Full Throttle is, as I have come to expect from Joe Hill, a work that takes off and goes from the very first paragraph; you will be horrified, disgusted, heartbroken, and find yourself caring, way more than you want to, even about the characters you know you shouldn't. What you will not be is sorry that you took the time to indulge in this anthology of deliciously terrifying horror stories that dropped Tuesday, right in time for Spooky Season.
Every story moves quickly- and although I am looking forward to watching the Netflix interpretation of 'In The Tall Grass', his collaboration with his father, the Master of Horror, Stephen King, I have to admit that my favorite of the collection was 'Throttle', the very first story in the book. I reread it 3 times before I sat down to write this.
Yes, Joe HIll's father is the Master of Horror but I daresay he himself has a title of his own- like the Overlord of Terror and Dread, as dread is what he weaves the most artfully into every single thing he writes- 'Full Throttle' does not disappoint.

I got an ARC of this book.

So I am a big Joe Hill fan. I have read almost everything he has published. I watch everything that is made from his books. He is one of my favorite horror authors. On the flip side, I can't stand Stephen King's writing or the movies made from his writing. His books bore me. I just don't enjoy them. Please keep these two things in mind when I talk about the book. 

Of the stories, there were some that stood out. The best story in the collection for me was "Late Returns". It was like Hill wrote a story specifically for my taste. There were a lot of emotion. A TON OF EMOTIONS. There were lots of emotions around books. Everything centered around books that were overdue. I would like to take this moment to point out that I have never had an overdue library book. So I would fail to appear if this story was how bookmobiles worked. I am a bit saddened by this idea. 

Some of the stories stuck out for other reasons (this is the time to remember that I just don't like Stephen King's writing. I do like his tweets about his corgi however). The first story in the anthology was co-written with King. The story DRAGGED for me. Was this because I saw an author's name that I didn't like or because the story just wasn't for me? I can say it was both this time. You can tell the difference between the stories Hill wrote on his own and the ones that King was involved with and named on. I read the first one with King, I skipped the second. I just didn't want to read another story I wouldn't enjoy. After the first few pages of the second story, I just skipped ahead.

Most of the stories were wonderful. None of the others were as wonderful as "Late Returns", but it is really hard to reach perfection over and over again. I really enjoyed the variety of characters and locations. Some of the story were super gory and some were more psychological. This was a good mix for an anthology with more good than bad. It felt balanced and well written (even the stories I didn't like were well written which is just annoying). 

Ignoring the fact that King was involved (since who can fault King or Hill for wanting to write together, they are huge names and seem to have a good family relationship), this book was almost a five star book. The random insertion of homophobia and transphobia that did nothing to advance the story or create characters made me drop the book a star. There really is no need for it. It is like using rape as the go to horror plot for women. Hill is a better writer than this, it was really off putting to see him sink lower than I have seen before, repeatedly.

There aren’t many writers out there who are as thoughtfully scary as Joe Hill.

Hill has long shown a particular knack for telling stories that are, at their hearts, about the fears that we evoke in one another. Sure, there are supernatural or paranormal elements to some of his tales, but in the end, the real fear – the real impact – comes from man’s connection to man … and what happens when that connection is stretched, twisted or severed entirely.

Hill’s latest book is “Full Throttle,” a collection of 13 stories aimed at stoking the coals of that fear, seizing hold of your imagination and pulling it into the depths. There are heroes and villains (although sometimes it can be a little tricky to tell the difference). There is justice and vengeance (although again – sometimes they look awfully similar). There are strange fantastic realms and there are places that look just like home, weird beasts and regular folks.

Take the collection’s initial offering, for instance. “Throttle” – a tale Hill co-wrote with father Stephen King – is about a biker gang being relentlessly pursued through the deserts of the American Southwest by a shadowy figure in a semi. The pacing is deliberate even as the characters speed both away from and toward their fear; there are moments that are brutal and jarringly visceral. It is also a story about family, about what it means to be a parent when a child’s life has strayed significantly from the one you had hoped for them.

“Faun” ventures more into the realm of the supernatural, when a wealthy big-game hunter is given the opportunity to venture into a different world and take aim at the beasts that reside within. “Wolverton Station” is a weird tale about a corporate hatchet-man whose impulse decision to take the train has some horrifying ramifications. There are some striking experiments with form in pieces like “The Devil on the Staircase” and “Twittering from the Circus.”

The terrors of stories like “Thumbprint” and “You Are Released” are anchored in the real world; the latter was a close second in terms of my personal favorites, a thoughtful and insular look at what might happen when it all boils over and burns. Something like “Mums,” however, lets you make your own decisions as to what the “real world” even means.

Perhaps the best of the bunch – although of course your mileage will vary – is “Late Returns,” a thoughtful story that is probably the most hopeful in the entire collection. A man returns to his hometown following the passing of his parents and winds up as the new driver of the local library’s Bookmobile. Only this Bookmobile – a relic from the late 1960s – doesn’t just travel from place to place. Occasionally, it will move through time, allowing people from the past – people with books to return – one last great read before their end. It is an absolutely stunning story, smart and just the right degree of sentimental; I’d argue that it’s among the best work that Hill has ever done.

And on and on and on.

The truth is that it would be easy to expound at length upon just about every one of these stories. Hill’s narrative gifts are tremendous, and he unleashes them here to full effect. His ability to construct such sturdily delicate plots, both solid and subtle, is a joy to experience. He creates worlds in which we can’t help but immerse ourselves. It’s impressive enough that he can do that world-realization in his novels; to do that within the relatively limited parameters of short fiction is doubly so. The journey is taut and fraught and emotionally charged; the destination is visceral and surprising and both exquisitely chosen and utterly unexpected. He earns every shocked to hand-to-mouth he gets - and there are a few.

What you might not expect from a book of scary tales is how funny they are. Hill’s wicked sense of humor isn’t omnipresent, but when it pokes its s—t-stirring little head up, it makes a big impression. He’s clever, but not overly so; there’s none of the performative neediness you sometimes get when a writer tries to show off. There’s nothing needy or show-offy about Hill’s work; it’s more than strong enough to exist on its own terms.

Really, it comes back to those human connections. Fear burns brightest when there’s something to lose, and what greater loss could there be than those who are close to us? Hill understands that as well as anybody, and that thread runs to some degree through almost everything he writes.

“Full Throttle” is an outstanding collection of work from the pen of an outstanding writer. Joe Hill began his career trying to step out of his father’s shadow, but that time has long passed. He’s not standing in the long shade anymore, if he ever was. Instead, he’s casting a shadow of his own, one that grows longer with every exceptional offering.

This is a truly magnificent collection of short stories that I'm honored to have received an ARC for!! Each of them were dark and fascinating in their own way, but In the Tall Grass was my favorite! As always, you're an evil genius, Joe!!

Full Throttle is a collection of 13 short stories (2 of which are written with Stephen King). This is my first read by this author and overall, it didnt disappoint. Though there were a few bumps on this thrill ride. All stories rate between 3 and 5 stars.

My favorite story was Late Returns, definitely 5 stars! Other favorites were Dark Carousel, Wolverton Station, Faun, Mums, All I Care About Is You, and You Are Released.

The 4 star reads were Throttle (written with King), By The Silver Water of Lake Champlain, Tall Grass, and Twittering From The Circus of the Dead,

The 3 star reads were Thumbprint and The Devil On The Staircase. I just couldn't get into these two the way I could the others. That isn't to say they are poorly written, they just didn't work for me.

All of these stories are well written. There are bits of many different genres, which I enjoyed. The character development was well done and the settings and suspense building were excellent. Overall, this was a fun read and I would recommend going on the ride that these stories will take you. I am definitely going to look into reading more of Hill's work.

My appreciation to William Morrow, HarperCollins, Joe Hill, and NetGalley for providing me with a gifted e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm thankful I got the chance to read the ARC. Joe Hill has been one of my favorite authors for awhile now. He's still behind his father, Stephen King, but he's definitely up there. This book had great collection of short stories. Each one different with some even written in different styles. About half of the stories ended leaving me wishing there was more to read. Maybe they'll get made into Creepshow stories (I know one definitely is). You never know in Mr. Hill's universe. I would definitely recommend this to anyone that likes Stephen King, mysteries, thrillers, horror, coming of age stories, stories that make you think, etc. I will always look forward to new work coming from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview Full Throttle by Joe HIll. This is a nice diversion - several short stories that will definitely keep you thinking. I liked them all, and some I liked alot. The one thing I can guarantee is that Stephen King fans, and Joe Hill's too, will like these short vignettes that are part horror, comedy, and just a bit scary.
Recommend.

As a general rule, I don't read short stories. Unless they are in-betweenie shorts in a series that I already read. Quite simply, they don't really suit my reading style and I tend not to get the best from them. However, that said, I loved his father's shorts and so, a while back, I read Hill's Strange Weather and really enjoyed the stories in that so I thought I'd give it a whirl.
It's an eclectic mix of stories, as every compilation should be, so obviously there were some I really loved and others that were a bit on the hmmm side for me. Every box of chocolates has its Turkish Delight! I've scored the book a five star read overall as, on the whole, the pluses way outshone the negatives.
There are a couple of stories contained herein that were co-written with his father. To be honest, I didn't notice any difference in quality between these and the solo efforts and that's a big compliment! I also understand that one of these co-authored stories has been optioned by Netflix - that's going to be interesting! I'd be quite interested in seeing this as, for me, that story wasn't one of my favourites!
Ones I really loved...
Late Returns - A recently bereaved man finds an overdue library book and, on returning it to the library, inadvertently also finds himself in a new job; driving the mobile library. His clients are, well, let's just say, quite interesting... Blooming loved this one!
Throttle - A motorcycle gang gets more than they bargained for riding out after a break at a truck stop. Very, very cleverly plotted!
All I Care About You - This one features a young girl who really wants something for her 16th birthday so "employs" a clockwork friend. Oh My! What an ending to this one!
I could say so much more about this book but I fear that my review will become longer than one of Hill's stories! It's an ideal book for dipping into in between longer reads or just going hell for leather and devouring in one go. I did a bit of both - reading just over half in one go and then savouring the rest over a few more days.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

There’s something for every reader in this collection of Joe Hill’s short stories. Dark fantasy. Dystopian sci-fi. Apocalyptic suspense. Time travel. And of course, horror: creature horror, supernatural horror, psychological horror, and the horror in realizing that people are what you should be afraid of most.

I fell in love with Joe Hill’s work after reading his graphic novel series Locke and Key; after that, I sought out his novels. Having read Locke and Key as well as his books, I truly think Joe Hill excels at short stories. He has brilliant, creative ideas, and he can craft a horror scene like no one else (except maybe his father.) I’ve been put off by short stories before because they end abruptly or feel unfinished or somewhat unrealized. That doesn’t happen with any of the stories in Full Throttle. Each story is addictive and easily digestible; some may leave you wanting more, but in a good way.

While I really loved “Throttle,” “All I Care About Is You,” “Late Returns,” “Mums,” and “In the Tall Grass," this collection has such a great variety of stories that I enjoyed many aspects of each one. A few of them have been published before in other anthologies or on their own, so if you’ve read his work elsewhere, you may come across them again.

Full Throttle is a must-read for any horror fan, or someone looking to start reading horror. Thanks William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

My favorites:

’Throttle’
’Dark Carousel’
’Wolverton Station’
’By the Silver Water of Lake Champlain’
’Late Returns’ - Loved this one!
’In the Tall Grass’

Thank you, NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishing for providing me with an advance copy of FULL THROTTLE in exchange for an honest review.

To me Full Throttle was a mixed bag of both good and bad stories. The stories I liked, I really enjoyed. The stories that I didn’t like, I really did not like.

Joe Hill has really got a knack for telling punchy, short stories. This collection is no exception. Personally, I loved Dark Carousel. There is something mysterious and creepy about carnival atmospheres, and he was able to capture that so well.

I had a little trouble with Twittering from the Circus of the Dead. Me personally, I struggle with long term reading in something that's not in paragraph form. In this case, a string of tweets. The story was there, but I just kind of stumble on that.

Great book, well written, and highly recommend!

This is a superb collection and the layout/flow of the stories was well planned.

Standouts for me in no particular order:
Mums - whoa
Faun - would love to see this adapted for TV/Film
Dark Carousel. - wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild horses
All I Care About is You - you did it, you shocked me


Really though there were no stinkers in here which is rare for a short story collection. Let's face it there is usually one big massive pile of poo in a short story collection.

Was pleasantly surprised to find a small micro story at the end of the book as well, it was a highly enjoyable tiny tale.

To be honest I used to consider myself not a fan of Joe Hill based on his novels (don't judge me) but he really has a way with short stories and I would now proudly proclaim that yes I am a fan of Joe Hill's writing. Sure but some of these stories could have cleanly been worked into full length novels but may have lost some of their creepy charm along the way.

Perfect fall read.

I'm not the biggest fan of short stories but I am a fan of Joe Hill and he was able to draw me in with this collection of short stories. I had previously read the two short stories in this collection which he co-wrote with his father - Full Throttle and In the Tall Grass. There are quite a few short stories in this book with my favorites being Late Returns and Dark Carousal and my least favorite being Faun. But in all honesty, I have to admit my very and I mean very favorite part of this book was the Introduction by Hill titled "Who's your Daddy" where he talked about his parents, his father reading to him every night and their combined experiences on the set of Creepshow. Be sure to read this part as well. Be sure to read the end of the book as well. There Hill talks about his inspiration for each short story and tells how this collection was written over the course of ten years. He also has another tiny little short story at the very end titled "A little sorrow" If you missed it, you haven't read far enough.

All in all, a very enjoyable, creepy, entertaining, and thrilling ride.

Thank you to Harper Collins Publishers - William Morrow and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book 22: Full Throttle by Joe Hill
.
.
Y’all. I finally finished this. It’s not this book- it’s the format. E-books on my phone aren’t my jam .
.
Full Throttle is a collection of short stories, some of which have been previously published. I liked the variety of form Hill uses- prose, free verse, tweets. I wish there had been a distinct theme, but overall, a decent collection .
.
Favorites: “Dark Carousel” “Late Returns” “Twittering from the Circus of the Dead” “You are Released”

As usual, Joe Hill's stories disturb and scare me every time I read one, and this little collection is no different. Don't read right before bedtime!

Throttle: 2 Stars - These characters were extremely unlikable which isn't a deal breaker necessarily. It just made it much less suspenseful once the danger kicked in. The over all concept was scary, but since I didn't care about the characters it lacked impact. Also CW for use of the R word.

Dark Carousel: 4 Stars - I really liked this story. I'm a sucker for creepy carnival stuff. The atmosphere in this one was very good, very spooky.

Wolverton Station: 5 Stars - Cheeky and whimsical with a dash of gore.

By The Silver Water of Lake Champlain: 3.5 Stars - Gail and Joel where super cute kids

Faun: 4 Stars - Really loved this concept and the ending of this one

Late Returns: 5 Stars - So beautiful and bitter sweet. Late Returns made my cry like a big ole baby

All I Care About Is You: 4 Stars - The world building in this was so immersive

Thumbprint: 2.5 Stars- This maybe great to someone, but I'm just not a fan of war stories. CW: N word, xenophobia

The Devil on the Staircase: DNF - I couldn't read this story. I'm not sure if the formatting was off because I was using an e review copy from net galley or if it was a style choice. The staggered lines was giving me a massive headache though.

Twittering from the Circus of the Dead: 3 Stars - A fun little romp. The tweet format was a nice change of pace. CW Trans Slur

Mums: 4 stars - Creepy plants and terrible dads make for a pretty great story.

In The Tall Grass: 2.5 Stars - I had a hard time getting invested in this story. CW Sexual Assault, Pregnancy Complications

You Are Released: 4 Stars - Really poignant and a nice closer for the collection. Cw: Asian Slur

To say I was thrilled to get this ARC of Joe Hill’s Full Throttle - packed with short stories from him (and a few he collaborated with the King on) is an understatement (que- jumping up and down for 10 mins straight).

I am a horror short story junkie and this gave me my fix! I loved them all. Some more than others and some I have read previously - but ALL were great reads!

Perfect Timing for Halloween spooks!
A few of my favorites were-
Late Returns - best ever! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
All I Care About Is You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Tall Grass ( coming soon as a NetFlix movie) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dark Carousel ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The rest were mostly ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 star reads for me but I enjoyed this entire collection immensely and plan to buy a hard cover finished copy!

If you are a Hill (and/or King fan this is for you!
The forward/introduction was super fun and interesting too! Thanks for the chance to read this gem early in exchange for an honest review! 🖤

Thank you to NETGALLEY for providing me with an eARC. Full Throttle is the new and upcoming short story collection by Joe Hill, to be released on October 1st, and one of my most anticipated releases of the year.

I've read everything Joe Hill has published and I consider him one of my favorite horrir authors. I picked up my first Joe Hill novel (The Fireman) based on a recommendation from Vanessa Nadel (Lin Manuel Miranda's wife) and was hooked. I had no idea who his father was until after I finished and I had to google him. Joe Hill really excels in this short story collection consisting of thirteen stories—two are collaborations with his father (the second one, In the Tall Grass, kept me awake all night just replaying it over and over), and two are previously unpublished.

This is the prefect short story collection for Halloween!

Great collection. Some were a tad too predictable, but overall a great collection for any horror enthusiast.