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Influence: #horrorstories
Social media reflects our world.
Are you not terrified?
Satirical and harrowing, Influence is a collection of experimental stories exposing the horror that lurks in modern society. Artificial intelligence for exorcisims, wellness fads gone deadly, lockdown cabin fever, and the dangers of our need to be adored.
The Sky is Full of Snakewolves
It started where it always starts, in Florida. The headlines told a terrible “Florida Man Clawed to Bits in Walmart Parking Lot.” The respectable papers didn’t include the details, but they were easy to find on the internet.
Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis
“A devastating critique of the Instagram culture we live in, with a little bit of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest thrown in! Seriously impressive epistolary prose.” – Joseph Sale, The Claw of Craving
The Shoebox Challenge
It happened because in-line skating made its first appearance in the Olympics that year. That’s what the old folks said. The ones that blamed every school shooting on the musician whose black clothes and lyrics they didn’t like. The mark of the beast people. Truth is, it didn’t matter what inspired kids to slip their feet into empty shoe boxes and skate down the streets. It was likely the same thing that inspired them to eat Tide PODS and make themselves faint and dance the Macarena.
Xorcize.Me – Novelette
She told me that if I really loved her, I’d call up the entire advisory board for an emergency gang bang. That’s when I knew she needed an exorcism.
The People Around You
“Guys, listen to this,” I say. “You can’t change the people around you. But you can change the people around you.”
Blank stares.
“Did I just blow your mind?”
Karen - Novella
“We all know one, some of us are one, we know the hairstyle, the entitlement, the constant need to call the manager over to help bully, but we haven't met the queen! Until now.” - Rayne Havok, author of Mukbang Princess AND A SNEAK PEEK AT LUCY LEITNER’S UPCOMING The Girl With the Lollipop Eyes
"Lucy Leitner is the go-to voice in satirical, thought-provoking horror fiction. She does this without remorse, exposing the filthy, wriggling underbelly of society." - Daniel J. Volpe, author of PLASTIC MONSTERS
Are you not terrified?
Satirical and harrowing, Influence is a collection of experimental stories exposing the horror that lurks in modern society. Artificial intelligence for exorcisims, wellness fads gone deadly, lockdown cabin fever, and the dangers of our need to be adored.
The Sky is Full of Snakewolves
It started where it always starts, in Florida. The headlines told a terrible “Florida Man Clawed to Bits in Walmart Parking Lot.” The respectable papers didn’t include the details, but they were easy to find on the internet.
Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis
“A devastating critique of the Instagram culture we live in, with a little bit of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest thrown in! Seriously impressive epistolary prose.” – Joseph Sale, The Claw of Craving
The Shoebox Challenge
It happened because in-line skating made its first appearance in the Olympics that year. That’s what the old folks said. The ones that blamed every school shooting on the musician whose black clothes and lyrics they didn’t like. The mark of the beast people. Truth is, it didn’t matter what inspired kids to slip their feet into empty shoe boxes and skate down the streets. It was likely the same thing that inspired them to eat Tide PODS and make themselves faint and dance the Macarena.
Xorcize.Me – Novelette
She told me that if I really loved her, I’d call up the entire advisory board for an emergency gang bang. That’s when I knew she needed an exorcism.
The People Around You
“Guys, listen to this,” I say. “You can’t change the people around you. But you can change the people around you.”
Blank stares.
“Did I just blow your mind?”
Karen - Novella
“We all know one, some of us are one, we know the hairstyle, the entitlement, the constant need to call the manager over to help bully, but we haven't met the queen! Until now.” - Rayne Havok, author of Mukbang Princess AND A SNEAK PEEK AT LUCY LEITNER’S UPCOMING The Girl With the Lollipop Eyes
"Lucy Leitner is the go-to voice in satirical, thought-provoking horror fiction. She does this without remorse, exposing the filthy, wriggling underbelly of society." - Daniel J. Volpe, author of PLASTIC MONSTERS
140 pages, Paperback
First published February 28, 2023
4 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
Lucy Leitner
21 books53 followersLucy Leitner is the author of five novels and many published short stories that blend horror, sci fi, black humor, and irreverence to explore “the terror of knowing what this world is about.” Her books have been classified as transgressive fiction, satire, splatterpunk, and, her personal favorite, “goofball noir.”
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 8, 2024
Lucy’s new collection, “Influence” mixed themes of postmodern horror with the bizarre and weird. Two of the stories I actually already have (from the Call Me Hoop collection and a standalone from Godless). It would’ve been a bit more interesting to sub out the Hoop story, as a lot of people who read Lucy’s work may have already read or own it.
I think my favourites were “They Say the Sky is Full of SnakeWolves”: an interesting look at domestic violence when the world is in lockdown (from monsters).
“The ShoeBox Challenge”: this viral trend was so strange. I would’ve liked to see this story expanded a bit more, maybe with interviews with the teens that are going to try the fad out.
The other stories were unique, but again two of them I’ve read elsewhere.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Blood Bound Books for a copy.
I think my favourites were “They Say the Sky is Full of SnakeWolves”: an interesting look at domestic violence when the world is in lockdown (from monsters).
“The ShoeBox Challenge”: this viral trend was so strange. I would’ve liked to see this story expanded a bit more, maybe with interviews with the teens that are going to try the fad out.
The other stories were unique, but again two of them I’ve read elsewhere.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Blood Bound Books for a copy.
February 28, 2023
Horror Bookworm Reviews
Influence by Lucy Leitner
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
- A young woman’s way of life consists of an environment where terrifying monsters live outside of her home as well as inside. With nowhere to hide and nowhere to escape, survival options are scarcely limited.
- Desperate for acceptance and a desire for attention, a new adolescent craze has gone viral on the city streets. This novelty has kept the public informed by its exploitative videos.
- A Karen uses her BMW X6 as a justifiable solution to her prejudice problems. Her self entitled carnage of flesh and bone far exceeds the scope of what is normal and acceptable in society.
Influence by Lucy Leitner is a collection of short stories based on website applications enabling users to create and share content. From a morbid transcribed podcast to an individual’s unwholesome journey on Instagram, Leitner has put her own unique spin on social networking. These morbid #Horrorstories permits the reader to visit strange cities, view peculiar posts and learn how to change the people around you…literally.
Unleashing her own brand of specialized horror, I feel it is my civic duty to share, promote and recommend to the public this intense reading experience. Hit that like button, subscribe to that blog and upload the latest viral video…Influence is bound to provoke reactions from all those involved with social networking sites.
Lucy Leitner educates the reader with her invaluable lessons of…the significance of a selfie…actions to be taken when sounds of civil defense sirens are heard…visiting Xorcize.Me if you think a loved one is a victim of demonic possession. If these tutorials sound like stable advise then grab your copy of this five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation today.
Influence by Lucy Leitner
https://horrorbookwormreviews.com/
- A young woman’s way of life consists of an environment where terrifying monsters live outside of her home as well as inside. With nowhere to hide and nowhere to escape, survival options are scarcely limited.
- Desperate for acceptance and a desire for attention, a new adolescent craze has gone viral on the city streets. This novelty has kept the public informed by its exploitative videos.
- A Karen uses her BMW X6 as a justifiable solution to her prejudice problems. Her self entitled carnage of flesh and bone far exceeds the scope of what is normal and acceptable in society.
Influence by Lucy Leitner is a collection of short stories based on website applications enabling users to create and share content. From a morbid transcribed podcast to an individual’s unwholesome journey on Instagram, Leitner has put her own unique spin on social networking. These morbid #Horrorstories permits the reader to visit strange cities, view peculiar posts and learn how to change the people around you…literally.
Unleashing her own brand of specialized horror, I feel it is my civic duty to share, promote and recommend to the public this intense reading experience. Hit that like button, subscribe to that blog and upload the latest viral video…Influence is bound to provoke reactions from all those involved with social networking sites.
Lucy Leitner educates the reader with her invaluable lessons of…the significance of a selfie…actions to be taken when sounds of civil defense sirens are heard…visiting Xorcize.Me if you think a loved one is a victim of demonic possession. If these tutorials sound like stable advise then grab your copy of this five star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Horror Bookworm Recommendation today.
December 30, 2023
I get that it's supposed to be satire, but that didn't make it any more interesting to me. The collection was well-written enough to form coherent stories, but none included were very original or especially fascinating or saying anything of particular interest to me. It's a quick read, so not a waste of time, but none of the stories stood out either. I won't be recommending this one to anybody but I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it either. Just a bit of a nothing burger.
June 13, 2024
It's nearly criminal how little this book is talked about! Reading this book exceeded way beyond my expectations! The writing is so amazing and the ideas are creative and interesting. Influence is a collection of 6 short stories, all surrounding the theme of modern society/internet culture/social media with a satirical spin to the horror. Each and every one of these stories could very easily be a Black Mirror episode.
In 'The Sky is Full of Snakewolves' we have a woman in a lockdown type situation forced between choosing the dangers inside her home with a DV situation or facing the body tearing monsters that have invaded her city. Reminded me a lot of the COVID lockdown days when we were isolated and afraid to go outside and honestly the one I can't get out of me head.
In "Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis" a woman livestreams her wellness retreat where things might not be as it seems. This reminded me of Instagram influencers who are perhaps overselling how amazing their brand deals are.
'Karen' follows the life of the worst Karen (of the 'I'd like to speak with your manager' variety) that you'll ever meet. This one was hard to read only because she is the worst person to ever exist and being in her head was a horribly wonderful experience.
In 'The Shoebox Challenge' we learn about the newest challenge the kids are doing (like eating Tide Pods). The story is basically about how teens do stupid and dangerous things for a chance to go viral.
'Xorcize.Me' is in the format of a podcast transcript. It is the interview of a man who has invented an exorcism kit including an AI exorcist. I loved that sponsorships and discount codes were included. It touches a lot on the pseudoscience that gets shared around easily as well as people giving theirselves self diagnosis of mental illnesses as an excuse for their behaviours.
"The People Around You" is a group of friends where their conversation gets off the rails. Basically portrays how it would look in real life if people talked or treated each other like some do in the comment section.
My personal favourites were 'The Sky is Full of Snakewolves', 'Get Me Out of This Simmering Oasis', and 'Xorcize.Me'.
The only one I did not really enjoy was "The Shoebox Challenge'. I felt I didn't really have a sense of who the narrator was and I just was struggling to even visualize how cardboard boxes could even be used to slide down a road logistically. Wouldn't they get stuck? Maybe I'm wrong, it's just a minor complaint.
The book also ends with an excerpt of the authors newest book which I was excited to read as I am definitely now a fan. Thank you to Netgalley and Blood Bound Books for providing me a copy of this book and bringing it into my life.
In 'The Sky is Full of Snakewolves' we have a woman in a lockdown type situation forced between choosing the dangers inside her home with a DV situation or facing the body tearing monsters that have invaded her city. Reminded me a lot of the COVID lockdown days when we were isolated and afraid to go outside and honestly the one I can't get out of me head.
In "Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis" a woman livestreams her wellness retreat where things might not be as it seems. This reminded me of Instagram influencers who are perhaps overselling how amazing their brand deals are.
'Karen' follows the life of the worst Karen (of the 'I'd like to speak with your manager' variety) that you'll ever meet. This one was hard to read only because she is the worst person to ever exist and being in her head was a horribly wonderful experience.
In 'The Shoebox Challenge' we learn about the newest challenge the kids are doing (like eating Tide Pods). The story is basically about how teens do stupid and dangerous things for a chance to go viral.
'Xorcize.Me' is in the format of a podcast transcript. It is the interview of a man who has invented an exorcism kit including an AI exorcist. I loved that sponsorships and discount codes were included. It touches a lot on the pseudoscience that gets shared around easily as well as people giving theirselves self diagnosis of mental illnesses as an excuse for their behaviours.
"The People Around You" is a group of friends where their conversation gets off the rails. Basically portrays how it would look in real life if people talked or treated each other like some do in the comment section.
My personal favourites were 'The Sky is Full of Snakewolves', 'Get Me Out of This Simmering Oasis', and 'Xorcize.Me'.
The only one I did not really enjoy was "The Shoebox Challenge'. I felt I didn't really have a sense of who the narrator was and I just was struggling to even visualize how cardboard boxes could even be used to slide down a road logistically. Wouldn't they get stuck? Maybe I'm wrong, it's just a minor complaint.
The book also ends with an excerpt of the authors newest book which I was excited to read as I am definitely now a fan. Thank you to Netgalley and Blood Bound Books for providing me a copy of this book and bringing it into my life.
August 2, 2023
Lucy has become one of my favourite authors no one meshes satire with horror quite like her, internet culture and society are thrust under Leitners scope of scrutiny in a gross and unapologetic way, none of these short stories is a throw away and each one leaves you questioning humanity and the role technology plays in our lives, in my opinion horror thats close to home (maybe too close) is the most disturbing, it also had a story that tied in with her other book Bad Vibrations which you should also check out!
July 2, 2024
I received an ARC for this book from NetGalley for free.
This was one of the rare short story collections where I actually liked all of the stories. Loved the author's writing style and her satirical take on horror. The story titled Karen was one the best short stories I've read in a long time. It was equally funny as it was horrifying.
If you're looking for a good horror short story collection then pick this up.
I will definitely be checking out the authors other works as well.
This was one of the rare short story collections where I actually liked all of the stories. Loved the author's writing style and her satirical take on horror. The story titled Karen was one the best short stories I've read in a long time. It was equally funny as it was horrifying.
If you're looking for a good horror short story collection then pick this up.
I will definitely be checking out the authors other works as well.
August 13, 2024
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from netgalley in exchange for a review.
This short horror collection features satirical social commentary on the modern age often with a bloody twist. Personally unfortunately not a lot in here worked for me. While I enjoyed reading about the AI exorcism and the deadly injuries acquired in a new online trend, I also did not enjoy the way some of the satirised people were treated in the end. Mostly I have to say that the stories did fall a bit flat too me and did not dive deep enough into the topics they were satirizing and so I was left bored or feeling like it was too easily predictable, so all in all, only a two star read.
Below here there will be spoilers as I describe the various stories, including trigger warnings and some commentary on them.
They Say the Sky is Full of Snakewolfs: a short story about what to do when there's a monster in your home, but there's also monsters outside, interesting and tense and a really quite good investigation of domestic abuse. TW: graphic domestic abuse, rape, violence, gore, murder
Get Me Out of this Shimmering Oasis: Wellness influencer is invited to a new resoir, somethings off though and soon she will realize it too. Interesting concept but it quickly loses steam as the big twist behind this one becomes quite obvious. Personally it does not sit well with me that the influencer claims very many rare illnesses, because this idea of a faker just makes life so much harder for people actually affected. I think the shitty sides of wellness culture can be much better explored by showing who is exploited by the people in it than call sick people fakers. Finally I also did not feel like the implications of the ending sat too well with me. TW: ableism
Karen: A woman chooses vehicular manslaughter as a solution to all her problems, satirically evil in a very Kill Your Friends way it follows am eating disordered Karen who receives a device that transmits her thoughts to those around her, could have been interesting if it had been snappier, we know shes a fatphobic pos after the first two times she kills and it just gets unrealistic after a while. I did enjoy this story more than Get Me Out (...), but again I hated the way she was punished in the end (disability is Not a punishment and seeing it used that way while the story literally uses the c-slur in the same part is just... really bad). I also don't think that a story that supposedly satirizes fatphobia and fatphobic societal ideas of fat people being lazy (etc.) really works if by the end the character is told that without her leg she too will now be unable to work out and eat her pain away and grow fat due to being lazy. I would have found it more interesting if her comeuppance had been something that didn't reproduce harmful tropes such as the disabled & disfigured villain where their battered outsides finally match their horrible inside thoughts. Unfortunately a case of a story that could be interesting that just really got ruined by the end for me. TW: eating disorder, fatphobia, murder, ableism, c-slur
The Shoe Box Challenge: A new tiktok challenge leads to some gruesome injuries that get shared far and wide online and so find their own kind of audience. Features some really gruesome gorey descriptions, which I liked and the story is fun. I enjoyed that it explored the bloodthirsty side of potentially harmful online trends, while including some social criticism at the same time. TW: gore, injury
Xorcize.me: A interview of a new start up that offers AI exorcisms. Interesting exploration of tech bros, combining AI and religion and creating an really quite interesting world which I enjoyed reading about a lot. TW: murder, gore, rape
The People Around You: What if you went to the bathroom at a bar and when you came out your friends are turned into charicatures of 4chan misogynist, instagram influencer and hysteric buzzword warrior? Could have been fun & I enjoy the gore, but the end kind of stole a lot of the story's power unfortunately. TW: misogyny, violence, murder
This short horror collection features satirical social commentary on the modern age often with a bloody twist. Personally unfortunately not a lot in here worked for me. While I enjoyed reading about the AI exorcism and the deadly injuries acquired in a new online trend, I also did not enjoy the way some of the satirised people were treated in the end. Mostly I have to say that the stories did fall a bit flat too me and did not dive deep enough into the topics they were satirizing and so I was left bored or feeling like it was too easily predictable, so all in all, only a two star read.
Below here there will be spoilers as I describe the various stories, including trigger warnings and some commentary on them.
They Say the Sky is Full of Snakewolfs: a short story about what to do when there's a monster in your home, but there's also monsters outside, interesting and tense and a really quite good investigation of domestic abuse. TW: graphic domestic abuse, rape, violence, gore, murder
Get Me Out of this Shimmering Oasis: Wellness influencer is invited to a new resoir, somethings off though and soon she will realize it too. Interesting concept but it quickly loses steam as the big twist behind this one becomes quite obvious. Personally it does not sit well with me that the influencer claims very many rare illnesses, because this idea of a faker just makes life so much harder for people actually affected. I think the shitty sides of wellness culture can be much better explored by showing who is exploited by the people in it than call sick people fakers. Finally I also did not feel like the implications of the ending sat too well with me. TW: ableism
Karen: A woman chooses vehicular manslaughter as a solution to all her problems, satirically evil in a very Kill Your Friends way it follows am eating disordered Karen who receives a device that transmits her thoughts to those around her, could have been interesting if it had been snappier, we know shes a fatphobic pos after the first two times she kills and it just gets unrealistic after a while. I did enjoy this story more than Get Me Out (...), but again I hated the way she was punished in the end (disability is Not a punishment and seeing it used that way while the story literally uses the c-slur in the same part is just... really bad). I also don't think that a story that supposedly satirizes fatphobia and fatphobic societal ideas of fat people being lazy (etc.) really works if by the end the character is told that without her leg she too will now be unable to work out and eat her pain away and grow fat due to being lazy. I would have found it more interesting if her comeuppance had been something that didn't reproduce harmful tropes such as the disabled & disfigured villain where their battered outsides finally match their horrible inside thoughts. Unfortunately a case of a story that could be interesting that just really got ruined by the end for me. TW: eating disorder, fatphobia, murder, ableism, c-slur
The Shoe Box Challenge: A new tiktok challenge leads to some gruesome injuries that get shared far and wide online and so find their own kind of audience. Features some really gruesome gorey descriptions, which I liked and the story is fun. I enjoyed that it explored the bloodthirsty side of potentially harmful online trends, while including some social criticism at the same time. TW: gore, injury
Xorcize.me: A interview of a new start up that offers AI exorcisms. Interesting exploration of tech bros, combining AI and religion and creating an really quite interesting world which I enjoyed reading about a lot. TW: murder, gore, rape
The People Around You: What if you went to the bathroom at a bar and when you came out your friends are turned into charicatures of 4chan misogynist, instagram influencer and hysteric buzzword warrior? Could have been fun & I enjoy the gore, but the end kind of stole a lot of the story's power unfortunately. TW: misogyny, violence, murder
August 22, 2024
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.
Lucy Leitner’s Influence #horrorstories is a chilling and satirical collection that delves into the dark underbelly of modern society. Through a series of experimental stories, Leitner exposes the horrors lurking behind our everyday interactions and obsessions, making this book a thought-provoking and unsettling read.
The collection comprises four short stories, one novelette, one novella, and a sneak peek at an upcoming novel. Each story is a standalone piece, yet they all share a common thread of exploring the macabre aspects of contemporary life.
Leitner’s characters are vividly drawn, often reflecting the absurdities and vulnerabilities of modern existence. In “The Sky is Full of Snakewolves,” we meet a Florida man whose bizarre encounter in a Walmart parking lot sets the tone for the surreal horrors to come.
Themes and Writing Style: Influence #horrorstories tackles themes such as the dangers of social media, the superficiality of wellness culture, and the psychological toll of isolation. Leitner’s writing is sharp and incisive, blending dark humor with genuine horror to create stories that are as thought-provoking as they are disturbing.
The pacing of the collection is well-balanced, with each story building tension in its unique way. Leitner’s ability to maintain suspense across different narrative forms—from short stories to novellas—demonstrates her versatility as a writer.
Influence #horrorstories is a compelling and unsettling collection that showcases Lucy Leitner’s talent for blending horror with social commentary. Her stories are not only entertaining but also serve as a mirror reflecting the darker aspects of our modern world.
This book is a must-read for fans of horror who appreciate a satirical edge and are looking for stories that challenge their perceptions of reality.
Lucy Leitner’s Influence #horrorstories is a chilling and satirical collection that delves into the dark underbelly of modern society. Through a series of experimental stories, Leitner exposes the horrors lurking behind our everyday interactions and obsessions, making this book a thought-provoking and unsettling read.
The collection comprises four short stories, one novelette, one novella, and a sneak peek at an upcoming novel. Each story is a standalone piece, yet they all share a common thread of exploring the macabre aspects of contemporary life.
Leitner’s characters are vividly drawn, often reflecting the absurdities and vulnerabilities of modern existence. In “The Sky is Full of Snakewolves,” we meet a Florida man whose bizarre encounter in a Walmart parking lot sets the tone for the surreal horrors to come.
Themes and Writing Style: Influence #horrorstories tackles themes such as the dangers of social media, the superficiality of wellness culture, and the psychological toll of isolation. Leitner’s writing is sharp and incisive, blending dark humor with genuine horror to create stories that are as thought-provoking as they are disturbing.
The pacing of the collection is well-balanced, with each story building tension in its unique way. Leitner’s ability to maintain suspense across different narrative forms—from short stories to novellas—demonstrates her versatility as a writer.
Influence #horrorstories is a compelling and unsettling collection that showcases Lucy Leitner’s talent for blending horror with social commentary. Her stories are not only entertaining but also serve as a mirror reflecting the darker aspects of our modern world.
This book is a must-read for fans of horror who appreciate a satirical edge and are looking for stories that challenge their perceptions of reality.
May 14, 2025
Lucy Leitner’s Influence isn’t just horror, it’s cultural autopsy. Each story peels back a layer of modern life and asks, “Is this what we’ve become?” before gleefully dunking it in blood. What’s impressive is how it never sacrifices entertainment for commentary. These stories are funny, biting, often absurd, and that’s exactly what makes them hit.
You get the sense that Leitner sees our social media culture with laser precision: the hunger for attention, the curated virtue, the weird performative chaos of it all. And instead of moralizing, she writes with a smirk and a scalpel.
"Karen" is a standout—both hilarious and horrifying. Watching the main character spiral into a blood-soaked delusion while convinced she’s just “standing her ground” is brutal satire at its finest.
"Xorcize.Me" might be one of the most inventive stories I’ve read in a while—a podcast transcript featuring a smart home exorcism kit. It’s ridiculous, until it’s not. That’s Leitner’s strength: making you laugh, then making you squirm when you realize how close it hits.
Other stories tackle influencer wellness fads, viral challenges, online toxicity, and each one twists those realities just enough to show you how close we already are to the horror.
What ties the whole collection together is Leitner’s voice: sharp, unafraid, and deeply aware of how we use digital life to cope, control, or just pretend. This isn’t Black Mirror-level bleakness. It’s more punk rock. More B-movie with a PhD. And it works.
You get the sense that Leitner sees our social media culture with laser precision: the hunger for attention, the curated virtue, the weird performative chaos of it all. And instead of moralizing, she writes with a smirk and a scalpel.
"Karen" is a standout—both hilarious and horrifying. Watching the main character spiral into a blood-soaked delusion while convinced she’s just “standing her ground” is brutal satire at its finest.
"Xorcize.Me" might be one of the most inventive stories I’ve read in a while—a podcast transcript featuring a smart home exorcism kit. It’s ridiculous, until it’s not. That’s Leitner’s strength: making you laugh, then making you squirm when you realize how close it hits.
Other stories tackle influencer wellness fads, viral challenges, online toxicity, and each one twists those realities just enough to show you how close we already are to the horror.
What ties the whole collection together is Leitner’s voice: sharp, unafraid, and deeply aware of how we use digital life to cope, control, or just pretend. This isn’t Black Mirror-level bleakness. It’s more punk rock. More B-movie with a PhD. And it works.
September 28, 2023
if you haven't read Leitner before, as a horror fan you are really missing out. Besides the fact that she writes good stories with a decent helping of gore (but not over the top) she has a rapier-sharp wit the she employs to good use in many of her stories. Usually, it's to poke fun at things that so many people find annoying as hell about the younger generation-Instagram, being phone obsessed, and just insufferable twits in general.
In a few of these stories, the main character is the villain (of a sort) and it's never been so much fun to root for them to get stomped into place. Take Karen in the story, 'Karen.' This woman's soul is coal-black. She regards everyone as pathetic, and places herself on a pedestal, and it seems her joy in life is posting how great she is, when not posting how other people suck. Oh yeah, she also likes to run over obese people with her car. When she gets the tables turned on her, whoa! Watch out! It's payback of a very fitting sort. One of the other stories is a somewhat similar riff on that theme, it's a true joy to watch the main characters get poetic justice tossed on them.
The other stories are a mix-home exorcism kits, odd meetings at bars, but they all hold up well. This is just a quick collection, only 120 pages, but worth getting. It will do until she lets loose another full length effort, which I will be waiting for. It will be tough to top BAD VIBRATIONS, though.
In a few of these stories, the main character is the villain (of a sort) and it's never been so much fun to root for them to get stomped into place. Take Karen in the story, 'Karen.' This woman's soul is coal-black. She regards everyone as pathetic, and places herself on a pedestal, and it seems her joy in life is posting how great she is, when not posting how other people suck. Oh yeah, she also likes to run over obese people with her car. When she gets the tables turned on her, whoa! Watch out! It's payback of a very fitting sort. One of the other stories is a somewhat similar riff on that theme, it's a true joy to watch the main characters get poetic justice tossed on them.
The other stories are a mix-home exorcism kits, odd meetings at bars, but they all hold up well. This is just a quick collection, only 120 pages, but worth getting. It will do until she lets loose another full length effort, which I will be waiting for. It will be tough to top BAD VIBRATIONS, though.
March 18, 2023
"He’s like a Russian doll of monsters."
💀🪆🧹
Social media goes hand in hand with horror. These monsters are realistic and you might even recognize some of them.
One thing Lucy Leitner does the best is keep it real and relatable and neighbourly, horror is the scariest when it's so close to reality. All of the stories were uniquely fresh and raw and bursting with guts and gore.
If you want quick horror, then pick up this short book of horror stories and enjoy the glimpses of messed up creatures that we call humans.
There was also one story that kind of tied into her other book, #badvibrations and I was squealing with excitement when I realized what it was, because I really enjoyed both books and will definitely be reading her other books.
Goes without saying that you should check content warning before reading.
💀🪆🧹
Social media goes hand in hand with horror. These monsters are realistic and you might even recognize some of them.
One thing Lucy Leitner does the best is keep it real and relatable and neighbourly, horror is the scariest when it's so close to reality. All of the stories were uniquely fresh and raw and bursting with guts and gore.
If you want quick horror, then pick up this short book of horror stories and enjoy the glimpses of messed up creatures that we call humans.
There was also one story that kind of tied into her other book, #badvibrations and I was squealing with excitement when I realized what it was, because I really enjoyed both books and will definitely be reading her other books.
Goes without saying that you should check content warning before reading.
July 9, 2024
1.⭐️⭐️⭐️
2.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.⭐️⭐️
5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I am usually not a great fan of short story collections but this author’s mind had me craving for me. While I did not rate them all perfect scores, I loved her approach to classic horror scenarios with a twist of our current climate in 2024. Of course, some were ridiculous because that’s how we are as a society which makes them hilarious. We do get some light gore in some of them which was a great addition to them. This book never takes itself serious and it’s defiantly easy to read. The writing is not great, but can be easily forgotten about with the unique story lines. I would recommend this to people looking for novellas and fan of dark mirrors
2.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4.⭐️⭐️
5. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
I am usually not a great fan of short story collections but this author’s mind had me craving for me. While I did not rate them all perfect scores, I loved her approach to classic horror scenarios with a twist of our current climate in 2024. Of course, some were ridiculous because that’s how we are as a society which makes them hilarious. We do get some light gore in some of them which was a great addition to them. This book never takes itself serious and it’s defiantly easy to read. The writing is not great, but can be easily forgotten about with the unique story lines. I would recommend this to people looking for novellas and fan of dark mirrors
June 22, 2024
Lucy Leitner writes modern, relevant horror that uses current themes like social media and alternative medicine. The reason I enjoy her so much is because she's also funny, sarcastic, and uninhibited, and I always get at least a little personal satisfaction from her stories (sometimes a lot!). This is a short book of stories and I actually have one of the stories in another collection. I was not disappointed, and found myself smiling at completely inappropriate times, because Leitner knows how to shock. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me read this.
September 11, 2024
Influence
by Lucy Leitner
Well, this was a nice, surprising treat.
I'm usually not big into reading about "influencer culture", but these stories were so smart and sharply written; this is horror satire at its finest. There wasn't a dud in the bunch.
These are frighteningly funny stories, told with an incredibly dark sense of humor.
Filled with keen observations about our current "influencer-obsessed" culture, this collection is creepy, thought provoking, and conversation-starting.
These are stories you don't want to miss.
4/5
by Lucy Leitner
Well, this was a nice, surprising treat.
I'm usually not big into reading about "influencer culture", but these stories were so smart and sharply written; this is horror satire at its finest. There wasn't a dud in the bunch.
These are frighteningly funny stories, told with an incredibly dark sense of humor.
Filled with keen observations about our current "influencer-obsessed" culture, this collection is creepy, thought provoking, and conversation-starting.
These are stories you don't want to miss.
4/5
January 2, 2026
Influence by Lucy Leitner is such a fun and unsettling collection of horror stories. Influencers are everywhere, and social media really is both a blessing and a curse. these stories perfectly showcase the curse side of it. Each tale taps into modern fears and obsessions in a clever, often disturbing way.
My absolute favorite was “Karen,” with “Xorcize.me” coming in a very close second. Sharp, dark, and highly entertaining, this collection is a must-read for fans of short-form horror with a modern twist
My absolute favorite was “Karen,” with “Xorcize.me” coming in a very close second. Sharp, dark, and highly entertaining, this collection is a must-read for fans of short-form horror with a modern twist
January 12, 2026
I enjoyed this! I really like when there are multiple stories altogether! These stories have gore and satire and will definitely keep you entertained!
Out of the 6 stories, I really enjoyed "Get Me Out of this Shimmering Oasis" and "Karen" the best!
I think Lucy did a great job on these influencer stories and hope everyone else enjoys them too! I really enjoyed the writing style!.
also - the narrator JD Lynx did a really great job in my opinion.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Out of the 6 stories, I really enjoyed "Get Me Out of this Shimmering Oasis" and "Karen" the best!
I think Lucy did a great job on these influencer stories and hope everyone else enjoys them too! I really enjoyed the writing style!.
also - the narrator JD Lynx did a really great job in my opinion.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 8, 2026
This is an interesting set of stories. each highlights the impact and reach of social media on todays society.
some stories stand out more than others, and some resonate greater.
But each shines a light on the dark side of social media and the influence it has on people's thinking.
I unfortunately didnt find any to be standout or memorable, but an easy listen and worth giving a try.
Will be interested to see what else this author puts out as they definitely show potential.
some stories stand out more than others, and some resonate greater.
But each shines a light on the dark side of social media and the influence it has on people's thinking.
I unfortunately didnt find any to be standout or memorable, but an easy listen and worth giving a try.
Will be interested to see what else this author puts out as they definitely show potential.
February 8, 2023
4.5 stars-
Wow, this collection of short stories really set me on edge, especially the story titled "Karen" I had to keep reminding myself that Karen was just a character, not a real person. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the story is part of a larger series that I plan to read more of soon.
Wow, this collection of short stories really set me on edge, especially the story titled "Karen" I had to keep reminding myself that Karen was just a character, not a real person. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the story is part of a larger series that I plan to read more of soon.
March 27, 2023
A wild collection of disturbing satire surrounding the influence of technology and social media. That “Karen” story is going to stick in my head for a while. So brutal. The body horror is solid throughout too. There’s a healthy dose of yuck to go with the thought-provoking stories. Highly recommend.
June 15, 2024
A collection of short horror stories that mixes themes of modern day society,social media,and satire.
Personally I did not enjoy this,the stories themselves fell flat for me. Not one story stood out and after I finished them I forgot what they were even about.
Thank you NetGalley and to the Publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Personally I did not enjoy this,the stories themselves fell flat for me. Not one story stood out and after I finished them I forgot what they were even about.
Thank you NetGalley and to the Publishers for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 9, 2024
I am not usually a big fan of short stories, and these were super super short in my opinion.
But I wanted to give it a chance bc it was horror themed.
The stories were written well I guess just not my cup of tea. I was not able to get into them or really enjoy them. I was kinda bored 🥱
This might just be a me thing so you might want to read this book yourself so you can base your own options.
Since it's such a short read it's not like you will be wasting too much of your time.
But I wanted to give it a chance bc it was horror themed.
The stories were written well I guess just not my cup of tea. I was not able to get into them or really enjoy them. I was kinda bored 🥱
This might just be a me thing so you might want to read this book yourself so you can base your own options.
Since it's such a short read it's not like you will be wasting too much of your time.
February 21, 2023
This was a great collection of short stories from Lucy Leitner. Very original, fresh, and modern addressing the darker aspects and themes of our society. My favorite of the collection was Karen. Highly recommended.
June 27, 2024
ARC for review. Published February 28, 2023.
A group of six short stories and novellas. They were fine. “Xorcize Me” was the only real stand out, for me. I ran into the first story in the collection just a week later in the anthology BLOOD BANK which I will review soon.
A group of six short stories and novellas. They were fine. “Xorcize Me” was the only real stand out, for me. I ran into the first story in the collection just a week later in the anthology BLOOD BANK which I will review soon.
July 23, 2024
This was such a fun read. Packed full of gore, paranoia, revenge, and more, this would be a great addition to any horror enthusiasts bookshelf. There really is something for every fan in here (my personal favorites being the first two stories). I can't wait to see more of Lucy's writing.
July 15, 2025
i was expecting social media to be more involved in each story somehow, i mean i just finished it and the only story i can remember is Karen just because of how long it was and how they kept talking how much they hated fat people.
February 6, 2026
These stories made me think and cringe just like Black Mirror does!! I loved Karen’s story the most but I loved them all. Very twisty. Very very good. I laughed out loud a lot.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 15, 2026
Great collection of shorts! Very appropriate for the times we live in also as we are all kind of influencers on a way, everyone has social media and most people use it to show off the good things in their life’s.
June 1, 2024
I have no idea how I discovered this collection, but I am so glad I did.
Highlights include:
Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis - A "wellness retreat" for "influencers" with a sinister twist. The protagonist is incredibly naive, but I think that's the point. I really enjoyed the format; it's told in Instagram updates.
Karen - A particularly fat phobic Karen goes on a murder spree. This one's part of a larger universe, but you don't have to be familiar with it to enjoy this story.
Xorcise Me - Loved the format! A transcript of an Alex Jones-esque podcast where the host is talking to the creator of an AI assisted home exorcism kit.
I also read the excerpt from Leitner's The Girl With the Lollipop Eyes that was included at the end. I don't usually read excerpts, but I did this time, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be checking out the full work.
Influence is a great collection of horror stories for fans of feminist horror and Black Mirror-type stories.
Highlights include:
Get Me Out of This Shimmering Oasis - A "wellness retreat" for "influencers" with a sinister twist. The protagonist is incredibly naive, but I think that's the point. I really enjoyed the format; it's told in Instagram updates.
Karen - A particularly fat phobic Karen goes on a murder spree. This one's part of a larger universe, but you don't have to be familiar with it to enjoy this story.
Xorcise Me - Loved the format! A transcript of an Alex Jones-esque podcast where the host is talking to the creator of an AI assisted home exorcism kit.
I also read the excerpt from Leitner's The Girl With the Lollipop Eyes that was included at the end. I don't usually read excerpts, but I did this time, and I really enjoyed it. I will definitely be checking out the full work.
Influence is a great collection of horror stories for fans of feminist horror and Black Mirror-type stories.
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