HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN REVIEW: Let's Get Monster Smashed by Jon Chaiet & Marc Chaiet

Title: Let's Get Monster Smashed: Horror Movie Drinks for a Killer Time
Authors: Jon Chaiet, Marc Chaiet
Format: egalley
Pub. Date: August 28th 2017
Source: Publisher


Book Description:

A horror movie inspired cocktail book with gross-looking but delicious party drinks, all wrapped up in an awesome '80s VHS package. There are 55 recipes spread across 5 chapters (shots, gelatin, punches, special fx, and non-alcoholic) inspired by classic pulp horror movies of the '80s and '90s, complete with viewing recommendations. The movies may be weird, the drinks may look gross, but the elevated drink making techniques and unusually tasty recipes keep readers and their guests interested and coming back for more. Great for theme parties, Halloween festivals, movie fans, and retro enthusiasts.

Review:

★★★★

This is such a cool idea for a book. I love, love, love Halloween. And I love booze. So, yay for this book!

The intro holds a lot of really good information for the not so seasoned drinker. It talks about different tools and cups that are best used for specific drinks, what ingredients and alcohols are used (and what they are), and how they're best served. There's also a section that teaches you how to make different kind of syrups such as vanilla, cola, and mocha. That's neat, since I rarely if ever make my own.

The book is divided into sections, by the type of drink. It's a good way to organize, because you can easily locate the style of drink you want at your Halloween party (or on a random Tuesday. I don't judge). The chapters are: Monster Shots, Gelatinous Gulps, Potions and Grog, Smoke and Mirrors, and Virgin Sacrifices.

I really appreciate that they had a section dedicated to non-alcoholic drinks for those who don't drink, kids, or for the designated driver. I also liked that they added tips on how to make these virgin drinks a little less pure, for those who do enjoy alcohol.

The photos are okay, and there's one for every drink. I like this, because I like knowing how a drink is going to turn out. The background of the pages are black and dark colors, while there's super saturated photos and neon colored fonts. It gives the book a really retro, old school vibe which I think is pretty cool, considering most of the movies that inspired these drinks are considered "classic". I really like this type of style.

One thing that I didn't like so much was the amount of space dedicated to the Puppet Master film series. There's (literally) ten Puppet Master inspired cocktails in this book, as well as a drinking game. It's a lot of dedication to one particular franchise. Which, I'm sure is great if you like that series. But, I don't, so to me that was a bit redundant and not really up my personal alley. If you like that franchise, then buddy I've got great news for you.

Some of the cocktails that I'm most interested in trying include Swamp Juice (inspired by Creature from the Black Lagoon), Harlequin Hooch (inspired by Killer Klowns from Outer Space), and The Dream Warrior (inspired by Nightmare on Elm Street 3). Honestly though, that last one is because it reminds me of Zydrate from Repo! The Genetic Opera.

All in all I think this is a fun book that will come in handy if you're hosting either a monster mash or a graveyard smash. Or, if you're just really into horror and drinking. In which case, we should hang out because you're my kind of people.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.