Angry Hornet Nest

Angry Hornet Nest 

Angry Hornet Nest is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. I had never heard of Stoney Brooks prior to discovering his novel. But I noticed that people on social media were talking about it, and that is what caught my attention. 

I’m generally not much of a horror fan. But every once in a while I find a gem hidden away from an unknown author, and this could very well be one of those. I knew I wanted to find out! This is Stoney Brooks’ debut novel, and I think there is always something special about any author’s debut novel. I’m excited to read this one and tell you about it. 

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It is also October, so I’m inspired to read more horror and autumn related or centered books. I love autumn for the fact it equals hoodies, soup, and football. The weather is changing, and I find myself wanting to spend more and more time curled up under my favorite blanket reading a book. Why not celebrate the seasonal change with books that reflect that? 

At the time of publishing this review, Angry Hornet Nest is available via Kindle Unlimited. This makes it easily accessible to readers, and allows more people to try out an otherwise unknown author. I love this because it also helps me to utilize my subscription more, instead of forgetting about it while I’m being billed month after month. A win all the way around, in my opinion. 

Have you read Angry Hornet Nest? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Angry Hornet Nest 

There’s not much to do in the small mining town of Dryton California, especially for high school outcasts Francis and Bodie. Deciding to break from their normal routine of video games and pizza, they attend a bonfire party where they slip into the pack and mingle with ease. That is, until the class bully and his band of goons play a cruel prank on Bodie, leaving him tearing through the woods alone and terrified, fearing for his life.

Something calls to Bodie from a derelict building, luring him into its depths where he discovers an ancient book buried in the rotted floorboards. Bodie feels the power radiating off the thing, and vows revenge after years of being harassed. Slowly, a series of crimes and accidents begins to plague the group of bullies. Bodie’s power grows with each attack, as does his brazenness and lust for blood.

The connections are too strong for him to ignore, and the gears in Francis’s mind begin to turn after a gruesome event at the annual harvest festival. Something has Bodie in its grip, and Francis knows he must do whatever it takes to save his best friend before the looming shadow inside him swallows the town whole. 

Trigger Warnings 

• Language
• Graphic violence
• Racism
• Drug and alcohol usage 

Thoughts on Angry Hornet Nest 

In Angry Hornet Nest we meet Francis and Bodie. Two typical nerdy outcast teens. Life is pretty mundane for them… right up until it isn’t.

Angry Hornet Nest is a fairly short novel at less than three hundred pages. Reading this book, it is the kind of thing that many people probably dream of… finding a way to take revenge on the people who have wronged you without any real consequences. Nobody even knows it is you. It’s just thought of as a string of really unfortunate events. 

How many people can relate to wishing that could really happen? It’s like watching karma work its magic, and having a front row seat to the show, including popcorn. 

This was a story that had me hooked from the beginning. It turned from revenge into full blown bloodlust, and obviously wasn’t going to have a good ending. Because nothing like that ever ends peacefully, and that drove me to reading more, as things continued to escalate. 

Angry Hornet Nest is categorized as a horror novel, but I really wouldn’t call it that myself. But then again, my best friend is a cop. Horror stories are a daily occurrence, so the things done in this book didn’t have much effect on me. In fact, it made me recall several specific stories that were similar that my bestie had told me. Gun violence and vehicle “accidents” just don’t bother me much. I am likely very desensitized in that regard. 

But these incidents were well-written and described in vivid detail. Which may easily horrify other people. I do appreciate that I could imagine the entire thing because of the way Stoney Brooks wrote it. I could easily envision everything that was happening, and the emotions that came with it. 

What I absolutely love about it though was the suspense. Once things started to escalate, I had to know what was coming next. Because the first couple incidents were kind of basic, and then it started to get bigger as Bodie grew bolder and his thirst for revenge turned into bloodlust and a desire to watch the world burn while on his power trip. Obviously it had to escalate, otherwise it would be boring. 

I had to wonder, could Francis possibly save Bodie? Was there any possible chance of a happily ever after ending? I needed to keep reading. This is what I love, when an author writes a story that drives me to continue reading and see it through to the end and find out all the answers. 

My only real complaint is that the ending seemed a bit rushed. It ended a little too quickly and neatly for me. I wanted more. But that’s really the only complaint I have. As I said, it did end neatly, without cliffhangers or being vague. It worked. But somehow I wanted a little bit more, and I haven’t quite decided how I would achieve that myself if I were writing it. 

Final Thoughts on Angry Hornet Nest 

I’m calling Angry Hornet Nest a solid four star read. It is one that I really enjoyed, but I can’t see myself reading it a second time, which is part of my criteria for a five star read. But it is very memorable, and I call three star reads forgettable. Which is why I’ve settled on a four star read as my rating. 

As I said, I didn’t find it terribly horrifying. Definitely suspenseful though. But you may find it far more horrifying than I did. I can certainly see how it would and should horrify most normal people. The fact these things detailed in the book didn’t bother me much is very much a “me” problem, so to speak. 

It is still a great book though, and I can absolutely see Stoney Brooks continuing to write and improve on his craft. I absolutely hope he does write more, because I will be reading all of his stories in the future. For Angry Hornet Nest being his debut novel, I can definitely say he has a very bright future in writing ahead of him. 

Angry Hornet Nest reminded me a little bit of The Initiates from Ryan Hyatt. Because Ryan made me enjoy science fiction novels, and Stoney Brooks actually got me to enjoy a horror story. I’m always impressed when an author can do this. 

Discussion 

Have you read Angry Hornet Nest? Are you a fan of horror stories? Who is your favorite horror author? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Stoney Brooks is a good old fashioned SoCal boy, with a healthy touch of Gypsy blood. After multiple moves, he’s landed back in his childhood stomping grounds of San Bernardino County, dragging along his wife, two kids, and smattering of barnyard critters.

A finance professional by day, he holds multiple distinguishing titles. By night, he crafts dark stories tinged with just a touch of humor to cut the tension. Stoney is an active member of the Horror Writers Association and the Horror Authors Guild. 

Purchasing Angry Hornet Nest 

• If you are interested in buying the paperback version of Angry Hornet Nest, click here.
• For the Kindle version, click here. 
• Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Author Interview 

I had the amazing opportunity to sit down and chat with Stoney Brooks about Angry Hornet Nest. I am always grateful when an author will talk to me about their books, writing ideas, and so much more. It’s my nerd zone, for sure. We all have something we could talk about with others endlessly, and it is definitely books for me. 

What inspired you to start writing? 

I read a bad book. Obviously I won’t name any names, but it was really bad. Like multiple typos, flimsy characters, disjointed plotlines almost to the point where it seemed like pages were missing. And this person actually had a decent following. I thought to myself, I can do better than that. Granted, the first drafts I ever wrote probably were total trash, but I like to think that my storytelling abilities have evolved since then. 

What made you want to write horror novels? 

I used to have sleepovers at a friend’s house in elementary school. When his parents went to sleep, we’d stay up late watching movies like The Grudge, The Ring, or the old Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Of course, we’d freak ourselves out and usually wake up his parents and get in trouble. Looking back, that’s probably where it all started. My tastes never really evolved from those early days. I’ve lived in the world of the spooky and morbid ever since, so writing in this genre just seemed the perfect fit for me. 

Who is your favorite author? 

At the risk of sounding cliché, my all-time favorite is probably Stephen King. I started reading his books at far too young an age and was simultaneously hooked, and terrified. I’ve chewed through just about every piece of work he’s got out there. In more recent years, Grady Hendrix has really captivated my attention as a close second. The way he blends horror, comedy, suspense, and other elements together really speaks to his incredible writing abilities. I find myself trolling the internet searching for when his next book will come out. 

Will there be a sequel to Angry Hornet Nest? 

I’ve played with the idea, but keep hitting brick wall after brick wall every time I sit down to write it. For the time being, I’m giving it some space to lie dormant, in the hope that as the story begins to age and mature, so will the characters. Similar to how The Shining and Doctor Sleep function together.

Do you have any works in progress that we’ll see in the future? 

Yes, so far, I’ve penned seven novel length projects with more ideas sprouting legs pretty much daily. Currently, I’m working with my editor to polish up a second novel, which has a tentative release scheduled for February-March 2026. Not giving too much away, but think Ghost Adventures mixed with Joe Hill’s Heart Shaped Box. 

You’re an accountant turned horror novelist. What are your hobbies outside of number crunching and writing? 

Life is very hectic at this stage. We have two small kids, so a majority of our time is spent running around to T-ball, soccer, ballet, or art class. We’ve got something going on almost every day of the week, which takes up tons of time. Outside of all that, I love to play golf and try to get out as much as my schedule allows. I’m also a rare whiskey collector, so I spend some time hunting for unique bottles, which is kind of like antiquing for booze. 

What is your favorite food? 

Anything Mexican. SoCal has some incredible Mexican food, and finding new hidden gems to try is always fun. I do have to be careful what I eat though, or I’ll end up looking like Jabba the Hut.  

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