totalsassreads's review against another edition
5.0
All of these stories reminded me of synopses for movies that definitely would have gotten made in the 80s and 90s.
This is also an excellent collection in terms of story, but also in terms of cohesion. This wasn’t a pulling together of work that had already been published, there was a form and a vision and it made it feel more like reading a novel than reading separate stories.
I have favorites and all of them for different reasons - I think the Cat will stick with me because I am a cat person and I feel like it gave them their due as loyal to their family.
Cabin D made me hungry and sad, but would also make a wonderful short film.
The Dark and the Young and the Rifts Between Us were also excellent, and pulled in something a little different than the other stories.
A lot of the characters are sympathetic and realistic - they acknowledge the logical option even if they aren’t going to do that - and I appreciate that. I didn’t waste my time mentally (or verbally) yelling at them.
Easily a 5 Star read for me!
This is also an excellent collection in terms of story, but also in terms of cohesion. This wasn’t a pulling together of work that had already been published, there was a form and a vision and it made it feel more like reading a novel than reading separate stories.
I have favorites and all of them for different reasons - I think the Cat will stick with me because I am a cat person and I feel like it gave them their due as loyal to their family.
Cabin D made me hungry and sad, but would also make a wonderful short film.
The Dark and the Young and the Rifts Between Us were also excellent, and pulled in something a little different than the other stories.
A lot of the characters are sympathetic and realistic - they acknowledge the logical option even if they aren’t going to do that - and I appreciate that. I didn’t waste my time mentally (or verbally) yelling at them.
Easily a 5 Star read for me!
suvata's review against another edition
4.0
Wow! I really like the way this guy writes. This is a book of supernatural/horror short stories. Each one of them had the feel, to me anyway, of an episode of The Twilight Zone. I didn't find them terribly scary but they definitely were all disturbing on one level or another. Good collection!
archergal's review against another edition
3.0
I'm on a short story kick right now. I read lots of short stories in the past, though not so many in the past few years. There's something about a well-written short story that scratches an itch that's different from the satisfaction you get from novels.
Most of these were really pretty good. But like Chuck Wendig's Irregular Creatures, some of them seemed more like sketches or ideas for a full story rather than full stories in their own right. Some were very effective. But I found they were like eating a bag of potato chips for supper -- enjoyable enough, but not really filling.
Still, +1, would definitely read more by this author.
Most of these were really pretty good. But like Chuck Wendig's Irregular Creatures, some of them seemed more like sketches or ideas for a full story rather than full stories in their own right. Some were very effective. But I found they were like eating a bag of potato chips for supper -- enjoyable enough, but not really filling.
Still, +1, would definitely read more by this author.
motherhorror's review against another edition
5.0
I have had the best luck in horror lately! Two great collections back to back! This collection by Ian Rogers is totally different than Bracken MacLeod's 13 Views of Suicide Woods that I reviewed earlier.
Yet still a five star collection. Just goes to show you that authors have totally different voices and you really get a feel for that in a collection like this.
I've seen Ian Rogers compared to Shirley Jackson's style and I would totally agree with that. He has an elevated level of prose under his belt and sometimes I found the descriptions so compelling, I would re read them a few times before moving on in the story. Especially in stories like "Cabin D" and "A Night in the Library with the Gods"
These stories range from the beautiful and poetic, like "Autumnology" to like an X Files vibe like the "Dark and the Young" and then my favorite kind of stories that Ian writes, the dark and humorous like "Aces" and "The Cat". I would say that's his wheelhouse, the ones that are drawing you in with clever dialogue and humor but also carry around a sense of the creeps lurking around the edges.
The book is broken down into mini collections, The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, the Den and the Cellar. I loved the first collection very much and the Attic and the Cellar close behind. One of my favorite stories was "the Currents", a family finds a man washed up from the river that they believe to be dead. Really an interesting read because you have no idea where it's going, it's like being around the campfire at night with a creative storyteller.
Of course there are always a few stories in these collections that don't grab you or you don't resonate with them. Not every story is a home run.
I also would tell readers that this collection isn't necessarily terrifying. I'd use words like haunting, creepy, strange, supernatural or paranormal and just entertaining as hell. Classic. Classic tales of the dark and mysterious. I highly recommend this book.
Yet still a five star collection. Just goes to show you that authors have totally different voices and you really get a feel for that in a collection like this.
I've seen Ian Rogers compared to Shirley Jackson's style and I would totally agree with that. He has an elevated level of prose under his belt and sometimes I found the descriptions so compelling, I would re read them a few times before moving on in the story. Especially in stories like "Cabin D" and "A Night in the Library with the Gods"
These stories range from the beautiful and poetic, like "Autumnology" to like an X Files vibe like the "Dark and the Young" and then my favorite kind of stories that Ian writes, the dark and humorous like "Aces" and "The Cat". I would say that's his wheelhouse, the ones that are drawing you in with clever dialogue and humor but also carry around a sense of the creeps lurking around the edges.
The book is broken down into mini collections, The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, the Den and the Cellar. I loved the first collection very much and the Attic and the Cellar close behind. One of my favorite stories was "the Currents", a family finds a man washed up from the river that they believe to be dead. Really an interesting read because you have no idea where it's going, it's like being around the campfire at night with a creative storyteller.
Of course there are always a few stories in these collections that don't grab you or you don't resonate with them. Not every story is a home run.
I also would tell readers that this collection isn't necessarily terrifying. I'd use words like haunting, creepy, strange, supernatural or paranormal and just entertaining as hell. Classic. Classic tales of the dark and mysterious. I highly recommend this book.
booksdogsandjess's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.5
I don't know, this just didn't do it for me
I just didn't find these scary and they all were a bit flat.
I just didn't find these scary and they all were a bit flat.
0hfortheloveofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Review 5/23/20: I went into Every House is Haunted knowing I was going to love it again and spoiler alert, I did. The stories were just as well crafted, well written, dark, disturbing, and as beautiful as I remember. I was so excited yet a touch nervous to get to Leaves Brown because I have been singing its praises from the moment I finished it last time but I did have a nagging thought it wasn't going to live up to the monolithic tower of perfection I built it up to be. It definitely did not disappoint this time around. It read almost like a Bradbury short story in its picture perfect descriptions of autumn with the dark undertones and horrific implications yet Rogers' voice is very much his own. Leaves Brown is still my favorite but I was surprised that upon this re-read, I discovered stories I vaguely remembered but didn't recall loving last time as much as I did this time. I read stories in different lights given the current state of affairs, personal and societal. And that is exactly why I re-read books folks! You never know what new gem you're going to uncover. Not to mention, re-reading something dear to you is as cozy as snuggling in a blanket with a hot coffee on a rainy autumn afternoon. But I digress...
One story that made a bigger impact was The Rifts Between Us. This story hit me hard. It packs a very sci-fi punch, which is what I was distracted by the first time, but oh my goodness is it riddled with deep, complex, philosophical, and religious thoughts. I needed this re-read to really be able to wade past the sci-fi (which, do not get me wrong, is very interesting!) and delve deep, deeper still, into the misty gray depths of the human soul.
"They call me a virus. They call me a myth. They call me a terrorist. They call me mass hysteria." This is a quote from the short story, Hunger. Reading it the first time, I enjoyed it as a zombie-esque romp through a post apocalyptic city but reading it this time, it resonated with me a bit more personally. The quote, and the entire story, feels very apropos given everything unfolding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I really could make a comment on every story in the collection but these short stories stand strongly on their own, I don't need to try and sell them too hard; plus there's 22 so we'd be here for awhile! If it's possible, I loved Every House is Haunted moreso this time than last. So regardless of it being your first time reading or your 21st time reading, pick up the book and savor every word Rogers gives you.
*********
First Review: Do you know early on if a book will be a 5 star read? I usually have an inkling whether or not I'm going to love it. With Every House is Haunted, I knew from the opening line of the first story that I was going to love it. Truthfully, I fell in love with the table of contents but I reserved my judgement until I actually got to the stories. The stories were broken up into five sections - The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, The Den, and The Cellar. Ian Rogers literally takes the reader on a tour of a haunted house. There were some (many) fantastic stories in this collection. However, every story was at least good; entertaining to say the least. Which is a feat unto itself in a collection of 22 stories.
Cabin D spoke to me as there are plenty of falling down barns and houses in the area of rural Tennessee where I live (and Cabin D was actually set in Tennessee!) Each time I pass one, my eyes are drawn to them, their histories, their secrets, their ghosts.
My favorite story in the entire collection and possibly one of my favorite stories ever, is Leaves Brown. The story itself was creepy yet sweet; a grandfather sharing a dark family secret with his grandson. But what was stellar about this story was the beautiful and intricate imagery. The grandfather talking about fall made me so yearn for that season - “if seasons were a four course meal, fall would be dessert”. I want to quote the entire story. It was absolutely packed with the dreamiest prose. Leaves Brown was haunting and beautiful, nostalgic and bittersweet. I would have purchased the book for that story alone.
Then there were stories like The Cat which was fun and humorous, dark humor but humor nonetheless.
Rogers is truly an adept and brilliant writer; his range of storytelling is so broad and this collection really showcases this. Every House is Haunted is horror at it's finest because it's not just traditional horror, it's moody, it's dark, it's paranormal, it's morbidly beautiful.
“But you don't believe in haunted houses, Daniel. Just haunted people.”
One story that made a bigger impact was The Rifts Between Us. This story hit me hard. It packs a very sci-fi punch, which is what I was distracted by the first time, but oh my goodness is it riddled with deep, complex, philosophical, and religious thoughts. I needed this re-read to really be able to wade past the sci-fi (which, do not get me wrong, is very interesting!) and delve deep, deeper still, into the misty gray depths of the human soul.
"They call me a virus. They call me a myth. They call me a terrorist. They call me mass hysteria." This is a quote from the short story, Hunger. Reading it the first time, I enjoyed it as a zombie-esque romp through a post apocalyptic city but reading it this time, it resonated with me a bit more personally. The quote, and the entire story, feels very apropos given everything unfolding with the COVID-19 pandemic.
I really could make a comment on every story in the collection but these short stories stand strongly on their own, I don't need to try and sell them too hard; plus there's 22 so we'd be here for awhile! If it's possible, I loved Every House is Haunted moreso this time than last. So regardless of it being your first time reading or your 21st time reading, pick up the book and savor every word Rogers gives you.
*********
First Review: Do you know early on if a book will be a 5 star read? I usually have an inkling whether or not I'm going to love it. With Every House is Haunted, I knew from the opening line of the first story that I was going to love it. Truthfully, I fell in love with the table of contents but I reserved my judgement until I actually got to the stories. The stories were broken up into five sections - The Vestibule, The Library, The Attic, The Den, and The Cellar. Ian Rogers literally takes the reader on a tour of a haunted house. There were some (many) fantastic stories in this collection. However, every story was at least good; entertaining to say the least. Which is a feat unto itself in a collection of 22 stories.
Cabin D spoke to me as there are plenty of falling down barns and houses in the area of rural Tennessee where I live (and Cabin D was actually set in Tennessee!) Each time I pass one, my eyes are drawn to them, their histories, their secrets, their ghosts.
My favorite story in the entire collection and possibly one of my favorite stories ever, is Leaves Brown. The story itself was creepy yet sweet; a grandfather sharing a dark family secret with his grandson. But what was stellar about this story was the beautiful and intricate imagery. The grandfather talking about fall made me so yearn for that season - “if seasons were a four course meal, fall would be dessert”. I want to quote the entire story. It was absolutely packed with the dreamiest prose. Leaves Brown was haunting and beautiful, nostalgic and bittersweet. I would have purchased the book for that story alone.
Then there were stories like The Cat which was fun and humorous, dark humor but humor nonetheless.
Rogers is truly an adept and brilliant writer; his range of storytelling is so broad and this collection really showcases this. Every House is Haunted is horror at it's finest because it's not just traditional horror, it's moody, it's dark, it's paranormal, it's morbidly beautiful.
“But you don't believe in haunted houses, Daniel. Just haunted people.”
shelf_husk's review
5.0
Winner of the ReLit Award for Best Short Fiction, Ian Roger’s debut is a corker, a paean to everything that scares us. Like the best of horror fiction, Rogers’ stories defy easy categorization. A jazz club may or may not be Hell, but is certainly not a place you want to visit. A loveable housecat proves adept at exterminating pests of all sizes. A campfire story takes an unusual turn. And in “Deleted Scenes” (my favourite in a collection rife with nominees), an actor finds himself employment by filming scenes never meant to be seen. Rogers has a way of tweaking even the most mundane idea and making it sparkle anew. Believe me, I’ll never look at a spider the same way again. Or ever again.
Find the full review at my website.
Find the full review at my website.
madarauchiha's review
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
❤️ 🧡 💛 💚 💙 💜 my about info carrd: https://uchiha-madara.carrd.co/ 💜 💙 💚 💛 🧡❤️
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