Eve of Screams

Devil's Night Duet

by S.J. Ryder

Eve despises Halloween due to the tragic events of her past. But this year on Devil's Night, her best friend, Hellena encourages her to let loose and have fun. Eve lets down her guard for the night, leading her to be separated from her best friend and at the mercy of a devious scare actor who's been watching her from afar for almost twenty years.

Will she make it out alive? Or does her life end here, on the same fateful night it was supposed to end all those years ago?

The Devil's Night Duet consists of Eve of Screams and Hell's Hallow. They are standalone reads and can be read in any order.

Genres: Dark Romance, Novella, Halloween

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2024

About the author

SJ Ryder is a dark romance author from New Jersey. She has written through many periods of her life but since finding dark romance, it has been the number one thing that helped lead her onto her current path. SJ loves writing morally grey characters but also wants to use her writing platform to show all different scenarios, relationships, and backgrounds. Her stories may have you questioning your morals (in a good way...of course).

Reviews

[destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

how the actual hell does one novella pack such a punch 😍

i’m completely obsessed with with sj and her writing !! thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to arc read this novella 🖤🖤 if you’re a fan of dark erotic horror, knife play, blood play, scare actor x festival goer, lots of yummy spice, GET THIS ON YOUR TBR !!!

i literally could stop reading omg ! this novella had me by the throat from the very beginning. it’s the perfect novella for spooky season. short, spicy, and dark 🥵

lots of unhinged thoughts from the mmc, rex and the way he’s so obsessed with eve !! this man literally saved her life all those years ago and was stalking her every move ever since. he’s finally out to claim what’s his, even if it’s for one night only … or is it 👀

🌶️🌶️🌶️ (THE COFFIN GLORY HOLE ?!) i can’t look or think about a coffin the same

[Book Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was exactly what I needed it to be! A smutty unhinged time! Thank you SJ for sending me an ARC! I ate this shit up like it was my fucking job!

[kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rex got me hyperventilating out here. We love an antiheroooooooo

run me over w a car bc that was the hottest shit I ever read in my life. Goodbye 😮‍💨

[Ransyd Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good quick horror smut book. Love me some SJ how ever I can get it!

[Amoyisreadingxoxo · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO. OBSESSED.
RTC🤭🫠

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point anything SJ writes I’m 10000000% going to drop everything and read BECAUSE WHAT THE FUUUUUCK ???? This was EASILY a 5 star read for me. I’m already OBSESSED with Daddy Emmett from PLF, which btw if you haven’t…. GO READ IT 😩😩😩😩 but my god Rex !?!?? I. WANT. HIM.

“Tonight she will finally be mine”

This is super spicy and spooky novella that I honestly finished in one sitting 🙂‍↔️. It’s one of those you just get hooked from the very beginning like it was just TOO GOOD !!! And I LOVED that there was so much spice yet still a plot to it because you don’t see that often in novellas.

“I’m not going to hurt you. At least not too much anyways.”

AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE SPICE BECAUSE 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨 I was OBSESSED with this entire book honestly but the spice was *chef kiss*. Rex was honestly my favorite character in this book. Im always so feral for an unhinged obsessed MMC and this man was no different 🙂‍↔️ he was perfect, 10s all around 🤌🏻 I want Sexy Rexy and I am absolutely reading the next book 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

“You are so perfect, my little plaything. You fucked me up forever. I hope I did the same to you”

5 ★
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

*halloween novella
*unhinged obsessed MMC
*knife and blood play

[✿ Deanna Lea ✿ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The 'Eye of Screams' by S.J Ryder is a sexy dark eroctic horror novella that will leave you wanting more 👀🥵

Holy shit this was so good. Like hold on because your going on an unhinged dark sexy ride 😈

Rex, oh how perfectly pscho and unhinged you are ...😍

This truly had me swooning and blushing. I loved this from start to finsh . I wanted more. It was so good 😍

Thank you S.J for allowing me to read and review ❤️

[liciloureads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect spooky read! This is for anyone who enjoys dark romance and spooky vibes. Super quick read & SPICY🥵 Rex is everything 🖤 I am excited to read the next book in thgis duet!

[Moony Luve · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s an amazing little spooky novella.
Fast read.
Superrrr hot
A really good storyline.

[fae.reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨4.5✨

One word. YUM!!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“No screaming, Eve. The only way your mouth is open is if your lips are wrapped around my cock and swallowing it.”

This is a quick and short read that I was able to finish in one sitting and I really enjoyed every minute of it. SJ Riley writes in a way that just has me hooked from the very start. Because of it being a novella, it is fast paced and you get to the good nitty gritty parts right away.

“I give you orders and you follow them. What did I say about making noise? And to think I just praised you for being an obedient little whore. Looks like you’ve got a lot to learn tonight.”

Eve went through a traumatic experience as a child and because of that she is scared of Hallows Eve. Rex is the one that helped Eve all those years ago and he has become obsessed with her over the years. She owes him her life after all and tonight he will be claiming what belongs to him. Afterall, he has been patiently waiting for almost 2 decades for it.

“I’m going to keep my cock in your mouth until I feel you swallow every drop. You should know the deal by now yeah?”

You do not want to miss this Novela. It is HOT, steamy, really smutty and full of all the good triggers. I am so happy I was able to read this and I cannot wait to see what else SJ Riley writes. Now I have to patiently wait for the duet to come out. Eves Of Scream will be available on November 1st, so pre-order it now so you can read it when it comes out.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok. hear me out!
A Halloween novella that knocks you out with a hot AF unhinged antihero, a black cat FMC with a dark past…. A corn maze and so so much delicious and twisted spice that has you eating it up!

When you need a quick, engaging, dark, spicy read.. this one definitely yogis all of the boxes! I read this in one sitting!

Tropes include:
Stalking
Knife / blood play
Scare actor
Buried alive
Devils night
Coffin glory hole
Shared past

Eve gets peer pressured by her best friend into attending an annual festival on devils night, even though she absolutely hates Hallows Eve, and for good reason.
Forcing herself to be a good friend, she follows along, only to realise later that she has fallen into her stalkers carefully laid out trap.

Our crazed MMC Rex, is tired of waiting and ready to take what is rightfully his.

“Trick or treat, my little plaything”

It’s a wild ride, but so good.

Happy reading
😊😈🕯️

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was freaking HOT & a quick short novella for this Halloween season. We have corn maze, a demon scareactor - stalker unhinge mmc.

This hit all the points for me !!!

Eve has hated Halloween since she was young and with good reason but her best friend LOVES it and she wants to be there supporting her bff doing all the Halloween szn activities from pumpkin picking, haunted houses to corn maze!

Will this corn maze experience change her views on this holiday or is she fvcking DONE ! You have to read because I’m not giving it away!

This was fvcking good spice, a nice little suspenseful moment spooky novella

[Mel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Often times, novellas seem like they're very rushed or they lack a lot of plot, especially with spicier novellas. That was not the case with Eve of Screams. I expected this to, obviously, contain a lot of spice, and it did🔥🔥 but I did not expect the amount of plot that S.J. Ryder also included. About the FMC's life in the past, how the FMC and MMC 'met', etc.

I read this within an hour..devoured it. It kept my attention the entire time, from page one. It kind of felt similar to reading No Place to Hide by Harper Ashley, with a slight mix of H.D. Carlton to it, maybe. It is pretty dark. Not as dark as others, but still definitely read the trigger warnings!

[Ellie Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little Halloween novella. Who doesn’t love hot spicy, fun little novellas.

Even hates Halloween because of her trauma. But her best friend wants to go to a corn maze. She does it for her.

Rex is a scare actor working at the corn maze. He also knows Eve from her past. One crazy night with blood play, breath play, knife play, Somnophelia and amazing orgasms will change Eve’s life forever.

I absolutely loved Rex and Eve’s interaction and I cannot wait for more.

This is a hot, spicy, crazy little Halloween novella is perfect for spooky season.

[emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙜𝙤, 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙞𝙩'𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.

The perfect little Halloween novella for dark romance readers. This had the perfect amount of spice and plot. Short, dark and so crazy hot 🥵 If you love an unhinged masked man then this is for you because Rex took crazy to another level. I need more of these characters because I’m obsessed! And make sure you check those triggers 😮‍💨

"𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩, 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜?"

🔪 𝕂𝕟𝕚𝕗𝕖 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪
⚰️ 𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕 ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪
🔪 𝕊𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕠𝕣 𝕏 𝔽𝕖𝕤𝕥𝕚𝕧𝕒𝕝 𝔾𝕠𝕖𝕣
⚰️ ℂ𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕚𝕟 𝔾𝕝𝕠𝕣𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕝𝕖
🔪 𝔻𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕝’𝕤 ℕ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

umm a smutty unhinged erotic halloween novella.. count me in! I didn't want this to end. The way I need more sexy rexy 😏 this story was unhinged and spicy just how I love it 🫠
I really enjoy you're writing S.J. Ryder! I also arc read Sinful Little Lies of Yours and absolutely loved it. Cannot wait to read Pretty Little Fears because I haven't yet! 🖤
So glad to have a signed copy of this novella 🫶 This was my first physical book in a long while and it did not disappoint! 🔥🖤
This is a perfect read for Halloween! 🎃
* as always check your triggers *

[Sarah Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off I loved the characters and I loved the whole backstory. And if you love your spice to plot ratio heavy on the smut you'll love this. The problem is that firstly I was distracted by the fact that there was a lot of typos throughout. So it could have done with more editing. And secondly, it just became a bit much. The guy was having so many happy endings back to back I was starting to wonder if she was just dreaming it 🤣. And sadly at this point, coupled with the typos, it went from a 4☆ to a 3.

[Tori Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Trick or treat, my little plaything?”

Rex you can call me Little Plaything anytime you like 🤤

I swear SJ went into a tool shed and said eeny meeny miny moe on what tools to use and honestly I’m here for it 🤭 you’ll have to read it to know what goes where 😉

This was such a great quick and fast paced read and it was definitely a great book to finish the month of October!

Run and read this book it will not disappoint 🤤

[Tyler Embery]

Sooooo!
SJ, you bloody smashed this book! I knew you would be, but sweet lord... I WASNT READY!
I was excited going into this, but I was curious to know how different it would be to Pretty Little Fears.

Boy. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

REX ...... WHAT A MAN!!!

Rex is your typical morally grey man! 😍 that scene with the Hatchet? MY OH MY 😍😍

If you love dark romance, morally grey men, masked men, Halloween vibes .... YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK YESTERDAY!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sharp… and deliciously dark. Omg where to start… this novella was absolutely DELICIOUS, I ate it UP! It was the perfect spooky sexy read I needed.
Rex was pure perfection, I couldn’t put it down. I flew through it so fast. The spice was top tier, it was intense, and gripping. Loved it so much.

Amazing.

Super easy 5 star read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Kaneisha Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is a must read for all my lovers of unhinged, wild, wtf reads but with the ultimate Halloween/scary movie vibe. This perfectly caught the vibes for spooky season but really a horror movie energy throughout the whole read. It was spicy and had me questioning if something was wrong with me 🤣

[Chrissy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶️🌶️🌶️

These short novellas are so, so good and Eve Of Screams is on that list.

This is Eve and Rex’s story. Eve goes to a Halloween festival complete with a corn maze, there she meets Rex, a scare worker, who is tied to Eve’s traumatic past….

Can’t say too much as it would give the story away, but I highly recommend this for a quick, fun read.

[Sam B · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a deliciously hot ride that I didn’t want to end. A spicy treat for Halloween that will leave you begging for more. Did I mention it has a coffin glory hole? If that’s not enough for you, a possessive masked stalker. Rex. The epitome of dark, mysterious and twisted. But also hot as sin.
You know those books that leave you questioning your sanity…yeah this is one of them. It was a mix of perfection and pleasure. And yes, I read it twice.

[Demmy Van Heilsing · Rating 5 out of 5]

No because the knife play in this book is no joke. ❤️❤️🔥 Sexy Rexy Scissorhands the erotic Halloween hero we all need.

[Tiffany Trivette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fucking spicy Halloween novella 🥵

Sexy Rexy Scissorhands… I’d like to know more about you. 👀

[Mia Lockhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc review
Thank you for the opportunity to read your novel it was a quick read and I loved the whole book I had told some friends about it.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! The spice was right up my alley; dark & delicious. And though it was a quick read, I loved every second of it.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Short, spicy Halloween shenanigans. 😈🎃🖤