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Just the Tip

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YOU BETTER TIP YOUR DRIVER...

LIFE’S HARD. ALL JESSE NEEDED WAS A TIP OR TWO, SOMETHING TO HELP HIM GET BY.

BECOMING A FOOD DELIVERY DRIVER WAS SUPPOSED TO SOLVE HIS PROBLEMS. INSTEAD, IT’S CAUSED HIS LIFE TO QUICKLY SPIRAL FURTHER INTO CHAOS.

WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE AND MONEY IS TIGHTER THAN EVER, JUST ABOUT ANYTHING SOUNDS APPETIZING.

189 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 16, 2026

47 people are currently reading
230 people want to read

About the author

Rob Nelson

3 books129 followers

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
Profile Image for Matty.
202 reviews27 followers
December 25, 2025
Rob is really good at creating main characters who commit atrocious acts but at the same time you end caring for them due to horrible things that society has let happen to them.

This novella wastes no time getting to the action and does not let up until the end with some surprises along the way. Some sections are so extremely gross and descriptive you may want a bottle of air freshener and some Dramamine nearby.

I read the ARC of Made a Monster and later bought his “Rat Box” which included a signed copy and some other creepy goodies. I plan on doing the same with his new book.

What a great extreme horror book to start the new year and I look forward to what Rob comes up with next!
Profile Image for Bookaholic__Reviews.
1,222 reviews155 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 28, 2026
When I read the title... my brain went one way.... but it's not like that ya perv!! Think more like a disgusting door dasher getting revenge on the non tipping aholes.

This was WILD to say the least. As vile as our MC is, part of me still felt bad for him... all the dude needed was a little tip.
Profile Image for Wren Lee.
194 reviews10 followers
December 18, 2025
On its face, this is a story about the grind, and how one simple act of kindness could have changed the course of a timeline by a complete 180.

In its depths, this is a story about class resentment, poverty, and rape culture. And it follows one man’s descent into the madness he endures from starvation, and the revenge he seeks that is fueled by continuous, unadulterated cruelty… all while he’s just trying to stay afloat.

And you know what could have kept it all from coming to a head? Just The Tip.

That’s right, a single solitary tip from this awful excuse for a job delivering food to ungrateful assholes that do nothing but scream at him, blame him for their unfortunate results of their own outbursts, and even play around with his fragile sensibilities just for fun.

But you can only push a person so far before they snap. And today is the day for Jesse, our lone delivery boy, and this wasn’t just a snap, this was an entire fracturing of his psyche. Any sense of a normal existence gets completely left behind.

If you were a fan of Made A Monster, you’re going to be a fan of Just The Tip.
Profile Image for Erk.
322 reviews4 followers
January 24, 2026
“Just as he bit down on the hood of her clitoris, feeling his teeth puncture through the cool meat as it crunched wetly in his mouth,”

This made my body shiver in the worst way… Also I’d like to point out a lot of these horror books have too many hot things and genitalia in the same sentence. 😂🤣😂 I almost thought there was going to be a HEA.. what a silly🪿 I am.

Don’t recommend if you’re not into shit and cannibalism.

PLEASE TIP YOUR DRIVERS. 🫠
Profile Image for Claudia Rambles.
174 reviews19 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 14, 2026
Think UberEats…
A hungry delivery driver with a very special kind of appetite.
A rich, self entitled prick with zero respect for others!

This is Just the Tip!
…or the tip that Jesse didn’t get.
Instead, Jesse stumbles straight into the lion’s den, where everyone is prey, and he’s about to have a feast.

I was lucky enough to beta read this book, and honestly, it was a wild ride from day one.
Just the Tip! will make you gag, squirm, and laugh… sometimes all at once.
Needless to say, Rob did it again.

If you like gnarly books that make you question your own sanity, make sure to grab this one.
You won’t be disappointed.

This review and more here:
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Profile Image for Beeb &#x1faa6;.
27 reviews2 followers
December 20, 2025
“I am the monster that you made me. I am the boogeyman they warned you about, the reason you should be kind to everyone around you. You never know who is going to fucking snap.”


Rob Nelson has made another monster, another massacre, another masterpiece.

Earlier this year, I came across a random Reddit post for the Made a Monster ARC and was immediately intrigued by the artwork.

As someone who’s been through ~130 books this year ranging from indie debuts to horror heavy hitters, I know not to judge a book by its cover.

Fortunately, Rob’s Made a Monster made me a first chapter fan and was not only worthy of its killer cover art, but its shot as a debut novel ended up landing it among my favorite reads of the year.


This previously unknown author took his 229 pages and used them to build himself a stairway up to my splatterpunk Mount Rushmore of “drop what I’m reading and consume immediately”, fitting in right alongside Kristopher Triana, Nick Cutter, and Judith Sonnet.

Made a Monster showed us that Rob Nelson was a force to be reckoned with..

..Just The Tip shows us that it wasn’t just a fluke.



True to the splatterpunk theme, Rob cleaves us a script that’s every bit as important as the slop.

Like its predecessor, Just the Tip revisits a similar Rob-made realm, where someone’s humanity is eaten away by their peers, though it takes its own route to get there.

The story effortlessly weaves back and forth between truly bleak and haunting scenes that show the depths of human depravity, gross out gore moments filled with creativity (I ended up researching and learning about a few everyday things I never thought about), and a few moments of hilarity (one in particular had me actually chuckle out loud and waste a few minutes picturing).

This makes for an extremely well paced story where nothing overstays its welcome.

If you flinch easily, perhaps check the trigger warning at the beginning.

If you don’t mind a mess, pull the trigger on this book and shit down for the ride.

Just a tip
Profile Image for Peter Topside.
Author 6 books1,466 followers
February 1, 2026
3.5 stars. The writing quality was the highlight here, by far. The content was ok. Definitely fell into the splatterpunk subgenre. But it felt like it tried too hard to get there. There were many sections in the earlier portions where there were near run-on descriptions of Jesse biting his fingernails, then the skin, the licking the blood, and so on. Just kept going and diverting focus from the story itself. I understand the need for context, but it was a bit excessive and without much variation. The story found its groove for a bit after that, fully embracing its gross out factor, but then it transitioned into this, almost, entirely other story focused on Cody and Lisa. And our lead, Jesse, was absent for large chunks, coming in much later in a very different role. Almost felt like several different plots jammed together without any proper cohesiveness. The book attempted to take on way too much, rather than just keep its simple premise the way it was. And it just made everything feel disjointed, minimizing all of the better plot points and characterizations it brought to the table. Still not a bad read, but it desperately needed a good content editor to fine-tune its approach.
Profile Image for Shae Bentley.
298 reviews21 followers
January 22, 2026
5⭐️ - So just when I thought Made A Monster would be the most disgusting book I’d ever read, @robnhorror dropped Just The Tip. Seriously, Rob. What the fuck was that?!

I almost tapped out by chapter three. The toilet scene alone nearly took me out 🤮 iykyk.

And yet, I still can’t give this anything less than five stars. Not just because it shocked me, repulsed me and genuinely made me feel physically ill, but because it was wildly entertaining. I tore through it in one sitting!

The story follows Jesse, a broke man scraping by who takes a job as a food delivery driver to make some extra cash. What absolutely blows my mind is how Rob manages to make us care about him. He’s vile, grotesque and truly awful, and somehow I was rooting for him the entire time?! On the surface, this reads like a brutal story about the daily grind and how a single moment of basic human decency could have changed everything. One small kindness. One choice that never comes.

Beneath the gore, though, this is a story steeped in class resentment, poverty and rape culture. It follows the slow, harrowing collapse of a man being crushed by hunger, humiliation and systemic cruelty while he desperately tries to survive. Jesse’s descent is fuelled by constant degradation, unchecked entitlement and the quiet violence of being treated as disposable.

The irony is almost cruel. The catastrophe at the heart of this book could have been avoided by something painfully simple. A tip. One insignificant gesture from people who scream at him, mock him, blame him for their own behaviour, and toy with his already fragile mental state for their own amusement.

There’s only so much a person can endure. When Jesse snaps, the consequences are brutal. Just the Tip forces you to confront how cruelty compounds, how desperation warps, and how easily society looks away until it is far too late.

If you enjoy extreme horror/splatterpunk, this is an absolute must-read! I loved every disgusting second of it!
Profile Image for Summer R Jones.
319 reviews11 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 19, 2025
Thank you to the author and the publisher or publishers for all your hard work! I'm leaving this review voluntarily and happily! Take a look!

This was absolutely filthy, vile and gag worthy. This is a book you will want to read with a strong stomach. Of course if you've read any other books by this author you know what your in for. The triggers are pretty gruesome. Im not gonna list a lot but there's definitely gore, death, vomit and other bodily fluids involved. Even with that said there is more than bodily fluids that could trigger you in this book. The cover of the book definitely is a giveaway to what's to come in the story.

The main characters you definitely feel for them. Though ill admit im definitely rooting for the woman on this book there is somthing that you learn from everything that happens in this book. Definitely tip your drivers/ delivery people. I dont mean an arm and a leg but give them somthing. They dont get paid much at all from the apps they work. Anyway, what would you be willing to eat or do to just get a little something in your stomach? This book gets pretty graphic, you have been warned.

Darkness is in everyone even if you dont think so its there. The imagery in this book was so detailed and just the depravity it goes through. It definitely had me gaging, hoping for the best for some and wanting to join in on other parts.
Profile Image for Mellisa.
610 reviews158 followers
January 19, 2026
Summary: Struggling delivery driver Jesse expects tips to help him survive, but the job instead drags him deeper into chaos. As money runs out and desperation grows, his moral limits begin to blur.

Review: Just when I think I’ve hit the limits of extreme horror, something comes along and pushes them even further.

This book is absolutely vile, deeply disturbing, and unapologetically extreme. It cranks the shock factor to a whole new level and leaves a lasting impression that’s hard to shake.

You’ll definitely think twice before skipping a tip after reading this. A must-read for fans of hardcore, no-holds-barred extreme horror.
339 reviews4 followers
January 21, 2026
That was something else..

This is not for the faint of heart. It has the grossest, most vile violence one human could do to another, except there nothing involving kids or animals.
But wow, that was seriously something else...
Profile Image for Morgan.
88 reviews5 followers
February 1, 2026
“I am the boogeyman they warned you about, the reason you should be kind to everyone around you. You never know who is going to fucking snap.”
Whew buddy though, this was a nasty one
Profile Image for Dylan DeGrave.
Author 1 book8 followers
January 17, 2026
Just The Tip by Rob Nelson is brutal, disgusting, and deeply unsettling, but it’s also so character driven.

This is Nelson’s second novel, and it’s clear his craft has leveled up. The violence is extreme and often hard to stomach, but it never feels aimless. Every grotesque moment is tied to character, consequence, and escalation. You don’t just witness suffering, you feel it, because Rob takes the time to make you care.

The character work. There are people in this book you genuinely empathize with, characters you root for, and others you come to hate with an intensity that borders on visceral. That emotional investment makes the brutality hit harder, and it’s something a lot of people fail at. Here, it absolutely works.

The story takes a truly horrendous and unexpected turn. From that point on, there’s no comfort, no safety net. The ending leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, but honestly, I can’t imagine this story ending any other way. It feels earned, even if it hurts.

Beyond the gore and shock, Just The Tip ultimately shines a harsh light on how people treat one another, how cruelty compounds, and how small choices can spiral into irreversible damage. It’s ugly, uncomfortable, and emotionally heavy, exactly what splatterpunk should be when it’s done well.

This book is not for everyone. But if you’re a fan of extreme horror that prioritizes character, consequence, and emotional impact over cheap shock, Just The Tip is absolutely worth your time.
Profile Image for Kati Chastain.
47 reviews5 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 26, 2025
“I am the monster that you made me. I am the boogeyman they warned you about—the reason you should be kind to everyone around you. You never know who is going to fucking snap.”

And there it is. The thesis. The warning label. The mission statement.
Rob Nelson has done it again—another monster, another absolute splatterpunk gut-punch. Just the Tip is a brutal descent into poverty, resentment, starvation, and the thin, flimsy line between barely holding it together and completely losing your shit. This is a story about how cruelty compounds, how kindness matters, and how pushing the wrong person one step too far can derail an entire timeline.

Jesse is just trying to survive. A food delivery job should be harmless, right? Easy money. Low risk. Except it isn’t. An accident becomes the spark, and what follows is a full psychological fracture—one born from hunger, humiliation, and relentless mistreatment. Watching Jesse unravel is uncomfortable, ugly, and impossible to look away from.

Nelson delivers exactly what he does best: fast-paced, violent, disgusting, and—surprisingly—sad. The gore hits hard, but the emotional rot underneath it all hits harder. This isn’t violence for the sake of shock; it’s violence with teeth, with meaning, with rage.
Just the Tip cements Rob Nelson as a force to be reckoned with in splatterpunk horror. Read it—but maybe be a little nicer to your delivery drivers after.
Profile Image for Wicked Habit.
59 reviews1 follower
December 31, 2025
“I’m just an overworked man with no money and no more options.”

Jesse has barely skated by in life…now to the point of starvation all he wants is a tip for running food to customers so that he himself can buy something to eat. After some “bad interactions” with customers he finally snaps…and there’s no stopping the hungry pit within that he so desperately needs to fill.

When karma comes to literally bite you in the ass.

What’s it take to have a little human decency? A kind word? A sweet gesture? Or maybe just a tip for a hardworking guy? This book is absolutely vile not just in the acts you read but in the human behavior of these complete assholes who treat our MC the way they do. You want to jump through the pages and punch every one of them.

Rob kills it in the splatterpunk genre. Writing brilliantly thought out, meaningful stories sprinkled (with a heavy hand) of dark humor.
Profile Image for Morgan Cash.
13 reviews2 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 26, 2025
Rob Nelson doesn't miss, and 'Just The Tip' is another prime example of an author who broke out onto the scene and refuses to let off the gas.

Jesse's existence is garbage. He's broke, his only friend is a callous old woman next door, and life just keeps passing him by while nothing improves. The desperation is palpable, and draws heartbreaking parallels to the state of the world we are currently living in.

The storytelling is superb, and Rob's timing is spot-on to propel the plot and keep momentum. I found myself forgetting at times all about Jesse, because there are plenty of layers and development to keep you intrigued and horrified. This is another display of Rob doing what he does best, and that's crafting monsters.

I loved everything about this, but the ending is DEFINITELY going to get that guy some hate mail!
Profile Image for Mieke Janssens.
77 reviews6 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 29, 2025
(ARC review)
"All he needed was a tip to cover some of the gas money"
Jesse is barely making ends meet and picks up a job as a delivery boy. Being treated badly by his costumers, he snaps....

This story is disgusting, violent, bloody, gory and has all the vile stuff you can imagine.
But it is more...  it's also a story about social inequality, poverty and humanity... or the lack thereof.

It's a fast paced story that barely gives you time to breathe... and maybe that's for the better, cos the stench would be awful. The book pushed some of my personal triggers, but it was so compelling I couldn’t stop reading. Easy 5 stars. Be sure to pick it up when it launches on January 16th.
Profile Image for Michelle Sherrier.
80 reviews16 followers
January 10, 2026
ARC 📖 Review: Just the Tip by Rob Nelson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date: January 16, 2026.

I devoured this insane story, and I haven’t done that in a while. I have no idea how someone can create a character who’s so gross but somehow still makes you care about them lol! Not only did this hit the splatterpunk spot, but it also had a great story beneath all the gore. If you enjoy the genre, this is a must read!

Thank you for the ARC @robnhorror I will forever read anything you write!!!

🖕🏽💵💊
19 reviews
January 16, 2026
Rob Nelson has done it again! Just the Tip did not disappoint! This was a gore filled masterpiece with disgusting cannibalistic tendencies throughout. This is definitely a five star and a must read for all splatterpunk lovers!

The story follows Jessie, who is struggling to make ends meet as a delivery driver. Nothing is going his way so what else must a man do but find other ways to survive?
Profile Image for Dreadful Pages.
5 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2026
This book is pretty ok... if you've ever felt the boiling anger that stems from dealing with complete asshat douchebags.

Seriously, though, if you like completely fucked up tales that can have you wanting to puke while being completely unable to tear your eyes away from the page then this one is for you. I could NOT put this book down, even with Jesse's special dip during dinner.... *shivers*
Profile Image for Jennifer.
781 reviews7 followers
January 21, 2026
This made me gag within the first 10 pages. It's a revenge story with cannibalism and TONS of body fluids🤢 I can't believe this took place in a span of 24 hours. I'm so mad at that ending😭 Jesse is a great character and I found myself sympathizing with him.
Profile Image for Trace.
24 reviews3 followers
February 6, 2026
3.5 ⭐️

This was revolting. I audibly gagged multiple times. (You will too)

Solid characters, fun twists. A great read for extreme horror fans.
Profile Image for Dan.reads.horror.
6 reviews
January 25, 2026
Just the Tip pulls us into the chaotic life of Jesse, a food delivery driver whose desperation spirals into disgusting violence. Rob Nelson blends bleak social commentary with grotesque gore, giving us scenes that are as horrifying as they are hilarious (in the darkest way possible). The pacing is fast, the imagery foul, and the descent into madness disturbingly human. It’s weird to say I actually felt really bad for Jesse right up to the end, despite everything he did. it’s not for the faint hearted, but an absolute essential for extreme horror fans. If there’s one thing to take away from this, it’s to always tip your driver; you never know who is going to snap.
Profile Image for K D Davies.
300 reviews6 followers
January 16, 2026
Jesse lives in a sh*t hole apartment. He’s barely any food and a negative bank balance. Life’s sh*t, and he’s a hungry man! Whatever will he do? Well let’s just say the things he chooses to do are entirely wild!
This book is funny. I loved Jesse’s neighbour Dolores. There are elements that are truly gross and left me gagging. This book follows one of my favourite tropes and is such an easy, quick read if you want to feel like you might hurl at any given moment!
This story is a delectable delight of revenge horror.
Profile Image for Ashley Sawyer.
493 reviews38 followers
Review of advance copy received from Author
January 4, 2026
Jesse is barely scraping by, clinging to the hope that food delivery driving will be his financial life raft. All he really needs is just a decent tip or two. Enough to breathe a little. Enough to finally eat. What Jesse finds though is rude customers, an empty wallet, and the humiliation of depending on strangers. As desperation creeps in, Jesse makes some rather interesting justifications. Lines he swore he would never cross start to blur. With money scarce and hunger taking on a new meaning, Jesse discovers that temptation is everywhere and morality is a luxury he simply can't afford.

Rob Nelson does not know how to write a calm book and Just the Tip is proof! Nelson broke onto the scene and chose violence instead of brakes! Jesse's life is a dumpster fire rolling down hill. He's broke, lonely, and oh so hungry. The desperation is thick, grimy, and relatably human. The pacing is absolutely unhinged in the best way. The story races forward at breakneck pace while you try not to gag. If you have a sensitive stomach or are just not a fan of bodily fluids (so many fluids), gore and violence, just read the warnings before diving in. While Jesse is the main character there were times he kind of faded into the background, not because he was forgettable, but because the layers piling up around him are so compelling and disturbing. Short, punchy, and viciously effective, Just the Tip deserves a place on your "WTF did I just read" list!

Thank you so much to Rob Nelson for providing me with an eARC! Interested in seeing what you come up with next!
Profile Image for Ashlee Owen.
4 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy
December 18, 2025
Rob Nelson has done it again boys.
Another depraved, disgusting, ratchet splatterpunk novel.

If “Eat The Rich” was a book… it would be Just the Tip. I was absolutely locked up (not locked in) reading this filth (I loved it-sue me).

Jesse’s character is one that Rob didn’t take lightly. He put his all into creating Jesse, A broken delivery driver in more ways than one. I felt for him, truly. I think everyone in today’s time can! One thing about Rob is that even in his first book, Made a Monster, he strongly hints around to real world issues that really do have huge meanings behind them. For that- I’ll always appreciate the author and the time he took really punching out those themes.

Don’t get it twisted please, this book will make you yack. Almost more than the actual characters. 😷 the delivery and the word play was phenomenal and out right disgusting. I could literally put myself in the story and it was NOT a fun situation.

If you wanna learn more about Just the Tip, you should probably get your 🥜 up and just read it. I can’t read it for you. Gosh.

To all the Cody’s of the world— eat 💩. Literally.

Thanks Rob for allowing us to share your journey with you as arc readers. I know I speak for all of us when I say we are super grateful to be apart of something so cool. Thank you for writing such gory books, but never missing the POINT. Because the point is more important than the plot tbh, which is not lacking either in your books. You’re the man.
Profile Image for Julien Ouellette.
42 reviews1 follower
Review of advance copy received from Author
December 22, 2025
"I don't think I'll ever be the same again."

jesus CHRIST what a fantastic second novel from rob nelson. it truly shows how depraved a capitalistic society can make an already broken person. this honestly felt so REAL, despite the over-the-top gore and gross-out (which i loved!) mixed into the madness.

THIS is splatterpunk! rob is an easy to read author with enough detail to make your body shudder and teeth fucking clench. fast-paced action, great storytelling, and a genuine fucking problem in today's society being dealt with by unfortunate people who were brought up in it. you have to do what it takes to survive!

his 2 novels have a common theme of when you make a monster, you need to be prepared to deal with the consequences of your own actions at the hands of someone who quite literally has nothing left to lose.

jesse was an amazing and genuinely entertaining main character. i was pleasantly surprised when an almost 'ACT II' moment happened, and more characters and another plotline were added, as i thought we'd mostly be following jesse's encounters as he went door-to-door delivering food to his eventual victims.

the depravity of this book goes into the extremes. while in my own opinion, i don't think it's as extreme as his debut novel, made a monster, but it's definitely up there in terms of bloody fucking splatter.

an absolute bravo to rob nelson's gorgeous, filthy mind.






Profile Image for Lance Loot.
Author 7 books31 followers
January 23, 2026
Vile, vicious, and oozing every (and I do mean EVERY) viscous bodily fluid known to man, “Just the Tip” by Rob Nelson (the grand duke of gross-out, the sultan of shock) is one diabolically deranged book!

What commences as a tale of not tipping the downtrodden delivery driver expeditiously devolves into a raging, off-the-rails bloodbath. Oh, and lots of leaky pooper probing. Yes, you did indeed read that correctly. So you get the aforementioned bloodbath, AND a shitstorm, all for the price of one.

Did I mention there’s a lotta shit? Mostly of the liquid variety. Ya know, I was really hoping there was gonna be some Brooklyn meatloaf action in this book, but alas, it was not to be. (Maybe next time, Rob?? 😉)

An experience of the utmost low-brow caliber, “Just the Tip” is a raunchy, rip-roarin’ good time brimming with larger than life characters and an abominable narrative that’ll leave you purging offerings to your porcelain god outta both ends. As you are aware, I love a depraved book as much as the next unhinged weirdo, but I gotta say, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending for this one, especially after the extreme hardships and tribulations these poor characters were subjected to… and to say they were put through the wringer wouldn’t even scratch the surface for this tale, me hearties. Make of that what you will… 💀

Overall, I give it 4.25/5. Go check it out, and tip your delivery drivers if ya know what’s good for ya!
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