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Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs
Dangerous creatures, neglected kids and dejected employees face the weird, odd and perilous. Enter a world where possessed pageant girls get their revenge, a pigeon leads to an underground cult, and a video game mod threatens to unleash hell itself. Enjoy fourteen stories of spite, mischief, and malevolence!
158 pages, Paperback
Published August 13, 2024
1 person is currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Gransden
22 books259 followersThis author has always lived by the sea.
She tends to write about the edges of things so if you inhabit the fringes you may find something to like.
If you are interested in reading any of her books then send her a message and she'll get it to you in the digital format (PDF, MOBI, or eBook) of your choice.
Fellow indies - feel free to get in touch.
She tends to write about the edges of things so if you inhabit the fringes you may find something to like.
If you are interested in reading any of her books then send her a message and she'll get it to you in the digital format (PDF, MOBI, or eBook) of your choice.
Fellow indies - feel free to get in touch.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 10, 2025
Rebecca Gransden's imagination clearly knows no bounds. Even when she is toying with genre tropes, her take is always unique and cleverly realized. These stories are more horror-oriented than the other work of hers that I've read, and they don't disappoint. I feel certain she could successfully write in any genre.
February 26, 2025
Looking for weirdo/absurdist horror that flirts with gore and camouflages its dark shadows with glittery distractions? Well, you came to the right place! What I liked most about this collection is the wild dissonance between tone and content. That is to say, these don’t read with the style or tone of normal horror stories, not even gonzo or absurdist horror stories. The read with the sensibility of afternoon cartoons, as bright colors and upbeat music. But the content doesn’t match that tone, the content is violent and biting commentary, dark and sometimes cynical. Then you realize the giant smiles are painted on, and things only seem normal because you’ve been looking in a funhouse mirror.
Does any of that make sense? These stories are dark and use absurdist and surreal narratives to scratch at horrors—some every day and quotidian, others buried deep—but either way things that most would sooner look away from. It is a really wonderful juxtaposition, and it makes the instances where there is explicit violence and gore stand out in even greater relief. I think there is a fundamental throughline of loneliness moving through these stories, along with ideas about power and how it is abused, how manipulation and capitulation share an emotional space.
I will say that some of the actual writing held me back from loving these stories. The tone and style and pacing all felt intentional and I enjoyed them, but sometimes the prose itself felt a little awkward, like it needed a little more polishing. It could be that it is intentionally stylized and not to my taste, which might be the case, but it felt a little clunky in places and made me feel even more distance from the stories. Since the stories are already absurd and unconventional and a little malevolent I want the writing to pull me in, to make me complicit with not only these characters but also with whatever perversion is happening, and it didn’t do that, at least not for me.
This is a quick collection, 14 stories, all of them with interesting ideas that you are going to think about after you turn the page. None of them are especially long and they definitely punch above their weight. The absurdism and general tone are effective and disconcerting, and it is certainly worth your attention if you like your horror dark and weird.
(Rounded up)
I want to thank the author, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Does any of that make sense? These stories are dark and use absurdist and surreal narratives to scratch at horrors—some every day and quotidian, others buried deep—but either way things that most would sooner look away from. It is a really wonderful juxtaposition, and it makes the instances where there is explicit violence and gore stand out in even greater relief. I think there is a fundamental throughline of loneliness moving through these stories, along with ideas about power and how it is abused, how manipulation and capitulation share an emotional space.
I will say that some of the actual writing held me back from loving these stories. The tone and style and pacing all felt intentional and I enjoyed them, but sometimes the prose itself felt a little awkward, like it needed a little more polishing. It could be that it is intentionally stylized and not to my taste, which might be the case, but it felt a little clunky in places and made me feel even more distance from the stories. Since the stories are already absurd and unconventional and a little malevolent I want the writing to pull me in, to make me complicit with not only these characters but also with whatever perversion is happening, and it didn’t do that, at least not for me.
This is a quick collection, 14 stories, all of them with interesting ideas that you are going to think about after you turn the page. None of them are especially long and they definitely punch above their weight. The absurdism and general tone are effective and disconcerting, and it is certainly worth your attention if you like your horror dark and weird.
(Rounded up)
I want to thank the author, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 25, 2025
Thank you to the author Rebecca Gransden for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
I struggled with this one a bit. I'm such a fan of weird/absurd horror, so this should have been the perfect book for me. However, I often found myself confused when reading the stories. I had to read things over several times to keep up, and still I couldn't follow at certain points. I do think that's partially my own problem as someone who doesn't frequently read short story collections—it was hard to get immersed in the stories.
Even with my confusion, there was no doubt in my mind that Gransden is a talented writer. She is able to craft such captivating sentences on a structural level. A lot of her descriptions were truly horrifying. I would like to read a full length novel from her at some point to see if that helps with some of the issues I was having.
My favorite story was SparrowEyes. I think Gransden is at her best when she leans into folk horror. The creepy setting of the cabin in the woods with a creature lurking just beyond the trees really worked for me, and I loved the twist at the end. In contrast, I was not a fan of the stories that seemed to have commentary on technology. ReWipe felt out of touch for me. Although the descriptions of body horror were some of the best from the collection, I found the story's message of how the youth of today can't function without social media to be heavy-handed. I agree that's an important issue, but it didn't work for me in this format.
Overall, I believe there are a few hidden gems in here. When I say it's weird, trust that it's weird. As I said above, I'm interested to check out a full length novel by Gransden in the future. Thanks again for the opportunity to review!
I struggled with this one a bit. I'm such a fan of weird/absurd horror, so this should have been the perfect book for me. However, I often found myself confused when reading the stories. I had to read things over several times to keep up, and still I couldn't follow at certain points. I do think that's partially my own problem as someone who doesn't frequently read short story collections—it was hard to get immersed in the stories.
Even with my confusion, there was no doubt in my mind that Gransden is a talented writer. She is able to craft such captivating sentences on a structural level. A lot of her descriptions were truly horrifying. I would like to read a full length novel from her at some point to see if that helps with some of the issues I was having.
My favorite story was SparrowEyes. I think Gransden is at her best when she leans into folk horror. The creepy setting of the cabin in the woods with a creature lurking just beyond the trees really worked for me, and I loved the twist at the end. In contrast, I was not a fan of the stories that seemed to have commentary on technology. ReWipe felt out of touch for me. Although the descriptions of body horror were some of the best from the collection, I found the story's message of how the youth of today can't function without social media to be heavy-handed. I agree that's an important issue, but it didn't work for me in this format.
Overall, I believe there are a few hidden gems in here. When I say it's weird, trust that it's weird. As I said above, I'm interested to check out a full length novel by Gransden in the future. Thanks again for the opportunity to review!
April 5, 2025
My previous experience with Rebecca Gransden's fiction was with Rusticles, a collection of wild surreal writings. Happy Bunny is slightly different in that there's quite a bit of horror in between the surrealist stories.
To be honest I thought the eccentric tales were more effective than the horror ones. Stories like War Cannibal and Pageant were such gore orgies (Gore-gy) that I tuned out midway because they didn't really seem to go anywhere. The horror stories I did like, however, were Sparrow Eyes and Fuck It Cat, both of which were suspensefully plotted.
The non-horror stories like Gut Punch, Seeping Willow and Cannon Fodder made a bigger impression on me. Actually, I'm still thinking about those stories a week after reading them, so they definitely hit a nerve. At any rate, Happy Bunny is a powerful collection of stories that'll stay with you for a long time, and that's what good fiction does.
To be honest I thought the eccentric tales were more effective than the horror ones. Stories like War Cannibal and Pageant were such gore orgies (Gore-gy) that I tuned out midway because they didn't really seem to go anywhere. The horror stories I did like, however, were Sparrow Eyes and Fuck It Cat, both of which were suspensefully plotted.
The non-horror stories like Gut Punch, Seeping Willow and Cannon Fodder made a bigger impression on me. Actually, I'm still thinking about those stories a week after reading them, so they definitely hit a nerve. At any rate, Happy Bunny is a powerful collection of stories that'll stay with you for a long time, and that's what good fiction does.
November 2, 2024
This is a unique collection of horror stories which highlight the weird, the creepy, and the outer edges of sanity.
How so, you ask? Well, the first story features a living turducken and the titular story, Happy Bunny reads like a dream on an acid trip. I mean that in a good way of course because these tales just work.
There are some more straight forward horror stories in here but I think the ones on the edge of realism really make this book shine.
From bored teens who take a ride in a unique car to a man caught in a bizarre sex ritual while he's taking care of a friend's pigeon...yes, pigeon. It's stories like these which start in one direction and then deftly turn into something so peculiar your mind gets whiplash!
This is an excellent collection and I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
How so, you ask? Well, the first story features a living turducken and the titular story, Happy Bunny reads like a dream on an acid trip. I mean that in a good way of course because these tales just work.
There are some more straight forward horror stories in here but I think the ones on the edge of realism really make this book shine.
From bored teens who take a ride in a unique car to a man caught in a bizarre sex ritual while he's taking care of a friend's pigeon...yes, pigeon. It's stories like these which start in one direction and then deftly turn into something so peculiar your mind gets whiplash!
This is an excellent collection and I highly recommend it.
I received a copy of this book from the author. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
November 1, 2024
Gransden places highly plausible protagonists in extreme or inexplicable situations, creating a series of tales where mind and body face being tortured or broken.
This book collects fourteen short stories of horror and the surreal.
‘Turducken: Confirm Humanity’. A three-fowl roasting joint tears free of its packaging and sets out to find its purpose in life.
‘Seeping Willow’. Sick of the blackouts from the ‘vitamins’ his mother forces him to take and her emotional abuse, Tom agrees to his cousin’s plan to escape.
‘Slug Slick’. A young man introduces his brother to the prank of making trucks briefly lose traction; but instead of the trucks that usually pass by the next vehicle is the rarest performance car in the world.
‘ReWipe’. After the explosion of social media sharing leads to a desperate craving for something people haven’t seen before, two men catalogue the last few old home movies that aren’t already publicly available on line.
‘The Disco Rice Club’. A rubbish man is inducted into a secret society devoted to maggot-related thefts.
‘Pageant’. Caught between her mother’s claim the pageant judges are blind for not seeing the routine is perfect and her mother’s demands she practice until she is perfect, a young dancer finds a way to embody the chaos.
‘SparrowEyes’. Going to a cabin in the woods in off-season doesn’t sound that fun to Mitch but his wife and her friends want to recreate the holiday where they first met.
‘Gut Punch’. Sick of the creepy woman always lurking outside their school or following them around, a group of girls decide to teach her a lesson.
‘Cannon Fodder’. After escaping from a spree killer, a woman decides to carry out a cruel demonstration of humanity’s true selfishness.
‘The Boredom Drive’. A serial killer filled with a sense everything is purposeless discovers even his choices might not be his own.
‘Fuck It Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell’. When a stranger just gives him a next-gen console with an unfamiliar game installed, a young man is unsurprised it won’t connect to the internet—until he realises it might have connected to something else instead.
‘War Cannibal’. Mother Tongue and her cult ride the wasteland, taking food from the survivors when they have it and their flesh when they don’t.
‘Pigeon Clinic’. A minor criminal agrees to take an acquaintances pigeon to the vet, only to discover he is expected to spend the night in a flat above the surgery as part of some strange and complex ritual.
‘Happy Bunny’. Happy Bunny has spent his life in the same small room, only leaving when the portal opens to another job portraying a rabbit in a series or film; at first he was overjoyed at the opportunity then resigned, but now he is plagued by the sense he was something else before he was a plush bunny.
The stories span a range of genres including body horror, occultism, crime thriller, science-fiction, and the simply weird. However—while they do not all feature pain and gore—many of them are highly visceral in plot or narrative style, giving the collection a noticeable theme of flesh being brutalised. Gransden’s prose is crisp and nuanced, either playing the descriptions straight or evoking a dark humour rather than allowing the stories to collapse into tawdry shock for the sake of it or puerile gross-out gags.
The individuation and freshness of each of these horrors is enhanced by Gransden’s skilful interspersing of the stories that portray a less visceral horror, or some surreal but not horrific chain of events, and thus both provide a break from the gore and a contrast that enhances it when it comes again.
Although the stories do heavily feature the extreme, the weird, and the unexplained, each is focused around a single deviation from normality rather than introducing multiple unconnected changes; thus, the stories have the tension of watching the veneer of assumption torn aside to reveal a less comforting world rather than the laxity of a world where anything and everything can just happen.
In contrast to the surreal aspects of the world, Gransden’s protagonists are—save for the sentient roasting joint—realistic portrayals of humanity, albeit not always empathetic characters. Thus, while readers might not actively wish all of them to succeed, they are likely to wish to know how they will react to the strangeness of events.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection. I recommend it to readers seeking tales where morality and society are no armour for the fragility of human flesh and sanity.
I received a free copy from the author with a request for a fair review.
This book collects fourteen short stories of horror and the surreal.
‘Turducken: Confirm Humanity’. A three-fowl roasting joint tears free of its packaging and sets out to find its purpose in life.
‘Seeping Willow’. Sick of the blackouts from the ‘vitamins’ his mother forces him to take and her emotional abuse, Tom agrees to his cousin’s plan to escape.
‘Slug Slick’. A young man introduces his brother to the prank of making trucks briefly lose traction; but instead of the trucks that usually pass by the next vehicle is the rarest performance car in the world.
‘ReWipe’. After the explosion of social media sharing leads to a desperate craving for something people haven’t seen before, two men catalogue the last few old home movies that aren’t already publicly available on line.
‘The Disco Rice Club’. A rubbish man is inducted into a secret society devoted to maggot-related thefts.
‘Pageant’. Caught between her mother’s claim the pageant judges are blind for not seeing the routine is perfect and her mother’s demands she practice until she is perfect, a young dancer finds a way to embody the chaos.
‘SparrowEyes’. Going to a cabin in the woods in off-season doesn’t sound that fun to Mitch but his wife and her friends want to recreate the holiday where they first met.
‘Gut Punch’. Sick of the creepy woman always lurking outside their school or following them around, a group of girls decide to teach her a lesson.
‘Cannon Fodder’. After escaping from a spree killer, a woman decides to carry out a cruel demonstration of humanity’s true selfishness.
‘The Boredom Drive’. A serial killer filled with a sense everything is purposeless discovers even his choices might not be his own.
‘Fuck It Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell’. When a stranger just gives him a next-gen console with an unfamiliar game installed, a young man is unsurprised it won’t connect to the internet—until he realises it might have connected to something else instead.
‘War Cannibal’. Mother Tongue and her cult ride the wasteland, taking food from the survivors when they have it and their flesh when they don’t.
‘Pigeon Clinic’. A minor criminal agrees to take an acquaintances pigeon to the vet, only to discover he is expected to spend the night in a flat above the surgery as part of some strange and complex ritual.
‘Happy Bunny’. Happy Bunny has spent his life in the same small room, only leaving when the portal opens to another job portraying a rabbit in a series or film; at first he was overjoyed at the opportunity then resigned, but now he is plagued by the sense he was something else before he was a plush bunny.
The stories span a range of genres including body horror, occultism, crime thriller, science-fiction, and the simply weird. However—while they do not all feature pain and gore—many of them are highly visceral in plot or narrative style, giving the collection a noticeable theme of flesh being brutalised. Gransden’s prose is crisp and nuanced, either playing the descriptions straight or evoking a dark humour rather than allowing the stories to collapse into tawdry shock for the sake of it or puerile gross-out gags.
The individuation and freshness of each of these horrors is enhanced by Gransden’s skilful interspersing of the stories that portray a less visceral horror, or some surreal but not horrific chain of events, and thus both provide a break from the gore and a contrast that enhances it when it comes again.
Although the stories do heavily feature the extreme, the weird, and the unexplained, each is focused around a single deviation from normality rather than introducing multiple unconnected changes; thus, the stories have the tension of watching the veneer of assumption torn aside to reveal a less comforting world rather than the laxity of a world where anything and everything can just happen.
In contrast to the surreal aspects of the world, Gransden’s protagonists are—save for the sentient roasting joint—realistic portrayals of humanity, albeit not always empathetic characters. Thus, while readers might not actively wish all of them to succeed, they are likely to wish to know how they will react to the strangeness of events.
Overall, I enjoyed this collection. I recommend it to readers seeking tales where morality and society are no armour for the fragility of human flesh and sanity.
I received a free copy from the author with a request for a fair review.
October 31, 2024
This book was wild!
In reading this I have taken a surreal trip through strange worlds beginning with a sentient Turducken that has escaped its packaging and discovered the internet.
A boy is helped out of his abusive home life by his cousin.
There is a video game console unlike any other, that empowers real-life avatars with incredible abilities.
A prank goes way too far in Slug Slick
Stage-Mothers lose the upper hand in Pageant
Friends who share an ulterior motive take a road trip down memory lane in SparrowEyes
A group of "mean girls" get physical with an unfortunate woman who has a shocking secret in Gut Punch.
These are stories of the strange and macabre, unlike anything I have ever read before. Rebecca Gransden has created a unique and unnerving collection.
My thanks to the author for the ARC
In reading this I have taken a surreal trip through strange worlds beginning with a sentient Turducken that has escaped its packaging and discovered the internet.
A boy is helped out of his abusive home life by his cousin.
There is a video game console unlike any other, that empowers real-life avatars with incredible abilities.
A prank goes way too far in Slug Slick
Stage-Mothers lose the upper hand in Pageant
Friends who share an ulterior motive take a road trip down memory lane in SparrowEyes
A group of "mean girls" get physical with an unfortunate woman who has a shocking secret in Gut Punch.
These are stories of the strange and macabre, unlike anything I have ever read before. Rebecca Gransden has created a unique and unnerving collection.
My thanks to the author for the ARC
January 22, 2025
This was my first taste of horror, and it was weeeeiiiirrrddd.
With a short story collection there was always going to be variety, and the fact that many different facets of horror were covered made it even more so.
I'm going to go story by story and give a quick review of each.
Turducken - I didn't really like this story as the way it was told I didn't enjoy. I couldn't tell what was real and what was imaginary and the style inhibited my enjoyment of the story. 2*
Seeping Willow - A grim realistic story of familial abuse. This was much more grounded in reality, and I like how it didn't go into graphic detail at the end. 4*
Slug Slick - I really really liked the start of this. The ending I thought was a bit strange but still pretty cool. I loved the character voice in this. 4*
ReWipe - This had an interesting voice, but then it got weird, and not in a way that I enjoyed. It also felt too short - 2*
The Disco Rice Club - I loved the normal people involved in this story, but again I found the style got in the way of me understanding what was going on at the end. The jumping around in time also didn't work for me in such a short story. 3*
Pageant - A fun idea but too short to really hit home with anything. 3*
Sparroweyes - This was my favourite story. Normal people seemingly doing normal things. Then they do horrible supernatural things but still as if it were an everyday occurrence. Really strong voice here, and I loved the monster. 5*
Gut Punch - Very short and sickening. Great character voice, though the twist didn't work for me. 2*
Cannon Fodder - Loved the voice here. Loved the ideas involved. The ending felt rushed and a bit disappointing. This could def be a whole story. 4*
The Boredom Drive - An interesting concept where again I found the style got in the way of the story telling. I wanted more of the mystery and instead got a lot of dialogue that I felt wasn't needed. 2*
F*ck it Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell - Loved this story. Loved the set up. The mystery. The character taking realistic action and finding out the history. Perfect pacing and length. 5*
War Cannibal - Felt very derivative of Mad Max. I do like Mad Max though. 2*
Pigeon Clinic - I loved set up of this. It then got really weeeeird, and not in a way that I enjoyed too much. 3*
Happy Bunny - What an interesting and weird concept. I wanted more of this. I still couldn't really figure out what was happening a lot of the time. 4*
That brings the average to 2.8 or something. There were some stories where they just needed to be a bit longer and there was a bit more to get out of an idea (Pageant and Gut Punch come to mind) and others where it was so stylized that it inhibited my enjoyment of the story because it was so weird.
I did find no grammar or proofreading errors, which I think is a first for a self-pub book I've read.
I received this book for free from the author and this review is all my own opinion.
With a short story collection there was always going to be variety, and the fact that many different facets of horror were covered made it even more so.
I'm going to go story by story and give a quick review of each.
Turducken - I didn't really like this story as the way it was told I didn't enjoy. I couldn't tell what was real and what was imaginary and the style inhibited my enjoyment of the story. 2*
Seeping Willow - A grim realistic story of familial abuse. This was much more grounded in reality, and I like how it didn't go into graphic detail at the end. 4*
Slug Slick - I really really liked the start of this. The ending I thought was a bit strange but still pretty cool. I loved the character voice in this. 4*
ReWipe - This had an interesting voice, but then it got weird, and not in a way that I enjoyed. It also felt too short - 2*
The Disco Rice Club - I loved the normal people involved in this story, but again I found the style got in the way of me understanding what was going on at the end. The jumping around in time also didn't work for me in such a short story. 3*
Pageant - A fun idea but too short to really hit home with anything. 3*
Sparroweyes - This was my favourite story. Normal people seemingly doing normal things. Then they do horrible supernatural things but still as if it were an everyday occurrence. Really strong voice here, and I loved the monster. 5*
Gut Punch - Very short and sickening. Great character voice, though the twist didn't work for me. 2*
Cannon Fodder - Loved the voice here. Loved the ideas involved. The ending felt rushed and a bit disappointing. This could def be a whole story. 4*
The Boredom Drive - An interesting concept where again I found the style got in the way of the story telling. I wanted more of the mystery and instead got a lot of dialogue that I felt wasn't needed. 2*
F*ck it Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell - Loved this story. Loved the set up. The mystery. The character taking realistic action and finding out the history. Perfect pacing and length. 5*
War Cannibal - Felt very derivative of Mad Max. I do like Mad Max though. 2*
Pigeon Clinic - I loved set up of this. It then got really weeeeird, and not in a way that I enjoyed too much. 3*
Happy Bunny - What an interesting and weird concept. I wanted more of this. I still couldn't really figure out what was happening a lot of the time. 4*
That brings the average to 2.8 or something. There were some stories where they just needed to be a bit longer and there was a bit more to get out of an idea (Pageant and Gut Punch come to mind) and others where it was so stylized that it inhibited my enjoyment of the story because it was so weird.
I did find no grammar or proofreading errors, which I think is a first for a self-pub book I've read.
I received this book for free from the author and this review is all my own opinion.
May 5, 2025
What I Did Like:
+The author leaves a lot of the thinking to the reader. Clearly, the author believes readers of this book are smart and don’t need everything spelled out for them. That’s fun! My favorite books are always ones that let me think or leave me thinking.
+The stories are satisfyingly dark and odd. There are unexpected things and most of those are about the worst you could imagine or expect. My personal favorite was SparrowEyes.
+None of the stories goes on longer than they should. They’re all quick and get to the point.
Who Should Read This One:
-Horror fans who enjoy a short story that isn’t afraid to try out dark ideas.
My Rating: 3 Stars
Although niche because of the dark nature of the stories, these are interesting for fans of the genre.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/05/...
+The author leaves a lot of the thinking to the reader. Clearly, the author believes readers of this book are smart and don’t need everything spelled out for them. That’s fun! My favorite books are always ones that let me think or leave me thinking.
+The stories are satisfyingly dark and odd. There are unexpected things and most of those are about the worst you could imagine or expect. My personal favorite was SparrowEyes.
+None of the stories goes on longer than they should. They’re all quick and get to the point.
Who Should Read This One:
-Horror fans who enjoy a short story that isn’t afraid to try out dark ideas.
My Rating: 3 Stars
Although niche because of the dark nature of the stories, these are interesting for fans of the genre.
For Full Review: https://alltherightreads.com/2025/05/...
December 29, 2024
HAPPY BUNNY AND OTHER MISCHIEFS
Rebecca Gransden
October 30, 2024
Cardboard Wall Empire
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello again, all you horror fiends! It’s your old pal Skull with Happy Bunny and other Mischiefs, a new short story collection from Rebecca Gransden. Behind the grainy security camera footage cover readers will find themselves immersed in a Bizarro universe made up of fourteen stories that strike like an angry scorpion on LSD that’s been hiding in your sleeping bag. Gransden has the uncanny ability of turning the everyday into something terrifying in just a few short pages. So, if you’re looking for weird, follow me into the darkness…
Things kick of with, Turducken: Confirm Humanity. If you’re not familiar with what a turducken is, look it up for the best understanding of what this feisty little tale is trying to illustrate. When this multi-layered creature escapes a transport, it decides to do its best to fit in and create a delightful feast of what it finds in the wild. The guests are certainly in for a surprise!
In Canon Fodder we meet a person who enjoys inducing riots by shooting money out of a confetti canon in busy public spaces. She enjoys the injuries, violence, and deaths caused by the frantic scrabble for cash. But when a rival gang decides that she’s just a little too good at what she does, they come up with a grisly final assignment.
As a former professional driver of 18-wheelers and delivery vans, I’m not a big fan of sharing the road with self-driving cars. They may be presented to the media as the next great thing, but brothers Yuri and Dimos find out how terrifying these vehicles are (and who’s really in control) in the story Slug Slick.
Not even municipal street cleaners are safe in their noble but filthy profession. They have to be alert for the dangers of Disco Rice! Most of the workers just do their time, clock out, and leave the grossness behind. But a few twisted individuals have formed The Disco Rice Club and taken obsession to a whole new level of strange.
In Sparrow Eyes, two couples and a friend head out to a holiday camp where they plan to party hearty and maybe do a little swinging. But something in the woods is waiting for them. It has needs, too, and if the group doesn’t do what it wants, this could be their last trip.
Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a unique collection of stories that refuses to be pigeon-holed into a single category, and I think that’s a good thing. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Rebecca Gransden’s latest collection 4.5 Stars! Be prepared for sudden plunges directly into the action and some entertaining names for characters such as “Gary Hotdog”, “Tall Jim”, and “Fuck It Cat”. These stories may shock you, and some speak out against important topics like child abuse and social media overload, but you sure as hell won’t be bored. Dare to think for yourself and get yourself a copy of Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs! You’ll be glad you did.
Cardboard Wall Empire is an independent press that has published a large amount of Rebecca Gransden’s books. My favorite so far is Creepy Sheen, which you can read my review of at www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com . There are also some selections from Leo X. Robertson available. You can purchase Cardboard Wall Empire books from Amazon.com or your favorite bookseller. New projects are in the works, so stay tuned!
About your reviewer:
When darkness falls. Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWrit... where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!
You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76
And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis
To follow Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, please visit: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com Thanks!
Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!
Rebecca Gransden
October 30, 2024
Cardboard Wall Empire
Reviewed by Brian “Skull” Lewis
Hello again, all you horror fiends! It’s your old pal Skull with Happy Bunny and other Mischiefs, a new short story collection from Rebecca Gransden. Behind the grainy security camera footage cover readers will find themselves immersed in a Bizarro universe made up of fourteen stories that strike like an angry scorpion on LSD that’s been hiding in your sleeping bag. Gransden has the uncanny ability of turning the everyday into something terrifying in just a few short pages. So, if you’re looking for weird, follow me into the darkness…
Things kick of with, Turducken: Confirm Humanity. If you’re not familiar with what a turducken is, look it up for the best understanding of what this feisty little tale is trying to illustrate. When this multi-layered creature escapes a transport, it decides to do its best to fit in and create a delightful feast of what it finds in the wild. The guests are certainly in for a surprise!
In Canon Fodder we meet a person who enjoys inducing riots by shooting money out of a confetti canon in busy public spaces. She enjoys the injuries, violence, and deaths caused by the frantic scrabble for cash. But when a rival gang decides that she’s just a little too good at what she does, they come up with a grisly final assignment.
As a former professional driver of 18-wheelers and delivery vans, I’m not a big fan of sharing the road with self-driving cars. They may be presented to the media as the next great thing, but brothers Yuri and Dimos find out how terrifying these vehicles are (and who’s really in control) in the story Slug Slick.
Not even municipal street cleaners are safe in their noble but filthy profession. They have to be alert for the dangers of Disco Rice! Most of the workers just do their time, clock out, and leave the grossness behind. But a few twisted individuals have formed The Disco Rice Club and taken obsession to a whole new level of strange.
In Sparrow Eyes, two couples and a friend head out to a holiday camp where they plan to party hearty and maybe do a little swinging. But something in the woods is waiting for them. It has needs, too, and if the group doesn’t do what it wants, this could be their last trip.
Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a unique collection of stories that refuses to be pigeon-holed into a single category, and I think that’s a good thing. Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer rates Rebecca Gransden’s latest collection 4.5 Stars! Be prepared for sudden plunges directly into the action and some entertaining names for characters such as “Gary Hotdog”, “Tall Jim”, and “Fuck It Cat”. These stories may shock you, and some speak out against important topics like child abuse and social media overload, but you sure as hell won’t be bored. Dare to think for yourself and get yourself a copy of Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs! You’ll be glad you did.
Cardboard Wall Empire is an independent press that has published a large amount of Rebecca Gransden’s books. My favorite so far is Creepy Sheen, which you can read my review of at www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com . There are also some selections from Leo X. Robertson available. You can purchase Cardboard Wall Empire books from Amazon.com or your favorite bookseller. New projects are in the works, so stay tuned!
About your reviewer:
When darkness falls. Brian James Lewis becomes his alter ego, Skull, and burns the midnight oil reading and reviewing recent arrivals to his lair, the Skullcave! You can catch up with him on social media at: https://facebook.com/DamagedSkullWrit... where he’d really appreciate some follows to get more exposure for Indy horror writers and presses!
You can also find him on: X/Twitter@skullsnflames76
And we’re also on Goodreads and leave reviews on Amazon under the mortal’s name Brian James Lewis
To follow Damaged Skull Writer and Reviewer, please visit: www.damagedskullwriterandreviewer.com Thanks!
Until next time, be well, stay safe, and keep reading independent horror!
April 1, 2025
Find this review at Forever Lost in Literature!
Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a raw, visceral collection of horror stories that offers a little something for a wide range of horror fans--especially those who enjoy the grotesque and slightly absurd. I am always up for a collection of chilling stories, so when Rebecca Gransden reached out to me about checking out her horror story collection, I was eager to take a look. The stories in this collection lean heavily into gore and body horror at times, so definitely keep that in mind before diving in if you're sensitive to graphic content. That being said, this was a highly compelling collection of stories that I think knows how to use all the different elements of horror in ways that make them shine through best, and I had a great time exploring the scenarios created by Rebecca Gransden.
One of the things that kept me most hooked on this collection was the sheer variety of stories in this collection. Each story feels distinct from one another, yet Gransden's writing style and atmospheric tone manages to tie them all together and effectively created a cohesive yet unpredictable reading experience. The stories often start with seemingly innocuous premises (well, some of them, at least) before veering into some form of chaos and they often embrace a somewhat absurdist tone while still remaining sane enough for us readers to follow along. From my previous experiences reading more absurdist horror, I have found that they can often leave me as a reader feeling a bit lost and uncertain, but I found that these stories avoided by maintaining enough reality that I felt like I could consistently find my footing and instead immerse myself in these worlds.
The collection begins with "Turducken," a story that I think sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the collection. In this story, we follow a turducken (which, if you've not heard of a turducken before, is a dish that contains turkey, duck, and chicken) as it breaks free from its intended destination (someone's oven) and embarks on a its own journey. I think this story really set the tone for what kind of ride the reader was in for, and after finishing the collection, I still think that's the case. It's the perfect introduction to the collection's 'anything goes' style. A few other standout stories for me included:
"Seeping Willow": This is a story about a boy who eventually decides to reclaim control of his life after enduring abuse from his mother. This one was quite dark, but I appreciated its message and execution.
"F*ck It Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell": This one very much reminded of some horror films/stories I've read before, but it managed to take the idea and make it fresh and unique, and I really liked the occasional chaotic energy that seemed to run through it. I was constantly looking forward to seeing what would happen next.
"Happy Bunny": This was honestly just a wild ride that explored some really intriguing themes, and I easily understand why it became the titular story.
As with any collection, some stories worked better for me than others. The ones that didn't quite land tended to be ones where I felt slightly lost in the narrative or where the writing felt a bit jilted or convoluted. However, nothing ever fully pulled me out of the experience, and I found the collection engaging overall. And lastly, one small note for animal lovers: while there’s nothing too extreme, there were some moments involving animals that I was a little nervous about, so just something to keep in mind as well.
Overall, Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a thrilling and unpredictable horror collection that kept me entertained throughout. I'd love to see what Rebecca Gransden could with a longer form story, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work.
*I received a copy of Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my opinions.*
Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a raw, visceral collection of horror stories that offers a little something for a wide range of horror fans--especially those who enjoy the grotesque and slightly absurd. I am always up for a collection of chilling stories, so when Rebecca Gransden reached out to me about checking out her horror story collection, I was eager to take a look. The stories in this collection lean heavily into gore and body horror at times, so definitely keep that in mind before diving in if you're sensitive to graphic content. That being said, this was a highly compelling collection of stories that I think knows how to use all the different elements of horror in ways that make them shine through best, and I had a great time exploring the scenarios created by Rebecca Gransden.
One of the things that kept me most hooked on this collection was the sheer variety of stories in this collection. Each story feels distinct from one another, yet Gransden's writing style and atmospheric tone manages to tie them all together and effectively created a cohesive yet unpredictable reading experience. The stories often start with seemingly innocuous premises (well, some of them, at least) before veering into some form of chaos and they often embrace a somewhat absurdist tone while still remaining sane enough for us readers to follow along. From my previous experiences reading more absurdist horror, I have found that they can often leave me as a reader feeling a bit lost and uncertain, but I found that these stories avoided by maintaining enough reality that I felt like I could consistently find my footing and instead immerse myself in these worlds.
The collection begins with "Turducken," a story that I think sets the tone perfectly for the rest of the collection. In this story, we follow a turducken (which, if you've not heard of a turducken before, is a dish that contains turkey, duck, and chicken) as it breaks free from its intended destination (someone's oven) and embarks on a its own journey. I think this story really set the tone for what kind of ride the reader was in for, and after finishing the collection, I still think that's the case. It's the perfect introduction to the collection's 'anything goes' style. A few other standout stories for me included:
"Seeping Willow": This is a story about a boy who eventually decides to reclaim control of his life after enduring abuse from his mother. This one was quite dark, but I appreciated its message and execution.
"F*ck It Cat and the Mod Hex From Hell": This one very much reminded of some horror films/stories I've read before, but it managed to take the idea and make it fresh and unique, and I really liked the occasional chaotic energy that seemed to run through it. I was constantly looking forward to seeing what would happen next.
"Happy Bunny": This was honestly just a wild ride that explored some really intriguing themes, and I easily understand why it became the titular story.
As with any collection, some stories worked better for me than others. The ones that didn't quite land tended to be ones where I felt slightly lost in the narrative or where the writing felt a bit jilted or convoluted. However, nothing ever fully pulled me out of the experience, and I found the collection engaging overall. And lastly, one small note for animal lovers: while there’s nothing too extreme, there were some moments involving animals that I was a little nervous about, so just something to keep in mind as well.
Overall, Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs is a thrilling and unpredictable horror collection that kept me entertained throughout. I'd love to see what Rebecca Gransden could with a longer form story, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more of her work.
*I received a copy of Happy Bunny and Other Mischiefs in exchange for an honest review. This has no affect on my opinions.*
November 5, 2024
A unique collection of strange, chilling and spooky stories…
I found myself immersed in this unique collection of strange, chilling and spooky stories by Rebecca Gransden which all deliver by way of some great description and similar themes – that being situations of the horrific caused by mischief, spite and malevolence.
Every story begins by placing the reader right in the middle of the action or weird events that are unfolding and it has an immersive effect almost like waking up in a nightmare situation which then actually becomes a nightmare. As a fan of the genre, this collection ticks all of the boxes in telling stories while also displaying the strength of Grandsden’s writing.
The opening story ‘Turducken: Confirm Humanity’ really sets the tone well with description and sights that flow through the rest of the collection. I also enjoyed the gruesome ‘Pageant’ and the unexpected found within ‘Slug Slick’ along with the tale of a cursed games console but my favourite had to be the final story title piece ‘Happy Bunny’ an original genre aware story that provides a strong finish to the collection.
‘The pageant contestants locked into their positions, blood soaked ornaments, still as wound down mechanical dolls, their frills occasionally ruffled by the dripping of a stray piece of mushed flesh or brain matter…’
I found myself immersed in this unique collection of strange, chilling and spooky stories by Rebecca Gransden which all deliver by way of some great description and similar themes – that being situations of the horrific caused by mischief, spite and malevolence.
Every story begins by placing the reader right in the middle of the action or weird events that are unfolding and it has an immersive effect almost like waking up in a nightmare situation which then actually becomes a nightmare. As a fan of the genre, this collection ticks all of the boxes in telling stories while also displaying the strength of Grandsden’s writing.
The opening story ‘Turducken: Confirm Humanity’ really sets the tone well with description and sights that flow through the rest of the collection. I also enjoyed the gruesome ‘Pageant’ and the unexpected found within ‘Slug Slick’ along with the tale of a cursed games console but my favourite had to be the final story title piece ‘Happy Bunny’ an original genre aware story that provides a strong finish to the collection.
‘The pageant contestants locked into their positions, blood soaked ornaments, still as wound down mechanical dolls, their frills occasionally ruffled by the dripping of a stray piece of mushed flesh or brain matter…’
December 31, 2024
I first read "Creepy Sheen" from this author and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it, and this collection was a great follow-up, full of fresh, creative, somewhat insane ideas. I think I laughed almost as much as I cringed. A turducken come to life? That's only the beginning.
One thing I really enjoy about this author is her use of language and descriptions. Sometimes things can get a little overly wordy, but her descriptions are visceral, which is perfect for these kind of stories. Even if the circumstances are absolutely bonkers, you feel like you are right there with the characters. Gransden also finds a way to make the characters feel real and relatable. Did I feel sympathy for the boy in 'Seeping Willow' who was drugged by his mother? Yes. Did I feel sympathy for the 'Happy Bunny' who lived an empty life between jumps through a portal every time he had a gig in a movie? Also yes.
Overall, I recommend this collection for anyone who likes quick reads in the horror genre, as long as you like quite a bit of quirk and have a dark sense of humor.
One thing I really enjoy about this author is her use of language and descriptions. Sometimes things can get a little overly wordy, but her descriptions are visceral, which is perfect for these kind of stories. Even if the circumstances are absolutely bonkers, you feel like you are right there with the characters. Gransden also finds a way to make the characters feel real and relatable. Did I feel sympathy for the boy in 'Seeping Willow' who was drugged by his mother? Yes. Did I feel sympathy for the 'Happy Bunny' who lived an empty life between jumps through a portal every time he had a gig in a movie? Also yes.
Overall, I recommend this collection for anyone who likes quick reads in the horror genre, as long as you like quite a bit of quirk and have a dark sense of humor.
December 17, 2024
First off massive thanks to Rebecca Gransden for reaching out and providing a free copy of this one in return for a fair review.
This is a short story collection, which as always is a mixed bag. And you have a wide range of stories from sentient meals enacting revenge on humanity and consuming them as it would have been consumed itself (i think, still not 100% sure about that), to psychological horror rooted in abuse, cosmic and some good old fashioned folk horror as well, I think most horror readers will find a story that they will appreciate, and a couple have sat in the bag of my mind for processing for a while after reading which is always a good sign.
f*** it Cat and the Mod Hex from hell,Cannon Fodder and Seeping Willow were the highlights for me personally, and even the ones that I didn't vibe with still had really interesting ideas at their core.
Overall, a solid collection of horror short stories
3.5 stars rounded up to 5
This is a short story collection, which as always is a mixed bag. And you have a wide range of stories from sentient meals enacting revenge on humanity and consuming them as it would have been consumed itself (i think, still not 100% sure about that), to psychological horror rooted in abuse, cosmic and some good old fashioned folk horror as well, I think most horror readers will find a story that they will appreciate, and a couple have sat in the bag of my mind for processing for a while after reading which is always a good sign.
f*** it Cat and the Mod Hex from hell,Cannon Fodder and Seeping Willow were the highlights for me personally, and even the ones that I didn't vibe with still had really interesting ideas at their core.
Overall, a solid collection of horror short stories
3.5 stars rounded up to 5
May 28, 2025
I received a copy for review from the author.
This collection of 14 short stories that are full of imaginative scenarios. The ideas are truly unique which helps to draw you in. Imagine taking a friend's pigeon to the vet leads to an underground cult. Imagine a sentient turducken escaping its packaging to explore the world. These are just of a couple of the outrageously weird concepts explored in this collection. A couple of the stories are written a very fever dream kind of way that makes following the plot difficult. I don't fault the experimental writing, but I personally do not enjoy the confusion they left me feeling. The rest of the stories I enjoyed. The standout stories for me were SparrowEyes, with its creepy setting and creature, and Happy Bunny, with a person in a bunny costume getting teleported to various television and movie sets for jobs. I would recommend this collection to fans of dark weird fiction.
This collection of 14 short stories that are full of imaginative scenarios. The ideas are truly unique which helps to draw you in. Imagine taking a friend's pigeon to the vet leads to an underground cult. Imagine a sentient turducken escaping its packaging to explore the world. These are just of a couple of the outrageously weird concepts explored in this collection. A couple of the stories are written a very fever dream kind of way that makes following the plot difficult. I don't fault the experimental writing, but I personally do not enjoy the confusion they left me feeling. The rest of the stories I enjoyed. The standout stories for me were SparrowEyes, with its creepy setting and creature, and Happy Bunny, with a person in a bunny costume getting teleported to various television and movie sets for jobs. I would recommend this collection to fans of dark weird fiction.
October 31, 2024
I loved this little book of 14 stories of craziness, spite, mischievousness, and malevolence. It was a fun quick little read and my first book by Rebecca Gransden! Out of all 14 stories I will have to say the craziest one is about a sentient Turducken, who has escaped their packaging and discovers life outside it’s packaging. If you like crazy and mischievous stories this book is for you!
November 25, 2024
Another wonderful, weird, and highly original set of stories from the mind of Gransden. Felt like a parallel universe to Creepy Sheen, but dialed up on the horror and the gruesome. The used and abused, the misfits and loners (maggots,pigeons,vagrants) look for an escape and a sense of understanding in these weird malevolent tales, often tinted with a haunted nostalgia.
May 31, 2025
This is an overall enjoyable collection and something I think horror fans would enjoy. No real misses, though a few of the stories hit harder for me. Fun!
May 31, 2025
I enjoyed this collection! Great mix of horror :)
January 19, 2025
It’s like a really really gross black mirror episode. Just not for me! I do still think about some of the stories though, so there is something to be said for that. It’s super memorable and interesting.
April 3, 2025
Beginning with a descent into uncanny horror, the collection invades other genres, reaching tentacles into Realism, science fiction, and magic realism with aplomb, grasping at philosophy, abstraction, and startling dream-logic, but maintaining a steady undercurrent of tension while germinating unsettling horror elements.
Ever think, when you're adjusting the stats on your video game character, you may be creating fissures in reality, mutating living beings into haphazardly designated monstrosities?
Did you ever open a package of turducken and let out a long, resounding scream as the meat-wad flexed wing stubs, stood up and started headlessly oozing toward you?
What about that time you were haunting the highways with your pal, and a car skidded into a ditch and then kidnapped you? Yes, the car itself abducted you.
The author's unfettered creativity expostulates in real time, swerving into surreality without warning, jarring the reader awake like a reindeer in the headlights as a sudden downpour of gore and titillating existential dread descends with the percussive force of a thermobaric bomb.
Her lovely and approachable writing style lulls you, ushers you into a kosher world of frolicking friends and gawping chums, before bludgeoning you with a nail bat about the sensitive areas of your psyche.
Several times, during my casual reading of this collection, I was overcome with wonderment. "Slug Slick" was a story worthy of J. G. Ballard. Yet Gransden's grasp of relatable characters exceeds Ballard's cold approach. Scintillating sentences abound and gobs of description provide ample fodder for your delectation, but always and foremost, the characters shine through, carrying the story as they stroll or limp through terror-inducing scenarios.
Expect no happy endings. Enjoy the ominous humor, at times flowing from the most vicious wounds. Bravely embarking on a task of reading her other works fills me with anticipation. A singular talent worth following.
Ever think, when you're adjusting the stats on your video game character, you may be creating fissures in reality, mutating living beings into haphazardly designated monstrosities?
Did you ever open a package of turducken and let out a long, resounding scream as the meat-wad flexed wing stubs, stood up and started headlessly oozing toward you?
What about that time you were haunting the highways with your pal, and a car skidded into a ditch and then kidnapped you? Yes, the car itself abducted you.
The author's unfettered creativity expostulates in real time, swerving into surreality without warning, jarring the reader awake like a reindeer in the headlights as a sudden downpour of gore and titillating existential dread descends with the percussive force of a thermobaric bomb.
Her lovely and approachable writing style lulls you, ushers you into a kosher world of frolicking friends and gawping chums, before bludgeoning you with a nail bat about the sensitive areas of your psyche.
Several times, during my casual reading of this collection, I was overcome with wonderment. "Slug Slick" was a story worthy of J. G. Ballard. Yet Gransden's grasp of relatable characters exceeds Ballard's cold approach. Scintillating sentences abound and gobs of description provide ample fodder for your delectation, but always and foremost, the characters shine through, carrying the story as they stroll or limp through terror-inducing scenarios.
Expect no happy endings. Enjoy the ominous humor, at times flowing from the most vicious wounds. Bravely embarking on a task of reading her other works fills me with anticipation. A singular talent worth following.
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