Don't Call Me Crazy

by Octavia Grant

Award winning Investigative Reporter Ivory Addison has been on the scene of every Local, National, and International event deemed newsworthy. Her work ethic has a certain je ne sais quoi, that has not gone unnoticed. But is that a good thing? When Television Execs offer top dollar for Ivory to host her own True Crime Show, is it to advance her career or help uncover secrets? As Ivory interviews, Amalia Havoc, she can’t help but wonder if she bit off more than she could chew by accepting this new opportunity.

Genres: Horror, Thriller, Adult, Novella, Crime, Mystery, Psychological Thriller

78 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 28, 2023

About the author

Octavia Grant found her passion for Creative Writing in 2002, while a Junior in high school. She began writing professionally in 2016, two years later she decided to take the reins of her literary career and became an Independent Author. As an Independent Author, Octavia has penned over 30 novels. She’s spoken on the Thriller Author Panel at ESSENCE Fest, been interviewed by Narrator iiKane, interviewed by Literary Reviewer and Movie Commentator Tamara Walker of Tam Telling Tales, featured in magazines WYB Lifestyle, VoyageJacksonville, Canvas Rebel, named in 160 Black Women In Horror. Octavia's psychological thriller novella, Dear Vicky, was the winner of Black Girls Who Write It’s Lit Award for Best Black Mystery/Suspense, Audio In Black North Star Award Winner and AAMBC Award Winner for Mystery/Thriller Book of the Year. Octavia loves reader interaction and encourages her readers to follow her on social media:

FB: Octavia Taneka Grant
IG: Octavia_vs_otaneka
TikTok: Tavi_vs_Otaneka

Reviews

[Shawnaci Schroeder · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️
- This book is wiiiiild! A true thriller and my mouth was hanging open by the end of this! Octavia Grant is the queen of an unhinged story!
- The twist at the end really surprised me! Was absolutely shook! This is the fourth book by this author and I can’t wait to read it.
- If you enjoy true crime podcasts, this would be a great story to read! Felt like I was listening to a true crime interview.

[Jahda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hmmm so a crazy liar …..

[LaToya Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

What did I just read 😩😩

Octavia Grant’s mind is a WILD place! The reasoning behind Amalia’s crimes almost make you want to side with her. She did some terrible things but they were terrible people…or were they? This was kind of a cliff hanger - I have questions!! Be sure to check the trigger warnings- some of the subject matter in this book was rough.

[Rashawnda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book and when you’re finished you’re left trying to figure out whether the events in the book really happened or not?! 🤔😳

Ivory met her journalism match after she interviewed murderous psychopath Amalia. The way her murderous tales unfolded had me feeling like I was watching an episode of true crime. I’m not going to even lie, I was rooting for Amalia and felt that her killings were justified then the ending happened and I was like wait what?!

This was so good and while I do still have questions, I don’t feel like I was left hanging! The ending gave Unsolved Mystery vibes!

As I take a trip down the rabbit hole of Octavia I am enjoying the journey! The lady is twisted in the best way possible!

[*Ebony I* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Crazy is an understatement

Whew chile, somebody do a wellness check on Ms. Grant because ma'am what is going on in your mind. She knows how to write these crazy azz characters... This story was wild af and gross. Here I was lowkey feeling some empathy for Amalia, when the ish really took a turn. If you are ever looking for something out of the realm of your thinking you can count on Ms. Grant to deliver that for you.

[Sha Sha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was CRA- you know what?!? 😒WILD!!

[Kim’s Kindle Reads. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I WANTED THIS BOOK TO BE LONGER. It pulled me in from the beginning and did not let up! I was on Amalia’s side.. until I wasn’t 😂 Ivory is a G cuz no way would I have been sitting across that table lmfao. I hope there is going to be a second book because.. I NEED IT 😭 this book was right up my alley and the twist was perfection — I definitely didn’t expect it.

[Keith Book Korner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story about an investigation Reporter that is going to be interviewing women murders and serial killers and that’s just the start of the craziness the plot twist is crazy at the end.. Great short story definitely worth reading

[amber.☘︎ ݁˖ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this woman is completely mental. and i’m tempted to leave it at that but alas i shall not.

the themes of morality in this book are something i loved. i love a book that divides the audience on moral grounds and challenges the justice system. the book also explored themes of race and incarceration which is a social issue that’s always provoked deep thought from me. the moral and social dilemmas in this book and paramount, and i’ve never read anything like it before.

initially amalia is presented as i character i can excuse her crimes for and then her persona unravels along with her lies, that left me feeling nothing but disgust for her. for 78 pages this book has definitely left an effect on me and i admire octavia grant’s ability to transform character perceptions through both the interview context and the format of the writing itself.

[Jailai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mannnnnnnnn this one here was crazy good!

No way that girl was that unhinged seriously 😳

[Gemini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted

It’s hard to even articulate a reaction to this book. It was so sick. The author repetitively used the word “vile” throughout the story. That’s a perfect descriptor for Amalia’s story. It was so over the top. The delivery almost felt playful. That made it even weirder. The things that she did to her victims wouldn’t have crossed my mind in a million years. It was impossible not to shudder when I read it. The revelation at the end surprised me. There was a bit of a cliffhanger feeling that left room for a sequel. I would read it just to see what other horrors Amalia would serve up.

[alex 🦇 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had me hooked, Amalia was wild and a book with only 78 pages it did such a great job. I loved how my feelings about Amalia and her actions completely changed by the end.

[Diamond °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 5 out of 5]

By 19% in the book I questioned myself “what am I getting myself into” but I kept reading.

My mind has been completely altered by a 78 paged book. Octavia Grant I cannot say I am mad at you for having my jaw to the ground the whole time especially how much further it dropped at the last page of the book.

Goodness grief… 🥴🤣

[Yaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, what did I just read? Amalia is completely off the rails and unhinged.. 😭 she’s a truly sick individual. This is a wild, unexpected, and utterly chaotic quick read.

[Danielle Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disturbing, bold, and unforgettable
Don't Call Me Crazy takes you deep into the mind of a woman battling more than just heartbreak—it’s trauma, rage, and a fight for control. Octavia Grant doesn’t sugarcoat the chaos; instead, she lets the unraveling speak for itself. This is a quick read and one that definitely sticks with you.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

WTF did I just read? And why did I read it so late? That ending was crazy AF

[J.R. Mason · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG 😳

I'm still lying here trying to figure out what in the world I just read! I picked up the book because I was intrigued by the cover. Now wondering if there are some more novellas with the rest of the interviews for me to read lol... This was some sick crazy stuff, man! But if you have no triggers and don't have a weak stomach, you should be good to go. If we're being completely honest, I said about halfway through that I hoped what would happen in the end actually happened, and it did! So now I just want the rest of this story... Though it could probably use a quick re-edit due to some grammar errors, that wasn't enough to ruin the story for me. I would recommend this one to any of my twisted friends.

[Alana Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was so unserious and also didn’t expect the ending? lmao a bit chaotic much

[Jacqueline ❤️’s to Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book is so ironic, it’s almost laugh out loud funny because that’s EXACTLY what this book is…CRAZY!!

This was a short, engaging and interesting story, that will capture and intrigue you from the first page. It’s a great view into the ills of deep rooted sociopathy/psychopathy in society.

I don’t generally like books of this genre because they’re too graphic for me. But, I enjoy Octavia Grant’s writing. She’s a great story teller. I see a possible sequel in the future for this book, or a continuation of the characters’ stories, in a full novel.

Read this one if you dare. But, BEWARE. Some parts of this book are DEEPLY disturbing.

TRIGGER WARNINGS (& POSSIBLE SPOILERS): Graphic violence, mental illness, murder, (Mentions) of rape, sodomy, pedophilia & cannibalism.

[Sunflower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amalia's ass was crazy as hell! Part of me wanted to believe she was right for killing the victims she killed but once I got to the end, I didn't know what to believe lmao! She was just downright nutty! She definitely pushes Andrew from "Dear Vicky" down the list a little bit to claim the #1 spot in the crazy category. Poor Ivory got sucked into something that sounded like a great opportunity just for it to turn into a nut show 😭 I needed a break & a drank after reading that 🤣🤣

[Jerricka · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not expecting that. This book is something else. It is great. From The up and downs of emotions to the suspense.

[Tanay W · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I heard of this from a book tok and this was a fast paced crazy ass read and very graphic so if you’re squeamish i don’t recommend. Where is a Amalia? Will it be a part 2?

[BlackBookVibes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

I am trying to figure out the mentality of the author... lol. Going down a reading rabit hole and the books are getting more and more crazy! Ivy and the readers were shocked at the ending!

[Dani Adell · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐️: I thoroughly enjoyed this story!! I loved the plot twist at the end too! Amalia was crazy as hell! 🤣

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clutching my Pearls

Omggggg I don’t know what I just read! This was CRAZYYYYYY! What a wild ride smh Octavia Grant what goes on in your head as you’re writing these stores!?! lol

[Nay Pages · Rating 3 out of 5]

But bitch u are crazy, crazy and bored and now shawty on the loose omg 🤦🏾‍♀️ nah hopefully they find her ass and lock her back up 😭 this was a good short though.

[WHL (Bill) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riveting!

That book cover drew me in. This was a quick, entertaining and gory read. It's pretty graphic so be prepared.

[Lourdes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never call you crazy

I was hanging on every word of this story. Do you feel bad for Amalia or do you fear her. Imagine you are given a high paying job to interview female serial killers. The first one you interview gives you information never before recorded about her crimes. The details are so gruesome the correctional officers are throwing up and visibility uncomfortable. If you have a weak stomach I would beware of reading but if you’re a fan of true crime and can handle details …. Read this spine tingling story.

[Lyric · Rating 1 out of 5]

I felt like this book should have been much better. It had the groundwork to be great but fell completely short of the goal. It honestly bored me. If it wasn’t so short I definitely would’ve DNF’d this book.

[Brianna M · Rating 5 out of 5]

This psychological thriller had me on the edge of my seat from the minute I opened it and had my anxiety going so crazy. I love the way this story was told and the crazy twists and turns it took