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Chuck Clay

@ChuckabillyClay

Literary Lollapalooza Dec 2025

15 books ・23 views 👀
Witchcraft for Wayward Girls
Grady Hendrix
Notes:
“We strongly discourage our girls from talking about their pasts,” she said. “No hobbies, no family talk, no tittle-tattle about where you went to school. You are here for a single purpose, which is to shed your sin and face your future.” Grady Hendrix lets loose the horrors of unwed teenage pregnancy, fast girls, sexism, and misogyny, (and oh yeah, witchcraft) in his latest novel of horror “Witchcraft For Wayward Girls”. The Wellwood Home For Unwed Mothers is a facility in rural Florida, 1970, where troubled teenage girls are taken in, given room and board, medical treatment, adoption services, etc. These teen girls are cleaned up, their “troubles” given to loving families that can provide a life that they, the teenage girls, could never hope to. Nevah is a 15 year old, who after getting pregnant after her first sexual encounter, gets taken by her parents and dropped off at Wellwood. “Fern” as she is soon renamed (anonymity at Wellwood is a must) is scared to death: she’s a child, in a situation she doesn’t understand, alone and in a big house filled with lots of “bad girls” like her. To Ms. Wellwood and the other staff of the facility, she’s just another slut. Just another filthy tramp with no more self-control than common barnyard animals. She needs discipline, structure, self-respect. But here at Wellwood the girls have no agency. They have no voice, and they have no choice. Until a mobile library truck visits the home and the girls uncover ways to reclaim their personal power. Only then do they realize their choices do in fact have consequences, and sometimes those consequences are deadly. A timely, important read from Grady Hendrix about the horrors of being a teen girl in a world set against you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recommended!
Plague House
Michael W. Conrad, Dave Chisholm
Notes:
Conrad and Chisholm craft a terrifying graphic horror novel of a haunted house, the brutal familicide that occurred there, and the ghost-hunting crew searching for evidence of true paranormal activity within its walls. Gorgeously drawn and inked, with a story sure to leave you spooked, this is fantastic graphic horror for the 21st century. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Recommended!
The Uncool: A Memoir
Cameron Crowe
Notes:
A fun, but mostly lighthearted, series of recollections from one of our most venerable of rock music journalists turned film auteur. Most chapters begin with related Alice Crowe quotes; Crowe’s strict religious, schoolteacher mother, who seemed to have words of wisdom for every one of life’s moments. The stories of his childhood growing up in San Diego will remind readers of the sweet nostalgia of “Almost Famous”, while digging deeper into his writing career, highlighting years knowing and working with music luminaries like Lester Bangs, David Bowie, Greg Allman, Jim Croce, and many others. I listened to this on audio, narrated by the author, and found his warmth and humor to add many layers of nuance. If you are a fan of 70’s rock or a fan of 90’s films, or just want to hear the true life account of a rock journo wunderkind, learning how to make sense of his incredible luck, this is an interesting, if somewhat underwhelming bio. I hope Crowe plans to write several memoirs, so we might see the height and breadth of an unlikely life spent in the rock and roll trenches, one that just as surprisingly segued into a 2nd act film career in his mid-twenties. I was excited about this based on my love of “Almost Famous”, and while I definitely felt I got more of the same, I couldn’t help but feel a little letdown overall.
THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT
Christopher Golden and Brian Keene
Notes:
“Jesus nun-fisting Christ!”—Came the last night of sadness An enormous companion volume to Stephen King’s epic apocalyptic novel The Stand, featuring 36 short stories from some of the absolute best thriller and horror writers working today, set in the world of the superflu Captain Trips. This is essential reading for any major King fan, especially those who hold The Stand in such high regard (which are quite a few). The stories take place all over the world, exploring lots of different corners where Trips has been, expanding and making flesh the epic world of Good vs Evil King wrote almost 50 years ago. So many great stories here it’s impossible to call out all the best ones, but my favorite is The African Painted Dog by Catriona Ward, where we get to see the superflu through the eyes of a dog in a zoo. Honestly, it’s huge. It’s fantastic. You should read it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly, highly recommended!
Maeve Fly
CJ Leede
Notes:
Maeve Fly is an ice princess at the happiest place on earth. She loves her job, loves living in LA, but still something is missing. When she meets Gideon, the rakish brother of her best friend, something is awakened in Maeve. Something dangerous and unhinged. This was a recommendation from my pal Ryan (who coined the Literary Lollapalooza name a couple of decades ago) and I’m so glad I took him up on it. A fast, funny, extremely bloody tale of a girl letting her inner Psycho shine. I did get annoyed when the story shifted into a horny romance novel midway through, but I loved the character of Maeve, her love of Halloween and horror, and especially Halloween music. This small novel is chocked full of references to some of the greatest Halloween songs ever recorded. In that regard, Maeve and I share much in common. But I typically draw the line at murder and dismemberment. A fun, bloody romp. Recommended.
Sunrise on the Reaping
Suzanne Collins
Notes:
“They will not use my tears for their entertainment.” My favorite of the wildly popular Hunger Games novels. This prequel novel by Suzanne Collins based on her own Hunger Games series, and takes place during the 2nd Quarter Quell, or the 50th Anniversary of the first Hunger Games. For the 2nd Quarter Quell, President Snow and his Gamemakers have doubled the odds and doubled the carnage: there are four tributes from each district this year, 2 girls, 2 boys. After the District 12 Reaping goes awry, 16 year old Haymitch Abernathy is consigned into service as a tribute. His girl, a Covey girl named Lenore Dove, and his family are at risk from the Capitol, so Haymitch must play his part. The games that follow, the torture and cruelty, the brutality of a fascist Government intent on controlling the story: these are not lost on an audience growing ever more incensed by the authoritarianism they see taking root in their local and national governments. This is the darkest of the Hunger Games novels, and it’s most adult in its clear-eyed view of the horrors evil humans can inflict on their own people. Brutal and visceral and deeply violent. Drawing upon Poe’s The Raven and songs previously appearing in other Hunger Games novels , it creates many parallels, deepening its thematic tendrils. It’s terrifying, and it feels real in a whole new way. And honestly, it works as a standalone novel, or an entry into the series as a whole. Highly recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Secret Santa
Andrew Shaffer
Notes:
A short, lightweight, but fun holiday horror read. A story of office politics and ancient cursed artifacts, it plays out like the “cursed idol” episode of The Brady Bunch but set in a stodgy publishing house. Lussi, our MC, is an out of work editor, trying to land a job at a prestigious publishing house. Circumstances land her the job along with a single caveat: find the next great Stephen King before the new year. Add to that that her office staff despise her and actively haze and prank her, leading to a Secret Santa exchange where she is gifted a demonic-looking stuffed doll. When office workers start showing up dead in strange accidents, Lussi must come to terms with the demands of her job, the evil curse that has been unleashed on her, and who and why someone would do so, before it is too late! A fun, short Christmas horror. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Recommended!
Wretch: or, The Unbecoming of Porcelain Khaw
Eric LaRocca
Notes:
This is without doubt one of the absolute pitch-black darkest novels I’ve ever read. Its pages seeps with loathing, dread, and sorrow. A story of a man twisted with grief over his lost love, and wracked with guilt over leaving his wife and child for the love he yearns for in his heart and flesh. His sexual experiences with men are short, hurried, and nervous exchanges. He loathes himself and the harm he continues to visit upon those who love him. But mostly he’s sad and lonely. He’s told by a friend of a support group, where members take photographs hoping to catch ghostly glimpses of their dearly departed hidden in the snapshot’s frame. It’s through this group he learns of a man named Porcelain Khaw. A man with the purported power to bring one’s lost loved ones back to life for just a brief time. Could it be true? And if it is, at what cost? What price is too high to feel whole again? Haunting and visceral and deeply affecting, this queer horror story gripped me from the first page and wouldn’t let go. It haunts me still, and probably always will. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommended! Damn @ericlarocca.bsky.social ‘s incredible new novel “Wretch”, courtesy of #NetGalley and #SagaPress #SimonAndSchuster is due out March 24. Pre-order now!
Christmas and Other Horrors: A winter solstice anthology
Ellen Datlow
Notes:
Started on the Winter Solstice 12/21/25 A really fantastic collection of holiday themed horror short stories from some of the best writers in the genre and edited by Ellen Datlow. I love how very varied and diverse these stories and characters are! Horror is for everyone and these stories prove it by reaching far and wide into different cultural and historical holiday festivities. As with most compilations this one is a mixed-bag, with some stories better than others but overall a very enjoyable holiday horror read, and one I would definitely recommend. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Play Nice
Rachel Harrison
Notes:
“Our mother’s presence is everywhere, her influence. Her ghost is us.” Clio is a stylist and influencer, a modern woman, she can do it all, she calls the shots, and she likes it that way. But when her estranged mother dies and leaves her the childhood home she barely remembers, she can’t resist the opportunity to flip her mom’s split-level and reap the cash. But the house Clio has inherited is haunted. Or rather, possessed by a demon. Her mother, a drunk, accused of child abuse and neglect, was haunted by the same demon, and it destroyed her family. Can Clio face down the demons in her own buried past, or is she doomed to repeat the same mistakes? A phenomenally fun read. Clio is a great character with heart and wit. This is my first Rachel Harrison, but it definitely won’t be the last. I like her sassy style. I first started reading this one in September, on NetGalley, and ran out of time before I could finish it. But I remembered, and bought the book when it came out. It took a couple of months to work it back into my reading rotation, but here it is, at the end of a magical year of reading.
When I Lay My Vengeance Upon Thee #1
Gus Moreno
Notes:
A dark tale of demonic possession and the price paid to keep dark forces at bay. A veteran exorcist, known for taking on the worst of the worst cases, is tasked with training a new apprentice. His last one committed suicide. Because exorcising demons comes at a tall price to the human soul. Gorgeous art and a deep sense of doom propel this story to its gut- wrenching conclusion. Gus Moreno has crafted one of my favorite modern tales of graphic horror. Recommended. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
I'm Thinking of Ending Things
Iain Reid
Notes:
“There is only one question that must be resolved. Only one question.” Jung believed that the self is a question of negation and of opposition. To know one’s self one must first answer the question, who or what am I? One might use negation and opposition to deduce, as in I know I am not this, so therefore I must be thus. It is this question at the heart of “I’ve Been Thinking of Ending Things”. One must resolve this question, or else it will be answered for you, from without. A philosophical paradigm, or perhaps a paradox. But how can we know others, if we first don’t know ourselves? This is a lot of philosophical discourse for a 200 page novel of creeping existential dread. That being said, Iain Reid’s powerhouse of slow burn David Lynchian horror is a muscular read that accomplishes much in its brief 200 pages. The back cover blurb promises: “You will be scared, and you won’t know why.” And this is accurate. Our main character and unreliable narrator is an unnamed female. We learn slowly that she’s in a relationship with a guy named Jake, that she doesn’t really like him, she’s been meaning to end things for while, but instead she’s agreed to go home to meet his parents. Which only complicates things further; doesn’t this signify he’s getting further into this relationship as she’s finding her way out? Is she being deceitful to not just break it off already? But once they reach his parents’ house things just get more confusing. His parents feel “off”, he gets quiet and moody, and she can’t shake the feeling that something about Jake is not right. This powerful little juggernaut of a creepy read was a surprise to me. It was a recommendation from an online reader and I found it in the Fiction section of my B&N. But it is absolutely unsettling from the first page. I never once felt I had a strong grasp on what was going on, and yet I was riveted and terrified the whole time. The amount of unease and dread the author is able to convey in such a short time is astonishing. I highly recommend this one for anyone who likes a super creepy read! Highly recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Last House on Needless Street
Catriona Ward
Notes:
“That’s why I drink, I say to myself: To control time and space.” Ted Bannerman is an unreliable narrator; the male occupant of the said house on Needless St. He comes across as falsely chipper, talks frequently about “Mommy”, and it turns out, is a blackout drunk alcoholic. His best (and only) friend is Olivia, Ted’s cat, our 2nd and slightly more reliable narrator, who considers herself religious, reads the Bible, and has had a holy experience where she met “The Lord” and he tasked her with protecting Ted. To Olivia all humans are “Teds”, but of course, feels an attachment to her own Ted. She is a lesbian and she’s in love with an orange tabby neighborhood cat. Dee, our 3rd and most reliable narrator, is the sister of a childhood kidnapping victim. Her sister Laura, nicknamed Lulu, was abducted and never heard from again. Shortly after, heartbroken, her mother left. Her father had a stroke (most likely brought on by the grief) and died. With her sister missing and assumed dead , she has nothing left. Her one and only purpose: find who took her sister. Ted is an increasingly unreliable narrator: he suffers from disassociative identity disorder, is psychotic, and has been losing more and more time, whether from his increased alcohol consumption or from another identity coming forward. Even Olivia is becoming concerned. The secrets he hides in the woods smell of deep earth and iron. And Dee knows there’s something wrong with the last house on Needless Street. A horror novel of tremendous intelligence and wit, it kept me guessing (incorrectly) until the very end. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 Recommended!
A House With Good Bones
T. Kingfisher
Notes:
In “A House With Good Bones” Samantha, Sam to her friends, returns to her North Carolina family home at the request of her brother to check on their mother, who seems to have been acting weird since the death of the family matriarch, Sam’s grandmother. Sam finds herself living with a mother she hardly recognizes, within sterile white walls, saying grace before dinner, and refusing to swear. Also, the longer Sam hangs around the stranger things get and the more and more black vultures are seen circling the house. Dark family secrets are unburied and soon it will take Sam everything she’s got just to survive going home. I love T. Kingfisher’s work more with every book I read! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recommended!
A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens
Notes:
Levar Burton reads the venerable Dickens Holiday classic. Really. That’s it. If you have access to Apple Books it’s free. It should sell itself. This is the first time I’ve “read” the book, though of course like most of us I know hundreds of adaptations and variations. And like the cliche, the book is, of course, better. And here read by America’s foremost reader and storyteller, Levar Burton. It’s excellent. You should add this to your tbr for December! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️