Appalachian Siren: Backwoods Extreme Horror

by Leslie Kurt

“Fans of stories like Toxic Love by Kristopher Triana will have a good time here.”—Peter Topside, author of Love and Pieces and horror connoisseur.

(Pronounced App-uh-latch-uhn Si-reen)An Erotic Backwoods Horror

Jimmy Lynch and Charlene Doyle have a dysfunctional relationship. They are both originally from the mountains of western North Carolina but now live in the suburbs of Atlanta. Neither one has assimilated to suburban life. Nor are they good people.

Jimmy is an insensitive, abusive man with a terrible temper. Charlene is a petty criminal who is a habitual cheater. A horrific incident occurs at their home one night that turns their suburban life upside down. As we get to know Jimmy and Charlene better, we learn there is more to them than being flawed. The abovementioned incident causes them to evolve into the darkest type of human.

Appalachian Siren is an 18+ backwoods horror/splatterpunk book. This book also contains a lot of graphic sex.

Genres: Horror, Audiobook, Splatterpunk, Dark

187 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 29, 2024

About the author

Leslie Kurt is an award-nominated author of extreme and erotic horror.

He grew up in eastern Ohio near the West Virginia border, right on the bank of the Ohio River. This is where he developed his Charles Manson accent, which he has been unable to shake.

He grew up hunting, fishing, and enjoying the outdoors. When he isn’t writing, you can find him outdoors doing those same activities he loved growing up, or playing with his Black Labrador Retriever, “Shadow.”

Leslie is a marketer who writes ad copy, blogs, and magazine articles. He also has a background as an engineer.

Most of his stories are set in the suburbs of Atlanta and northern rural Georgia. This is where he has lived and where he lives now, respectively.

Reviews

[Peter Topside · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wowza, did this one keep my attention. The first thing that I noticed was how smooth the writing style was. The descriptions of everyone and everything were just enough, there were no hard pivots with POVs or scene changes, and it was just a direct path from start to finish, which I enjoyed quite a bit, allowing me to fully keep my attention on the content. It definitely fell under the splatterpunk subgenre, which I am an avid fan of, but it wasn't distorted or so uber-violent that it lost its initial charm. It struck a balance and kept as much focus on the very quirky and insane leads, in Charlene and Jimmy, as it did on the gore. There were a lot of hysterical instances here, but I questioned whether I was supposed to be laughing or not. Always good to do some self-reflection, right? Then again, I'm one sick puppy and have a really terrible sense of humor. The book opened up with Jimmy hanging out with his sleazy friends Monkey, Trigger, and Stick. They sound like quite the group and the nicknames had me in stitches. They just loved to drink, bullshit with one another, play cards and eye hump Charlene. She is, of course, a busty, gorgeous girl with a sex drive as energetic as Speedy Gonzalez after ingesting a case of Monster Energy. At first, I was going to pick a lot of things apart, starting with Charlene, but I stayed with it, and it all eventually found a place. For instance, Charlene will screw anything with a pulse...and some otherwise...so she cheats on Jimmy constantly, has no problem killing people, uses 'raccoon grease' as a type of lube, but she doesn't curse or do anal. Seems like she'd be game for whatever, so some of that seemed out of place, but it really did show the hilarity of how her and Jimmy lived their lives. Just a really ridiculous and very dangerous duo. And with people this mentally ill, there is no balance or sense in how they operate on a daily basis. Again, all the inconsistencies worked here to proliferate how Jimmy and Charlene were damaged goods. One thing that did bother me was how many times some of Charlene's...well..suitors...does that sound proper? But the victims she was banging got interrupted during climax on multiple occasions. That unnerved me more than the violence. For anyone whose had that particular experience, you'll know why. I'd rather face a firing squad than have that ever happen to me again. So we go on this wild ride with our lead couple as they explore their finite fetish for killing men that she has rough sexual encounters with, as they evade the law. At one point, I was thinking how one-note the story was, but with each victim, things got more gritty and the relationship of Jim and Char got more troubled in a steady progression. Then we got to that twist near the end, which I liked a lot, too. There were a few spots that needed a tiny bit of fine-tuning, but nothing that hurt the experience at all. Plot points such as how Charlene's sex drive suddenly plummeted when they retreated to the woods and stayed there for a while, when she would have probably been more charged up than ever, the lack of sexual chemistry and emotionality between the couple, and a few other similar tidbits. Again, this isn't Shakespeare, as the old expression goes...its splatterpunk...all you're guaranteed is nasty sex, tons of people getting slaughtered, and some very naughty language. Overall, I really had a positive experience here and recommend this book to all my Topsiders. Fans of stories like Toxic Love by Kristopher Triana will have a good time here. Also, a big kudos to Leslie Kurt divulging his mental health difficulties and his journey towards better habits, which include taking on creative writing. My literary journey also came up in a similar fashion, so I give him all the respect for letting the world know his story. You're in good company, my friend. And that line about being grateful to his psychiatrist for not firing him as a patient had me dying, too. Leslie Kurt, you have a new fan in Peter Topside.

[Hail Hydra! ~Dave Anderson~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charlene knew that any animal’s tenderloin was the tastiest meat cut. Her eyes fixated on Corey’s tenderloins. Her mouth began to water. She began to drool, and her salivary glands started to hurt. She was hungry, starving, and weak from not eating well for two days…

[D.E. McCluskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

APPALACHIAN SIREN

Leslie Kurt

I do enjoy a good murder fest… and in some rough sex and a great narrator and I’m all in.

Two rednecks hiding out in the Appalachian mountains luring unsuspecting pervs to their lure…

Great characters, a little too reliant on the sex for my tastes… but fans of the spicy stuff are going to get their kicks out of this.

I was listening to the audiobook, and the narrator was excellent.
She added the correct amount of seduction to the naughty parts… and was never once
Annoying.

Funny, sexy, and above all brutal.

A great listen

4 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Kiki Marie Bookish Wh0r3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick read that is unhinged and brutal in all the good ways.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've listened to another of this author's books (Concubi Dreams) , and it was a bloody sex fest.... Meaning I suppose I knew what I was getting myself into.
A horny girlfriend, a murderous boyfriend, who use a FET website to lure in victims to satisfy all of their needs.
Use your imagination as to what that entails.
It was just the right amount of corny (corny in a good way, think like an older horror flick that eases tension by not taking itself too seriously), violence and sex.
I found this to be exactly the right book to fit my mood reading. It was easy to turn off my brain and just be entertained. Which was what I was looking for at the moment. I didn't have to think too hard to enjoy. No purple prose here to distract my brain. It got straight into the nitty gritty (hmmm, I was trying to be witty and channel my inner hillbilly with the use of that last word. I may have failed lolz).

[Wicked Fox ✨️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Appalachian Siren is a fascinating erotic horror from Leslie Kurt! I find it interesting to explore the story through the minds of a serial killer couple 👀 I find the ending perfect for this story as it does leave its readers questioning what happens next... 😳

[Addi Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book was such a good read. I finished in a day because i just couldn’t put it down. I recommend it very much.

[Nicola (deathandthemacabre) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Muzz was a lot taller than Jimmy and muscular. Muzz was as country as they came and typically wore dirty jeans and a flannel with the sleeves ripped off. At this moment, though, the only thing he was wearing was Charlene's vagina around his penis." 🤣

Jimmy and Charlene aren't your average couple. Jimmy is an abusive POS with a jealous temper, and Charlene is a hypersexual kleptomaniac with not much of an IQ. During a jealous outburst after catching Charlene with a couple of his friends, Jimmy's rage erupts, ending in an unfortunate situation they need to flee from.

In order to avoid being captured by the police, they hide out in a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Charlene - losing her mind from lack of male attention, sets up an account on a kink website, and begins talking to multiple different men. Inviting one to the cabin, Jimmy's jealousy gets the better of him again, and he ends up killing him.. which excites Charlene - leading to an agreement between the two of them.. Charlene gets to sleep with them, and Jimmy gets to kill them, with things getting more and more dark the longer they spend out in the cabin.

This was a really fun and well written read. I loved how easy it was to hate Jimmy, he's a vile character. His development was just so effortless and effective and I just couldn't help but love Charlene - although she did partake in the killings, she was just so sweet and her lack of intellect made her so funny and you just wanted to root for her - despite her use of racoon grease and a shovel handle 👀

It's an erotic horror with a sprinkle of Splatterpunk, so lots of spice and gore throughout. I really enjoyed it!

I can't wait for the sequel to see what debauchery awaits Charlene!

[GiGi · Rating 4 out of 5]

LMAO
This was different. I came upon it when looking for something else but had a surprisingly good time with it. Often extreme horror is crazy, or at least sus, from the get go. This one however, starts rather normal making each step strayed from the straight and narrow more noticeable and meaningful.

The author's afterword was a treat. They basically said they can't write boring scenes because their ADHD would lead to them dropping the whole project, so to spice things up they killed characters XD 🤣 Luv it lol

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FAST PACED & BRUTAL.

I absolutely LOVED this story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator really added something to it. Her sexy voice made the sex scenes SO intense. The story didn't let up, every chapter is more brutal than the last. The main characters are unhinged and chaotic. The bloodlust and nymphomania are executed wonderfully. GIVE ME A SEQUEL!!!!!

[Rod Gilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good ole backwoods fun with violence, sex, and an unexpected twist!
Way back in 1994, Oliver Stone's, "Natural Born Killers", a crazy, but cool movie was released.
Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis beautifully played some crazy lovers. I don't remember a whole lot of the movie, but Jimmy and Charlene grabbed me with that 'Vibe' and carried me through the story!
Jimmy is a good ole boy, great hunter, kinda jealous natured. Charlene is a prefect backwoods babe. I lived in the Appalachian Mountains for a spell back in the day. Met a few girls - let me just say that Charlene is legit! The story is light on plot, but who needs it? Gritty violence, and hot sex, will surely get you through this tale. It is 'Extreme' but it is also 'FUN". And, neat bonus, a really unexpected twist near the end. Yep, this little book is worth a read. :)

[Megan Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5⭐️Not my usual genre, but the premise is there and the ending was not what I was expecting. My biggest complaint was the lack of contractions in the dialogue, which made it not flow as seamlessly as it could have. But, overall, worth a read if you’re into horror/splatterpunk.

[Crystal Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun little extreme tale, with a special treat! We get a female protagonist, now that is something you don’t see everyday.
Fast paced, brutal, fun, an all around good time! Highly recommend.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy fuck folks, the splatter was everywhere on and in this one 😂.

I listened to this one and still didn't come out quiet clean, the writing painted a picture of blood and gore.

I think this was my first rodeo with this author and I just jumped in feed first, and I'm impressed.

As a Appalachian girl myself, lord have mercy these characters hit a little too close to home, minus the murder, well maybe minus the murder, who knows..

We have a Appalachian couple, who of course want more then the little hillbilly backwoods future thata already been dug out for them.. So they runaway and straight into some fuckery..

There were a few scenes that grated my nerves but they were supposed too, like more horrifying then murder was some of the things done to the uh victims 😂

What a fucking wild read man

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Appalachian Siren by Leslie Kurt
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a super crazy and very entertaining horror/splatterpunk story! There’s definitely lots of R+ rated scenes throughout, as well as gore!
Some actions at home make Charlene and Jimmy take off into the woods to start new lives. Once there, they find that they have a mutual new hobby, which they both seem to enjoy!!
They make a killer couple!! ❤️🔪🩸
This is my first book from this author and I really enjoyed her writing style. It was well written and I liked the storyline. The ending was fantastic too!
I listened to the audio version and the narrator did a fantastic job!

Thank you to Leslie Kurt for an audio copy of this fun and enjoyable story!!

It’s out now, so grab your copy when you need something to keep you engaged!!

[Alyse D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a wild ride. I don't think any part of it happened as I expected it to, meaning there were many points of intrigue. In some ways, the characters are relatable, but then they turn around and commit unspeakable acts. Charlene is an unexpected "final girl" in this Appalachian horror, and she's every bit as feral as the other animals in the hill country. She already pushes the boundaries throughout the book, but the ending suggests she crosses the line of social taboo completely. I recommend reading!

[Denisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fairly short but it all came together really well. I really enjoyed the ending as well, I loved Charlene’s character development! It was a great mix of erotica and horror. The storyline was not what I expected to happen, which I liked! Plenty of twists and turns as well! Appalachian Siren was a great listen, the narrator did a great job helping bring the character to life as well.

[Louise Storey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was more “erotic” than my usual tastes but the story was, for lack of a better word, fun. the main characters were well developed and the narration was excellent helping you create a picture of exactly who these people were. An enjoyable story that didn’t take itself too serious

[Kaitlyn Campbell-James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easily one of the best extreme horror books I've read. It was a fairly quick read, but it was entertaining and well written.

[Callie Kakascik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #3 from this author was a significant shift in genre and writing. Each book shows improvement, and it is exciting to watch an author grow.

Rather than a romance, it focuses on Jimmy and Charlene. 2 very broken people who deal with similar demons. Former Backwoods homesteaders who end up in a suburb where they clearly don't fit, Charlene has some serious fidelity issues. Jimmy is more educated, although he hangs on to his back-home roots. He has managed to make a life for them so they can live in a decent home in the area. Then it all goes pretty damn dark.

The way the story intertwined the characters and their actions was done very well. Back and forth, the antagonist/protagonist roles changed a few times. And I believe it was done well. The story had an ending that left it wide open yet closed. So, will there be another book? I'm interested to see where this story may go.

Check your TW. There are a few things that I'm sure may not be for some folks, but this one is a great take on the erotic horror genre. It's a nice, quick read. Fast-paced and end enough drive to keep your interest.

I an going with a 4-star read here.

[Twinkle.butt.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept you in their insane life. All the way from the beginning you start to understand not just how psycho they are but how sadisticly evil the pair is. Definitely watch the trigger warning but also be super open minded and extremely ready for the ride it’s about to take you on. From the story to the writing definitely if you are into horror, gore, and bdsm this is for you!!!!

[Mico Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that starts quick and doesn’t let off the gas. I loved the character development of Charlene, and the last several chapters were packed full of the gore and violence I look for when reading this genre.

[Marin · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated almost every second of this. It has its demographic for sure, but it is NOT for me.

[Summer · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars (rounded up)
This is the first book that I had ever received an ARC for, so I was pretty excited to have the opportunity to read it before its release and write a review. I generally do not read stories from the splatterpunk genre but was intrigued by the plot when I read its synopsis.

The story revolves around the main characters, Jimmy and Charlene. They are a couple originally from the foothills of the Appalachians but have since relocated to the Atlanta suburbs. They are a toxic couple at best. Jimmy is physically and mentally abusive towards Charlene. She however is not a saint despite her discussing some of her religious beliefs throughout the book. Charlene would make most southern women clutch their pearls as she has compulsive sexual behavior and an affinity for petty theft.

Charlene's promiscuous ways and Jimmy's short temper send them on a wild ride deep to the Agasgi National Forest after they are deemed to be the prime suspects in a horrific murder. With a handful of personal belongings and new identities, Jimmy and Charlene are forced to keep a low profile and set up camp inside of the forest at an old moonshine still. We learn more about Charlene and Jimmy during this time and what makes them tick. There is a twist towards the end that I did not expect.

This story does have some trigger warnings that are made clear by the author. I did not find any of them to be particularly concerning nor was I offended by anything I read. Appalachian Siren was a quick read and it held my interest to find out what was going to happen to the main characters in the end. My biggest complaint is the parts of the story that focused on Charlene being on her period. I didn't feel like that added anything to the story. I rolled my eyes when Charlene was whining about needing tampons and having to walk around in an oversized shirt when she was out of supplies.

The author was very descriptive in telling of the story and it was easy to envision what was happening. At several points during the story I was thinking that it would make a good beginning of a Criminal Minds episode (Jimmy and Charlene being our unsubs) and was waiting for "Hotch" and his team to show up! Haha! Also, be sure to read the author's note at the end!

:)

[Winter Arcane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've indulged in some splatterpunk trash off Kindle Unlimited. Though this was less trash than a lot of the genre . While the quality of the prose was towards the low end, I actually liked the plot of this one. This was a rare instance of me wishing a splatterpunk novella was a full size novel.

Usually brevity is something that appeals to me in this genre, but I found the premise of a toxic couple getting off on luring men on "Fetspace" out into the woods for her to screw and him to murder fairly interesting. Especially the friction between the couple's differing priorities in their activities and the woman's decreasing tolerance for how badly her man treats her. I would have enjoyed things playing out a bit slower so those aspects could simmer more.

[Svea Neitzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audible version (with earbuds in, for sure) of Appalachian Siren by Leslie Kurt. This is a splatterpunk book with gore and s*x. It might not be for everyone, but it is a lot of fun without any dull moments. The narrator, Lila Kerry, was great to listen to, especially how she used exaggerated tones throughout it. This story is over the top, and she nailed it.

Charlene and Jimmy aren't your typical mountain people. They are on the run and commit gruesome murders. Charlene is a woman who takes her role as a siren a little too well when she discovers a hookup app.

[Kevin C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a guy who has a trigger temper and put in a gal who constantly cheats... what could possibly go wrong?
After something terrible happens one night in the garage, our main characters set out to find a secluded cabin that was originally occupied by moonshiners. Jimmy goes out and tries to hunt for food while Charlene is looking for their next victim on a dating site. This is horror at its best.
Check the trigger warnings before you start this one. It does get graphic, but if you love stuff like that, this one is for you!!!
Highly recommended!!!

[Richard K. Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

EXTREME HORROR! This is NOT for the faint of heart!!

This book was SO graphically disturbing, disgusting and I had a blast with it!! This took me back to the days when horror was meant to scare, and disgust you.....and this one does it. From the first chapter, you know you are not going to be let go until the last shocking one!

WARNING: This has EXTREME scenes of disemboweling, cannibalism, and sexual mutilations!! Do not say you were NOT warned! The only reason why I did not give it a FULL 5 Stabby rating? It was NOT long enough......sorry.

4 Stabs

[Rob White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not read many splatterpunk books before, and tried this from a recommendation from a reddit thread.

It's a pretty good book, it's well written and moved at a decent pace. The violence is more on the extreme end, but isn't over the top and violent for violence sake. The style of splatterpunk takes a little getting used to, but once it got going I read the whole book in one sitting.

A good introduction, for me, to the world of splatterpunk, now to explore that world some more.

[Slug Queen · Rating 5 out of 5]

PICKLEJUICE! What an honor it was to get this in audiobook version. Leslie Kurt really out did themselves with this, it had it all! Lots of trigger warnings, which I can appreciate from the writer who cares about listeners. Lila Kerry absolutely killed it and gave such great life to the characters. Sexy, dark, and bloody what else could you need in a SP book? If you are thinking about getting this, just do it!