Chalupacabra Y2K

by V.S. Lawrence

Fast Food Just Got Freaky.

In the summer of Y2K, a slow night shift at TicoTaco takes a turn for the cursed when a couple of bored employees deep-fry something they definitely shouldn’t have. Now something greasy, pissed off, and way too into hot sauce is leaving behind a trail of empty packets and drained bodies.

Janet (burned out), Landon (baked), and Trina (bedazzled) are the only thing standing between the Chalupacabra and total chili cook-off carnage. They have no weapons training, no plan, and absolutely no business being the heroes in this story — but unfortunately, they’re all we’ve got.

Unknown Binding

First published September 22, 2025

About the author

V.S. Lawrence grew up in Utah being scared of everything. Now, she puts her fears on paper, writing spooky books that feel like Scooby Doo chase music. When not writing, she can be found buried in a horror novel, wandering aimlessly, or cuddling her dog, Rigby. She is still scared of everything.

Reviews

[Rebecca White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has to be one of the funniest trips down Nostalgia Lane I’ve ever taken!

A giant chalupa running rampant in the streets of a small town right after Y2K? Sounds about right!

If you were alive during the mania of Y2K when we were all taping our windows shut, then you know anything was possible around that time. And VS Lawrence captures that perfectly!

The hell of being a fast food worker even sans killer deep fried dough, is spot on. The characters arcs. The hilarity that would make Christopher Moore and Grady Hendrix proud. The whole story was one big greasy, spicy, cheesy chef’s kiss 🧑‍🍳👌🏻💋

[Bryan Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chalupacabra Y2K by V.S. Lawrence is the food-fighting, chilli-slinging, artery-clogging horror comedy romp I never knew I was hungry for.

When a new menu item at TicoTaco becomes sentient - not to mention monstrously hangry - it's up to very-over-it food server Janet, her laidback (aka stoned) coworker Landon, and Landon's permanently bedazzled girlfriend Trina to stop it before it eats its way through every fast food joint - and employee - in the city.

While giving the reader all the junky, greasy fun the premise promises, the author somehow manages to elevate a wacky food-based creature feature into something smarter, wittier, and more involving than you'd expect. Come for the food-based anarchy, stay for an exploration of female friendships, service worker comradery, Y2K-hysteria, and chapter titles like "For Whom The Taco Bell Tolls" 😂

[Damien Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s be so real right now… if you’re on the page for this book, then this book is 100% for you. If it isn’t, why did you click on a book called “Chalupacabra Y2K?” V.S. Lawerence provides everything I wanted here and then some. This is like that Sega game about slime and water guns. It’s comparable to a caramel apple empanada. You think, “well, this can’t be anything but bad ass,” and then you’re pleasantly surprised when it’s so much more than just a bad ass monster book. There’s humor, heart, vibe based plans, and some really good commentary about minimum wage fast food jobs (imagine having to take days off against your will and being even worse off money wise!). Heavy vibes of Night of the Comet pal around, The Blob style monster fun, The Inkeepers style fun, and someone named Trina who is one of my new favorite characters. K thx.

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

We read for a lot of reasons. At its heart, however, we read because we like to be told a story. And this book is a storyteller having so much fun telling their tale that it is infectious and leaves a huge goofy smile on your face the entire time you’re reading it.

I truly loved this novella and read it in one sitting. It is exactly what you think it’s going to be but it also has so much heart, the three main characters are relatable, three dimensional, and completely lovable.

The Chalupacabra itself is ridiculous as hell but still somehow intimidating and gnarly also! Lawrence is so good at dialogue and being able to capture a character in the first couple of exchanges, but she also is so good at sensory writing, especially smells in this one. I honestly gagged a few times and I promise you that’s a huge compliment 😂 .

Get this one as soon as possible! It drops September 22nd and you will side eye every Taco Bell you see from the moment you read it, if you don’t already, of course.

[E.D. Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

First things first, I absolutely love books about food turning into monsters (hence why I wrote Don’t Open the Oven), and I love cryptids, so let’s just say this book was definitely made for me. Because guess what else I love? Fast food tacos.

Janet hates her job at TicoTaco but really enjoys working with her stoner co-worker, Landon. One night after closing, with the help of Landon’s ditz and glamorous girlfriend, Trina, make a late-night snack. They fire up the old fryer that’s been glitching out and cook up a chalupa. Well, not just a Chalupa.

Next thing you know, fast food employees start dying off, hot sauce packets vanish, and something that should’ve stayed in the deep fryer is looking for seconds. The final showdown happens at a chili cook-off, and honestly, it’s prefect.

This book is crunchy, spicy, and just the right amount of ridiculous, the kind of read that goes down easy but hits you later like a gas station burrito. It’s fast, fun, and filled with the perfect amount of camp to keep you smiling through the carnage. I love a quick, goofy read, and this was exactly that! Great story and well executed, teetering on the edge of corny but never crossing it. Great read; I’ll enjoy it again.

[David Washburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In what is my introduction to V.S. Lawrence, I chose the shorter and sillier of options. Suckered in by the goofy title and playful artwork on the cover morbid curiosity won, and by the end of the book, I felt like I won for having read this.

Wow! This one is so much fun. What I love about this one is that it’s exactly what you think you’re getting when you see the cover. A throwback to buddy-comedy horror. This was executed so well and I’ll never not associate future Taco Bell visits with this book moving forward.

The writing itself is snappy and tangled up in sarcastic wit while also maintaining the same spirit as a movie like Gremlins or Sharknado. The plot is simple and the book is short so why not just check it out for yourself?

While reading there is a scene where the Chalupacabra is bigger and someone refers to it as a “Chalupacabra Deluxe” and I was dead 😂—BRILLIANT!

[From The Reader’s Nest · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books - maybe ever! This book was so much fun and I enjoyed every single moment of it.

The chapter titles are so witty!! FUNNY!!
VS Lawrence kept me laughing constantly.

I love the characters and the friendships in this book so much. The seriously gross descriptions of food, haha!

Anything and everything that comes to mind with tacos was included in this book. Coming from someone who really feels that tacos are a love language, and a long time Taco Bell fan, this book was so very clever. I can honestly say I didn’t want it to end.

The nostalgic references go so hard! ( Passions, oh my god! )

My heart is full and happy! This is what makes reading fun. Books like this. Absolutely delightful!!!

[Matthew Mercer · Rating 5 out of 5]

You have to love and admire when an author takes a break from their usual routine, stressful writing process and chooses to write a story for the pure sake of entertaining themselves. Fortunately for us, that story gets to see the light of day and yes, it was a Baja Blast.

Y2K may not have been the end of the world, but that doesn't mean everything continued as normal. One deep fryer in the lovable Tico Taco was affected and became the birthing place of a monster who's not just thirst isn't only quenched by hot sauce, but by blood. As the bodies start to pile up, a group of friends have a feeling they know who—or what—is behind it, but when the story is so unbelievable that nobody will listen, they have to confront the beast themselves.

I read this novella in a single sitting and recommend you do the same! It is such a good time, and V.S. Lawrence is so great at writing these spooky, fun-time thrillers.

[Joey Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The kind of fun, popcorn-movie, weird-science book we need right now, featuring a wacky premise, and wonderful descriptions of our star Chalupacabra.

Lawrence has a knack for getting us invested in characters early on. Our blue-collar workers are relatable and adorkable, so when these Average Joes are thrust into an extraordinary situation, you can't help but root for them.

The finale is appropriately silly and thrilling. (Chilli) chef's kiss.

[Mike Schilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard before from others reviewing this book, but this truly is the spirit of R.L. Stine's Goosebumps repackaged for adults. A story about a mutant chalupa full of friendship, laughs, human remains, and used hot sauce packets. If looking for a quick read with nostalgia-driven entertainment value, I'd highly suggest you pick this story up.

[Elle Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! Yes, it is an outlandishly crazy plot about a mutant chalupacabra but my god does the author really pull you into this world. I adored the characters and the growing friendship between Janet and Trina. I laughed with them and was obsessed to find out how this would end. Very well written and worth the read!

[Anf · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast and frantic monster story built from the ground up to entertain and remind of all those Saturday morning cartoons 90s kids grew up adoring. Packed with delightfully absurd action and nostalgia, filled with heart and humour - if you were raised with Goosebumps and Tales From The Crypt or enjoy quirky and outside of the norm tales - this is perfect for any Weekend on the couch.

[Aleks T (alisbookedup) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I blinked at this book like I’d just been handed a live fish. Honestly, one of the funniest, most creative and heartfelt stories of friendship I’ve ever read. I had already told 7 people about it before I finished it, but now you’ll never get me to shut up about it.

[Taliesin Govannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

How DO you kill a chalupa?

This is, without a doubt, one of the most fun stories I've read in years! This isn't just retro horror, this is absurdist storytelling of the highest order.

Seriously, it's like TROMA made a movie out of a Kevin Smith screenplay.

This is scream-out-loud funny... ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!!

[Jessica Gleason · Rating 5 out of 5]

You had me at monster chalupa.

This is a fun book that evokes a nostalgic sense of the tacos of my youth, less alive and hungry for spice and innards, but you know what I mean, right?

Tacos, hot sauce, and rampaging. Oh, my.

[Bree READERISFP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was absolutely hysterical.

[Jo Swords · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not sure what the hell I just read, BUT I loved it. It was such a fun read, and I don't think I have ever read anything like it before 🌮

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ridiculously fun and fast paced horror comedy romp perfect for spooky season.

[Deep Arya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect, funny, well-liked characters with absurdity horror at its wildest.

[Mallory McCartney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for a fun as hell, fast paced and spicy (iykyk) book? Then please do yourself a favor and pick this up! I devoured it in 24 hours and loved every second

[Eric]

It came from the deep fryer

full review at MonsterBookClub

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridiculous!

This book is so much fun. Many laugh out loud moments. It's fast paced, campy, spicy, and full of crunchy carnage.