Ninety Eight Point Eight

by Krista Candela

Mama wasn't always scared of me.

Oliver remembers when things were different. When Mama would hold him, dress him up for videos, tell everyone how special he was. Now he spends his days in the basement, in a room with padded walls and a door that locks from the outside. Mama says it’s for his own good. That he’s getting too big, too strong, and too dangerous. When Case Officer, Kim arrives asking questions Mama doesn’t want to answer, everything changes. Oliver isn’t allowed to exist anymore, not officially. Not according to the death certificate Mama forged, or the plan she’s hatched to keep him hidden forever. But isolation changes people. Hunger changes them more. And Oliver has been so very, very hungry.

Told through multiple perspectives, this slow-burn psychological horror novel builds to a shocking revelation that will make you question everything you’ve read. This is a story about the lengths a mother will go to protect what she loves, and what happens when that protection becomes a prison.

Genres: Psychological Horror, Horror

152 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 9, 2025

Reviews

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Everyone's useless when you actually need them,” (p. 28).

“That's what real friends do. They don't judge. They don't ask questions. They just help,” (p. 106).

“Smile the right way, say the right words, and they'll write their own story about you,” (p. 107).

I enjoyed this creepy little book. But I suspected the twist from the subtle hints we got. I think had I not have seen the documentary that is basically this story that I wouldn’t have guessed it.

Also the Heather and Randy affair? Ummm ANY OTHER NAMES PLS? 😂😭😭😭😭 My dad’s name. So just nope.

A short and fun read.




——SPOILER ‼️———












WARNING …














WARNING..







——SPOILER BELOW——

Okay. Chimp Crazy doc story 😂 if you loved this book then you NEED to watch Chimp Crazy on Netflix. It’s INSANE!

[Bri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great now I’m horrified and sad

[George J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

very oddly entertaining

I liked the fact that each chapter was written from the perspective of each character. Then the bombshell in the middle of the book which made me have to finish it quicker. Thanks again Kathryn

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of those “did I finish it or did it finish me” books that I still enthusiastically recommend! Krista Candela is a children’s book author and this is her first time writing horror! I'm beyond impressed and I can't wait to read more horror from her.

This is an easy book to spoil but let’s just say it’s about toxic mothering. It’s also based on a true story and there’s a docu-series about it 👀

Read if you like:
- psychological horror/crime thrillers
- unhinged but vulnerable & hilarious 1st p POV
- great female villain origin story
- fast paced short books
- creeping dread, dark humor, shock & emotion

more on my booktube https://youtu.be/Xa_qVctTmxw

[Megan White · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a wild ride!

I went in blind, drawn in by the title and cover art. This was artfully written and got me hooked from the first page! Very splatterpunk-esque with plenty of psychologically thrilling plot points!

[Luis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Riveting, but heartbreaking

I read a lot of fantasy and sci-fi, but this popped up on my timeline and I thought I'd give it a try.
Spoilers


The book lined up as a suspense and horror, but the horror was having to be in the mind of an insane women torturing an animal.
I did spend the first half wondering if it was going to be a twist, a dark look at Austism and neglectful parenting, or fun zombie shenanigans. And then the ape ripped people up and I realized how terrifying that could be.
Not something I'd go out of my way to recommend to folks, but definitely impactful.

[Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started reading this book. I found a line at the beginning that caught my attention. I underlined it. Kept reading because I thought Oliver was a kid with some issues. I thought his mom was not taking care of him. I was so sure about what was going on. I felt like I understood everything. I thought Oliver's mom was a person who locked him in a room.. Then I found out that was not what was happening at all. The author, Krista Candela let me think that for a while. She let me build up all these ideas in my head. Then she changed everything.

I went back. Read the book again. I saw that Krista Candela was not trying to trick me. She was just telling the story in a clever way. Oliver was talking about things that his body did without him thinking about it. He would grab things without wanting to. He would think about his treasure bucket all the time. When he killed a squirrel he started to feel hungry. It was like he was an animal or something.. He was thinking about all this stuff like a human. That was really interesting to me.

I want to talk about Sherry, one of the characters in the book. Some people might think she is a bad person but I do not think that. If you look at her life you can see why she is the way she's. Her mom was mean to her when she was little. She made Sherry do pageants and things like that. Sherrys body and mind got messed up because of it. She has a lot of problems because of what her mom did. When things do not go her way she gets really upset. She does not just get mad she falls apart.. The people around her they did not help her. They just let her do whatever she wanted.

Krista Candela does not make Sherry just a bad guy. She makes her a real person with problems. There is a part in the book where it talks about Sherrys mom and how she was mean to her. It is really sad and hard to read. You can see how Sherry became the person she's today. Her mom loved herself more than she loved Sherry. Sherry had to be perfect all the time. When she was not perfect her mom got mad. Sherry learned that she had to be what her mom wanted her to be. That is why she does all the things she does.

I think the book is trying to say that we should not just think Sherry is a person. We should try to understand her. We should look at her. See why she is the way she is. Krista Candela wants us to see Sherry as a person, not just a bad guy.

Sometimes Sherrys thoughts sound a little silly. Some people might think that the part where she dances to music while doing something is too funny. They might think it is much.. I think it is supposed to be that way. Sherry keeps saying that it is not her fault and it gets a little old.. I think that is the point. Krista Candela is trying to show us what it is like to be around someone like Sherry. It is, like being stuck in a loop. Sherry just keeps saying the things over and over again.

Oliver is different. He is honest. Does not know how to lie. When he kills the squirrel he says he feels good not bad. He is trying to figure out who he is and where he fits in. He is an animal who has been put into a human world. He does not understand what is going on.

I think this book is really good. I would give it 4 out of 5 stars. I think people should read it if they like books that make them think and feel things.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝑴𝒂𝒎𝒂 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏'𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆.

Oh, my heart. I'm so glad I didn't read any spoilers for this one because that twist came like a sucker punch and knocked the wind out of me. Told from alternating points of view, this is the story of Sherry, a woman who had everything--a happy marriage, a successful business, and more money than she could spend. Then she became a mother, and everything changed. Determined to be the best mother she could, Sherry went overboard. The end result surely triggered a mental break, and Sherry took part in a black market adoption and brought home Oliver.

Oliver's chapters were hard to read as they were written in very much the same vein as Mella in Angel Van Atta's IN THE TALL TREES. Innocent, childlike, and vulnerable. And we all know in books like these what happens to those who possess those traits. Oliver remembers when he was little and Mama would hold him, dress him up for videos, and tell everyone how special he was. But now he spends his days in the basement, locked in a cage. Mama says he's too strong and too dangerous. Everything changes when a case officer arrives asking questions Mama doesn’t want to answer, and she decides that Oliver can't exist anymore--at least on paper.

Prepare yourself for abject sadness and cruelty that is unfortunately a 'ripped from the headlines' experience. Definite triggers in this one that many avoid, and if you need to know, send me a DM. Highly recommended. I grabbed this one from KU.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This popped up on my FB feed today and it looked interesting. Seeing how it was available on kindle unlimited and it was a shorter read (2.5hrs) I said sure! I didn’t pay much mind to the cover, just glancing at it.

I was hooked as soon as I started reading. I enjoyed the different POV and appreciate them in a book. Quickly being kickstarted into the protective mom of a special needs child that I am, my heart broke for Oliver. So many things went through my mind and I went through a wealth of emotions. I also knew mama was not stable. It was not long before that i put two and two together. Some may poo poo that it happens ina book so quickly but it’s still not entirely clear to the reader. Anyway, I knew that Oliver was not who some may think he is. My heart broke regardless and I needed to know what eventually happened. Do all stories have happy endings no, do I want one? Yes! Do some stories deserve a more realistic approach at the expense of said ending? Yup. It’s satisfyingly heartbreaking, and disturbing. I took partial stat away for the congestion my tears created within my skull ha ha! I read to escape and not cry goshdarngit ha!

This was a great surprise read today and I look forward to her other works in the future! Now I want to save primates!

[Thinker Mindset · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is hard yet important to read. It tells the story of Oliver, a boy with autism who is locked in a basement and abused by his mother. The title refers to his normal body temperature 98.8, the one thing that shows he is still human, still alive, still real.

The narrative is told from two perspectives. Oliver's voice is simple and heartbreaking as he tries to understand the world through a locked door. His mother's voice, justifying her cruelty as love and protection.

What makes this book so powerful is how the author shows the slow erosion of a child's spirit. The mother's chapters are written with a clinical coldness that is no less chilling than any scream. It is disturbing and real. If you have experienced abuse, this book may be hard to face. But it validates what many survivors know. Those abuses often comes wrapped in the language of love and care. It shows how people can become invisible, locked away not just in basements but in systems that ignore them.

This is a necessary book. Read it. Let it teach you what to see.

[Lady W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased the physical copy of this book and will be bringing it into the used bookstore so that someone else can read it!

This is a really good fast read. I read it in less than 2 hours.

I figured out the (twist?) on the first page. I immediately guessed it and then looked at the cover to confirm my suspicions. I didn’t know it was a twist until reading other people reviews. I thought we were all supposed to realize that Oliver was a chimpanzee from the beginning. If we’re not supposed to know that Oliver is a chimpanzee.. then the cover needs to be changed.

It reminded me of Creepshow or Tales from the Darkside with that ending with Sherry.

But, still 4 stars! It was really good.

[Kayla P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really did like this book. It was unique and kept me guessing. The story was interesting and didn’t drag out too much. The ending was sad but sort of expected. The main character reminded me of my mother in law so take that as you will. I wish the actual cover of the book was different bc I think I would’ve been tricked longer if it was. I also wish there was more background on what happened with Adam

[Teags · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick & Heartbreaking

My heart truly broke for Oliver, took joy in the downfall of others, and enjoyed every minute of this book. The pacing was fantastic, the POV & characters were entertaining, every page mattered and made me want to forget all duty in real life and just keep reading. Can't wait to read more from Candela!

[Christie! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I expect to cry while reading a horror novella about a creature? Nope. Did I cry into a pillow while desperately wanting to hold said creature in my arms and tell him he did a good job? Yes.

You lose nothing by reading this. Highly recommend for an hour or two of gorey, heart wrenching entertainment.

You did good, Oliver. I’m proud of you.

[Laura Lindemulder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. it does pull at your heart.

The twist in the middle will make you go wait, what?

I recommend it. Hold on to your kids, humans or pets a little closer after reading this.

[Sundari · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author did a great job in designing the characters' perspective. Some people may find it slow-paced story. But real psychological horror fans will love to read it. Read this only if you are above 18 with strong-minded person. The disturbing themes mau not be suitable for lighthearted persons.

[Erica smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book made me want to hold my dog and kids a little bit more . from the description I had a feeling it would be sad , but I didn't expect to feel this way . well written , good book

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

what the fuck (positive)

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect with this novella. I could see this impacting people with children more. It was really a heartbreaking story and I was hooked, wanting to know how things would end

[Reading_RainRho · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a ride

I don’t want to spoil it but it grabs you by the neck and doesn’t let go until you’re nauseous, crying, and even then too stunned to speak.

[Elizabeth Prater · Rating 4 out of 5]

oliver😭😭

[Tara Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a 3.5.

[dani]

This one definitely left me speechless (I just wish the cover was different because I feel like that gave away the twist)

[Elyssa Garcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so unique! Blown away this author has only done children’s books prior to this, what a great first horror novel!!

[Aura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this book is supposed to be horror, the horror of being loved too much, of loving too much but man was it sad. I wasnt expecting to cry.

[Babs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although the “twist” was spoiled by the cover, this was still both riveting and heartbreaking. I couldn’t put it down.

[ChyenneReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deliciously gory and everyone gets what they deserve in the end, except sweet baby Oliver

[Danielle Goldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

spoiler below
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
I feel like the cover of this book gave away what was supposed to be the "twist" of the book. a few chapters in things felt off and I guessed that'd be it, and I was right. A different cover would have made the twist be a bigger shock and likely have made it 4* vs 3* for me. It was an interesting concept though.