Oh Fuck, Oh Fuck, It Hurts: A Collection of Medical Horror

by Ruth Anna Evans, Rik Hoskin

A medical system that keeps you alive as long as your cash holds out. A sure-fire weight-loss treatment with only a ten percent fatality rate. A flesh-sloughing, muscle-shredding disease that leaves the sufferer begging to be put in a tub full of maggots. A son giving everything to care for his mother as she wastes away.

Our bodies are fragile and destructible things, and one of the few knowable things in life is that they will fail us, painfully and entirely. With the destruction of our flesh and bones, whether from the inside or out, comes true fear. And therein lies the horror.

This collection of stories by indie horror author Ruth Anna Evans also features one guest story by award-winning author Rik Hoskin. It will gut you, will fill you with a very personal dread, and will leave you with new fears you won't easily forget.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Medicine

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2023

About the author

Ruth Anna Evans is a writer of short horror fiction who lives in the heart of all that is sinister: the American Midwest. She has been composing prose of all types since childhood but finds something truly delightful in putting her nightmares on the page. Her stories are full of twists and turns with relatable protagonists and startling endings. If you like Grady Hendrix and Ira Levin, you'll like Ruth Anna Evans. Follow Ruth Anna on Twitter @ruthannaevans for updates on her work.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruth Anna Evans where have you been my whole life?!

I'm really not a short story or anthology person but I loved every word of Oh Fuck Oh Fuck It Hurts. There is eight shorts of medical body horror and I loved every one of them. I think my favorite was Side Effects Include, mostly because it really touched a few real life fears of mine.

The only negative I have is that I wished it was longer. I could have lived in Evans' uncomfortable world for so many more pages. Can't wait to check out more of her work.

[Lady MacDeath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Ruth Anna Evans has nailed it, with this collection of body horror stories, which are scary, chilling and which somewhat tug at the heartstrings.

From her first book, I have been a huge fan of Ruth Anna, and with this one, it just cements the love I have for her amazing work. I don’t have a favourite from this collection, as they are all spectacular in their own right.

Ruth Anna has paired up with Rik Hoskin for this superb collection, which proves that this is a perfect writing duo, and one which I hope to read more from in the future.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oooh, this was so messed up and fun! I always get such a kick out of Ruth's work and this was no exception. 4.5 stars, RTC

[Daniel Lorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A disturbing collection of medically themed extreme horror stories, some of which are as thought-provoking as they are nasty.

My favourites of the bunch:

Lifeline - A Black Mirror-esque story in which medical treatment is determined by the amount of credit you have. This one escalated beautifully and was a solid start to this fantastic collection.

Autoimmune - A delightful body horror story about a skin disease that will make you itch all over!

FAT - Who knew losing weight could be so easy... and fun!

There is plenty of body horror in here, which was an absolute treat for me, and the author has presented a fine bunch of stories for your reading pleasure.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

[your morbid obsession Minerva🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

I thoroughly enjoyed this anthology. Seldom all of the stories in the collection are good and interesting, but this book is a jewel. Each topic was dissected so well, I felt each itch and scratch myself. Recommend 🖤

Get this on Godless asap!!

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A clear case of ‘In sickness and ill-health’

This is a highly enjoyable medical anthology consisting of a handful of fun tales ranging from hospitals to pain to fear, whilst slowly graduating right on up to full-on pure horror. Blending real life chronic health conditions with more than a smattering of cleverly detailed fictional distorted horror outcomes, the reader is left wondering about the twists, reveals and conceals that will be encountered before reaching each of the final conclusions.

The outstanding two for me were ‘Fat,’ dealing with dieting, needles and excess skin complications and ‘The Visitor’ telling the tale of hospital visits, but with a difference…very clever, clever, clever!

Finally, a big thank you to my good friend, and regular joint-reading partner, Cheryl for suggesting this book and, as always, her very enjoyable social comment, contemplation and thought- provoking analysis that she kindly shared with me for each of the amusingly distressing tales of downright poor self well-being.

Recommended if suffering with symptoms of boredom - a quick cure to be sure!

Rating: 4.1 healthy stars of unabashed pure fun.

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one of the worst collections I’ve read. In the best way. I was engrossed in every story, and left open mouthed out of either disgust or shock with many of them. My skin itches with discomfort throughout the entirety of this collection. Not only were these stories entirely unnerving, they were eerily realistic. To such a degree I could imagine going through what our characters went through. I was irrevocably broken by SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE, FAT, and COLONOSCOPY. Though all stories were traumatizing, they were immersive and hard to put down while also hard to read. Excellent.

[Rachel the Page-Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t read a horror anthology in a long while, and I bought this ages ago and never read it. Finally, today I picked it up - and was not disappointed! Below are my ratings for each story, and the anthology as a whole.

Lifeline: 4.5
This is only a few pages long, but it was a great dystopian story about healthcare costs. I could read a whole novel like this!

Autoimmune: 3.5
I love short stories, especially horror stories, but sometimes they NEED to be longer and that’s the case with this one. Still good though!

Fat: 5
This story about a morbidly obese woman going through a weight loss journey was both sad and wonderfully fucked up!

Defective: 4
When a woman gives birth to a monster, she has options…what will she do with her grotesque creation?

Colonoscopy: 4
Having had a colonoscopy this year, I’m sooo glad mine wasn’t as painful as this woman’s!

Side Effects Include: 4
Some thinning hair takes a horrific toll on one woman, and the ending of this was great. There’s a reason I am wary of new medications!

Sixteen: 3.5
Teenagers are a nightmare, and this self-absorbed daughter is no exception…

The Visitor, by Rik Hoskin: 4.5
This story was more on the science fiction side, with a man who takes care of his hospitalized mother dealing with some strange things. I loved the ending!

This anthology is really good. The stories are all quite short, but all quite unique. I was expecting this to more on the extreme horror/splatterpunk side, but unfortunately it wasn’t as gory as I thought it would be. Still, there is plenty to be grossed out by for the average horror reader. My rating comes out to around 4.25, which is very close to the current Goodreads rating of 4.3 stars. I recommend it for some quick and entertaining reading!

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of shorts fucked with my head and heart. Will be back with a full review soon!

Updated review:

Warning/trigger:
All stories contain some level of medical trauma FAT: Fatphobia, internalized fatphobia, self-mutilation Defective: Traumatic childbirth, infant suffering and death Colonoscopy: Feces Side Effects Include: Suicidality


My love for medical thrillers  began when I first discovered Robin Cook. I was hooked and literally read every single one of his books I could get my hands on. So when I recently came across a book titled "OH FUCK OH FUCK IT HURTS: A COLLECTION OF MEDICAL HORROR", to say I wanted to read it is a gross understatement.  You mean to tell me, it's an whole book of MEDICAL HORROR?!?! Give it give it!!!


Prior to reading this collection of short stories I had never heard of or read anything by its author, Ruth Anna Evans. Don't fret though because I plan to remedy that!

This short collection fucked with my head and my heart.  The variety of horror is top notch, it perfecrly blends gore with great story telling. It had my emotions on a roller coaster, some of the stories horrified me, some grossed me out, others angered me and two stories in particular hit too close to home and left me wrecked.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret... Your girl is THICK and I suffer from the autoimmune disease Hashimotos. The stories FAT  and autoimmune will live in my mind rent free for a long time to come.

It's also worth commenting on the fact that not only is Ruth a great writer she is extremely talented at designing covers.

This little book of body horrors is an absolute blast to read. I highly recommend it!


RX: OH FUCK:MEDICAL COLLECTION
SIG:Grab your own copy on Sept 12, 2023 and read the stories ad lib
DISP:8 stories
RF: Unlimited

Prescriber: Bookaholic__reviews


I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Diana | Indie Book Addict · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection of medical horrors. Evans offers seven short stories with varying degrees of grossness. Each one aims to shake up the reader and they do just that. I found them all enjoyable, and they each make you think. Some of what makes this terrifying is that it could really happen. Maybe not in the exact ways that Evans portrays, but still, it’s enough to trigger some anxiety and leave you with an overwhelming feeling of dread.

All the shorts were great, but the stories below probably got more of a reaction out of me, so I had to highlight them.

Lifeline – This one was super short but very unsettling. Sadly, this is something I could totally see happening in the future.

FAT – A woman is so desperate to lose weight that she takes some drastic measures to make it happen. This one is a great reminder to be careful what you wish for.

Defective – A couple is finally having the baby they’ve always wanted, but when the bundle of joy arrives it’s anything but joyful. In fact, it is so much the opposite. This was a tough one.

Side Effects Include – Laura starts treatment for hair loss and has a reaction and is given something to counter that. Another reaction happens and just continues like that. Poor Laura is having a hell of a time while her body and mental state fall apart.

The bonus story, The Visitor, by Rik Hoskin was also a good one. It really messes with your head and proves that things aren’t always as they seem.

If you enjoy medical horror and body horror, you won’t want to pass this one up.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If he had been wearing a heart monitor, it would have shown a flatline, but those weren’t pro bono anymore.”

Ruth Anna Evans’ new collection of medical horror hits the spot! There are a number of short stories by herself, and one by Rik Hoskin as well. I have previously read “Side Effects Include” (and it was horribly wonderful!) as a stand-alone, but all the other tales were new to me.

They are all frightening, devastating, and at times feel all too real as the future of healthcare becomes more and more of a capitalist structure. Seriously scary stuff.

“Fat” had me tearing up, it hits way too close to home with society’s unrealistic standards and expectations (especially for women) on how you are supposed to look, act, and be….

The cover art is a shock to the eye with the colours and needles. It will definitely draw the reader in, don’t be afraid to crack these pages open!

[Nat Whiston · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a sufferer of misdiagnosis and constantly being pissed about by the medical system in my own country. The introduction from Ruth hits home on so many levels, as the author opens up on her own experiences with her health issues. This anthology of medical horrors has at least one story the reader can strongly relate to.

Whether that is the fear of medical bills in the story Lifeline or the heartbreaking story of suffering from an autoimmune disease. If you suffer from chronic pain or illness, this book has you covered as the reader is taken through a wide range of emotions. Fat hit home, as I also take medication with the side effects of weight gain. In the end, I just accepted who I am now at this new weight. But Cara's story pulls hard at the heartstrings and then amplifies the fear of weight gain and how your mind can make the situation worse. But the story also outlines her desperation as she goes for an experimental treatment for weight loss. The reader follows her journey all the way through and the horrors are real.

Colonoscopy certainly brings back memories, as one of the many tests you endure for a diagnosis. The whole process down to the horrible liquid you ingest to 'clear you out,' is on point and to an extent made me feel better knowing someone else knows the experience. You feel less alone when you get someone else's first-hand account, and I could tell that for Ruth this story was deeply personal. But I also loved the creative freedom of Side Effects Include, as Laura endures so much pain and misery when trying to find a diagnosis for something that started with hair loss. Showing that not everyone reacts to treatments the same way, the scary part is these things DO happen. But each story is layered with amazing character development and the stories all hold true to the reader in some shape or form.

The final story provided by Rik Hoskin is called The Visitor.  As we delve into the life of a man paying for his mother's care beneath the surface is something much more sinister.

The story by Rob just adds even more layers to this incredible collection of Medical horrors.

[Veronica ☠️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was nervous going into this one because what's scarier than medical horror? Our bodies will eventually shut down, it will be painful, and just a horrifying thought in general. And this collection only added to that fear, while keeping me entertained! Some of my favourites were...

Lifeline: Imagine having to pay for every single medical procedure in the moment? Doctors and nurses check your wallet to find money to continue service. What if your credit cards max out? You can't afford to pay anymore? In this scary world, if you can't pay ASAP, you don't get any help.

Defective: A mother's love is truly one of a kind. Brookelynn had been pushing for hours when finally her baby came out. Strong cry, painful delivery, strange features. The baby comes out wrong and everyone is afraid of....it. But a mother's love is unconditional and Brookelynn will do anything for her baby

Side Effects Include: Laura was at work when her coworker pointed out a bald spot on the top of her head. She went to the doctors in hopes she could get treatment. She got some drops and the doctor ordered her to follow the instructions carefully. Laura, being terrified of going bald, didn't read the instructions and used a lot of medicine. The side effects of her actions will cost her greatly.

Side Effects Include was my favourite out of the whole collection! I'm guilty of hardly ever reading or following direction. This story changed that! I do need to give the story Sixteen an honourable mention. I added it to my list of reasons why I don't want kids. They only care about wifi! If you want to be spooked by real life medical horrors, then this is the collection for you!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was quite a good little short story book, I rattled through them all in no time. The author writes from her own experience which we learn of in the introduction and it makes this more than just your average scare fest or someone trying to push boundaries for boundaries sake. When I purchased the book I was assuming it was written by someone who just liked writing scary gross stuff, it never occurred to me that there might be any truth in it. I admire the author for sharing her own personal problems.

The stories are not overly sensationalist, and are well written, there is a mixture of horrifying and gory but almost all of them are good, some a little more far fetched than others and some disturbingly close to the truth. My heart went out to a lot of these characters/victims, it felt like this could be you sometimes. For the majority of these tales there isn’t really a bad guy, someone evil inflicting pain on others, mostly the blame seems to lie at the feet of capitalism.

Unfortunately the most disappointing story in this collection was the one written by the guest author. It was a good idea, just poorly executed, I felt the writing itself came across as a bit amateurish.
Not a bad collection here. 3.5 stars and I’m going to round up as I’m feeling generous, and glad I have my health, and in Ruth Anna Evans’ defence the worst was not even her own writing.

4 stars, but only just.

[Chloë-Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably a 3.5

I’ve had a cold and read the first stories by Ruth all very quickly but I had no pull to try and finish the last one whilst I was unwell until this morning so the pay off didn’t really do anything for me.

Would certainly be interesting in trying more of Ruth’s shorts in the future.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to read medical thrillers, I have no clue what it is that makes me love them so much, but it's been awhile.

Now I jumped into this one and wow, l forgot how much I loved them, I get sucked into these little medical horrors

Side Effects Include is hands down my FAVORITE in this collection.

Maybe because I live in the US and the medical system is already a horror, but these stories x they are something else entirely, and I mean that as a compliment.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, huge thanks to Ruth Anna Evans for an ARC of her new collection - eight stories, seven of which are hers, and one (the last one) by Ric Hoskin. All touch on medical issues, focusing on the most horrifying effects of healthcare (present and future), new meds, rare side effects, and assisted living. All stories aim to unsettle and disturb, which justifies their being called "medical horror," and they are indeed brutal, savage, sometimes cruel, though always mercilessly honest and ruthlessly insightful. This is somewhat standard for Ruth Anna Evans' stories; however, what I was not prepared for was the sadness, the desolation, and the despair pervading most of the stories. Case in point, the opening story, "Lifeline," relates how your credit limit may determine your chances to live: this story made me incredibly anxious, doubly so because it may turn out very very real very very soon! Same with the story "FAT" about an obese woman trying to lose weight: the doctors' impenetrable smiles and benevolent attitudes towards her very real problem made the entire situation feel unreal, to the point that the story was filled with dread. Or the story "Sixteen," about a teenager's indifference to her father's condition: a very short tale, though full of meaning and gruesome realism.

My personal standout, however, was "Side Effects Include," about a woman who starts treatment for hair loss, and has to undergo further medical interventions in order to deal with the rarest and worst side effects of the treatment undergone previously! A domino effect leading inevitably to bodily and mental disaster, but a tale with a fantastic ending.

The Hoskin story is not as tight as the others, nor as insightful, yet it's quite entertaining and well-written. It reads like a mystery story, playing on our intuitions about assisted living facilities and the lengths they might go to secure business. The resolution was unexpected and intelligent.

It should be apparent by now that the name of Ruth Anna Evans is a guarantee of excellent horror stories, and her new collection is exactly that. She's also the creator of the striking cover and knows exactly how to get across the right emotional impact both visually and verbally. If you want storytelling packing a punch, this is the collection to go for!

[Kiki Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you need to be warned that there will be some disturbing content in here, this one probably isn't for you.

Ruth Anna Evans has teamed up with Rik Hoskin to bring a collection of medical grade horror ranging from purely speculatory right the way through to the highly gross and vexing stories which will keep even the people with steel stomachs entertained.

The absolute standout for me was "Side Effects Include", about a women who suffers through dominos of side effects from simple medical treatment - it also had an epic ending! FAT felt very close to home, creeping in to realism horror territory (with a sci-fi feel).

While I mentioned that if you do need content warnings, it's not really for you, I do feel like I need to mention that there is a heavily fatphobic story with self harm, a story on infant death following a traumatic birth and also thoughts of unaliving.

[Kayla Frederick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of chillingly disturbing medical horror. Each one is more uncomfortable than the last. There’s something about medical horror that’s always creeped me out, and this collection does a good job of exploring those feelings.

My favorites of the collection were:

AUTOIMMUNE: A man is subjected to a horrific chronic illness.

FAT: A woman is willing to go to extreme lengths to lose weight.

SIDE EFFECTS INCLUDE: In an effort to treat hair loss, a woman uses a supplement to regrow her hair that starts her in a horrific cycle of medicine and side effects.

This isn’t a collection to be missed.

[Amanda Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent series of short stories that had me squirming in my seat, but unable to look away! Some stories were heartbreaking, some were gag-worthy, others were mind bending. This was my first book by this author, but they’re now on my autobuy list!

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I plowed through this in a very short afternoon and I loved almost every story - I'm still not sure what the last one was to truly be but alas, it was still a good read! I've never related to characters so much in my life.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are horror short stories of medical mishap.

The stories are just as raw, graphic and unpredictable as medicine often can be. I enjoyed some more than others, but certainly found them entertaining.

[Madison Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this fast paced easy read. Each short story was one medical horror after another. One really stood out to me about a baby, it not only spoke to me but broke my heart as well. Each story was creative and gave you a new perspective on medical emergencies. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone who likes short horrors.

[Overlook Hotel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Each story had me captivated (bar one)....

Who doesn't want to take an injection and lose 30lbs overnight.... Sounds too good to be true. Because it is!

The last story threw me through a hoop. 😳

Wish I could read it again.

[Katie Kofoed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely devoured this! I'm not usually a short story collection kinda reader, but I was thoroughly impressed with every single tale. This was my first from Ruth Anna Evans, but I'm definitely adding her others to my TBR!

[Josh reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun yet terrifying collection of stories regarding the dark side of medicine, truly there was not a bad story in the bunch.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

awful and wonderful - a carthartic read in the face of real world medical horrors.

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely had me saying oh fuck it hurts! Each story was amazing and definitely showed the darker and more horrifying side of medical! The most memorable story I would have to say was Lifeline! Which I could see happening in reality so it made the story 1000xs scarier.

[Trisha Tropiano · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a horrifying, disgusting, and disturbing collection of medical horror stories. I loved it! I enjoyed all the stories, but I think my favourite was Side Effects Include which is about a woman who starts out with one issue, but the treatment causes another issue, which is also treated, and creates a domino effect of new issues and treatments. My other favourites include Fat, The Visitor, and Lifeline.

[Aiden Messer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A messed up, nerve-wracking collection of medical short stories. Every story is disturbing in its own way, and the anthology is full of heart, which is what makes it so impactful.