Monsters take many forms—mythical creature, human, inner demon, fear… When confronted by such savage beasts, the vulnerability of humanity is often exposed. These sixteen horror stories explore the supernatural, as well as real-life horror associated with grief, guilt, severed relationships, and severed limbs.
Title: Lucid Screams | Author: Red Lagoe | Publisher: LaRed | Pub. Date: 28 February 2020 | Pages: | ISBN 13 9780998853123 | Genre: Horror | Language: English | Starred Review: Yes | Source: Received a free copy from the author
Lucid Screams Review
Lucid Screams gnaws at the various layers of grief. It’s a beautiful and haunting collection that sticks with you well after the last page. There’s a beautiful and haunting connection between stories, which is woven with common themes of loss and terror. Relationships are explored, monsters are battled, and sins are redeemed. There’s a wide range of settings, but the heart of this collection is the pain of nightmares coming to life.
There are sixteen stories in this collection. It’s a blend of short stories, flash fiction and a single drabble (a story that is exactly 100 words). Each contains compelling and eerie characters who are thrust into their worst nightmares and left to untangle themselves before the darkness consumes them. I also appreciated that there is a trigger warning list at the back which allows the reader to decide if they want to know those triggers or read the book blindly. As someone who prefers the warnings, I thought this was a considerate element of the book.
The first story Lucid Screaming and the last Empty Nest are my favorites. Although, it was a tough decision. They’re all poignant depictions of horror, but these two show a relatable monster that claws into your core and doesn’t let go.
If I could give this book six stars, I would. I absolutely loved it, and I hope you will too.
You can find this book at many retailers via clicking on the appropriate link on Goodreads (Buying direct from retailers is a good way to support indie authors); however, in the spirit of supporting literacy programs, we would like to point out that you may be able to purchase this book through BetterWorldBooks.
Nico Bell is a horror and science fiction writer. Her work has appeared in The Second Corona Book of Horror Stories, Drabbledark Anthology and Horror Tree’s Trembling with Fear. She joined the Coolthulhu Crew in May 2018.
