Lena’s Comments (group member since Nov 17, 2014)

Lena’s comments from the Spells, Space & Screams: Collections & Anthologies in Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror group.

Sooner of Later, Your Wife Will Drive Home by Genevieve Valentine ★★☆☆☆
Not sure what this was meant to be other than depressing.

Special Meal by Josh Malerman ★★★☆☆
More of a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut’s Harrison Bergeron than anything I have read or heard of from Shirley Jackson.

The Door in the Fence by Jeffrey Ford ★★★☆☆
A boy’s memory of the odd widow next door who became “her own kind of woman.” This was quite odd but entertaining.

Pear of Anguish by Gemma Files ★★★☆☆
Ouch those preteen years are tough, for me they were harder than all of high school. Not everyone makes it, I remember the funeral. It’s best not to pick at those scars.

The Party by Paul Tremblay ★★½☆☆
With shades of The Masque of the Red Death we enter a party with dislikable characters. But by the end you are just at some awkward office party - lame.

Refinery Road by Stephen Graham Jones ★★★½☆
Jones has this sturdy way of writing ghost stories - they are meaty and meaningful. It’s unique.

Eeeh, so what do ya reckon…
You’re 90% there!!!

Wahaha, yes, he lost it there for a moment!

Well something is going to have to replace James Bond.

Funny of the day, Jimmy Carr losing all his composure when trapped with the thickest people in England: https://youtu.be/qMIggDSnPGk

Take Me, I Am Free by Joyce Carol Oates ★★★★½
That story was so short yet so painful. A little girl is put out with the trash by a mother with severe postpartum depression. Not everyone was meant to be a mother but that’s a bell you can’t unring.

A Trip to Paris by Richard Kadrey ★★★★☆
Whether it was the ghosts of her murdered family, toxic mold, or guilt, a family annihilator eats her own pie.

Hag by Benjamin Percy ★★★★☆
Oooh, that took its time but had payoff! Every family needs a little mother-daughter vs monster bonding time.

… brutality and happy endings can exist side by side.
That was great and on point Canavan!

Kingsman was ★★★★☆ to me. While not as jovial as previous offerings, it was respectful to the tragedy of war. I took my mother to see it and she cried. The best part was Rasputin’s fighting style - the choreographers combined the Russian Cossack dance, ballet, knife fighting, and general kickassery to create a spectacular fight scene.

Hard not to be jealous of that ex Wife but yes, Nicole the cyborg was cool. Thanks for finishing up with me!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a short successful family time. I bought myself a Get Out of Jail Free card in the form of movie tickets. “I would love to stay longer but I bought these movie tickets ages ago, I really wanted to see King’s Whatever. Thanks for understanding.”

Something Like Living Creatures by John Langan ★★★½☆
You can’t stop there! I want to know everything about these spooky pagan girls living in Maine. What did the organs say?!?!?

Money of the Dead by Karen Heuler ★★½☆☆
No, bringing back the dead is never a good idea. This was sad and boring.

Merry Christmas Eve Fiona, glad to see you here!

In the Deep Woods; The Light is Different There by Seanan McGuire ★★★★☆
Gorgeous little story about a recently divorced woman who moves into her deceased father’s lake house and befriends her fey neighborhoods. Woodfolk take care of their own and fey repay their favors with violent interest.

A Hundred Miles and a Mile by Carmen Maria Machado ★☆☆☆☆
As usual with this author, I wonder why I wasted my time.

Quiet Dead Things by Cassandra Khaw ★★½☆☆
This is about a town with ugly secrets I know not where or when. It was entertaining but it did not go anywhere.

The Hoff is a budget Sean Connery, whatever his role he is The Hoff. Amazing seeing him dewy skin young. The Baywatch Sun and booze took some of that shine off but he is still in decent old (alcoholic) man shape.

Just found Knight Rider on Netflix! That is still the coolest TV theme “song” ever!

For Sale By Owner by Elizabeth Hand ★★★☆☆
Older snoopy ladies decide to slumber squat in a fancy house abandoned in the woods. Things get a little spooky.

Funeral Birds by M. Rickert ★★★½☆
A home health care worker with a murderous secret is haunted by her last client.

I'm not a Spiderman or Disney plus person so I will be going in blind but happy.