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Lupus in Fabula
Lupus In Fabula collects thirteen stories about the interplay of lust, violence, yearning, and grief; about becoming a monster and loving monsters; about transformation; about strange occurrences in sad, mundane lives. Whether you prefer witches and werewolves, grisly body horror, or surreal scenes of small town decay, this collection offers something to sink your fangs into.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 13, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
October 19, 2025
This is an excellent collection of short stories that horror fans will want to add to their shelves. But be warned: it’s not for the squeamish. This is full-on body horror pretty much guaranteed to make you lose your appetite —and lose hours out of your day when you inevitably can’t stop turning the pages!
I loved that this book had a lot of queer and trans representation, as well as strong female characters. A standout story that will stick with me is about a witch who takes extreme (and painful) measures in an attempt to bring her wife back from the dead. Despite their dark themes, many of these stories had a lot of heart, and even a dose of whimsy, which I appreciated.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this and I can’t wait to check out more from this author and this press!
I loved that this book had a lot of queer and trans representation, as well as strong female characters. A standout story that will stick with me is about a witch who takes extreme (and painful) measures in an attempt to bring her wife back from the dead. Despite their dark themes, many of these stories had a lot of heart, and even a dose of whimsy, which I appreciated.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this and I can’t wait to check out more from this author and this press!
June 11, 2025
It's no secret that my absolute favorite genre is body horror where the horror lies into the relationship one has with their body being alienating or where the body is growing alien so of course that cover caught my eye, happy to report that it does capture the vibe of the collection quite well.
There were a few stories that were far more memorable and fleshed out than the others and the collection starts with an absolute banger that might just have done every other story a disfavor by being, in my not so humble opinion, the most emotionally devastating one. A couple of the stories ended a little abruptly for me but it was a great collection with an absolutely wild and bleak imagery.
There were a few stories that were far more memorable and fleshed out than the others and the collection starts with an absolute banger that might just have done every other story a disfavor by being, in my not so humble opinion, the most emotionally devastating one. A couple of the stories ended a little abruptly for me but it was a great collection with an absolutely wild and bleak imagery.
October 15, 2024
We are disgusting, contradictory, pathetic little goons and we still deserve compassion. At the heart of it, that is what Page's writing says to me.
Page molds the horribly mundane indignity of having a corporeal and vulnerable body trying to survive a dysfunctional society, and animates these figures with a breath of sinister magic. These are well crafted-stories with admirable control and tight, evocative prose--sexual and beautifully slimey!
--
I received an ARC for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Page molds the horribly mundane indignity of having a corporeal and vulnerable body trying to survive a dysfunctional society, and animates these figures with a breath of sinister magic. These are well crafted-stories with admirable control and tight, evocative prose--sexual and beautifully slimey!
--
I received an ARC for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 14, 2026
I liked the author's story in the anthology Mooncalves: Strange Stories, and was eager to check out this very interesting collection. There are surprising ideas and strong writing here, and more than a splash of body horror and black humor. "The Witch's Wife" opens:
What follows is a much darker story, about messy magic and the high price of exercising such, and an unusual take on dealing with the loss of a loved one. These are themes that recur in different treatments through many of the stories. Many of the characters are queer and/or trans, and there are regular references to climate change, economic disparity, and other sad features of our current times.
Quite a few of the stories are under 10 pages, and a little uneven. But I loved "Leavings", with the cleaning women's encounter with a disturbing discovery. The worst happen behind the scenes, and the wry ending is perfect.
The 5-paged "Holy Incubus of West Virginia" has to feature one of the most disturbing and sexy angel-like entities since Tom Reamy's incredible "Under the Hollywood Sign". Again, the crucial details are left unsaid, and the narrator keeps insisting:
Ha. I'm usually not a fan of multi-POV short stories, but "Desire in the Flooded World" works with all the messy queer desires. I also loved "Gorgonland"'s setup: young male protagonist, generous older woman lover on vacation in Puglia. Weird details keep making their appearance, while the protagonist expresses a vague ambivalence about their relationship. The overall atmosphere of unease is beautifully built up, though I would have liked a more open ending.
"The Mood After All" opens:
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
When the Witch's wife was alive, she was a tall woman with hair the color of perfect ripe corn and eyes the color of perfect ripe corn fungus. She would laugh when the Witch told her this, and her laugh was like the sound of cheerful crows descending to feast on a cornfield's crop.
What follows is a much darker story, about messy magic and the high price of exercising such, and an unusual take on dealing with the loss of a loved one. These are themes that recur in different treatments through many of the stories. Many of the characters are queer and/or trans, and there are regular references to climate change, economic disparity, and other sad features of our current times.
Quite a few of the stories are under 10 pages, and a little uneven. But I loved "Leavings", with the cleaning women's encounter with a disturbing discovery. The worst happen behind the scenes, and the wry ending is perfect.
The 5-paged "Holy Incubus of West Virginia" has to feature one of the most disturbing and sexy angel-like entities since Tom Reamy's incredible "Under the Hollywood Sign". Again, the crucial details are left unsaid, and the narrator keeps insisting:
Some things should stay between lovers.
Ha. I'm usually not a fan of multi-POV short stories, but "Desire in the Flooded World" works with all the messy queer desires. I also loved "Gorgonland"'s setup: young male protagonist, generous older woman lover on vacation in Puglia. Weird details keep making their appearance, while the protagonist expresses a vague ambivalence about their relationship. The overall atmosphere of unease is beautifully built up, though I would have liked a more open ending.
"The Mood After All" opens:
Neely Parker was the first person I ever kissed, but she'd been dead for nearly ten years when I finally brought her home with me.What follows is a quiet, tender story about dealing with change and loss. Somehow the author is able to make all this work.
[3.5 stars, rounded up]
January 12, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an ARC by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
As a huge fan of Briar Ripley Page’s work (loooooved Body After Body!), I knew I had to check this anthology out. I am very thankful I received an ARC! I also really enjoyed that this anthology included trigger warnings for each short story in the back of the book with a note in the front, which is my favorite way to receive trigger warnings. Easy to access for a reader, but without the risk of spoiling those, who choose to forego the warnings.
The whole anthology embraces weird, queer, trans, haunting and sad horror, focusses on the dark and messy impulses inside of us and paints haunting pictures of different worlds. Briar’s writing style is rich and intriguing, and their characters are messy and wonderfully fleshed out, lead by impulses and needs and wants and so often desperately hungry. I found myself fully immersed in most stories after only a few pages and their world building and character work are certainly one of the major reasons for that.
My favorite short stories here were “Biological Reality” (messy trans man pregnancy!), “Therianthrope (we love transgender werewolves here!), “The Witch’s Wife” (a grieving witch and a messy magic system mixes incredibly well for horror!), “The Holy Incubus of West Virginia” (red eyes, caked up, soft wings… I didn’t say a name, but he popped into your head, didn’t he?) and “Lupus in Fabula” (more shape changers!).
All in all, this is an anthology I can recommend to any enjoyer of weird, messy, queer horror fiction. If the cover speaks to you, the stories will too!
*FAV* Biological Reality: A trans man deals with the parasite growing in his belly. Unsettling and heartbreaking. I really enjoy how Briar Ripley Page manages to paint a truly haunting picture in just a few pages here.
TW: traumatic pregnancy, cannibalism, infant death, gender dysphoria
Appetites: A man struggles with ever-growing hunger for other men’s bodies and their flesh, encouraged by a night-time visitor. Lovely and haunting, I adored it.
TW: cannibalism, animal harm, animal death, murder, asylum
Swallow me (W)hole: This is one of Briar’s short stories I’d already read through their itch.io account when it was still up, but it is still great. The story follows a young woman, who discovers a hole growing in her chest. I really enjoyed rereading it, because it’s still incredibly gnarly. Body horror, sapphic yearning, gore, a devouring hole. What’s not to love?
TW: sexual assault, self-harm, suicidal ideation, body horror, death, body horror, gore
*FAV* Therianthrope: A coming-of-age story of a young trans werewolf, where something dangerous is always itching under their skin. What will happen when they finally change forms? A really, really fun short story featuring a really unsettling narrator (they do freak out a serial killer by being too into it), that I really enjoyed! If you too enjoy weirdo narrators with issues and gender that’s never fully named, but just itching to burst forth throughout the entire narrative, you too will enjoy this short story.
TW: dog bites, murder, bullying, sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence
Leavings: A hotel cleaner finds something strange left behind in the bathtub. Her coworker sends her to fetch the supervisor, but when they return only a beautiful woman is waiting, her coworker and the mess have disappeared. Haunting and unsettling, but really enjoyable.
TW: excrements, gore
*FAV* The Witch’s Wife: A witch who can use her pain to be granted wishes, wants to find a way to bring her dead wife back. God, this story was both incredibly gorey and incredibly heartbreaking. I loved it, but outch. Love the gender going on here as well.
TW: death of a spouse, self-harm, lobotomy
Close Encounter: Two siblings encounter an alien while hiking. Weird, with great character work, a bit short, but fun. Also. It kinda made me hungry.
*FAV* The Holy Incubus of West Virginia: Cryptid time! I love cryptids. I love transgender monster fucking. And I loved what this story did with the lore surrounding this Holy Incubus of West Virginia.
TW: bridge collapses
Desire in the Flooded World: Another short story that I’ve already read when it was still available on itch. It follows a family through a post-apocalyptic flooded world as they find new relationships and explore their sexualities. Their bodies, too, are changing, in strange and unusual ways. This is a really interesting immersive short story and I have to say I liked it even more on a reread. The parts with Selwyn reminded me of Middlesex, which was an interesting reference to include.
TW: sexual relationships between minors and adults, grooming, unhealthy relationships, terminal illness, homophobic s-slur, misgendering
December Story: A messy haunting story about a friend finally reaching out to a friend from the past, who has been writing concerning letters. With some really intriguing horror, this is a story I would love more of!
TW: institutionalization, mental illness, dissociation, hallucination
Gorgonland: A young man and his rich, older (much older) girlfriend visit Greece, exploring the countryside and the mythology. When the young man starts having nightmares, his girlfriend doesn’t really seem that bothered. This was an interesting look at the mythology, and I really enjoyed reading it. I wish there had been a bit more lore here though, and I would love to read more. The descriptions of the place are incredibly well done and intriguing.
The Mood After All: A young man keeps his high-school crush’s corpse in his house. Not as creepy as it sounds (the Dead came back for a while and then stopped moving again and when her dad wanted to get rid of her body at the dump, he intervened), but this story still manages to be plenty unsettling. It’s a really intriguing setup and I found Scout to be a very interesting weirdo.
TW: death of a child, addiction, suicide mention
*FAV* Lupus in Fabula: A night that beckons people to go outside, a night everybody is warned against and our main character, who goes outside and finds a group of people dancing around a fire in animal pelts and can’t help but join in. This one was really fun to me and narrated in an interesting way, in bits and pieces, switching between the before and after, slowly painting the full picture of that strange and joyful evening.
TW: gore, body horror, animal mutilation
As a huge fan of Briar Ripley Page’s work (loooooved Body After Body!), I knew I had to check this anthology out. I am very thankful I received an ARC! I also really enjoyed that this anthology included trigger warnings for each short story in the back of the book with a note in the front, which is my favorite way to receive trigger warnings. Easy to access for a reader, but without the risk of spoiling those, who choose to forego the warnings.
The whole anthology embraces weird, queer, trans, haunting and sad horror, focusses on the dark and messy impulses inside of us and paints haunting pictures of different worlds. Briar’s writing style is rich and intriguing, and their characters are messy and wonderfully fleshed out, lead by impulses and needs and wants and so often desperately hungry. I found myself fully immersed in most stories after only a few pages and their world building and character work are certainly one of the major reasons for that.
My favorite short stories here were “Biological Reality” (messy trans man pregnancy!), “Therianthrope (we love transgender werewolves here!), “The Witch’s Wife” (a grieving witch and a messy magic system mixes incredibly well for horror!), “The Holy Incubus of West Virginia” (red eyes, caked up, soft wings… I didn’t say a name, but he popped into your head, didn’t he?) and “Lupus in Fabula” (more shape changers!).
All in all, this is an anthology I can recommend to any enjoyer of weird, messy, queer horror fiction. If the cover speaks to you, the stories will too!
*FAV* Biological Reality: A trans man deals with the parasite growing in his belly. Unsettling and heartbreaking. I really enjoy how Briar Ripley Page manages to paint a truly haunting picture in just a few pages here.
TW: traumatic pregnancy, cannibalism, infant death, gender dysphoria
Appetites: A man struggles with ever-growing hunger for other men’s bodies and their flesh, encouraged by a night-time visitor. Lovely and haunting, I adored it.
TW: cannibalism, animal harm, animal death, murder, asylum
Swallow me (W)hole: This is one of Briar’s short stories I’d already read through their itch.io account when it was still up, but it is still great. The story follows a young woman, who discovers a hole growing in her chest. I really enjoyed rereading it, because it’s still incredibly gnarly. Body horror, sapphic yearning, gore, a devouring hole. What’s not to love?
TW: sexual assault, self-harm, suicidal ideation, body horror, death, body horror, gore
*FAV* Therianthrope: A coming-of-age story of a young trans werewolf, where something dangerous is always itching under their skin. What will happen when they finally change forms? A really, really fun short story featuring a really unsettling narrator (they do freak out a serial killer by being too into it), that I really enjoyed! If you too enjoy weirdo narrators with issues and gender that’s never fully named, but just itching to burst forth throughout the entire narrative, you too will enjoy this short story.
TW: dog bites, murder, bullying, sexual assault, rape, intimate partner violence
Leavings: A hotel cleaner finds something strange left behind in the bathtub. Her coworker sends her to fetch the supervisor, but when they return only a beautiful woman is waiting, her coworker and the mess have disappeared. Haunting and unsettling, but really enjoyable.
TW: excrements, gore
*FAV* The Witch’s Wife: A witch who can use her pain to be granted wishes, wants to find a way to bring her dead wife back. God, this story was both incredibly gorey and incredibly heartbreaking. I loved it, but outch. Love the gender going on here as well.
TW: death of a spouse, self-harm, lobotomy
Close Encounter: Two siblings encounter an alien while hiking. Weird, with great character work, a bit short, but fun. Also. It kinda made me hungry.
*FAV* The Holy Incubus of West Virginia: Cryptid time! I love cryptids. I love transgender monster fucking. And I loved what this story did with the lore surrounding this Holy Incubus of West Virginia.
TW: bridge collapses
Desire in the Flooded World: Another short story that I’ve already read when it was still available on itch. It follows a family through a post-apocalyptic flooded world as they find new relationships and explore their sexualities. Their bodies, too, are changing, in strange and unusual ways. This is a really interesting immersive short story and I have to say I liked it even more on a reread. The parts with Selwyn reminded me of Middlesex, which was an interesting reference to include.
TW: sexual relationships between minors and adults, grooming, unhealthy relationships, terminal illness, homophobic s-slur, misgendering
December Story: A messy haunting story about a friend finally reaching out to a friend from the past, who has been writing concerning letters. With some really intriguing horror, this is a story I would love more of!
TW: institutionalization, mental illness, dissociation, hallucination
Gorgonland: A young man and his rich, older (much older) girlfriend visit Greece, exploring the countryside and the mythology. When the young man starts having nightmares, his girlfriend doesn’t really seem that bothered. This was an interesting look at the mythology, and I really enjoyed reading it. I wish there had been a bit more lore here though, and I would love to read more. The descriptions of the place are incredibly well done and intriguing.
The Mood After All: A young man keeps his high-school crush’s corpse in his house. Not as creepy as it sounds (the Dead came back for a while and then stopped moving again and when her dad wanted to get rid of her body at the dump, he intervened), but this story still manages to be plenty unsettling. It’s a really intriguing setup and I found Scout to be a very interesting weirdo.
TW: death of a child, addiction, suicide mention
*FAV* Lupus in Fabula: A night that beckons people to go outside, a night everybody is warned against and our main character, who goes outside and finds a group of people dancing around a fire in animal pelts and can’t help but join in. This one was really fun to me and narrated in an interesting way, in bits and pieces, switching between the before and after, slowly painting the full picture of that strange and joyful evening.
TW: gore, body horror, animal mutilation
April 5, 2026
Highlights: “Therianthrope,” “The Witch’s Wife” (deeply powerful and will linger with me for along time), and “Desire in the Flooded World.”
January 10, 2025
Lupus in Fabula is an excellent collection of the queer macabre. Page uses body horror to explore themes of bodily autonomy, dysphoria, and desire. Who doesn't love a tale of homerotic cannibalism every now and then?
While I liked each story, I didn't love some of the endings. Many pieces pulled me in only to end abruptly, sans conclusion. I felt like doors kept shutting in my face.
I'm grateful for the chance to read an advance copy for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
While I liked each story, I didn't love some of the endings. Many pieces pulled me in only to end abruptly, sans conclusion. I felt like doors kept shutting in my face.
I'm grateful for the chance to read an advance copy for free. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
November 13, 2024
A short LGBT horror collection with stories that may genuinely manage to shock a modern audience in a world where audiences aren't shocked by much!
I was reluctant to request more arcs recently after having some bad luck choosing stories I'd enjoy, but the cover for Lupus in Fabula drew me in, the title caught my curiosity, and when I saw it was an LGBT-themed horror collection, I was pleasantly surprised. So I bit. I'm glad I did!
Lupus in Fabula is dark, atmospheric, and downright grotesque. The first story disturbed, upset, angered, and fascinated me in equal turns. I was genuinely thrown. I think it might cause a lot of controversy, actually. I appreciate the bold creative vision it took to not only come up with said idea, let alone to execute and publish it, in a world where many authors in this position would not be brave enough to do so. A lot of writers right now are self-censoring. It's nice to see some artists taking big swings and risks, even if it's with stories that make me want to cry and vomit.
I absolutely do not like body horror and gore, and I especially cannot deal with themes of cannibalism, which this collection has a lot of. Body horror makes sense given the other themes here: bodily autonomy, self-expression, sexuality, etc. However this impressed me despite being fixated on genres of horror that don't normally go well for me. I appreciate slow, creeping dread and unease, the anxiety, the pecking at the sanity, that kind of horror, which this anthology also had plenty of!
I think with any collection it's hard to tell people it's not worth picking up, because with multiple pieces and stories there's always going to be a story for everyone, at least one piece they'll like even if they aren't interested in the rest, but especially with a creative vision and a voice this bold, I would say go for it.
One of the stories had the very worst horror any of us can experience....SECONDHAND EMBARASSMNET FOR SOMEONE INTERACTING WITH A COWORKER. That's a particular kind of suffering you just can't wish on your worst enemy.
Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with an ebook arc! I was happy to take a chance on this one and I'll keep an eye on Briar Ripley Page, for sure. A lot of LGBT folks are big horror genre fans so it's always nice to have something relevant to recommend to them on hand, and now this one goes on my list.
My favorite story is the one about the flooded world. There was something very special there, it deserves an animated adaptation.
I was reluctant to request more arcs recently after having some bad luck choosing stories I'd enjoy, but the cover for Lupus in Fabula drew me in, the title caught my curiosity, and when I saw it was an LGBT-themed horror collection, I was pleasantly surprised. So I bit. I'm glad I did!
Lupus in Fabula is dark, atmospheric, and downright grotesque. The first story disturbed, upset, angered, and fascinated me in equal turns. I was genuinely thrown. I think it might cause a lot of controversy, actually. I appreciate the bold creative vision it took to not only come up with said idea, let alone to execute and publish it, in a world where many authors in this position would not be brave enough to do so. A lot of writers right now are self-censoring. It's nice to see some artists taking big swings and risks, even if it's with stories that make me want to cry and vomit.
I absolutely do not like body horror and gore, and I especially cannot deal with themes of cannibalism, which this collection has a lot of. Body horror makes sense given the other themes here: bodily autonomy, self-expression, sexuality, etc. However this impressed me despite being fixated on genres of horror that don't normally go well for me. I appreciate slow, creeping dread and unease, the anxiety, the pecking at the sanity, that kind of horror, which this anthology also had plenty of!
I think with any collection it's hard to tell people it's not worth picking up, because with multiple pieces and stories there's always going to be a story for everyone, at least one piece they'll like even if they aren't interested in the rest, but especially with a creative vision and a voice this bold, I would say go for it.
One of the stories had the very worst horror any of us can experience....SECONDHAND EMBARASSMNET FOR SOMEONE INTERACTING WITH A COWORKER. That's a particular kind of suffering you just can't wish on your worst enemy.
Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with an ebook arc! I was happy to take a chance on this one and I'll keep an eye on Briar Ripley Page, for sure. A lot of LGBT folks are big horror genre fans so it's always nice to have something relevant to recommend to them on hand, and now this one goes on my list.
My favorite story is the one about the flooded world. There was something very special there, it deserves an animated adaptation.
Read
January 23, 2025LUPUS IN FABULA is a collection of finely crafted, lyrical tales that brim with life, death, sensation, monstrosity- and above all else, humanity. Briar Ripley Page is a fabulist of the highest order, creating worlds & characters that spring from these pages to clutch you in their jaws. Savor it.
January 10, 2025
Thanks to BookSirens for an ARC! I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I've read so much "queer body horror" that just turned out to be body horror about folks who happened to be queer, and it's always disappointing. Page managed to capture both the "queer" and "horror" of queer body horror in a fantastically disgusting and genuine way; there wasn't a story in here that I didn't love. If nothing else, read this collection for the brilliant use of bridge-collapse-as-euphemism in the erotic Mothman story, and also just everything about "The Witch's Wife".
I've read so much "queer body horror" that just turned out to be body horror about folks who happened to be queer, and it's always disappointing. Page managed to capture both the "queer" and "horror" of queer body horror in a fantastically disgusting and genuine way; there wasn't a story in here that I didn't love. If nothing else, read this collection for the brilliant use of bridge-collapse-as-euphemism in the erotic Mothman story, and also just everything about "The Witch's Wife".
March 4, 2025
Our bodies betray us. We are born wrong, condemned to need bad things too much. The wild calls to us, transforms us violently in ways we keenly desire. When angels appear to us, it is to tempt us toward our desires. Glimpses of the uncanny beneath the surface of mundane life hint to us of unseen dangers, and many truths must remain unrevealed. We are all queer, our genders all fluid. Maybe we’ve been killed, or maybe we are sexy now. Magic may fail us if we fail to learn to stop loving; we need our pain and grief too much, a dangerous need. We must make meaning for ourselves through the relationships we build, even when there’s no reason for any of it, even if, desirous of being in love, we use a reincarnated and now immobile former acquaintance as a kind of potted plant slash girlfriend. (There is nothing necrophiliac about this. Believe us on that.) The best stories in this collection are confidently executed in a fashion which trusts the reader to keep up, to feelingly sense the weight of an image or a gesture. Standouts for me:
“Swallow Me (W)hole” is a metaphor for one’s involuntary lethality. “Therianthrope” dwells on loving and hating one’s own freakishness. “Leavings” has the confidence to leave its mysteries unexplained. “The Witch’s Wife” (a standout among standouts) finely develops its witchy heartbreaks. “Desire in the Flooded World” anatomises its diluvial characters’ longings with philosophic sympathy. And then my two back-to-back favourites: “Gorgonland” and “The Mood After All”, whose macabre speculative conceits create space for Page to unsettle but also tantalise us with what we may be driven to become by our needs to love, to be loved, and to find meaning in life within the relationships we craft and to which we dedicate ourselves.
“Swallow Me (W)hole” is a metaphor for one’s involuntary lethality. “Therianthrope” dwells on loving and hating one’s own freakishness. “Leavings” has the confidence to leave its mysteries unexplained. “The Witch’s Wife” (a standout among standouts) finely develops its witchy heartbreaks. “Desire in the Flooded World” anatomises its diluvial characters’ longings with philosophic sympathy. And then my two back-to-back favourites: “Gorgonland” and “The Mood After All”, whose macabre speculative conceits create space for Page to unsettle but also tantalise us with what we may be driven to become by our needs to love, to be loved, and to find meaning in life within the relationships we craft and to which we dedicate ourselves.
January 3, 2025
"The veins dive back under the beast-skins, which flow over each dancer like something more than clothes. Like empty but living creatures swallowing their innards back up. Taking their revenge on humanity. You wore us; now we’ll devour you."
ARC review:
Very interesting story collection, most of them ended up being between 3 and 4 stars. Even though I'm not much into body horror, I liked the relation it had to gender expression and other queer themes. Overall, the writing style was simple but flowed nicely, though I would have wanted overall some more atmosphere and descriptions of the setting. In some cases, some endings also felt more abrupt than I would have liked, while in other cases, I didn't mind the open ending-ish approach to ending the short stories.
I discovered I liked the longer stories more, probably related to my wish for more vibes and descriptions, while the shorter ones could use some more build up in my opinion. In many cases, I could tell the character and their wish was there, but the road to it felt a bit too cut short.
Overall, the overall themes came forward clear enough and the use of different formats and perspectives showed the author's range.
ARC review:
Very interesting story collection, most of them ended up being between 3 and 4 stars. Even though I'm not much into body horror, I liked the relation it had to gender expression and other queer themes. Overall, the writing style was simple but flowed nicely, though I would have wanted overall some more atmosphere and descriptions of the setting. In some cases, some endings also felt more abrupt than I would have liked, while in other cases, I didn't mind the open ending-ish approach to ending the short stories.
I discovered I liked the longer stories more, probably related to my wish for more vibes and descriptions, while the shorter ones could use some more build up in my opinion. In many cases, I could tell the character and their wish was there, but the road to it felt a bit too cut short.
Overall, the overall themes came forward clear enough and the use of different formats and perspectives showed the author's range.
May 3, 2025
I started reading a little book of queer horror stories because I liked the title, Lupus in Fabula. I read a bit of the first one - uncomfortable, miserable, dark without being cliché or edgy - and it sucked me in right away. I read the second in a single breath, on the bus, when I realized that it reimagined the story of R.M. Renfield (I am very picky with works inspired by Dracula, but I absolutely loved this story). And I continued the next one in the street and read my way into my home and ate with my plate clutched close to me so it wouldn't be too hard to turn the pages. I've never heard of this author: Briar Ripley Page. Their style reminds me of Angela Carter's "The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories", but it's so, so modern, and so effective at gripping and keeping my attention. I'm thinking fans of Mariana Enriquez will love this. I'm thinking fans of fucked up books in general will.
August 11, 2025
Really enjoy the variety of the stories and the writing style. Some stories are stronger than others, some by a significant degree which pulls the overall rating down. For example, I found the opening story pretty weak compared to the ending one. Full disclosure, I won this ebook in a raffle, but I'm definitely interested in reading more!
May 16, 2025
this was a fun and disturbing read. perfect for busrides, small Stories with slightly different voices
January 22, 2025
Why aren't you reading Briar RIGHT NOW??
November 27, 2024
I didn't even realize this was going to be a short story collection. I just knew that after "Corrupted Vessels," I'm reading anything Page writes.
If you read "Life Ceremony," and you've decided you want more of that bizarre energy, or want something comparable to the works of Andrew Joseph White but snack-sized (pun intended), I recommend "Lupus In Fabula." As a short story collection, there were some stories that I LOVED and some that didn't resonate so much. One overall theme in these was the desire to consume, which means that many of the characters are eating things that one would not traditionally eat. I'm not talking pika. I'm talking things that require content warnings, which have been kindly provided at the end of the anthology.
My three favorites stories in here are as follows, with brief spoiler-free notes. I've listed them in the order they appear in the anthology.
-- Appetites: A little Renfield short, with some Dracula references. I love how desire gets used and corrupted here. It bugs me in most horror when "unnatural appetites" are used against the LGBT+ community, but this is a bit of a reclamation, and it's both gross and kinda... hot? But with spiders.
-- Swallow Me (W)hole: I think this story was released as a one-off at one point, since I think I've seen the title before. This was one story that had me going, "Yes, I get it!! That's exactly what it feels like!" It's a little allegory about being espresso depresso (which I would phrase normally except that these things sometimes annoy the 'Zon).
-- The Witch's Wife: I don't know what to say about this without spoilers, except that it was cool and gross and I loved it. I enjoy darker magic systems.
There's a lot of body horror in here, just so you know, and a few things that left me queasy. The whole flavor (mm, yum, delicious spiders!) is something I personally enjoy quite a lot, and each of the stories is pretty different despite the recurring themes.
I was offered an ARC of this collection through BookSirens and snatched it up with my grabby little raccoon hands. My review is being left voluntarily.
If you read "Life Ceremony," and you've decided you want more of that bizarre energy, or want something comparable to the works of Andrew Joseph White but snack-sized (pun intended), I recommend "Lupus In Fabula." As a short story collection, there were some stories that I LOVED and some that didn't resonate so much. One overall theme in these was the desire to consume, which means that many of the characters are eating things that one would not traditionally eat. I'm not talking pika. I'm talking things that require content warnings, which have been kindly provided at the end of the anthology.
My three favorites stories in here are as follows, with brief spoiler-free notes. I've listed them in the order they appear in the anthology.
-- Appetites: A little Renfield short, with some Dracula references. I love how desire gets used and corrupted here. It bugs me in most horror when "unnatural appetites" are used against the LGBT+ community, but this is a bit of a reclamation, and it's both gross and kinda... hot? But with spiders.
-- Swallow Me (W)hole: I think this story was released as a one-off at one point, since I think I've seen the title before. This was one story that had me going, "Yes, I get it!! That's exactly what it feels like!" It's a little allegory about being espresso depresso (which I would phrase normally except that these things sometimes annoy the 'Zon).
-- The Witch's Wife: I don't know what to say about this without spoilers, except that it was cool and gross and I loved it. I enjoy darker magic systems.
There's a lot of body horror in here, just so you know, and a few things that left me queasy. The whole flavor (mm, yum, delicious spiders!) is something I personally enjoy quite a lot, and each of the stories is pretty different despite the recurring themes.
I was offered an ARC of this collection through BookSirens and snatched it up with my grabby little raccoon hands. My review is being left voluntarily.
November 29, 2024
a collection of short stories featuring an extraordinary amount of body horror, bewildering and sinister uncanniness, sex (regular), sex (deranged), cannibalism (garden variety), cannibalism (unconventional), all manner of transformations, the dissection of oneself (emotional), the dissection of oneself (physical), and profound airborne mothman smashing, among other things, all lovingly and tightly packaged in a bubble wrap of queerness.
my thoughts on this as a whole, in short, are: it fucked. i am a person who tends to struggle with short stories - i find it difficult to find them engaging, they often feel pointless to me and give me nothing to dig my teeth into. i did not have those issues with this at all. with the exception of the last story in the collection, which, full disclosure, i skipped due to distressing animal content, i had a great time. i preferred some stories more than others, of course, but the entire collection felt beautifully honest, it was messy both physically and emotionally, it was gritty and unabashedly raw. i absolutely recommend this, 4/5.
big huge gooey thanks to cursed morsels for sending me a review copy 💚
my thoughts on this as a whole, in short, are: it fucked. i am a person who tends to struggle with short stories - i find it difficult to find them engaging, they often feel pointless to me and give me nothing to dig my teeth into. i did not have those issues with this at all. with the exception of the last story in the collection, which, full disclosure, i skipped due to distressing animal content, i had a great time. i preferred some stories more than others, of course, but the entire collection felt beautifully honest, it was messy both physically and emotionally, it was gritty and unabashedly raw. i absolutely recommend this, 4/5.
big huge gooey thanks to cursed morsels for sending me a review copy 💚
February 22, 2025
This was a wonderfully gross, beautifully crafted set of stories. I love when an author can make something that is both disgusting & unsettling yet romantic and beautiful. The body horror through a queer lens is phenomenal. I liked all of the stories, but these stood out to me the most:
Swallow Me (W)hole—cosmic horror AND body horror
Therianthrope—absolutely shattering
The Witch’s Wife—beautiful! repulsive! poignant! heartfelt! made me want to rip my own heart out!
The Holy Incubus of West Virginia—no spoilers but this story made me incredibly happy. I hadn’t realized how badly I wanted someone to write a story like this until I encountered it, and Page does such a magnificent job
Desire in the Flooded World—as someone who grew up in a small town, this felt so accurate. I felt like I was looking into the climate ravaged future of my hometown.
Really adored this collection and I’m excited to see what Page comes out with next. Thank you Cursed Morsels for the opportunity to read this! My opinion is my own.
Swallow Me (W)hole—cosmic horror AND body horror
Therianthrope—absolutely shattering
The Witch’s Wife—beautiful! repulsive! poignant! heartfelt! made me want to rip my own heart out!
The Holy Incubus of West Virginia—no spoilers but this story made me incredibly happy. I hadn’t realized how badly I wanted someone to write a story like this until I encountered it, and Page does such a magnificent job
Desire in the Flooded World—as someone who grew up in a small town, this felt so accurate. I felt like I was looking into the climate ravaged future of my hometown.
Really adored this collection and I’m excited to see what Page comes out with next. Thank you Cursed Morsels for the opportunity to read this! My opinion is my own.
January 4, 2025
A good mix of queer horror stories from an author whose novel Corrupted Vessels I loved. Then and now the descriptive passages blend the right amount of intense, sharp subjectivity from the character without getting too verbose. The language and flow of the text is smooth and enjoyable, even as it describes horrific scenes.
It’s a quick 200ish page collection of stories featuring people pushed to desperation, and what they do to survive; body horror transformations, trying to remain human under monstrous conditions; small town weirdness, mysterious strangers, and old lovers back from the dead. I love the grime-encrusted tender moments Page creates.
Finally, I really enjoyed the intersectionality of the perspectives here, and how the strength of the queer working class was represented.
[I received a free digital copy of this book from BookSirens and am leaving my honest feedback here voluntarily.]
It’s a quick 200ish page collection of stories featuring people pushed to desperation, and what they do to survive; body horror transformations, trying to remain human under monstrous conditions; small town weirdness, mysterious strangers, and old lovers back from the dead. I love the grime-encrusted tender moments Page creates.
Finally, I really enjoyed the intersectionality of the perspectives here, and how the strength of the queer working class was represented.
[I received a free digital copy of this book from BookSirens and am leaving my honest feedback here voluntarily.]
January 19, 2025
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book really spoke to me from the very first story. The author’s voice, writing style and imagery really vibed with me. I would say I really liked most of the stories but a couple just didn’t sit well with me so therefore it’s 4 stars and not 5.
Something that impressed me is just how different some of the stories were. The author truly has a wild imagination.
This book definitely has a shock factor. I feel these sort of books are very hip right now and sometimes it can feel insincere. But not in this case, most of the stories carried authentic pain and longing in them that I could connect with.
This book really spoke to me from the very first story. The author’s voice, writing style and imagery really vibed with me. I would say I really liked most of the stories but a couple just didn’t sit well with me so therefore it’s 4 stars and not 5.
Something that impressed me is just how different some of the stories were. The author truly has a wild imagination.
This book definitely has a shock factor. I feel these sort of books are very hip right now and sometimes it can feel insincere. But not in this case, most of the stories carried authentic pain and longing in them that I could connect with.
December 2, 2024
The Note from the Author at the beginning really sets the stage, and it’s one of acceptance and change.
There are a ton of emotions in this collection, there are certain stories that do get very graphic, which I mean if you’re going to feel something the gore makes it stick!
Overall this author will be on my radar coming down the line, the stories that really stood out to me were:
Therianthrope
The Witch’s Wife
The Holy Incubus of West Virginia
Gorgonland
It’s hard to pick which one was my favorite, but there is something for most horror readers in at least one of these stories.
I did receive an ARC from Cursed Morsels, but I am leaving this review as my own and I’m happy to leave it!
There are a ton of emotions in this collection, there are certain stories that do get very graphic, which I mean if you’re going to feel something the gore makes it stick!
Overall this author will be on my radar coming down the line, the stories that really stood out to me were:
Therianthrope
The Witch’s Wife
The Holy Incubus of West Virginia
Gorgonland
It’s hard to pick which one was my favorite, but there is something for most horror readers in at least one of these stories.
I did receive an ARC from Cursed Morsels, but I am leaving this review as my own and I’m happy to leave it!
November 3, 2024
Lupus In Fabula was so eerie and gripping that I thoroughly enjoyed it. After having just finished reading Hannibal Lecter: Red Dragon, there are fantastic elements in the same nature such as the characters change being described as 'the becoming.'
At first I found it hard to follow, then I understood that the novel is divided into different sections for different characters. It was a great leap of faith, but I am thankful that this author chose to write in such a fashion, regardless if readers understood or not.
At first I found it hard to follow, then I understood that the novel is divided into different sections for different characters. It was a great leap of faith, but I am thankful that this author chose to write in such a fashion, regardless if readers understood or not.
June 23, 2025
This was a really interesting collection.
My favorite stories were Desire in the Flooded World, December Story, Gorgonland, The Mood After All, and Lupus in Fabula.
A quote that stuck out to me from December Story is, "But I love you, K. I love you still. Or I'm haunted by you, at least." The idea of the feelings of love and being haunted by someone who never treated you right being so difficult to discern is so gut wrenching and real.
The zombie concept in The Mood After All was captivating. It was so desperately sad and numbing.
My favorite stories were Desire in the Flooded World, December Story, Gorgonland, The Mood After All, and Lupus in Fabula.
A quote that stuck out to me from December Story is, "But I love you, K. I love you still. Or I'm haunted by you, at least." The idea of the feelings of love and being haunted by someone who never treated you right being so difficult to discern is so gut wrenching and real.
The zombie concept in The Mood After All was captivating. It was so desperately sad and numbing.
January 14, 2025
ARC Review ✨️
☆Queer horror♡
This story is disgustingly amazing. The author captures the horror and queer aspects seamlessly. Lupus in Fabula was such a uniquely grotesque book. I was honestly obsessed with it just from the blurb.
The author is new to me, and I can't wait to read more of their books. Every short story was so enjoyable, and I was able to read this in one sitting! 🙌😍
Thanks so much to the author and Booksirens for the ARC!
☆Queer horror♡
This story is disgustingly amazing. The author captures the horror and queer aspects seamlessly. Lupus in Fabula was such a uniquely grotesque book. I was honestly obsessed with it just from the blurb.
The author is new to me, and I can't wait to read more of their books. Every short story was so enjoyable, and I was able to read this in one sitting! 🙌😍
Thanks so much to the author and Booksirens for the ARC!
July 4, 2025
truly horrific
It is very rare for horror stories to make me feel actual horror and revulsion but this book nailed it! A collection of varied short stories all of them macabre and queer. I think any fans of horror would enjoy this collection. The Witch’s Wife was my favorite hands down!
It is very rare for horror stories to make me feel actual horror and revulsion but this book nailed it! A collection of varied short stories all of them macabre and queer. I think any fans of horror would enjoy this collection. The Witch’s Wife was my favorite hands down!
October 8, 2024
To be honest, I'm not a big fan of normalizing trans and queer culture. It's great that it's there, but I don't want to be bothered with it. It added nothing to the book for me. The stories were good, a lot of physical grossness and the stories stayed in the memory for a long time. Recommended!
February 6, 2025
Slightly biased because I know the author well, but these are some amazing horror based short stories that look at transformation, the ugly feelings inside yourself, and some good old fashioned toxicity. Hell of a library read, and definitely worth your time.
June 26, 2025
Wow. Just wow. This is such an incredible collection, that will definitely stick with me for quite a while. These stories are confusing, and profound, and disturbing, and thought-provoking. Thank you to Goodreads for the free copy, it really was phenomenal reading.
June 5, 2025
📚📚📚📚📚
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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