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Erica Robyn Reads

a horror book review blog

Recent Posts

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond - book sitting on wooden flooring. Book cover of Black Out the Stars by Christopher Bond, cover illustrated by Todd Kiesling. The design showcases a dark, atmospheric pond and sky filled with swirling fog and scattered stars. The title is prominently displayed in bold, white, pink and purple lettering, contrasting against the deep purple and black hues of the background.

Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review

Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event

A tablet lies on dry grass and surrounded by dandelions in a natural outdoor setting. The screen displays the cover of the book Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon. The cover features a colorful, fantastical illustration of a female figure with glowing eyes and curved horns, holding something mysterious in her hands. Stars and swirling cosmic elements fill the background, giving the cover a magical and otherworldly feel. The title text is in bold, colorful letters across the top and middle, with the author's name at the bottom.

Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

[Novella Review] Furtherance by Joseph West

September 5, 2022      Erica Robyn      8 Comments

Furtherance by Joseph West is a short tale of drama, terror, and gore set in a home too far from any neighbors to hear the screams or gunshots.

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Furtherance by Joseph West

Emma and Carl have moved from Chicago to a farmhouse built on land at the end of a dirt road. They’re looking forward to a fresh start, but with their first dinner party comes drama served up as the main course. Little do they know, dessert is about to get violent . . .

The action scenes here are intense and there’s a lot of blood! I mean, the last paragraph of chapter six, for example. It’s brutal and almost poetic.

While reading this story, I couldn’t help but compare this to a b-movie slasher with classic slasher-film characters that, while trying their best, make some silly decisions. This would make a fun Creepshow episode!

While I was super intrigued by the overall plot, there were a few things that took me a bit out of the story. Overall, still a good read!

My Favorite Passages from Furtherance

The others made their way to the window to look, seeing the lone figure standing in the fields, staring at them. In the low light of the moon, the figure looked like a scarecrow, unmoving in the middle of the field. But they all knew it was a person.

“Motherfuckers, this house is a cardboard box. Some guy just punched through the fucking door. The reason he hasn’t come in here and killed us all is because he doesn’t want to, at least not yet. We have to hide!”

My Final Thoughts on Furtherance

If you’re looking for a quick and dirty slasher, then this is a good pick!


Snag a copy using my Amazon Affiliate link or inquire at your local indie:

Here are a few more recent posts you might like:

  • Black Out The Stars by Christopher Bond | Book Review
  • Indie Bookstore Day 2025 | Book Event
  • Everybody Is in the Place by Emma J. Gibbon | Book Review

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Barb @ Booker T's Farm says

    September 6, 2022 at 12:36 pm

    I do tend to love slasher books so I might grab this. The passages you shared are quite enjoyable. The cover is giving me serious American Horror Story Season 1 vibes.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      September 7, 2022 at 9:31 am

      I’d love to see what you think! It was a SUPER quick read. The elements that took me out of it a bit were just some editing tweaks I’d like to see. But such a fun b-movie read! I enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Greg says

    September 6, 2022 at 9:27 pm

    Moral of the story :never move that far out lol.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      September 7, 2022 at 9:32 am

      Right?! haha

      Reply
  3. Felicity Grace Terry says

    September 7, 2022 at 10:48 am

    Hmm! In two minds about this one. Loving your favourite passage … if this is a typical example then maybe it is for me after all.

    Reply
    • Erica Robyn says

      September 8, 2022 at 2:18 pm

      😀

      Reply

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Erica Robyn of Erica Robyn Reads
Hello! I’m Erica, a Mainer living in New Hampshire who runs on hot tea, good books, and loud music. Join me as I seek out amazing horror tales and help support the indie horror community!
 

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