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Sue Side
I met them in a chatgroup called Deathbed. The group was made up of strangers and those who liked to kill themselves. They were obsessed with an urban legend called Sue Side, an entity who promised death’s sweet embrace.
When I held the chopping knife at my throat ready to make the final cut, I saw her out of the corner of my eye, as if I were not supposed to see her. She saw me, though, and took me to the bad feeling room. Every time she killed me, she took me there. And in the afterlife I was shown, I realised the truth about my daughter, how I loved her all along, even after I convinced her to hate me.
Publisher This story deals extensively with suicide and people who fantasise about committing suicide. It is a dark story with no happy endings. Please do not read the book if you find these issues upsetting.
When I held the chopping knife at my throat ready to make the final cut, I saw her out of the corner of my eye, as if I were not supposed to see her. She saw me, though, and took me to the bad feeling room. Every time she killed me, she took me there. And in the afterlife I was shown, I realised the truth about my daughter, how I loved her all along, even after I convinced her to hate me.
Publisher This story deals extensively with suicide and people who fantasise about committing suicide. It is a dark story with no happy endings. Please do not read the book if you find these issues upsetting.
- GenresHorror
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 13, 2025
8 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Evan Jameson
2 books6 followersEvan Jameson lives in the North East of England with his wife and son. He spends his time listening to music, watching movies, reading and occasionally, writing the odd story.
He is currently writing a story about a place called Claustrophobis, and hopes one day to escape from that hellish place.
He is currently writing a story about a place called Claustrophobis, and hopes one day to escape from that hellish place.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
April 22, 2025
✨️ ARC REVIEW✨️
Sue Side by Evan Jameson
Now Available and on KU
This truly is unlike anything I've read before, I genuinely had no idea what to expect other than knowing it's dark, heavy and deals with suicide... Despite how dark themed this book is, it was beautifully written and aside the obvious topic it also gives perspectives on regret, love, afterlife and just all round aftermath of it all
Plot Summary
The story follows a Eliot who becomes entangled in an online community obsessed with an urban legend about Sue Side, an entity promising a peaceful death. As the narrator delves deeper, they encounter Sue Side herself, leading to a series of chilling events that blur the line between reality and the supernatural.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
Sue Side by Evan Jameson
Now Available and on KU
This truly is unlike anything I've read before, I genuinely had no idea what to expect other than knowing it's dark, heavy and deals with suicide... Despite how dark themed this book is, it was beautifully written and aside the obvious topic it also gives perspectives on regret, love, afterlife and just all round aftermath of it all
Plot Summary
The story follows a Eliot who becomes entangled in an online community obsessed with an urban legend about Sue Side, an entity promising a peaceful death. As the narrator delves deeper, they encounter Sue Side herself, leading to a series of chilling events that blur the line between reality and the supernatural.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
May 13, 2025
Imagine a darkness so deep going through a person’s head that it makes them want to end their life.
eliot is just twenty-six years old and has already tried to end his life multiple times. He feels so small, so unimportant— that he doesn’t even feel the need to capitalize the “e” in his name.
He’s a part of an online forum, Deathbed, where others desperate to commit suicide gather— in hopes that they can not only connect before taking their lives, but where they can discuss Sue Side.
Sue Side is an urban legend. A woman with pale skin and black hair, who comes to be beside those who wish to die. Thriving off of sorrow and pain— Sue Side is not as she seems.
But she’s always been there.
Next to eliot, her king.
This book goes through the throes of depression. The rampant pain and challenges of hopelessness and defeat. It feeds off of tiredness, giving up, and irreversible heartbreak.
Through a fever-dream, otherworldly tale— Sue Side takes eliot on the journeys of other people’s self murder. He experiences their death cycles as well as their memories, all to confront his own suicidal challenges.
Sue Side is not love and comfort. She is torture.
And well, the book makes it all sound poetic and quite beautiful.
A bunch of broken souls trying to claw their way out of the world feels utterly— romanticized.
I’m unsure if I was okay with that, but I did read the trigger warnings.
I took this book very personally, as I’m sure many others did and will.
Let me share a bit.
I, too, have had a life battle with self-harm and suicidal ideation. It only grew worse after being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and going through three bouts of sepsis.
The unending anguish.
The mental and physical torment.
Numbness.
It’s not beautiful or otherworldly to be locked away in a psychiatric ward screaming until your throat is raw. To see the blood you’ve drawn yourself all over the floors. To get your stomach pumped after taking too many pills. Having your mother on her knees sobbing in ways that sound animalistic, guttural.
It’s gruesome, not lovely.
I share this with my Goodreads friends not for sympathy, but because I have nothing to hide.
It’s also why I can’t rate this book higher than ★ ★ ★ stars. I wanted to, but my rating kept toggling due to the utterly prominent romanticism of mental health.
I see why people who are currently struggling should not read this book— and why those who have struggled may feel absolutely triggered.
I read Sue Side for its interesting premise, it’s take on ending one’s life. I did not expect to constantly be hypnotized by how attractive it seemed in this book. Relating self murder to flowers, reading poetic letters, involving sex with Sue Side, and more.
I think I understood all the deeper meanings after I could un-jumble the scattered and psychedelic writing, but hey… this was just an “okay” read for me. I understand the four and five star reviews just as I understand the lower ratings.
Please take this review with a grain of salt, it was challenging to write.
Also, your life matters. ♥︎
eliot is just twenty-six years old and has already tried to end his life multiple times. He feels so small, so unimportant— that he doesn’t even feel the need to capitalize the “e” in his name.
He’s a part of an online forum, Deathbed, where others desperate to commit suicide gather— in hopes that they can not only connect before taking their lives, but where they can discuss Sue Side.
Sue Side is an urban legend. A woman with pale skin and black hair, who comes to be beside those who wish to die. Thriving off of sorrow and pain— Sue Side is not as she seems.
But she’s always been there.
Next to eliot, her king.
This book goes through the throes of depression. The rampant pain and challenges of hopelessness and defeat. It feeds off of tiredness, giving up, and irreversible heartbreak.
Through a fever-dream, otherworldly tale— Sue Side takes eliot on the journeys of other people’s self murder. He experiences their death cycles as well as their memories, all to confront his own suicidal challenges.
Sue Side is not love and comfort. She is torture.
And well, the book makes it all sound poetic and quite beautiful.
A bunch of broken souls trying to claw their way out of the world feels utterly— romanticized.
I’m unsure if I was okay with that, but I did read the trigger warnings.
I took this book very personally, as I’m sure many others did and will.
Let me share a bit.
I, too, have had a life battle with self-harm and suicidal ideation. It only grew worse after being diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and going through three bouts of sepsis.
The unending anguish.
The mental and physical torment.
Numbness.
It’s not beautiful or otherworldly to be locked away in a psychiatric ward screaming until your throat is raw. To see the blood you’ve drawn yourself all over the floors. To get your stomach pumped after taking too many pills. Having your mother on her knees sobbing in ways that sound animalistic, guttural.
It’s gruesome, not lovely.
I share this with my Goodreads friends not for sympathy, but because I have nothing to hide.
It’s also why I can’t rate this book higher than ★ ★ ★ stars. I wanted to, but my rating kept toggling due to the utterly prominent romanticism of mental health.
I see why people who are currently struggling should not read this book— and why those who have struggled may feel absolutely triggered.
I read Sue Side for its interesting premise, it’s take on ending one’s life. I did not expect to constantly be hypnotized by how attractive it seemed in this book. Relating self murder to flowers, reading poetic letters, involving sex with Sue Side, and more.
I think I understood all the deeper meanings after I could un-jumble the scattered and psychedelic writing, but hey… this was just an “okay” read for me. I understand the four and five star reviews just as I understand the lower ratings.
Please take this review with a grain of salt, it was challenging to write.
Also, your life matters. ♥︎
Read
May 5, 2025The story follows our narrator and the urban legend of Sue Side, a dark entity who promises the “sweet embrace” of death.
I’m not rating this book—not because it’s poorly written or because it’s bad (because it’s not), but because of the subject.
I’ve read plenty of dark fiction, including works that explore suicide, but Sue Side felt different. It crossed into personalizing, romanticizing and even sexualizing suicide, which made it deeply uncomfortable to read. The descriptions, the way Sue Side “calls” to people, the language around the act—it all felt too glossy, too seductive, in a way that didn’t sit right.
That said — the writing is vivid, the atmosphere is heavy, and the pacing really pulls you into that unsettling space. The author captures the isolation, despair, and confusion of the characters with raw intensity. Through the story, we see how she’s a horrible, manipulative predator who feeds on the vulnerable. As the story progresses, readers do see her true form emerge, and that’s an important and intentional shift in the narrative. But even knowing that, as someone with both personal and professional exposure to these topics, the emotional weight was simply too raw for me.
I want to be clear: I’m not naive or uninformed on these topics; it’s my job. I’ve worked with patients, hospitalizations, mental health crises, and suicidal ideation. I’ve also listened to and tried to understand what these experiences are like for people, both professionally and personally, and helped them through them. But for me, this was a boundary I couldn’t cross — and I chose to respect that limit.
Please check in with yourself before reading, and remember you’re not alone
I’m not rating this book—not because it’s poorly written or because it’s bad (because it’s not), but because of the subject.
I’ve read plenty of dark fiction, including works that explore suicide, but Sue Side felt different. It crossed into personalizing, romanticizing and even sexualizing suicide, which made it deeply uncomfortable to read. The descriptions, the way Sue Side “calls” to people, the language around the act—it all felt too glossy, too seductive, in a way that didn’t sit right.
That said — the writing is vivid, the atmosphere is heavy, and the pacing really pulls you into that unsettling space. The author captures the isolation, despair, and confusion of the characters with raw intensity. Through the story, we see how she’s a horrible, manipulative predator who feeds on the vulnerable. As the story progresses, readers do see her true form emerge, and that’s an important and intentional shift in the narrative. But even knowing that, as someone with both personal and professional exposure to these topics, the emotional weight was simply too raw for me.
I want to be clear: I’m not naive or uninformed on these topics; it’s my job. I’ve worked with patients, hospitalizations, mental health crises, and suicidal ideation. I’ve also listened to and tried to understand what these experiences are like for people, both professionally and personally, and helped them through them. But for me, this was a boundary I couldn’t cross — and I chose to respect that limit.
Please check in with yourself before reading, and remember you’re not alone
May 22, 2025
I’ve been sitting on this review for a while, as I wanted to think about the story subjectively and objectively.
From a general perspective, the story does have a lot of dark and shocking elements, perfect for those possibly looking for more of an extreme element. There are many tragic and depressing moments as well.
My personal opinion was that I just didn’t enjoy this read. I didn’t like the plot or characters, the romanticizing of mental health crises.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Witching Hole Publications for a copy.
From a general perspective, the story does have a lot of dark and shocking elements, perfect for those possibly looking for more of an extreme element. There are many tragic and depressing moments as well.
My personal opinion was that I just didn’t enjoy this read. I didn’t like the plot or characters, the romanticizing of mental health crises.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Witching Hole Publications for a copy.
August 5, 2025
Sue Side has a killer concept—literally. A chatroom full of suicidal strangers, an urban legend turned spectral executioner, and a descent into afterlife horror should’ve been a devastating gut-punch. Instead, it felt like being trapped in a fog of vague anguish and edgy monologues.
Evan Jamieson flirts with some powerful themes, grief, guilt, parenthood, self-hatred, but doesn’t quite commit. The narrative is more vibe than substance, more metaphor than meat. The “bad feeling room” is chilling in theory, but gets repetitive fast, and the emotional payoff about the daughter feels too little, too late.
I just really disliked the romantisation of suicide. I've had an attempt in my life and not once did it feel like what it was being portrayed as here.
Evan Jamieson flirts with some powerful themes, grief, guilt, parenthood, self-hatred, but doesn’t quite commit. The narrative is more vibe than substance, more metaphor than meat. The “bad feeling room” is chilling in theory, but gets repetitive fast, and the emotional payoff about the daughter feels too little, too late.
I just really disliked the romantisation of suicide. I've had an attempt in my life and not once did it feel like what it was being portrayed as here.
June 22, 2025
I have struggled with depression and thoughts of suicide throughout my life so this was a very difficult book for me to read, exploring depression, hopelessness, pain, and sorrow. It was a dark story with no happy ending. Sue Side is a being composed of those who have attempted to take their lives and helps Elliot, the main character , work his way through grief and loss of suicide.
May 3, 2025
I had the privilege of being an ARC reader for this book. If you haven’t got it on your list, put it there….
What if she was always there?
Just waiting… long enough for us to almost…. Almost…reach 100%.
Before she shows herself?
What if she know’s our deepest fears?
What if she can whisper in your ear to make sure, that she gets her way?
What if she is already with you?!!
Just bloody read it!!
This is the book you don’t want to miss, you may not want to read it, I promise it will make you uncomfortable. You will cry, you will feel, and if you have a heart you will LDM…
This review took me a long time, it has been edited because I couldn’t find the right words.
Wow!!!!!
This book took me to my deepest darkness and helped me find the light!!
The story revolves around 26yr old eliot.
This book shows the complexity involved with the human psyche whilst depressed and suicidal. All the memories that make a person feel unworthy and unwanted.
“Love, Death and Music”
I love the way that the characters are relatable and it’s easy to imagine them as real people with real struggles. For a work of fiction it has me thinking about the lives of real people.
It’s very deep and moving, thought provoking and I believe it’s a story that will stay for a while.
After all what is 27 as an age, far too short, a very emotional story.
I also enjoyed learning about laburnum trees. 🙂
I didn’t think I could find the words for this book, but now I have Im not sure I can find a way to end it.
I highly recommend this book.
April 18, 2025
Thank you so much to the author for me DRC.
Please, please, please do not read this if you are in a bad mental health space or triggered at all by suicide (I believe the author would tell you that as well). This story is extremely heavy and dark. It deals with suicide and the ramifications surrounding it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if Eli writes it, I’ll read it. As usual, the writing is beautiful, even though the content itself is not. This is such a unique take on this subject, and I really enjoyed the mixed media aspects of the story. It’s hard for me to say much more, as we’ll all know I do my best to avoid spoilers. But I will say, if you can handle the dark, heavy subject matter, this is a great read.
Please, please, please do not read this if you are in a bad mental health space or triggered at all by suicide (I believe the author would tell you that as well). This story is extremely heavy and dark. It deals with suicide and the ramifications surrounding it. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if Eli writes it, I’ll read it. As usual, the writing is beautiful, even though the content itself is not. This is such a unique take on this subject, and I really enjoyed the mixed media aspects of the story. It’s hard for me to say much more, as we’ll all know I do my best to avoid spoilers. But I will say, if you can handle the dark, heavy subject matter, this is a great read.
June 13, 2025
Unfortunately, I had to DNF this at 25%.
I thought I was going to enjoy this book based on the description, but sadly, it just wasn’t for me. I started reading it right away when I received it, but I couldn’t get into the story. I took a short break, hoping a fresh start would help, but when I picked it up again, I felt the same way. I just couldn’t connect with the story, and I didn’t really like any of the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thought I was going to enjoy this book based on the description, but sadly, it just wasn’t for me. I started reading it right away when I received it, but I couldn’t get into the story. I took a short break, hoping a fresh start would help, but when I picked it up again, I felt the same way. I just couldn’t connect with the story, and I didn’t really like any of the characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2025
There’s no way I can do any justice in a review of this book by Evan Jameson.
This is melancholy in words.
This is lavender and desperation and heartbreak.
This is amazing.
If you are currently suffering from suicidal thoughs or ideation, please proceed with caution.
This is horror on a deep level and I sincerely believe that if you have suffered from such demons, you will notice how very accurate this entire book is in terms of…everything. (I know I did.)
The horror comes in waves and then an absolute tsunami towards the end.
I also found myself looking up songs mentioned to give an even better experience while reading it.
This book will make you FEEL and I laid here crying at the very end…and I’m personally not one to get emotional reading a book.
The writing style is unique. It requires you to pay attention. And that’s a good thing. There may be times you get confused, but that’s part of the poetic beauty of this book.
Infinity stars out of five.
And all the flowers.
All of them.
🪻🪻🪻
🧡🧡🧡
This is melancholy in words.
This is lavender and desperation and heartbreak.
This is amazing.
If you are currently suffering from suicidal thoughs or ideation, please proceed with caution.
This is horror on a deep level and I sincerely believe that if you have suffered from such demons, you will notice how very accurate this entire book is in terms of…everything. (I know I did.)
The horror comes in waves and then an absolute tsunami towards the end.
I also found myself looking up songs mentioned to give an even better experience while reading it.
This book will make you FEEL and I laid here crying at the very end…and I’m personally not one to get emotional reading a book.
The writing style is unique. It requires you to pay attention. And that’s a good thing. There may be times you get confused, but that’s part of the poetic beauty of this book.
Infinity stars out of five.
And all the flowers.
All of them.
🪻🪻🪻
🧡🧡🧡
April 18, 2025
“Sue Side” by Evan Jameson is a haunting exploration of despair, grief, and the supernatural. The novel follows a narrator entangled in an online community obsessed with an urban legend about Sue Side, an entity promising a peaceful death. As the protagonist confronts their own suicidal thoughts, they encounter Sue Side, leading them into a surreal realm where they repeatedly experience death and resurrection. This cycle forces the narrator to confront painful truths about their estranged daughter and the complexities of love and regret.
Sue Side is not for the faint of heart. Its unflinching portrayal of mental anguish and the allure of death is both compelling and disturbing. However, for readers prepared to navigate its depths, the novel offers a stirring and thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the final page.
Sue Side is not for the faint of heart. Its unflinching portrayal of mental anguish and the allure of death is both compelling and disturbing. However, for readers prepared to navigate its depths, the novel offers a stirring and thought-provoking experience that lingers long after the final page.
May 4, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley for the e-book! I saw the book title and was immediately interested. The best way I can describe this book in its entirety is; a haunting fever dream.
I liked the premise and the plan for the book, and it was beautifully written. But there were many parts that felt very jumbled and confusing. I had to go back and read parts after I would read a sentence and think, “wait, what?”. I enjoyed the main storyline more than the “side” storylines. The others from most of the other characters just felt so incredibly unnecessary. It’s like everyone in this world is planning on killing themselves or trying to get others to do it for them. And I mean.. EVERY. ONE.
All in all, this book was well-written, depressing, and definitely bizarre. It wasn’t bad and very creative, but it was over-the-top romanticized in every aspect. Whether it was suicide, mental illness, self harm, murder, awkward sex, or more. It felt like an eccentric work of fiction with nothing but unhappy endings and stories for everyone.
Please read the publisher warning before reading this. I only recommend it if you’re in a good headspace and enjoy books that are melancholic ande peculiar.
**Disclaimer: I received this e-book from NetGalley and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**
I liked the premise and the plan for the book, and it was beautifully written. But there were many parts that felt very jumbled and confusing. I had to go back and read parts after I would read a sentence and think, “wait, what?”. I enjoyed the main storyline more than the “side” storylines. The others from most of the other characters just felt so incredibly unnecessary. It’s like everyone in this world is planning on killing themselves or trying to get others to do it for them. And I mean.. EVERY. ONE.
All in all, this book was well-written, depressing, and definitely bizarre. It wasn’t bad and very creative, but it was over-the-top romanticized in every aspect. Whether it was suicide, mental illness, self harm, murder, awkward sex, or more. It felt like an eccentric work of fiction with nothing but unhappy endings and stories for everyone.
Please read the publisher warning before reading this. I only recommend it if you’re in a good headspace and enjoy books that are melancholic ande peculiar.
**Disclaimer: I received this e-book from NetGalley and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**
April 22, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review Sue Side by Evan Jameson.
Content warning: self-harm and suicide.
Having worked through my own experiences with ideation in the past, I felt drawn to this book’s premise. Sue Side offers a haunting, introspective look at grief and the lingering echoes of loss. Jameson not only forces the protagonist to confront their own thoughts over and over again but does it in a way that is truly surreal. That said, while the emotional weight is clear and often poignant, the pacing and structure sometimes left me feeling adrift. Still, this is a thoughtful, quietly powerful read for those in the right headspace.
Content warning: self-harm and suicide.
Having worked through my own experiences with ideation in the past, I felt drawn to this book’s premise. Sue Side offers a haunting, introspective look at grief and the lingering echoes of loss. Jameson not only forces the protagonist to confront their own thoughts over and over again but does it in a way that is truly surreal. That said, while the emotional weight is clear and often poignant, the pacing and structure sometimes left me feeling adrift. Still, this is a thoughtful, quietly powerful read for those in the right headspace.
September 26, 2025
DNF at 41%, BUT HEAR ME OUT!!
This book evoked a lot of feelings inside of me. I love the plot, I love the layout, I love the poetry. It's great, and if you are in the right state of mind, you should absolutely give this book a chance. But I'm not in that headspace. My stomach aches from how much this book is making my mind race. Though I hope to some day pick it up again to finish, as I will definetly be left curious how it ends.
This book evoked a lot of feelings inside of me. I love the plot, I love the layout, I love the poetry. It's great, and if you are in the right state of mind, you should absolutely give this book a chance. But I'm not in that headspace. My stomach aches from how much this book is making my mind race. Though I hope to some day pick it up again to finish, as I will definetly be left curious how it ends.
May 26, 2025
Are you the type of reader who likes to read books that are dark and deal with heavy topics? As a form of healing past traumas than this is the book for you. Please read the trigger warnings! Please make sure your head is in good health as well, please.
this follows a dark entity that promises the sweet embrace of death. I was able to follow the story pretty easily, and the writing was descriptive enough to help me imagine how things were playing out.
this follows a dark entity that promises the sweet embrace of death. I was able to follow the story pretty easily, and the writing was descriptive enough to help me imagine how things were playing out.
May 2, 2025
I want to preface my review by sharing that this book was very personal for me as I lost my dad to suicide 16 years ago and my little brother 3 years ago. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would make it through the book but not only did I make it, I am so incredibly thankful I did.
Sue Side is an urban legend and has been around forever. She comes to those who take their own lives.. self-murder as the online chat calls it. The chat is made up of hopeless, depressed, damaged people who feel that their lives are meaningless and everyone that surrounds them would be better if they were gone. eliot, who has been suicidal for more than half is life is in a dark and desperate place and decides it’s time for the end when Sue Side appears beside him. She takes him on a tormenting, heartbreaking journey of his life and reveals to him feelings he never knew existed and love he didn’t know he had to give. It also delves into the familial impact of suicide, the devastation and pain of those left behind after someone they love ends their life.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book. While desperate, dark, depressing and sad, I believe it is also a glimpse into the impact suicide has on family and friends. That if only hopeless people who feel the world would be better off without them could actually see what their suicide does to others maybe they would reconsider. The writing was so eloquent and beautiful on such a dark and heartbreaking subject. I can’t give this enough stars. While it does have strong trigger warnings for suicidal ideation, self-harm and self-murder I still encourage others to read it and learn more about the truth and thoughts surrounding mental health.
Sue Side is an urban legend and has been around forever. She comes to those who take their own lives.. self-murder as the online chat calls it. The chat is made up of hopeless, depressed, damaged people who feel that their lives are meaningless and everyone that surrounds them would be better if they were gone. eliot, who has been suicidal for more than half is life is in a dark and desperate place and decides it’s time for the end when Sue Side appears beside him. She takes him on a tormenting, heartbreaking journey of his life and reveals to him feelings he never knew existed and love he didn’t know he had to give. It also delves into the familial impact of suicide, the devastation and pain of those left behind after someone they love ends their life.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book. While desperate, dark, depressing and sad, I believe it is also a glimpse into the impact suicide has on family and friends. That if only hopeless people who feel the world would be better off without them could actually see what their suicide does to others maybe they would reconsider. The writing was so eloquent and beautiful on such a dark and heartbreaking subject. I can’t give this enough stars. While it does have strong trigger warnings for suicidal ideation, self-harm and self-murder I still encourage others to read it and learn more about the truth and thoughts surrounding mental health.
May 2, 2025
Dark but beautifully written
I want to preface my review by sharing that this book was very personal for me as I lost my dad to suicide 16 years ago and my little brother 3 years ago. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would make it through the book but not only did I make it, I am so incredibly thankful I did.
Sue Side is an urban legend and has been around forever. She comes to those who take their own lives.. self-murder as the online chat calls it. The chat is made up of hopeless, depressed, damaged people who feel that their lives are meaningless and everyone that surrounds them would be better if they were gone. eliot, who has been suicidal for more than half is life is in a dark and desperate place and decides it’s time for the end when Sue Side appears beside him. She takes him on a tormenting, heartbreaking journey of his life and reveals to him feelings he never knew existed and love he didn’t know he had to give. It also delves into the familial impact of suicide, the devastation and pain of those left behind after someone they love ends their life.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book. While desperate, dark, depressing and sad, I believe it is also a glimpse into the impact suicide has on family and friends. That if only hopeless people who feel the world would be better off without them could actually see what their suicide does to others maybe they would reconsider. The writing was so eloquent and beautiful on such a dark and heartbreaking subject. I can’t give this enough stars. While it does have strong trigger warnings for suicidal ideation, self-harm and self-murder I still encourage others to read it and learn more about the truth and thoughts surrounding mental health.
I want to preface my review by sharing that this book was very personal for me as I lost my dad to suicide 16 years ago and my little brother 3 years ago. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would make it through the book but not only did I make it, I am so incredibly thankful I did.
Sue Side is an urban legend and has been around forever. She comes to those who take their own lives.. self-murder as the online chat calls it. The chat is made up of hopeless, depressed, damaged people who feel that their lives are meaningless and everyone that surrounds them would be better if they were gone. eliot, who has been suicidal for more than half is life is in a dark and desperate place and decides it’s time for the end when Sue Side appears beside him. She takes him on a tormenting, heartbreaking journey of his life and reveals to him feelings he never knew existed and love he didn’t know he had to give. It also delves into the familial impact of suicide, the devastation and pain of those left behind after someone they love ends their life.
I can honestly say I have never read anything like this book. While desperate, dark, depressing and sad, I believe it is also a glimpse into the impact suicide has on family and friends. That if only hopeless people who feel the world would be better off without them could actually see what their suicide does to others maybe they would reconsider. The writing was so eloquent and beautiful on such a dark and heartbreaking subject. I can’t give this enough stars. While it does have strong trigger warnings for suicidal ideation, self-harm and self-murder I still encourage others to read it and learn more about the truth and thoughts surrounding mental health.
April 21, 2025
I received a copy of Sue Side via NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers for approving my request to read it.
First off, do heed the trigger warnings. This is a very dark story that deals heavily with suicide: thoughts of it, detailed discussions, the actual events themselves, and the aftermath. And as the blurb says...there is no happy ending.
The story follows eliot, a 26yo man who doesn't even feel worthy enough to capitalise his name, and is waiting for the day he turns 27, or wakes up to find he has no more reasons to stay alive, before ending things. He belongs to an online forum for those who have the same feelings and thoughts and who share an obsession with an urban legend called Sue Side...an entity who promises a peaceful death to those who kill themselves.
eliot becomes entangled with Sue after she comes to him during a suicide attempt, after which she takes him on an ethereal, otherworldly journey of repeated cycles of death and resurrection to confront his past, present, and the impact he has on those linked to him.
The story is beautifully written, challenging in content, and in addition to the obvious topic, explores themes of grief, regret, mental anguish, love, death, and the afterlife.
I've never read anything like this before and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
First off, do heed the trigger warnings. This is a very dark story that deals heavily with suicide: thoughts of it, detailed discussions, the actual events themselves, and the aftermath. And as the blurb says...there is no happy ending.
The story follows eliot, a 26yo man who doesn't even feel worthy enough to capitalise his name, and is waiting for the day he turns 27, or wakes up to find he has no more reasons to stay alive, before ending things. He belongs to an online forum for those who have the same feelings and thoughts and who share an obsession with an urban legend called Sue Side...an entity who promises a peaceful death to those who kill themselves.
eliot becomes entangled with Sue after she comes to him during a suicide attempt, after which she takes him on an ethereal, otherworldly journey of repeated cycles of death and resurrection to confront his past, present, and the impact he has on those linked to him.
The story is beautifully written, challenging in content, and in addition to the obvious topic, explores themes of grief, regret, mental anguish, love, death, and the afterlife.
I've never read anything like this before and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.
May 3, 2025
**Trigger Warning: Mentions of Suicide and Self-Harm**
eliot, a man who doesn’t think he’s enough of a person to even capitalize his name, is searching for some reason to live. Otherwise, he plans to end it all. He shares his dark thoughts with a few friends he’s met in an online community called “Deathbed.” When the day comes, his attempt is interrupted by a entity named Sue Side who’s got her eye on eliot.
Haunting but beautiful, this book was written in a very pretty way in spite of the very dark subject matter. Suicide is always a heavy subject to discuss and read, but I was drawn to this book because of it. I admit I’ve struggled with my own mental health in the past, and so I found eliot’s struggle to be painfully realistic. All of the characters have their own struggles in very different ways.
The most interesting part of this book was Sue Side. I thought it was such a unique idea to create a being who’s made from those who have attempted to take their lives. The journey she takes eliot through was very insightful and emotional and really helped to explore the themes of grief and loss that come with suicide.
3.5/5 Stars
eliot, a man who doesn’t think he’s enough of a person to even capitalize his name, is searching for some reason to live. Otherwise, he plans to end it all. He shares his dark thoughts with a few friends he’s met in an online community called “Deathbed.” When the day comes, his attempt is interrupted by a entity named Sue Side who’s got her eye on eliot.
Haunting but beautiful, this book was written in a very pretty way in spite of the very dark subject matter. Suicide is always a heavy subject to discuss and read, but I was drawn to this book because of it. I admit I’ve struggled with my own mental health in the past, and so I found eliot’s struggle to be painfully realistic. All of the characters have their own struggles in very different ways.
The most interesting part of this book was Sue Side. I thought it was such a unique idea to create a being who’s made from those who have attempted to take their lives. The journey she takes eliot through was very insightful and emotional and really helped to explore the themes of grief and loss that come with suicide.
3.5/5 Stars
April 29, 2025
I firstly want to thank NetGalley and Evan Jameson for allowing me the arc to this book. I am posting reviews here, Goodreads and fable.
Before reading this please understand the trigger warnings of the book, as it is a very heavy topic to read about.
I asked for the arc of this book because it not only hit close to my childhood years due to the topic but because it gave off urban legend vibes. I used to read scary for kids scary stories all of the time as a kid and the synopsis gave me those vibes.
The writing itself is pretty easy to comprehend and follow along with. I did enjoy the story overall, but need whoever reads it to be alert of the possible triggers with it being such a heavy topic to read about. Overall, the story was enjoyable enough to read, but this kind of topic doesn’t phase me as much as it may others.
Again, thank you for the arc and allowing me the opportunity to read your story before release!
Before reading this please understand the trigger warnings of the book, as it is a very heavy topic to read about.
I asked for the arc of this book because it not only hit close to my childhood years due to the topic but because it gave off urban legend vibes. I used to read scary for kids scary stories all of the time as a kid and the synopsis gave me those vibes.
The writing itself is pretty easy to comprehend and follow along with. I did enjoy the story overall, but need whoever reads it to be alert of the possible triggers with it being such a heavy topic to read about. Overall, the story was enjoyable enough to read, but this kind of topic doesn’t phase me as much as it may others.
Again, thank you for the arc and allowing me the opportunity to read your story before release!
May 6, 2025
This feels like a book for people who would have intentionally gotten tuberculosis to leave a beautiful corpse.
Suicide can be an effective and tasteful element in horror but this is just romanticizing sadness.
The promise of an interesting urban legend/ghost/creepy pasta is never realized. She’s just…. There
The main character is a piece of white bread but for some reason all the other characters love him. Theres a lot of uncomfortable sex and or sexual scenes that add nothing and are about young women and little girls. Weird and self indulgent.
Dreaming about your 13yearold daughter giving birth is weird dude
Suicide can be an effective and tasteful element in horror but this is just romanticizing sadness.
The promise of an interesting urban legend/ghost/creepy pasta is never realized. She’s just…. There
The main character is a piece of white bread but for some reason all the other characters love him. Theres a lot of uncomfortable sex and or sexual scenes that add nothing and are about young women and little girls. Weird and self indulgent.
Dreaming about your 13yearold daughter giving birth is weird dude
May 17, 2025
This is not the book that I would recommend due to its content. The author warned me beforehand about the book. I took the risk to read anyway. Indeed, it was a hard read but, at the same time, weirdly comforting to me because I find all of the characters relatable. One thing for sure, Sue Side, the dark entity known for her "sweet embrace to death" is a pure torture and cruel. Everything she told about the good and happy things you'll get in the afterlife are lies and manipulation. Your life in this world matters and no one can replace you and you have no idea how much your presence means a lot to people around you, whether you realize it or not.
June 19, 2025
Sue Side is the kind of novel that hands you a martini, sets your ex’s house on fire, and then asks if you’d like to press charges or just enjoy the view. Evan Jameson writes with razor-sharp wit and unflinching candor, giving us a heroine who’s as flawed as she is unforgettable.
The pacing is breathless in the best way, a chaotic swirl of legal drama, personal vendettas, and moral gray areas that somehow feel…refreshing? While a few moments veer into melodrama, they’re usually salvaged by the book’s biting humor and self-awareness.
This isn’t a tidy redemption arc—it’s a scorched-earth reclamation. And honestly? It slaps.
The pacing is breathless in the best way, a chaotic swirl of legal drama, personal vendettas, and moral gray areas that somehow feel…refreshing? While a few moments veer into melodrama, they’re usually salvaged by the book’s biting humor and self-awareness.
This isn’t a tidy redemption arc—it’s a scorched-earth reclamation. And honestly? It slaps.
May 11, 2025
This review is based on an ARC of Sue Side which I received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher (Witching Hole Publications).
This novel is hard to review. The writing quality was mediocre, yet contained distinct voice. The plot was certainly unique and interesting, but seemed to rely heavily on shock factor, as if the author believed blunt viscera could garner more fanfare than subtle, haunting intensity. As the story progressed, I found I could not connect with the characters. After all, Sue Side strikes me as a labor of love, something deeply personal and dear to the author, but lacking an audience connection.
Sue Side was very nearly a DNF for me; admittedly, I skimmed the final 20%.
ATY 2025 Reading Challenge: a haunting book
This novel is hard to review. The writing quality was mediocre, yet contained distinct voice. The plot was certainly unique and interesting, but seemed to rely heavily on shock factor, as if the author believed blunt viscera could garner more fanfare than subtle, haunting intensity. As the story progressed, I found I could not connect with the characters. After all, Sue Side strikes me as a labor of love, something deeply personal and dear to the author, but lacking an audience connection.
Sue Side was very nearly a DNF for me; admittedly, I skimmed the final 20%.
ATY 2025 Reading Challenge: a haunting book
April 24, 2025
Please take the trigger warnings seriously if you are in a bad headspace.
This tale is melancholic, beautifully lyrical, and goes to some very dark places. It touches on subjects such as loss, death, grief, suicide, despair, mental anguish in a very human and compelling way.
It is a story that will stay with you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
This tale is melancholic, beautifully lyrical, and goes to some very dark places. It touches on subjects such as loss, death, grief, suicide, despair, mental anguish in a very human and compelling way.
It is a story that will stay with you.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
July 15, 2025
I want to thank the author for sending me a copy to review!
This book is dark. Very dark, but beautifully written. As a person who does not suffer from depression or suicidal ideation, I did not find this book to be romnoanticizing mental illness or glorifying self-harm. I interpret this fever- dream -story as the author's intent to show the dark side of the human experience as the perfect counterbalance to the beauty in life. And then he adds in a measure of the supernatural.
I am a huge fan of this author's dark poetry and see it's influence on this story.
If you are not triggered by depictions of depression, self-harm and/or self murder, I highly recommend this story!
This book is dark. Very dark, but beautifully written. As a person who does not suffer from depression or suicidal ideation, I did not find this book to be romnoanticizing mental illness or glorifying self-harm. I interpret this fever- dream -story as the author's intent to show the dark side of the human experience as the perfect counterbalance to the beauty in life. And then he adds in a measure of the supernatural.
I am a huge fan of this author's dark poetry and see it's influence on this story.
If you are not triggered by depictions of depression, self-harm and/or self murder, I highly recommend this story!
May 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Sue Side” by Evan Jameyson is an incredibly heavy and dark exploration of suicide and its far-reaching ramifications. The writing is beautifully crafted and profoundly captures the subject matter's emotional weight. Jameyson offers a unique perspective on this sensitive topic, and the mixed media elements enhance the storytelling experience, making it stand out. While the content is undeniably intense, I found myself deeply engaged with the narrative. Overall, if you can handle the heavy subject matter, “Sue Side" is a compelling read that offers a thoughtful and artistic take on a difficult topic.
“Sue Side” by Evan Jameyson is an incredibly heavy and dark exploration of suicide and its far-reaching ramifications. The writing is beautifully crafted and profoundly captures the subject matter's emotional weight. Jameyson offers a unique perspective on this sensitive topic, and the mixed media elements enhance the storytelling experience, making it stand out. While the content is undeniably intense, I found myself deeply engaged with the narrative. Overall, if you can handle the heavy subject matter, “Sue Side" is a compelling read that offers a thoughtful and artistic take on a difficult topic.
January 14, 2026
It started out interesting but it just got to slow for me it ended good though. For a dark & heavy subject manner this book was written in a lighter beautiful way.
I enjoyed the character of Sue at first. You’ll see her first as charming and sweet but never trust a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She turns out to be manipulative predator who feeds on the vulnerable.
I enjoyed the character of Sue at first. You’ll see her first as charming and sweet but never trust a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She turns out to be manipulative predator who feeds on the vulnerable.
July 24, 2025
DNF at about 10%. I try to give every book at least 10% before I give up. This one barely made it. This was hard to follow and get into.
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