Title: Wounded Air
Author: Rick R. Reed
Publisher: NineStar Press
Release Date: May 3, 2021
Genre(s): Horror, M/M, Paranormal Mystery
Page Count: 171
Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
After spotting the apartment on his daily transit on the L, Rick becomes intrigued and mesmerized by its huge glass wall, the lofted bedroom, the minimalist industrial vibe of it all, until suddenly his dream of actually living in the apartment comes true.
I never imagined my dream would come true.
But it did. And in a funny way, what drove me to this particular apartment led to a lot of dreams coming true.
But dreams can turn to nightmares in the space of a single breath.
Ah, foreshadowing. As we English majors used to say back in the day, "Foreshadowing: Your Key to Quality Literature." We quickly learn that one of the former tenants disappeared without a trace, and almost immediately Rick begins seeing ... something. Is it left-over energy, a timeslip between past and present, or is the desparate young man with "the essence of a ruined little boy" who appears in the apartment simply a very vivid dream?
In much the same way 1950's horror movies about unstoppable blobs or creatures from black lagoons were metaphors for communism or panic over nuclear war, the apparition here is rich with meaning. We all have our ghosts - ghosts of past mistakes, past relationships, past what-ifs. Do you confront those ghosts in order to move beyond them, or do you let complacency and fear overcome your life? Does love really conquer all, or do we sometimes throw that love away with both hands?
With the exception of the neighbor Paula - who seemed like a retread of similar characters from past books - the characters are deeply developed and the sheer emotional depth of this story as well as the wrenching depiction of addiction hooked me right away. 4.5 stars for "Wounded Air" and I definitely recommend this book!
I received an ARC from IndiGo Marketing & Design, in exchange for an honest review.
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