Review Information

I feature reviews of various forms of horror, as well as interviews with creators, upcoming release information, and so much more.

You can find my preferred forms of horror, rating scales, as well as what I do not review, my rules and regulations, as well as how to contact me regarding a review below.

NOTE: I am vehemently anti-AI. This means that I WILL NOT review any books that use AI in any manner, including cover art, editing, translating, writing, or anything else. If I review your book and later find that AI was used, I reserve the right to notify my audience and remove my review.

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About My Process

Going on almost 10 years of reviewing now, I’ve come to learn that my opinions about a book are deeply connected to how the book made me feel. I am a sensitive person in general, but especially when it comes to reading. This means that I base a lot of my reviews on how the book made me feel. When I read, each book becomes a part of my DNA.

I am very intense about reading and reviewing. This means that my reviews take longer than a lot of other reviewers because of the time I put into each book. I am also a slow reader, so I appreciate your patience.

I also want to make a note that with my rating system, a 3-star rating is NOT a bad rating. It is average. That just means that the book did not impact me as much as others have. It means that I am recommending it to other readers who may be a better audience for it.

*NOTE: Since my reviews are often in-depth, I tend to take longer to review. If you are looking for a quality review with in-depth analysis, then I am the reviewer for you. If you are looking for quick reviews, then we may not be a good fit.

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Preferred Horror Subtypes

As stated, I will consider reviews for any sub-genre of horror, but those listed below are my favorite types and tropes.

NOTE: I reserve the right to prioritize requests for any books or other horror media that feature these elements over others, depending on the size of my review list.

• Folk Horror (My Favorite Sub-Genre)
• Queer Horror
• Gothic Horror
• Religious Horror
• Surreal Horror
• Hillbilly Cannibal Horror
• Haunted Houses
• Abandoned Places
• Small Towns
• Haunted Dolls/Toys
• Found Footage

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Subjects I Will Not Review

While I do review horror of all kinds, there are a few subjects that I will not review. If these subjects are an extensive part of your book, movie, podcast, etc. It is a requirement that I be notified of the existence of the subject and how it plays a part in your work during the consideration process.

NOTE: If I am not notified and find that any of these subjects are a part of your work in an extensive manner, I reserve the right to refuse to move forward with my review.

• The abuse/torture of children
  • I do not accept works that feature extensive descriptions of the abuse or torture of children. While I understand that this subject does play a part in some horror stories, I will not stand for extensive descriptions. If the abuse/torture is off page, rather than heavily described, I may consider reviewing your work if the situation plays an essential role in the story. This will be on a case-by-case basis.
    • NOTE: An example of a piece of work that reveals my distaste for this type of content is The Groomer by Jon Athan. Please read chapter three in his book to find an example of child torture and abuse that I will not accept. (But please do so with caution, it is extremely violent.)

• The abuse/torture of animals
  • Again, animal abuse/torture is something that I find to be frequent in various forms of horror. Like with child abuse/torture, I will not accept this subject in the horror that I review if it is extensively described or shown. If the animal abuse/torture leaves much to the imagination, I will consider reviewing it if it is not a large part of the story, or if it is integral to the story and not placed just for a shock factor. Again, this will be a case-by-case basis.
    • NOTE: An example of animal abuse in a horror novel that was too much for me would be the turtle scene in The Troop by Nick Cutter.

• Anything that conveys messages of racism, homophobia, sexism, fatphobia etc.
  • The Horror Maven is a safe place for all, and I will not review anything that spreads messages of hate towards any group or identity. If I find this to be present in your work, I reserve the right to point it out in my review, and/or refuse to move forward with the review.

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