The Web of La Sanguinaire & Other Arachnid Horrors by Ronald Kelly is a collection of stories that will make your skin crawl while reading. Long after you close the book, you will jump every time you think you feel little legs moving across your skin, or see something move out of the corner of your eye…
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on The Web of La Sanguinaire & Other Arachnid Horrors by Ronald Kelly
As the first line of the introduction states, “Spiders! Why did it have to be spiders?” I am solidly in the camp of fear and loathing when it comes to how we all feel about spiders. The stories I could tell….
I’ll toss one in here- I grew up on an island in Maine that had what we called “up island spiders.” They are said to be related to the wolf spider, but who actually knows. They’re very large, like the size of dinner plates sometimes. You could easily think they were a Halloween decoration that was left out and you can hear them scuttle across your ceiling. And what’s up with the name? Well, I kid you not, these suckers only lived on the north end of the island. If you caught one and brought it south, it would die.
From the up island spiders to the yellow garden spiders, I had enough scares during childhood to settle my fears in for good. Now, even the smallest of spiders make me uneasy.
Here are my thoughts on each tale included in this creepy collection:
The Web of La Sanguinaire – Five Stars
Upon first meeting this Mr. Price, a wealthy man with no tact and who clearly thinks he’s always the smartest in the room, I was ready to see something bad happen to him. As the two characters travel through the waters to find the specimen they are searching for, things get more and more unsettling. The foreshadowing in this one was perfect!
The Memory Eater – Four Stars
When a man suddenly begins to lose memories, he thinks his worst nightmare has come true and that he has Alzheimer’s. But none of the tests indicate that that is what is going on. But then he realizes he has a welt on the back of his neck…
The thought behind this tale is absolutely terrifying. My goodness, I was terrified to see how this one would end up.
My favorite passage from this tale:
He felt something pull at his thoughts, almost like a fisherman’s line tightening to reel in a stubborn catch, and, slowly, he took a couple of steps downward.
Housewarming – Five Stars
Oh my good lord. Brennan LaFaro warned me about this one when I mentioned I was reading this on a Dead Headspace recording… My skin was absolutely crawling.
Housewarming had everything I love in stories that really terrifying me… a dark set up, a spooky house, loads of tension, a sudden burst of an “oh no” moment, and then straight out terror from there on. PHEW! I was squinting while reading this one, not really wanting to see what would happen next.
Atomic Arachnid Armageddon – Five Stars
Thank you, thank you, thank you Ronald Kelly for a fun one after that last one! This story was still terrifying, don’t get me wrong, but I loved the more upbeat nature of it. These boys were a hoot! I loved that they carefully tossed their trash in the bin rather than leaving a horrible mess. I would love to see more shorts or a longer story about them!
Cell Number Nine – Five Stars
What an unsettling plot! The random acts of violence that occur and gets reported in the news for all to see absolutely terrifies me.
The Creeping Sands – Four Stars
Something I never thought I’d be afraid of…. But here we are. Freaking sea spiders. Thank god I didn’t read this one in my hometown… I would have had to move.
Hugs and Kisses – Three Stars
While sweet, this one was still so unsettling! I have so many questions! Eep!!
Come See Spider Cave – Five Stars
This one screamed horrible idea from the get-go… My goodness. If you see a run down tourist trap location that promotes a CAVE OF SPIDERS, keep driving!
My Final Thoughts on The Web of La Sanguinaire & Other Arachnid Horrors
This was an absolute blast to read! While I wanted to scream during most of the situations these characters found themselves in, I certainly won’t be forgetting these stories anytime soon…
A must read for fans of horror who also fear spiders as it pushes you right in front of your fears and doesn’t shy away. If you love spiders, you’ll probably find a lot more joy in this one than I did! 😉
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Thanks for reading!
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The books you read terrify me, but I’m happy you’re happy. Lol! 😉
Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear? 💬
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