While there was nothing inherently wrong with this collection, none of the stories stuck out to me in particular. Horror is such a subjective genre so take that with a grain of salt, but I didn’t find any disturbing or scary in the least. They were mostly just strange.

"Cremated Remains" is a collection of horror stories that offers a modest yet engaging mix of chills. Each tale delivers its own brand of suspense and eeriness, making it a worthwhile read for horror enthusiasts. The authors skillfully blend supernatural elements, psychological terror, and the macabre. While the stories aren't particularly groundbreaking, they possess a certain charm that keeps readers intrigued. The characters evoke empathy, and the detailed settings immerse readers in the spooky atmospheres.

A notable strength of this compilation is its diversity in themes and styles, catering to different tastes. This variety ensures there is something for everyone, even if not every story hits the mark for all readers. The pacing is generally well-managed, with standout moments of tension and surprise. The endings, while sometimes predictable, deliver satisfactory conclusions to the eerie build-ups. The authors’ effective use of language creates vivid imagery that brings the chilling scenarios to life.

Overall, "Cremated Remains" is a solid addition to the horror genre. It may not leave a lasting impression, but it offers enough scares and eerie moments to make it a pleasant diversion for horror fans, perfect for a quick, entertaining read on a dark, stormy night.

**Book Review: Cremated Remains**

"Cremated Remains" is a compilation of horror stories that delivers a modest yet engaging mix of chills. Each tale offers its own brand of suspense and eeriness, making it a worthwhile read for horror enthusiasts. The authors skillfully blend supernatural elements, psychological terror, and the macabre. While none of the stories are particularly groundbreaking, they possess a certain charm that keeps readers intrigued. The characters evoke empathy, and the settings are detailed enough to immerse readers in the spooky atmospheres.

A strength of this compilation is its diversity in themes and styles, so the stories cater to different tastes. This variety ensures there is something for everyone, even if not every story hits the mark for all readers. The pacing is generally well-managed, with standout moments of tension and surprise. The endings, while sometimes predictable, deliver satisfactory conclusions to the eerie build-ups. The authors’ effective use of language creates vivid imagery that brings the chilling scenarios to life.

Overall, "Cremated Remains" is a decent addition to the horror genre. It may not leave a lasting impression, but it offers enough scares and eerie moments to make it a pleasant diversion for horror fans, perfect for a quick, entertaining read on a dark, stormy night.

I'm not usually a fan of Short Story compilations, but I really liked this one. Each story was compelling and keeps your attention. Death and a Donut may be my new favorite short story ever.

A unique collection of stories that are shaped by the theme of death. The one that stuck in my mind was the first story about the wrestler. Great imagery used throughout each one to embody the message behind these tales.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a review copy.

This is a very solid collection. I enjoyed every one of the stories, sometimes quite a lot. They are all very well-written and unique. I especially enjoyed Within a Withering Eye, and would love to read more from that world. 4.25 stars

Golden Lazarus ⭐⭐⭐.5
Bitter Petals ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Shallow Be Thy Name ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Red Moon Over the Red River Station ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Insatiable ⭐⭐⭐.5
Within a Withering Eye ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Death, and a Donut ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Waiting Room ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25
Lost in Ephemera ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Death of Creativity ⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Ennenbach has a a lot of character driven stories in this new collection. Many of them evoked an atmosphere of dread or eeriness. I was looking for more “scary” type horror stories and found many of the tales here a little light on the fear. I also found some of them were a little too long for my preference in a short story; heavy on dialogue and building up to the climax took a while.

I think many people will enjoy this collection, especially as the author is well known in the horror community. However, this book wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and RDS Publishing/Uncomfortably Dark for a copy.

A Horror Bookworm Recommendation
Cremated Remains by Mike Ennenbach
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/

- A friend dies mysteriously, his remaining buddies are pulled into an omen of dark tidings. With a blood red moon rising and an unyielding fate approaching…what happened that night twenty years ago returns with an unforgiving retribution.

- The year is 1773. Adultery and depravity are dealt with swift and violent punishments. It’s a time and place where all shall be judged according to their deeds by a self-proclaimed vigilante, who cleans the filth by the will of God. Amen.

- Lord Lucifer and the archangel Michael meet for the chaotic subject of destroying the Kingdom of Man. Between Revelations and Armageddon, a grotesque madness wreak havoc upon the innocent.

Readers of horror I present to you, Cremated Remains by Mike Ennenbach. This collection of strange dark magic, predatory monsters and confrontations with Death itself are just a few of the nitty-gritty encounters you will experience. From a former Heavyweight Champion’s love of toads, spiders and snakes to a plastic superhero action figure that reigns deadly havoc upon all who cross his path (making The Boys look like a Saturday morning cartoon). Ennenbach’s writing of period pieces spanning from the 1700’s to present day feels like an out of control carriage ride down a cobbled stone street. Reading Cremated Remains is like being in the wrong place at the wrong time in so many enjoyable twisted ways.

Mike Ennenbach takes center ring with his creative, cold-reality writing style. The fact is all of these dark trips Ennenbach provides the reader has a lurking horrific fluidity that drives home an agonizing element of finality. It seems that dealing with the darker side of the world comes easily to this author. I also loved reading his Afterword and how some of the ideas unfolded within his mind.

As a rule of thumb each pound of body weight equals roughly one cubic inch of ashes after cremation. Which is to say…”there’s no outplaying Death.” Cremated Remains is the ultimate urn that holds stories of the fantastic and the dead. A Five Star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation.

In the book Cremated Remains, uncomfortable dark horror by M Innenbach and edited by Candace Nala are 10 short stories and it seemed every story was better than the last. It seems like from the first story where a wrestler came back to life until the last where an author has tea with the Grim Reaper but trust me when I say the other age stories are just as great from a serial killer who takes morals very seriously to a raging Wendigo another story about the Grim Reaper on a romantic shopping trip and so many more. Some are set in the past some or current day I love the moon over red river I thought that one was very good but then again I thought all 10 were great I love this new trend where every story is a good one and that certainly is the case with this one. Candace Nala is known for great horror stories and when I saw she edited this collection I knew I wanted to read it and I am so glad I did. What more can I say if you love horror stories that are short yet have everything you love about horror than you love this anthology. I want to thank RDS publishing for my free arc copy via NetGalley please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

My review for Cremated Remains by M Ennenbach

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finished this collection of stories this morning and, as usual, Mike does not disappoint. I went through almost every emotion throughout. He's a true poet and he very cleverly tells stories that spark your imagination. I was choked up at one point, actually laughing out loud at another. Horrified, but enjoying myself thoroughly. Even though I had already owned 3 of these stories, revisiting them was a pleasure.

Thanks for the ride Mike Ennenbach!

This book release date is Wednesday!! Order your copy now!

Cremated Remains https://a.co/d/jaRgycF

An excellent short story collection from a master storyteller! Mike Ennenbach's 'Cremated Remains' contains ten stories, followed by some interesting story notes for each. They cover dark fantasy, horror, and everything between. Two of them have Death as the main character, and are interlinked; two others take place in the 18th and the 19th Century; one pits Lucifer against the Archangel Michael, so that Lucifer can make a point about God's foreknowledge; one is about (almost) meeting your superheroes in real life; and one has a demon talking in limericks, helping to fight Baba Yaga. So the stories' diversity cannot be overstated! That said, these weren't even my favorite stories: the ones I loved were entirely different and were a joy to read: the opening story, "Golden Lazarus," bringing wrestling into a tale about the afterlife, a tale incredibly weird, creepy, and somewhat gory; the atmospheric and troubling short, "Waiting Room," about regret and second chances; and "Red Moon Over Red River Station," a coming-of-age tale of four male friends discovering both themselves and the unsettling history of their town - this one had great dialogue, from friendly banter to more sober, adult conversations, terrific imagery (a horned demon sharing a bed with your best friend is not something you see everyday!), and a hair-raising ending.

Overall, an eclectic collection, solid, entertaining, and highly recommended!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC**

This book is ten mini stories in one that can be read in any order. Each story is fairly short and is a quick read.

The first story is about a retired wrestler who died and went to hell for seven minutes after a punch to the chest in the ring. He was at the top of his game and a household name, known by all in the wrestling world. He explains his seven minutes in hell with a disgusting twist I didn’t see coming. The author did a great job sucking me into the book with the first story.

The masochist in me was extremely gratified to receive this ARC from Uncomfortably Dark! Few authors can absolutely obliterate my emotions the way Mike Ennenbach can with his words. Even things that are comical or gory have the ability to hurt your feelings because his writing is so damn beautiful. I figured these tales would be a painful treat, and I was correct. I usually highlight a few favorites in a collection, but they are all favorites. So, I'm highlighting them all!

Golden Lazarus- the life story of a chain-smoking, calorie devouring, ex-wrestler. Man, the animals in this man's house are acting weird AF!

Bitter Petals- Beautiful, yet brutal. A town in the 1700's is being terrorized by a mysterious vigilante trying to rid the area of sinners, one murder at a time. A Puritanical serial killer? The writing in this one is elegant, while the acts committed by this "soldier of God" are gory and depraved. One of Mike's best, ever!

Shallow Be Thy Name- Lucifer and Michael walk into a bar...While pondering free will vs. God's plan, Luci starts tearing shit up.

Red Moon Over Red River Station- A phenomenal story told in the present and the past. Every 20 years the moon turns red in Red River Station and four friends experience a life changing acid trip. An intense Coming of Age tale!

Insatiable- This story was BLEAK!! A creature in a desolate land trying to fight the urge to feed on humans. No hope to be found here!

Within a Withering Eye- I loved every second of this story. The Demon Archibald is probably one of my favorite characters that Mike has created. I adore how he spoke in rhyme. I need more of this story, please!

Death, and a Donut- The Grim Reaper himself wreaks havoc while on a shopping trip. The ending of this one was surprisingly sweet.

Waiting Room- All waiting rooms suck, especially when you're unsure what you're waiting for.

Lost in Ephemera- A super fun superhero story. I love comics and collect action figures, so I empathized with Eddie so much. Jen was a bitch.

Death of Creativity- Another visit with our good friend Death. This time, we learn the secrets of a successful mystery writer's career, and why she vehemently despises Angela Lansbury. I will never tire of Mike's take on The Grim Reaper.

All in all, one of the most solidly entertaining collections I've read. With something for everyone, I highly recommend picking this one up!