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Embracing the Predator #1

Embracing the Predator

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Alex DeMembre isn't like the other girls. She's way, way worse.
When a serial killer appears near her town, she can't believe her luck. It's only the fourth recorded one in Switzerland, and she might be able to meet him! Join her and her anthropophagic possum, Garbage, in a depraved quest for pain.
Herself, others, as long as someone is in agony, she's the happiest girl on earth!

103 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2024

5 people are currently reading
145 people want to read

About the author

Aiden E. Messer

28 books111 followers
Aiden E. Messer does not exist. Are they an illusion, a ghost, a mere thought? No one knows. If we are to believe one of the children they seem to work with, if they were a teacher, they would be as tall as a human. They are not a teacher. According to various sources, they have studied psychology, and have always had a penchant for horror and the macabre. They like to combine these subjects in their books.

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5 stars
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33 (35%)
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12 (12%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Stitching Ghost.
1,424 reviews366 followers
September 11, 2024
"She isn't like the other girls. She's way, way worse"

If that premise doesn't sell it for you...

It's almost cartoony in tone, funny, edgy, gross and just a lot of fun. It features the horniest of MCs and It's a pretty quick read with just the right amount of chaotic energy.
Profile Image for Kate Victoria RescueandReading.
1,793 reviews124 followers
September 9, 2024
Hybristophilia: a paraphilia involving sexual interest in and attraction to those who commit crimes.

“Alex felt she could have drowned in those irises. She knew she'd find no mercy in them, no remorse, and that excited her terribly.”

Alex is a willing victim for a twisted serial killer. She is looking for the ultimate erotic and painful sensations, and eventually a death where she feels everything. The killer and she embark on a journey of depravity and death together.

This was a sickening and graphic horror erotica. Everything a splatterpunk aficionado could ask for! I loved Garbage the possum, and can’t wait for more adventures in this brutal series. Alex and her delusions are just so wild!
Profile Image for Bookaholic__Reviews.
1,035 reviews151 followers
September 1, 2024
Ahhh, yass, splattersmut is always a good time!
I loved this one, and not just because The Master killed me either 😉

Alex DeMembre isn't like the other girls. She's way, way worse. Oh yeah, she is!! This FMC is as unhinged as can be, and I am here for it.

Alex is obsessed with Serial Killers so much so that she is turned on by the idea of being unalived by one. Can you say hybristophilia and Autassassinophilia much? I had no idea that these were even things... lord, have mercy the things I learn from splatterpunk!

Alex simply can't believe her luck when a serial killer has just shown up in her town of all places! She does what any insane person in her situation would do and makes herself his target. And here is where things start to get really interesting, but I'm not going to spoil that for you.

Embracing the Predator delivered the filthy sex and gore that I've come to expect from Messer. When I want something quick and downright disgusting, I know that I can grab one of their books and get exactly what I need. If you're like myself, then I think you should grab a copy today and join Alex on her quest for pain.

I received a copy of this in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for •Kaitlin T •.
61 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2024
Thank you kindly to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!!

Another great read from Aiden E. Messer. A depraved tale of a woman looking to meet a local serial killer. You better believe she finds him and sick twisted antics ensue.

I've read two of Messers other books and this one is my new favorite! The writing style was really captivating and the torture and gore gave substance to the story rather than just shock value (still very shocking to say the least!) GREAT job Aiden, can't wait for the next one!
Profile Image for Nicola (deathandthemacabre).
120 reviews12 followers
August 5, 2024
"Alex bit her lip. She could tell he expected her to change her mind and panic, but he was wrong. This was everything she'd ever hoped for and more. She didn't care if she died tonight, as long as it was slow, painful, and erotic."

Alex is a hybristophile. A person who feels emotionally and sexually attracted to violence and/or serial killers and rapists. She purposely finds herself in the hands of a prolific serial killer and wants nothing more than to become his plaything who'll do anything to please him before begging for his violence upon herself.
She watches in awe as "Master" inflicts depravity and pain onto his victims, constantly begging for sweet release of her own until he eventually tires of her..

This book was SPICY. I've read a couple of erotic horrors, but this one tops them both. I was hooked from the first page and devoured in one sitting. It has pretty much most of your dark romance tropes (knife play, forced orgasm, gun play) and kinks and really doesn't skip on the amount of it 😅 it was incredibly descriptive and vivid and had plenty of gore and filth. I wish it was much longer, I loved it so much, I really didn't want it to end!

So grateful for this ARC. You can pre-order now, and release date is September 1st 🖤

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Dean Asquith.
164 reviews16 followers
August 13, 2024
If you are looking for a book that involves possums, violent sexual encounters and extreme kinks…look no further.

Embracing the Predator certainly lives up to it’s genre. It is extreme erotica and certainly not for the faint of heart. In this book there is all sorts of sexual torture and if you can think of an extreme scenario, it’s in this book. My personal stand out moment involves a bathroom, an eyeball and you guessed it…Garbage the possum.

Aiden does a great job of creating a book that stands out in the genre. I’ll admit, I’ve not really dabbled into the erotica genre…splatterpunk, a little, but never anything like this. It was an intense experience. What I do find with these sort of novellas is a lack of story but Aiden does make sure there is an underlying story and this isn’t just a mindless romp.

The ending of the book is great and sets up a premise for a fantastic follow up with Alex, Garbage and Toy. If extreme, dark, gore-infested horror erotica is your style…read this novella!
Profile Image for Tiffsbookcorner.
90 reviews2 followers
August 5, 2024
This was a twisted gore filled depraved novela. I absolutely loved it. Read this as soon I got the email.
All the splatterpunk/erotic horror readers will love this story! The amount of times I went “eww wtf no way!” I lost count lol
Alex was probably just as or even more sick and depraved than Master. And Omg the cute possum named garbage(interesting little thing) was the right amount of cuteness as an added bonus haha
Cannot wait for the next!
Profile Image for Sarah Stevens.
150 reviews24 followers
August 4, 2024
I just finished the ARC of this story and it is so freaking twisted! I don’t know who was more messed up, the killer or his captive, Alex. The level of depravity is astounding, the story is next level sick, and the torture is extreme. Perfect. I’m about to go see what else Mr. Messer has been up to.
🫀🫀🫀🫀🫀
Profile Image for Ren .
269 reviews
August 9, 2024
who needs brat girl summer when you can have anthropophagic possum summer??
Aiden Messer delivers another quick and brutal extreme horror story about pleasure, pain, and the Garbage we find along the way.
Profile Image for ✿ Deanna Lea  ✿.
233 reviews18 followers
August 29, 2024
Short , Spicy and all kinds of fun gore ..

This was my first splatter eroctic horror and I'm never going back 😍

This was so well written and just pulls you in to the perfect carnage of sex and gore

Going on this journey with Alex and watching it progress , seing her become aboutsley Unhinged. It's a drool worthy , beautiful descent in to pure vileness . She was a true force of nature and I loved every second

The unspeakable moments that take place, will have cringing an gagging but in the best way . I promise
Profile Image for River 🔪🩸 (horror.books.and.chill).
169 reviews45 followers
August 17, 2024
This novella is short, spicy, and all kinds of gory.

We have Alex who is obsessed with a serial killer, fantasizing about being murdered in the most vile ways possible.

As this story progresses, you see how absolutely unhinged Alex is, and it’s a beautiful descent. She’s truly a force of unfathomable vileness and I love it.

The unspeakable things that take place in this story will make you want to gag and cringe, but in the best of ways.

Thank you to Aiden for allowing me to ARC read this beauty!
Profile Image for ✮ osanna aoki ✮.
169 reviews119 followers
January 29, 2025
I’d like to thank the author, Aiden E. Messer, for providing me with an ARC of Embracing the Predator. This is solid erotic horror, not for the faint of heart.

”You’re a hybristophiliac, aren’t you?
A willing victim.“


Yup, that’s Alex DeMembre—a young woman who is sexually aroused by criminal offenders. And in her small town— an active serial killer appears, dubbed the Geneva Mangler.

What fun!

Alex has one goal. She wants to meet him.

And Alex isn’t like the other girls. She’s demented and depraved— ready for an adventure of pain, torture, assault, and maybe a little murder? Whether she endures it herself or assists in harming innocent victims— it’s all just fun and games.

She has to meet him.

This novella moved at an incredibly fast pace, and I wanted a bit more from the author. Entertaining, gory, and very spicy, nonetheless. I’ve never read any work by Messer— but I understand why other readers are drawn in and raving about new releases. You get an action-packed story with a quick moving plot— and the gore all of us gore whores are searching for. It’s blunt, forward, and bold.

If you’re down for a sadistic and masochistic main character who has a cutie patootie pet possum, rightfully named Garbage— and you love books about serial killers, then I highly recommend picking this book up when it drops on September 1st. ★ ★ ★ ★ out of five stars for me. I’d be happy to read more by Messer in the near future.
Profile Image for David John.
93 reviews26 followers
September 17, 2024
This is the best writing I have seen in a while. The author really seems at home in this genre which reminds me of what Edward Lee would write if he tried his hand at erotica ! I can’t wait for the next installment in this series 🖤
Profile Image for Ricky's Rockin' Reviews.
71 reviews6 followers
August 23, 2024
Book review!

Embracing The Predator by Aiden E. Messer

This is taglined as Splatter Erotica and it was indeed a violent and gore filled read. I was curious what it would be like since I've read splatter horror before, but not with this type of sexual bent.

The premise is intriguing with a serial killer fanatic who is hoping for a chance at being captured by the latest local murderer dubbed the Geneva Mangler. She makes herself an easy target, an alluring prey for the predator. The girl, Alex, is such a willing participant and enthusiastic about being killed in a torturous way that the Mangler keeps her around as a salve/ward.

The story moves incredibly quickly and I made it to page 20 before I started to feel the revulsion. The things that are done here are really upsetting and cannot be described in this review. Although I have a morbid curiosity, I do have boundaries and this book crossed them all. I don't say this as a knock against the book, in fact it's the opposite. For the die-hard fans of splatter punk horror, this will be just the thing they want. Blood thirst and wild acts galore! One thing I would push back on is the "erotic" part is blown past very early to become body horror, for me at least.

The reason I kept reading was for the dynamic between Alex and who she is made to refer to as The Master. He is perplexed by her willingness and depraved sexual appetite. There are some funny lines and totally absurd scenarios. Oh yeah, and a furry friend named Garbage who pops in and out to lighten the mood.

"Did you enjoy your meal, girl? We have to clear the table now but don't worry, there'll be more."

I hop around genres when I read. It's going to take a swath of reads that are far away from the splatter realm before I feel fully clean again. I think that was the author's goal!

P.S. the cover rocks!

This is out Sept 1st 2024
Profile Image for Sophie.
240 reviews21 followers
January 25, 2025
This is the story of a sexually deranged serial killer named Matt and his new plaything, Alex. Now Alex is a particularly interesting character as she seems to be equally as deranged as Matt, if not more. Anyway, Matt has 2 weeks free, and he spends those 2 weeks killing and raping as many people as he wants while simultaneously torturing/fucking Alex, but she's loving it so no worries there. This book, I feel, can be described as splatterotica. Sure, there's a lot of weird consensual sex; we read, and we don't judge.... well, sometimes we do, but there's also a lot of assault, sexual and physical. The gore is next level, and if you read enough true crime, you'll know there are people out there like this, and that is pretty scary. There's also a possum and that only ever improves a situation.
Profile Image for Jamie Kay.
61 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2024
I was selected to be an ARC reader for Embracing the Predator in return for an honest review. I received the eARC and eagerly got stuck into it the same day.

I’ve read plenty of extreme horror and splatterpunk before but this one has the interesting “erotica” element to it. It’s a fast-paced novella that packs a lot of punch, so it’s easy to devour in a single sitting. It has all the gore you would expect, a few very twisted characters and a cute lil possum side-kick named Garbage. There is never a dull moment throughout Embracing the Predator.

I’ll be looking forward to book two. I imagine we will get a better insight into Alex’s character and perhaps her past, which would be interesting.

This is my first Aiden E. Messer book but it won’t be my last.
Profile Image for Beth.
515 reviews7 followers
August 8, 2024
I read this in one sitting and my, it is messed up! Aiden has such an imagination and is my favourite extreme horror writer. Sure there is the extremities (lots of it!) but there is also the settings, the character development and the motives. It makes for an entertaining read indeed. If you can look past the brutality, or, if you know, you like that sort of thing (I'm not judging!), then you should deffo check out their work. This book in particular is super short and although there is (obviously!) no likeable characters, it makes for a shocking and chaotic read. I particularly liked the ending and I hope there is another book to come, because the next potential setting sounds even better!!
Profile Image for Shannon Reviews.
267 reviews14 followers
August 7, 2024
Experience the dark and twisted tale of 'Embracing the Predator' by Aiden E. Messer, a narrative that delves into the mind of a hybristophile and their obsessive attraction to violence and serial killers. Follow the protagonist, Alex DeVore, as she embarks on a depraved journey with her anthropophagic possum, Garbage, in search of pain and the thrill of the hunt. This explicit and vividly descriptive novel explores themes of gore, filth, and dark romance, making it a must-read for fans of the erotic horror genre.
Profile Image for Kayla  Galvin.
31 reviews
September 23, 2024
I wish this was longer!

I enjoyed this and completed it in one sitting, the premise attracted me and the addition of a flesh eating raccoon pet sold me.

My only real complaint is that I wanted it to be longer. It feels a bit rushed, the meeting between the 2 main characters is unbelievable due to how quickly it happens and it's over and done with just as your getting to feel familiar, maybe that's the point it keeps you on your toes. I just wanted more to get my teeth into.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bernice Brown.
22 reviews
August 7, 2024
It went hard from the first page. Short read, nonstop depravity, satisfying ending. I wasn’t sure what to think at first but as the story went on, I looked forward to reading what would become of the characters. A sir, a master, a depraved willing participant, a possum named garbage, and a human pet named toy. What’s not to love?
Profile Image for Kayla P.
226 reviews1 follower
August 11, 2024
Arc review
I enjoyed this book for what it was- an erotic splatterpunk. But otherwise, I wish there was more background in the characters. The language is really juvenile and the dialogue is so corny. The gore is very sporadic and not descriptive enough (for me lol). I am very picky but overall I was entertained and would be interested in reading more if this is a series
Profile Image for Randinicole_reads.
673 reviews251 followers
April 16, 2025
again. idk how to rate horror lol so my ratings are based on shock factor & vibes

this was disturbing.

but i couldn’t look away.

is this technically splatterpunk? i feel like it was way more graphic & gory vs other horror i’ve read
67 reviews2 followers
August 7, 2024
Wow. What can I even say about this book. It is a very vile, very erotic, serial killer story. I loved every second of it! I just wish it was longer! I need to know what else Alex can do!
Profile Image for Ashley Hana.
670 reviews16 followers
August 6, 2024
I feel filthy.
This is like some fucked up splatterpunk smut, and I loved it. And we even get a sidekick?? Like, could this get any better????
I can't wait for more!!
Profile Image for Shrike.
Author 1 book2 followers
August 29, 2024
Embracing the Predator is a quick read that's full of bizarro shock value. In fact, I think of this story as more bizarro horror than erotic horror, but these subgenres are far from mutually exclusive.

While I liked the irreverent humor, I didn't feel invested in the characters or plot beyond that shock factor. I recommend Embracing the Predator for when you're in the mood for no-holds-barred splatterpunk that's free from emotional baggage.

Thank you to Messer for the chance to check this ARC out for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
Profile Image for Nelli Lakatos.
671 reviews19 followers
August 29, 2024
I absolutely loved 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫!
This book was so gripping and exciting. Gory, erotic, honestly everything you could ever want in a splatter erotica and more. I loved Alex she’s so different and I adored the possum Garbage, it gave such a fun element to the novella.

I highly recommend this book to any extreme horror lover who wants something short and spicy!

Thank you so much Aiden for providing me an ARC of your fantastic story for my honest review. 🖤
Profile Image for Allyssa Gaines.
168 reviews2 followers
August 29, 2024
This was book craaazzzy! In a good way of course lol. Alex was such an unusual fmc, but her unhinged-ness makes me love her even more. This book may be short, but boy, does it pack a PUNCH! If you’ve ever wanted to read a story about someone who gets turned on by serial unalivers and maybe even fantasizes about awful things being done to them or even doing those things to others, maybe you’ll enjoy this book.

CHECK YOUR TRIGGER WARNINGS, THIS BOOK HAS VERY GRAPHIC AND INTENSE MOMENTS!
Profile Image for Lena Book  Graveyard.
62 reviews5 followers
August 26, 2024
This book was way out of my normal genre I read, but boy, did I enjoy it!

This book is surely not for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy heavy gore, very descriptive scenes and aren't squeamish, this is a definite read! The only reason I am giving 4 stars is because I wish it was longer lol!
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