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Grim Root
GRIM ROOT is a darkly humorous gothic horror novel pitched as THE BACHELOR meets THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, in which a group of women on a reality TV dating show must compete for the hand of an eligible bachelor by spending a week in a haunted house, but after the bachelor suddenly dies to the shock of everyone on set, the remaining contestants find themselves trapped in a dark and twisted new game only one of them still wants to play. Cover art by Dan Fris.
330 pages, Paperback
Published June 4, 2024
8 people are currently reading
956 people want to read
About the author
Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam
59 books65 followersBonnie Jo Stufflebeam lives in Texas with her two literarily-named cats: Gimli and Don Quixote. Her fiction and poetry has appeared in magazines such as
Clarkesworld
,
Strange Horizons
,
Goblin Fruit
, and
Daily Science Fiction
.
She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program and reviews short fiction at her blog, Short Story Review. You can visit her on Twitter @BonnieJoStuffle or through her website: www.bonniejostufflebeam.com.
She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine's Stonecoast program and reviews short fiction at her blog, Short Story Review. You can visit her on Twitter @BonnieJoStuffle or through her website: www.bonniejostufflebeam.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
June 12, 2024
What I LOVED about this book:
-Short chapters and accessible, breezy storytelling
-Poking holes in the fake narrative of reality tv shows like The Bachelor
-The back & forth POVs
-The character development and the way Sabrina & Linda were very distinct with their own voice & behavior. I loved the antagonist, Deja as well
-Horror centered around a reality TV show like The Bachelor, is brilliant. Lots of opportunities for connecting with readers who are familiar with shows like that and poking fun at it, I loved that!
What didn’t quite work:
-The sex scenes were great, at first, but then I felt like there were too many
-Once the show moves locations and they’re at the haunted house, I was hoping the focus would shift to the supernatural or paranormal—center on the horror but it stayed pretty zeroed in on the relationship dynamics (like Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw)
-The middle gets bogged down a little with some repetition and circular situations/circumstances
-I didn’t quite understand the backstory of the house and the connection to one of the characters—I feel like the origin story of the house needed its own story within a story segment
-I was obsessed with the first & second act, the execution on the back half just wasn’t quite there but I will 1,000% recommend this book for niche reading lists and specific tropes and read more by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam!
-Short chapters and accessible, breezy storytelling
-Poking holes in the fake narrative of reality tv shows like The Bachelor
-The back & forth POVs
-The character development and the way Sabrina & Linda were very distinct with their own voice & behavior. I loved the antagonist, Deja as well
-Horror centered around a reality TV show like The Bachelor, is brilliant. Lots of opportunities for connecting with readers who are familiar with shows like that and poking fun at it, I loved that!
What didn’t quite work:
-The sex scenes were great, at first, but then I felt like there were too many
-Once the show moves locations and they’re at the haunted house, I was hoping the focus would shift to the supernatural or paranormal—center on the horror but it stayed pretty zeroed in on the relationship dynamics (like Nothing But Blackened Teeth by Cassandra Khaw)
-The middle gets bogged down a little with some repetition and circular situations/circumstances
-I didn’t quite understand the backstory of the house and the connection to one of the characters—I feel like the origin story of the house needed its own story within a story segment
-I was obsessed with the first & second act, the execution on the back half just wasn’t quite there but I will 1,000% recommend this book for niche reading lists and specific tropes and read more by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam!
September 12, 2024
Hmmm… how to write this review…
Ok, first- what a quirky idea for a plot! It’s essentially “The Bachelor” goes to a haunted house.
I enjoyed characters/contestants’ voices and narratives, the behind-the-scenes absurdity of the reality TV show, and some of the creepy scenes.
However, the narrative gets a little bogged down & repetitive for about the first 3/4 I’d say. Then the last 1/4 is totally bananas. There needs to be more to the backstory of the house, and its relation to one of the characters. Linda’s and Sabrina’s histories could be clarified more. Even as the reader seems to be getting some answers I could only keep asking myself “What? Why? How?”
Some of the transitions/scenes felt a bit off- I wasn’t sure if this was on purpose to create confusion or if parts had been cut out by accident. There are a fair amount of background characters to keep track of and some of what happened to them made no sense to me.
This is definitely a great story to read if you’re looking for alternatives to a classic/gothic haunting.
Ok, first- what a quirky idea for a plot! It’s essentially “The Bachelor” goes to a haunted house.
I enjoyed characters/contestants’ voices and narratives, the behind-the-scenes absurdity of the reality TV show, and some of the creepy scenes.
However, the narrative gets a little bogged down & repetitive for about the first 3/4 I’d say. Then the last 1/4 is totally bananas. There needs to be more to the backstory of the house, and its relation to one of the characters. Linda’s and Sabrina’s histories could be clarified more. Even as the reader seems to be getting some answers I could only keep asking myself “What? Why? How?”
Some of the transitions/scenes felt a bit off- I wasn’t sure if this was on purpose to create confusion or if parts had been cut out by accident. There are a fair amount of background characters to keep track of and some of what happened to them made no sense to me.
This is definitely a great story to read if you’re looking for alternatives to a classic/gothic haunting.
to-read-so-bad-it-hurts
September 21, 2023'GRIM ROOT is a darkly humorous gothic horror novel pitched as THE BACHELOR meets THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, in which a group of women on a reality TV dating show must compete for the hand of an eligible bachelor by spending a week in a haunted house, but after the bachelor suddenly dies to the shock of everyone on set, the remaining contestants find themselves trapped in a dark and twisted new game only one of them still wants to play.'
OOH, VERY INTO IT
Source
OOH, VERY INTO IT
Source
May 25, 2024
3.5 stars rounded to 4. I'd never heard of this author before, but the synopsis convinced me to give the book a try. No regrets here! Excellent premise, good pacing, a very strong feel for the workings of a reality show and how to get it across to readers, plus quite relatable female characters (the males are not equally well-drawn, but as I discovered, this didn't really matter). Admittedly, the writing was a bit rough: occasionally the descriptions of the (many different) situations got a bit jumbled, sometimes the women's background intruded too much into the story, and the supernatural manifestations felt rather unoriginal and familiar; but horror tropes and reality show shenanigans were combined in such a refreshing manner, with such artistry and style, that after the first half the book turned into a page-turner! I'll check the author's other work as well.
May 23, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Grim Root is a dark, humorous gothic horror novel, written by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, and published by Dark Matter INK. A story that takes the premise of The Bachelor but gives it a darker twist to it, bringing our characters to a haunted manor where not only their secrets will be revealed, as the dynamics between them will change.
Linda, Sabrina, Marion and Charity are the last four contestants of a reality TV show, and together with the producers, staff and the groom they are taken to a haunter manor, in order to see who will be the one that will marry him; a premise that soon shows how the contest is organized and how narratives are weaven behind-the-scenes, trying to grow the audience and putting each contestant in one role.
And characters is precisely the aspect that shines in this book. While most of the story is told using the POV of two of the contestants, Linda and Sabrina, all the cast is fully fleshed, complex characters with their own lives and conflicts, and who are being pushed by the direction of the show to participate; but not only that, but we can soon see how between them there are tensions and some bonds are also developed as a result of the stress they live in. Probably Tristan, the masculine contestant, the bachelor in this story, might be the one I felt a bit of charicature, but can be only because of how all is told.
While we have a classic horror setting, the way those elements are introduced are quite original, even if they might be a bit predictable at points; and it's refreshing to see how we have an additional layer of horror that comes from the pressure of the own show. Humour is an integral part of the plot, and together with a romantic subplot, they make it enjoyable to read.
Despite it has some flaws, I totally enjoyed reading Grim Root, as I loved the premised; if you are looking for some humourous horror, it is a great shot. Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam has written a great debut novel, and I can't wait to see what more she has ready.
Grim Root is a dark, humorous gothic horror novel, written by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam, and published by Dark Matter INK. A story that takes the premise of The Bachelor but gives it a darker twist to it, bringing our characters to a haunted manor where not only their secrets will be revealed, as the dynamics between them will change.
Linda, Sabrina, Marion and Charity are the last four contestants of a reality TV show, and together with the producers, staff and the groom they are taken to a haunter manor, in order to see who will be the one that will marry him; a premise that soon shows how the contest is organized and how narratives are weaven behind-the-scenes, trying to grow the audience and putting each contestant in one role.
And characters is precisely the aspect that shines in this book. While most of the story is told using the POV of two of the contestants, Linda and Sabrina, all the cast is fully fleshed, complex characters with their own lives and conflicts, and who are being pushed by the direction of the show to participate; but not only that, but we can soon see how between them there are tensions and some bonds are also developed as a result of the stress they live in. Probably Tristan, the masculine contestant, the bachelor in this story, might be the one I felt a bit of charicature, but can be only because of how all is told.
While we have a classic horror setting, the way those elements are introduced are quite original, even if they might be a bit predictable at points; and it's refreshing to see how we have an additional layer of horror that comes from the pressure of the own show. Humour is an integral part of the plot, and together with a romantic subplot, they make it enjoyable to read.
Despite it has some flaws, I totally enjoyed reading Grim Root, as I loved the premised; if you are looking for some humourous horror, it is a great shot. Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam has written a great debut novel, and I can't wait to see what more she has ready.
March 18, 2024
“Fear makes the heart grow stronger.
“Who will be able to stay longer?”
📚
When a group of women participate in a reality TV dating show called The Groom, the final five get much more than they anticipate. In addition to the usual fare — an eligible bachelor, individual and group dates, behind-the-scenes hookups, filmed “confessionals,” strict rules, contestant tension and turmoil, zero privacy, and difficult producers and crew — they undergo some thoroughly strange and spooky experiences. Date destinations range from weird to disgusting, culminating in a required week spent in a haunted house.
Matrimony Manor, situated in the aptly-named, 1880s ghost town of Matrimony, is a decaying abode sequestered behind a tall fence atop a mountain surrounded by a crooked forest. Equipped with a sinister history, peculiar orchard, and eerie ambiance, the house is downright uncanny. Constructed of oddly textured walls that occasionally leak putrid pink slime, it’s filled with forbidden areas and secret passages, doors, hallways, and staircases. And after the Groom dies a horrible death, the contestants are left to wonder whether they’re involved in a matrimonial competition or a deadly game.
Grim Root is a story of lies, murder, blackmail, fear, jealousy, misogyny, and manipulation where everything is potentially deadly, things aren’t as they appear, and no one is as they seem. Setting and atmosphere are key, with the house functioning as a character in itself (one of this reader’s favorite gothic/horror tropes) where intense feelings of isolation, claustrophobia, filth, neglect, decay, and outright nastiness prevail. Deception is the order of the day, as characters are haunted by their own dark backstories and unique personal motivations, all carefully concealed beneath false veneers. This gothic tale lives up to its pitch as “The Bachelor meets The Haunting of Hill House,” weaving an evil, page-turning tale where personal flaws have deadly consequences.
Thank you to BookSirens and Dark Matter INK for providing an eARC of this forthcoming gothic horror novel for review consideration. It’s an atmospheric and page-turning experience and a creative and refreshing take on the haunted house! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
“Who will be able to stay longer?”
📚
When a group of women participate in a reality TV dating show called The Groom, the final five get much more than they anticipate. In addition to the usual fare — an eligible bachelor, individual and group dates, behind-the-scenes hookups, filmed “confessionals,” strict rules, contestant tension and turmoil, zero privacy, and difficult producers and crew — they undergo some thoroughly strange and spooky experiences. Date destinations range from weird to disgusting, culminating in a required week spent in a haunted house.
Matrimony Manor, situated in the aptly-named, 1880s ghost town of Matrimony, is a decaying abode sequestered behind a tall fence atop a mountain surrounded by a crooked forest. Equipped with a sinister history, peculiar orchard, and eerie ambiance, the house is downright uncanny. Constructed of oddly textured walls that occasionally leak putrid pink slime, it’s filled with forbidden areas and secret passages, doors, hallways, and staircases. And after the Groom dies a horrible death, the contestants are left to wonder whether they’re involved in a matrimonial competition or a deadly game.
Grim Root is a story of lies, murder, blackmail, fear, jealousy, misogyny, and manipulation where everything is potentially deadly, things aren’t as they appear, and no one is as they seem. Setting and atmosphere are key, with the house functioning as a character in itself (one of this reader’s favorite gothic/horror tropes) where intense feelings of isolation, claustrophobia, filth, neglect, decay, and outright nastiness prevail. Deception is the order of the day, as characters are haunted by their own dark backstories and unique personal motivations, all carefully concealed beneath false veneers. This gothic tale lives up to its pitch as “The Bachelor meets The Haunting of Hill House,” weaving an evil, page-turning tale where personal flaws have deadly consequences.
Thank you to BookSirens and Dark Matter INK for providing an eARC of this forthcoming gothic horror novel for review consideration. It’s an atmospheric and page-turning experience and a creative and refreshing take on the haunted house! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 23, 2024
Grim Root.
Claramente elegí esta lectura por el argumento.
Combina los programas de citas con las casas encantadas.
La historia está contada desde las perspectivas de dos personajes femeninos, han ido a participar en el típico programa de citas para casarse con un millonario.
El protagonista masculino es un poco especial, porque adora todo lo relacionado con el mundo del terror, así que para darle más animación al reality van a pasar una semana a una casa encantada.
En concreto esta casa es fascinante está relacionada con una familia maderera, y por eso los árboles tienen una gran importancia en este libro. Tenemos unos árboles que crecen de formas extrañas, un jardín con unos árboles que dan unos frutos nunca vistos, suelos de madera que parece en los que están creciendo nuevos árboles, es evidente que están en una casa encantada.
Y como en toda buena historia de terror, van a quedar aislados y sin cobertura, hasta que cosas terribles empiecen a pasar.
Me ha gustado como esta escrito, es un terror muy gótico, muy visual, no se corta en las descripciones, recuerdan un poco al estilo descriptivo de Grady Hendrix.
Claramente elegí esta lectura por el argumento.
Combina los programas de citas con las casas encantadas.
La historia está contada desde las perspectivas de dos personajes femeninos, han ido a participar en el típico programa de citas para casarse con un millonario.
El protagonista masculino es un poco especial, porque adora todo lo relacionado con el mundo del terror, así que para darle más animación al reality van a pasar una semana a una casa encantada.
En concreto esta casa es fascinante está relacionada con una familia maderera, y por eso los árboles tienen una gran importancia en este libro. Tenemos unos árboles que crecen de formas extrañas, un jardín con unos árboles que dan unos frutos nunca vistos, suelos de madera que parece en los que están creciendo nuevos árboles, es evidente que están en una casa encantada.
Y como en toda buena historia de terror, van a quedar aislados y sin cobertura, hasta que cosas terribles empiecen a pasar.
Me ha gustado como esta escrito, es un terror muy gótico, muy visual, no se corta en las descripciones, recuerdan un poco al estilo descriptivo de Grady Hendrix.
June 12, 2024
Overall, I enjoyed this satirical, often humorous, and supernaturally charged novel.
This is a character driven story on a reality dating show like the Bachelor where a few women who've lasted until the end have to fight it out to be the one picked.
They're last challenge will take place at a supposedly haunted cabin in the woods but things take a turn for the worse once the cast and crew settle in. Crew members disappear, bodies are found, and strange things are happening in the woods.
The remaining women each have secrets and reasons for being on the show other than finding a rich husband and these secrets make up most of the relationship drama between them.
The often hilarious behind the scenes look at reality shows seems about right. They're manipulated, isolated, and encouraged to act crazy because that's what sells.
I really liked the supernatural elements of this novel though I thought it took a tad too long to get to it. I think about halfway through is when they arrived at the cabin. This book is firmly focused on the lives and relationships between characters. And that's not a bad thing. It's fantastic when they're bantering and interacting.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you're looking for something different. Just don't expect a lot of scares for the first half.
This is a character driven story on a reality dating show like the Bachelor where a few women who've lasted until the end have to fight it out to be the one picked.
They're last challenge will take place at a supposedly haunted cabin in the woods but things take a turn for the worse once the cast and crew settle in. Crew members disappear, bodies are found, and strange things are happening in the woods.
The remaining women each have secrets and reasons for being on the show other than finding a rich husband and these secrets make up most of the relationship drama between them.
The often hilarious behind the scenes look at reality shows seems about right. They're manipulated, isolated, and encouraged to act crazy because that's what sells.
I really liked the supernatural elements of this novel though I thought it took a tad too long to get to it. I think about halfway through is when they arrived at the cabin. This book is firmly focused on the lives and relationships between characters. And that's not a bad thing. It's fantastic when they're bantering and interacting.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you're looking for something different. Just don't expect a lot of scares for the first half.
July 25, 2024
3.5* rounded up
As someone who doesn't watch reality TV and can't stand dating shows, I was a little dubious about this one. However, it was marked as a horror and claimed to be The Batchelor meets Haunting Of Hill House, so I figured I'd give it a go.
For the most part, it focuses on the relationships between the contestants and also those created between them and the eligible batchelor. It shows you just how fake the narrative in these shows are, and how much of the drama is forced by producers, etc. I figured once the contestants moved to the haunted house, the story would start to pick up and finally start becoming a horror. At times, 'spooky' things started happening, but never really went anywhere. Eventually, a dead body is found, characters go missing, and shit really starts to hit the fan. The story behind the house and the woods was a little confusing. Honestly, the ending was kind of weird. I kinda thought there'd be something... more? I don't really know, but something just felt missing for me.
As someone who doesn't watch reality TV and can't stand dating shows, I was a little dubious about this one. However, it was marked as a horror and claimed to be The Batchelor meets Haunting Of Hill House, so I figured I'd give it a go.
For the most part, it focuses on the relationships between the contestants and also those created between them and the eligible batchelor. It shows you just how fake the narrative in these shows are, and how much of the drama is forced by producers, etc. I figured once the contestants moved to the haunted house, the story would start to pick up and finally start becoming a horror. At times, 'spooky' things started happening, but never really went anywhere. Eventually, a dead body is found, characters go missing, and shit really starts to hit the fan. The story behind the house and the woods was a little confusing. Honestly, the ending was kind of weird. I kinda thought there'd be something... more? I don't really know, but something just felt missing for me.
April 22, 2024
First book I've ever read by this author, and thank you to booksirens for sending me this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Being a huge fan of reality TV shows I jumped at the chance to read a book that appealed to my love of trashy TV, and I loved it!
It played out like The Bachelor, but set in a haunted mansion, called Matrimony Manor. For those of you who have watched the Bachelor, you all know how it goes - 25 beautiful women, vying for the love of one man.
Centring on 4 girls Sabrina, charity, Linda and Marion, a bachelor, a few producers and camera crew, you're led to believe that it's the reality show the bachelor but when the narrative takes them to a haunted mansion, it becomes the bachelor with a horror twist.
Just like on the reality show, everything is fine until they're not, and when the strange occurrences start happening in the mansion I was so keen to find out more that I kept reading into the wee hours of the morning and I just couldnt stop. There were a hell of a lot of WTF moments when one by one people start to die either by suicide or murder or both, and then PLOT TWIST, the main character dies, so then what the hell is going to happen to the show?
There is a lot to like with Grim Root, and the concept behind the story was quite new and refreshing. I loved the back story behind each of the women and the reasons why they came on the show. I dont think I bonded with any particular character aside from Linda and Sabrina, maybe sometimes Charity but I loved how they all came together so well. The chapters were quite short, and although the story doesn't really pick up until more than halfway in the book, I didn't mind as I quite enjoyed the lead up to the action.
If there was one thing I didn't enjoy, it was the constant reminder of where Linda came from, her upbringing and her alcoholic father etc because that got brought up a lot, and probably because sometimes there was too much going on i got a bit confused. Other than that I quite enjoyed this book and wouldn't hesitate reading her other books.
Being a huge fan of reality TV shows I jumped at the chance to read a book that appealed to my love of trashy TV, and I loved it!
It played out like The Bachelor, but set in a haunted mansion, called Matrimony Manor. For those of you who have watched the Bachelor, you all know how it goes - 25 beautiful women, vying for the love of one man.
Centring on 4 girls Sabrina, charity, Linda and Marion, a bachelor, a few producers and camera crew, you're led to believe that it's the reality show the bachelor but when the narrative takes them to a haunted mansion, it becomes the bachelor with a horror twist.
Just like on the reality show, everything is fine until they're not, and when the strange occurrences start happening in the mansion I was so keen to find out more that I kept reading into the wee hours of the morning and I just couldnt stop. There were a hell of a lot of WTF moments when one by one people start to die either by suicide or murder or both, and then PLOT TWIST, the main character dies, so then what the hell is going to happen to the show?
There is a lot to like with Grim Root, and the concept behind the story was quite new and refreshing. I loved the back story behind each of the women and the reasons why they came on the show. I dont think I bonded with any particular character aside from Linda and Sabrina, maybe sometimes Charity but I loved how they all came together so well. The chapters were quite short, and although the story doesn't really pick up until more than halfway in the book, I didn't mind as I quite enjoyed the lead up to the action.
If there was one thing I didn't enjoy, it was the constant reminder of where Linda came from, her upbringing and her alcoholic father etc because that got brought up a lot, and probably because sometimes there was too much going on i got a bit confused. Other than that I quite enjoyed this book and wouldn't hesitate reading her other books.
June 16, 2025
the audacity of this book to be so precision engineered to appeal to all of my interests and to still suck this much. the pacing was unfortunate, the plot was minimal and more full of holes than an early aughts Shia Labeouf vehicle, and it just kind of felt like they forgot to add the horror in until like, sixty pages from the end and had to shoehorn it in there.
December 30, 2024
There were elements I liked but ultimately just didn’t work for me as I wanted more haunting and less bachelor nation. Full review coming in Cemetery Dance
June 5, 2024
Hill House as gay as you always wanted with extra drama.
https://www.nocturne-media.com/unknow...
https://www.nocturne-media.com/unknow...
May 13, 2024
**Thank you to Dark Matter INK for the eARC through BookSirens.**
A very generous 3 stars because that writing was really good and the characters in Grim Root were well fleshed out. I loved the reality TV elements of this and the “behind the scenes” look at the women vying for the Groom’s affection.
Some of the ~weird~ stuff was fun, like the scary dates and the haunted house. Unfortunately, one of the most exciting things to happen in the story line is given up in the synopsis. I won’t tell you at what percentage of the book this happens in, but I spent the vast majority of my reading time waiting on the groom to die in some crazy way.
My above complaint pretty much explains my entire problem with this book. The scary elements being explained away by the contestants and producers also took the edge out of this one.
I do think this book will find an audience among those that love campy horror stories, romance, and easy-going thrillers!
Also I really loved this badass cover!!
A very generous 3 stars because that writing was really good and the characters in Grim Root were well fleshed out. I loved the reality TV elements of this and the “behind the scenes” look at the women vying for the Groom’s affection.
Some of the ~weird~ stuff was fun, like the scary dates and the haunted house. Unfortunately, one of the most exciting things to happen in the story line is given up in the synopsis. I won’t tell you at what percentage of the book this happens in, but I spent the vast majority of my reading time waiting on the groom to die in some crazy way.
My above complaint pretty much explains my entire problem with this book. The scary elements being explained away by the contestants and producers also took the edge out of this one.
I do think this book will find an audience among those that love campy horror stories, romance, and easy-going thrillers!
Also I really loved this badass cover!!
April 29, 2024
Advanced copy was provided by the author for an honest review. 4.5 stars. Usually when it takes me a long time to get into a book I don’t rate it above four stars. But the chaos from 65% onwards really made this for me. This book is a mixture of the horrors of a dating reality tv show and the horrors of an abandoned mansion in a spooky forest. This is a horror, but much more than that. If you’re a fan of Bachelor Nation: Inside the World of America's Favorite Guilty Pleasure by Amy Kaufman you will recognize so much of what goes on in this book outside of the horror elements. If you love spooky forests, family trauma, and gross stuff then you’ll love this book! I thought the details about all four contestants (Sabrina, Marion, Charity, and Linda) were really well done. The only thing I didn’t enjoy was I still had a lot of questions at the end that were unanswered. But everything else was so well done I didn’t mind! I think this book was a great exploration of the trauma these sorts of shows bestow on you, the trauma family can inflict on you, and the danger of an angered forest. I honestly think this would make for a fantastic movie!!!! And it DESERVES IT! I would love to see the gore and guts come to life, along with the haunting trees, the rotten apple orchard that is somehow still beautiful, the manor that is crumbling but alive, and the true love story of this book. Also something about the author’s name just gets me going like YES I will read a horror story by Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam. I don’t know if it’s a pen name or a real name but god do I love it. Overall, I think this book was slow getting into it but once the pace picked up it was fantastic.
June 1, 2024
Grim Root indeed fits the comedy horror genre. The first quarter of the book reads more like a comedy or even a satire of reality TV shows themed around bachelors and potential brides, but it soon transforms into a Gothic fairytale as the novel shifts locations for the television series to a haunted house in the deep dark forest. Stufflebeam does a deft job switching between narrators, Linda and Sabrina, with each having a distinctive voice and personality, so you never feel disappointed shifting between characters or storylines. The text features lots of vivid imagery— which is almost cinematic—along with the most startling mix of sex and body gore I’ve ever encountered in a horror novel. It was a hell of a way to start the summer!
June 12, 2024
Take reality TV drama, but make it deadly.
I loved the concept of this story! Leaning into the amped up BS drama of reality TV, but adding a supernatural twist. Think The Bachelor set at Hill House! This book is fast-paced, and a quick read. Great for people looking to dip their toes into a horror that leans more towards the comedic!
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from the author via Book Sirens. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
I loved the concept of this story! Leaning into the amped up BS drama of reality TV, but adding a supernatural twist. Think The Bachelor set at Hill House! This book is fast-paced, and a quick read. Great for people looking to dip their toes into a horror that leans more towards the comedic!
*Disclaimer: I was generously provided with an advance copy from the author via Book Sirens. However, all viewpoints expressed above are my own!
May 26, 2024
While I read this book, I would lookout the window periodically and see the trees blowing in the wind. It is a pretty windy day. All I could think about is how the trees turned out to be villains in this story. I could see the ritual written in the journal depicting how to feed the trees. When this book started out as a reality show, I imagined all the ways this story could be horror, but pretty soon the story evolved into something else entirely. I was unprepared for how the story would become a claustrophobic nightmare. Excellent read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
September 10, 2024
touching your lover's exposed bone during sex is a bit much for me but ok i support lesbians
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2024
What would happen if one of those reality TV dating shows was filled with supernatural horror instead of just the normal existential horror of making love into a game show? Grim Roots is an enjoyable horror comedy with thoughtful writing and interesting characters. I recommend it.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 11, 2024
"GRIM ROOT is a darkly humorous gothic horror novel pitched as THE BACHELOR meets THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, in which a group of women on a reality TV dating show must compete for the hand of an eligible bachelor by spending a week in a haunted house, but after the bachelor suddenly dies to the shock of everyone on set, the remaining contestants find themselves trapped in a dark and twisted new game only one of them still wants to play."
Sigh. First things first. The blurb mentions that the bachelor dies. I read this on my Kindle. The guy dies 78% of the way through the book.
I spent a good part of the book just waiting for something to happen. Oh, weird sticks. They hear someone crying. But it was a lot more about the reality show than the horror.
I will give the author credit because the tree thing was different. But there are so many unanswered questions. WHY did they become one with the trees? How did they determine that? Did Deja lie about holding them off, or did the fact that she was included in the "men's trees" piss them off more? There was a brief moment of fire - why didn't they just burn the whole damn thing down? Also, how did anyone know what Linda had done? If they had figured it out at the time, something would have been done about it, so how could anyone know about it now?
I just don't know.
Sigh. First things first. The blurb mentions that the bachelor dies. I read this on my Kindle. The guy dies 78% of the way through the book.
I spent a good part of the book just waiting for something to happen. Oh, weird sticks. They hear someone crying. But it was a lot more about the reality show than the horror.
I will give the author credit because the tree thing was different. But there are so many unanswered questions. WHY did they become one with the trees? How did they determine that? Did Deja lie about holding them off, or did the fact that she was included in the "men's trees" piss them off more? There was a brief moment of fire - why didn't they just burn the whole damn thing down? Also, how did anyone know what Linda had done? If they had figured it out at the time, something would have been done about it, so how could anyone know about it now?
I just don't know.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2024
This was ….strange lmao. The dating show aspect is what drew me in initially and that part of it was very spot on.
Idk how to explain this, but the story is unhinged and progressively gets more unhinged as it goes on. Almost none of the characters themselves are like ….particularly likable but you can see how they all ended up here. Everyone being low key crazy sort of made this better. It actually did feel like watching a tv show lol.
The romance aspects, some of them were shocking and some of them were expected but idk the mix of horror/romance is sort of iconic and more writers should explore that.
The horror part of this was gross and some of the scenes honestly made me feel weird lmaooo so like 10/10 on that. Like I said, it was just unhinged in the best sort of way.
I think the writing could’ve been a little crisper, as some of the sentences and scenes didnt really make sense to me and I had to re-read a few times to make it through but overall it was a pretty solid debut.
I would say if you like weird shit definitely read this lol.
Idk how to explain this, but the story is unhinged and progressively gets more unhinged as it goes on. Almost none of the characters themselves are like ….particularly likable but you can see how they all ended up here. Everyone being low key crazy sort of made this better. It actually did feel like watching a tv show lol.
The romance aspects, some of them were shocking and some of them were expected but idk the mix of horror/romance is sort of iconic and more writers should explore that.
The horror part of this was gross and some of the scenes honestly made me feel weird lmaooo so like 10/10 on that. Like I said, it was just unhinged in the best sort of way.
I think the writing could’ve been a little crisper, as some of the sentences and scenes didnt really make sense to me and I had to re-read a few times to make it through but overall it was a pretty solid debut.
I would say if you like weird shit definitely read this lol.
March 26, 2025
You can leave everything behind. Be a new person. Find love!
4 stars for what is bound to be one of the weirdest effing horror stories I've ever read. Maybe I'll convince myself it deserves either 2 or, hell, even 5 stars by the time I'm done here, I don't know. But Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam's "Grim Root" will be forever grouped in my mind with such bizarre tales as "Cigarette Teeth" by Maul Allan Hewish and the utter mind-fvdge that was Felix I.D. Dimaro's "Bug Spray". If you haven't read them then I suggest you try each whilst smoking whatever got you through this tome. Honestly, these are 3 books that I couldn't explain to you in any way, shape, or format if I tried. And no, reading others' comments in the review section isn't helping me much either in terms of making any sense of it all in my head.
This season’s villain was the most dangerous in the show’s history: an actual murderer…
OK, that's not entirely true - which is acceptable here because we are after all talking about a story set in the vast wasteland that is reality TV. Just about everyone has confirmed what the book blurb itself says, which is that this is a story that combines one of those pathetic expositions on the worst humanity has to offer. That's right, I'm talking a show like "The Bachelor" (since the author misses her chance to maybe take an axe to the Kardassholians or other Jersey Shore-esque gathering). Now others have then said there's a good dose of "The Haunting of Hill House" included, but I haven't seen that. What I have seen is several iterations of "Frankenstein" and I'll be damned if there wasn't just a bit of gothic-ness from that involved. Laugh with me now: IT'S ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE, BWHAHAHA!!!
This whole thing is a silly confluence of nature’s fuckery and humanity’s frugality.
Anyway… there is always an inherent problem with this kind of set-up in that it's not easy to LOVE a book if you can't really get into the actual - what's a good word - scenario, set-up, framework, etc. I mean, unlike other reviewers whom I deeply respect, I am not a fan of these shows. No, I mean, not at all, like I'm firmly in the camp of "ban them, burn the footage, and salt their farmlands" level of anti-fandom. Though they are perfectly placed to encourage just about all the dark elements we see displayed here in the book - back-stabbing, front-stabbing (ahem ahem wink wink), blatant deceptions and outright lies, manipulation and so on. I mean, if I want all those qualities, I'll just watch the evening news highlighting which fentanyl addicted goon has done what to people that never deserved such treatment in the first place. So already, the background (oo, that's another good synonym) wasn't thrilling to me, particularly as the days drug on with weird confessionals, cat-fights, and ridiculously executed stunts, um, I mean, team-building exercises.
You think you haven’t been manipulated?
The characters weren't bad - per se - though again, I couldn't really get into the "we're all competing for the love of a single goober from Idaho or Iowa and will DO ANYTHING to win his heart!" action. I'm glad that we had at least two very cynical characters in that mix that brought their own brand of snark - and eventually hot sex with each other (thank the gods I added "erotica" to my genre list!) - to the table. Well, not literally to the table but you understand I hope. And yes, the author's slow reveal of more and more secrets by everyone involved helped keep me interested at least in finding out said secrets, even if what eventually happens to Mr. Right felt like just des(s)erts. In fact, the more misogynistic the characters wound up being, the more difficult it became to really feel much when the defecation violently impacts the angular rotating blade. No that wasn't gagging you heard, it was indeed applause!
You’re not going to win, but be bold. Cause trouble. Give us some damn good TV.
However, what needed a lot more work was the whole haunted mansion in the middle of nowhere explanation or exposition or whatever the hell you want to call it. I mean, between us: what the fvck was going on? Shouldn't the townspeople later have known something about the mansion if there was something to know about the mansion or the family or whatever? What brought those experiments on in the first place? And this house has just sat there, no taxes being paid on the property for how long? I mean, an abandoned French castle I can understand (trust me: the inheritance laws are so effed up here, it explains the hundreds just rotting away on prime real estate). There were just so many holes in that regard that felt like they were just this close -><- to being properly explained but ultimately just left me feeling disappointed. Oh yeah, and that convenient rope course? Da fuh? Sure, set this up in a different plot and include witches operating in an isolated Appalachian valley and there'd be no questions asked but this was just next level "huh?" to me!
That’s some late-stage franchise bullshit.
All-in-all though I wouldn't call this a wasted read by a long shot. The editing is pretty good and I could see a lot of folks really enjoying this twisted look at a show like America's Getting Eaten. Still, you'll just have to brace yourselves because I'll tell you now, there's nothing near what I would consider to be enough closure. And even if the ending leaves things severely "open", it's not the kind of openness that makes us think that we're just not done here… no fans, not when you can tune in next week at this same time to see who gets a rose and who doesn't!!! That's right, you'll be dying to see who will go home and who will continue to degrade themselves before the whole world in the misguided hope that they'll manage to win absolutely no lasting fame and most likely both a divorce and unidentifiable venereal disease? Yaaaay, fade to black as we hear weeping and glass breaking in the background…
4 stars for what is bound to be one of the weirdest effing horror stories I've ever read. Maybe I'll convince myself it deserves either 2 or, hell, even 5 stars by the time I'm done here, I don't know. But Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam's "Grim Root" will be forever grouped in my mind with such bizarre tales as "Cigarette Teeth" by Maul Allan Hewish and the utter mind-fvdge that was Felix I.D. Dimaro's "Bug Spray". If you haven't read them then I suggest you try each whilst smoking whatever got you through this tome. Honestly, these are 3 books that I couldn't explain to you in any way, shape, or format if I tried. And no, reading others' comments in the review section isn't helping me much either in terms of making any sense of it all in my head.
This season’s villain was the most dangerous in the show’s history: an actual murderer…
OK, that's not entirely true - which is acceptable here because we are after all talking about a story set in the vast wasteland that is reality TV. Just about everyone has confirmed what the book blurb itself says, which is that this is a story that combines one of those pathetic expositions on the worst humanity has to offer. That's right, I'm talking a show like "The Bachelor" (since the author misses her chance to maybe take an axe to the Kardassholians or other Jersey Shore-esque gathering). Now others have then said there's a good dose of "The Haunting of Hill House" included, but I haven't seen that. What I have seen is several iterations of "Frankenstein" and I'll be damned if there wasn't just a bit of gothic-ness from that involved. Laugh with me now: IT'S ALIVE, IT'S ALIVE, BWHAHAHA!!!
This whole thing is a silly confluence of nature’s fuckery and humanity’s frugality.
Anyway… there is always an inherent problem with this kind of set-up in that it's not easy to LOVE a book if you can't really get into the actual - what's a good word - scenario, set-up, framework, etc. I mean, unlike other reviewers whom I deeply respect, I am not a fan of these shows. No, I mean, not at all, like I'm firmly in the camp of "ban them, burn the footage, and salt their farmlands" level of anti-fandom. Though they are perfectly placed to encourage just about all the dark elements we see displayed here in the book - back-stabbing, front-stabbing (ahem ahem wink wink), blatant deceptions and outright lies, manipulation and so on. I mean, if I want all those qualities, I'll just watch the evening news highlighting which fentanyl addicted goon has done what to people that never deserved such treatment in the first place. So already, the background (oo, that's another good synonym) wasn't thrilling to me, particularly as the days drug on with weird confessionals, cat-fights, and ridiculously executed stunts, um, I mean, team-building exercises.
You think you haven’t been manipulated?
The characters weren't bad - per se - though again, I couldn't really get into the "we're all competing for the love of a single goober from Idaho or Iowa and will DO ANYTHING to win his heart!" action. I'm glad that we had at least two very cynical characters in that mix that brought their own brand of snark - and eventually hot sex with each other (thank the gods I added "erotica" to my genre list!) - to the table. Well, not literally to the table but you understand I hope. And yes, the author's slow reveal of more and more secrets by everyone involved helped keep me interested at least in finding out said secrets, even if what eventually happens to Mr. Right felt like just des(s)erts. In fact, the more misogynistic the characters wound up being, the more difficult it became to really feel much when the defecation violently impacts the angular rotating blade. No that wasn't gagging you heard, it was indeed applause!
You’re not going to win, but be bold. Cause trouble. Give us some damn good TV.
However, what needed a lot more work was the whole haunted mansion in the middle of nowhere explanation or exposition or whatever the hell you want to call it. I mean, between us: what the fvck was going on? Shouldn't the townspeople later have known something about the mansion if there was something to know about the mansion or the family or whatever? What brought those experiments on in the first place? And this house has just sat there, no taxes being paid on the property for how long? I mean, an abandoned French castle I can understand (trust me: the inheritance laws are so effed up here, it explains the hundreds just rotting away on prime real estate). There were just so many holes in that regard that felt like they were just this close -><- to being properly explained but ultimately just left me feeling disappointed. Oh yeah, and that convenient rope course? Da fuh? Sure, set this up in a different plot and include witches operating in an isolated Appalachian valley and there'd be no questions asked but this was just next level "huh?" to me!
That’s some late-stage franchise bullshit.
All-in-all though I wouldn't call this a wasted read by a long shot. The editing is pretty good and I could see a lot of folks really enjoying this twisted look at a show like America's Getting Eaten. Still, you'll just have to brace yourselves because I'll tell you now, there's nothing near what I would consider to be enough closure. And even if the ending leaves things severely "open", it's not the kind of openness that makes us think that we're just not done here… no fans, not when you can tune in next week at this same time to see who gets a rose and who doesn't!!! That's right, you'll be dying to see who will go home and who will continue to degrade themselves before the whole world in the misguided hope that they'll manage to win absolutely no lasting fame and most likely both a divorce and unidentifiable venereal disease? Yaaaay, fade to black as we hear weeping and glass breaking in the background…
August 15, 2024
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This was such an odd book. If you like very campy, slightly awkward, steamy romance, AND campy horror, you might find this enjoyable. I can enjoy campy horror, but I got quite tired with the awkward romance elements and the repeated use of a specific word. I did read to the end because I wanted to know the end of the horror plot. The balance of the narrative felt off with the first half of the book spent on the reality show drama, then the rest focused on the campy supernatural horror plot. It was kind of weird and fun at times, but dragged significantly at others. Because of this imbalance, and another storytelling choice related to the character Linda that I can't share without divulging a spoiler, I think I can't give it more than 2 stars. I hate to leave a bad review, but it was honestly not working for me.
April 18, 2024
I’m not a big fan of reality TV dating shows, so was all in for the contestants being subjected to strange and dangerous paranormal forces. This story interlaced reality dating dynamics and misogyny with classic gothic madness and decay creating a unique and fun book.
March 12, 2024
First, the premise: the last 4 contestants on legally-not-The-Bachelor, their basic-ass bachelor, and a camera crew go to a spooky mansion in the woods to film the season finale, but somebody has ulterior motives and shit gets weird.
Yes please! I love reality TV in horror novels. Weirdly, the characters in this book act more reasonably than I'd expect from characters in a reality show like this one. Also I strongly suspect the behind-the-scenes is not even close to how shows like this are made, BUT if that part was totally accurate none of this would happen and we would have no fun. I suggest we let it slide.
Positive notes:
• The Scary Thing is pretty unique! There is eventually a physical being which is cool but I mean more the process and mechanism is pretty out there. It's telegraphed early, but why it's happening is left ambiguous
• Interactions between contestants was so much fun. There's alliance, intimidation, attraction, paranoia... very cool watching their feelings toward each other constantly shifting
• Great character arc as one overly-dependent woman becomes more powerful & confident but watch out!
• Catharsis at having some of the contestants lose interest in the bachelor and start noticing each other. Everyone has always wanted that to happen, right? Not just me, surely
• Camera crew polycule
Negative notes:
• The writing is pretty unpolished. I understand this ARC is uncorrected, so hopefully most of the typos are cleaned up by time of publication, but there were a LOT of them by the end.
• In a few places it was very unclear what the characters were doing/ talking about/ reacting to, which were likely just misedits that took out crucial scene information. At some points the narration seemed uncertain on exactly how many people had died, misplaced details like that.
Neutral notes:
• I found it interesting how often the narration referred to the contestants as "women" vs how often the characters referred to them as "ladies." There's something there
• There's not the kind of creepy progression I expect from a book like this. The bizarre tree-themed house is a fantastic setting and has some very good secrets, but scary happenings don't escalate in a familiar pattern
• This results in a definite "feel" with this book. Like you can just tell it's a little unusual. It tastes like it didn't follow a recipe. Your mileage my vary on this: you could love it for its less-formulaic vibe, or you might prefer a more tried-and-true experience.
Overall, this is a tough one to review because on one hand it's rough around the edges and I can't say it's objectively great... but I feel some impulse to be kind to an author who likely won't get a lot of press. And here's the important thing: I did enjoy this a lot!
How does it stack up to books in the same vein? I like it less than Hide by Kiersten White, but WORLDS better than The Holy Terrors.
7/10
#WhatsKenyaReading
Yes please! I love reality TV in horror novels. Weirdly, the characters in this book act more reasonably than I'd expect from characters in a reality show like this one. Also I strongly suspect the behind-the-scenes is not even close to how shows like this are made, BUT if that part was totally accurate none of this would happen and we would have no fun. I suggest we let it slide.
Positive notes:
• The Scary Thing is pretty unique! There is eventually a physical being which is cool but I mean more the process and mechanism is pretty out there. It's telegraphed early, but why it's happening is left ambiguous
• Interactions between contestants was so much fun. There's alliance, intimidation, attraction, paranoia... very cool watching their feelings toward each other constantly shifting
• Great character arc as one overly-dependent woman becomes more powerful & confident but watch out!
• Catharsis at having some of the contestants lose interest in the bachelor and start noticing each other. Everyone has always wanted that to happen, right? Not just me, surely
• Camera crew polycule
Negative notes:
• The writing is pretty unpolished. I understand this ARC is uncorrected, so hopefully most of the typos are cleaned up by time of publication, but there were a LOT of them by the end.
• In a few places it was very unclear what the characters were doing/ talking about/ reacting to, which were likely just misedits that took out crucial scene information. At some points the narration seemed uncertain on exactly how many people had died, misplaced details like that.
Neutral notes:
• I found it interesting how often the narration referred to the contestants as "women" vs how often the characters referred to them as "ladies." There's something there
• There's not the kind of creepy progression I expect from a book like this. The bizarre tree-themed house is a fantastic setting and has some very good secrets, but scary happenings don't escalate in a familiar pattern
• This results in a definite "feel" with this book. Like you can just tell it's a little unusual. It tastes like it didn't follow a recipe. Your mileage my vary on this: you could love it for its less-formulaic vibe, or you might prefer a more tried-and-true experience.
Overall, this is a tough one to review because on one hand it's rough around the edges and I can't say it's objectively great... but I feel some impulse to be kind to an author who likely won't get a lot of press. And here's the important thing: I did enjoy this a lot!
How does it stack up to books in the same vein? I like it less than Hide by Kiersten White, but WORLDS better than The Holy Terrors.
7/10
#WhatsKenyaReading
October 18, 2024
Someone please make this a show. I loved the mix of reality show camp and haunted house spooks.
Energy: Saucy. Reckless. Resourceful.
🐕 Howls
Dragged in the survival-action scenes and at end. The action sequences knocked me out of the story because they required feats of strength that felt impossible/too complex to imagine (small gripe).
🐩 Tail Wags
Addictive mix of campy fun and a freaky slow burn psychological horror. The haunted house twist on a reality dating show. The uncertainty of what’s real vs what’s staged. The satire. Character reactions that felt authentic given their personalities. The drama and slow unraveling of everything.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Northern California at an old manor and fruit farm.
Perspectives (2): We follow two of the four remaining women competing to be chosen by theBachelor Groom. One was invited to the show and very reluctantly accepted after their divorce. The other has fairy tale aspirations and truly believes they are destined to be chosen and find their happily ever after.
Timeline: Current (2010s or 2020s).
🔥 Fuel: Escalating stakes. Relationship and competitor dynamics. Race against time. Action-adventure. Who will win? What is behind the haunted location? What secrets are the competitors keeping from each other?
📖 Cred: Campy satire realism
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Botanical scent of gin. Crooked forest. Mildew, pine, mothballs. Corn on the cob. Pungent rot. Pink goo. Fresh bark. Rotting flesh. Motorcycle.
• Reality dating competition behind the scenes with a touch of satire
• Pick Me competitor dynamics
• Haunted or rigged?
• Creepy sibling dynamic behind closed doors
• Sapphic & close proximity romances
• Sprinkling of crew drama, unethical production, throuple love, backstabbing, show in shambles hanging on by a thread
• Isolated by weather
• Medical horror, mysterious infections
• Stay out of the woods supernatural survival thriller
• Destiny, seance, messages from beyond the grave
• Exploring love, resilience, and what makes a relationship thrive
• Descent into madness
• Third person narration, watching the scenes unfold.
Content Heads-Up: Family annihilation (rumoured; very brief recall). Alcohol (casual). Sexual content (consenting; on page). Co-dependent/toxic siblings, emotional incest. Alcoholic parent, family dysfunction. Institutionalized parent (psychiatric; brief recall). Chronic undiagnosed illness (autoimmune; very brief recall). Body fluids (blood, slime, injury, infection). Eye stuff. Corpse (death, loved one). Loss of parent (as child). Divorce (brief mentions). Body gore (after death). Patriarchal roles, expectations, entitlement. Fire (burns, forest). Foster care (brief recall).
Rep: American. Korean ancestry. Mixed race (Korean-White). Cis. Bi. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.
📚 Format: Library Digital
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
Energy: Saucy. Reckless. Resourceful.
🐕 Howls
Dragged in the survival-action scenes and at end. The action sequences knocked me out of the story because they required feats of strength that felt impossible/too complex to imagine (small gripe).
🐩 Tail Wags
Addictive mix of campy fun and a freaky slow burn psychological horror. The haunted house twist on a reality dating show. The uncertainty of what’s real vs what’s staged. The satire. Character reactions that felt authentic given their personalities. The drama and slow unraveling of everything.
Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Northern California at an old manor and fruit farm.
Perspectives (2): We follow two of the four remaining women competing to be chosen by the
Timeline: Current (2010s or 2020s).
🔥 Fuel: Escalating stakes. Relationship and competitor dynamics. Race against time. Action-adventure. Who will win? What is behind the haunted location? What secrets are the competitors keeping from each other?
📖 Cred: Campy satire realism
Mood Reading Match-Up:
Botanical scent of gin. Crooked forest. Mildew, pine, mothballs. Corn on the cob. Pungent rot. Pink goo. Fresh bark. Rotting flesh. Motorcycle.
• Reality dating competition behind the scenes with a touch of satire
• Pick Me competitor dynamics
• Haunted or rigged?
• Creepy sibling dynamic behind closed doors
• Sapphic & close proximity romances
• Sprinkling of crew drama, unethical production, throuple love, backstabbing, show in shambles hanging on by a thread
• Isolated by weather
• Medical horror, mysterious infections
• Stay out of the woods supernatural survival thriller
• Destiny, seance, messages from beyond the grave
• Exploring love, resilience, and what makes a relationship thrive
• Descent into madness
• Third person narration, watching the scenes unfold.
Content Heads-Up: Family annihilation (rumoured; very brief recall). Alcohol (casual). Sexual content (consenting; on page). Co-dependent/toxic siblings, emotional incest. Alcoholic parent, family dysfunction. Institutionalized parent (psychiatric; brief recall). Chronic undiagnosed illness (autoimmune; very brief recall). Body fluids (blood, slime, injury, infection). Eye stuff. Corpse (death, loved one). Loss of parent (as child). Divorce (brief mentions). Body gore (after death). Patriarchal roles, expectations, entitlement. Fire (burns, forest). Foster care (brief recall).
Rep: American. Korean ancestry. Mixed race (Korean-White). Cis. Bi. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.
📚 Format: Library Digital
My musings 💖 powered by puppy snuggles 🐶
December 22, 2024
i went into this completely blind oh my god, what the fuck!!!! just tore my heart into pieces
–
–
–
They rejoined the others in the parlor, but the night had withered and died on the vine. Charity rose when they entered as though she were greeting a judge. She was, Linda realized. A flash of the elimination ceremonies they’d all been forced to endure appeared behind her blinking eyes. Even outside of competition shows like this one, relationships were nothing but daily judgments until one or the other party found someone unworthy of continuing on.
–
She was made of roots that stretched as veins through her body, and as she lay trying to sleep in a house in the middle of nowhere, she imagined those veins pushing out through the bottoms of her feet and climbing down into the wooden floors, drilling through to find any substance that might hydrate her. She listened as the house made its old-house noises, something like a desperate sucking sound, and imagined that it was her body seeking what it came for.
–
–
Linda’s mother had birthed herself a cage, with daughter-shaped bars and a lock shaped like a husband who would never, ever open up and set her free.
May 17, 2025
I get why this isn't for everybody.
Thankfully, it was for me, cause I had a blast with this book.
The evolution from a seemingly normal, kind of 'yeah, it's not gonna be the book of the year but I'll keep going' book, to 'what the fuck is going on, give me three thousand of these', was THERE.
And I guess that's when most people just thought, 'fuck this, I'm out of here.'
And when I was HERE for it lol
Strong start, loved the fleshed out characters, the silly premise of a reality tv show set in a supposedly haunted place, and the behind the scenes of it all.
Each girl has their own personalities, issues, weirdness about them, that made it all the more interesting; it wasn't just a copy paste of the dumb, pretty cliché you tend to come across this kind of book/show.
This book has it all, but in small doses.
It's so unexpected, pushed to the extreme, then back to normal, it was quite unsettling.
Want some sex ?
Want some horror ?
Prefer body horror, perhaps ?
But how about a very, VERY open ending though ?
Guess the ending is very frustrating if you hate open endings.
Absolutely loved it, and it's the reason my rating isn't a 2 stars lol
Cause I gotta admit, the author almost lost me with the
Wouldn't recommend it to many people but I'd recommend it to myself, so that's something I guess lol
Thankfully, it was for me, cause I had a blast with this book.
The evolution from a seemingly normal, kind of 'yeah, it's not gonna be the book of the year but I'll keep going' book, to 'what the fuck is going on, give me three thousand of these', was THERE.
And I guess that's when most people just thought, 'fuck this, I'm out of here.'
And when I was HERE for it lol
Strong start, loved the fleshed out characters, the silly premise of a reality tv show set in a supposedly haunted place, and the behind the scenes of it all.
Each girl has their own personalities, issues, weirdness about them, that made it all the more interesting; it wasn't just a copy paste of the dumb, pretty cliché you tend to come across this kind of book/show.
This book has it all, but in small doses.
It's so unexpected, pushed to the extreme, then back to normal, it was quite unsettling.
Want some sex ?
Want some horror ?
Prefer body horror, perhaps ?
But how about a very, VERY open ending though ?
Guess the ending is very frustrating if you hate open endings.
Absolutely loved it, and it's the reason my rating isn't a 2 stars lol
Cause I gotta admit, the author almost lost me with the
Wouldn't recommend it to many people but I'd recommend it to myself, so that's something I guess lol
May 24, 2024
I have a personal, maybe slightly embarrassing, soft-spot for reality dating shows. I’m not a habitual watcher, but I’ll watch a F-Boy Island, 90 Day Fiancé, Love is Blind, or, and this is more of a call out to the universe to bring back my favourite dating show, Are You the One? (Edit: I just saw that I missed a season from last year so I know what I’m doing later.)
So when I read the premise of Grim Root, I knew I needed to read it. The final girls on a reality dating show ala The Bachelor must survive a week with their potential future husband in a haunted house. Sign me up. That’s all you need to know going in, do not read the synopsis.
What I loved was the behind the scenes moments of shooting a reality show. The reminders that the women are real and aren’t just the highly-edited bimbo’s they’re portrayed as on tv. But the book also plays on our favourite tropes. The in-fighting drama, the jealousy and tears.
Then we drop them directly into a haunted house. Haunted tree house? All I know is this ain’t your standard haunted house, and I think that’s where a lot of my issues with the book take place. I’m willing to accept a lot of supernatural skullduggery, but we’re left with a lot of questions at the end of the book.
I enjoyed the devouring nature of the house, but the premise of the mansion being a human-tree hybridization didn’t really work for me. While on its face it’s creepy and creates some cool kills, the question is: why would anyone do that? I feel like I need a whole book about the former home owners.
The result is that we have two storylines that feel a little bit mashed together.
So while I think the premise is a fun one, the execution didn’t entirely work for me. But I would read more from Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam in the future as I enjoyed the sense of humour we got throughout the book.
Thank you to @darklitpress and @booksirens for an arc of Grim Root which comes out June 3rd.
Would you consider transferring your sentience into an inhuman vessel if it meant you’d be immortal?
So when I read the premise of Grim Root, I knew I needed to read it. The final girls on a reality dating show ala The Bachelor must survive a week with their potential future husband in a haunted house. Sign me up. That’s all you need to know going in, do not read the synopsis.
What I loved was the behind the scenes moments of shooting a reality show. The reminders that the women are real and aren’t just the highly-edited bimbo’s they’re portrayed as on tv. But the book also plays on our favourite tropes. The in-fighting drama, the jealousy and tears.
Then we drop them directly into a haunted house. Haunted tree house? All I know is this ain’t your standard haunted house, and I think that’s where a lot of my issues with the book take place. I’m willing to accept a lot of supernatural skullduggery, but we’re left with a lot of questions at the end of the book.
I enjoyed the devouring nature of the house, but the premise of the mansion being a human-tree hybridization didn’t really work for me. While on its face it’s creepy and creates some cool kills, the question is: why would anyone do that? I feel like I need a whole book about the former home owners.
The result is that we have two storylines that feel a little bit mashed together.
So while I think the premise is a fun one, the execution didn’t entirely work for me. But I would read more from Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam in the future as I enjoyed the sense of humour we got throughout the book.
Thank you to @darklitpress and @booksirens for an arc of Grim Root which comes out June 3rd.
Would you consider transferring your sentience into an inhuman vessel if it meant you’d be immortal?
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