Illusions of Isolation by Brennan LaFaro | Book Review

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Illusions of Isolation by Brennan LaFaro is a collection of fantastic short stories that are a mix of perfect horrifying nightmare fuel and lighter entertaining terror. 

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Illusions of Isolation by Brennan LaFaro

It was a blast not knowing what tone the next story would take! Even for a handful that started out deceptively calm, they soon took a turn that got me every time! And the range here is wild! From cosmic horror to real-world horror, from creature stories to slashers, and so much more, this collection covered a lot of ground! 

The way Brennan writes just makes every single thing pop right off the page. It was so easy to get lost in each tale. 

I absolutely loved every entry in this collection. But if I had to choose a top five, I’d pick:

1. Then You Smiled for a Second
2. Piece By Piece
3. Year of the Black Rainbow
4. Shine
5. Red Sands

Here are my thoughts on each story:

Introduction | Step into the Spinning Tunnel –
This intro from Jonathan Janz was so much fun! What an awesome way to kick off this collection! 

Dressed for Success –
When a young boy starts school at a new place, he is already terrified enough. Learning how strict the principal is only added to his fear. But had the principal finally pushed them too far?

This one took such a violent and bloody turn! This was so intense! At the start, I had some major secondhand anxiety from the situation, later I was ready to go for the jugular just like these kids. 

Piece by Piece –
When a boy out looking for treasure finds a human toe, the pull to look for more is strong. But one day, he’s going to find the source of these body parts. 

Gosh, I love this tale! The opening sentence is so good:
Mac was only seven-years-old when he found the toe; the first toe, anyway.

I read this previously in Blackberry Blood, and I love it more each time I read it! It’s so unsettling and a bit gross! 

Snap –
Two men sit in a conference room discussing numbers. But when readers find out what these numbers are, things take a dark turn. 

This one made my stomach hurt. We’re all replaceable in our jobs, and this one really drove that point home. 

Year of the Black Rainbow –
Kicked out of their home at just fifteen, this teen winds up at an abandoned hospital that has become a place homeless people post up. They hear rumors of the basement being haunted, but when they go check it out and nothing happens, they make their place. Everything’s fine until two teenagers break in looking for trouble.

My goodness, the heartbreak in this one. I was so happy that Alex found care that was much better than what was found in their previous home.

The Last Little Piece of Civilization –
When a family is shocked to find that grass is growing in their living room, they don’t rush to clean it up. In just a short time, the patch grows…

This is eco-horror at its finest! My goodness was this a fun and unsettling one. And it all happened so quickly! I’m going to be keeping an eye out for any odd flooring patches now. 

Then You Smiled for a Second –
While on the edge of sleep, this father jolts awake and realizes he’s hearing a lot of footsteps outside. Going to look, he sees that it’s a mob, and they’re headed to his house. The family has nowhere to go and can only try to hide and then fight when the mob gets in.

Home invasion terrifies me. This story for under my skin and is sure to haunt my nightmares! 

A Shine in the Woods –
When a family goes to a cabin in New Hampshire to spend their winter vacation, their caretaker warns them of animals getting into the trash bins. Thinking it’s just bears, the family says they will be careful. But there’s something much more terrifying than bears waiting outside.

The goosebumps I had while reading this. I was terrified from the start of the noises and lack of tracks. When I found out what the creatures were, I could have screamed. No thank you! I have never been so happy about how close our neighbors are here in New Hampshire! Though I can’t say I’m looking forward to taking the trash out next…

The Irreversible Flow of Time –
Waking up alone in a room where a security camera watches, this young man realizes he is in a game that he must win. Armed with only a rusty machete, he runs.

My gosh, you didn’t know what to expect with each step of this one! Brennan nailed the video game feel here! 

Just a Note –
Set up as a collection of notes between mother and son who have resorted to this as the mom’s new job has her out late. What starts as them connecting over thinking the father who had passed is with them suddenly takes a dark turn. 

This collection of notes is so unsettling to read! What perfect nightmare fuel!

The Attic –
While his wife was out of town, this man hears strange noises in his attic. Of course, against his better judgment, he goes to investigate. 

I was cracking up at the start of this one. I used to have to travel two weeks out of the year, and the notes I left for my husband were so silly. Notes such as when to water the plants and how much water to give them, how I like to do loads of laundry, what I set the heat or AC to during the day vs at night, and so on. All things I keep in my brain that Alex would be just fine doing on his own, but here we are. 

This tale took a very eerie path and I was so nervous! 

I Will Meet You There –
Beginning with a five-person crew on this space mission, something has gone very wrong. We bounce back and forth between the present day and when things started going sideways.

This one had me a bit claustrophobic thinking about being stuck in a situation like this. But what was actually happening was terrifying!

The Lights – 
When a man known for his routine suddenly stops, the neighbors get nervous. Visiting one day, they find out what their neighbors’ current state is, but only he knows why he’s in that situation. 

Having something happen to Alex and not knowing what or why is one of my biggest fears. While more sci-fi than horror, this one still has some horror woven in. This one certainly got to me! 

Red Sands – 
When cleaning up after creatures had attacked, this man and young girl discover one of the creatures was left behind. Quickly getting it into a cage, the man makes a plan to use the creature to find their nest so the town can attack. Of course, nothing goes to plan…

This story is so intense! I was really hoping for a How To Train Your Dragon story here, but I got the exact opposite. Oofh. The gore was brutal. The characters here were incredible! Their relationship was wonderful and felt very real. 

My Favorite Passages from Illusions of Isolation

The door opens to reveal a giant of a man. If one of your friends from the last school stood on your shoulders, they might be able to look him in the eye. His mouth pulls back in a permanent snarl, as though he’s never thought to use it to smile.
— Dressed for Success

Mac was only seven-years-old when he found the toe; the first toe anyway.
— Piece by Piece

Thousands of rebuttals raced through Alex’s head, but no matter which they picked, it would make no more difference than a wave crashing against a seaside cliff. No ground to be gained fighting such illogical behavior with logic.
— Year of the Black Rainbow

But when life gives you lemons, one must hack them to death with a rusty machete.
— The Irreversible Flow of Time

Sometimes a step back is all one needs to make time flow forward once again.
— The Irreversible Flow of Time

The clacking of Matt’s booth against the metal walkway echoed though the empty vessel; a minor-key symphony played to a crowd that couldn’t be bothered to attend.
— I Will Meet You There

My Final Thoughts on Illusions of Isolation

Brennan is one of my favorite authors and someone I get to call a friend. I am so in love with this entire collection! I can’t wait for more readers to get their hands on it! Go pick up your copy today!

And two last notes; the joke on the copyright page is perfect! My goodness, I love that this press does that! I can’t wait for readers to see this before they dive into the collection. And how awesome is that cover wrap by Matt Wildasin?!

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Shout-out to Brennan for sending me a lovely signed copy! Getting signed books, let alone signed books from people I get to call a friend, will never cease to amaze me!