horror stories and normally when reviewing a collection I will mention my favorites by name. I can't really do that here because it would end up being a table of contents. I would need to list them all, since they are just that good. Ronald Kelly is a master of his craft and these 23 stories more than live up to the title. There is indeed some very sick stuff to be found in this book. Spiders, ticks, snakes and otherworldly parasites lurk among the pages and infest unsuspecting characters in the most gruesome of ways.
That is not to say the "sick stuff" is confined to blood sucking creepy crawlies. There are plenty of twisted individuals of the human variety as one man finds out on his way home from the happiest place on earth with his young family in tow, when a simple pit stop veers off into horror and depravity. A winter storm awakens a desire to feast on human flesh, a demonic presence waits to be fed, an evil man gets what he deserves on Halloween in a story that made me think if it were a movie I would have to look away and peek at it occasionally through my fingers, not wanting to miss anything but unable to bear the full scope of horror. A mother curses the family who wronged her son with grisly, blood curdling results, culminating in an eerie horseback ride that brought to mind Sleepy Hollow in a far darker and more disturbing way. I may have lost a pound from all the calories I burned due to cringing and squirming in my seat while I read.
I received an advance copy for review.
That is not to say the "sick stuff" is confined to blood sucking creepy crawlies. There are plenty of twisted individuals of the human variety as one man finds out on his way home from the happiest place on earth with his young family in tow, when a simple pit stop veers off into horror and depravity. A winter storm awakens a desire to feast on human flesh, a demonic presence waits to be fed, an evil man gets what he deserves on Halloween in a story that made me think if it were a movie I would have to look away and peek at it occasionally through my fingers, not wanting to miss anything but unable to bear the full scope of horror. A mother curses the family who wronged her son with grisly, blood curdling results, culminating in an eerie horseback ride that brought to mind Sleepy Hollow in a far darker and more disturbing way. I may have lost a pound from all the calories I burned due to cringing and squirming in my seat while I read.
I received an advance copy for review.
crazybooklife's review
5.0
As a slightly obsessed horror fan I cannot believe I did not run in to Ronald Kelly's mastermind until now. While Kelly is mostly known for his Down-home horror stories set in the American South this is a whole new level. Fun, twisted, and grotesque in the best way possible. The writing is fantastic, and each story will bring out a whole new fear.
If you're a fan of slasher films this book is for you! Grab this book, get comfy, and turn down the lights...if you dare.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with an advance copy for me to provide my honest review. Ronald Kelly is sure to be a cult fiction icon
If you're a fan of slasher films this book is for you! Grab this book, get comfy, and turn down the lights...if you dare.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with an advance copy for me to provide my honest review. Ronald Kelly is sure to be a cult fiction icon
thebooklife_'s review
5.0
As a slightly obsessed horror fan I cannot believe I did not run in to Ronald Kelly's mastermind until now. While Kelly is mostly known for his Down-home horror stories set in the American South this is a whole new level. Fun, twisted, and grotesque in the best way possible. The writing is fantastic, and each story will bring out a whole new fear.
If you're a fan of slasher films this book is for you! Grab this book, get comfy, and turn down the lights...if you dare.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with an advance copy for me to provide my honest review. Ronald Kelly is sure to be a cult fiction icon
If you're a fan of slasher films this book is for you! Grab this book, get comfy, and turn down the lights...if you dare.
Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with an advance copy for me to provide my honest review. Ronald Kelly is sure to be a cult fiction icon
charshorrorcorner's review against another edition
4.0
The Essential Sick Stuff was such a fun collection of stories! It was a perfect way to distract myself from the dumpster fire that is life in 2020.
I was a bit worried that these tales would be too extreme for me, but they weren't all all. My favorites among them were:
DIARY-The diary of a sociopath waiting for death by electric chair.
HOUSEWARMING-Spiders!
MASS APPEAL-The truth of this story slowly unfurls until you find yourself horrified.
OLD HACKER-Ewwww. That's all I'm going to say.
MOJO MAMA-Don't mess with her!
CONSUMPTION-Caterpillars, ugh! I found this one particularly disturbing because we had a caterpillar infestation a few years ago and there were so many, our driveway was like a moving carpet of them. I shudder just thinking about it.
EXIT 85-Don't run so low on gas that you're forced to get off the highway in the middle of the night. Just don't do it.
SNAKEHANDLER-A crooked preacher comes to town.
THE THING AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD-Don't pull over to look at it. Don't do it!
CELL NUMBER NINE-Jail sucks! The inmates are just the start of it.
SUCKERS-I thought this story was hilarious and creative. Who doesn't love a good mad scientist tale?
MISS ABIGAIL'S DELICATE CONDITION-It is indeed, delicate, but it's not what you think!
Ronald Kelly is legendary in the world of horror but it seems that not enough people are aware of that, and it's a true shame. The man can write anything, particularly stories of the American south and all the beauty and darkness that surrounds it. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I have to wonder because these stories are just what the title suggests, sick. What fun!
Highly recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/35O7NJ1
*Thanks to Silver Shamrock for the e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.*
I was a bit worried that these tales would be too extreme for me, but they weren't all all. My favorites among them were:
DIARY-The diary of a sociopath waiting for death by electric chair.
HOUSEWARMING-Spiders!
MASS APPEAL-The truth of this story slowly unfurls until you find yourself horrified.
OLD HACKER-Ewwww. That's all I'm going to say.
MOJO MAMA-Don't mess with her!
CONSUMPTION-Caterpillars, ugh! I found this one particularly disturbing because we had a caterpillar infestation a few years ago and there were so many, our driveway was like a moving carpet of them. I shudder just thinking about it.
EXIT 85-Don't run so low on gas that you're forced to get off the highway in the middle of the night. Just don't do it.
SNAKEHANDLER-A crooked preacher comes to town.
THE THING AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD-Don't pull over to look at it. Don't do it!
CELL NUMBER NINE-Jail sucks! The inmates are just the start of it.
SUCKERS-I thought this story was hilarious and creative. Who doesn't love a good mad scientist tale?
MISS ABIGAIL'S DELICATE CONDITION-It is indeed, delicate, but it's not what you think!
Ronald Kelly is legendary in the world of horror but it seems that not enough people are aware of that, and it's a true shame. The man can write anything, particularly stories of the American south and all the beauty and darkness that surrounds it. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I have to wonder because these stories are just what the title suggests, sick. What fun!
Highly recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/35O7NJ1
*Thanks to Silver Shamrock for the e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.*
brennanlafaro's review
5.0
I’ve mentioned this before, so please forgive the repetition, but I believe short fiction collections are the best way to get to know a new-to-me author. Emphasis on new-to-me because as a Zebra Horror veteran, it’s hard to label Ronald Kelly as new. The guy’s been churning out quality horror since I was born. This just happens to be my first foray into this territory.
If you are a habitual introduction skipper, do yourself a favor and don’t skip this one, for two reasons. First, Kelly has this way of writing an intro that uses alliteration and creative turns of phrase almost reminiscent of the way we begin an episode of Tales From the Crypt. Second, and potentially more important, because Kelly details what you’re about the read. Many of the stories in this book fit nicely under the umbrella of splatterpunk and Kelly lets us know they were written in an effort to go over the top. And that is exactly where they go.
The Essential Sick Stuff is divided into three sections, two of which were previously released - Sick Stuff, More Sick Stuff, and Even Sicker Stuff. While my go-to way of reviewing a collection tends to be highlighting all my favorite stories, that would take up quite a bit of space, so allow me to highlight just a few favorites from each section.
The Sick Stuff: If the introduction doesn’t prepare you for the worst of the worst, “Diary” will quickly show you what you’re in for. “Housewarming” is a rough read if you don’t like spiders, but whether or not that makes your skin crawl, don’t skip this one. “Pins and Needles” may be the most viscerally disturbing in the bunch. Just try reading about the cake and keeping it together. This portion closes out with “Mojo Mama”, a dark fantasy-esque story revolving around a cursed family whose individual afflictions make for some rough reading.
More Sick Stuff: “Consumption” offers some squirm inducing parasite horror that hangs in and delivers all the way to the last line. “The Day UPS Brought Zombies” is just all-out fun and features a cameo from another big voice in the horror scene. Sure, there’s gore, but you’ll have a blast reading this one. “Snakehandler” features some religious zealotry and highlights one way a con-man could pull the wool over the eyes of an unsuspecting congregation. “Cell Number Nine” proves that Kelly does creepy crawlies super well, and without having to resort to the same tricks.
Even Sicker Stuff: The shortest of the three sections doesn’t let up on the reader at all. “The Nipples in Dad’s Toolbox” is one of my favorite stories in the whole book, and has a little more depth to it than the title might suggest while also remaining grisly. “Miss Abigail’s Delicate Condition” draws the reader in with a bit of mystery and then lets you have it if you stick around long enough. The final story “Quetzalcoatl’s Revenge” wraps the collection up with some comeuppance-related body horror, assuring the reader that Kelly’s not going to run out of ways to make you feel a bit queasy.
The stories in Essential Sick Stuff are not for the faint of heart or the sensitive of stomach. There are some hard things to read, though Kelly doesn’t rely on rape/sexual assault to increase shock factor. That he has this many stories collected that seek to push the limits, but don’t rely on that sexual exploitation is commendable. It’s a memorable collection to be sure, and a great introduction if you’ve never read Ronald Kelly’s work before.
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration.
I received a copy from the publisher for review consideration.
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