Hey everyone! As you know, TAMER ANIMALS is here! I wanted to share some of my favorite reviews with you guys! If you haven’t picked it up, please do! And if you don’t mind, tell your friends to check out my work, my site, and my Facebook Group.
Also, I just want to say that Francois Vaillancourt did an amazing job with the cover art! You can find the rest of his work HERE.
Now! On to the reviews! I’ve honestly been blown away by the response to this book. Of course I had the awesome foreword by James Newman, author of some of my favorite books. Midnight Rain, Ugly As Sin, and Odd Man Out, just to name a few. That was awesome! And of course, Jeff Strand‘s blurb, where he called it a “Terrifying descent into depravity.”
Below I’ve posted just a few of my favorite reviews.
At the time of posting the book has a 4.9/5 on Amazon.
“I love nothing more than settling in with a new book and enjoying as the story unfolds, making time each day to read until I’ve gotten to a satisfying ending. Justin Woodward doesn’t let me do that. I pick up his books and hours later I’m emotionally drained and exhausted because the journey he takes you on is realistic, fantastical and amazing all at once. I physically cannot put his books down until I’ve reached the end. Tamer Animals has everything I love; coming of age reminiscent of King, an eerie history of a local legend, a creepy kid and enough backwoods terror to have you passing that out of the way gas station for the bright lights of the city. This is another wonderful novel that has earned its place on my shelf.” – Denise Hargrove
“I had the honor (and pleasure) of being a Beta reader for this fantastic book. Yes, I said FANTASTIC! It’s the story of 4 teen boys who all have problems and challenges of their own and decide to take a break from their daily struggles and get away from it all. When they go on a secret camping trip together, they encounter horrors beyond what that ever could have imagined. I found myself rooting for these troubled boys from the start. One thing that’s so great about this book is that it is much more than horror. The story of growing terror is accented by the voice of Paul, a retired sheriff, who recalls the events of that night; at times with sorrow and regret. I’ve heard Tamer Animals describes as horror with heart, and that’s very true, but don’t let that throw you. There are plenty of gruesome “Holy S**t!” moments to satisfy the diehard horror fan. So far I have read his book 3 times, and am ready for round 4 in its official Bloodshot Books release. Justin Woodward has become one of this rare go-to writers for me. Whatever works he creates, I know I won’t be disappointed. I would recommend that readers also check out Woodward’s The Variant, as there is a connection between the 2 books.” – Judy Haigh
“A Coming of Age story? Sign me up. I’ve always been a fan of horror with the subgenre of coming of age. Tamer Animals from Justin M. Woodward really hits that sweet spot.
We have four main characters that are teenagers. Each having something that really no kid should be dealing with, but all across the world, kids do find themselves in these situations. They all need to get away from their problems and they think they have the perfect camping trip. There’s this old wooden bridge that’s supposedly haunted. There may also be a mysterious Goatman roaming the woods. Everything is the stuff of legend, but is any of it true?
I kept hearing about this book being like a Richard Laymon novel. At first, I didn’t see it. I was seeing more of a Stephen King’s IT vibe minus the clown. And then, I hit about the 60% mark of the book. Justin really flipped the script. It was literally holy crap moment after holy crap moment. Suddenly this almost innocent “ghost story” was anything but.
Laymonesque? Absolutely.
One hell of a read? No doubt.
Should you read it? What are you waiting for?” – Shaun Hupp (Author of Maniacs With Knives and Pound)
“Tamer Animals is one of the best stories I have read this year. The tale of four boys, each facing their own demons, go on an adventure which is nothing short of a nightmare. This story has left me questioning humanity and at the same time, begging for more. The characters are very “real“ and show emotions that the reader will relate to. It was a story that kept me turning pages right up until the very end. Each and every book I have read by Justin Woodward has been amazing. He is a very versatile author who pulls the reader into his stories regardless of the theme. This is one read I highly recommend.” – Patti Smeltzer
“Tamer Animals is a horror novel that follows a group of teen boys on a camping trip. Justin does a great job of introducing the reader to each character without overdoing it. The characters are flawed and authentic. Their reasons for wanting to escape, even for a weekend are legitimate. Once they start their trip the novel advances pretty rapidly. There is no time for boredom and no good place to put it down. Almost immediately upon their arrival you are wondering if their trouble is supernatural or human and Justin keeps you guessing. It takes a great deal to scare me, I’ve been desensitized from years of reading and watching horror, but this story gave me chills and made me second guess reading it in the dark. Even if you think you have it figured out, you don’t. Justin always provides surprises. This is a must read for horror fans. Also check out Justin’s other works Candy, the Variant, and It Still Moves(my personal favorite and a great deal at under a buck).” – Ashley Drevyanko
“Evoking Ketchum and The Texas chainsaw massacre, Author Justin M. Woodward brings to you a coming of age tale that ranks up there with Stephen King and Robert McCammon. Tamer Animals will have you gripping the edge of seat with its tense, character driven narrative. Buckle up and take a trip the Coheelee Creek Covered Bridge where you may lose more than just you sanity.” – RJ Roles
justinmwoodward.com 