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Suck Suck Suck
In this debut short story collection, psychological horror gets a magical twist.
A man makes a routine stop at the bank—and surfaces days later sucked dry of his identity. Faced with eviction, a babysitter trades her sin to a troll—but there’s a lustful catch. A breast cancer survivor awakens in the Devil’s sock drawer and runs like Hell. Two closeted young men find love—but a deranged murderer finds them, too.
Suck Suck Suck is a surreal, haunting ride fueled by dark comedy, satire, and desperate longing.
A man makes a routine stop at the bank—and surfaces days later sucked dry of his identity. Faced with eviction, a babysitter trades her sin to a troll—but there’s a lustful catch. A breast cancer survivor awakens in the Devil’s sock drawer and runs like Hell. Two closeted young men find love—but a deranged murderer finds them, too.
Suck Suck Suck is a surreal, haunting ride fueled by dark comedy, satire, and desperate longing.
- GenresHorror
184 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 4, 2025
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
October 29, 2025
Well, this was certainly a different genre of books than I typically read! I'm generally not into the paranormal / horror genres very much, but Suck Suck Suck had some true memorable gems. Several stories touch on themes of lost identity, forbidden love, and general... discomfort. Several stories have gay characters, but the book manages to avoid any yawn-worthy coming-of-age stories.
Overall, I'd say I enjoyed 3 of the stories with a few I could have skipped and been fine with.
The opening story, Te Adora, reads a bit like a Twilight Zone episode. Something feels off and unsettling through the storytelling. The end is subtle, but left me with chills.
* Suck Suck Suck was sure something. It starts weird and is a pretty intriguing story with mystery and a good amount of psychological gaslighting. It is well set up to be a sort of psychological thriller, but in the last bit takes a sudden turn towards the paranormal with little warning that its coming. For me, this was jarring and hard to accept. While I enjoyed the prose and humor, I personally need a bit more set-up and explanation for something to suddenly turn so weird.
* A Plumbing Problem was probably my least favorite story. Rape trigger warning. In a way, it both deals with rape as a true atrocity while simultaneously downplaying it as a sort of comical inconsequential blip in ones overall life experiences. For the right person with a certain sense of humor who may have been a victim, I could see this being a sort of therapeutic story. For others, I could imagine it being outright offensive. That said, the character saying the offensive things is clearly *meant* to be offensive. I just don't know if I want to read it. Beyond that topic, this story just extends beyond the paranormal & supernatural, into ghosts and spirits and toilets and sewage and modifying software with the soul. Some pretty disgusting moments. Personally, just not my cup of tea.
* Marketplace of Sin - honestly I can't remember much of it. It didn't leave a strong impression. Not a bad story, but not my favorite either.
* In the Devil's Sock Drawer - Just ... weird. Very weird. It reads like a bad psychedelic trip.
* Cold Hard Love was by far my favorite. I started reading this on a plane, and found myself very excited to pick it back up as soon as I could. That's a sign of excellent storytelling! The character development was excellent, and the story progresses in a sort of natural way, with believable characters. There's also nothing really paranormal in this story, so it tends to be more in line with fiction I enjoy. There were some excellent quotes in it as well that had me laughing.
Some spoilers, which, hopefully out of context won't ruin anything:
-"She watched Die Hard 3 until her heart stopped."
-"“Being a bitch,” she often said, “is easier over email.”"
-"They lay side by side, a million miles apart, until Joe turned over and snored."
-"Christina didn’t think twice about Joe’s feelings. In fact, since their unamicable split five years before when Joe called her a money-grubbing slut, she’d assumed he didn’t have any."
-"“Relax,” said Joe. “Suspensions are paid vacations.”
Cold Hard Love could be adapted into a dark teen suspense film a la Cruel Intentions or Jawbreaker. I hope to see more stories in this realm.
* It's Not Safe to Swim Today was also pretty enjoyable. It read like a film noir narrator, again reminding me of The Twilight Zone. This one feels much more psychological in nature than paranormal. Hearing the inner thoughts of somebody fantasizing and idolizing a stranger. What might hint at paranormal could actually just be paranoia and coincidence. Riding that edge is something I enjoyed. The end is vague and sudden, but maybe that's exactly what it needed.
Overall, I'd say I enjoyed 3 of the stories with a few I could have skipped and been fine with.
The opening story, Te Adora, reads a bit like a Twilight Zone episode. Something feels off and unsettling through the storytelling. The end is subtle, but left me with chills.
* Suck Suck Suck was sure something. It starts weird and is a pretty intriguing story with mystery and a good amount of psychological gaslighting. It is well set up to be a sort of psychological thriller, but in the last bit takes a sudden turn towards the paranormal with little warning that its coming. For me, this was jarring and hard to accept. While I enjoyed the prose and humor, I personally need a bit more set-up and explanation for something to suddenly turn so weird.
* A Plumbing Problem was probably my least favorite story. Rape trigger warning. In a way, it both deals with rape as a true atrocity while simultaneously downplaying it as a sort of comical inconsequential blip in ones overall life experiences. For the right person with a certain sense of humor who may have been a victim, I could see this being a sort of therapeutic story. For others, I could imagine it being outright offensive. That said, the character saying the offensive things is clearly *meant* to be offensive. I just don't know if I want to read it. Beyond that topic, this story just extends beyond the paranormal & supernatural, into ghosts and spirits and toilets and sewage and modifying software with the soul. Some pretty disgusting moments. Personally, just not my cup of tea.
* Marketplace of Sin - honestly I can't remember much of it. It didn't leave a strong impression. Not a bad story, but not my favorite either.
* In the Devil's Sock Drawer - Just ... weird. Very weird. It reads like a bad psychedelic trip.
* Cold Hard Love was by far my favorite. I started reading this on a plane, and found myself very excited to pick it back up as soon as I could. That's a sign of excellent storytelling! The character development was excellent, and the story progresses in a sort of natural way, with believable characters. There's also nothing really paranormal in this story, so it tends to be more in line with fiction I enjoy. There were some excellent quotes in it as well that had me laughing.
Some spoilers, which, hopefully out of context won't ruin anything:
-"She watched Die Hard 3 until her heart stopped."
-"“Being a bitch,” she often said, “is easier over email.”"
-"They lay side by side, a million miles apart, until Joe turned over and snored."
-"Christina didn’t think twice about Joe’s feelings. In fact, since their unamicable split five years before when Joe called her a money-grubbing slut, she’d assumed he didn’t have any."
-"“Relax,” said Joe. “Suspensions are paid vacations.”
Cold Hard Love could be adapted into a dark teen suspense film a la Cruel Intentions or Jawbreaker. I hope to see more stories in this realm.
* It's Not Safe to Swim Today was also pretty enjoyable. It read like a film noir narrator, again reminding me of The Twilight Zone. This one feels much more psychological in nature than paranormal. Hearing the inner thoughts of somebody fantasizing and idolizing a stranger. What might hint at paranormal could actually just be paranoia and coincidence. Riding that edge is something I enjoyed. The end is vague and sudden, but maybe that's exactly what it needed.
September 13, 2025
2.5 ⭐
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op (Goldenhart Press) for providing me with an eARC.
I love short story collections but this one just didn't work for me. The cover art is what drew me in initially. I was expecting horror stories but these weren't exactly what I wanted. Some of the stories went on and on about some mundane details and then suddenly ended out of nowhere with a possibly horror element. I did like the plumbing story though. I suppose that this is intended to be more of a satire on real things/situations rather than a horror story but I couldn't resonate with it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op (Goldenhart Press) for providing me with an eARC.
I love short story collections but this one just didn't work for me. The cover art is what drew me in initially. I was expecting horror stories but these weren't exactly what I wanted. Some of the stories went on and on about some mundane details and then suddenly ended out of nowhere with a possibly horror element. I did like the plumbing story though. I suppose that this is intended to be more of a satire on real things/situations rather than a horror story but I couldn't resonate with it.
September 12, 2025
ARC courtesy of Goldenhart Press via NetGalley
Although the initial story was weirdly enjoyable, I don't feel like I was the target audience for this book. I had hoped for more horror or more humour but both felt lacking.
There's also a strange aura of sexuality throughout the stories and it doesn't really fit?
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.
Although the initial story was weirdly enjoyable, I don't feel like I was the target audience for this book. I had hoped for more horror or more humour but both felt lacking.
There's also a strange aura of sexuality throughout the stories and it doesn't really fit?
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.
Read
November 28, 2025I fell immediately in love with this cover, and short stories are always fun but also a gamble because you never know what you're getting. Usually though a single author anthology has more of a... stable flow than a multi author anthology. You can at least assume each story will have the same voice.
You know that feeling when you're reading and just keep asking yourself, 'excuse me what?' With extreme horror or splatterpunk it might be shock based. In a romance it might be an, 'omg did they just say/do that,' type of thing. There are so many things that can lead to the slight brain reset of having to reread the sentence again because the first time either didn't register or was so, 'WHAT,' that you have to confirm you read it. This book has that situation in every single story. Only in this case it's based on just absolutely not comprehending what is happening on the page in front of you. Some of the stories are just a little out there. Some are far far out there. But in every case at least once, often more, there was that mental pause and rewind because, 'hello yes author what did I just read?'
Before anything else just know I want Cold Hard Love extended into a full book please and thank you.
There are seven stories total and this isn't a terribly long book nor are any of the stories terribly long, some definately longer than others, but I figured I'd read one story right before bed at 2am and ended up staying up to read the entire book in one sitting while swinging to and fro in my office chair in a pitch black room. Because that was the perfect setting for these stories. Mundane place with a not so mundane detail.
.
Te Adora. The first story was interesting, and was definitely a 'dive right in,' situation. I laughed at Dora's last name being Doppel because 1. Naturally and 2. Adorable. It was fun in a random way and the ending was not at all what I was expecting. Now I will say that I had an, 'oh no,' moment with this one because some of the character behaviors/words were very sudden and very random. I almost got the feeling of, 'I have this cool story to tell but have a word limit that I must stay under so I am going to cut some little things and nobody will notice.' And it was concerning because I wanted to love this book but sometimes you pick up an anthology and realize it's just not for you. But I was torn because was it weird and random because not for me or because it was weird and random? Reading on to find out.
.
Suck Suck Suck. The second story's first line made me laugh as well, 'Four days before the octopus sucked him dry..." And the bit about his instinct coming into play only twice before, once for his wife and once for the lotto (that he lost anyway) was funny. This one was definitely more in the world of the mundane, as the focal point of the entire story is this poor man's experience in this bank. And when he's not at the bank his life revolves around returning to the bank because the damn atm machine took his card and nobody seems to be able to give him straight forward help. The vibes very quickly go from, 'ho hum,' to, 'what?' to just, 'you know what? Hell yeah." And really I love that for the story but unfortunately not for Richard... I mean Ricardo. The manager's entire everything from her car to her looks to her perfume (vanilla, seaweed, and smoky ink) gave her away immediately but man was it still piles of fun when it came to the reveal. Or maybe that's just because I too was smitten with Sharon Charon. Her babbling away about how to pronounce her name and that she was not a slut was really the moment I said, 'Ah this book is weird because it is weird.' And after that I just went with it and it was a beautiful thing. I dunno what the fuck was going on by the end of this story but again, hell yeah Sharon Charon.
.
A Plumbing Problem. The third story begins in an awful way. Trigger warning for rape. Is it graphic? No. Is it graphic? Yes. Because both. So take care with that. Beyond that, the idea of Alvaro's body going one way into one story and his spirit going a seperate way was neat. The ghosts in the water heater tank was fun. New and weird but fun. An absolute mixed bag of a story because I hated Ricky so much lol. The back and forth between the two had me fake smiling with all my teeth at my kindle in the dark like a nut. His bits about religion, the world, etc were surprisingly, 'huh,' and there was definitely some good stuff in there. Between all his smart ass remarks. I was a tad confused on the timeline because I believe Ricky said he'd been in the water tank for decades when Alvaro arrived. Then Alvaro was there for 20 years? But there was a mention of ghost time as well. But then was Ricky in the tank for 40+ years? So how had he been watching, 'a lot of the Friends tv show,' in the past? Possessing someone through their... currently busy butthole because you're ghost floating in a toilet was a new experience for me. It was fun to watch them haunt and ruin the disgusting rapist of a priest but then to carry on as big as Alvaro goes? The ending both made sense and was a, 'hang on now,' because their problem wasn't at all solved and back to the start they went. So Ricky, what the hell man?
.
Marketplace of Sin. The fourth story had everything. Lust of all sorts, a bridge troll, a magic flute, a deal, a cursed????? necklace, a cheating husband, family drama, temptation, weird ass album covers of a troll taking off on his musical career... and an ending that once again was, 'wtf is going on?' I mean Lucy went on a journey and that damn necklace was going to be hers but I dunno what journey she was on or where it was going and neither did that poor???? husband. Had we gotten more though I would have road shotgun for it anyway, if not for more troll album art. Also, probably don't make deals with trolls under bridges.
.
In the Devil's Sock Drawer. The fifth story takes place in the devil's sock drawer. Literally. Why? Because. The socks? Don't worry, they have things to say as the MC journeys through the sock drawer to get out. Follow the light? Double that when it's shaped like a keyhole and you're in a sock drawer. "There's nothing arousing about a string. Probably." Is probably my favorite line from the book as a whole. When your very soul is unraveling into strings it's probably best to avoid the dark corners. The ending of this one I love. You won't understand it but if I explain any of it it will take away from the plot discovery.
"I didn't expect to find you down here," I say.
"What makes you think I'm down there?" it asks, scuttling up through the ceiling.
What the fuck? Not as much if you simply accept that this MC ended up in this sock drawer after a botched surgery.
.
Cold Hard Love. The sixth story starts with a vice principal cockblocking some teens getting busy in a school bathroom. Continues with sexualized uncooked sausage that gets progressively more sinister and family trauma to the level that I actually would LOVE a completely separate book that was just this family going through their shit. This moves onto an almost slasher type vibe and accidental cannibalism I do believe. Well not in this sausage's case but surely there are others. I was a little bit confused at the timeline at first because it was after Valentine's day then before then jumped again. However when it started jumping more and more I realized it was explaining the whole time period of this story out of order. Mixed with the extreme pov switching (extreme in that there are a lot of character's pov in a short story so some were only a paragraph or two) it was a little hard to keep track of who was doing what, when and where unless you were really paying attention. The characters across the board though? Give me this book. While this was the least, 'what the fuck,' story of the bunch it was my favorite mainly because of the possibilities. Also, 'permanent dream,' was a new and exciting way to say that. The ending wasn't confusing at all and like I said a lot less, 'what?' than the others but don't be fooled there was a lot of character tom foolery going on. Just of the, mainly, normal people variety.
.
It's Not Safe to Swim Today. The seventh story I loved the way the MC spoke about just everything, his voice was different than the others had been. Gave me, 'old school tv show where the MC is doing a voice over of their life.' "How'd I screw that up?" How indeed. He's very much into his girlfriend, except he's not enough. Because of the veiled woman. Everything is and will always be about the veiled woman. Too bad he won't ever know her or the secrets she holds. But implode his life for the long run over her? Sure. The, 'what the fuck,' on this one was more in the what we don't know than do. Who and what and why was she rather than what we saw of her. It's not safe to swim today. This, like the last one, danced on the edge of horror more so than the other books although all of these stories had horror aspects to them.
.
Overall there were no bad stories, all were good in their own ways, loved some more than others. There was one thing I noticed though throughout the book. There were a number of spots where several words were missing, grammar was wrong, formatting was off, etc. I am not sure if it was because it hadn't gone through final edit yet or if it was done on purpose because it was an ARC and they were trying to mark it if it got leaked. Either way hopefully that didn't end up in the final edition.
Would absolutely suggest if you want to enjoy some mostly light reading with a whole lot of, "what the fuck."
Thank you to Goldenhart Press for the ARC on Netgalley.
You know that feeling when you're reading and just keep asking yourself, 'excuse me what?' With extreme horror or splatterpunk it might be shock based. In a romance it might be an, 'omg did they just say/do that,' type of thing. There are so many things that can lead to the slight brain reset of having to reread the sentence again because the first time either didn't register or was so, 'WHAT,' that you have to confirm you read it. This book has that situation in every single story. Only in this case it's based on just absolutely not comprehending what is happening on the page in front of you. Some of the stories are just a little out there. Some are far far out there. But in every case at least once, often more, there was that mental pause and rewind because, 'hello yes author what did I just read?'
Before anything else just know I want Cold Hard Love extended into a full book please and thank you.
There are seven stories total and this isn't a terribly long book nor are any of the stories terribly long, some definately longer than others, but I figured I'd read one story right before bed at 2am and ended up staying up to read the entire book in one sitting while swinging to and fro in my office chair in a pitch black room. Because that was the perfect setting for these stories. Mundane place with a not so mundane detail.
.
Te Adora. The first story was interesting, and was definitely a 'dive right in,' situation. I laughed at Dora's last name being Doppel because 1. Naturally and 2. Adorable. It was fun in a random way and the ending was not at all what I was expecting. Now I will say that I had an, 'oh no,' moment with this one because some of the character behaviors/words were very sudden and very random. I almost got the feeling of, 'I have this cool story to tell but have a word limit that I must stay under so I am going to cut some little things and nobody will notice.' And it was concerning because I wanted to love this book but sometimes you pick up an anthology and realize it's just not for you. But I was torn because was it weird and random because not for me or because it was weird and random? Reading on to find out.
.
Suck Suck Suck. The second story's first line made me laugh as well, 'Four days before the octopus sucked him dry..." And the bit about his instinct coming into play only twice before, once for his wife and once for the lotto (that he lost anyway) was funny. This one was definitely more in the world of the mundane, as the focal point of the entire story is this poor man's experience in this bank. And when he's not at the bank his life revolves around returning to the bank because the damn atm machine took his card and nobody seems to be able to give him straight forward help. The vibes very quickly go from, 'ho hum,' to, 'what?' to just, 'you know what? Hell yeah." And really I love that for the story but unfortunately not for Richard... I mean Ricardo. The manager's entire everything from her car to her looks to her perfume (vanilla, seaweed, and smoky ink) gave her away immediately but man was it still piles of fun when it came to the reveal. Or maybe that's just because I too was smitten with Sharon Charon. Her babbling away about how to pronounce her name and that she was not a slut was really the moment I said, 'Ah this book is weird because it is weird.' And after that I just went with it and it was a beautiful thing. I dunno what the fuck was going on by the end of this story but again, hell yeah Sharon Charon.
.
A Plumbing Problem. The third story begins in an awful way. Trigger warning for rape. Is it graphic? No. Is it graphic? Yes. Because both. So take care with that. Beyond that, the idea of Alvaro's body going one way into one story and his spirit going a seperate way was neat. The ghosts in the water heater tank was fun. New and weird but fun. An absolute mixed bag of a story because I hated Ricky so much lol. The back and forth between the two had me fake smiling with all my teeth at my kindle in the dark like a nut. His bits about religion, the world, etc were surprisingly, 'huh,' and there was definitely some good stuff in there. Between all his smart ass remarks. I was a tad confused on the timeline because I believe Ricky said he'd been in the water tank for decades when Alvaro arrived. Then Alvaro was there for 20 years? But there was a mention of ghost time as well. But then was Ricky in the tank for 40+ years? So how had he been watching, 'a lot of the Friends tv show,' in the past? Possessing someone through their... currently busy butthole because you're ghost floating in a toilet was a new experience for me. It was fun to watch them haunt and ruin the disgusting rapist of a priest but then to carry on as big as Alvaro goes? The ending both made sense and was a, 'hang on now,' because their problem wasn't at all solved and back to the start they went. So Ricky, what the hell man?
.
Marketplace of Sin. The fourth story had everything. Lust of all sorts, a bridge troll, a magic flute, a deal, a cursed????? necklace, a cheating husband, family drama, temptation, weird ass album covers of a troll taking off on his musical career... and an ending that once again was, 'wtf is going on?' I mean Lucy went on a journey and that damn necklace was going to be hers but I dunno what journey she was on or where it was going and neither did that poor???? husband. Had we gotten more though I would have road shotgun for it anyway, if not for more troll album art. Also, probably don't make deals with trolls under bridges.
.
In the Devil's Sock Drawer. The fifth story takes place in the devil's sock drawer. Literally. Why? Because. The socks? Don't worry, they have things to say as the MC journeys through the sock drawer to get out. Follow the light? Double that when it's shaped like a keyhole and you're in a sock drawer. "There's nothing arousing about a string. Probably." Is probably my favorite line from the book as a whole. When your very soul is unraveling into strings it's probably best to avoid the dark corners. The ending of this one I love. You won't understand it but if I explain any of it it will take away from the plot discovery.
"I didn't expect to find you down here," I say.
"What makes you think I'm down there?" it asks, scuttling up through the ceiling.
What the fuck? Not as much if you simply accept that this MC ended up in this sock drawer after a botched surgery.
.
Cold Hard Love. The sixth story starts with a vice principal cockblocking some teens getting busy in a school bathroom. Continues with sexualized uncooked sausage that gets progressively more sinister and family trauma to the level that I actually would LOVE a completely separate book that was just this family going through their shit. This moves onto an almost slasher type vibe and accidental cannibalism I do believe. Well not in this sausage's case but surely there are others. I was a little bit confused at the timeline at first because it was after Valentine's day then before then jumped again. However when it started jumping more and more I realized it was explaining the whole time period of this story out of order. Mixed with the extreme pov switching (extreme in that there are a lot of character's pov in a short story so some were only a paragraph or two) it was a little hard to keep track of who was doing what, when and where unless you were really paying attention. The characters across the board though? Give me this book. While this was the least, 'what the fuck,' story of the bunch it was my favorite mainly because of the possibilities. Also, 'permanent dream,' was a new and exciting way to say that. The ending wasn't confusing at all and like I said a lot less, 'what?' than the others but don't be fooled there was a lot of character tom foolery going on. Just of the, mainly, normal people variety.
.
It's Not Safe to Swim Today. The seventh story I loved the way the MC spoke about just everything, his voice was different than the others had been. Gave me, 'old school tv show where the MC is doing a voice over of their life.' "How'd I screw that up?" How indeed. He's very much into his girlfriend, except he's not enough. Because of the veiled woman. Everything is and will always be about the veiled woman. Too bad he won't ever know her or the secrets she holds. But implode his life for the long run over her? Sure. The, 'what the fuck,' on this one was more in the what we don't know than do. Who and what and why was she rather than what we saw of her. It's not safe to swim today. This, like the last one, danced on the edge of horror more so than the other books although all of these stories had horror aspects to them.
.
Overall there were no bad stories, all were good in their own ways, loved some more than others. There was one thing I noticed though throughout the book. There were a number of spots where several words were missing, grammar was wrong, formatting was off, etc. I am not sure if it was because it hadn't gone through final edit yet or if it was done on purpose because it was an ARC and they were trying to mark it if it got leaked. Either way hopefully that didn't end up in the final edition.
Would absolutely suggest if you want to enjoy some mostly light reading with a whole lot of, "what the fuck."
Thank you to Goldenhart Press for the ARC on Netgalley.
September 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Goldenhart Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This collection of short horror stories presents a varied range of narratives, though not all of them effectively capture the essence of the genre. The first story, while not particularly frightening, creates a lingering sense of unease. The second story, however, was more perplexing than unsettling, lacking clear direction and failing to deliver what I would consider a traditional horror experience. The third story, unfortunately, caused my interest to wane significantly. It was uncomfortable and unsettling in a way that felt more unpleasant than suspenseful.
The remaining stories in the collection were somewhat inconsistent; while some resonated with me, none truly conveyed the core elements of horror that I had hoped for. Overall, this book may appeal to readers with different tastes, but it ultimately didn't align with my expectations of the genre.
This collection of short horror stories presents a varied range of narratives, though not all of them effectively capture the essence of the genre. The first story, while not particularly frightening, creates a lingering sense of unease. The second story, however, was more perplexing than unsettling, lacking clear direction and failing to deliver what I would consider a traditional horror experience. The third story, unfortunately, caused my interest to wane significantly. It was uncomfortable and unsettling in a way that felt more unpleasant than suspenseful.
The remaining stories in the collection were somewhat inconsistent; while some resonated with me, none truly conveyed the core elements of horror that I had hoped for. Overall, this book may appeal to readers with different tastes, but it ultimately didn't align with my expectations of the genre.
September 14, 2025
A story collection branded as psychological horror that I was hoping would read like Maeve Fly but instead delivers this perverted view that does not align with the description. This collection was rough to get through because each one felt like it was ending nowhere. The details felt like they were written for a young adult audience and could not quite grasp me into the reality of the stories. Also some of the content borders on some weird relationships that were not entirely comfortable. I love stories that are chilling, eerie, and even go to dark places – but this collection was aiming for shock value with no real purpose. I want stories that have purpose even if there is going to be some shock permeating throughout the story.
For more recommendations, impressions, and reviews visit https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
For more recommendations, impressions, and reviews visit https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/
November 13, 2025
The setting of the last story, “It’s Not Safe to Swim Today” takes place partly in Chautauqua. That’s where I met the author, Brandt Scheidemantel. It was at a cocktail party type reception and I was taken by this affable and (extremely) good looking young man. I got his book. Did I mention he was good looking? It was definitely NOT the type of book I would usually read. Brandt seemed so normal. But these stories are not normal. Not even next to normal. BUT. Can this guy write! He creates some of the most unusual scenes I have ever read. I read the book in one day and was exhausted by the time I had finished it. But oddly satisfied. While this was an unusual ride, it was a worthwhile one.
September 24, 2025
Scheidemantel definitely has a witty and twisted sense of humor, and as I made my way through the book I found myself equal parts laughing out loud as well as cringing. Most of the stories take mundane suburban landscapes and impose twisted, bizarre and supernatural characters and themes onto them. The stories juxtapose the absurd and domestic, the unhinged and wholesome and while sometimes verging on the gratuitous, the author nonetheless delivers stories that are worth the ride. I particularly enjoyed “Suck Suck Suck”, which gives the collection its title and without giving too much away, I think the cover art captures the vibe perfectly.
October 16, 2025
Quite an anthology! Riveting and disturbing, written well. I'm not sure there were trigger warnings provided? And I would have appreciated it. But the titular story was my absolute favorite and each story circled around the themes of how our modern world affects not only our reality but our personalities. I'm happy with what the lead collaborator accomplished here, and it's perfect for a reading interlude, although I can't go so far as to label it a palette cleanser due to the content.
Thank you to NetGalley and Goldemheart Press for the Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to NetGalley and Goldemheart Press for the Advance Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review!
August 20, 2025
This is collection took me on a journey through America suburbia but with large helpings of magic and myth. My favorite story was a plumbing problem about two ghosts in a church’s water heater tank - not gonna spoil it but they do some pretty wild things to haunt the church and I was laughing while also contemplating ideas about religion and the soul.
September 15, 2025
Funny, sinister, and gripping short stories that had me both giggling and on the edge of my seat. Immensely enjoyable read with the Veil of Maya references in the final short story being the pièce de résistance. Highly recommend!
September 27, 2025
Great collection of stories. If you like an edge to your fiction, and want entertaining tales, get yourself a copy. I found the stories very enjoyable and thought provoking.
Given that this is the author’s debut, it is exciting to know there will be alot more stories coming down the pike!
Given that this is the author’s debut, it is exciting to know there will be alot more stories coming down the pike!
October 7, 2025
super creative collection of stories in this anthology Suck Suck Suck. despite not knowing what was wild turns were coming, still found it easy to follow along and relate to the characters, who felt fully formed. got hooked from the first story, Te Adora
October 9, 2025
The stories are as fun as the cover art! Lush prose, nostalgic settings, funny characters, suspenseful plots, thought-provoking mysteries... This book has them all. If you're looking for something completely different and fresh, this is for you.
October 9, 2025
This is an odd collection of stories. Some of them I didn't understand what I was reading, but I enjoyed the story anyway... which tells me Scheidemantel can weave a story! From weirdly odd to unusually weird, there is a story for everyone, but not everyone for these stories.
October 26, 2025
3.5 stars. Strong mix of good and b-rated kind of bad. Its funny dark humor which i love. Weird fever dream horror. The cover art is what really got me interested initially. Its worth a try for sure especially if you like b-rated horror.
October 28, 2025
Brilliant collection of darkly surreal works including a masterful strike of writing in the tale of Nix
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