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Thrum
Ami awakes from years in stasis to find she’s at the edges of deep space, and the only surviving member of her crew. Utterly alone and unable to contact Earth, she sends out a distress beacon, not expecting a response. When she gets one from a being who calls himself Dorian, she’s welcomed onto his ship as he offers his assistance in any way he can. But nothing on Dorian’s ship is as it seems. And as Ami tries to navigate the maze of hallways and first contact with this alien being, a deep hum begins to resonate, haunting her, as if the ship itself is whispering to her.
ebook
First published August 13, 2024
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About the author
Meg Smitherman
7 books898 followersMeg Smitherman writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror books (all of which involve kissing). She studied Creative Writing at Brunel University London, where she obtained both her MA and a staggering amount of student loan debt. When not writing, Meg spends her time playing video games, reading fan fiction, and couch rotting. Based in Los Angeles, she shares her life with a chihuahua, a cat, and a handsome Englishman.
Follow Meg on social media!
Instagram: @megsmitherman
TikTok: @megsmitherman
Twitter: @megsauce
Follow Meg on social media!
Instagram: @megsmitherman
TikTok: @megsmitherman
Twitter: @megsauce
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,981 reviews
August 30, 2024
thrum asks the question: what if an entire spaceship was gaslighting you
August 17, 2024
While I didn’t dislike this book, the marketing feels very off. Marketed as a horror romance with Crimson Peak vibes…where?? There’s minimal horror and zero romance. Its much more reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode. I did enjoy the suspense, the mind bending elements, & the overall feeling of impending doom and suffocation.
Even though it’s a novella, I think another 50 pages could have made a huge difference to this book. The reader just doesn’t have a chance to become invested in the dead crew members, or even the FMC for that matter. I was also left with way too many questions.
Even though it’s a novella, I think another 50 pages could have made a huge difference to this book. The reader just doesn’t have a chance to become invested in the dead crew members, or even the FMC for that matter. I was also left with way too many questions.
August 23, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ What a heart pounding novella!!!!!!!! 100% recommend!
"I'm whatever you want me to be, Ami."
WHAT TO EXPECT
✨ sci-fi / psychological horror / romance
✨ deep space setting
✨ unreliable narrator
✨ she wakes up from stasis her crew mates are dead
✨ he's an alien that intercepts her distress signal
✨ anxiety inducing
✨ "Is this real?"
✨ .5/5 spice 🌶️ (fade to black)
✨ crazy plot twists and ending
✨ atmospheric
✨ bi rep
✨ single POV
✨ HEA (sort of . . . if you squint lol)
My Thoughts:
This was an insanely immersive experience that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The premise is cool, the characters are intriguing, and the atmospheric writing made it easy to get sucked into. If you're a fan of one of these genres - horror, psychological thriller, sci-fi, romance - 100% recommend checking this novella out, especially since it's on Kindle Unlimited! PS: I wouldn't say it's really a romance since the ending isn't a true HEA, but I like that the romance is a driving force in the story.
‼️**CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD**‼️
As a huge huge sci-fi nerd, I did have an inkling about one of the reveals, but I definitely did not see the big twist coming at all! I was shocked, appalled, intrigued, and curious as to what the future holds for Ami. I enjoyed that this story has an unreliable narrator and that even when the story is over, you're left with even more questions. I want to know more about Dorian and the ship's collective mind and its purpose? Has it spent millenniums looking for intelligent beings to collect and add to its mind? Does this biological ship/being actually have some emotions/feelings for Ami? What role Ami will play now that she's joined? Will she eventually be added to the ship's hive mind or will she live out her human life on the ship and then die? Also, I want to know how Ami's mind keeps resetting whenever she's away from Dorian. Is her human brain incapable of fully comprehending what's going on so it blocks memories, is the Thrum doing this, or does she do it to herself?Again, so many questions that I'd love the answers to but at the same time, not knowing really does make this story even more creepy.
Favorite Quotes:
"I should be afraid of him. But I'm responding to him like a strange unearthly drug. I want to know every inch of Dorian. Somehow he is an island in the storm-swept sea of my loneliness and grief."
_______
"Ami, I've waited so long for you."
I don't know what that means, and I don't care. Maybe I've waited for him too. I came all this way, light-years and light-years, and I found him. Why shouldn't I surrender to this?
_______
"Let me go. "
"I can't."
_______
"I'm whatever you want me to be, Ami."
WHAT TO EXPECT
✨ sci-fi / psychological horror / romance
✨ deep space setting
✨ unreliable narrator
✨ she wakes up from stasis her crew mates are dead
✨ he's an alien that intercepts her distress signal
✨ anxiety inducing
✨ "Is this real?"
✨ .5/5 spice 🌶️ (fade to black)
✨ crazy plot twists and ending
✨ atmospheric
✨ bi rep
✨ single POV
✨ HEA (sort of . . . if you squint lol)
My Thoughts:
This was an insanely immersive experience that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The premise is cool, the characters are intriguing, and the atmospheric writing made it easy to get sucked into. If you're a fan of one of these genres - horror, psychological thriller, sci-fi, romance - 100% recommend checking this novella out, especially since it's on Kindle Unlimited! PS: I wouldn't say it's really a romance since the ending isn't a true HEA, but I like that the romance is a driving force in the story.
‼️**CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD**‼️
As a huge huge sci-fi nerd, I did have an inkling about one of the reveals, but I definitely did not see the big twist coming at all! I was shocked, appalled, intrigued, and curious as to what the future holds for Ami. I enjoyed that this story has an unreliable narrator and that even when the story is over, you're left with even more questions. I want to know more about Dorian and the ship's collective mind and its purpose? Has it spent millenniums looking for intelligent beings to collect and add to its mind? Does this biological ship/being actually have some emotions/feelings for Ami? What role Ami will play now that she's joined? Will she eventually be added to the ship's hive mind or will she live out her human life on the ship and then die? Also, I want to know how Ami's mind keeps resetting whenever she's away from Dorian. Is her human brain incapable of fully comprehending what's going on so it blocks memories, is the Thrum doing this, or does she do it to herself?Again, so many questions that I'd love the answers to but at the same time, not knowing really does make this story even more creepy.
Favorite Quotes:
"I should be afraid of him. But I'm responding to him like a strange unearthly drug. I want to know every inch of Dorian. Somehow he is an island in the storm-swept sea of my loneliness and grief."
_______
"Ami, I've waited so long for you."
I don't know what that means, and I don't care. Maybe I've waited for him too. I came all this way, light-years and light-years, and I found him. Why shouldn't I surrender to this?
_______
"Let me go. "
"I can't."
_______
October 19, 2025
A scifi horror novella with some horniness and a lot of gaslighting. It all starts when astronaut Ami Selwyn wakes on the spaceship Pioneer after spending years in stasis. She unfortunately is the sole survivor of her mission, because a malfunction killed her entire crew in their sleep, and so she is alone in space without enough fuel to go anywhere. The book really opened with the most terrifying situation and I thought it was a strong beginning. I've read Swallowed by the same author recently and that book had a long build-up for being a short novella too. Here we get right to it. Ami is in a hopeless situation and has all the reason to freak out, but she finds the will to at least try to make it better. But even though she finds clues that hint at an attack rather than a malfunction, her ship keeps telling her that it doesn't know anything and that everything is fine (= gaslighting 101). Luckily, a millennia-old alien comes to her rescue and he can shape himself into a hot guy and is all alone on a huge, human-appropriate ship and if that sounds to good to be true to you then it's because it is. You see, Ami's human mind isn't really capable of processing the unfamiliar surroundings and so the alien courteously provides illusions that don't melt her brain. Everything feels unreal and a bit trippy and I had a great time with figuring out what was actually going on here. It's a fairly quick read, but it was entertaining, especially due to the twisty ending. Just don't expect character work, because there really isn't any. But I think that might be on purpose. I saw other reviews mentioning that this reads like a Black Mirror episode, but please. This is an episode of Love, Death & Robots if I ever saw one and that's not a bad thing to me at all.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Micheal Joseph / Penguin Random House for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Micheal Joseph / Penguin Random House for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 30, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ this was a blend of horror, psychological thriller, sci-fi and I guess romance???? Incredibly addictive, immersive and disturbing. I ATE THIS UP!!
December 23, 2024
Reading this felt like a fever dream in space where literally everyone and everything is gaslighting you💀
Of course I loved it.
------------------------------------------------
Heard this was a weird book, so OBVIOUSLY I have to read it 😌
Of course I loved it.
------------------------------------------------
Heard this was a weird book, so OBVIOUSLY I have to read it 😌
July 15, 2024
What the fuck (complimentary)
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a review copy! This novella is probably the most pure example of “???!??!!?” and it’s absolutely incredible. It’s ominous, tense, sexy, gory, claustrophobic, deranged, and brilliant. It’s also the most delicious blend of genres, having a beautiful cross of sci fi, horror, and romance. I love a book that has a genuinely fascinating concept with the execution to match. I also very much enjoy anything with aliens, so I was hooked from the start.
I loved Dorian, Ami’s madness arc, the xenobiology, the atmosphere, the intrigue, the reveals and twists. The ending was an absolute fucking ride as well. No punches were pulled here, and it’s phenomenal. All the horror aspects were on point, the sci fi aspects were on point, and tbf id also like smash Dorian. I devoured this in one sitting, and what a glorious sitting it was.
All in all, damn this was good. -5 screaming stars
Ps: This is for the Love, Death & Robots girls
Thank you so much to the author for sending me a review copy! This novella is probably the most pure example of “???!??!!?” and it’s absolutely incredible. It’s ominous, tense, sexy, gory, claustrophobic, deranged, and brilliant. It’s also the most delicious blend of genres, having a beautiful cross of sci fi, horror, and romance. I love a book that has a genuinely fascinating concept with the execution to match. I also very much enjoy anything with aliens, so I was hooked from the start.
I loved Dorian, Ami’s madness arc, the xenobiology, the atmosphere, the intrigue, the reveals and twists. The ending was an absolute fucking ride as well. No punches were pulled here, and it’s phenomenal. All the horror aspects were on point, the sci fi aspects were on point, and tbf id also like smash Dorian. I devoured this in one sitting, and what a glorious sitting it was.
All in all, damn this was good. -5 screaming stars
Ps: This is for the Love, Death & Robots girls
September 13, 2024
4.5 stars
I too would fall for the beautiful eldritch horror alien who obsessively cares for me — while simultaneously being the reason for the slow destruction of my mind, time, and reality as I know it.
The feeling of dread follows you from an uneasy start to an overwhelming finish, god what a novella. This left me wondering: if it feels real and looks real, is that not enough to make it real?
I too would fall for the beautiful eldritch horror alien who obsessively cares for me — while simultaneously being the reason for the slow destruction of my mind, time, and reality as I know it.
The feeling of dread follows you from an uneasy start to an overwhelming finish, god what a novella. This left me wondering: if it feels real and looks real, is that not enough to make it real?
September 20, 2024
Horror, romance, and sci-fi
Read this book!! I’m mind blown 🤯
Read this book!! I’m mind blown 🤯
November 30, 2024
So she fucked a ship???????
May 22, 2025
3.5 stars! ☆
⤿ no spoilers ﹒⟢
what the complete hell was this book. i picked it up on a whim because it was short and the author posted a tiktok. thought i was getting a weird little sci-fi romance novella. what i got was psychological horror in space, one deeply suspicious alien, and a whole lot of “am i hallucinating or is this real” energy.
it’s not like it was bad, but i definitely feel misled. everything i saw made it seem like the romance would be a bigger focus, and it’s really not. most of it feels more like she’s being emotionally manipulated while the ship slowly breaks her down. and the more you read, the less you trust anything that’s happening.
i don’t even know how to explain the vibes. eerie, intimate, kinda gross—but in a compelling way. it does what it sets out to do. i just wasn’t prepared for it. maybe that’s on me, maybe it’s on everyone who made this sound romantic. either way, i’ve been altered. thanks for that.
⤿ no spoilers ﹒⟢
what the complete hell was this book. i picked it up on a whim because it was short and the author posted a tiktok. thought i was getting a weird little sci-fi romance novella. what i got was psychological horror in space, one deeply suspicious alien, and a whole lot of “am i hallucinating or is this real” energy.
it’s not like it was bad, but i definitely feel misled. everything i saw made it seem like the romance would be a bigger focus, and it’s really not. most of it feels more like she’s being emotionally manipulated while the ship slowly breaks her down. and the more you read, the less you trust anything that’s happening.
i don’t even know how to explain the vibes. eerie, intimate, kinda gross—but in a compelling way. it does what it sets out to do. i just wasn’t prepared for it. maybe that’s on me, maybe it’s on everyone who made this sound romantic. either way, i’ve been altered. thanks for that.
August 23, 2024
This one ticked a lot of boxes for me. Felt like Project Hail Mary with some horror, romance, and spice thrown into the mix. The prose was beautifully articulated even in the story’s darkest of moments.
October 14, 2025
ISOLATING 🚀 EERIE 👣 TENDER 🖤 Ami wakes alone at the edge of space, the last survivor of her crew, with only the eerie hum of an unfamiliar ship and an enigmatic stranger to answer her distress call. What begins as a desperate grasp for survival spirals into a haunting, intimate journey that blurs the line between terror and tenderness.
From the moment I laid eyes on the book's intriguing and strange cover, I was drawn in. Smitherman's writing immediately captivated me; within the first short chapters, I was enthralled by her ability to immerse readers into Ami's psyche. The narrative plunges into a foreign, creepy setting, with a palpable sense of dread building from the very beginning.
"What we understand of the universe is so small, so pathetically minor, that it's almost laughable. … Our only frame of reference for 'life' is what's on earth. Our knowledge is so minute, a tiny droplet in the vast season never ends, and we had the audacity to think we knew what we were getting into."
What surprised me was the novella's genre-bending nature. It seamlessly intertwines moments of intense horror with incredibly tender and vulnerable scenes. This juxtaposition sometimes felt like emotional whiplash, but I never felt lost--rather, I was on a roller coaster ride alongside Ami, lost in space and utterly vulnerable to her surroundings. It's beautifully done.
"Looking up to meet his gaze, I'm again struck by the blackness of his eyes, the depth and scope. It’s like I’m looking out the view screen and into the universe, pricked with far-distant stars, none of which do anything to brighten the umbra. I’m both adrift and trapped like a rabbit by a fox. And he is the fox, shadowed in dusk."
The final 40 pages took unexpected turns, culminating in a unique and compelling conclusion that transformed the story into something entirely different from my initial expectations. The portrayal of Ami’s complex character is both well-executed and deeply engaging. Despite the novella’s brevity, Smitherman crafts a solid setting, develops intricate relationships, and provides a profound understanding of the tiny spot of space that Ami inhabits.
In the end, I was left with a few questions--I was left curious, wondering, and wishing for more. This isn't necessarily the fault of the book, I think I felt this about almost every novella I've ever read. (I constantly challenge myself to let a novella be a novella.) 😏
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved Smitherman’s storytelling prowess. I look forward to reading more of her works. 🌌
Lastly, for those who have read it... Dorian is on my "hear me out" list... 🤣
From the moment I laid eyes on the book's intriguing and strange cover, I was drawn in. Smitherman's writing immediately captivated me; within the first short chapters, I was enthralled by her ability to immerse readers into Ami's psyche. The narrative plunges into a foreign, creepy setting, with a palpable sense of dread building from the very beginning.
"What we understand of the universe is so small, so pathetically minor, that it's almost laughable. … Our only frame of reference for 'life' is what's on earth. Our knowledge is so minute, a tiny droplet in the vast season never ends, and we had the audacity to think we knew what we were getting into."
What surprised me was the novella's genre-bending nature. It seamlessly intertwines moments of intense horror with incredibly tender and vulnerable scenes. This juxtaposition sometimes felt like emotional whiplash, but I never felt lost--rather, I was on a roller coaster ride alongside Ami, lost in space and utterly vulnerable to her surroundings. It's beautifully done.
"Looking up to meet his gaze, I'm again struck by the blackness of his eyes, the depth and scope. It’s like I’m looking out the view screen and into the universe, pricked with far-distant stars, none of which do anything to brighten the umbra. I’m both adrift and trapped like a rabbit by a fox. And he is the fox, shadowed in dusk."
The final 40 pages took unexpected turns, culminating in a unique and compelling conclusion that transformed the story into something entirely different from my initial expectations. The portrayal of Ami’s complex character is both well-executed and deeply engaging. Despite the novella’s brevity, Smitherman crafts a solid setting, develops intricate relationships, and provides a profound understanding of the tiny spot of space that Ami inhabits.
In the end, I was left with a few questions--I was left curious, wondering, and wishing for more. This isn't necessarily the fault of the book, I think I felt this about almost every novella I've ever read. (I constantly challenge myself to let a novella be a novella.) 😏
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and loved Smitherman’s storytelling prowess. I look forward to reading more of her works. 🌌
Lastly, for those who have read it... Dorian is on my "hear me out" list... 🤣
August 14, 2024
2.5 stars rounded down.
3 stars for a semi interesting gothic, space horror novella.
1 star for the dark romance vibe this had going for it or lack there of, even though it was marketed as such.
The twist I saw coming from a mile away. Also not a big fan of the particular twist. I don’t think this one was for me, so take this review with a grain of salt.
I think people who like quick horror stories or the show Love, Death & Robots on Netflix would enjoy this novella. I don’t think it should be compared to Crimson Peak like the author did on Instagram. This isn’t a horror romance. There’s no actual romance between the two leads and any build up to it was ruined with the twist and flashbacks.
The extreme use of purple prose made this hard to get into and understand.
Not a big fan of the unreliable narrator trope either.
3 stars for a semi interesting gothic, space horror novella.
1 star for the dark romance vibe this had going for it or lack there of, even though it was marketed as such.
The twist I saw coming from a mile away. Also not a big fan of the particular twist. I don’t think this one was for me, so take this review with a grain of salt.
I think people who like quick horror stories or the show Love, Death & Robots on Netflix would enjoy this novella. I don’t think it should be compared to Crimson Peak like the author did on Instagram. This isn’t a horror romance. There’s no actual romance between the two leads and any build up to it was ruined with the twist and flashbacks.
The extreme use of purple prose made this hard to get into and understand.
Not a big fan of the unreliable narrator trope either.
September 11, 2024
Petition for more authors to write books like this, because I need more creepy mindfuckery set in the deepest recesses of space!
I really enjoyed this novella. Everything from the characters to the setting was so compelling and I sure as hell did not see that ending coming. The only reason it wasn't a full 5 star read was because I didn't love the writing at times, and I felt like this novella could've been drawn out a bit more.
PSA: I would NOT classify this as a romance, at least not in the strictest sense... So if you're wanting to read this book because many have tagged it as a 'horror romance', keep an open mind.
Rating: 4/5
I really enjoyed this novella. Everything from the characters to the setting was so compelling and I sure as hell did not see that ending coming. The only reason it wasn't a full 5 star read was because I didn't love the writing at times, and I felt like this novella could've been drawn out a bit more.
PSA: I would NOT classify this as a romance, at least not in the strictest sense... So if you're wanting to read this book because many have tagged it as a 'horror romance', keep an open mind.
Rating: 4/5
February 20, 2025
“I’m a woman with a ship and a dead crew. With ghosts clinging to my heels, tripping me up. A pink comb in my pocket that shouldn’t exist. An alien man, whispering in my ear. A whisper I'm afraid won't ever let me go, no matter how far I flee.”
...
When I heard that Thrum was a gothic, sci-fi horror novella featuring a main character spiraling into madness inside a vast alien ship, I was hooked. I knew I needed to give Meg Smitherman's work a try.
I am saying this with my full chest: Thrum should've stayed in the drafts.
The premise is intriguing; we're following a woman named Ami, who's one of four crew members on a long-haul research vessel barreling through deep space. Their mission: to make contact with alien civilizations and teach them about humanity. Their problem: when Ami wakes up from cryosleep, all of her crew is dead, the ship's fuel tank is empty, and the comms array is busted. Ami is adrift in deep space with no one except the cold, unending void for company...until an alien calling himself Dorian hails Ami on her comm. Ami docks her craft in his massive ship, which itself seems like a giant organism. As Ami sinks into an all-consuming madness, she becomes obsessed with Dorian, who is unsettlingly handsome and attentive. So many questions hang over the narrative: what really happened to Ami's crew? Was it purely an accident, or sabotage? And is Dorian really Ami's savior?
I rarely rate books this low, because usually, I can find at least one thing to enjoy about a novel I've read. Unfortunately, this novella gave me absolutely nothing. It's infuriating to think about the sheer potential Smitherman was working with here. Sadly, the individual parts failed to come together to create a good story.
Smitherman's writing was overdone, repetitive, and exhausting to read. It seemed like she was more concerned with putting together a pretty sentence than crafting a compelling story and well-developed characters. And even then, the wordy descriptions she was going for failed to make sense half the time. Take this quote, for example:
"Shifting terror roils in my gut like a wraith."
Girl, WHAT? Wraiths are ghost-like shades. They don't "roil". What are you talking about?!
Also, I can't tell you how many times Ami's inner monologue droned on and on about the vast, uncaring nature of the cosmos, but what I CAN say is that it annoyed me to no end. Ami herself was a non-entity; she was either terrified or horny for a majority of this book, and what little attempts Smitherman made to give her a backstory and inner-conflict completely missed the mark. Smitherman relied too heavily on telling us what Ami was feeling without showing us through her actions or beats of the story. Plus, even though she was supposed to be a hyper-competent linguist and astronaut, Ami was constantly flailing around like a stupid damsel. Frankly, her lack of professionalism and common sense infuriated me. Dorian, the mysterious, handsome alien man that Ami was instantly drawn to, also felt like a blank slate through which the author could play out specific romantic fantasies. He wasn't menacing or interesting - he was boring!
I guessed the big twist about a third of the way through this book, and by the time the ending reared its head, I was so infuriated by how hollow and empty this story was that I had to take a walk. This read like the first draft of a high schooler's creative writing assignment. I probably would've written something like this when I was a 16 and thought my writing was the shit. Now I know better.
Gothic horror/romance stories should contain more than just dark, twisty hallways and mysteriously attractive love interests. The gothic literary aesthetic allows authors to explore the horrors of the past, giving voice to irrational, horrific, and transgressive desires that plague the characters. Novels like Mexican Gothic and The Last Tale of the Flower Bride utilized their gothic elements to explore themes of female bodily autonomy, racism, colonialism, possessiveness, and lust. Meanwhile, Thrum was a mindless, piss-poor gothic romance that felt as one-dimensional as a flat line. Meg Smitherman had nothing to say, and it showed.
If you're looking for a good sci-fi horror novella, read The Scourge Between Stars instead.
...
When I heard that Thrum was a gothic, sci-fi horror novella featuring a main character spiraling into madness inside a vast alien ship, I was hooked. I knew I needed to give Meg Smitherman's work a try.
I am saying this with my full chest: Thrum should've stayed in the drafts.
The premise is intriguing; we're following a woman named Ami, who's one of four crew members on a long-haul research vessel barreling through deep space. Their mission: to make contact with alien civilizations and teach them about humanity. Their problem: when Ami wakes up from cryosleep, all of her crew is dead, the ship's fuel tank is empty, and the comms array is busted. Ami is adrift in deep space with no one except the cold, unending void for company...until an alien calling himself Dorian hails Ami on her comm. Ami docks her craft in his massive ship, which itself seems like a giant organism. As Ami sinks into an all-consuming madness, she becomes obsessed with Dorian, who is unsettlingly handsome and attentive. So many questions hang over the narrative: what really happened to Ami's crew? Was it purely an accident, or sabotage? And is Dorian really Ami's savior?
I rarely rate books this low, because usually, I can find at least one thing to enjoy about a novel I've read. Unfortunately, this novella gave me absolutely nothing. It's infuriating to think about the sheer potential Smitherman was working with here. Sadly, the individual parts failed to come together to create a good story.
Smitherman's writing was overdone, repetitive, and exhausting to read. It seemed like she was more concerned with putting together a pretty sentence than crafting a compelling story and well-developed characters. And even then, the wordy descriptions she was going for failed to make sense half the time. Take this quote, for example:
"Shifting terror roils in my gut like a wraith."
Girl, WHAT? Wraiths are ghost-like shades. They don't "roil". What are you talking about?!
Also, I can't tell you how many times Ami's inner monologue droned on and on about the vast, uncaring nature of the cosmos, but what I CAN say is that it annoyed me to no end. Ami herself was a non-entity; she was either terrified or horny for a majority of this book, and what little attempts Smitherman made to give her a backstory and inner-conflict completely missed the mark. Smitherman relied too heavily on telling us what Ami was feeling without showing us through her actions or beats of the story. Plus, even though she was supposed to be a hyper-competent linguist and astronaut, Ami was constantly flailing around like a stupid damsel. Frankly, her lack of professionalism and common sense infuriated me. Dorian, the mysterious, handsome alien man that Ami was instantly drawn to, also felt like a blank slate through which the author could play out specific romantic fantasies. He wasn't menacing or interesting - he was boring!
I guessed the big twist about a third of the way through this book, and by the time the ending reared its head, I was so infuriated by how hollow and empty this story was that I had to take a walk. This read like the first draft of a high schooler's creative writing assignment. I probably would've written something like this when I was a 16 and thought my writing was the shit. Now I know better.
Gothic horror/romance stories should contain more than just dark, twisty hallways and mysteriously attractive love interests. The gothic literary aesthetic allows authors to explore the horrors of the past, giving voice to irrational, horrific, and transgressive desires that plague the characters. Novels like Mexican Gothic and The Last Tale of the Flower Bride utilized their gothic elements to explore themes of female bodily autonomy, racism, colonialism, possessiveness, and lust. Meanwhile, Thrum was a mindless, piss-poor gothic romance that felt as one-dimensional as a flat line. Meg Smitherman had nothing to say, and it showed.
If you're looking for a good sci-fi horror novella, read The Scourge Between Stars instead.
August 16, 2024
My first sci-fi thriller, I’m hooked!
“If it doesn’t exist but I hear it, and I feel it, doesn’t that make it real?”
Full body goosebumps , argghhh I don’t know what to do with myself after finishing!
“If it doesn’t exist but I hear it, and I feel it, doesn’t that make it real?”
Full body goosebumps , argghhh I don’t know what to do with myself after finishing!
August 25, 2024
Hmmmm… very weird decision to have her fuck an alien, start hallucinating halfway through, waking up having lost time and finding c*m in her pants.
Can also tell this was written by a romantasy author (derogatory).
Can also tell this was written by a romantasy author (derogatory).
September 9, 2025
˙₊➴ ꒰ 3-stars★ ꒱ ꒷⊹࣪˖
After Ami wakes up alone, shocked to find all her crewmates dead, the ship powerless, and no way to contact Earth, she realizes the dire truth: she’s drifting in space with only enough fuel to keep systems barely alive. With no other choice, she activates the distress beacon, knowing the chances of anyone answering are nearly impossible.
When a signal finally returns, it's from someone who calls himself Dorian. Offering to help and welcome her aboard his ship. Ami accepts, torn between skepticism and curiosity as everything around her is unfamiliar and strange. But unease soon sets in. The death of her friend still haunts her, unanswered and unresolved. The ship itself is a cold labyrinthine maze. And then there's the continuous thrum thrum thrum sound that only she seems to hear, pulsing through the walls like a heartbeat no one else notices.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts
‧˚ ꒰ 🔭 ꒱ plot & writing ₊˚⋆
Things that Meg Smitherman’s book does: make you feel enthranced, on the edge of your seat, and make you physically say “what did i just read”⁉️ She just knows how to craft stories that will leave you questioning (in a good way) what the heck was happening. This was an unsettling sci-fi psychological horror that will surely tickle or make your brain spiral!🙂↕️
Starting this, Thrum gave more sci-fi vibes than Swallowed, which I enjoyed. As the story took place in the middle of space but what made it more appealing and drawing was its writing. She not only wrote the infinite curiosity and unanswered questions of outer space, she made Ami mirror, present, and experience it all!🌀
‧˚ ꒰ ☄️ ꒱ characters ₊˚⋆
Ami as a character was rather interesting to follow, as you could definitely feel her curiosity and anxiousness throughout those pages. Idk if it’s the empathetic person in me, but whenever she's breaking down, hallucinating, and spiraling, I feel like I was too!🫣 And with being both curious and anxious, it makes the story even more creepy, cause you’ll end up questioning if everything was just her mind or was it real❓
‧˚ ꒰ 🛸 ꒱ final thoughts ₊˚⋆
This is another story that you should definitely go in blind❗️So I won’t be yapping too much about it. Just know that you’re in for an out of planet experience (pun intended) 👽. Another banger from Meg Smitherman! Now hopping onto the next!💨
˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆
I enjoyed the Swallowed and how it's both sci-fi, eerie, and weird! So imma dive into another novella of hers!🤭❤️🔥
❝ The crew of the Pioneer has been dead for a long time. I’m the only one left. We made it to our destination, and I’m the only one left. ❞
After Ami wakes up alone, shocked to find all her crewmates dead, the ship powerless, and no way to contact Earth, she realizes the dire truth: she’s drifting in space with only enough fuel to keep systems barely alive. With no other choice, she activates the distress beacon, knowing the chances of anyone answering are nearly impossible.
When a signal finally returns, it's from someone who calls himself Dorian. Offering to help and welcome her aboard his ship. Ami accepts, torn between skepticism and curiosity as everything around her is unfamiliar and strange. But unease soon sets in. The death of her friend still haunts her, unanswered and unresolved. The ship itself is a cold labyrinthine maze. And then there's the continuous thrum thrum thrum sound that only she seems to hear, pulsing through the walls like a heartbeat no one else notices.
⊹ ࣪ ˖ੈ Thoughts
‧˚ ꒰ 🔭 ꒱ plot & writing ₊˚⋆
❝ It’s laughable that we brought these tiny instruments, this breakable ship, these fallible scientists, all the way out here looking for life when our only frame of reference for “life” is what’s on Earth. Our knowledge is so minute, a tiny droplet in a vast sea that never ends, and we had the audacity to think we knew what we were getting into. ❞
Things that Meg Smitherman’s book does: make you feel enthranced, on the edge of your seat, and make you physically say “what did i just read”⁉️ She just knows how to craft stories that will leave you questioning (in a good way) what the heck was happening. This was an unsettling sci-fi psychological horror that will surely tickle or make your brain spiral!🙂↕️
Starting this, Thrum gave more sci-fi vibes than Swallowed, which I enjoyed. As the story took place in the middle of space but what made it more appealing and drawing was its writing. She not only wrote the infinite curiosity and unanswered questions of outer space, she made Ami mirror, present, and experience it all!🌀
‧˚ ꒰ ☄️ ꒱ characters ₊˚⋆
❝ Thrum, thrum, thrum. My bones vibrate with the sound. It’s embedded in me now. A parasite, unseen, clinging to my nerves. Holding my heart in a web of forceful thread. ❞
Ami as a character was rather interesting to follow, as you could definitely feel her curiosity and anxiousness throughout those pages. Idk if it’s the empathetic person in me, but whenever she's breaking down, hallucinating, and spiraling, I feel like I was too!🫣 And with being both curious and anxious, it makes the story even more creepy, cause you’ll end up questioning if everything was just her mind or was it real❓
‧˚ ꒰ 🛸 ꒱ final thoughts ₊˚⋆
❝ I am part of it, made whole from it, completed by it. By him. And I am not afraid. I am safe. I am home. ❞
This is another story that you should definitely go in blind❗️So I won’t be yapping too much about it. Just know that you’re in for an out of planet experience (pun intended) 👽. Another banger from Meg Smitherman! Now hopping onto the next!💨
˚₊ ⟢┊pre-read 🖇️┊⊹࣪⋆
I enjoyed the Swallowed and how it's both sci-fi, eerie, and weird! So imma dive into another novella of hers!🤭❤️🔥
August 27, 2024
I like the premise of this book, but execution felt sloppy and unfinished. Very much giving middle school short story in which you can guess the ending from the beginning. Fell flat for me 🤺
August 19, 2024
Thank you for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this up until the very end. The prose is inviting, and I was really excited reading from Ami’s perspective, especially as the horror elements began.
The premise of this book really drew me in and I was hooked from the start— unfortunately, I feel like the length of the novella worked against it. I still have a lot of questions, none that I will name at the moment to avoid spoilers, but the huge build up towards the end fell short of what I had been expecting in the final scenes.
I couldn’t find it in me to care for the three dead crew members. I think if there were a prologue, perhaps before they went into stasis, it would form a small bond between me and the characters, but the memories felt almost unimportant with what was happening in ‘real time’.
I’ll add more onto this once the novella releases.
Edit 8/18 for actual thoughts-- all the spoilers, so please keep that in mind if you decide to continue
I loved the immediate eerie setting- I was honestly scared and nervous when Ami realized that the damage was carefully inflicted. The quietness of space, the sense of fear from the unknown while alone was thrilling.
I admit, I didn't read into much of the novel past the synopsis when I applied for the arc, so I hadn't been aware that it was a novella. This worked against the narrative in my opinion.
While leaving questions unanswered is not necessarily a bad element, I do think the questions I had left over after the twist made the ending unfulfilling. I just had more questions than answers. Why was Ami the only crew member affected that extremely? Why did she suddenly receive visions of her memories only at the end of the novella? If Mahdi said Ami needed to be wathed per her psych evals, why would they all decide to sleep at the same time?? Mr. Dorian gets his own paragraph.
I think adding more length specifically to round out the other crewmates would also be so beneficial. I did not give a fuck about them. I couldn't even remember their names. The queer rep between Ami and Lily? Where did that come from?? I felt no chemistry nor connections- there's no work to make the characters have any personality. Ami's grief felt real, her emotions and reactions felt real, but her memories of them brought no emotions forward. It was as if I was being told I should care about them instead of making them actually interesting.
I did predict the twist towards the end, but again, it felt rushed as well. Smitherman did a wonderful job showing AMi's frantic state in the stream of consciousness, but her descent fully into the brainwashing (? idk what else to call it) felt more instant. Is she not regretful, does the thrum keep her from feeling those emotions? Does she review her own actions leading up to that point? No, she finds their bodies, remembers how she did it, and immediately rejoins Dorian, happily enveloped in his ship body. There's no build up of how her personality and mannerisms changed each time they reappeared-- I'd be way more interested reading that, the slow descent where you're unsure whether you're actually feeling these emotions or if the alien has influenced you in some way.
I did think it was interesting how the entire crew forgot about Dorian two seperate times. Does the loss of the thrum allow them to forget? Ami's memory returns as she's leaving. Do they 'return' as if they're reliving the same day of the discovery like an amnesia groundhog day?
I found it frustrating that Dorian, while having more time with us as a character, is just as flat as the others. We learn nothing of substance about him, only that he wants Ami for himself, and that's he's a hive mind, reality bending ship. Yes, he was unsettling, as he should be, but what are his motivations? He doesn't even give obsessed.
I do not consider this a horror romance- where is the romance??? We're watching a woman be manipulated by alien energies and he has a lunch date with her. It is sci-fi horror. Where's the obsession besides in Ami? Dorian offers nothing.
Why not trick the other crewmembers to leave Ami behind with your reality bending? How did they return the first two times??
That being said, I enjoyed the build up. I was interested in Ami alone being able to hear the thrum. I thought the way the ship offered new corridors was creepy, as was the unending loop, and Smitherman is really good at creating an eerie, bloody, ominous ambiance and the characters reaction to it was understandable and relateable. I wouldn't have been much better in her position (but, as a scientist, wouldn't she have been trained in this kind of situation? Perhaps it is a symptom of her time in Dorian).
I guess my takeaway is: it was good. I was hoping for more I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, but it wasn't terrible.
I really enjoyed this up until the very end. The prose is inviting, and I was really excited reading from Ami’s perspective, especially as the horror elements began.
The premise of this book really drew me in and I was hooked from the start— unfortunately, I feel like the length of the novella worked against it. I still have a lot of questions, none that I will name at the moment to avoid spoilers, but the huge build up towards the end fell short of what I had been expecting in the final scenes.
I couldn’t find it in me to care for the three dead crew members. I think if there were a prologue, perhaps before they went into stasis, it would form a small bond between me and the characters, but the memories felt almost unimportant with what was happening in ‘real time’.
I’ll add more onto this once the novella releases.
Edit 8/18 for actual thoughts-- all the spoilers, so please keep that in mind if you decide to continue
I loved the immediate eerie setting- I was honestly scared and nervous when Ami realized that the damage was carefully inflicted. The quietness of space, the sense of fear from the unknown while alone was thrilling.
I admit, I didn't read into much of the novel past the synopsis when I applied for the arc, so I hadn't been aware that it was a novella. This worked against the narrative in my opinion.
While leaving questions unanswered is not necessarily a bad element, I do think the questions I had left over after the twist made the ending unfulfilling. I just had more questions than answers. Why was Ami the only crew member affected that extremely? Why did she suddenly receive visions of her memories only at the end of the novella? If Mahdi said Ami needed to be wathed per her psych evals, why would they all decide to sleep at the same time?? Mr. Dorian gets his own paragraph.
I think adding more length specifically to round out the other crewmates would also be so beneficial. I did not give a fuck about them. I couldn't even remember their names. The queer rep between Ami and Lily? Where did that come from?? I felt no chemistry nor connections- there's no work to make the characters have any personality. Ami's grief felt real, her emotions and reactions felt real, but her memories of them brought no emotions forward. It was as if I was being told I should care about them instead of making them actually interesting.
I did predict the twist towards the end, but again, it felt rushed as well. Smitherman did a wonderful job showing AMi's frantic state in the stream of consciousness, but her descent fully into the brainwashing (? idk what else to call it) felt more instant. Is she not regretful, does the thrum keep her from feeling those emotions? Does she review her own actions leading up to that point? No, she finds their bodies, remembers how she did it, and immediately rejoins Dorian, happily enveloped in his ship body. There's no build up of how her personality and mannerisms changed each time they reappeared-- I'd be way more interested reading that, the slow descent where you're unsure whether you're actually feeling these emotions or if the alien has influenced you in some way.
I did think it was interesting how the entire crew forgot about Dorian two seperate times. Does the loss of the thrum allow them to forget? Ami's memory returns as she's leaving. Do they 'return' as if they're reliving the same day of the discovery like an amnesia groundhog day?
I found it frustrating that Dorian, while having more time with us as a character, is just as flat as the others. We learn nothing of substance about him, only that he wants Ami for himself, and that's he's a hive mind, reality bending ship. Yes, he was unsettling, as he should be, but what are his motivations? He doesn't even give obsessed.
I do not consider this a horror romance- where is the romance??? We're watching a woman be manipulated by alien energies and he has a lunch date with her. It is sci-fi horror. Where's the obsession besides in Ami? Dorian offers nothing.
Why not trick the other crewmembers to leave Ami behind with your reality bending? How did they return the first two times??
That being said, I enjoyed the build up. I was interested in Ami alone being able to hear the thrum. I thought the way the ship offered new corridors was creepy, as was the unending loop, and Smitherman is really good at creating an eerie, bloody, ominous ambiance and the characters reaction to it was understandable and relateable. I wouldn't have been much better in her position (but, as a scientist, wouldn't she have been trained in this kind of situation? Perhaps it is a symptom of her time in Dorian).
I guess my takeaway is: it was good. I was hoping for more I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream, but it wasn't terrible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2025
I have so many questions. This would be a great black mirror episode fr...
update 9/6/25... no this book was just wild and nonsensical tbh, ill keep it at 4/5 because I'm still thinking about it though
update 9/6/25... no this book was just wild and nonsensical tbh, ill keep it at 4/5 because I'm still thinking about it though
November 15, 2024
5 ⭐️s
📖 kindle unlimited
“...the fact is that the biological makeup of a human brain is too simple, its neurons too few, to understand the true enormity of our universe. It is incalculably and emphatically beyond us. Thank God for that.”
I don't even know what to say really other than this might be the best thing I’ve read in a hot minute. So beautifully written and mind spinning. Had me sitting up straight and locked it, especially near the end. This was such an eerie mindf*ck with so many twists and turns that had me unable to put my Kindle down.
Honestly I wish Meg Smitherman had more sifi based novels released because I'd eat them all up right away. I'll be keeping my eye out for more of her works in the future though.
Notable features:
🪐 >200 pages
🪐 Body horror elements
🪐 Fish out of water FMC
🪐 Non-descriptive on page/open door spice 🌶️
🪐 Fade to black/closed door spice 🌶️
🪐 Psychological horror/romance
🪐 Deep space!!
📖 kindle unlimited
“...the fact is that the biological makeup of a human brain is too simple, its neurons too few, to understand the true enormity of our universe. It is incalculably and emphatically beyond us. Thank God for that.”
I don't even know what to say really other than this might be the best thing I’ve read in a hot minute. So beautifully written and mind spinning. Had me sitting up straight and locked it, especially near the end. This was such an eerie mindf*ck with so many twists and turns that had me unable to put my Kindle down.
Honestly I wish Meg Smitherman had more sifi based novels released because I'd eat them all up right away. I'll be keeping my eye out for more of her works in the future though.
Notable features:
🪐 >200 pages
🪐 Body horror elements
🪐 Fish out of water FMC
🪐 Non-descriptive on page/open door spice 🌶️
🪐 Fade to black/closed door spice 🌶️
🪐 Psychological horror/romance
🪐 Deep space!!
September 3, 2024
hello???? i’m going to think about this for years???? this was insane????
August 16, 2024
I’m mad that this was marketed as a romance and instead I got an uninteresting series of events that were semi-thriller and mostly making me wonder if I’d picked up the wrong book.
One of my most anticipated for the year and definitely the biggest disappointment. Sorry Meg, this had so much potential, but you had me disinterested from the get-go.
One of my most anticipated for the year and definitely the biggest disappointment. Sorry Meg, this had so much potential, but you had me disinterested from the get-go.
May 14, 2025
idk it was a weird read and creepy🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️😭😭😭 but not bad as a short story about space horror and alien (not me finishing a horror story at 3 a.m🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️🧍🏻♀️)
February 28, 2025
What if you were a human about to die lost in the depths of space, but then an incomprehensible eldritch abomination scooped you up and put you on his spaceship where nothing you see is real 😮 But also your dead crew including your ex girlfriend are haunting you and your ship seems to have been deliberately sabotaged and chunks of time are starting to disappear from your memories as your sanity unravels 😮 But what if the eldritch horror was like sooo hot and weirdly flirty and very nice about the whole thing. What then
(Gothic horror/romance in space w a bisexual protagonist ! This is so good I swear just ignore the hideous cover.)
(Gothic horror/romance in space w a bisexual protagonist ! This is so good I swear just ignore the hideous cover.)
November 15, 2025
Hahahha, what?!
I would recommend going in blind. Just know, I gobbled this up in under 45 minutes.
It is strange and uncanny, but also fun in a weird, twisted way. If you’re worried about this being labeled as horror, don’t worry. It is more unsettling than anything.
I’m drifting half out of the ship, half in, but even then it feels as if the infinite universe is reaching for me with inexorable fingers, with hands made of whorls of starlight, of depthless lightless chasms that hum like monsters of the cosmos.
Ami is the only one alive from the crew of the Pioneer. The comms array looks like it has been sawed off and the fuel reserves are low.
She is rescued by someone, or something, calling itself Dorian Grey.
Ami is spiralling, of course she is. She has to deal with the panic, the horror, the grief, the knowledge that her friends are dead, she can’t return home, and she is utterly, utterly alone.
The first persons narration means you are losing it just as much as Ami. This is tightly paced and weirdly wonderful.
I imagine the ship as if it’s a sort of fluid thing, ever-changing, rooms moving and rearranging themselves, a labyrinth while I’m a hapless Theseus. Who, then –or what –is the Minotaur?
I also heard this was spicy, however I wouldn’t consider there was anything explicit on page.
An addictive writing style and a whacky sci fi novella. I’m going to go read more from this author.
Arc gifted by publisher.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
I would recommend going in blind. Just know, I gobbled this up in under 45 minutes.
It is strange and uncanny, but also fun in a weird, twisted way. If you’re worried about this being labeled as horror, don’t worry. It is more unsettling than anything.
I’m drifting half out of the ship, half in, but even then it feels as if the infinite universe is reaching for me with inexorable fingers, with hands made of whorls of starlight, of depthless lightless chasms that hum like monsters of the cosmos.
Ami is the only one alive from the crew of the Pioneer. The comms array looks like it has been sawed off and the fuel reserves are low.
She is rescued by someone, or something, calling itself Dorian Grey.
Ami is spiralling, of course she is. She has to deal with the panic, the horror, the grief, the knowledge that her friends are dead, she can’t return home, and she is utterly, utterly alone.
The first persons narration means you are losing it just as much as Ami. This is tightly paced and weirdly wonderful.
I imagine the ship as if it’s a sort of fluid thing, ever-changing, rooms moving and rearranging themselves, a labyrinth while I’m a hapless Theseus. Who, then –or what –is the Minotaur?
I also heard this was spicy, however I wouldn’t consider there was anything explicit on page.
An addictive writing style and a whacky sci fi novella. I’m going to go read more from this author.
Arc gifted by publisher.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
April 4, 2024
I had the pleasure of beta reading Thrum and when I say this book rocked my world… WOW!
Smitherman has such a way with getting the reader into the character’s head that there were times I was genuinely afraid while I was reading. The intensity of the characters, the creepy spaceship, and the twist at the end had me gasping and clutching a blanket to my chest. I’ve read all of Meg’s book and Thrum might very well be my favorite.
Few authors can cross genres the way Meg can, and I’m so excited to see what other magic tricks she pulls with future books in different genres.
Smitherman has such a way with getting the reader into the character’s head that there were times I was genuinely afraid while I was reading. The intensity of the characters, the creepy spaceship, and the twist at the end had me gasping and clutching a blanket to my chest. I’ve read all of Meg’s book and Thrum might very well be my favorite.
Few authors can cross genres the way Meg can, and I’m so excited to see what other magic tricks she pulls with future books in different genres.
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