Kayla Frederick's Blog

Title: A Veritable Household Pet

Author: Viggy Parr Hampton

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Veritable-Household-Pet-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0FZX3J2CZ

Darla Gregory received a lobotomy at 11 years old … and she was never the same.

Based on painfully true history, mixed with family drama, complex characters, and a gut-punch twist.

[Scribe’s note: This is my sister Darla’s story, as dictated to me. I have tried to remain as faithful to her diction and voice as I can, while also making it intelligible and coherent. Darla has progressed considerably since the lobotomy, but she is still unable to write by herself. I have added notes, interpolations, and supporting documentation where necessary to clarify or explain, or to add my own experience if relevant.

If you’re wondering why it took so long for you to read this, I’d encourage you to keep your bratty thoughts to yourself. You’re lucky I’m telling you the truth at all. This is the last thing I have to do for her, and I hope you’re finally mature enough to handle it.]

5/5 Stars

When 11-year-old Darla struggles with her mental health, her family decides to turn to a lobotomy as the solution. But they soon find out exactly why they’re no longer practiced, leaving Darla, and her sister Ellie, to deal with the consequences.

Heartbreaking and tragic, there was so much real-world horror in this book. It forces you to confront a dark chapter in medical history, where “treatment” often meant irreversible harm. It’s hard to believe that lobotomies were ever a thing, and the story drives home just how many lives, like Darla’s, were permanently altered because society didn’t understand or accept mental illness.

It’s been such a long time since I’ve stayed up at night to finish a book, but I needed to know what would happen to Darla, even when I suspected it wouldn’t be easy to take. And it isn’t. I really felt for her. She was such a lovable character in spite of what happened to her. This entire book was beautifully tragic. Every character had such a sad trajectory that’s unfortunately reminiscent of so many real-world struggles. The ending had me in tears because the world can be a really cruel place.

If you’re looking for a story that will break your heart while shedding light on a deeply disturbing reality, this is your book.

Title: I Will Kill Your Imaginary Friend for $200

Author: Robert Brockway

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Will-Kill-Your-Imaginary-Friend-ebook/dp/B0DPV2F9FW/

To bright and anxious eight-year-old Kay Washington, the worst thing in the world is being alone with the quiet. That’s why Eddie Video makes the perfect imaginary friend: He’s smart, he’s loud, he loves pulling pranks, and he’s always there to chase away the silence.

To mid-forties, down-on-his-luck Ivan, the worst thing in the world happened when he lost his imaginary friend. Now cursed with the ability to see everyone else’s, Ivan makes a living by killing the imaginary friends of adults who couldn’t let go. His only rule: No kids. But when one of Eddie Video’s “pranks” goes too far, Ivan agrees to make an exception and help Kay.

Only Ivan will soon learn that Eddie Video is nothing like the talking ostriches, star bears, and goblin princesses he’s encountered in the past, and it’s going to take a lot more than clumsy haymakers and steak knives to bring him down. A balance of comedy and catharsis, this dual-narrative tackles both the fear of growing up and the scars our childhood leaves behind.

5/5 Stars

Kay Washington is what you’d best describe as an “ipad kid.” She doesn’t fit in at school and at home, her mom is busy more often than not. So Kay fills the silence the only way she knows how: by watching videos from a mysterious online figure known as Eddie Video. But the more she watches, the more she fuels something far less harmless than a distraction—until Eddie steps out of the screen and into her world. And he’s no ordinary imaginary friend. Worse, he doesn’t have Kay’s best interests at heart.

What starts with humor and sharp, relatable observations quickly deepens into something much heavier. The book balances its funny moments with an unflinching look at childhood trauma and how it lingers, shaping a person. By using the idea of imaginary friends, the author highlights the quiet damage that can come from emotional neglect and distracted parenting. On the other end of the spectrum, Ivan—fully grown yet still burdened by unresolved pain—drives home just how crucial it is to confront that trauma rather than carry it.

I went into this book with little idea of what to expect. The title and cover caught my attention, and I’d heard just enough buzz to make me curious. What I didn’t anticipate was the emotional ride that followed; a story that swings between laugh-out-loud moments and gut-punch realizations.

Title: Frostbite

Author: Jill Palmer

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GJCTDFPQ/

Release Date: May 5th, 2026

They’ll chase you. They’ll catch you. They’ll swallow you whole.

Even before the frostbite virus started turning people into mindless, flesh-eating monsters, 17-year-old Winter preferred being alone. Crowbar, her diabetic service dog, is the only one she trusts in a world that has never felt safe.

However, when her insulin supply is destroyed, Winter is forced to embark on a perilous road trip across Pennsylvania with Eliot, the idealistic leader of a nearby settlement. To survive, they must learn to trust one another, though Eliot is everything Winter isn’t: generous, kind, and convinced she’s worth saving.

As they battle hordes of undead, teenage cultists, and car trouble, a figure from Winter’s past resurfaces, threatening not just Eliot and Winter’s fragile bond, but also their lives.

At the end of the world, the worst monsters are those with human faces.

5/5 Stars

When the Frostbite virus tore through the world, it collapsed everything. Civilization crumbled, cities fell silent, and the infected—known as Gulpers—picked through the ruins. Somehow, Winter has survived it all, relying only on herself and her fiercely loyal service dog, Crowbar. That is, until her insulin supply is destroyed, forcing her out of isolation and into a dangerous journey she never wanted to take.

I’m usually not one for post-apocalyptic stories, but I absolutely adored this one. The characters feel vivid and real, and the dynamic between Winter and Eliot pulled me in from the start. Not to mention Crowbar.

Winter developed so much as a character over the course of the story, really exploring identity, trust, and what it actually means to be human when the world has stripped everything else away.  

The lore behind the virus and the world it left behind was interesting, and the idea of the Gulpers was chilling. It made me think of something out of a Resident Evil game.

And that ending? Completely satisfying. Everything comes together in a way that feels earned without being predictable.

If you love witty characters, post-apocalyptic survival, and a tough, compelling female lead, you’ll enjoy this one.

Title: The Skin Room

Author: Carl Bluesy

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Room-Splatterpunk-Novel-ebook/dp/B0GKZCD7W6

Release Date: 5/5/2026

Kenneth had it all: a life of luxury, fancy cars, rotating women. Now he has lost everything.

At first, he only wanted his home back, but that all changed when he connected with his community. Now he wants to make sure everyone can live without fear of the madman hiding in the shadows.

Once he is captured by the serial killer, he will have to make the hard choice of what he is willing to sacrifice in order to survive, but what do you give when you have nothing left but the skin on your back?

Come peel away the bloody pages of Kenneth’s struggle between what is right and what is needed to survive.

Warning: this story contains graphic scenes and is intended for mature readers only.

4/5 Stars

Kenneth has it all…until he doesn’t. After a horrific series of events, he ends up homeless, desperately trying to get his life back. As if things weren’t bad enough, there’s a serial killer known as the Peeler on the loose, targeting Kenenth’s new community.

This was an interesting story. At no point did I know where it was going to go. At first, I admit, I found the book tough to get into. Kenneth was a little, I’ll say much, but when the other characters were introduced, I found myself easing into the story. Viv was probably my favorite.

This was intense and gruesome but also brilliant for the way it highlighted the struggles that homeless people face. Definitely check the triggers on this one before picking it up. If you’re a fan of the dark and gory, you’ll love this one!

Title: Marla

Author: Jonathan Janz

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Marla-Jonathan-Janz-ebook/dp/B0FSWGZ6J8/

Release Date: August 18th, 2026

From beloved horror author Jonathan Janz, Marla is a slow-burn, full-throttle horror novel about the families we inherit, the guilt we carry, and the terrible gravity of a gaze you can’t forget. Turn the page—if you dare.

In King’s Branch, Indiana, everyone knows the Gorman House. Everyone whispers about the girl in the upstairs window.

Detective Carl Lancaster is driving the same back road he’s driven a thousand times when he glances up—and meets a stare that freezes him to the bone. Minutes later, a body turns up. Coincidence, he tells himself. Then it happens again.

Annie Frost, a child–protection social worker with a crumbling home life, is used to walking into other people’s nightmares. But a tense visit with a volatile family ties her fate to the Gorman house—and to a secret she’s spent her entire life suppressing.

Dylan Ellison, twenty-one and drifting, comes home for the summer and finds himself drawn to the beautiful, enigmatic Marla Gorman. Curiosity becomes obsession; fascination becomes fear.

As strange deaths ripple through the county and rumors sharpen into patterns, Carl, Annie, and Dylan are pulled toward the same locked door: a creaking Victorian filled with moonlit hallways, a shadowed toy room, and a presence that smiles without kindness. In a town that wears its love of horror like a badge, suspicion is contagious, memory is dangerous, and some windows look back.

5/5 Stars

Every town has their local gossip and urban legends. For King’s Branch, there’s Marla. A reclusive woman who lives with her mother in a creepy old house. No one knows much about either of them until a string of strange murders overtakes the town. Marla is at the heart of it all, but no one can anticipate the truth.

This is my second year in a row reading an ARC by Jonathan Janz and the second year in a row that it ends up being in my top five reads of the year. This novel is a slow-burn horror masterpiece, dripping with dread and an atmosphere so intense it’s almost tangible. I’ve never experienced a book that made the tension feel this thick.

I had such a hard time putting it down because I had to find out what Marla was. She was such a unique villain. I can’t think of any story with a similar enemy. The twist at the end was so unexpected that I read it twice just to wrap my head around it.

This book flawlessly blends genres: murder mystery, horror, gothic, psychological thriller, and suspense. It releases this August, just in time for spooky season, and you won’t want to miss it!

Title: Pumpkin Seeds

Author: Tyler Downs

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Pumpkin-Seeds-Tyler-Downs-ebook/dp/B0GJ12HFNT/

Edward Crane is a private detective who died eleven years ago. But once a year, with the help of his loyal sidekick Sam, Ed’s rotting corpse is reanimated for the last week of October to solve his town’s most devious cases before returning to the grave.

As the pair navigate the supernatural underbelly of Salem in pursuit of a dark entity with a growing body count, Ed and Sam are forced to rely on the haunting visions of a body-swapping ghost for clues to help set things right.

4/5 Stars

I was excited to read another piece by Downs after Fifteen Eyes and this did not disappoint!

Edward Crane is officially dead, but that doesn’t stop him from solving crimes. With his loveable sidekick, they spend the Halloween season piecing together mysteries in Salem until Edward goes back into the ground. But this year is different. Deadlier. For once, Edward might not see another Halloween season.

Cozy mystery, visceral horror, and 90’s nostalgia all wrapped into one, the atmosphere of this one is perfect. Add in the setting of Salem and the history of the witch trials? This book is the perfect fall read (or anytime if your lifestyle is Halloween like me).

The characters were all realistic and while I didn’t love all of them (looking at you, Isaac) I could understand them and their motivations made them feel like real people.

This was a really fun book!

Title: Made of Him: A Kind of Hunger

Author: C.B. Lannister

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GHQBLMFM/

After a violent assault shatters her sense of reality, college freshman Mara Winslow becomes obsessed with uncovering who’s watching her, and why. Her memories twist. Her suspicions sharpen. And the more she searches for answers, the more her grip on truth begins to slip.

Drawn to the quiet intensity of her literature professor, Dr. Harlow, Mara finds herself spiraling into a dangerous hunger for meaning, connection, and control. But desire blurs into fear, paranoia becomes a kind of obsession, and every shadow on campus feels like a warning she can’t decipher.

As Mara’s world fractures, she’s forced to confront a terrifying possibility: the real predator may not be the man she fears, but the story she’s telling herself.

Made of Him: A Kind of Hunger is a chilling psychological thriller about trauma, identity, and the lies we cling to when the truth is too dangerous to face. Perfect for readers of The Girl on the Train, You, and dark academia thrillers with unreliable narrators.

5/5 Stars

Mara is a normal college freshman until she’s assaulted one night and her entire world shatters. Lost to her trauma, she finds herself trying to understand the mind of the monster who destroyed her while struggling to not become one herself.

Hurt people, hurt people.

That’s the theme of this book. Trauma is not straightforward and being a victim is not always black and white. Healing is an ugly and disjointed journey.

This was a very emotional read, and I deeply connected with Mara. I felt her internal struggles, and I found the end to be brilliant.

Title: Ride the Spiral

Author: Ben Young

Release Date: May 26, 2026

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Ride-Spiral-Cosmic-Horror-Novel-ebook/dp/B0GSH29CHQ

A mind-bending psychological horror thriller exploring the terrifying cost of unconditional love.

To save his son, he must leave reality behind.

It’s been 32 years since a massive dimensional rift opened in the sky, and in that time The Ripped Sky Event has been largely covered up and denied. Spencer Smith has vague memories of what happened during those few hours, though, including the strange behavior exhibited by kids all over the world.

Now, his five-year-old son Luke is acting strangely too, and Spencer thinks there’s a connection.

When Luke’s behavior becomes increasingly frightening and violent, Spencer grows desperate to discover the root cause and help him before any permanent damage is done. After exhausting every available option, Spencer uncovers a means to reach higher planes of existence and perception, through a process his former physics teacher calls “riding the spiral”.

By doing this, he hopes to see what’s happening inside Luke’s brain with his own eyes.

But, as Spencer travels through the coils of reality beyond the human experience, an inhuman presence is stalking him. And he learns that, to help Luke, he may have to ride the spiral so far that he can’t come back.

Perfect for fans of Blake Crouch and Stephen King, Ride the Spiral is a mind-bending psychological sci-fi thriller that explores the terrifying cost of unconditional love in a universe that doesn’t care if you survive.

5/5 Stars

When Spencer was a kid, the sky ripped open. 32 years later, the event is a conspiracy theory, but he knows what he saw. The effects are ongoing, still affecting him. And worse? Now it might be affecting his son too.

I just…I loved this book so much. I have no idea how to put into words exactly how much I loved it. I want to start by saying that as a parent of a child with DMDD (Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder) I have never related to characters more than I did Marty and Spencer. Their struggle with Luke was so heartbreakingly real and relatable to me.

I loved the idea of the ghost tunnel and how string theory tied into everything. There was a lot of research that went into this book but there’s still plenty of room for creativity too. I loved the balance.

When I finished this book, I sat in silence for a while because it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that put me in my feels like this.

I’d give this book 5000 stars if I could, but I guess I’ll settle for five. Seriously. If you’re a fan of cosmic horror and sci-fi, don’t sleep on this one!

Title: Straitjackets and Roses

Author: Vivian VanDam

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0GTR9PWWG/

Virelle has never seen color—until Miles.
Now he’s all she can see.
What begins as fascination twists into something deeper, darker… necessary. As Miles unravels from his abusive relationship, Virelle becomes his only sense of clarity, his only escape. But love was never part of the equation.
Only need. Only possession.
And when obstacles stand in her way, Virelle doesn’t hesitate to remove them.
Because some connections aren’t meant to be broken.
They’re meant to consume.

5/5 Stars

Virelle has a condition that stops her from seeing colors. That changes when she meets Miles. She quickly spirals into an obsessive longing, addicted to the sensations he unlocks in her brain. She’ll do anything to keep him in her life. Even murder.

Dark and edgy, this was an intense read that had me in a chokehold all the way through. I really felt for Miles and I did not see that ending coming!

I’m quickly realizing that I adore Vivian VanDam’s writing style. I could not put this one down. If you’re a fan of horror and toxic love, this is the book for you!

Title: The Island Mother

Author: Jon Cohn

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Island-Mother-Jon-Cohn-ebook/dp/B0B6HH2LHB/

Midsommar meets White Lotus in this supernatural thriller centered around an emotionally codependent woman on the run from her own life. She finds paradise, but it may come at a cost that she’s unable to pay…

Leigh Ramos – a woman on the run from her ex-boyfriend and the dangerous life she left behind – is starting over in Hawaii with a new name and hopes to leave her past behind her.
She’s doing okay. A new job. Great friends. And a love interest in her new boss. But something seems off. The itch to run is back and the island seems to be rejecting her at every turn.

“An edge of your seat page-turner.”
“An intriguing supernatural thriller with lots of horror elements, keeping THIS reader flipping pages till the very end.”

There’s a darkness looming on the island and it seems that the only thing that will save them is a sacrifice that will cost a little bit of something from everyone.

Will this new life be all that she’s ever wished for or is the island going to claim her too?


From author Jon Cohn, comes the next great horror book that blends danger, supernatural creatures, and the unknown into an unforgettable read.

5/5 Stars

When Leigh is sent on a dangerous delivery for her drug-dealer boyfriend, she decides it’s the perfect moment to start a completely new life. Not just a new life—one as far away from her current home as possible: Hawaii. At first, everything seems perfect. New job, new beau, new identity. But then the nightmares begin, and she quickly realizes she’s not the only one leading a double life.

I have a habit of diving into books without reading the synopsis, and with Jon Cohn’s work, that approach is always a thrill. I never know where the story will take me, and I rarely predict what will happen next. The Island Mother was no exception. I had absolutely no idea what Kai’s true intentions were when he took Leigh under his wing, and I’m still stunned by Leigh’s choices at the end.

Island horror is fun on its own, but Jon Cohn’s take on it? Absolutely perfect. If you’re craving a tropical adventure layered with psychological dread, this book is an absolute must-read.