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Morsel
Carter Keane's Morsel is a delicious folk horror debut about learning to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive.
Lou did what the children of parents with backbreaking, poorly paying jobs are supposed to pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office gig with coworkers who won’t stop talking about their multilevel marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.
When Lou accepts a property appraisal assignment in the rural hills of Ohio, she knows it's her last chance to save her job and keep making rent. But she quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, her dog, and someone--or something--stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.
If she can’t escape the woods in time, she’ll see firsthand that her job isn’t the only thing that wants to eat her alive.
Morsel is The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
Lou did what the children of parents with backbreaking, poorly paying jobs are supposed to pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office gig with coworkers who won’t stop talking about their multilevel marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.
When Lou accepts a property appraisal assignment in the rural hills of Ohio, she knows it's her last chance to save her job and keep making rent. But she quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, her dog, and someone--or something--stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.
If she can’t escape the woods in time, she’ll see firsthand that her job isn’t the only thing that wants to eat her alive.
Morsel is The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay.
At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 14, 2026
About the author
Carter Keane
1 book64 followersCarter Keane resides in and is inspired by the frequently odd and often horrifying state of Ohio. Keane writes books where the monster and the monstrous, in the end, are not the same.
Keane’s student loan debt hails from an overly expensive liberal arts college on a hill where they acquired a Bachelor’s of Creative Writing and Environmental Studies. They were radicalized by the combination of growing up dirt poor and the one-two-punch of Literary Theory followed closely by a course on Sustainable Agriculture.
After college, Keane was a fast-fashion copywriter, donut glazer, apprentice commercial appraiser, pizza delivery driver, and an overworked employee at a nonprofit in quick succession.
Each experience further energized Keane towards anti-capitalism.
Keane takes the timeless fear of being chased through deep, dark woods by something unknown and pairs it with modern existential terrors like being bodily consumed by our work, spiritually flayed by nationalism, and brutalized by the state. They spend their time in the Burning River City gardening, talking to their neighbors, training their dogs, and rereading David Graeber.
Keane’s student loan debt hails from an overly expensive liberal arts college on a hill where they acquired a Bachelor’s of Creative Writing and Environmental Studies. They were radicalized by the combination of growing up dirt poor and the one-two-punch of Literary Theory followed closely by a course on Sustainable Agriculture.
After college, Keane was a fast-fashion copywriter, donut glazer, apprentice commercial appraiser, pizza delivery driver, and an overworked employee at a nonprofit in quick succession.
Each experience further energized Keane towards anti-capitalism.
Keane takes the timeless fear of being chased through deep, dark woods by something unknown and pairs it with modern existential terrors like being bodily consumed by our work, spiritually flayed by nationalism, and brutalized by the state. They spend their time in the Burning River City gardening, talking to their neighbors, training their dogs, and rereading David Graeber.
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December 8, 2025
Well, that was certainly not what I was expecting. I guess I can see where the comparison to The Ritual comes in, but there's not as much of a “monstering in the woods” plot as the publisher's blurb makes it seem. In fact, the majority of the horror in this novel is people-related (much like real life, eh?) and the supernatural-y stuff only really makes an appearance toward the end. And, since I much prefer monsters and hauntings to humans being jerks, I was a little disappointed in how things played out. Oh, well. C'est la vie, I suppose.
But, anyway, I do appreciate that the author tells you at the very beginning that the dog is going to live. And, I mean, I guess it does, but seriously?? The dog in this novel does not exactly spend the entire time happily frolicking in a field of flowers, so be forewarned if you're an animal lover.
One thing I did really like about this book is the setting. I spent six years (ages 12-18, so not exactly by choice, mind you) living in Appalachian Ohio, just a stone's throw from where the events of this story take place. And, I mean, if there's one area where you're going to be potentially murdered in the woods by a bunch of crazies, southern Ohio is probably it. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed my time living in Appalachia, but it's a great setting for a horror novel.
The plot, though? I don't know, you guys. I wanted monsters and instead I got … people. The whole thing has kind of been done before and everyone in this book is dumber than a pile of rocks, except for maybe the dog. When the main (human) villain was revealed, I literally LOL'd because there's no way the cops wouldn't have put said person at the top of the suspect list after about three seconds of proper investigation if things had gone as planned.
But, still, if you liked The Ritual (I didn't particularly), there's definitely a non-zero chance you'll enjoy this one. It's pretty fast-paced and not overly long and I could see it making a decent low-budget horror film.
2.8 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 14, 2026.
But, anyway, I do appreciate that the author tells you at the very beginning that the dog is going to live. And, I mean, I guess it does, but seriously?? The dog in this novel does not exactly spend the entire time happily frolicking in a field of flowers, so be forewarned if you're an animal lover.
One thing I did really like about this book is the setting. I spent six years (ages 12-18, so not exactly by choice, mind you) living in Appalachian Ohio, just a stone's throw from where the events of this story take place. And, I mean, if there's one area where you're going to be potentially murdered in the woods by a bunch of crazies, southern Ohio is probably it. I can't say that I particularly enjoyed my time living in Appalachia, but it's a great setting for a horror novel.
The plot, though? I don't know, you guys. I wanted monsters and instead I got … people. The whole thing has kind of been done before and everyone in this book is dumber than a pile of rocks, except for maybe the dog. When the main (human) villain was revealed, I literally LOL'd because there's no way the cops wouldn't have put said person at the top of the suspect list after about three seconds of proper investigation if things had gone as planned.
But, still, if you liked The Ritual (I didn't particularly), there's definitely a non-zero chance you'll enjoy this one. It's pretty fast-paced and not overly long and I could see it making a decent low-budget horror film.
2.8 stars, rounded up.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 14, 2026.
November 16, 2025
It's "eat or be eaten" in Carter Keane's debut horror novella and while it wasn't what I expected it to be from the cover, it sure was a delicious little read for me. Which might be a weird thing to say about this book, because the protagonist Lou really has the absolute worst time from beginning to end. She has a sick mother and is constantly working to provide for the two of them, but even with all the extra hours in the world it is never enough to cover all the bills. At the start of the book she is worried that her boss will fire her, but he actually decides to send her to do some photographing in the middle of nowhere and literally everything is better than an office job when you don't really fit in with your bleached-teeth, wellness-enthusiastic, lowkey rich colleagues. So Lou takes her dog and is off to the Appalachian woods. And because this is a horror novella, her trip of course isn't of the calm and relaxing kind and everything immediately gets as bad as possible and then even worse as the story goes on. I will not spoil what this book is actually about, but I did expect it to be more about creepy nature and/or monsters when that was only one part of the story. It's not the isolated-in-the-potentially-lethal-woods horror that I thought it would be, because there are also plenty of horrible people involved and at the core it's about the worst thing known to mankind: capitalism. It's both supernatural and very real and I overall really liked the mix. The horror elements range from rabid animals over the middle class working itself to death to people being turned into mush, and that's not even half of everything that is happening in this short book. It really was an endless string of horrible situations and Lou has to face them all without any chance of being saved. I did feel for her and I could understand perfectly how she became the rough person that she is now. I also simply love a protagonist who is confronted with something dangerous, but who still picks up their dog first and only then starts to run. Despite all the horror, the author also managed to involve me emotionally, especially when it came to the portrayed mother-daughter relationship. Here and in other places Morsel reminded me of Nat Cassidy's When the Wolf Comes Home and that is one of my favorite books of the year, and I think it's very possible that Carter Keane might make it onto that list one day too. Their debut was already great to me, even if it sometimes left me wishing for more descriptions or an overall stronger plot. The ending was positively wild, though, and I'm altogether very pleased with this story.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Morsel is a Horror Thriller novella that definitely packed more of a punch than I expected. This is also a debut and I was certainly impressed by the creativity of it.
In this story we're following Lou, who on a work assignment ends up in the hill country of rural-Ohio. It requires the surveying of some land, so she's on foot through some diverse terrain, but she's got her dog, Ripley, with her, her truck and her phone. All should be fine.
She sees something horrifying in the woods though, and fearing for her safety and that of Ripley, she races them back to her truck, for what's she's hoping will be a fast getaway.
Unfortunately, her truck appears to have been sabotaged, so she's not escaping this dangerous situation that way. From the plot goes places that I truly didn't expect.
For a while, I wasn't sure exactly where Keane was headed with this story. It felt a little odd in the beginning, but I trusted we were gonna get somewhere I was going to enjoy. The build-up was unsettling enough to lock me in.
Then around the mid-way point, an unexpected event startled me so much, it knocked me off my loafers. I was shocked and horrified. I didn't see it coming. From there it was like I was buckled into a hell ride, holding on for dear life, praying Ripley would be okay.
As mentioned above, IMO Morsel is a really strong debut. While I wasn't completely sold on every single aspect of the story, I did love that the author took it all the way. There were some great graphic descriptions and a few twists that took me completely by surprise.
If you're going to deliver me gore, I want it all out and Keane delivered. They didn't hold anything back, and I appreciated that risk. Overall, a super solid story with some toe-curling descriptions and intriguing social commentary.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing what Carter Keane writes next!
In this story we're following Lou, who on a work assignment ends up in the hill country of rural-Ohio. It requires the surveying of some land, so she's on foot through some diverse terrain, but she's got her dog, Ripley, with her, her truck and her phone. All should be fine.
She sees something horrifying in the woods though, and fearing for her safety and that of Ripley, she races them back to her truck, for what's she's hoping will be a fast getaway.
Unfortunately, her truck appears to have been sabotaged, so she's not escaping this dangerous situation that way. From the plot goes places that I truly didn't expect.
For a while, I wasn't sure exactly where Keane was headed with this story. It felt a little odd in the beginning, but I trusted we were gonna get somewhere I was going to enjoy. The build-up was unsettling enough to lock me in.
Then around the mid-way point, an unexpected event startled me so much, it knocked me off my loafers. I was shocked and horrified. I didn't see it coming. From there it was like I was buckled into a hell ride, holding on for dear life, praying Ripley would be okay.
As mentioned above, IMO Morsel is a really strong debut. While I wasn't completely sold on every single aspect of the story, I did love that the author took it all the way. There were some great graphic descriptions and a few twists that took me completely by surprise.
If you're going to deliver me gore, I want it all out and Keane delivered. They didn't hold anything back, and I appreciated that risk. Overall, a super solid story with some toe-curling descriptions and intriguing social commentary.
Thank you to Tor Nightfire for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to seeing what Carter Keane writes next!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
⭐️2.5 ⭐️ What did I just read?
As you can probably tell, I was not a fan. This is a short (210 page) novella that I was able to read in one sitting, on my very turbulent 3 hour flight. And here I thought ok maybe the turbulence along with the folk horror will improve my reading experience—given the adrenaline and excitement, perhaps I’d be super absorbed, but no. Unfortunately, I was saying WTF and HUH?! way too many times in my head. Its weirdness, the execution and the switching between the genres (between suspense, thriller and horror) created a very uneven atmosphere. All the elements never fully merged for me to enjoy it wholeheartedly, leaving the novella feeling all over the place.
Morsel is one of those books that will keep your curiosity peaking because the switches between the genres keeps you wondering ‘where is this going?’. It slowly builds its tension with the slow horror elements (Appalachian folklore mixed with folk horror) that creeps up on you out of nowhere. I must admit, I was very intrigued the first half of it. So what went really wrong here?
For starters let me quickly summarize: We follow Lou, a woman who’s performance at work has been slipping due to her mothers illness. Her boss sends her on a mission (to do a property appraisal in rural Ohio) but things go wrong, she finds herself trapped in woods with a truck that somehow has a hole in its gas tank, no cell phone reception, crazy heat and a rabid coyote that begins to chase her and her dog. There is a lot of shocking chaos that happens for majority of the book, and while it’s wildly entertaining, the ending is not one you’d see coming. We begin to understand that Lou is in the middle of a personal-developmental cult that wanted to sacrifice her to their weird god in exchange for prosperity. And THAT is where the book completely lost me despite trying to take a punch on bigger issues in the world—capitalism & big corporations, poverty/class inequalities, grief and cults.
I’m not exactly sure the point the book tried to make by end of it all, but what stood out the most to me was that life takes a bite out of every living person, and it took a big bite out of Lou’s life. She was compressed from all corners—personal, financial, romantic, mental. She felt empty and overly consumed by the life she was living and her circumstances felt heavy. While I appreciated how this was portrayed I feel that the incorporation of a cult and its weirdness was so out of place in this novel. Not only it felt out of place, I think it took away from the main message and that was the books biggest downfall.
Many thanks to NetGalley, The Publishing Group and the author, Carter Keane for an early ARC.
Publication date: April 14, 2026
As you can probably tell, I was not a fan. This is a short (210 page) novella that I was able to read in one sitting, on my very turbulent 3 hour flight. And here I thought ok maybe the turbulence along with the folk horror will improve my reading experience—given the adrenaline and excitement, perhaps I’d be super absorbed, but no. Unfortunately, I was saying WTF and HUH?! way too many times in my head. Its weirdness, the execution and the switching between the genres (between suspense, thriller and horror) created a very uneven atmosphere. All the elements never fully merged for me to enjoy it wholeheartedly, leaving the novella feeling all over the place.
Morsel is one of those books that will keep your curiosity peaking because the switches between the genres keeps you wondering ‘where is this going?’. It slowly builds its tension with the slow horror elements (Appalachian folklore mixed with folk horror) that creeps up on you out of nowhere. I must admit, I was very intrigued the first half of it. So what went really wrong here?
For starters let me quickly summarize: We follow Lou, a woman who’s performance at work has been slipping due to her mothers illness. Her boss sends her on a mission (to do a property appraisal in rural Ohio) but things go wrong, she finds herself trapped in woods with a truck that somehow has a hole in its gas tank, no cell phone reception, crazy heat and a rabid coyote that begins to chase her and her dog. There is a lot of shocking chaos that happens for majority of the book, and while it’s wildly entertaining, the ending is not one you’d see coming. We begin to understand that Lou is in the middle of a personal-developmental cult that wanted to sacrifice her to their weird god in exchange for prosperity. And THAT is where the book completely lost me despite trying to take a punch on bigger issues in the world—capitalism & big corporations, poverty/class inequalities, grief and cults.
I’m not exactly sure the point the book tried to make by end of it all, but what stood out the most to me was that life takes a bite out of every living person, and it took a big bite out of Lou’s life. She was compressed from all corners—personal, financial, romantic, mental. She felt empty and overly consumed by the life she was living and her circumstances felt heavy. While I appreciated how this was portrayed I feel that the incorporation of a cult and its weirdness was so out of place in this novel. Not only it felt out of place, I think it took away from the main message and that was the books biggest downfall.
Many thanks to NetGalley, The Publishing Group and the author, Carter Keane for an early ARC.
Publication date: April 14, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!
while i am no horror expert, i have read quite a few horror novels in the past year in an attempt to broaden my genre reading outside of romance/sci-fi/fantasy etc. i feel that i have read widely into the sub-genres of horror, but folk horror is still the genre that is the shakiest for me.
while i enjoyed morsel, i feel there were too many different aspects that the author was trying to tackle: cults, necromancy, flesh-eating gods, psychotic breaks, etc. i think if this had been a full length novel, then maybe it would have been handled better.
*spoiler* — i’m glad that the fmc’s dog, ripley, survived… to an extent…
i also listened to the audio, and the narrator did a great job!
——
i have been trying to expand my horror reading, and what better way than a folk horror novella? a quick bite of a book emphasizing how to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive...
while i am no horror expert, i have read quite a few horror novels in the past year in an attempt to broaden my genre reading outside of romance/sci-fi/fantasy etc. i feel that i have read widely into the sub-genres of horror, but folk horror is still the genre that is the shakiest for me.
while i enjoyed morsel, i feel there were too many different aspects that the author was trying to tackle: cults, necromancy, flesh-eating gods, psychotic breaks, etc. i think if this had been a full length novel, then maybe it would have been handled better.
*spoiler* — i’m glad that the fmc’s dog, ripley, survived… to an extent…
i also listened to the audio, and the narrator did a great job!
——
i have been trying to expand my horror reading, and what better way than a folk horror novella? a quick bite of a book emphasizing how to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive...
November 5, 2025
The first half of Morsel started off strong. The writing was witty, and the plot was moving at a suspenseful pace; I genuinely had no idea what was going to happen next, and I loved that. Unfortunately, the plot twist towards the end felt a bit out of place, and the supernatural element didn’t feel aligned with the rest of the story. Still, Morsel was an immersive, quick read that should satiate those craving a gory, thriller/horror read.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Tor Nightfire for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Review in a future issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/04...
3.5 rounding up to 4
Three Words That Describe This Book: Monster in the Woods, horror of generational poverty, immersive dread
Other words: debut, folk horror, cicadas, use of texts and podcast transcripts to enhance the dread, Appalachian Noir, human and supernatural monsters, Multi-Level Marketing as a cult, visceral.
Overall feel-- menacing the entire time, terrifying at other, but ultimately empowering.
The dog lives-- we are told at the start.
Lous has finally "made it." Her mom worked as a medical assistant, raising Lou. They figured out a way fro Lou to go to Ohio State -- barely affording it and with lots of sacrifice. Now Lou got the office job she hopes will pull her and her mom out of generational poverty. But Lou is close to losing her job at a property assessment company in the Columbus Ohio area because of her mom being sick.
She doesn't really fit in at work either. Her boss is kind but her co-workers are really agreesive about about the self help MLM they want her to join.
Her boss gives Lou the chance to keep her job by doing a property assessment deed in the forest of Lawrence County OH for his not for profit land conservancy.
These same woods are known for the people who have gone missing in them. Lou and her dog go to do this job, and well....this is a horror novel so things go badly from the start. Weird charm are hung on the fence, her phone doesn't work, a rabid coyote with strange black stuff on its fur chases them, her car won't start. And this is all just the beginning.
The inclusion of texts between Lou and her mom, Lou and her best friend Emma, and the transcripts of a podcast about a hiker who has gone missing in these same woods add to the dread.
The monster in the woods trope is not easy to pull off well. Keane does a solid job here with their debut. The disorientation and dread are done well at the start. It is a short book and the first third is the set up of Lou, her life, and the human problems here. Then the second third is the danger growing and the terror rising. The final third brings the visceral action and emotional reckoning.
I can see promise here and would read more by Keane.
For fans of The Ritual by Neville, T. Kingfisher (Twisted Ones or Wolf Worm), Girl in the Creek by Wagner, This Wretched Valley by Kiefer, 8114 by Hull, Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower.
3.5 rounding up to 4
Three Words That Describe This Book: Monster in the Woods, horror of generational poverty, immersive dread
Other words: debut, folk horror, cicadas, use of texts and podcast transcripts to enhance the dread, Appalachian Noir, human and supernatural monsters, Multi-Level Marketing as a cult, visceral.
Overall feel-- menacing the entire time, terrifying at other, but ultimately empowering.
The dog lives-- we are told at the start.
Lous has finally "made it." Her mom worked as a medical assistant, raising Lou. They figured out a way fro Lou to go to Ohio State -- barely affording it and with lots of sacrifice. Now Lou got the office job she hopes will pull her and her mom out of generational poverty. But Lou is close to losing her job at a property assessment company in the Columbus Ohio area because of her mom being sick.
She doesn't really fit in at work either. Her boss is kind but her co-workers are really agreesive about about the self help MLM they want her to join.
Her boss gives Lou the chance to keep her job by doing a property assessment deed in the forest of Lawrence County OH for his not for profit land conservancy.
These same woods are known for the people who have gone missing in them. Lou and her dog go to do this job, and well....this is a horror novel so things go badly from the start. Weird charm are hung on the fence, her phone doesn't work, a rabid coyote with strange black stuff on its fur chases them, her car won't start. And this is all just the beginning.
The inclusion of texts between Lou and her mom, Lou and her best friend Emma, and the transcripts of a podcast about a hiker who has gone missing in these same woods add to the dread.
The monster in the woods trope is not easy to pull off well. Keane does a solid job here with their debut. The disorientation and dread are done well at the start. It is a short book and the first third is the set up of Lou, her life, and the human problems here. Then the second third is the danger growing and the terror rising. The final third brings the visceral action and emotional reckoning.
I can see promise here and would read more by Keane.
For fans of The Ritual by Neville, T. Kingfisher (Twisted Ones or Wolf Worm), Girl in the Creek by Wagner, This Wretched Valley by Kiefer, 8114 by Hull, Long Low Whistle by Laurel Hightower.
April 14, 2026
Morsel is a fast-paced and tension-laden novella, with an anticapitalist message that also touches upon mental health struggles, generational trauma, and toxic work environments. The novella’s protagonist Lou is stretched to the limit at her low-level corporate job, grinding away in order to try and uplift herself and her ailing mother out of poverty.
When she’s offered a potential last-chance assignment to survey land in rural Ohio, what should have been a simple journey with her dog Riley soon escalates into situation beyond her control.
I devoured Morsel in one evening and especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere once Lou reached her destination in the Appalachian Woods. One particular scene involving a coyote is one of my favorites in the novel and author Carter Keane captures how absolutely terrifying it can feel to be trapped with something dangerous and unexplained.
While reading Morsel, there are two distinct plots at work: the social commentary regarding the means by which the wealthy exploit the lower class-both by underpaying and overworking employees and by trapping them in a cycle with no genuine possibility for growth and the horror plot of Lou trying to survive the various people and beings that ended up hunting her.
The two plots meshed together for the most part, though I wished Morsel was somewhat longer and had been given more time to focus upon the otherworldly horror. Lou is a fairly relatable protagonist, especially if you have dealt with similar experiences in feeling confined to one place regardless of how much effort you spent trying to improve yourself.
Her situation with her mother is also particularly poignant and a depressing depiction of how poverty can continually beat down a parent and leave them less able to interact on an emotional level with their children.
Morsel isn’t wholly serious however and there are moments of dark humor that add a measure of levity to the story. Evil cults are one thing, but evil corporate MLMs with forced participation are on a whole other level.
It was also interesting that multiple mediums were utilized: from Lou’s personal perspective, to text messages and snippets from podcasts, as they helped to contribute to the mysterious nature in relation to the location of Lou’s assignment.
If you have a preference for horror with a message, a suspenseful atmosphere and eldritch creatures lurking in the woods, then Morsel may a novella that you’ll enjoy. Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
When she’s offered a potential last-chance assignment to survey land in rural Ohio, what should have been a simple journey with her dog Riley soon escalates into situation beyond her control.
I devoured Morsel in one evening and especially enjoyed the eerie atmosphere once Lou reached her destination in the Appalachian Woods. One particular scene involving a coyote is one of my favorites in the novel and author Carter Keane captures how absolutely terrifying it can feel to be trapped with something dangerous and unexplained.
While reading Morsel, there are two distinct plots at work: the social commentary regarding the means by which the wealthy exploit the lower class-both by underpaying and overworking employees and by trapping them in a cycle with no genuine possibility for growth and the horror plot of Lou trying to survive the various people and beings that ended up hunting her.
The two plots meshed together for the most part, though I wished Morsel was somewhat longer and had been given more time to focus upon the otherworldly horror. Lou is a fairly relatable protagonist, especially if you have dealt with similar experiences in feeling confined to one place regardless of how much effort you spent trying to improve yourself.
Her situation with her mother is also particularly poignant and a depressing depiction of how poverty can continually beat down a parent and leave them less able to interact on an emotional level with their children.
Morsel isn’t wholly serious however and there are moments of dark humor that add a measure of levity to the story. Evil cults are one thing, but evil corporate MLMs with forced participation are on a whole other level.
It was also interesting that multiple mediums were utilized: from Lou’s personal perspective, to text messages and snippets from podcasts, as they helped to contribute to the mysterious nature in relation to the location of Lou’s assignment.
If you have a preference for horror with a message, a suspenseful atmosphere and eldritch creatures lurking in the woods, then Morsel may a novella that you’ll enjoy. Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
November 3, 2025
I always want to know what’s waiting in the woods, and I love when a book makes me regret that.
I think this novel wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be.
Given that this is taking place in the Appalachian forest- I thought I was in for some major Appalachian monster folklore.
I mean come on- it’s like the birthplace of so many terrifying legends, that are still haunting people today.
It turns out that wasn’t exactly what I was in store for, as it’s less about strange scary monsters and more about strange scary people. but, it was still a good creepy story.
It is quite eerie, and heavily occult- which I think made this worth the read for me.
Think “American Horror story: Roanoke” level. (That’s a compliment from me.)
There were some points where I was a bit confused. But that is often a given for me when it comes to horror.
Luckily, I think I grasped this one by the end.
This is very short, and reads super quickly (again, a compliment from me).
And it still managed to pack a spooky, gorey punch and not leave me feeling unsatisfied. So I think that’s a win.
Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire and author Carter Keane for providing me with the eARC of “Morsel” in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
I think this novel wasn’t exactly what I thought it would be.
Given that this is taking place in the Appalachian forest- I thought I was in for some major Appalachian monster folklore.
I mean come on- it’s like the birthplace of so many terrifying legends, that are still haunting people today.
It turns out that wasn’t exactly what I was in store for, as it’s less about strange scary monsters and more about strange scary people. but, it was still a good creepy story.
It is quite eerie, and heavily occult- which I think made this worth the read for me.
Think “American Horror story: Roanoke” level. (That’s a compliment from me.)
There were some points where I was a bit confused. But that is often a given for me when it comes to horror.
Luckily, I think I grasped this one by the end.
This is very short, and reads super quickly (again, a compliment from me).
And it still managed to pack a spooky, gorey punch and not leave me feeling unsatisfied. So I think that’s a win.
Thank you to Netgalley, Tor Publishing Group | Tor Nightfire and author Carter Keane for providing me with the eARC of “Morsel” in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: April 14, 2026
November 12, 2025
While I found it to be a bit of a slow start, and it took me about five or six chapters to get truly invested, once things start kicking off, they don't stop. Lou was a fine main character, but Ripley stole the show, unsurprisingly. What a girl.
The horror elements here are super well done, with some important themes surrounding class and capitalism thrown into the mix. The gore descriptions icked me out majorly - this is a compliment. I fear I can't say much else because the last chunk of this took me by surprise and I don't want to risk spoiling it, but it was a very fun ride.
A solid debut, and I'll definitely be reading whatever they release next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!
The horror elements here are super well done, with some important themes surrounding class and capitalism thrown into the mix. The gore descriptions icked me out majorly - this is a compliment. I fear I can't say much else because the last chunk of this took me by surprise and I don't want to risk spoiling it, but it was a very fun ride.
A solid debut, and I'll definitely be reading whatever they release next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for the ARC!
April 3, 2026
UHM WHAT! That’s was so good. I always wish that my cult horror books would actually GO THERE with the ending and this said “hold my beer.” This went from zero to 1000 with the very first twist and then kept a foot on the gas pedal. I was legitimately scared at moments and was shocked (and delighted) by the amount of gore packed into the end.
I love that the dog survived (kind of?) and I love the sitcom feel of the end of our MC covered in gore sitting in the car with Emma and Ripley. Literally obsessed with that image.
I’m so impressed with this story and how much story was packed into such a short book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ALC!
I love that the dog survived (kind of?) and I love the sitcom feel of the end of our MC covered in gore sitting in the car with Emma and Ripley. Literally obsessed with that image.
I’m so impressed with this story and how much story was packed into such a short book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ALC!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2025
I requested from netgalley primarily because the cover screams "cozy cabin in the woods... with teeth," and as someone who's spent way too many late nights scrolling Appalachian folklore on TikTok, I was like, yes please, feed me that folk horror stew. Carter Keane's debut is this zippy little novella that basically takes our person Lou, a broke-as-hell office drone juggling their mom's medical bills and a side hustle that sounds suspiciously like pyramid scheme lite, into the misty bowels of Ohio's hills for a "simple" photography gig. Truck gets sabotaged (classic, right?), phone dies, and suddenly she's playing tag with some creep who might be a person, might be a cultist, might be the ghost of every bad decision she's ever made. Oh, and Ripley the dog is the best part, the MVP. If this pup doesn't steal your heart while you're white knuckling the pages, check your pulse.
I dig the jabs at the soul sucking grind of capitalism without turning it into a TED Talk. Lou's inner monologue had me, ("generational poverty is just the family heirloom nobody wants"). Hellooooo, relatable rage against the machine. The woods feel alive in this gross, cicada buzzing kinda way, like the forest is chewing on her sanity, which is a metaphor for rent hikes if I've ever heard one.
It starts a bit slow but give it a few chapters. Some of the social commentary lands with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to a piñata (ACAB rants, white dude stereotypes, valid points, but dialed up to eleven), and that ending is a wild swing that either cathartically explodes or leaves you squinting like, "Wait, did the dog just...?"
Worth the bite, just don't expect it to hug you back.
- Stranded queer protagonist vs. the wilderness
- Loyal dog sidekick
- Creepy cult lurking in the hills
- Capitalism as the real monster
If you're into books that make you laugh, flinch, and unionize all at once. Just pack bug spray. And maybe a union card.
I dig the jabs at the soul sucking grind of capitalism without turning it into a TED Talk. Lou's inner monologue had me, ("generational poverty is just the family heirloom nobody wants"). Hellooooo, relatable rage against the machine. The woods feel alive in this gross, cicada buzzing kinda way, like the forest is chewing on her sanity, which is a metaphor for rent hikes if I've ever heard one.
It starts a bit slow but give it a few chapters. Some of the social commentary lands with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to a piñata (ACAB rants, white dude stereotypes, valid points, but dialed up to eleven), and that ending is a wild swing that either cathartically explodes or leaves you squinting like, "Wait, did the dog just...?"
Worth the bite, just don't expect it to hug you back.
- Stranded queer protagonist vs. the wilderness
- Loyal dog sidekick
- Creepy cult lurking in the hills
- Capitalism as the real monster
If you're into books that make you laugh, flinch, and unionize all at once. Just pack bug spray. And maybe a union card.
December 1, 2025
"This job was supposed to save us, but all I got was credit card debt, chloroformed, and coworkers who call my dog by the wrong name."
I knew I was going to like this book when the author told me up front in the preface that the dog was not going to die in the end.
I knew I was going to like this book when the author told me up front in the preface that the dog was not going to die in the end.
April 9, 2026
Morsel will definitely end up on my “Wait, I read that?” list of 2026—the definition of forgettable. The synopsis was right up my alley, but the execution was not for me at all.
The FMC is right out of the T. Kingfisher main character handbook, all the way down to the dog companion, making the “for fans of T. Kingfisher” tagline scarily accurate; however, the writing wasn’t strong enough to justify a The Ritual comp to me.
The writing is concise and direct, with accessible prose that prioritizes character-driven moments and relatability over anything ornate or elaborate. It uses short sentences and keeps things moving quickly. The thing is, the more I read, the more I realize I generally prefer the ornate and the elaborate. There are a few poetic lines here and there, but overall the storytelling style is very hyper-modern and contemporary, and as someone who loves folk horror, I wanted something with more literary rigor and a more mature, serious tone.
The social commentary is amateurly incorporated and extremely on the nose. Even when I agreed with what was being said, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. There's no nuance, no subtext, no allegory—everything is spelled out in the most perfunctory manner.
There is gore and body horror, but I was completely unaffected by it because of the misalignment with the tone and the lack of tension build up.
If you’re a fan of T. Kingfisher’s horror, or if you enjoyed Hemlock by Melissa Faliveno or Cruelty Free by Caroline Glenn, Morsel may work better for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The FMC is right out of the T. Kingfisher main character handbook, all the way down to the dog companion, making the “for fans of T. Kingfisher” tagline scarily accurate; however, the writing wasn’t strong enough to justify a The Ritual comp to me.
The writing is concise and direct, with accessible prose that prioritizes character-driven moments and relatability over anything ornate or elaborate. It uses short sentences and keeps things moving quickly. The thing is, the more I read, the more I realize I generally prefer the ornate and the elaborate. There are a few poetic lines here and there, but overall the storytelling style is very hyper-modern and contemporary, and as someone who loves folk horror, I wanted something with more literary rigor and a more mature, serious tone.
The social commentary is amateurly incorporated and extremely on the nose. Even when I agreed with what was being said, I couldn't help but roll my eyes. There's no nuance, no subtext, no allegory—everything is spelled out in the most perfunctory manner.
There is gore and body horror, but I was completely unaffected by it because of the misalignment with the tone and the lack of tension build up.
If you’re a fan of T. Kingfisher’s horror, or if you enjoyed Hemlock by Melissa Faliveno or Cruelty Free by Caroline Glenn, Morsel may work better for you.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 8, 2026
Morsel is a good read: it’s quick, eerie, and easy to complete in one setting. I love the Appalachian woods atmosphere, the folk horror mixed with some weirdness. It’s a fun twist that the story is set in modern times and takes on capitalism. This is a novella so you’re not going to get in depth character backgrounds or super complicated plot twists. What you are going to get is a few somewhat likable characters, body horror and gore, and a dog. Sweet, sweet puppy dog. This is a solid debut and I can’t wait to see what else Carter Keane publishes!
Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC of this book
Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for the ARC of this book
April 10, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥 is a folk horror novella set in the Appalachians, which immediately pulled me in. Blame all those creepy Appalachian wilderness videos on YouTube… they’ve made me equal parts curious and deeply unsettled. And this book delivered that exact same energy, I was on edge the entire time.
Lou takes a last-chance appraisal job in rural Ohio, only to end up stranded in the woods with a sabotaged truck and something stalking her. The tension builds fast, and the atmosphere is so vivid. Keane does an incredible job painting the kind of visceral, haunting imagery that sticks with you. I listened on audio, which made it even more immersive, and the narrator really brought that eerie tone to life.
That being said… I thought I had this story figured out and then it completely pulled the rug out from under me. While I appreciated the direction it took, the ending felt a bit convoluted with its mix of heavy themes and chaos. I wanted just a little more clarity or depth there because it left me feeling slightly untethered.
The ending definitely left me hungry (pun fully intended) for more.
⚠️ 𝕊𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖: There is a dog in this story, and some upsetting things happen—just something to be aware of depending on your reading preferences.
If you love …
folk horror • body horror • occult vibes • anti-capitalist themes • stories that bite back
… this one is worth checking out 🌿
𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥 is a folk horror novella set in the Appalachians, which immediately pulled me in. Blame all those creepy Appalachian wilderness videos on YouTube… they’ve made me equal parts curious and deeply unsettled. And this book delivered that exact same energy, I was on edge the entire time.
Lou takes a last-chance appraisal job in rural Ohio, only to end up stranded in the woods with a sabotaged truck and something stalking her. The tension builds fast, and the atmosphere is so vivid. Keane does an incredible job painting the kind of visceral, haunting imagery that sticks with you. I listened on audio, which made it even more immersive, and the narrator really brought that eerie tone to life.
That being said… I thought I had this story figured out and then it completely pulled the rug out from under me. While I appreciated the direction it took, the ending felt a bit convoluted with its mix of heavy themes and chaos. I wanted just a little more clarity or depth there because it left me feeling slightly untethered.
The ending definitely left me hungry (pun fully intended) for more.
⚠️ 𝕊𝕚𝕕𝕖 𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕖: There is a dog in this story, and some upsetting things happen—just something to be aware of depending on your reading preferences.
If you love …
folk horror • body horror • occult vibes • anti-capitalist themes • stories that bite back
… this one is worth checking out 🌿
April 14, 2026
Morsel follows Lou, who, trying to help her ill mother out of poverty, ends up with a job... and something stalking her through the Appalachian woods.
I found the book entertaining and straightforward. What I liked most was that the horror wasn’t paranormal, but human; that’s usually what I enjoy in Joe Hill’s work. I did find the 'bad humans' pretty annoying and But I didn’t find the book particularly wow-worthy. I read through it and finished it, and I just kind of felt meh about it.
I feel like this is one of those books I’ll forget I’ve read when I look back on my 2026 reads :(
*ARC received for free. This hasn't influenced my rating.
I found the book entertaining and straightforward. What I liked most was that the horror wasn’t paranormal, but human; that’s usually what I enjoy in Joe Hill’s work. I did find the 'bad humans' pretty annoying and But I didn’t find the book particularly wow-worthy. I read through it and finished it, and I just kind of felt meh about it.
I feel like this is one of those books I’ll forget I’ve read when I look back on my 2026 reads :(
*ARC received for free. This hasn't influenced my rating.
January 23, 2026
I read this book in one sitting. I literally loved it! Very entertaining, obviously as I quite literally couldn’t put it down until it was finished, but there is also a lot to unpack here and get out of it! Lou struggles financially and all she wants is to be able to take care of her mother, who has sacrificed so much to be able to take care of her. So when her job performance is lacking and her boss offers her a new kind of assignment, she jumps at the chance. She will have to photograph properties for property appraisals. Her first assignment takes her to rural Ohio. And very quickly you are like “what in the backwoods Blair Witch project is happening?!” I. Was. Riveted. There are some big surprises in this one so I do not want to even hint at spoilers, but what unfolds is twisty, creepy, horror-filled and unpredictable. Where we ultimately wind up was so unexpectedly, but such a true delight! And I adore the fact that Lou’s dog, Ripley, is a main character. That love of your pets is so strong and on full display here. On the surface, this is a wildly entertaining story, but if you want to dig deeper there is a lot to get out of it. I think the commentary on capitalism is pretty blaring, how it chews some people up to feed those higher on the food chain. Generational poverty and guilt is definitely explored. Class inequities, the police, wellness culture, big corporations, cults…. I mean, you can get a lot out of it, if you are looking for it, and the author does not shy away from making their opinions clear. Or, you can just simply enjoy it as a great horror story. And I love books like that. I’m very impressed as this book is only around 200 pages long.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor NightFire for the ARC! Book releases 4/14/2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and Tor NightFire for the ARC! Book releases 4/14/2026.
April 12, 2026
I'm not usually a novella person, but the atmosphere in this one was doing a lot of the heavy lifting. It was eerie and just unsettling enough to keep me flipping pages despite not being entirely sure where the story was headed. Going in, I get why some readers feel misled by the supernatural monster in the creepy woods but, I mean, the blurb kind of tells you what's coming, especially that last line. So, if you're looking for something to commit fully to a supernatural thread, this probably won't scratch the itch. At least not entirely.
Lou wasn't a character I exactly loved, but I didn't dislike her, and she was easy to understand. Her situation, her motivation, it was all believable which added to the psychologically unraveling (re-raveling?), though I do wish this were explored with more depth. I was rooting for her, and eventually felt sorry for her.
I have a soft spot for stories where the rich and self-important turn out to be just as unhinged than the systems they benefit from. There's always something very satisfying about watching that kind of character collapse. Unsurprisingly, I also have a soft spot for our best friends: dogs. Does Ripley (the dog) have a great time? No. Does the dog make it? According to the author, yes. You'll just have to read and decide for yourself. I appreciated how consistently Lou tried to protect her, though, and would consider that a win for dog moms everywhere.
For transparency, I read this in a bit of a haze after growing tired of twiddling my thumbs around one another, being unsure of what to do for part of the day, after finding out about my partner's mom suddenly and unexpectedly passing away. So, there are parts where I don't know if I missed a detail that wasn't explicitly in my face, forgot it, or it wasn't fully fleshed out. Either way, this was a strange but effective story that mirrored a tense, consuming, disorienting moment.
Thank you to NetGalley & TOR for the ARC.
Lou wasn't a character I exactly loved, but I didn't dislike her, and she was easy to understand. Her situation, her motivation, it was all believable which added to the psychologically unraveling (re-raveling?), though I do wish this were explored with more depth. I was rooting for her, and eventually felt sorry for her.
I have a soft spot for stories where the rich and self-important turn out to be just as unhinged than the systems they benefit from. There's always something very satisfying about watching that kind of character collapse. Unsurprisingly, I also have a soft spot for our best friends: dogs. Does Ripley (the dog) have a great time? No. Does the dog make it? According to the author, yes. You'll just have to read and decide for yourself. I appreciated how consistently Lou tried to protect her, though, and would consider that a win for dog moms everywhere.
For transparency, I read this in a bit of a haze after growing tired of twiddling my thumbs around one another, being unsure of what to do for part of the day, after finding out about my partner's mom suddenly and unexpectedly passing away. So, there are parts where I don't know if I missed a detail that wasn't explicitly in my face, forgot it, or it wasn't fully fleshed out. Either way, this was a strange but effective story that mirrored a tense, consuming, disorienting moment.
Thank you to NetGalley & TOR for the ARC.
March 14, 2026
What a WILD ride. And in only 200 pages!
I haven't read a great horror in a minute, and this one HIT. Keane's ability to write suspense is up there with some of the best. I was home alone reading at night and was way too creeped out. The Appalachian setting adds so much to that atmosphere of suspense as well! My playlist was heavy on Tyler Childers while reading.
No spoilers, but around the 50ish% mark, there's a twist that changes the direction of the book, and I'm not sure it fully worked for me? Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the second half, but that ominous feeling was gone (which was what made it feel so scary in the first place) and it felt like a completely new book. Even with that twist though, I still really liked this and will definitely read more of what Keane writes. How is this a debut??
Thank you NetGalley & Tor Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
I haven't read a great horror in a minute, and this one HIT. Keane's ability to write suspense is up there with some of the best. I was home alone reading at night and was way too creeped out. The Appalachian setting adds so much to that atmosphere of suspense as well! My playlist was heavy on Tyler Childers while reading.
No spoilers, but around the 50ish% mark, there's a twist that changes the direction of the book, and I'm not sure it fully worked for me? Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the second half, but that ominous feeling was gone (which was what made it feel so scary in the first place) and it felt like a completely new book. Even with that twist though, I still really liked this and will definitely read more of what Keane writes. How is this a debut??
Thank you NetGalley & Tor Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3
November 27, 2025
Morsel was an okay read: quick, eerie, and easy to finish in one sitting. I liked the Appalachian woods atmosphere, the tension, and the little moments of weirdness sprinkled throughout. It kept my attention, and I enjoyed following Lou and Ripley through the chaos. A solid horror snack when you’re in the mood for something fast, creepy, and a little unhinged.
April 10, 2026
Thank you Nightfire for my free ARC of Morsel by Carter Keane — available Apr 14!
» READ IF YOU «
🌲 think the woods are genuinely threatening
🏢 hate your day job
🩸 are here for gory, gut-punch horror
» SYNOPSIS «
Lou did everything right—bootstrapped herself out of poverty, got her degree, landed the quintessential office job. But now she’s one mistake away from losing it all, so she has to take the crappy assignment when her boss offers it. But she didn’t count on something hunting her through the deep Appalachian wilderness…
» REVIEW «
Heading out alone into bumf*ck Appalachia? Be so for real right now. Couldn’t be me, but this was a fun little ride of a story. The Appalachian/folk horror atmosphere is thick and suffocating, and the gore is exactly as satisfying as you’d hope. I gasped. I made faces. A grand ol’ time.
There is a fun component of corporate horror, one of my favorite themes lately, and genuine rage at the system we’re all chained to, in some way or another. I think the realism of that facet really works to ground the more supernatural happenings. A super strong debut, and I’ll be on the lookout for Carter Keane’s next book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
» READ IF YOU «
🌲 think the woods are genuinely threatening
🏢 hate your day job
🩸 are here for gory, gut-punch horror
» SYNOPSIS «
Lou did everything right—bootstrapped herself out of poverty, got her degree, landed the quintessential office job. But now she’s one mistake away from losing it all, so she has to take the crappy assignment when her boss offers it. But she didn’t count on something hunting her through the deep Appalachian wilderness…
» REVIEW «
Heading out alone into bumf*ck Appalachia? Be so for real right now. Couldn’t be me, but this was a fun little ride of a story. The Appalachian/folk horror atmosphere is thick and suffocating, and the gore is exactly as satisfying as you’d hope. I gasped. I made faces. A grand ol’ time.
There is a fun component of corporate horror, one of my favorite themes lately, and genuine rage at the system we’re all chained to, in some way or another. I think the realism of that facet really works to ground the more supernatural happenings. A super strong debut, and I’ll be on the lookout for Carter Keane’s next book!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 15, 2026
what the absolute fuck was that?
December 31, 2025
Wow this was a wild bloody hot mess of a ride. It’s not my normal read but it kept me hooked for the dog alone then throw in an excerpt dissection of late stage capitalism and I was sold. “I worked and worked and shrank and shrank with every bite the world took out of my flesh like I was some tasty little morsel that existed only to be consumed.”
Thanks to Netgalley the author and the publisher for the arc .
Thanks to Netgalley the author and the publisher for the arc .
November 3, 2025
Lou, a women on the brink of losing her job due to not mentally being present at work because of her mother's illness, agrees to head out to the sticks for a property appraisal at her bosses request. However after she finishes the job, she finds out that her vehicle won't turn on. Did someone drill into her gas tank? Who would do that out in the middle of nowhere?
I think this book is for fans of "Crafting For Sinners" as they have very similar plots, including podcast segments. Dare I say however that I liked Morsels more. It was a very fast paced novel, I easily finished it in 24 hours. I love folk horror and felt it had a good amount of gore to it. Also there is a dog in this book and I promise by the end the dog is okay.
I loved the themes of capitalism in it. Lou has spent her entire life trying to get somewhere, only to constantly having everyone take a piece of her until it feels like there is nothing felt. Which made her own character arc at the end very satisfying to me. I wasn't sure where this book was going but I definitely loved the way it all came together and ended. I also enjoyed the parts that explored Lou's grief and struggles when it came to her mother's illness. There were a couple of twists that I didn't expect.
I do think the critism on the lack of character development is fair. There were also parts I felt I had to reread to understand what was going on. Parts of this book I feel like maybe could have been cooked a bit and developed out. However it is a debut and honestly I dont think it hindered the novel in a significant way.
Thank you to Nergalley & Tor Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I think this book is for fans of "Crafting For Sinners" as they have very similar plots, including podcast segments. Dare I say however that I liked Morsels more. It was a very fast paced novel, I easily finished it in 24 hours. I love folk horror and felt it had a good amount of gore to it. Also there is a dog in this book and I promise by the end the dog is okay.
I loved the themes of capitalism in it. Lou has spent her entire life trying to get somewhere, only to constantly having everyone take a piece of her until it feels like there is nothing felt. Which made her own character arc at the end very satisfying to me. I wasn't sure where this book was going but I definitely loved the way it all came together and ended. I also enjoyed the parts that explored Lou's grief and struggles when it came to her mother's illness. There were a couple of twists that I didn't expect.
I do think the critism on the lack of character development is fair. There were also parts I felt I had to reread to understand what was going on. Parts of this book I feel like maybe could have been cooked a bit and developed out. However it is a debut and honestly I dont think it hindered the novel in a significant way.
Thank you to Nergalley & Tor Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
April 1, 2026
Review of advanced copy received from NetGalley.
It took me multiple attempts to get into this book. I'm not sure what it was, but I kept getting lost in the opening chapters. For a novella, I think it needed more pages to better ground the story before things got moving. Something about the writing just didn't mesh with me. The sentences are short. I wanted more elaboration and breathing room. At times, I felt whiplashed from scene to scene without enough transition to orient myself.
One thing I did genuinely enjoy was the natural setting. The Appalachian woods feel like they have real presence and menace, and I wanted to sink into that atmosphere. The problem is the pacing never really let me. Just when I started to feel the creep of the environment, the story yanked me somewhere else. I wanted to sit with it, breathe it in, and let the woods do their work, but the book moved too fast to allow that.
There are hints of discourse on capitalism and generational poverty, but it felt surface-level, mentioned in passing between the more chaotic events that unfold later. I got the sense the themes were there, but they didn't land with the weight they deserved or they're done in quick joke.
I also didn't feel like I got to know many of the characters, so when things started happening, I found myself indifferent about the outcome. More in-depth character interactions and a clearer sense of how they connect to each other would have made the stakes feel a lot higher.
The book shifts between human thriller and supernatural horror, and those two elements never quite merged for me. The supernatural elements are strong enough to carry the story on their own. I didn't think they needed the cult/corporate subplot alongside them, and the combination felt uneven rather than layered.
It took me multiple attempts to get into this book. I'm not sure what it was, but I kept getting lost in the opening chapters. For a novella, I think it needed more pages to better ground the story before things got moving. Something about the writing just didn't mesh with me. The sentences are short. I wanted more elaboration and breathing room. At times, I felt whiplashed from scene to scene without enough transition to orient myself.
One thing I did genuinely enjoy was the natural setting. The Appalachian woods feel like they have real presence and menace, and I wanted to sink into that atmosphere. The problem is the pacing never really let me. Just when I started to feel the creep of the environment, the story yanked me somewhere else. I wanted to sit with it, breathe it in, and let the woods do their work, but the book moved too fast to allow that.
There are hints of discourse on capitalism and generational poverty, but it felt surface-level, mentioned in passing between the more chaotic events that unfold later. I got the sense the themes were there, but they didn't land with the weight they deserved or they're done in quick joke.
I also didn't feel like I got to know many of the characters, so when things started happening, I found myself indifferent about the outcome. More in-depth character interactions and a clearer sense of how they connect to each other would have made the stakes feel a lot higher.
The book shifts between human thriller and supernatural horror, and those two elements never quite merged for me. The supernatural elements are strong enough to carry the story on their own. I didn't think they needed the cult/corporate subplot alongside them, and the combination felt uneven rather than layered.
Read
April 8, 2026Rtc
November 5, 2025
Fast-paced, gory, and surprisingly a bit relatable, "Morsel" is a nice little novella perfect for readers looking to get a quick horror fix.
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
With this being a short read it's mainly all plot driven, but our main character, Lou, does have some very well-defined motivations behind her actions. Basically she's willing to make a lot of sacrifices, and some very questionable choices that are not in the interest of self-preservation, in order to seek financial success to provide a better life for her mother who did her best to raise Lou as a single mother living in near poverty.
At its core, this is a fairly straightforward horror story—although not without a few twists and turns—about a girl that's just doing her best to not get murdered in the middle of the woods. But sprinkled through the novella are little critiques about society and corporate greed that provide a little extra food for thought. You can really feel Lou's desperation in how she's just doing her best to take all the right steps in life, but is still finding herself struggling to achieve success.
As far at the writing goes, the prose was smooth and flowed well making for an easy read—Keane definitely did a good job with the imagery here, although those who are weak to gore might not agree with me there! I also enjoyed how we had little aside sections between some of the chapters that provided extra context via text conversations between the characters and transcription snippets from a podcast about a missing hiker in the woods. They might have just been very short additions, but I think they were timed very well and give the reader a good point to pause and reflect over what they just finished reading in the previous chapters.
Overall I would recommend this one to any horror readers who are looking for a quick story they can get through in one or two sittings!
(Thank you to Tor Publishing Group for providing an advance review copy via NetGalley! I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.)
March 28, 2026
This one hit all the right notes for me, especially the anti-capitalist rhetoric and the fierce, unapologetic female rage. The ending felt very satisfying, but in that twisty, dark way that’s not for everyone. There are moments in this book that really slash at you and make you uncomfortable. Personally, the twisted complexities of the human psyche topped the monstrous horrors for me.
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October 31, 2025A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.
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