The Scum of The Earth: Melody's Awakening

by Erica Hart

NO ONE EXPECTS BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE TO BE PSYCHOPATHSMelody is an exotic dancer whose boss makes her an offer she can't refuse. A chance situation sees her fighting for her life. Does she let the darkness out and quench her thirst for blood or will she be just another corpse left mutilated at the hands of a twisted scumbag?With buckets of viscera and lashings of blood soaked torture, this book is not for the faint hearted.Immerse yourself in a story of desire and depravity.Everyone has a dark side.

Genres: Splatterpunk, Horror, Horror Thriller, Novella

110 pages, Paperback

Published December 14, 2023

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise yanked me right in. The writing was solid, the vivid details of everything made me hungry for a medium rare steak, and the whole story was like a beautiful nightmare. There were, however, more things that I took issue with, as opposed to enjoyed. There were way too many characters for 79 pages. At near 40%, it was still introducing new people and focusing on their particular POVs. Since this is part of a series, maybe saving some of these for later on may have been a better option, or even cutting a few out. Now this had nonstop mutilation, various forms of rape (Including minors), murder, and very deviant and psychopathic sexual acts. I enjoyed how it savage it all was, but because of the frequency, every chapter sort of felt like a repeat. Introduction, rape, murder, repeat. Again, I feel like the author may have been better off expanding on fewer characters rather than just all this gore, which would have lessened the burden of so much repetition for the reader. Not sure I would read further into the series, but this had some really well done aspects. Unfortunately, it fell into the common trap of most extreme horror, where it lost a very good story and characters amongst all the excessive gore.

[Paul McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Horror Drips From Every Page
This novella of 80 pages took me three sessions to read.
It wasn’t because it was boring; on the contrary, it is well-written, with action packed into every paragraph.

I had to rest to cleanse my mind and soul as my horror gauges were red-lining.
My capacity to consume any more body mutilation, evisceration, cannibalism and the worst depravity that humanity can conceive had been exceeded.

After a few days break, I would bravely sit, take a deep breath and continue the onslaught of gore.

The plot is good and opens with Melody being abducted by not one mentally and sexually deranged man but four. A chapter is assigned to each man, outlining the levels of depravity they are capable of.

Each chapter makes me more concerned for poor Melody, what they intended to do to her and if she could escape.

Naked and bound by wire to a wooden table in a deserted construction site, it looks grim for Melody when……….

No, you will have to read it.
It is a brilliant debut from this author.
Well done.

In a month or two, I may have recovered sufficiently to start Book 2.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was a doozey of a read packed full of over the top sex and gore. I started the book and though this would be a typical female revenge story against some rapists and then the book zigged when I thought it would zag and as it turns out... everybody is the asshole in this book. I am pulled into this series and now have to read the rest. Definately a fun and disgusting read.

[Erica Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm proud of this book and the characters I've created. I wanted it to be gory but sexy too and I think I achieved that #splatterpunkerotica

[Becki 🤎 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟

I bloody love Erica! If there is one person that knows how to do extreme horror it’s definitely her! Those triggers are always being pushed to the limits, from the get go, torture, incest, cannibalism eeeeee it had it all!!

This was relentless, each back story had me 🫣😯😳

The whole story was just wow, from the very first chapter to the very last I don’t think I managed to take a proper breath!

I can’t wait to see what’s next in this series, I’m so glad there’s more, I can’t work out if I love our unhinged Melody or not 🫣😅🤎

[Susan (dalmatian21) · Rating 1 out of 5]

What the actual fuck did I just read?

[Holly Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a dark dark and seriously messed up book this is! Very well written but definitely not for the faint hearted this book should definitely not be taken lightly definitely check the triggers for this one!

[Phrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes I get burned out constantly barraging my mind with violence & depravity. I’m not afraid to admit it, after a while it really taxes the soul. That’s when I reach for something lighthearted & wholesome, something a little cozier to let my neurons heal. So that’s why I decided to curl up with The Scum of the Earth: Melody’s Awakening by Erica Hart to quell my nerves & gird my sensibilities. 🫠 jk lol I thrive on violence & depravity! It keeps *the brand* delightfully unhinged & I’m convinced it’s also what gives my shiny coat its luster. ✨

Quick synopsis:
Melody is a badass. She’s a beauty with brains & a drive not often witnessed nowadays. Outside of, say, maximum security prisons, etc. Her minds works…a little different. So when she’s put in a dire situation that calls for her to unleash her demons…will she be able to put them back?

Melody is my hero, ok no. Wait. For legal reasons, let me NOT say that but *wink wink* She’s one of those questionable, complex characters that I enjoy most. Part of you wants to see her get the revenge that she deserves, but then she does some questionably fucked-up shit & you’re like “oooooh sis, you’re losing me.” 😬 This was one of the most vicious stories I’ve read in a while. The brutality was uncompromising & a few scenes even made me pause before I turned the page. That’s how you know it’s good! (This is why my therapist gets dollar signs for eyes when she sees me come in.) Hart’s writing is heartless, yet heart-full. (See what I did there.) Her graphic attention to detail and fearlessness is refreshing and welcome. I intend to read much more from her & look forward to seeing how far she’s willing to take us. 🖤

P.s. I loved the cover so much that I just found it screenshot FOUR times in my phone pics. 💀

[SplatterGunk · Rating 4 out of 5]

One part “Hostel,”one part 1978’s “I Spit On Your Grave,” and One Part “Nekromantik.” Add ice and shake. That’s the recipe for Melody’s Awakening.

It was hard for me to decide if this was a three or four star read, but I went with four stars in the end, because I don’t judge splatterpunk and intentionally transgressive fiction by the same standards as other works. These genres are in a category all their own. And the first half of this book had me (gross) gagging - which, yes!

The second half, I was all in. There’s something about a bad bitch who had murder fantasies and still has real life struggles with her love life and work-life balance. Melody’s hatred for the vast majority of society is so real too.

Actually, I might have been too all in by the second half. Every time Melody was about to murder someone or witnessing a murder, I started looking forward to how it was going to happen. Melody herself would probably call it “the good part.”

Less piss than I was expecting, about the exact amount of viscera I was expecting, way more brains than I was expecting.

That’s the problem with society today. People just don’t eat brains the way they used to!

[Shilah Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I truly don’t know where to start. This is seriously twisted and much like The Terrifier but more smut and with a stripper. If you’ve read Satans Affair by HD Carlton then this one may be for you. And much like Haunting Adeline this one definitely needs trigger warnings. I love the FMC and how she truly finds her fetish and opens her up to who she is, even if she’s psychotic. I rated this 3 stars before because of the F word being used so much but I do honestly love this book and changed my review to 4 stars. I can get past the ick and I just bought the second to continue Melodys twisted journey.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Depraved, raw and brutal.

Bloody lust in glorious technicolour, coupled with violent mutilation and killings that keep coming on and on and on…

Far-fetched insanity that will certainly pique any serious extreme horror fan’s interest.

Enjoy the feast.

Rating: 3.8 black stars of complete, unprincipled debauchery - Melody has undoubtedly…awoken!

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow I finally found a book that was so f***ed up I wasn't sure I could finish it. We'll luckily it is short so I plowed through! I am not sure if I will continue with the series or not at this point in time. I like reading messed up stuff but gore is just not my jam.

[Jorden · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF.
Absolutely horrible.
I like dark stuff. But the writing was just bad as well.

[Sunny · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I love horror, this was a bit too much. There was so much gore, rape, and sex that I felt quite overwhelmed.
I'm giving this book a 1⭐️ because it wasn't my cup of tea.
However, due to the explicit scenes of torture, kidnapping, and sex using body parts of minors, I have to give this book a 0⭐️.

[Liana Walliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible dark but incredibly inviting thrown in at the deep in with brutal event that turns into the start of a wonderful journey melody is one bad ass bitch!

[Aiden Messer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing but disgusting filth sprinkled with various bodily fluids. Ew. Ew. Ew. 🤮🤮🤮

[Lesley Camphouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you open the book and read the first page, the story propels you forward at lightning speed. A lot happens: gore, murder, torture—you name it, and you get it. It might not be for everyone, but I love it. The story is fast-paced as we follow Melody, an exotic dancer who discovers her true self with the help of her boss and colleague. Her journey is a bloody one, and Melody knows exactly what she wants, except for one thing.

This book is part of a series, and especially as the pages were becoming less, the story began to unfold more and more, and all I can say is that I am curious to see what lies ahead for Melody. Luckily, several more parts are already published, so I don't have to wait long to find out.

[Katie Drew · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was my second book in the horror genre and it’s safe to say horror books aren’t for me. If you love horror then this novella is for you as it’s definitely horrifying and quite fast paced but it was too grotesque and graphic for me. At points I actually felt physically sick and had to stop reading. The only reason I finished this was because it was 79 pages, if it was any longer it would have been a DNF for me.

[The Beloved Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whelp, this was pretty brutal! Complete splatterpunk from beginning to end, and if it’s not your thing do not read this.

Melody is a great character and this is a great story, but I loved getting in the heads (no pun intended) of the villains. They were pretty horrific. But Melody was truly amazing and why was I cheering for her when she’s ravaging someone? Weird I know.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first read of 2025 and we’re off to the races with this one. I 100% support women’s rights and I definitely their wrongs. Melody is a brooding and sexy FMC and I can’t wait to see where she goes.

[Stu Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book

Very good first book. Very gruesome in parts. I would highly recommend this to any extreme horror reader. Roll on the second book

[Paige Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was VILE af. Full of sex, blood and gore galore!! Let’s see what book two has in store for Melody ;)

[Bethy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant read, I couldn't put it down until I was completely finished. Told my partner he has to read it. Can't wait to read the others!

[Sara Vee · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are not enough trigger warnings on the world to prepare you for this. I'm going to go pray now, but doubt a book like this would exist if God did as well.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Umm wtf did I just read…. This is one f***ed up book and i honestly don’t know how I managed to finish it

[James G IV | Rotten Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, what the hell? It's like the Eli Roth film, Hostel, but with upscale sex dungeons. The overall premise is pretty clever, but it definitely needs some editing grammatically and in terms of content. There's a lot happening in 79 pages, and it could be fleshed out more. There were times when characters were doing one thing, and in the following sentence, they were getting dressed. With that said, I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[Lauren Thorpe · Rating 4 out of 5]

One hell of a splatter punk horror! I thought it would be a typical read of female revenge, and whilst it didn’t quite meet those expectations it was an interesting twist on what I thought it would be. At times, I didn’t think I could finish it as it has several moments where I questioned my own sanity and morality at reading this kind of book but I don’t listen to trigger warnings when it comes to horror as think it should be a challenge. Will read more from the author.

[Adrian Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this! The story flowed so well, writing style has definitely matured from Acid Killer, the Melody character was a strong lead, the gore was extreme and it came together so nicely.

The first few paragraphs really resonated with me, which put a smile on my face. Looking forward to others in the series, glad I have the first 5 to get through.

Nice one Erica Hart, a strong start.

[Ashley davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read. The revenge is sweet at the start of the book . There is alot of detailed gore , mention of child unaliving too . Definitely not for the faint of heart

[Breya Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love how well-written this book was. It drew me in from the beginning and kept me absolutely shocked to the end.

My first splatterpunk read!