Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke

Of Foster Homes and Flies Reviews

• 
  Farrah

  Wow. What a fantastic coming-of-age horror/drama novella!
  
  It's so touching, with just the right amount of creepiness. A hidden gem.
  
  Cover designed by the author. How unusual!
• 
  Peter

  Denny is looking forward to the spelling bee at school in one week. Problem is, his mother died. Her body is rotting at home but he intends first calling the police after having won a prize... one of the most gripping coming-of-age tales I've read for a very long time. Imagine this 12-year old boy sitting at home next to his dead alcoholic mother facing a terrible reek thinking about foster homes and flies. Is there a happy ending for the main character? Extremely well written, intriguing, tragic, a horrific every day situation, a modern dark fairy tale, well, a modernized Dickens story. The characters are extremely well crafted (e.g. the neighbor, probably everyone knows a chap like him) and I can highly recommend this fast paced novella!
• 
  Mort

  You know those author's who you've never heard of, and suddenly they come onto your radar when a friend gives a good review to a story, and you start to see the name more and more, by more and more friends, and it seems like you see his name so much that you feel kind of forced to read the books, because it feels like you're losing out if you don't, so you take the chance on that author?
  
  Wouldn't it suck right now if I said Chad Lutzke isn't one of them?? I'm not going to, since that very loooonnnggg sentence gives you the background to me reading this book...
  
  This coming of age story is, in some ways, better than I could have hoped, since it is very mild for my preferences in literature. In fact, I think it will be a good read for most teenagers.
  Even though the tones is dark and morbid - this 12 year old's mother dies at the beginning of the book and he hides it from everybody because he wants to do a spelling bee - and the history of the main character is somewhat tragic, the message is one of hope:
  No matter what happens, we can improve our lives and our futures.
  
  Having said that (and the reason why I can't give this one five stars), I had difficulty accepting that any twelve year old can be as perceptive of others (on an emotional level), especially with an abnormal childhood.
  
  I also have to add that Chad Lutzke can write! To keep me interested in this story (the mildness), he had to keep me invested at a decent pace. And this story was exactly the right length for what it was.
  
  I can recommend it to anybody who likes coming of age stories. I will read this author again in the future!
• 
  Peter Topside

  I am so sorry that I didn’t read this sooner. I am a devoted fan of Chad Lutzke at this point, and this, being his most popular book, was an amazing experience. Denny is in such a nasty, abusive household, stuck with his single mother, who is struggling with addiction, taking out her frustrations on her only son in terrible ways. She dies and Denny doesn’t want to miss his spelling bee, so he just lets her rot, while he has a shortlived adventure, leading up to the event he wants to win so badly. I can’t call this a coming of age tale, but it sort of walked that line. As I read, I initially thought how awkward it was that a twelve year old can handle himself emotionally through so much stress and get through a week on his own. But as you get to know him better, he’s never been supported or loved and had to evolve into that type of person at a very young age. And his mother dying was just another trauma for him to absorb and not process properly. So in the end, it was a bad critique on my part early on and was totally believable. I can also attest to this from some awful experiences I had around Denny’s age. And the moments when you see the trauma shine through as he struggles with everything are tearjerkers. The story is deep, but not depressing, and the conclusion made me smile ear to ear and almost shed a tear for this poor kid. There are some memorable moments and characters that just add to the charm, too. Lutzke did such a beautiful job writing this that I had no other choice than to give it the highest of marks.
• 
  Char

  Of Foster Homes and Flies has been on my reading docket for over 6 months now. I wish I hadn't waited so long. This is a heartbreaking tale about young Denny and the loss of his parents. But it's about so much more than that, really.
  
  When a 12 year old boy has lost his father, and then loses his mother shortly thereafter, (to a constant state of drunkenness), there isn't much to look forward to in his young life. His family is poor, he hasn't even ridden in a car in over a year, (never mind his family owning one), and Ingrid, the family dog, has been exposed to so much cigarette smoke she's no longer white.
  
  Over the past year, Denny has been regretting having not entered his school's spelling bee last year. This time around, Denny is going to enter that spelling bee-and come hell or high water, he's going to win it. Will he really win? You'll have to read this novella to find out!
  
  I'm not sure why I identified so much with this kid, but I did. Everything about him and his poor family rang true to me. I loved the depictions of his few friends and neighbors-which only goes to show you that in the end, in spite of being surrounded by people, you can still be alone. I just wanted to reach out and hug Denny. I wish he was here right now so I could.
  
  I've read one of Chad Lutzke's stories before in the anthology
  Bumps in the Road, which he edited. I loved that story too, but not quite as much as this one.
  
  Highly recommended for fans of coming-of-age tales like Robert McCammon's Boy's Life, James Newman's Midnight Rain, or John Boden's Jedi Summer: with The Magnetic Kid.
  
  You should grab a copy and you can right here:
  Of Foster Homes and Flies
  
  *I received a complimentary copy of this novella in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it.*
• 
  Heba

  يا صغيري " ديني" لا بأس يا عزيزي..سيصبح كل شيء على ما يرام...
  في الحقيقة لم تكن والدتك قد ماتت في تلك اللحظة التي رأيتها متجمدة على كرسيها أمام التلفاز وعينيها مفتوحتين على اتساعهما وذراعيها يتدليان بجانبها....بينما كانت ميتة منذ زمن بعيد...عندما قررت أن تكون مُدمنة على الخمر وتُسيء إليك وتنبذك وحيداً....ولم تعرف كيف تُحبك...
  حسناً...هنالك مسابقة للتهجئة بالمدرسة وعليه أن يجتازها بل يفوز بالمركز الأول...يُثبت لها إنه ليس فتى ضائعاً وإنها كانت مُخطئة عندما ظنت بأنه يضيع وقته في القراءة وسيتيقظ يوماً من أحلامه منهزماً...هل يٌمكن أن تنتظر هى متجمدة متعفنة يغشاها الذباب بضعة أيام إلى أن يفعل ذلك ؟!!!....
  مجرد طرح مثل ذلك التساؤل يثير الذُعر بداخلي...تسري بي قشعريرة ..ترجفني البرودة القاسية ..توخزني اللامبالاة والجفاء ...ولكن هل لي أن أطلق عليك حُكماً يا صغيري ؟...
  لا.. لن أفعل...
  ألم اخبركم بأننا لا يمكننا العيش دون ان نسمع من أحدهم " إنني أؤمن بك "..إنني أحبك و أثق بقدراتك وإنه بإمكانك أن تفعل شيئاً ما رائعاً....
  الصغير " ديني" كان يريد من احدهم ليؤمن به ليس إلا....
  رواية آسرة...مُروعة...كلماتها التوصيفية تنطوي على جرس يُنذر بخطرٍ ما ويأمل في النجاة......
  شكراً جداً " يمنى " الجميلة لمشاركتي القراءة 💕
• 
  La loca de los libros

  ¡Hoy les traigo la última reseña del año!
  
  📚🔝
  
  Una pequeña novela de apenas cien páginas que denota una gran calidad y profundidad a la hora de relatarnos la vida del pequeño Denny Newman, que tras perder a su padre años atrás, vive con su madre alcohólica y su perrita Ingrid.
  Su mayor deseo es presentarse y ganar el concurso de deletreo de su colegio, ya que el año pasado no pudo acudir.
  Pero ni siquiera en eso es capaz de apoyarlo su madre para quien la lectura no es más que una pérdida de tiempo.
  
  Con el concurso en mente sufrirá un "contratiempo" al que tendrá que hacer frente a pesar de su corta edad. Contará solo con la compañía de su perrita Ingrid y su mejor amigo Carter, porque su madre está ausente cada día, solo se agarra a la botella de vodka y a sus cigarrillos para acomodarse en su sillón y hacer como si estuviera viendo la tele.
  Los malos tratos y la desidia harán que nuestro protagonista madure a velocidad de relámpago.
  Es asombrosa la capacidad que tiene el ser humano de sobreponerse a casi todo.
  Es imposible no encariñarse con él y sentir todo el drama y el horror que rodea su existencia. Con todo lo que ha tenido que vivir y con las personas maravillosas que se cruzarán en su camino. Personas que hasta él mismo se extrañará de que le brinden ayuda sin conocerlo de nada.
  Es una historia muy dura, tremendamente emotiva y con su punto macabro. Pero que a la vez nos muestra que nunca hay que perder la esperanza. No todo es oscuridad, también hay espacio para que asome un resquicio de luz.
  
  💜🔝 Acompaña a Denny en estos ocho días en los que se divide la novela, ocho días en los que la humedad, el calor que intensifica el olor a podredumbre y las moscas impregnan cada rincón de este pequeño pueblo de Nueva Orleans.
  Y descubre que más habita las pesadillas de Denny aparte de hogares de acogida y moscas.
  
  Me despido hasta el próximo año parafraseando a Alberto Plumed en el prólogo; les dejo que vivan este triste y melancólico viaje hacia la madurez mientras yo me voy a investigar el motivo por el cual a los yankis les gustan tanto los concursos de deletreo. Es algo que siempre me he preguntado 😅.
  
  🏠 "Son las noches las que me preocupan. Cuando todo está quieto y mi techo actúa como un proyector para el ojo de mi mente, y estoy solo y reina el silencio."
  
  🏠 "Solo quiero un premio. Un recordatorio que pueda llevar conmigo de que soy válido, de que mamá estaba equivocada: leer no es una pérdida de tiempo, del mismo modo que tampoco lo es cualquier otra cosa que un niño de doce años pueda encontrar interesante."
  
  📖 Próxima lectura:
  "Cujo" - Stephen King.
  
  📚
  https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
• 
  Ron

  What would seem hard to get past in this story is not hard at all, not after meeting and getting to know Denny. In the first pages I understood this boy, who had just found his mom dead in her recliner. From his explanations, I knew that his past was hard, the next six days would be harder still, and his future was up for grabs. Although his past is only hinted at, it's very clear. What I didn't know is that I'd grow fond of this boy, his will, and his heart. That I'd root for him through those six days leading to the end, with more than one lump in my throat.
  
  ”You got this, Denny You got this.”
• 
  Janie

  This is the second book that I've read by Chad Lutzke, but it is far from the last. The author has the power to draw the reader straight into his protagonists' lives. His books are written with pathos, compelling story lines and completely relatable characters. I look forward to my next read by Mr. Lutzke, and highly recommend that you try one, too.
• 
  Sadie Hartmann

  Thank you to Chad Lutzke himself for reaching out to me and asking if he could send me this book in exchange for an honest review. This was probably the best introduction to a new author that a reader could hope for! I had no idea what to expect going into this story other than the author said "If you enjoyed Boy's Life, you might like this one too" and the blurb from Jack Ketchum on the front said it was, "Original and touching coming of age."
  I have to be honest and say that if all horror had elements of 'coming of age' tales in them, I would be fine with that. It's something I could read forever and ever and never get tired or bored.
  I could have read this book for hundreds and hundreds of pages. Chad Lutzke has a unique brand of storytelling.
  It's actually amazing to me what he managed to do in less than 200 pages--the depth of character he developed with the protagonist, a 12 year old boy named Denny, is actually a powerful testament to Chad's ability as a writer.
  My favorite thing about this novella is the overwhelming control it had over my feelings. Just in a few short paragraphs of a scene, I laughed, cried and raged reading Denny's reactions to his unfortunate circumstances. Obviously, you can read this story from any personal context but reading this story as a parent, oh god, hang on to your heart because I lost it a fair amount of times just agonizing over Denny's pure, innocent, sweet soul. I confess *hand raised* I laid the book down a few times just to wipe tears so I could read words that were no longer blurry.
  But this story isn't just sad, sometimes I was crying from tears of joy and because I have the "gift of tears" I cried over the heartwarming moments too--in other words, I was probably crying for one reason or another the entire time I was reading this book.
  When I finished last night, I immediately passed it to my husband (who doesn't read recreationally at all) and said, "Please will you read this?"
  And he said he would. I secretly smiled and knew that once he read even a little bit of this story, he'd want more--and I have lots of books he'd love like this one. I can't wait to read more from this author!
  
• 
  Chrissy

  Morbid, yet uplifting. Not two words I expected to ever use together.
• 
  Andrew Robert

  Denny is a 12 year old child of a severely damaged and broken home. After the passing of his father, Denny began preparing for an annual spelling bee. It's something he desperately wants to do because he knows his father would have been proud of him, maybe his mother too. His father's death changed his mother. She began drinking and neglecting her son. Now, Denny finally survived his mother's abuse when he finds her still and unmoving body after a night of heavy drinking. Instead of calling the police, Denny does everything he can to endure the rotting corpse in the coming days. It is only five days until the spelling bee after all. He's determined to make his parents proud.
  
  Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke is a devastating and deeply disturbing coming-of-age tale that left me emotionally gutted. Lutzke penned a compelling story with a protagonist who's desperation and longing to compete in an annual spelling bee will ravage reader's attention. Empathy, sadness, despair and utter perturbation are firmly rooted in the narrative making the story hopelessly addictive. This is definitely one of those books that will turn cautious readers into dearly devoted fans of Lutzke.
  
  Of Foster Homes and Flies by Chad Lutzke
  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• 
  Yara Yu

  من أقسي أشكال الظلم الا يعيش طفل طفولته لاي سبب من الأسباب
• 
  Dan Corey

  I’m very impressed with this one. Lutzke’s story hits all the emotions: it’s equal parts disturbing, tragic, beautiful and optimistic. It feels SO real, like this could actually happen, and that makes the story all the more impactful. The character work is seamless, the prose is bleak, powerful and insightful. If you like your coming of age tales to have a dark twist while trying to find a silver lining as a counterweight, then Of Foster Homes And Flies is your book. Plus, it’s very short and to-the-point, and the pacing is perfect for the story at hand.
  
  Verdict:
  A modern coming of age powerhouse well worthy of your attention.
• 
  Mohamed Khaled Sharif

  
  
  "لا أحد يجب أن يعيش هكذا، مع أحد الوالدين الذي يُحب زجاجة الخمر أكثر مما يُحب طفله."
  
  رباه، رواية وعلى الرغم من قصرها، ولكنها آثرت فيَ تآثيراً بالغاً، رواية مؤلمة، ومُرعبة ومكتوبة بلغة حريصة على جعلك تتألم وإن كانت ترجمتها ليست في أحسن أحوالها!
  الصغير "ديني" ماتت والدته، أصبح وحيداً يواجه العالم.. ولكن لا يهم كُل ذلك.. هو يُريد أن يحضر مسابقة التهجئة تلك، أن يُثبت جدارته لأمه ولنفسه.. أن يُثبت أنه لا يستحق الإجهاض.. أن يُثبت استحقاقه لأن يُحب.. كما رأينا كيف فعلت فيه بعض الكلمات البسيطة، جعلته مُمتناً لأبسط حقوقه كطفل تلومه أمه السكيرة على ما لا ذنب له! لماذا تلوميني يا أمي على خطأك؟ لماذا أحضرتيني لعالم لم أجدك فيه حاضرة من أجلي؟ أحقاً تعنين تلك الكلمات التي خطتيها؟ أحقاً كُنتي تريدي التخلص مني؟ إذاً لماذا لم تفعلي ذلك؟ قبل أن تصبحي ملفوفة بالبلاستيك؟
  
  الكاتب بارع في سرده، جعلني أتوتر في مُسابقة تهجئة وكأنها أخطر ما يُمكن أن يحدث.. أعصابي تآكلت، وتوترت لتوتر صبينا.. الفكرة غريبة، ومُريبة أيضاً.. ولكنها تحمل رسالة مُهمة واضحة.. اهتموا بأطفالكم، أجعلوهم نصب أعينكم، أغمروهم باهتمامكم، احرصوا على اختيار كلامكم لهم، كلمة واحدة قد تجرحهم حياة طويلة، فما بالك لو صرخت في وجههم بأنهم عديموا النفع؟ دمرت حياتهم يا أبله لأنك تُعاني من ضغوطات لا دخل لهم بها.. وأفرغتها عليهم لأنك لم تتحملها فهل من المتوقع أن يتحملوها هم؟
  
  تآسرني هذه القصص وتنال تعاطفي بسرعة، وهذه قصة تستحق أن تُقرأ.
  
  
• 
  Elizabeth Bedlam

  So I found this title on Regina Watts reading list. Skimmed the description- "A tragic coming-of-age tale of horror" Yikes, sounds like my childhood...skimming on...What? A dead mother?! I am a huge fan of dead mother literature! So that sealed it. I kicked aside my stack of currently reading books and started reading this. After all, the snow is falling, everyone is diseased, militias are cropping up all over the place. So it wasn’t like I was leaving the house any time soon.
  
  So this book starts out feeling uncomfortably familiar to me. But then takes a sharp turn into one of my ultimate childhood fantasies- finding your horribly abusive mother dead, ignoring the body, and carrying on as usual. Only instead of worrying about the spelling bee, I would have worried about missing the art show in the library, knowing I totally nailed my watercolor portrait of zombie Karen Cooper that year, and the blue ribbon would finally be mine.
  
  Passing thought: Why do people always go to California to chase dreams? It’s so expensive there. I’ll never get that.
  
  Descriptions are subtle but stunning- “nursing that glass idol like it was baby Jesus himself” or “Thick reek of dead…The smell that now threatens to stain my teeth and soak my tongue... somehow still carries that tinge of sweetness.” Fucking brilliant.
  
  ... I don’t know. There’s a tension going on between the simplicity of the words, but the complex nature of the story. And the story just keeps rolling along. The more I read, the more I want to read. There isn’t a slow point or a point where I’m like okay who cares? And want to skim on...No. I want to read Every. Single. Word.
  
  I have nothing witty to add. I adore everything about this story. Mind blown.
• 
  غُفران

  أحتاج أكتب عنها مراجعة مطولة.
  لكن حالياً راح أكتفي بالقول إنها من الروايات الي تسبب تأثير عميق " بالنسبة الي ع الأقل".
• 
  Sjgomzi

  Wow! This was pretty amazing. I’m a sucker for coming of age tales like Robert McCammon’s Boy’s Life and Stephen King’s The Body, and this one can sit proudly in the company of those two books-two of my favorites of all time. A real world story with a fairy tale feel to it. Denny, the main character, will tug at your heart, and you’ll be completely swept up in his world and the sad circumstances in which he lives, and like me, you’ll want everything to turn out alright. This was perfect. Not a single wasted word, and I may have even shed a tear when it was all over. My highest recommendation!
• 
  Dave

  I was captivated by this dark, refreshingly original coming-of-age tale. I couldn't look away from the book until it was finished. At less than 200 pages, it manages to pack the same amount of emotional punching-power as novels that are well over twice it's size.
• 
  Dez Nemec

  Denny has a rough life. After his father died, his mother has simply sat in her recliner and attempted to drink herself to death. One day, she succeeds. Denny is desperate - he has spent the entire school year preparing for the spelling bee and it's in just 5 days. If he can only keep her death a secret for a little while, he'll still be able to compete...
  
  This was great. You can't help but feel for Denny after all he's been through, and hope that he can make it to the spelling bee. I liked this novella so much - a story so sweet that not even the smell of decomp could tarnish it.
• 
  Sheri

  This is the 3rd book I've read by Chad Lutzke and there are three on my tbr list. I can honestly say that every book that Lutzke writes, I will read. Death and dying are the underlying theme in each story but they are also so much more than that. This book, at it's heart, is a coming of age story. The boy, Denny, is a very likable character but his home life is far from desirable. He has numbed himself to the pain even though he is somewhat unaware of that fact. There is only one thing that young Denny is looking forward to and it's days away but then something horrible happens. Denny does his best to deal with it all and under the circumstances, he handles it all very well. Mr. Artwell, a neighbor and supporting character in the story, is one of my favorite characters. His parting words with Denny really touched my heart and I'm glad that the author included it.
  It was just this year that I read my first book by Chad Lutzke. I have no idea how I had missed books by him but I am so glad to know his name now and I definitely look forward to every book he writes in the future.
  This book is a very quick read as a novella and it will satisfy readers the enjoy horror and creepy stories and it will also satisfy readers that enjoy coming of age stories. This book is now one of my favorites. I read this is an ebook even though I prefer print but I will definitely be buying the print version to include it in my library.
  Thank you to Chad Lutzke for writing such magnificent stories.
• 
  Alex | | findingmontauk1

  This little book is packed with perfection. First of all, the cover is wicked. Secondly, the premise of the story itself had me thinking that I had to read this book immediately. One of my favorite horror tropes is the coming-of-age storyline and you definitely get some of that in this one. The way Lutzke tells this story I could have just kept reading forever. It was so unique to me and the way he tells the story is haunting and comforting at the same time. The story broke my heart a couple of times and was full of surprises.
  
  5 stars!!
• 
  Kenneth McKinley

  Denny is a 12-year-old, only child to a widowed, alcoholic mother. Denny is making the awkward transition from being a boy into manhood. His mother isn’t much help, as she’s usually well on her way to polishing off her daily bottle of vodka by the time he gets home from school. With a nasty tongue and a quick right hand that often follows the verbal onslaught, his mother is a real piece of work, one that Denny often makes excuses for, but understandably finds hard to love. He gets through his days with one goal in mind - the upcoming spelling bee. He chickened out of it last year and, ever since, has had to live with that regret. This year, he vows it will be different. Not only will he compete in the bee, but he’s determined to win. And that’s what he’s thinking about on this morning when he finds her silent in her recliner with the TV blaring. This is nothing new. Most mornings she’s passed out cold from her vodka induced sleep. However, this morning, it’s not the case. This morning, she won’t be awake, because she’s stiff as a board dead in the chair. The only sadness and disappointment that Denny’s feeling is that her death will prevent him from competing in the upcoming contest and he can’t allow that to happen.
  
  It’s rare you run across a perfect book. OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is one of those books. Chad Lutzke has flown under the radar for a couple of years before this release. Ever since, he has steadily climbed up the ladder and for good reason. OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is a warped coming-of-age tale he writes in the First Person/Present Tense format. When I say warped, I mean warped in the way we as adults would think about what transpires, but not warped if you were viewing it through an abused and awkward 12-year-old’s eyes. In fact, that’s where Lutzke shines. His narrative is spot-on and flawless for the character. This causes the reader to get sucked into the story and you feel horrible for Denny and all the shit he’s had to endure throughout his childhood, all of which he’s rationalized to be normal. OF FOSTER HOMES AND FLIES is heartwarming and horrific, all in the same breath. I found that I couldn’t put the book down and read it in a single sitting. It would surprise me if it didn’t have the same effect on you.
  
  
  5 Blueberry Pop Tarts out of 5
  
  
  You can also follow my reviews at the following links:
  
  
  https://intothemacabre.com
  
  
  http://intothemacabre.booklikes.com
  
  
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• 
  Indieflower

  A wonderful little novella, dark, disturbing, heartbreaking, hopeful and uplifting all at the same time. I loved Denny so much, his determination, strength of character, and heart breaking innocence brought a lump to my throat more than once, I wanted to jump into the pages and rescue him. So glad I finally got round to reading this little gem ☺️.
• 
  Repix

  Tremendamente duro y triste.
• 
  Frank Errington

  Review copy
  
  Meet Denny Christopher Newman, a sixth grader at Maguire Elementary School. Pretty much neglected, a latchkey kid, and a terrific speller.
  
  There is an amazing amount of detail in this novella length story. Things that add just the right amount of color to the canvas that is the writer's narrative.
  
  "Our small house acts as an oven in the summer and an old A/C still hangs from the living room window, though it hasn't worked for years."
  
  I've read a number of coming of age tales this year, it's one of my favorite sub-genres. Of Foster Homes and Flies is the darkest among them. On par with Robert McCammon's Boys life or Steven King's The Body.
  
  When Denny's Mom dies unexpectedly, he has no idea what to do, he only knows he wants more than anything to compete in the sixth grade spelling bee the following Wednesday. Lutzke's story is about how he gets there and it's at once compelling, heartbreaking, witty, and charming.
  
  Of Foster Homes and Flies, published by Scary Carpet, is available in e-book, paperback, and audible formats, If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE using the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
  
  From the authors bio - Chad Lutzke lives in Battle Creek, MI. with his wife and children where he works as a medical language specialist. Chad loves music, rain, sarcasm, dry humor, and cheese. He has a strong disdain for dishonesty and hard-boiled eggs. He has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue and Scream magazine. He is a regular contributor to Horror Novel Reviews.
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  Bill

  If there really ever was a curse, then I’m ending it here.
  
  I like the economy of words and the high emotional punch that Chad Lutzke seems to be able to pen with such ease. His writing seems effortless and despite this not being a long work it, does everything that a longer tale should do and that’s make you “feel” the characters and have ample time to let them breathe.
  
  4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 because I’m so glad that I ran across Lutzke’s work last year and I think everybody should be reading his stuff. It’s that good. Seriously.
  
  “I lay my pillow on the sill. And with my head outside smelling the night air, I fall asleep and dream of foster homes and flies.”
  
• 
  Hunter Shea

  Another Winner
  
  An absolutely compelling, heartbreaking read. No one writes about the human condition and shattered hearts better than Lutzke. Check it out for yourself.
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  Rachel (TheShadesofOrange)

  4.0 Stars
  This was an emotional coming of age story with so much heart. While it may not fit the popular  definition of horror, I would still consider it to be a macabre piece of dark fiction. As I have come to expect from Lutzke, the writing was incredibly strong and the characters were well developed.
  
  This was only my second time reading Lutzke's work so I look forward to reading through the rest of his stories. Stirring the Sheets still remains my personal favourite, although that might be simply because I read it first. 
  
  I would highly recommend this one to just about any reader, regardless of their genre preferences, since this was dealt with such universal themes of growing up.