Nutshell: Believe the hype; Consumption is straight-up horror that echoes King, Koontz and Hill. Gory but not gross, and a page-turner once the first few chapters click into place. Required reading for horror fans. Get to it. Grade: A-
“For fans of Stephen King” is a statement I don’t take lightly. Okay fine; I scoff at regularly. But the combination of this tease plus the promise of a possession/small town takeover storyline intrigued me, so I took the bait. And I enjoyed the hell out of Consumption.
Brief story? Okay, it won’t get you anywhere near the depth of the plot but here goes. A couple who are thisclose to the end of their relationship head to a new place to try to start over, but get sidelined by a busted car. A young girl who hopes to shake her father out of the darkness that came after her mother’s death. A young man who hopes for something more while being hemmed in by circumstance. A sheriff that misses his ex-wife and young daughter. And an old man who has the secret history of a small town written in a battered journal. These folks and others find themselves in a small town with a crazy history that is coming around again. And that thing that’s coming around again? It’s hungry.
Herrman blends multiple storylines with ease, and gets you to feel for these characters. No small trick with a Salem’s Lot sized cast of characters that all have their particular interaction with the thing that’s taking over their town. I had a chilly thrill trying to figure out who would come out unscathed — if anyone would — and who would succumb. With hints and red herrings thrown in for good measure, it’s not always easy to figure out, even for seasoned horrorhounds like me. But what would be the real fun in that if it were?
Truth be told, I wavered during the first few chapters. The characters were a bit too mysterious, their plans and back-stories too vague. It felt as if the characters themselves were shaking me, saying “hey, we could be one thing, or the other! And you don’t know us yet, so why care?” But less than a tenth of the way in (I’m a sucker for Kindle’s percentage-meter), I was hooked. Herrman’s ability to take the usual character cliches and twist them, combined well with the twists and thrills of her plot. Add just enough gore to keep things interesting, and Consumption became less a simple read and more a page-turner I couldn’t put down ’til I’d finished it.
This book being scheduled to hit stores just in time for the summer beach season is kismet. It’s just the chill-inducer horror fans will eat up in these hot, humid months. Hopefully that’s the only scary thing they’ll be eating.
[Random House/Hydra, 2015. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I received nothing for my review beyond the copy of the book. Not even a blueberry muffin. Probably for the best.]
Nutshell: Think of this as Law & Order: Gotham Division. Batman heads out to squash the bad guys that have killed someone who was trying to make Gotham a better place. Gritty art gives it a suitable Noir feel, but I wanted characters that were around for more than a twitch. Still, an engaging and quick story arc that doesn’t demand much of you, mythology-wise. That’s a good thing, for n00bs as well as fans looking for a quick-n-dirty. Grade: B+
C’mon, admit it. You’re secretly glad you live on the East Coast, because there’s never been a threat of our state crumbling apart and falling into the ocean. (Of course we’re all in it together with this 
Do you like your popcorn shaken, not stirred? Is your shoe actually a phone? Then you’re just the kinda fan that’s ready for today’s giveaway; screening passes for Spy! Here’s the synopsis, should you choose to read it…
I love zombie movies. I love silly jokes. And who doesn’t love Grandma’s Boy? So when I heard about a short film (looking to become a longer one) that rolled up all three and lit ’em up, I had to talk to creators Satheesan Nagenthiram, Steve Kasan and Lance Fernandes. And ask them really stupid questions. Because you could find out all about their film Wasted at their various social media sites. But will you find out what they think about pandas over there? No. No, you won’t. But you will here.
Nutshell: Fury Road is a worthy successor to the original films, thanks to a dedicated director, incredible performances and tons of on-screen stuntwork. Grade: A+
Ever wonder what’d it be like to live in the future (future, future, future…)? Well here’s your chance. Passes for the Baltimore area screening of Tomorrowland! Here’s the synopsis:
Atomic Fangirl 