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Hub
The Hub is an orphanage for children aged 4 to 12, known only to the wealthy.
The patrons of the orphanage are the Fred Wests of society. Those looking for "pets" with which to indulge their darkest desires. One such pet being Tara Nicholson who, when "adopted" is subjected to all manners of nastiness until she manages to get away.
The patrons of the orphanage are the Fred Wests of society. Those looking for "pets" with which to indulge their darkest desires. One such pet being Tara Nicholson who, when "adopted" is subjected to all manners of nastiness until she manages to get away.
276 pages, Paperback
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516 people want to read
About the author
Matt Shaw
529 books2,191 followersBiography
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
MATT SHAW was born, quite by accident (his mother tripped, he shot out) September 30th 1980 in Winchester hospital where he was immediately placed on the baby ward and EBay. Some twelve years later (wandering the corridors of the hospital and playing with road kill when he was on day release), the listing closed and he remained unsold, he was booted out of the hospital to start his life as a writer and hobbit – beginning with writing screenplays and short stories for his own amusement before finally getting published when he was twenty-seven years and forty-five seconds old.
Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. Has to be said, can be a bit of a flirt and definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, somewhat of a klutz.
Favourite books
"Roald Dahl's Collection of Short Stories"
Tim Burton's Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy
Anything, really, written by himself. Because he is that good.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
November 23, 2025
Deviant. Depraved. Be forwarned that the trigger warnings for this book are indeed valid where so many are really not. Also be warned that this review may disturb many so just pass if you are too squeamish about child abuse, torture and child sexual abuse.
So very early on our villains husband Hugh and his wife Gloria are discussing children. Be aware that they cannot have any. Hugh mentions that they are good stress relief because you can always come home and beat them. Gloria then suggests that beating them isn't the only way they can release stress. When Hugh questions that, Gloria in a seductive tone clarifies "Imagine how tight they'd feel"....."Forcing your big hard cock into their tight virgin pussy......or tighter yet their little arsehole......Can you imagine that." This dialogue happens very early in the book and you know what your in for at that point. It also will become very graphic and to the point.
SO Hugh and Gloria find an orphanage that supplies children to the wealthy sick perverts of the world up to age 12. We learn that once they are 13 they are gassed and killed. The first daughter the couple adopt is Tara who is 8. Yet Hugh does not only want sexual gratification he wants to physically harm Tara too as he needs to release all types of stress. Just a truly sick **** . PS at the orphanage all the kids are taught oral and intercourse and become well gifted as to their knowledge of providing their new mommies and daddies with what they desire. Yet Hugh goes to far with Tara when he goes physically insane on her beating her to death.
No worries with these two idiots though. They bury Tara in the back yard and go back to the orphanage where they adopt a ten year old boy and his sister who is also ten, Charles and Elizabeth. This visit Gloria decided she wanted her own plaything. While at the orphanage Hugh inquires as to whether there are older children that can be adopted. He wants an older child who can withstand a physical beating because he cannot continue to kill and readopt young frail things as it would be to costly. Hugh discovers that 13 year olds are disposed of and comes up with a plan that he will take them off the hands of the orphanage at a greatly reduced price. The orphanage agrees as they will get some money for a kid they would just kill anyway. Yet at the time of adopting Charles and Elizabeth there are no older children for Hugh to adopt.
So Charles and Elizabeth go off to their stately new home. Everything is honky dory with Charles pleasuring Gloria and Elizabeth pleasuring Elizabeth. The two adults genuinely seem to care for the two but yet Hugh craves beating hard on a defenseless kid. He finally gets his call from the orphanage months later, they have a pregnant 13 year old ready for Hugh, her name is Hannah and Hugh has cages and restraining chairs waiting for her in his downstairs. Hugh quickly has designs on making her baby suffer too. This book is crazy.
The one aspect of this book that is kind of factual is the way a victim can be brainwashed into thinking their abuse is love. This is what happens with Elizabeth who cannot understand why Hugh would want another girl. Is Elizabeth not doing right by Hugh and what is Hugh's issue? Jealousy rears its ugly head on Elizabeth's behalf.
This was a buddy read with several new friends led by my good friend Leeanne. The novel was often compared to Jon Athan's Groomer which starts out equally sick but then tones it down for the latter half of the book. At the end of Jon Athan's Groomer there are about 15 pages detailing why he wrote the book citing our new political correctness and woke cultures and the fact that pedophiles want to refer to themselves in different language. There are two terms they prefer, one being MAP (minor attracted person) and NOMAP (non offending minor attracted person). This really bothered Athan and it reminded me of the Southpark episode where Cartman ends up in a pedophile ring aptly named NAMBLA standing for North American Man Boy Love Association. If you speak with pedophile's they will tell you that they are offering a loving relationship to a child which is the play on this Southpark episode and only they in a way they do can make it so damn funny when it should not be at all. What I argue is that pedophiles are the most selfish people out there. Many have a look that is quite distinguishable and would never allow them to win any adult over unless it is one with that same disturbing look. So they either end up together or end up being with a child and in so doing they cannot offer a child a relationship of love. They instead disguise that love for their own self gratification. Most of us have physical restraints. We know not to push boundaries to far and that is unhealthy and twisted to do certain things but the pedophile seeks only self sexual gratification at no cost not giving a crap of what or who stands in their way. THEY ARE SICK MONSTERS!
So why do I get into all the above. Well let me tell you. With Athan's book it became clear why he wrote it. He wanted to show that mellowing out on pedophiles was sick and not a discussion that should be entertained at any level so he showed us how sick and vile these perverts really are.
With Hub it is an equally well written and disturbing book. Yet I want to know why it was written? Was it written to just shock his readers and disgust them. It is extreme horror after all and I get that and it would be fair. Yet my problem with not knowing why it was written is that this book in the hands of a pedophile is nothing but a pedophiles paradise, pedophile porn, and the smiles and ideas it brings to these pedophiles as they are reading it is extremely bothersome for me. And here I am reading the same filth albeit with a totally different mindset. Yet is somehow does not sit right with me.
This was my first Matt Shaw book. After reading it I ordered two more so I clearly like what I read and will follow him as I think he is good. I got Nightmares and Dolls by him as they intrigued me. He has earned a fan but I hope he adds a forward or something to Hub. This book merits a five star rating as it is so disturbing and Shaw lets you know that it is but for the reasons I outline above I am knocking it down to four stars. If you stuck with me to the end of my review I apologize if it was a bit to graphic.
So very early on our villains husband Hugh and his wife Gloria are discussing children. Be aware that they cannot have any. Hugh mentions that they are good stress relief because you can always come home and beat them. Gloria then suggests that beating them isn't the only way they can release stress. When Hugh questions that, Gloria in a seductive tone clarifies "Imagine how tight they'd feel"....."Forcing your big hard cock into their tight virgin pussy......or tighter yet their little arsehole......Can you imagine that." This dialogue happens very early in the book and you know what your in for at that point. It also will become very graphic and to the point.
SO Hugh and Gloria find an orphanage that supplies children to the wealthy sick perverts of the world up to age 12. We learn that once they are 13 they are gassed and killed. The first daughter the couple adopt is Tara who is 8. Yet Hugh does not only want sexual gratification he wants to physically harm Tara too as he needs to release all types of stress. Just a truly sick **** . PS at the orphanage all the kids are taught oral and intercourse and become well gifted as to their knowledge of providing their new mommies and daddies with what they desire. Yet Hugh goes to far with Tara when he goes physically insane on her beating her to death.
No worries with these two idiots though. They bury Tara in the back yard and go back to the orphanage where they adopt a ten year old boy and his sister who is also ten, Charles and Elizabeth. This visit Gloria decided she wanted her own plaything. While at the orphanage Hugh inquires as to whether there are older children that can be adopted. He wants an older child who can withstand a physical beating because he cannot continue to kill and readopt young frail things as it would be to costly. Hugh discovers that 13 year olds are disposed of and comes up with a plan that he will take them off the hands of the orphanage at a greatly reduced price. The orphanage agrees as they will get some money for a kid they would just kill anyway. Yet at the time of adopting Charles and Elizabeth there are no older children for Hugh to adopt.
So Charles and Elizabeth go off to their stately new home. Everything is honky dory with Charles pleasuring Gloria and Elizabeth pleasuring Elizabeth. The two adults genuinely seem to care for the two but yet Hugh craves beating hard on a defenseless kid. He finally gets his call from the orphanage months later, they have a pregnant 13 year old ready for Hugh, her name is Hannah and Hugh has cages and restraining chairs waiting for her in his downstairs. Hugh quickly has designs on making her baby suffer too. This book is crazy.
The one aspect of this book that is kind of factual is the way a victim can be brainwashed into thinking their abuse is love. This is what happens with Elizabeth who cannot understand why Hugh would want another girl. Is Elizabeth not doing right by Hugh and what is Hugh's issue? Jealousy rears its ugly head on Elizabeth's behalf.
This was a buddy read with several new friends led by my good friend Leeanne. The novel was often compared to Jon Athan's Groomer which starts out equally sick but then tones it down for the latter half of the book. At the end of Jon Athan's Groomer there are about 15 pages detailing why he wrote the book citing our new political correctness and woke cultures and the fact that pedophiles want to refer to themselves in different language. There are two terms they prefer, one being MAP (minor attracted person) and NOMAP (non offending minor attracted person). This really bothered Athan and it reminded me of the Southpark episode where Cartman ends up in a pedophile ring aptly named NAMBLA standing for North American Man Boy Love Association. If you speak with pedophile's they will tell you that they are offering a loving relationship to a child which is the play on this Southpark episode and only they in a way they do can make it so damn funny when it should not be at all. What I argue is that pedophiles are the most selfish people out there. Many have a look that is quite distinguishable and would never allow them to win any adult over unless it is one with that same disturbing look. So they either end up together or end up being with a child and in so doing they cannot offer a child a relationship of love. They instead disguise that love for their own self gratification. Most of us have physical restraints. We know not to push boundaries to far and that is unhealthy and twisted to do certain things but the pedophile seeks only self sexual gratification at no cost not giving a crap of what or who stands in their way. THEY ARE SICK MONSTERS!
So why do I get into all the above. Well let me tell you. With Athan's book it became clear why he wrote it. He wanted to show that mellowing out on pedophiles was sick and not a discussion that should be entertained at any level so he showed us how sick and vile these perverts really are.
With Hub it is an equally well written and disturbing book. Yet I want to know why it was written? Was it written to just shock his readers and disgust them. It is extreme horror after all and I get that and it would be fair. Yet my problem with not knowing why it was written is that this book in the hands of a pedophile is nothing but a pedophiles paradise, pedophile porn, and the smiles and ideas it brings to these pedophiles as they are reading it is extremely bothersome for me. And here I am reading the same filth albeit with a totally different mindset. Yet is somehow does not sit right with me.
This was my first Matt Shaw book. After reading it I ordered two more so I clearly like what I read and will follow him as I think he is good. I got Nightmares and Dolls by him as they intrigued me. He has earned a fan but I hope he adds a forward or something to Hub. This book merits a five star rating as it is so disturbing and Shaw lets you know that it is but for the reasons I outline above I am knocking it down to four stars. If you stuck with me to the end of my review I apologize if it was a bit to graphic.
August 17, 2023
HUB by Matt Shaw, is one of those books you recommend, when someone wants to know, what are the most shocking stories you've ever read. But in my opinion, it's not only shocking, it would have been boring for me, if it had been only shocking.
The characters development is good.
With Gloria and Hugh, Matt Shaw portrayed the vilest humans perfectly. Those who rationalize their monstrous actions, and can live a normal daily life, while doing behind closed doors despicable, disturbing and the most vile actions. They reminded me of Fred and Rose West.
With Tara, Elizabeth and Charles, Matt Shaw managed to show the readers, how an innocent psyche after being broken can, in my opinion confuse abuse with love. The way the story is told kept me in it. The more I read, the more excruciating it got.
HUB, is a good disturbing, vile, heartbreaking and extreme horror story.
I gave it four stars instead of five, because I found the ending a bit rushed. I wanted to know more about Hanna.
HUB, is not for sensitive readers, every despicable act is very graphic. The torments of the characters are palpable.
I recommend this book to readers of extreme horror without any triggers.
The characters development is good.
With Gloria and Hugh, Matt Shaw portrayed the vilest humans perfectly. Those who rationalize their monstrous actions, and can live a normal daily life, while doing behind closed doors despicable, disturbing and the most vile actions. They reminded me of Fred and Rose West.
With Tara, Elizabeth and Charles, Matt Shaw managed to show the readers, how an innocent psyche after being broken can, in my opinion confuse abuse with love. The way the story is told kept me in it. The more I read, the more excruciating it got.
HUB, is a good disturbing, vile, heartbreaking and extreme horror story.
I gave it four stars instead of five, because I found the ending a bit rushed. I wanted to know more about Hanna.
HUB, is not for sensitive readers, every despicable act is very graphic. The torments of the characters are palpable.
I recommend this book to readers of extreme horror without any triggers.
August 16, 2023
Where do I start with this book?!! Well, one thing is for sure, I feel as though I’ve been going round and round in a defective washing machine, and then put through an old fashioned mangle, before being dumped in the dryer...this book was totes exhausting!!
I love Matt Shaw’s books, and he is one of my favourite extreme horror authors, but this is his most controversial yet. He definitely brings the SHOCK factor in this one, and I thought I was pretty unshockable. This book rips your heart out and stamps all over it, before putting it in a blender...it’s THAT raw, heartbreaking, and emotional. My heart broke for the kids in the orphanage, as well as the kids being “adopted”. Whereas I wanted to slowly torture all the adults involved in this depraved, sick, twisted, evil “business”. Would have liked to have had more story with Hannah, hence the 4 ⭐️ instead of 5.
This book is so extremely shocking but also very good, and we just have to remember it’s fiction. So if anyone has ANY triggers, I advise you to steer clear and AVOID...don’t go reading it, and then complain about it, because it will shock and anger you, but the warnings are there for a reason...so don’t be a KNOB!! Also I worked in Children’s Services for nearly 14 years, so I’m aware of what some of these kids have endured...so believe me, when I say adhere to the trigger warnings.
I’m not going to say anything about the story because you can guess what it involves, but Matt Shaw, YOU ARE BRAVE!!
Would have liked to have had more story with Hannah, hence the 4 ⭐️ instead of 5.
This was read with my Good Reads buddies, Luna and MadameD, who were equally shocked, but all agree, it’s a good
book.
Available Now via Matt Shaw’s Etsy page.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love Matt Shaw’s books, and he is one of my favourite extreme horror authors, but this is his most controversial yet. He definitely brings the SHOCK factor in this one, and I thought I was pretty unshockable. This book rips your heart out and stamps all over it, before putting it in a blender...it’s THAT raw, heartbreaking, and emotional. My heart broke for the kids in the orphanage, as well as the kids being “adopted”. Whereas I wanted to slowly torture all the adults involved in this depraved, sick, twisted, evil “business”. Would have liked to have had more story with Hannah, hence the 4 ⭐️ instead of 5.
This book is so extremely shocking but also very good, and we just have to remember it’s fiction. So if anyone has ANY triggers, I advise you to steer clear and AVOID...don’t go reading it, and then complain about it, because it will shock and anger you, but the warnings are there for a reason...so don’t be a KNOB!! Also I worked in Children’s Services for nearly 14 years, so I’m aware of what some of these kids have endured...so believe me, when I say adhere to the trigger warnings.
I’m not going to say anything about the story because you can guess what it involves, but Matt Shaw, YOU ARE BRAVE!!
Would have liked to have had more story with Hannah, hence the 4 ⭐️ instead of 5.
This was read with my Good Reads buddies, Luna and MadameD, who were equally shocked, but all agree, it’s a good
book.
Available Now via Matt Shaw’s Etsy page.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 11, 2023
Almost $6 for a pdf file off of Etsy of all places, which would have been worth the hassle and money had it been a great book. Based on some of the reviews I thought this was going to rock my world. Sure the concept was disturbing but it wasn’t written well. It felt cheap and plain. It’s like the author thought throwing in a bunch of sex scenes with children was enough to make readers sick to their stomachs. The issue though was that there wasn’t any real feelings or complexity to the story.. it took something intense involving children and somehow made it dull.
July 11, 2023
OH LORD!! Please...I need to bath in bleach and scrub my brain with every bottle of cleaning fluid that I have in my cupboard!!!!Seriously this book is extremely disturbing, gut wrenching and mind blowing...the trigger warnings that Matt Shaw draws your attention to are there for a reason...a bloody good reason,so be sure to take note of them if you do not know anything about what this book holds between it's pages...because it sure will shock you over and over and over again.I knew this book wasn't going to disappoint and it was going to deliver everything I wanted from it...as all of Mr Shaws books do for me. The story flowed so well and I got engrossed very quickly...I somehow didn't want it to end,I tried to read slower but then I read faster because I wanted to know the ending....I can't wait to read "Kids" now.
May 31, 2023
I must be absolutely dead inside because the graphic content of this book didn't faze me at all 🙃
What I loved most about this book were the characters; the utterly despicable owners of the orphanage and the wealthy couples who seek out their 'merchandise' were so realistic. Matt Shaw truly captured the horrors that go on in real life that the headlines and breaking news will never tell you.
Your heart will break for the children who just want love but have been groomed to be disposable playthings.
The sequel is coming in July, and I've already pre-ordered. This book can only be purchased through the author's Etsy page.
What I loved most about this book were the characters; the utterly despicable owners of the orphanage and the wealthy couples who seek out their 'merchandise' were so realistic. Matt Shaw truly captured the horrors that go on in real life that the headlines and breaking news will never tell you.
Your heart will break for the children who just want love but have been groomed to be disposable playthings.
The sequel is coming in July, and I've already pre-ordered. This book can only be purchased through the author's Etsy page.
September 28, 2023
Extreme horror is one thing. But at least most extreme horror books or splatter punk has plot. "Hub" by Matt Shaw is 276 pages of a pedophile's wet dream. The story is depravity and the horror is sublime. There is very little substance to this book other than kids getting brainwashed, kids getting raped and extreme violence on kids. Just. Don't. Read. This.
July 18, 2025
TRIGGER WARNING!!!
This book is not for the faint of heart. If you are squeamish and easily thrown off, please stay away from this book. If your mental health isn't built for something as vile as this, run.
Matt Shaw has no qualms about writing about abuse in its extremity. Although I've read only one of his works, this is definitely one of the most disturbing. Kids? How depraved can you get?
Horrid—this is the perfect word to describe this.
This book is not for the faint of heart. If you are squeamish and easily thrown off, please stay away from this book. If your mental health isn't built for something as vile as this, run.
Matt Shaw has no qualms about writing about abuse in its extremity. Although I've read only one of his works, this is definitely one of the most disturbing. Kids? How depraved can you get?
Horrid—this is the perfect word to describe this.
July 13, 2024
Wow. How the hell do i even begin with this....ummm guess I'll just cut to the chase..this book is for you...IF:
1). Your looking for something that will leave you FOREVER traumatized....cuz I mean lets face it who doesnt want that lol 😅
2) You need a book that makes you scream "Want in the actual fuck did I just read????" After completion.
3)You just like books that a normal person would think only people who are twisted and sick in the head could enjoy. And in your mind the more sick, twisted, grotesque, depraved, mentally scarring, and unimaginably fucked up the better.
So if your looking for any of those things I mentioned...CONGRATS...YOU. HAVE. ARRIVED. Stop waisting time, grab your bank card, and go buy the damn book already my sick minded friend. You were gonna buy it anyway whether you read these reviews or not you arent kidding anyone you sick fuck lol.
Disclaimer: This book is not for the faint of heart. There are unimaginable, horrific, and extremely disturbing things going on in this book so proceed with caution. It's a douzy.... you've been warned
1). Your looking for something that will leave you FOREVER traumatized....cuz I mean lets face it who doesnt want that lol 😅
2) You need a book that makes you scream "Want in the actual fuck did I just read????" After completion.
3)You just like books that a normal person would think only people who are twisted and sick in the head could enjoy. And in your mind the more sick, twisted, grotesque, depraved, mentally scarring, and unimaginably fucked up the better.
So if your looking for any of those things I mentioned...CONGRATS...YOU. HAVE. ARRIVED. Stop waisting time, grab your bank card, and go buy the damn book already my sick minded friend. You were gonna buy it anyway whether you read these reviews or not you arent kidding anyone you sick fuck lol.
Disclaimer: This book is not for the faint of heart. There are unimaginable, horrific, and extremely disturbing things going on in this book so proceed with caution. It's a douzy.... you've been warned
June 20, 2023
Praise be to whoever shared on telegram because who is about to pay $20 for a pdf 😭 It was a good read just as I expected. Not any more brutal than anything else I’ve ever read which brings me to my next point: why does Amazon not allow this on kindle unlimited? I have read far more perverse things on KU. Definitely read this one! And literally anything else by this author. I love every book I’ve ever read by him!
October 22, 2023
This shit book is not for the weak… it’s not for the strong either! I don’t know how I feel about this, but it’s not good. This shouldn’t even be out. It feels like you’re reading something that could put you in jail and I DON’T LIKE IT👎🏽 This is the first Matt Shaw book I’ve ever read and not a fan. Again I keep reading books without reading the description and this is what I get. These kids were treated like sex robots and it’s just gross. Even though he said that it’s not his true feeling or thoughts I honestly don’t believe it because what made you in your “sane” mind write this crap. I honestly feel this is one of his wet dreams on paper because WTF 🤨. I knew after the first crazy scene with the parents in the bedroom that this was going to be a 1/5, 1/10, 1/20. A zero if I could.
Edit: After the initial shock wore off, I think I can respond better with a clear conclusion. I’m not gonna lie to you I don’t know if it was badly written or not. I just know I never want to read a Matt Shaw book again. The clear graphic detail of child rape, as well as child abuse( manipulation, Stockholm) just was shocking and uncomfortable to read. I even cried in the middle of reading. Even with all that emotion it just felt dull. It didn’t feel like it didn’t have any purpose besides being shocking. I don’t even know how to explain my thoughts when reading this except that it was sickening and gross and disgusting and every other word related to this. And this brings up another discussion WTF was the author thinking when writing this😦 like why in the extreme horror book world is it always the abuse of children. This is crazy.
The best part of this whole thing was her killing the parents, but THEN IT WENT BACK TO THE WORSE PART OF HER KILLING CHARLES!!!!!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!??!’ AND THEN SHE KILLS HERSELF AT THE END?!?!!!!? Never again. Never ever. I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
Positives: there aren’t any positives (if I could take back my 2 hours I would)
Negatives: everything, from the orphanage to the parents, the Child SA, the child abuse, graphic details, the parents, it’s sickening to read, UK setting, Matt shaw
Justice for Charles, Hannah, Tara, and Elizabeth
Edit: After the initial shock wore off, I think I can respond better with a clear conclusion. I’m not gonna lie to you I don’t know if it was badly written or not. I just know I never want to read a Matt Shaw book again. The clear graphic detail of child rape, as well as child abuse( manipulation, Stockholm) just was shocking and uncomfortable to read. I even cried in the middle of reading. Even with all that emotion it just felt dull. It didn’t feel like it didn’t have any purpose besides being shocking. I don’t even know how to explain my thoughts when reading this except that it was sickening and gross and disgusting and every other word related to this. And this brings up another discussion WTF was the author thinking when writing this😦 like why in the extreme horror book world is it always the abuse of children. This is crazy.
The best part of this whole thing was her killing the parents, but THEN IT WENT BACK TO THE WORSE PART OF HER KILLING CHARLES!!!!!!! WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?!??!’ AND THEN SHE KILLS HERSELF AT THE END?!?!!!!? Never again. Never ever. I wouldn’t recommend this at all.
Positives: there aren’t any positives (if I could take back my 2 hours I would)
Negatives: everything, from the orphanage to the parents, the Child SA, the child abuse, graphic details, the parents, it’s sickening to read, UK setting, Matt shaw
Justice for Charles, Hannah, Tara, and Elizabeth
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2023
Ian Brady, Myra Hindley, Fred West, Rosemary West, Ian Huntley……… imagine if these people were filthy rich and could buy everything they wanted! You see where I’m going with this……… this is not a nice book, and The HUB is the worst orphanage any child could end up at! If you don’t like extreme stay well away from this book, if you want to test your limits this book awaits you at Matt’s Etsy page. Please take note of the trigger warnings attached to this book.
July 11, 2024
Dumpster-tier shock porn that makes me question if the extreme horror community has ever read a good book.
May 31, 2023
I’ve pre ordered the sequel
Now how do I go about reviewing this book. Well it’s a graphic non graphic. Which means it is graphic without deep descriptions of said graphic actions. So he tells you what is done without describing every layer of skin and drop of blood. So while the book is rough it could have been rougher.
Now how do I go about reviewing this book. Well it’s a graphic non graphic. Which means it is graphic without deep descriptions of said graphic actions. So he tells you what is done without describing every layer of skin and drop of blood. So while the book is rough it could have been rougher.
May 31, 2023
Jail. Straight to jail. Matt Shaw and I can be cell mates.
September 24, 2024
High Expectations, Over Promise… Under Deliver, Underwhelming
The moment I opened this Pandora’s Box of depravity, there was nothing short of a relentless onslaught of “what the f***?!” that bombarded me, but not in the way expected of an experienced reader of extreme horror.
Matt Shaw is known for being an author of countless books classified in the extreme horror genre. I’m not unfamiliar with his works, having purchased a digital copy of “Sick B*stards,” “Hunger,” “Obsession,” and wanting to dive into “Happy Ever After” following my discovery of it from one of those overdone YouTube iceberg videos.
You really can’t dabble into the category without stumbling across his name, among the likes of Judith Sonnet, Aron Beauregard, Kristopher Trianna, et all.
This is the kind of genre you either love or hate, and Matt Shaw is everything that embodies it.
When writing this book, he might as well have had a checklist of taboos, disturbing topics, scenarios that were known to upset, possibly even start a mob with pitchforks and torches, and ticked them off with glee and a face reminiscent of the cartoon Joker.
I’ve read a number of reviews and watched a selection of videos covering this book, and different opinions were thrown. Some considered it the most disturbing book they’ve ever read, some classified it as a poor excuse of shock value.
And then there was a comment I read under a video review that perfectly summed up everything I was thinking when reading the book: “There’s nothing transgressive about this. It’s CP-torture fantasy that uses shock value as a mask in order to label itself as a work of horror…. It’s less about substance and more about ‘oh what will get people disgusted’ which is a cheap distillation of what it means for something to be considered a work of horror.”
I am not one with a weak stomach for the disturbing, the macabre, the gruesome and violent, the gory and the depraved. In fact, some would consider my tolerance as fairly high, since the only story I have read to make me visibly nauseous was Terry Musalata’s “Baby in a Blender” and the novel that made me take several pauses to finish because of how uncomfortable I felt was Alyssa Nutting’s “Tampa.” I enjoy horror movies as much as the next person, with some of my personal favorites being the ones that set me on edge and leave me questioning reality, what is within control, and what isn’t (for reference: “Hereditary”) and beautiful symbolism represented through horrifying creatures and entities that stay with you for years (“The Babadook”).
Yet I have an absolute love/hate relationship with slasher films and whatever genre you would throw the Saw and Hostel movies into. I hate shock and gore for the sole purpose of making people uncomfortable without a deeper intention behind it. There needs to be reason, a method, something to add context and substance to it, not just trying to disturb me.
This is where HUB falls remarkably short.
From the first to the last page, there were moments of violence and gore, instances of children being forced and trained to “please” their potential new families, not an inch of ink spread on the pages didn’t contain some sort of content that made you question the legalities of such a book, and more so, wondering when the FBI were going to come crashing down your door.
The characters, what few there were, were a special breed of dysfunction, a marinated concoction steeped in toxic sludge of questionable life choices, and even more questionable, illicit morals. It was a difficult challenge just trying to feel empathy for the children in the story, the true victims of not just the heinous crimes inflicted on them but also victims of Shaw’s twisted mind.
And the events of the storyline, the plot, all played out like a car crash captured on a TikTok video, one that you have saved and watched a hundred times, looking for anything different than what you’ve already seen. In this situation, though, the car is driven by one man, a crazed, demented psychopath high off his own inflated ego and self-centered view of the world, and this is in reference to the male lead of the story, (not directed at Shaw, whom I am not familiar with his personality or personal life).
By the time the predictable ending came, I was wondering if there was a way to stage some sort of intervention for Shaw, or at the very least whatever little inspiring Demons planted these ideas in his head. Poor things are overworked, understaffed and underpaid, and it shows in this book. There were so many opportunities to dive head first into genuinely upsetting and very real aspects of human nature, the way society is so easily manipulated by those in wealth and power, and how those of the meek and innocent are simply tools used by the hierarchy to fulfill their ultimate goals and needs.
Except these ideals and messages were reduced to a cheap thrill ride with predictable “scares” if you could call them that, with the ambient horror music missing the beat to drop when the monster peaks around the corner to jump out at you. I prefer my darkness with a side of depth, nuance, true horror, not some list written out by a middle school student of what their definition of “scary” is, aiming to disturb the schoolyard crush.
There is potential to meet the markers of transgressive fiction. If time and effort was put into it, skills that I know Matt Shaw possesses but did not put into this piece of literary fiction. What is considered by many to be the most disturbing Matt Shaw book, if not quite possibly the most disturbing book in extreme horror, they’ve ever read, did nothing more than fall flat to me.
“Baby in a Blender” still holds firm as the only book I’ve ever placed in the zero stars category, but this book could easily give it a run for its money. I will reward it though at 1 star, for the potential, alone.
The moment I opened this Pandora’s Box of depravity, there was nothing short of a relentless onslaught of “what the f***?!” that bombarded me, but not in the way expected of an experienced reader of extreme horror.
Matt Shaw is known for being an author of countless books classified in the extreme horror genre. I’m not unfamiliar with his works, having purchased a digital copy of “Sick B*stards,” “Hunger,” “Obsession,” and wanting to dive into “Happy Ever After” following my discovery of it from one of those overdone YouTube iceberg videos.
You really can’t dabble into the category without stumbling across his name, among the likes of Judith Sonnet, Aron Beauregard, Kristopher Trianna, et all.
This is the kind of genre you either love or hate, and Matt Shaw is everything that embodies it.
When writing this book, he might as well have had a checklist of taboos, disturbing topics, scenarios that were known to upset, possibly even start a mob with pitchforks and torches, and ticked them off with glee and a face reminiscent of the cartoon Joker.
I’ve read a number of reviews and watched a selection of videos covering this book, and different opinions were thrown. Some considered it the most disturbing book they’ve ever read, some classified it as a poor excuse of shock value.
And then there was a comment I read under a video review that perfectly summed up everything I was thinking when reading the book: “There’s nothing transgressive about this. It’s CP-torture fantasy that uses shock value as a mask in order to label itself as a work of horror…. It’s less about substance and more about ‘oh what will get people disgusted’ which is a cheap distillation of what it means for something to be considered a work of horror.”
I am not one with a weak stomach for the disturbing, the macabre, the gruesome and violent, the gory and the depraved. In fact, some would consider my tolerance as fairly high, since the only story I have read to make me visibly nauseous was Terry Musalata’s “Baby in a Blender” and the novel that made me take several pauses to finish because of how uncomfortable I felt was Alyssa Nutting’s “Tampa.” I enjoy horror movies as much as the next person, with some of my personal favorites being the ones that set me on edge and leave me questioning reality, what is within control, and what isn’t (for reference: “Hereditary”) and beautiful symbolism represented through horrifying creatures and entities that stay with you for years (“The Babadook”).
Yet I have an absolute love/hate relationship with slasher films and whatever genre you would throw the Saw and Hostel movies into. I hate shock and gore for the sole purpose of making people uncomfortable without a deeper intention behind it. There needs to be reason, a method, something to add context and substance to it, not just trying to disturb me.
This is where HUB falls remarkably short.
From the first to the last page, there were moments of violence and gore, instances of children being forced and trained to “please” their potential new families, not an inch of ink spread on the pages didn’t contain some sort of content that made you question the legalities of such a book, and more so, wondering when the FBI were going to come crashing down your door.
The characters, what few there were, were a special breed of dysfunction, a marinated concoction steeped in toxic sludge of questionable life choices, and even more questionable, illicit morals. It was a difficult challenge just trying to feel empathy for the children in the story, the true victims of not just the heinous crimes inflicted on them but also victims of Shaw’s twisted mind.
And the events of the storyline, the plot, all played out like a car crash captured on a TikTok video, one that you have saved and watched a hundred times, looking for anything different than what you’ve already seen. In this situation, though, the car is driven by one man, a crazed, demented psychopath high off his own inflated ego and self-centered view of the world, and this is in reference to the male lead of the story, (not directed at Shaw, whom I am not familiar with his personality or personal life).
By the time the predictable ending came, I was wondering if there was a way to stage some sort of intervention for Shaw, or at the very least whatever little inspiring Demons planted these ideas in his head. Poor things are overworked, understaffed and underpaid, and it shows in this book. There were so many opportunities to dive head first into genuinely upsetting and very real aspects of human nature, the way society is so easily manipulated by those in wealth and power, and how those of the meek and innocent are simply tools used by the hierarchy to fulfill their ultimate goals and needs.
Except these ideals and messages were reduced to a cheap thrill ride with predictable “scares” if you could call them that, with the ambient horror music missing the beat to drop when the monster peaks around the corner to jump out at you. I prefer my darkness with a side of depth, nuance, true horror, not some list written out by a middle school student of what their definition of “scary” is, aiming to disturb the schoolyard crush.
There is potential to meet the markers of transgressive fiction. If time and effort was put into it, skills that I know Matt Shaw possesses but did not put into this piece of literary fiction. What is considered by many to be the most disturbing Matt Shaw book, if not quite possibly the most disturbing book in extreme horror, they’ve ever read, did nothing more than fall flat to me.
“Baby in a Blender” still holds firm as the only book I’ve ever placed in the zero stars category, but this book could easily give it a run for its money. I will reward it though at 1 star, for the potential, alone.
June 10, 2025
there is a thin line between horror and just straight up pdf porn and this not only went over the line but had a full on marathon to the other side. I hear this author is respected in the community and whatnot but this book definitely is not it
SPOILERS!!!
- Character fantasizes about using a spoon to cut open a pregnant minor's belly and search inside to find the fetus
- Character beats a 7 year old to death after raping her
- Characters use children as sex toys to pleasure them daily
There is so much more that goes on in this book that I lowkey think I blocked out in my head. I'm extremely desensitised to gory written content, but this was actually insane. Please, for the sake of ur own mental health, do not read this book. go hug ur children and ur little siblings and stay farrr away from pdf bait
SPOILERS!!!
- Character fantasizes about using a spoon to cut open a pregnant minor's belly and search inside to find the fetus
- Character beats a 7 year old to death after raping her
- Characters use children as sex toys to pleasure them daily
There is so much more that goes on in this book that I lowkey think I blocked out in my head. I'm extremely desensitised to gory written content, but this was actually insane. Please, for the sake of ur own mental health, do not read this book. go hug ur children and ur little siblings and stay farrr away from pdf bait
April 27, 2024
I guess we shall call this hell-hole an 'orphanage' which trains kids to meet the needs of the sadistic a-holes of the world, the story tales many many steps descending furter into the dark and fucked up culminating in an equally depraved and fucked up crescendo. Very well written book that is not for the faint of heart. This story adds another layer by being surprisingly plausible in todays horrible society.
May 31, 2023
Every time I pick up one of Matt's books, I know I am not doing anything else until I have read it from cover to cover!! Going into this one, I was expecting the worst (in the best way), and I was not disappointed!! Hurry up and write the damn sequel, please!!
May 31, 2023
Oh this book! This book is disturbing, but you can’t help but want to know what happens next.
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!!!
CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS!!!
February 21, 2025
A LONG TIME FAN SPEAKS OUT: WHY I AM PARTING WAYS WITH MATT SHAW, AND WHY I THINK HE SHOULD BE CANCELLED
I have been a HUGE fan of Matt Shaw since 2020, and since then I have read nearly thirty of his stories, but since reading as much of HUB as I could stomach - about a third of the way through (and I only made it that far out of loyalty to the author) - I have to put my foot down. As of today, I will NEVER touch another book by this man. Admittedly, this feels a bit like walking away from a good friend. I am a huge fan of Splatterpunk and Etreme Horror, and NOBODY lays it down like Shaw does. But, there is a line that should NEVER be crossed, and when it is crossed to the extent that it is in this book, I can no longer support the author.
HUB not only depicts extreme graphic scenes of child t○rture and grape, but it GLORIFIES them. Words cannot express my disgust. I still want to vomit. Can this even be legal? If it is, it shouldn't be. I definitely felt like I was committing a crime as I read it. It made me feel gross in my core, and the only reason I was able to make it as far as I did was because I have Aphantasia, a condition that prevents me from seeing images in my mind, a condition which I have I have always seen as a curse. In this case though, it is a blessing. If I had to carry these images in my head, they would drive me to drink and uncontrollably fits of rage, knowing that there are people in the world (the book's target audience, maybe?) (M.A.P.s and N.O.M.A.P.s?) that would ENJOY this book's depictions, feel validated by them, and perhaps even seek to recreate them.
So, what does that say about the author? And how could I - after reading HUB - ever support him again? Of all the authors that have been canceled over the last few year, how is it that Matt Shaw is still putting out a book every month, to a mostly oblivious audience - HUB, for the record, is not on Amazon, and must be purchased though his personal website. So, the book and - presumably others like them - slip under the radar, and the average reader probably doesn't even know they exist.
ZERO STARS
I have been a HUGE fan of Matt Shaw since 2020, and since then I have read nearly thirty of his stories, but since reading as much of HUB as I could stomach - about a third of the way through (and I only made it that far out of loyalty to the author) - I have to put my foot down. As of today, I will NEVER touch another book by this man. Admittedly, this feels a bit like walking away from a good friend. I am a huge fan of Splatterpunk and Etreme Horror, and NOBODY lays it down like Shaw does. But, there is a line that should NEVER be crossed, and when it is crossed to the extent that it is in this book, I can no longer support the author.
HUB not only depicts extreme graphic scenes of child t○rture and grape, but it GLORIFIES them. Words cannot express my disgust. I still want to vomit. Can this even be legal? If it is, it shouldn't be. I definitely felt like I was committing a crime as I read it. It made me feel gross in my core, and the only reason I was able to make it as far as I did was because I have Aphantasia, a condition that prevents me from seeing images in my mind, a condition which I have I have always seen as a curse. In this case though, it is a blessing. If I had to carry these images in my head, they would drive me to drink and uncontrollably fits of rage, knowing that there are people in the world (the book's target audience, maybe?) (M.A.P.s and N.O.M.A.P.s?) that would ENJOY this book's depictions, feel validated by them, and perhaps even seek to recreate them.
So, what does that say about the author? And how could I - after reading HUB - ever support him again? Of all the authors that have been canceled over the last few year, how is it that Matt Shaw is still putting out a book every month, to a mostly oblivious audience - HUB, for the record, is not on Amazon, and must be purchased though his personal website. So, the book and - presumably others like them - slip under the radar, and the average reader probably doesn't even know they exist.
ZERO STARS
February 27, 2025
I came to this book after watching some videos about the author and his online interactions with certain individuals who have deemed him misogynistic and going too far. Listen people the author writes Extreme Horror and his work is intended to push the limit. Like any author just because they write something does not mean it’s a reflection of their actual beliefs, it’s fiction designed for a audience that seeks out fiction that will shock them, offended them, scare them, gross them out, whatever it may be. I fell in love with this genre last year and have read so many books so far. I’ve seen reviews that this book was poorly written and I scratch my head because that’s not true at all; yes the subject matter is very disturbing but it’s written well. Like I said earlier just because someone writes this stuff or enjoys reading this stuff is not a reflection of them as a person…….these books are not autobiographical if that were the case Matt Shaw would have been imprisoned or killed by someone a long time ago. To be fair he warns everyone about the content of his books so don’t read it without knowing your limits and then shit on the book because you deemed it too much!
March 24, 2024
Definitely not for the faint of heart. Check trigger warnings before reading. This is not for everyone. I couldn’t stop reading this once I started it. It is beyond disturbing and vile. On to the sequel I go…
May 24, 2025
This was not a reread . Marked this for my book count . This was for book 4 Broken in the HUB series . 3 ⭐️
Also marked for book 5 -Rose 4.5 ⭐️
Also marked for book 5 -Rose 4.5 ⭐️
Read
August 28, 2023Um, okay, so. This is not my usual read and therefore I'm unsure of how to rate or review this book, so I will just list a few things and leave at that:
1. I appreciates the author's warning at the beginning. While I know that fiction is just fiction, and I read my fair share of horror books, this genre in particular is not my cup of tea and I was hesitant to pick this up, but the warning made me feel better. I know books don't necessarily represent the views of the author, but it's still nice to have that sort of reassurance.
2. This is a very heavy book. Graphic. Made my stomach turn.
3. It's incredibly sad.
4. I'm gonna go read Batman fanfiction now.
1. I appreciates the author's warning at the beginning. While I know that fiction is just fiction, and I read my fair share of horror books, this genre in particular is not my cup of tea and I was hesitant to pick this up, but the warning made me feel better. I know books don't necessarily represent the views of the author, but it's still nice to have that sort of reassurance.
2. This is a very heavy book. Graphic. Made my stomach turn.
3. It's incredibly sad.
4. I'm gonna go read Batman fanfiction now.
did-not-finish
May 24, 2025What I gather from reviews is that we follow this couple and a series of kids who develop Stockholm Syndrome. How well this is handled is up for debate. I feel the need to read on to see if there's going to be a point but I can't push myself through reading on just hoping and praying that Matt Shaw has something to say. I might return to this if my curiosity gets the better of me later on in life but as of right now... no thanks.
DNF at 27%
DNF at 27%
June 6, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I thought it would be a little more extreme. I’m hoping the second book in the series really pushes the boundaries of the child abuse and neglect. The story itself is excellent, but I’m hoping for something more.
July 30, 2023
I really enjoyed this book! A quick and easy read with some great writing by Matt Shaw. I’m learning my only “trigger” is animal abuse, and this has none of that.
October 9, 2025
This was a nasty piece of work, the premise of which probably exists in the real world.
But what stood out for me was not just the vileness, but the characters themselves, their disturbing nature, their resilience, how brainwashed they were, and I wasn't expecting that ending either...
On to book 2.
But what stood out for me was not just the vileness, but the characters themselves, their disturbing nature, their resilience, how brainwashed they were, and I wasn't expecting that ending either...
On to book 2.
August 1, 2023
A dark and twisted tale not for the faint of heart. And as dark and twisted as this tale is, you can be sure of one thing - and that is: Matt Shaw knows how to tell a story.
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