Scar

by Lula Von Goth

In Osso's Steak and Strip Club, Scarlet is the number one stripper. The one men will pay to watch among any other.
They will also pay whatever it takes to have some private time with her too. She’s the star of the show and she knows it.
Then tragedy strikes.
An almost-fatal car crash leaves her horribly disfigured, her career ruined.
But when Scarlet attempts to claw her life back, she hits obstacles in the form of her former friends, Scarlet decides she’s had enough, and several of her former colleagues are going to help her achieve just that.
With their very own bodies and skin.

Genres: Short Stories

85 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2024

Reviews

[Stitching Ghost · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book came to my attention because there appears to be some commotion surrounding reviews of it. Being a friend of neither party (although I am mutuals on Instagram with one of the people thanked by the author) I figured I would offer my unbiased opinion.

Von Goth's prose shows real promise, she has a distinctive flair and in time I think (and hope) she might come to be one of those extreme horror authors who offer stories that are stylistically stunning. That being said, I do think this particular story needed a little bit more time and work. Did I get AI generated vibes from it? No, not at all, it's a debut and it reads like one, it was still a fun (if you like it bleak) and quick read.

3.5 rounded up.

[Peter Topside · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, congratulations to Lula Von Goth on their first book! Now, with any new authors, I am always very gentle with my reviews, as I don’t want to discourage anyone. My critiques and such are my own, and hope that I can even just contribute a tidbit or two to help a writer improve their craft. I will agree with other reviews in that the wording felt very awkward and, almost artificial, accompanied by many run-on sentences, with plot points that were very hard to follow. Lots of vulgar instances (Sex and violence) which, as a diehard extreme horror fan, couldn’t be fully appreciated due to the haphazard organization of everything. When writing, it’s always important to think of your potential audience, ensuring that you are developing your story in a way that they can follow, not just yourself, as the writer. But it was all very hard to piece together with very rough transitions that occurred in rapid fashion, almost every page or two. And a bunch of characters that were tossed in one after another, without much context, development, or clarity to any of them. The pacing and flow also never found their footing, either. The premise sounded awesome, but there were just a lot of factors that took away from this being a better experience. I think that if the author took their time focusing on the core idea and stuck with a straightforward concept, it would have greatly improved this story. Avoid the trap of trying to cram so much into such a short book, as it did nothing but take away from what was most important here, which was supposed to be our lead, Scarlet. I look forward to seeing how Lula Von Goth develops her writing style moving forward.

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The crumpled ball that used to be Scarlet's car was transformed from a method of mortal freedom to the separation of soul and husk. The environment surrounding Scarlet's final resting place was as dark, lonely, and desolate as the way she had lived her life.The stink of burned rubber and the stains on the road would show the route her car had slid as it took the corner too fast, finding a partnership between life and death.”

Poor Scarlet, she went from a girl whose beauty got her everything she wanted to a scarred creature hiding from the light of day.

She begins a brutal and bloody quest to regain what she’s lost. No matter the consequences.

“She was Scarlet, nothing more, nothing less. “

I loved this short, shocking body horror story from Lula Von Goth. It was sickening, yet had some heartfelt moments scattered throughout the carnage. An excellent debut tale!

[Jessie Raven · Rating 1 out of 5]

THIS IS NOT BECAUSE THE CONTENT WAS TOO MUCH FOR ME ITS BECAUSE IT IS AWFULLY WRITTEN. Never have I ever DNF a book from the first page until now. It gave me a headache reading the first page as it was so confusing and just a clusterfuck of words. Here is the first paragraph which makes no sense. “Metal screaming against bone. The stench of hot iron from the liquid evicted from the roads it previously ran through. Skin ripping from the structure that it once housed, tissue separating from muscle, teeth and glass spread across the tarmac, glittering in the moonlight in a show of macabre beauty. The heat of hells flame and the internal promises to a god that historically has never given a fuck”. Sounds all AI to me.

[Mrsgmamma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Scarlet is a stripper and she is basically the one that everyone comes to see. One day she gets in to a terrible accident that leaves her disfigured and well now she isn’t much of anything. Scarlet decides to take revenge on the other strippers and make a new skin for herself, if you catch my drift.

I really didn’t care for this book. I kept getting lost on what was going on, might just be me though. I just couldn’t stay focused enough to enjoy it.

[Stefanie Duncan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, great execution, for a first-time author I gave 4 Stars because I hated the bouncing back and forth between the characters. That might work for a long book but not for a short Novella. That’s my only complaint.

Scarlet, a beautiful stripper, is disfigured from severe burns she endured during a car accident. But she has a plan to become beautiful again. At all costs.

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

With this being Lula’s first book! let me tell you! It’s amazing ❤️ gruesome, brutal and one of the best stories I have read this month! I could connect with the main character Scarlet! With this being Lula’s first book. It shows she has some amazing talent! And I cannot wait to see what she comes up with next.

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scar is the story of the prettiest stripper in the joint, who on 1 terrible night has her looks, which are everything to her, taken away by cruel fate and a car, there's also a whole bunch of other mini-side plots along the way that all just kept making things more and more tragic. I cannot believe that this is the first book by this author; it was written very well, and I loved the prose; it all just flowed very well. This one is a pretty dark story but more than anything it's depressing and then I guess kinda happy....ish..... maybe, I don't know how I feel, but I do know that I bloody loved this read!!

[Honey Dy · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are revenge stories, and then there’s Scar.

This book doesn’t just scratch the surface.

It will rip it off clean, daring you to look at what's hidden underneath.

What unfolds in this extreme horror novella is nothing but a brutal tale wracked with vengeance, where betrayal is brutal, and literally every flesh and bone is soaked up in rage, resulting in what could only be described as poetic justice.

Oh, but Scarlet doesn't want you to feel sorry for her because this is also a tale of her resurrection. She doesn't just want her old life back. She wants to literally burn it all down.

This novella not only dragged me into the raw, emotional agony of a woman who lost everything, but it also showed me the willingness of a woman who will stop at nothing to reclaim her power.

Friends became enemies.

Flesh, body parts, and bones became currency.

And Scarlet?
She becomes something totally terrifying and unforgettable.

This book is not for the faint-hearted. You’ll flinch. You’ll ache. And you’ll root for Scarlet even as the body count starts to slowly pile up.

This is my first ever Lula Von Goth novella, and it sure as hell won't be my last.

Read if you like:
✨️Feminine rage
✨️Revenge stories and
✨️Body horror

[Alexandra Nisneru · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are enough!"

That's how this story starts. With a message for all the women that feel they're failing at life.

Whatever the reason (they feel like failed girlfriends, failed wives, failed moms or just failed women), this story shows how ephemeral physical beauty is and what really matters is the soul.

Sadness seeps through the entire story but there's a lot of gore and blood and brain bits too.

It is an excelent story from a very promising author and I can't wait to see what she does next. 🥰

[lolly Storm sparrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Congratulations on your debut. 🖤

[Lesley Camphouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scarlet, Scarlet, Scarlet, how the tables have turned for you.

We follow Scarlet, a gorgeous woman who is the top earner at a dubious strip club. Then faith strikes, and she's left scarred, to such an extent no one can even look at her anymore. Being subjected to cruel behavior, she finally understands the impact of her own when she was still beautiful. However, Scarlet is on a mission to become her beautiful self once more.

I enjoyed how all the characters were woven into the storyline. And poor Evelyn—poor, poor Evelyn.

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've fallen into the habit of only reading before I fall asleep, and sometimes I read too late, meaning I sometimes have a hard time fully focusing on what I'm reading.
What I can say about this story... it's super fun and creative. The author is very inventive with the descriptions. Not all of them were homeruns, but the details were unique and an example of this author's writing voice. Sometimes I had to think too hard, not only pertaining to some of the descriptions but also the way the story timeline jumped around a little bit. But that's why I began my review stating my reading schedule. Maybe I was just too tired and not 100 honed into what I was consuming.
It's still a good read and I'm glad I read it and would definitely read more of Lula Von Goth

[Katiee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this.

All of you hating, don't know splatterpunk.
I loved how it was written. I enjoyed the edge of the seat, not knowing where it was going to go. Lula is a queen.

[hailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot was interesting but I felt the story was disorganized and hard to follow. Additionally, the death scenes were abrupt and could have been more descriptive.

[Gina 🥰 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I DNF’ed… the writing style wasn’t it for me. :/

[C.S. S Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this was a nice & nasty slice of dark fiction.
From the off, the scene was set & it was clear this book wouldn't be taking any prisoners.
It's dark, it's grimy & you can feel the atmosphere drip from the page. I don't like to give much of the plots away when I post a review. That's the job of the storyteller. But just know this 50-page extreme horror tale of loss, envy, abuse & the true monster's within us is very much worthy of your time.

[ScarlettAnomalyReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so, I pre ordered this, and then I read it, and had to think about it.

Not think about if it was good or not, but process what I had read, because this one got under my skin in the best way possible.
I needed to gather my thoughts..

This was short, quick and gory.

It's one of those, you relate, like no, I've never been a stripper, but I've been a girl, struggling to pull myself back up, by tooth and nail in a world where " friends" use you as a disposable spring board.

It's one of those satisfying reads.
Just enough rage, but a good storyline, so I enjoyed it.

Check this out if you wanna rage and work through some shit.

[Kerrie Roylance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scar…. By Lula Von Goth.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A car accident in the middle of the night changes the whole course of the unfortunate girl who was driving….
Scarlet.
Before the accident she was an object of Lust, Scarlet was drop dead gorgeous and worked as the “star” and most wanted in a strip club.
But she soon learns that beauty is only skin deep when she returns expecting her old job back and is suddenly the object of disgust and ridicule because of the scars she now has on her face and all over her body.
Taking way too much pain medication, along with excessive amounts of alcohol has made Scarlet foggy and numb and without even realising it, she is dying….
But all Scarlet wants is to be beautiful again and she will go to any lengths to it……
I enjoyed this fun read of Revenge!!
✅ Seedy Strip Club with a dodgy owner and even dodgier girls and clients
✅ Graphic Violence
✅ Blood and Gore
✅ Surprise twist
✅ Feels
This Story has everything…
Well done Lula!
4 out of 5 skinless strippers out of 5 from me 🫶

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a testament to how women feel their only worth is their beauty and what they can do for men. All of these women had been brutalized for the pleasure of men. If the money was flowing the girls were giving. Scarlett was the most beautiful which I. Turn made her the most hated. It is so sad how society invites women to hate each other rather than encourage each other. The lengths Scarlet went to in order to be ‘perfect’ only allows the reader to experience how much pressure women try to become what they already are; ‘Perfect!’. I really felt a connection with this story. As a chunky girl my whole life; I have been bullied mercilessly by both men and women. I would love for women to left each other up instead of tear down each other. Until societal changes happen women will never meet an unattainable goal.

[❤ArtfullySinful❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Your skin, or should I say, my new skin. I never wanted to hurt anyone, I just need to be me again… I need to be whole.”

She was the most volumpicious, the most beautiful of all his dancers and was the most sought after piece in his collection. S arlett was at the top of her game, and working for Osso at Osso’s Steaks and Strip Club seemed just the roghr destination for a girl who valurd her looks far over her intelligence and morals. With no kink off limits and the drugs running rampantly eveey night was simply another slip as her clock was quickly about to strike zero. Swapping between cars to avoid police suspicion, Osso failed to tell Scarlett of the faulty tires he placed on her vehicle after her original ones were popped. Ignoring any sense of humanity, he allowed her behind that wheel when the black ice was fully encompassing the streets. When her car lost vontorl and wrapped around the tree, the life she once knew was completely obliterated and now she's left looking the part of a monster. Horribly fisfingured and burned, every inch of her from her face to her toes was a mottled mess of scar tissue and skin grafts as doctors worked tirelessly to bring her back from the brink of death.

The perfection and the abomination would now live as one within the shattered home that was her body.

For six weeks she remained locked away in her hospital room as her physical wounds were tended to but leaving her mental ones wife open to fester onward. Nurse Evelyn was the only kind soul to her and as the weeks simmered by a friendship was slowly blooming but was destined to wilt from the start. Holding in the borrfiyimg secret of her husband Joe and the domestic abuse and rapes she faced, she would finally find herself on the receiving end of a brutal and fatal beating. Still haunted all these years later by the first beating with a fire poker that caused a miscarriage at six months along, Evelyn actually welcomed the chilled embrace of death as it lead her free. While Scarlett was coming to terms with her nice life and identity, the hatred and rage she felt continued to bubble her as she saw the other girls with their unblemished skin and faces oerfirmimg while she was left cleaning the club. Spying Vivian, one of the meanest girls, she wasted no time drugging her with her own prescription pain med one before removing her face in the bathtub. Next came Amy and Laura, two other girls from the club who would have their arms and legs removed so Scarlett could continue sewing tohethee her macabre skin suit to cover her own flesh. With the week coming to a close from her first a diction to this last one, she didn't realize infection was coursing through her veins dragging her closer to the brink of death. When she finally closed her eyes, she was her kither who passed from cancer and her nurse Evelyn waiting to welcome hee into the next life. Feeling elevation and sense of peace she hasn't known since waking up from the accident, she's ready to let go at last.

Either way, at the exact time Scarlet felt her life ending, her new one was just beginning.

[Robin Ginther-Venneri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scar
By Lula Von Goth
Publisher: Independently Published
Published Date: October 13, 2024
ASIN: B0DH3SCK1F
Page Count: 85

Triggers: Gore, body horror, sexual exploitation, car accident trauma, revenge violence, disfigurement, toxic friendships

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Skull Dread Rating: 💀💀💀

What Did I Just Walk Into?
A stripper at the top of her game loses everything in a gruesome car accident. Face shattered, career destroyed, friends fake as dollar bills in a tip jar. So what’s a girl to do? Knit? Therapy? Nah. Scarlet decides if she can’t have her beauty back, she’ll just take it—literally from the bodies of the people who wronged her. A bloody splatterpunk revenge fairytale with stilettos and surgical precision.

Here’s What Slapped:
Scarlet is an antiheroine who makes you say, “No, don’t then actually, yes, do it.”

The gore is vivid, creative, and stomach-churning in the best way. Splatterpunk fans will eat it up (figuratively, unless you’re Scarlet).

Fast-paced and unapologetically raw that you can read it in one sitting, though you might regret pairing it with dinner.

Ms. Von Goth’s imagery is bold and twisted; you’ll find yourself wincing and admiring at the same time.

Underneath all the blood, there’s a real emotional core: trauma, rage, and the desperate desire to reclaim power.

A debut that proves Ms. Lula Von Goth is not here to play nice. She’s here to make horror messy again.

What Could’ve Been Better:
It’s short—like one-sitting short. Honestly, I just wanted more. More gore, more Scarlet unhinged, more time to soak in the madness.

Perfect for Readers Who Love:
Splatterpunk revenge with a heart (beating in someone else’s chest, probably)
American Mary vibes with extra glitter and rage
Short, brutal reads that don’t waste a page
Female-driven horror that’s unapologetically dark
Gore that doubles as art

Book Series Order:
Scar
Scarred

Reviewed by Robin for Robin’s Review

[J.C. III · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Beautiful Nightmare of Flesh. A Feast of Cruelty and Horror.

Lula Von Goth is an unflinching documentarian of the monstrous horrors raging within her mind. Not since AMERICAN PSYCHO has a book been so repellant that I needed to put it down yet so engrossing that I dared not stop reading.

I read SCAR, in its entirety, in under four hours. Even when I desperately wanted to, I could not put this book down.

While not for the squeamish and occasionally falling prey to a typo, SCAR is a brilliant read that combines the strange needlework obsessions of The Silence of the Lambs’ Jame “Buffalo Bill” Gumb with the social satire of The Substance’s Elisabeth and a level of disturbing imagery that could make any Giallo provocateur envious.

SCAR springs from a horrifying auto accident in which the title character (Scarlet, with a double entendre for a shortened name) is horribly maimed through a series of brutal murders and dismemberments that drive every grueling second of the action here. There is even a dark twist in the end that is equal parts Twilight Zone and licorice whip.

If this is Lula Von Goth’s first novel, I cannot wait to bathe in the red waterfall of the second, third and fourth.

Highly recommended for those with strong constitutions. Lula Von Goth is an expert frightener and purveyor of putrescence (albeit wrapped in a lovely package of fine prose).

[Justin Boote · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's nothing like reading a debut author's book and getting excited. Because you know there's plenty more to come! Happened with me the other day with Lula Von Goth's debut novella, Scar. If I didn't already know it was her debut, I wouldn't have believed it. Because this is GOOD!
Scarlet is the top stripper at the club she works at, the star everyone wants a piece of and she knows it. Her looks are everything. Until disaster strikes and a near fatal car crash leaves her scarred for life.
Unable to cope with it, having already lost her job, she decides to take extreme measures to recoup her former self. Especially when colleagues at the club make fun of her. Scarlett is going to literally wipe the smile off their faces. Among other things...
Considered extreme horror, I would say borderline, nothing too over the top, so a perfect read for all who enjoy real life horror stories. Scarlett's character is someone I'm sure many can relate to and certainly an inspiration for many too.
A definite recommend from someone with a lot to say in the forseeable future!

[Karen Oldman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part good for her revenge story, part humanity at its worst. Scar is a brutal, quick and simultaneously deep look at what happens when the things we hold to be most precious about ourselves are taken away.
Scarlett is the main act at the strip club where she works. Delighting in pitting the other girls against each other for her own entertainment and being able to make a good living, her life is turned upside down after a bad car wreck all but destroys her body and face.
When she is finally able to leave the hospital, she is relegated to janitorial work at the club, because even in a place that highlights some crazy acts, they don't want anyone to see her. All of the physical and psychological trauma sends Scarlett on a twisted mission of revenge, where he begins to build a new body for herself.
While this is a shorter book and quite graphic, there are fantastic peeks into her mind as she descends into madness and the twist at the end had me yelling. I look forward to reading more from Lula in the future.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Scar is author Lula Von Goth's debut novella, and what an exciting introduction! I found Lula when one of my favorite authors recommended her, so I immediately ran to KU and downloaded the book.

Scarlet, the number one stripper at Osso’s Stake and Strip Club, is horribly disfigured after being involved in a near-fatal car accident. The once-beautiful Scarlet believes she can easily return to work and regain her number-one status but is met with disgust. Little do they know, they are about to help her achieve her goal of being beautiful again. Who knew that sewing would come in so handy? I love feminine rage!

As a Splatterpunk fan, I always welcome new authors who satisfy my bloodlust! Lol! Lula definitely ticked that box for me. While the book is not as over the top as others, it still brought plenty of blood and gore. This would be a great book for someone looking to get into extreme horror. I am so excited to see what is next for this horror queen!

[Alexandra Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Scar by Lula Von Goth

Scarlett had a kind and conscientious upbringing by her mother, but that isn't the kind of life Scarlett wants. As soon as she is old enough to leave home, she decides to pursue her dreams of money, attention from men, and jealousy from other women. At Osso's Steak and Strip club, a popular dive, she believes she has found her way to fame.

However, a tragic accident leaves Scarlett forever disfigured after nearly losing her life. After a lengthy stay in the hospital, she returns to her job only to find that she has been reduced the most humiliating of tasks due to her altered appearance and lost desirability.

Scarlett then decides there is nothing she will not do to regain her beauty, and there is so much firm, young skin at her disposal to use...

This is one of the most well-written and multi-layered extreme novellas I have had the pleasure of reading. The story is filled with twists, turns, and surprises. Highly recommended!

[Catriona Mowat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found Scar to be a really promising debut. The story is strong and the main character is well developed: the good and the bad. You feel for Scarlett no matter what she is doing on the pages. I do wish we had seen more of Evelyn and the relationship between her and Scarlett as I think that would have been good to really see the vulnerable side of the character and contrast with the violence and gore.

I think some parts of the story could have been fleshed out a bit more (see what I did there), as it was ultimately a little anti-climactic for me, but I think this was a really strong start and I am looking forward to seeing what Lula does next in the body horror world. She has a really good understanding of timing and description. Essentially, I think with a little polishing, Lula could well be a household name in the indie horror world

[Keir Arts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been getting into splatterpunk and indie horror this last year. I've read some excellent titles from a lot of gifted authors. Perusing Facebook where there's a great community of authors happy to suggest and recommend good reads.
So I picked up Lula's debut book for a long journey home from visiting relatives. I'm glad I did. Not only to you get a genuine page turner and some genuinely messed up moments that'll turn your stomach (and let's face it, if your a horror hound this is what you want) but the author manages to deliver genuine humanity and pathos with her characters that make you care about them. The central character who could so easily be a one dimensional bitch in the wrong hands, has real trauma and heartbreak and you'll find yourself sympathetic to her in spite of the monstrous things she does.
One I happily recommend. Buy it as soon as possible.

[GoodRevTom · Rating 5 out of 5]

An impressive first outing by Lula Von Goth. A tale of gruesome revenge sparked by the destruction of one's external (and self) image.

The story goes into the mental damage we do to ourselves and allow others to do to us. Finding our image as our only source of self worth and a warning as to the repercussions of doing so.

This is a quick and brutal tale that has you changing how you feel about Scarlett, the main character, by the end.

Enjoy the brutality but let the message stick with you.

I hope this is alright, I want to finish this brief review with the author's opening quote:

"Dedicated to everyone who has ever looked in a mirror and felt they weren't enough. You absolutely are and always will be."

-Lula Von Goth "Scar"