P.L. McMillan's Blog, page 13

Riebeckite: Novel Review

After a little hiatus, I’m back! The last few weeks were so busy for me — what with promoting my debut collection, going to Stokercon, and having my debut novella accepted by Timber Ghost Press for publication later this year!

Hopefully things will settle a little and I can get back to reviewing regularly.

This is another Blackthorn Book Tours review, so I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Now onwards!

The Author

Raised and educated in North Wales, Oliver spent his early 20s working for a theatre-in-education music troupe for as long as it took to feel like his GCSE in Welsh language had provided its money’s worth. Since then, he’s lived in Portsmouth and currently works as a laboratory analyst. His biggest failure as a writer has been in his attempts to settle on a genre, having written about Middle Eastern vampires, African mercenaries and supernatural Welsh murderers. His first ‘properly’ published novel, “Riebeckite”, is a near-future speculative fiction story set in the Persian Gulf. — O.R. Lea’s Goodreads profile

O.R. Lea can be found on his website, Twitter, and Instagram. His published works include Riebeckite, Torpor’s End, Camp Chelovek, and Do You Get What You Pray For.

The Novel

After an asteroid strike on the moon, a strange blue dust began to flow down through Earth’s atmosphere. It’s harmful to breathe, but at least the microscopic creatures within the dust are dormant. Or so we thought.

Tahira made a childhood promise to a friend that the crisis would bring their people together… before a violent riot tore their lives apart. Now, as an adult, Tahira works as a biologist for a corporation constructing experimental towers to force the spores—known as riebeckites—to germinate into harmless colonies.

Except they’re about to learn everything they think they know about the dust is wrong. The real threat isn’t the asteroid that struck the moon and by the time humanity figures it out, it might be too late.

— Amazon landing page

Riebeckite is set in the far future, after the moon was hit by an asteroid and spores known as riebeckites now threaten human health. Tahira is a scientist who has dedicated her life to studying the effects of these alien spores on the environment in order to try and make a difference. During a routine research trip, however, Tahira stumbles on something new. Something that reveals the true nature — and intent — of the alien spores and of the company she works for.

The Review

Two things to share right away:

This is not really horror, it’s more straight sci-fi.

I googled the word “riebeckite” and apparently it’s a type of mineral! It does come in blue and black colour, though now I am curious why the author picked this particular mineral to name the alien spore after.

Quick edit! I got my answer!

Let me start off by saying, this is the type of sci-fi fiction I live for — an utterly unique concept, badass female characters, and incredibly world building.

Riebeckite is a thrilling ride full of twists and heartbreaking turns as Tahira races to escape threat after threat after threat. Her friendship with Zareen is poignant and moving, adding more tension to the story as both women’s lives are threatened. Also, O.R. Lea created a unique and monstrous new enemy that is as terrifying as it is inhuman.

I can honestly say, I never expected the direction the novel took or the ending it had. Riebeckite took me by surprise and didn’t let go until the shocking conclusions. It was truly refreshing! I am so glad that it’s part of a series so I can dive back into O.R. Lea’s world of riebeckites and corporate intrigue and corruption.

So, dear reader, grab your copy today — especially if you are in need of an epic sci-fi thriller — Riebeckite is out of this world! (bahdumtsh).

8/10

x PLM

The Night House: Movie Review

Surprise! It’s PLM here with another movie review! After such a long time.

I know you’ve missed me but don’t cry. No, no. Don’t cry. The popcorn is already salty enough.

Do I even know how to write movie reviews anymore? No idea!

This review is spoiler-free.

The Movie

The Night House is a psychological horror film released in 2021. Directed by David Brickner and written by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, it stars Rebecca Hall as a widow (Beth) mourning her recently deceased husband (played by Evan Jonigkeit). Sarah Goldberg, Stacy Martin, and Vondie Curtis-Hall also star.

The Night House premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released in the US in August of 2021 by Searchlight Pictures. It has also been nominated for two Critics’ Choice Super Awards.

Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together – but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband’s belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing – a mystery she’s determined to unravel. — Searchlight landing page for The Night House

The movie starts with Beth trying to unpack her summer home — a place she was expecting to share and create memories with her husband, who has just committed suicide. As she unpacks (both her feelings and the boxes), Beth discovers some strange things in her husband’s possessions. Additionally, she begins to experience paranormal phenomena in the house, and outside of it.

And across the lake, a house appears at night where no house should be.

The Review

What’s a woman to do when her husband commits suicide and then she starts discovering strange secrets while trying to move on? Sheesh.

Rebecca Hall does an amazing job in this film, portraying the complex emotions a person feels after the death of a loved one with masterful execution. Heavy with atmosphere, the film drowns you in suspense. Honestly it had my rapt attention the whole movie.

Regular readers of my blog will know I love movies that can be interpreted in different ways, depending on how you view it (ex. Oculus, one of my favourite movies of all time) and The Night House is no different. Everything that happens in the movie is seen through the eyes of a grieving woman, who also suffers from depression and is drinking rather heavily. Is what happens real? Or is it all just a metaphor for mental illness and grief?

That’s really up to you, dear reader. As always, I always lean into the supernatural.

Either way, this movie is a hell of a ride. The cinematography, the music and sound-scaping, and excellent acting create the perfect combination for a chilling experience.

This review might seem rather surface level, but that’s only because I really don’t want to spoil anything that would take away from your experience with the film. But trust me when I say, this was an awesome movie and a great example of how effective a slow burn of a movie can be.

8/10

x PLM

HUGE NEWS! Get ready to panic!

Okay everyone! Get ready to panic! Oh wait, I mean celebrate. Get ready to celebrate because…

My debut novella, SISTERS OF THE CRIMSON VINE, has been picked up and will be published by Timber Ghost Press!

Slated for a December publication, SISTERS OF THE CRIMSON VINE brings you to the English countryside and introduces you to an unusual convent.

When John Ainsworth wakes up in the Crimoria Convent after crashing his car on a lonely stretch of English country road, he is greeted by the strange and beautiful Sister Helena, a nun who wears no shoes or wimple. As he recovers in Helena’s care, he slowly learns about the convent and the thirteen nuns who live there, and of an approaching ceremony they celebrate annually.

Let’s take a look at the amazing press that will be publishing my novella:

Timber Ghost Press is a small press located in Utah, founded by C.R. Langille in 2021. They are a retired, disabled veteran with a deep love for weird and creepy tales.

The name, Timber Ghost, is another term for elk. C.R. Langille spends a lot of time out in the wilderness searching for these elusive and majestic creatures. Now, they will also spend a lot of time searching for elusive and majestic manuscripts to publish in the electronic wilderness.

Mission Statement: Publish quality weird and creepy novels, novellas, and anthologies while taking care of our authors.

Vision Statement: Become the premier indie publisher of weird and creepy novels, novellas, and anthologies and be a respected name in the horror community.

— Timber Ghost Press About section

I don’t know about you but I am pretty excited! Keep an eye out for coming updates!

x PLM

Man, Fuck This House: Novella Review

Okay, yes, I’ve been away for a while. But you know me — I believe in taking periodic breaks. Recently I changed jobs, as well as took my first vacation in like two years! It was well worth stepping away from the blog for a bit — and thank you for waiting for me!

And now I am back with another review. I know you looked at that title and were intrigued. But before we jump into things, I do have to self-promote a bit!

I know you, my dear and kind reader, haven’t forgotten about my debut collection, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out, which came out March 31st, right?

Twelve terrifying stories ranging from body horror to cosmic horror to sci-fi horror. Twelve custom illustrations. A whole lotta chills. Check out what other readers are saying:

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Get Your Copy Today

Now enough about me! Let’s head onto the review!

The Author

Brian Asman writes, edits, produces, and acts! Based out of San Diego, his works include I'm Not Even Supposed to Be Here Today, Nunchuck City, and Jailbroke. His short fiction has been published in Breaking Bizarro, Welcome to the Splatter Club, and Lost Films, and his comics appear in Tales of Horrorgasm.

The Novella

Man, Fuck This House follows the suffering of a not-so-average American family that moves into an average haunted house. Or is it really that average?

Sabrina Haskins and her family have just moved into their dream home, a gorgeous Craftsman in the rapidly-growing Southwestern city of Jackson Hill. Sabrina’s a bored and disillusioned homemaker, Hal a reverse mortgage salesman with a penchant for ill-timed sports analogies. Their two children, Damien and Michaela, are bright and precocious. At first glance, the house is perfect. But things aren’t what they seem. Sabrina’s hearing odd noises, seeing strange visions. Their neighbors are odd or absent. And Sabrina’s already-fraught relationship with her son is about to be tested in a way no parent could ever imagine. Because while the Haskins family might be the newest owners of 4596 James Circle, they’re far from its only residents… - Man, Fuck This House Amazon landing page

The Review

I had this book recommended to me by several people and, honestly, the title caught my attention as well, so I decided to give it a go on vacation. I ended up enjoying it so much that I finished it on the plane trip over.

Asman has a wonderful way with character building, mixing humour with the horror, and landing an unexpected and shocking finish — Man, Fuck This House is a refreshing take on a common horror trope: the haunted house, which I desperately needed in my life.

It needs to be mentioned again, how well-written the characters in this book were, especially Sabrina and Damien — two characters that presented an interested and twisted dynamic a la We Need To Talk About Kevin style.

I also greatly appreciated how effectively Asman weaved humourous moments throughout the growing suspense. To say this novel gripped me and didn’t let go (much like the possessed house gripped its inhabitants!) is understating it. To put it simply, I didn’t want the story to ever end.

Man, Fuck This House also had an ending I never saw coming. It was oddly satisfying, as well as being rather disturbing. So, if you’re looking for a new take on the haunted house trope, this is the book for you.

9/10

x PLM

I Won’t Stop Talking About It

I mean it’s such a huge big deal. MY DEBUT COLLECTION IS OUT.

You know this collection:

I have it in ebook form!

Paperback!

Even SIGNED paperbacks! (These come with surprise goodies too!)

Remember when I interviewed cosmic horror author, John Hornor Jacobs? Look at what he has to say:

"In WHAT REMAINS WHEN THE STARS BURN OUT, McMillan imagines the horrors lying in the cracks of the world, between stars, and those clutching at the human heart. And she does not spare the rod when it comes to creepiness, growing dread, and absolute terror. An exciting new voice sounding from the shadows."

- John Hornor Jacobs, author of A Lush and Seething Hell, The Incorruptibles, and Murder Ballads and Other Horrific Tales

So get yourself a copy! And let me know what you think!

x PLM

Logistics – A Christmas Story: Novella Review

Hello everyone!

Before we dive in, I wanted to again celebrate the fact that my debut collection, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out, came out March 31st! Right now I have a limited supply of paperbacks that I am selling signed (with some goodies too). Want yours? Fill out this form:

Order Form

Please note that signed copies are only available to be shipped in the US. Unfortunately shipping internationally is too expensive for me to be able to make it work!

Now onto the review! This is another book I received through Blackthorn Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

The Author

Chris Coppel, besides being an author, has also worked for both Warner Bros., Universal Studios, also well as acting as the Director of Operations for UCLA’s Film School where he taught advanced screen writing. Coppel’s portfolio includes Double Down (as C.J. Axelrod), Logistics, Liner, Lucy, Lakebed, Legacy, Lodge and Luck. Apparently he likes the “L'“ titles.

I was raised the son of a writer. My father wrote plays, films and novels. He was successful and suffered constant wanderlust. I was born in America when he was there writing Vertigo for Alfred Hitchcock. I give that familial insight so that you can understand that I had the genes, I just needed to find my footing and get up the nerve to put pen to paper (or to be more accurate…open my laptop). Many would say that having a successful parent should make it easier to follow their path under the protective shadow of their parent’s success. Not so!

- Bio provided by Blackthorn

The Novella

After being abandoned at the age of two and a half, Holly Hillman was raised without whimsy or fantasy. She was taught that there were no such things as Santa Claus, fairies, elves or any other accepted fantasies that help a child deal with the harder realities of life. Now in her forties, she is the CEO of a Fortune 400 company. She rose to the top through hard work, but also by living without distractions or social attachments. Despite her rigidly ingrained dedication, Holly was content with her life, having never lived by any other tenet. Everything was perfect until she was required to give her DNA as part of a health check leading up her company’s merger with an Asian conglomerate.

The results of her test unlocked the secret of her unique ancestry, leading to her having to confront a fantastical truth that would forever change her views on life and reality itself.

- Logistics Amazon description

Logistics: A Christmas Story was published in 2021 and is a holiday fiction novella about a young woman who discovers her festive heritage. Cold-hearted Holly is afraid to step out of her comfort zone, but an important business decision throws her world for a loop.

How did I end up reading a Christmas tale in April, and one that wasn’t a horror at that? I honestly have no idea. Maybe I thought it was horror when I signed up? Oh well. I definitely kept waiting for something horrid to happen the whole way through. Coppel’s other works are mainly psychological and thriller, which is probably why I was so convinced.

The Review

So, reader, you know me. I tend to like horror above all else. I definitely started reading Logistics like it was a horror before realizing it was more Hallmark movie. That said, the writing was good. Holly, as the main female lead, was well-written and well-rounded.

I also liked Coppel’s corporate take on the Santa mythos. It was rather fun to see how he tied the magic of Christmas in with how corporate America works.

Overall the novella didn’t blow me away but I don’t think it was meant to be anything more than a popcorn tale of second chances, Christmas joy, and love. A lot of tropes, a lot of convenient plot moments, and no real conflict.

However, I think this novella would make for a cozy holiday read for lovers of classic Hallmark movies. You know the ones.

As a horror novella, only a 3/10 (3 is for the horrors of corporate America). As a holiday novella:

6/10

x PLM

Poe Is Here To Say…

“meow”.

But in other news… I have another blurb here about What Remains When The Stars Burn Out, which is coming out March 31st. From fellow Colorado writer and cheerful goth, Angela Sylvaine (author of Chopping Spree):

These pages are soaked in the ink-blood of ancient and nameless evils who caress with stinging tentacles that are equally horrifying and seductive. There is no escape from the vast hopelessness, which is good, because you may find yourself longing to sacrifice yourself to join with it. An inspired collection complete with beautiful, accompanying illustrations for each story, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out is a cosmic horror triumph.

- Angela Sylvaine

And there are only three days to go before the collection to go live! Preorder your ebook now!

Preorder ebook

Or are you interested in buying a signed paperback?

Available only to US recipients (because otherwise the shipping is more than $30 unfortunately), you can buy a signed paperback for only $12! Once the paperback goes live, I’ll be ordering a limited amount to sign and send to those who want them.

For those going to Stokercon, I’m happy to deliver your copy there (and you’ll save $2 in shipping costs!)

Interested? Then fill out the interest form below:

Get your signed copy!

I can’t wait for March 31st!

x PLM

Check Out What People Are Saying About My Collection!

Just over a week before my collection goes live!

What Remains When The Stars Burn Out will be released on March 31st! Ebook pre-orders are available now!

eBook Pre-Order!

The paperback version will be available on March 31st for purchase and I will even be selling signed copies!

Twelve stories!

Twelve PLM illustrations!

All horror!

Let’s see two advance blurbs about the collection. The first is from Hailey Piper, a talented horror author whose works include Queen of Teeth and Benny Rose the Cannibal King:

“A gift of cosmic horror by someone who truly gets it. The imagination here runs the gauntlet across a galaxy of weird dread. Stuffed with delicious WTF energy and malevolent fates, McMillan’s stories go the extra mile to mess you up.”

— Hailey Piper, Queen of Teeth

And the second is from Caleb Stephens, an amazing dark fiction writer whose works include The Crowing and The Atoll:

“The best kind of horror—the kind that digs deep and forces you to confront your fears, to stare them straight in the face and overcome them—is a rare find indeed. With themes of anxiety, paranoia, love, and loss, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out by P.L. McMillan is an example of horror done right. This magnificent collection is a tour-de-force, gut-punch of the cosmic variety, wonderfully strange and intimately disturbing. Every story has hooks, every sentence teeth. Ones that, once they sink in, don’t let go. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.”

— Caleb Stephens, author of the short film, Wallpaper Man

So pre-order you ebook now or check out my blog on March 31st to get your paperbacks! Don’t miss out!

x PLM

What Remains When The Stars Burn Out: Pre-Order

From the lips of a dying woman to the ears of an overworked nurse, a word begins to haunt her and the city in which she lives.

An office worker is convinced she has contracted something highly contagious, but no one believes her.

Earth is on the brink of collapse, when scientists discover a new plane of reality. Could this be the salvation people are seeking?

A company’s revolutionary method of travel promises instant teleportation across countless light years but at a price.

What Remains When The Stars Burn Out is a vivid collection of twelve stories ranging from the morbid to the macabre, the sinister to the supernatural, the unearthly to the uncanny, which are sure to send a shiver down your spine.

My debut collection, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out is available for ebook pre-order right now! Twelve stories, twelve original illustrations, and a whole lotta scares!

Pre-Order Now!

I will have paperback copies available, but Amazon doesn’t allow for paperback pre-order, so if you’re interested in a paperback, you’ll have to wait until the release date: March 31st!

I will also be offering signed copies for anyone in the United States (sorry rest of the world, but shipping gets outrageous internationally) for $12.

So if you want a signed copy, or a paperback, mark March 31st in your calendar and keep your eye on my blog and social media accounts for updates!

x PLM

The Cabin Sessions: Book Review

Whew! It was really nice to take that week off! I cleared off a lot of my plate, so I can concentrate on my writing — which of course, includes this blog!

Today, I am reviewing a book I got through my Blackthorn Book Tours connection, so yes, I did receive a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The Author

Isobel Blackthorn has a long-standing association with the Canary Islands, having lived in Lanzarote in the late 1980s. A humanitarian and campaigner for social justice, in 1999 Blackthorn founded the internationally acclaimed Ghana Link, uniting two high schools, one a relatively privileged state school located in the heart of England, the other a materially impoverished school in a remote part of the Upper Volta region of Ghana, West Africa.

- Isobel Blackthorn’s website

Blackthorn is an author of dark psychological thrillers, mysteries, and contemporary/historical fiction. Her works include Twerk, The Cabin Sessions, and The Legacy of Old Gran Parks. She is currently working on a new mystery series.

The Novel

A storm is is rolling into the narrow mountain pass when hapless musician Adam Banks stands on the bridge over the river that cleaves the remote village of Burton. The night is already blighted by an astrological omen, and Adam thinks of turning back. Instead, struggling against a rising panic, he resolves to fulfil his obligation to perform the guest spot at The Cabin Sessions. He cannot let down his mentor, Benny Muir.

- The Cabin Sessions Amazon page

The Cabin Sessions is a dark and twisted tale told from the third-person view points of Adam and Philip, in-between the flowery diary entries of Eva, and takes place over a single evening: Christmas Eve at a bar called the Cabin, for a fated open mic night.

Warning for those who might be sensitive to certain subject matter: there is child death and incest/abuse.

The Review

First let me start out with a fun story — I was out doing some chores and I decided to drop by a cafe for a coffee and to start reading The Cabin Sessions. This cafe has a chalk wall and someone had drawn a cabin in the woods on it. I also found out that I had shown up on their open mic day. Are there such things as coincidences?

Anyway, it was too good a story to share. Onto the book!

Darkly decadent, The Cabin Sessions traps the reader in one place, sinking them deep in the mire that is the town of Burton’s twisted history. The reader learns secrets piecemeal, drowning in the suspense, as Blackthorn rushes them to the explosive conclusion.

At first, I had a hard time getting into Blackthorn’s writing style. It felt really heavy. But — and if you read my review of The Only Good Indians — once I got used to her style, it gripped me tight. So I would definitely recommend you push through the first couple chapters if you find yourself floundering. The tale is absolutely worth the swim. (How many puns? So many puns.)

The Cabin Sessions reminds me of the classic Gothic novels I really love, like The Mysterium. I felt like I was drowning in Blackthorn’s delicious prose, in the almost living setting of Burton, and sinking deep into the dark secrets of those who live there. It’s subtle, it’s brutal, it’s unforgiving.

No one can be trusted, no one can be depended on, and the end left me gasping.

Absolutely brilliant.

9/10

x PLM