Review: Lucid Screams by Red Lagoe

I'm going to play catch up here and also start moving some older things from Booklikes which appears to be in its final death throes so there'll be extra reviews around here as I dive back into the way back archives. For now, here's a great little collection of haunting stories that you should read if you like creepy things!  

Lucid Screams by Red Lagoe

Published February 2020

Dark Fiction  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon 

Source: Received for Review Consideration

Mythical creatures, inner demons, and fear are a few forms in which monsters present themselves. When confronted by such savage beasts, the vulnerability of humanity is often exposed. Will we rise above, or will we succumb to our inevitable demise? These sixteen horror stories by Red Lagoe explore the supernatural as well as human horror associated with grief, guilt, severed relationships, and severed limbs.

My 2 Cents For Free!

Would you please take a moment to bask in the beauty that is this book cover? The vibrant colors combined with the darkness of the birds? Ahhh, delightful! Horror comes in all colors, shapes, moods and flavors which is why I never tire of reading the genre. But a book, as we know, is much more than a pretty cover and it’s the stuff inside that counts.

Lucid Screams is a collection of short stories that is a nice mix of tragedy, grief, and creeping dread-fests with enough dark humor thrown in there in the middle so you won’t have to worry about falling into a pit of despair and in need of rescue. I was SO thankful for that after recently finishing a book that nearly ruined me forever. That book was Betty by Tiffany McDaniel because I know you want to destroy yourselves too - so go read it but don’t blame me when you lose a little bit of your heart forever.

There’s a note about content warnings at the beginning of this book that points the reader to a page near the end with specific story content warnings so you can read them or not. It’s up to you and I think this is the best way to handle such sensitive content. Especially in these dark times. A little sensitivity goes a long way right now and I appreciate author Red Lagoe taking the time to include this page.

Ok, I know you’re all like shut the F UP woman (I know because I’m sick of myself too). You’re here for the stories not for my nonsense and because this will be entirely too long if I blabber about all of the stories I will focus on my favorites but know they're all good here. No duds. I’d tell you if there were duds because I’m a jerk like that.

Lucid Screaming starts things off with a harrowing tale of mistakes, regrets, and a brutally unflinching look at addiction. This story is devastating. It’ll crack open even the hardest heart and throw some gasoline in there, followed by a lit match just because it can and also to make sure you’re listening. It’s tied to the final equally devastating story because you people do not deserve to close a book with happiness in your hearts. I know you know it’s true.

The Haunting Murder is about a fellow haunted by his past misdeeds and he damn well deserves to be haunted by them! This story is short and gets to the point, unlike me in my reviews. (Sorry, can’t stop myself!)

Luna’s Lure is a story I loved. People go missing on the full moon and only remnants of blood and bone are left behind. Meanwhile, a man gets a little too excited by his new neighbor and that’s all I’m saying about that. Some people might get a little more than they deserve sometimes but ya know, I’m not going to feel bad for them and their dumb decisions. Watch a horror movie people and use your darn brains and then I’ll dredge up some sympathy! This was such a fun creature feature and one of the highlights of this collection for me.

The Great American Eclipse is a story about an eclipse and a world gone mad and SECRETS! I LOVE secrets and I won’t spill them, don’t worry. This story is bleak and frightening with great characterization for such a short. It has a lot going on and all of it is terrifying.

Severed Connection: A grieving woman visits a YouTube medium because she misses her husband. She knows the medium dude is a perv but desperate times call for desperate measures. This was my kind of story. It’s morbidly humorous. The best kind of humor, if you ask me.

Odor Mortis: So there’s this guy who works and lives in a funeral home and has trouble with the ladies. Understandable, right? Maybe? But he also has a strange fetish. You see, he delights in the fragrantly deceased (seriously that’s his thing, that was not me making up phrases again) and prefers their company to the living so he’s quite the happy little morbid fellow. This was so funny to me. Gross but also hilarious. What a weirdo!

Intimidating Smile is another I loved SO much. A young lady is born with a condition that gives her long pointy teeth. She hates the way people treat her until one day she doesn’t! It’s about embracing your differences to your best advantage. I have the pointy teeth too (but they’re not long - damn) but my mom made me fix them and let me tell you, this story resonated!

The Astronomers Mistress is about a man desperately attempting to please his wife and rekindle their love. How sweet, right? This is his last chance to get it right, however, and his love is not messing around. This is another that made me laugh. It might make you squirm but I found it hilarious. I’m not apologizing either!

Empty Nest leaves you broken and battered. Remember the first story way up there? Yep, this is the other side of it and it hurts.

Very much recommended. 4.5 Stars. Go get yourself a copy. You deserve this dark loveliness in your life too.

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2