Andre Duza, Anna Kubik (editor), Nick Cato

ARC Review

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

This book hit the itch I needed to scratch. This is definitely extreme horror and gore done really well. The cover is sick too.

The writing style pulls you in and the descriptions are placed in sparingly but are incredibly demented. This is very creative gore and I am here for it. The attention to detail was awesome.

I didn’t love the weird fake news bit and using the word “tweaker” to describe a houseless individual dependent on drugs, but I believe this was done to villainize the protagonist, so it worked. This book covers the Satanic Panic a bit as well, which was interesting to see play out.

The one thing I did not enjoy was the COVID virus being a theme throughout the book. I just wanted some gore splatter and am a bit fatigued by COVID. I quite literally have COVID currently, so this just takes me out of the story. Initially it contributed to the plot, but now it’s on almost every 5 pages and it becomes a lot. However, it is part of the villain’s personality.

I could barely stomach this book, so I’m giving it 4 stars even with the things I didn’t love, because there’s a good chance they were done intentionally.. This scratched an itch and I feel quite evil and disturbed now. Super unconventional but accessible horror book.

UPDATE:

I literally can’t stop thinking about this book. I have gone through 40+ other horror books trying to find something that isn’t just plain gross and overly done. This book is pure art and talent in the most demented of ways.

Updated full review below:

This was my first bizarro fiction horror read, so I had to take some time to process it properly. Please proceed with caution with this book. It’s disturbing.

I initially gave it a 4 star rating, but this plot was executed so well. For those that are looking for a true, extreme horror book with revenge and an extremely well executed plot, look no further. I could barely stomach this one. It will scare you as you read it, which is so extremely rare for me in a book. This author is genuinely so talented, and I am so grateful to have been able to be an early reader for this book.

Below is the initial review from immediately after reading:

This book hit the itch I needed to scratch. This is definitely extreme horror and gore done really well. The cover is sick too.

The writing style pulls you in and the descriptions are placed in sparingly but are incredibly demented. This is very creative gore and I am here for it. The attention to detail was awesome.

I didn’t love the weird fake news bit and using the word “tweaker” to describe a houseless individual dependent on drugs, but I believe this was done to villainize the protagonist, so it worked. This book covers the Satanic Panic a bit as well, which was interesting to see play out.

The one thing I did not enjoy was the COVID virus being a theme throughout the book. I just wanted some gore splatter and am a bit fatigued by COVID.

I’m updating this feedback because unfortunately COVID is genuinely a part of reality and has been for years, and ignoring it at this point is a bit pointless. It added some realism to it. I just was annoyed by it at the time. This is a 5 star read.

PLEASE PROCEED WITH CAUTION. This is not a book for children, and is a horror book. In general, this website is intended for adults only.

I was privileged enough to receive an advanced copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily because it was so so good.

Thank you for expanding my genre preferences and showing me how creative you truly can be with horror!!