It’s nearly Samhain so Penelope, a brand new and self proclaimed baby witch, has decided it’s the right time to contact her deceased Oma. It’s been years since her death but Penelope’s grief hasn’t lessened.
Armed with a pretty crystal and some incense from an old witch at a metaphysical shop, she settles in to see Oma’s familiar and comforting face. Instead, she meets a...spider? A gigantic, disgusting spider who seems keen on haunting her dreams and leaving cryptic messages in webs.
Felix Graves (he/him) is a queer and disabled AAPI author of dark speculative fiction. Most of his writing involves tragedy, queer romance, and faerie-inspired creatures. He prides himself on writing stories with a starkly honest ownvoice commentary on mental illness, disability, and queerness. When not writing, he can be found reading queer fiction, cooking elaborate meals, or gaming with his friends and family. He currently lives in the beautiful PNW with his husband, their children, a ferociously adorable pibble, and possibly a ghost or two. Find him on his socials @authfelixgraves
Detailed Content Warnings of all Felix Graves works are available here.
It was definitely a horror/thriller with some great vibes going on. I enjoyed the supporting character and the trip back to the shop? Cue "omg"! That was a really fun twist.
As much as I enjoyed it, I felt it needed to be longer and not for greedy reasons! Just like some things felt open ended, not I was missing a reason or two behind what was happening to understand more. It ended on a cliff hanger, but really that was satisfying in a way. The not knowing of other things bugs me more than anything.
Overall, it was a decent little read. The spider? Honestly the star of the book. I'd probably recommend if you're bored or have some down time.