To Eat You With

by Kayla Burt

You’ve heard this tale An ailing grandmother’s home tucked away in isolation, a clueless young woman hidden behind a red hood, and unknown dangers lurking in the forest.



But this isn’t your grandmother’s fairytale.



(Or maybe it is. I don't know her.)



Sheltered and unworldly in the mountains of Georgia, Sage Sutton spent her days caring for her feeble grandmother and dreaming of a more fulfilling existence. Riddled with misfortune and hardship, a series of unexplained tragedies haunt her — memories she’d prefer to leave undisturbed. Her perpetual fight for survival takes on a whole new meaning when a natural disaster destroys everything she’s ever known. As an unidentified threat stalks the outskirts of her dilapidated farm, she must brave the frozen world beyond its borders in order to unravel the truth. Horrors await her at every turn as she journeys across a dystopian wasteland with little awareness of her own role in the aftermath. With the help of a mysterious stranger, she uncovers the terrors tormenting her family for decades while fighting to discover herself along the way. Follow Sage as she recounts her story of monsters, small-town secrets and the magic of the mountain.



***



To Eat You With is a dark retelling of Little Red Riding Hood and is intended for mature audiences. This story contains sensitive material and generally uncomfortable descriptions. Please, proceed with caution.

Genres: Horror, Retellings

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 26, 2023

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a little conflicted about this one because I was really enjoying it up until the proverbial 11th hour where it really all fell apart for me.

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

Bored as hell

[Zana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the dark vibes, but the MC was so unreliable that I honestly had no idea what was going on.

[Beatrix Starling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excuse my mediocre rating - if you're reading this book, and please do, you'll probably love it. It's me, not the book.... See, the book is really well written, with a fab mystery. Smart writing, and a ton of creepy atmosphere.
But it reads strongly as a YA and I don't like most YA books. I don't mind young characters, it's the other stuff: the miscommunication, irrational behaviours, and lengthy inner monologues that ripped me away from the cool mystery... They just start bugging me too much and i start criticising everything and I don't think it's just of me.
So please, please pick up this book and read it, because it's a pretty good one.

[Samara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This has to be one of the most unreliable narrators ever, but it's not totally her fault. Literally everyone in her life is unreliable. Because of that, it made the story move so slow. I felt like I was in a roundabout with the repetition of certain things. One of the genres it's listed under is horror. It's not. Thriller, sure. I really tried to finish the book, but I stopped having fun and I stopped carring. None of the characters are likeable nor could I relate to any of them. As the writing went on, it seemed to get almost childish. There was an actual # in there and "fixed my ouchies". I just couldn't. I think the ouchie is what sealed the DNF at 80%

[Maddy Wible · Rating 5 out of 5]

read if you like : small town secrets, dark scandals, psychological thrillers, little red riding hood retelling, murder mystery, dystopian adventure

SAGE : a sheltered girl who is struggling to survive while attempting to uncover years of family secrets, living in the remote mountains of Georgia caring for her ailing grandmother when a natural disaster strikes flipping the world as she knows it upside down.

we follow sage as she embarks on a dystopian adventure with a fairytale twist and a mysterious companion in a vividly chilling world where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks everywhere as she unravels years of family secrets and dealing with unresolved family tragedies.

miss kayla wove a completely original tale that was unpredictable, full of suspense and action, dark humor and enough twists and turns to keep you wanting more. you find yourself not having a choice but to get fully immersed in it as you read and you start to become sage.

this book was so well done and the author should be very proud of the masterpiece that she put together. if you haven't read this book yet, you are missing out!

[The_Macabre_Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book grabbed my attention pretty quickly. I became fond of Sage, more and more captivated by her tale as I turned each page.
I didn't have any expectations and yet this book was somehow more than I thought it'd be. It's a thrilling story with some heavy twist. I love the originality of it, hinted with the familiarity of a classic fable. I can't wait for the next book of the series to come out in 2024. Seriously, how can I wait that long 😫🖤.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! A fast-paced thriller that retells the classic tale of Little Red Riding hood but with dark twists. I enjoyed reading a scary tale that resembles the fairytale that we all know and love. Well done.

[Cheryl Deitrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read!!!! @kaylawroteabook

My Rating : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really loved it! So fast paced and thrilling! I read it all from start to finish at once! Go read it now!! Must add to your TBR!!

Summary:
It was a fun and dark re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood with some twists. I wolfed it down! Haha. I loved Sage’s character!!!

#thrillerbooks #bookaddict #read #horrorbooks #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #booklover #avidreader #booksarelife #bigbadwolf #toeatwithyou

[Brett Philips · Rating 5 out of 5]

intense page turner

Crazy story with fantastic descriptions and amazing storytelling. Maybe my favorite book of the year. If your looking for something different that will keep you guessing, this is the book for you.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4-STAR READ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You think you know this story—grandma in the woods, a girl in a red hood, monsters lurking where the trees get too quiet… but this isn’t the fairytale you grew up with. (Unless your grandma’s wild. I don’t judge. 😂)

Sage Sutton has lived her whole life tucked away in the mountains of Georgia, caring for her frail grandmother and clinging to dreams bigger than her broken-down farm. But tragedy follows her like a shadow—mysterious losses, unsettling memories, and dangers she can’t quite name.

When a natural disaster wipes out everything she knows, Sage is forced beyond her snow-covered borders… and straight into a frozen, dystopian nightmare. Something unknown stalks the woods. Secrets seep from the soil. And Sage’s place in it all? Way deeper than she ever imagined.

With the help of a mysterious stranger, she uncovers generational horrors, small-town secrets, and the eerie magic of the mountains—all while battling creatures and truths that refuse to stay buried.

Dark, haunting, and beautifully twisted, To Eat You With is a chilling Little Red Riding Hood retelling that digs into monsters—both real and inherited. Proceed with caution… and maybe keep the lights on

[Maria Leonova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the first page of "To Eat You With", a thrilling and twisted take on the classic "Little Red Riding Hood" story. The author creates a vivid and chilling world where nothing is as it seems and danger lurks everywhere. Sage, the protagonist, is a strong and relatable character who struggles to survive and uncover the truth about her family and herself. Along the way, she meets a mysterious stranger who helps her navigate the frozen wasteland and the horrors that await her. The story is full of suspense, action, romance and dark humor, with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end. The writing style is engaging and descriptive, making me feel like I was there with Sage, experiencing everything she did. The author also explores themes such as identity, trauma, loyalty and courage, giving the story depth and meaning. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good dystopian adventure with a fairytale twist. "To Eat You With" is a captivating and original read that will leave you breathless and hungry for more.👏

[J.L. Grice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens with Sage. She is a girl who lives with her grandmother. Her Gran tells her there is a storm coming, and they must prepare and lock the house up. Her Gran tells her she isn't allowed to go out when it's dark. She doesn't give any reasons why when Sage asks, but Sage does what she says.
It then cuts to Sage, who is now an adult and still lives with her Gran. Something happens, which causes Gran to become mute. Sage feels like she can't cope with her mutism and tries to find out what is going on.
Terrible things happen, and Sage goes to a store where she is attacked. She is saved by a mysterious man. She sees the man again and finds out his name is Neil. At first, Neil is a man of little words, but it feels like he needs to protect Sage. When Sage starts asking questions, Neil slowly starts to open up.
I won't say anymore, but I don't want to spoil anything.
It was a great read. It kept me guessing if there was Wolf, or was the wolf actually a metaphor? Or a human all along?
I am looking forward to reading the next book.

[Julie Furlong · Rating 3 out of 5]

All I knew going into this book was that it was a psychological/horror spin to Little Red Riding Hood. When Kayla asked me to review this book I thought, count me in, sounds good!

I enjoyed Sage’s character because she didn’t take gruff from anyone and was a “tell it like it is” woman. She goes through life with a lot of heartache- one after the other, losing her family members. Then lives with her gran. Gran raised her to not go out after a certain time. But why? And why does Gran have so many rules and is so darn stubborn?

It all makes sense in the end. But the only problem that I had with this story was the description. There was too much of it. There were 2 whole pages of Sage taking a shower. Lathering the soap, watching the suds change to a milky coral peppered with bits of earth and grime. I guess I just like a tell it like it is story without a lot of detail.

And I’m not a romance fan at all and that was peppered in as well. Good storyline though!

[Lee Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m still in shock at how this book has left me speechless. I started this book believing i was going to get a story of some terrifying cryptids, but every new twist and turn kept me at the edge of my seat. By the last few chapters, my jaw was perpetually hung open, and by the close, I was truly at a loss for words and screaming for more!

The writing is done so beautifully that i forgot i was even reading most of the time, seeing the scenes play out in my head like a movie, and i truly did not expect so many different directions that was taken. This book is 100% something I’m recommending to my thriller lovers!

[Cierra Sheets · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. I loved how the main character was unreliable. I loved how there was fear that even scared me! I loved the nervousness and hesitation of trusting new characters. I can’t say enough good things about this book without revealing spoilers, so I’ll leave it at that.

I was also really impressed at the wrap up in the end. Everything added up. There weren’t any typos or spelling errors that I noticed. The introspective parts really delved into what the main character was thinking and added just enough foreshadowing.

This really reminded me to not judge a book by its cover (cause imho the cover is horrible, sorry). I truly loved this

[TheGreatandWonderfulBookWitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book sucked me in from the first page. The writing style leaves you just as confused as the FMC. It's equal parts gripping and mysterious.

I highlighted several passages from the book. The writer has a fantastic style of describing things without being too descriptive.

The writer has successfully built a dreary and soul sucking world and it is lovely! I am very glad the second book is already out as I will immediately be diving into it. I need to know more!

[Heather Hudspeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What?

I have no idea what I just read but I think I loved it. I kind of went into this blind because I needed something different and the opportunity struck. I kept waiting for the other shoe to fall. I needed the crazy things to be fact. What? When the truth came out! No way! Your joking right?! And then the epilogue? Seriously?! What? Into the next!

[Tracy L. Mateer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not horror

I had high hopes for this book. I read the reviews and after finishing, wondered if I missed something. Somewhat of a thriller is more like it. What was the purpose of the epilogue ending? Is there a sequel in the making? Sorry, but just didn’t do it for me, but appeared an editor did read through it.

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. So I actually really enjoyed this for about the first 80%. I felt like the ending wasn’t so much as ambiguous, but more just not even having an answer to huge questions the book brought up. I would read more by this author though.

[Paige Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is really good, but the writing style is a little cringey. If you can get past some of the unnecessary banter the author adds in that doesn’t add anything to the story you’ll enjoy the plot and that’s what makes this book something you’ll want to read.

[Avelina Echavarria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. 🫤 I finished this in a day, however I nearly DNF’d it. It just felt like a lot of brain dumping and rambling. I will say the story is good, it’s giving M. Night Shyamalan vibes with the plot twist.

[Kayla P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book in the beginning and the end. The middle got a bit drawn out for me and the authors descriptions were very wording. I enjoyed the twists and that the story didn’t go how I thought it would. The ending was kinda bullshit tho

[Lyndsey Gollogly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was such a confusing read it leads you one way to let you down and i wouldn’t have minded if the ending was worth the wait but it really wasnt. I see what the author was trying to do but i just dont think it worked.

[Mulberry]

DNF @ 11

[Ellie Bodington]

This was quick, which was good. But, it was very confusing, which was not so good. Tbd on if I’ll read the second one bc this made not a lick of sense.

[Autumn Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book. I was shocked by the twist at the end and honestly, needed it. I was getting a bit bored with the characters at that point. lol.

[Alexis Stalf · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF I couldn’t get into it.

[Jami Spandau · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay book until the end. It was a struggle to get through, but I muscled through it.

[Richelle Diener · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kept me wanting to know more and questioning what was real. I initially wanted more from the ending, but the epilogue was perfect. Definitely left me wanting to read the next book.