WILLARD

by Lolly Sparrow, Kelvin V.A. Allison (Editor)

When the enigmatic Willard opens his factory to a sselect group of children and their accompanying adults, they enter gleefully, ready to marvel at the wonders within.
Yet once the heavy doors close behind them, they find themselves submitted to a confectionary based nightmare where nothing is what it seems and the labyrinthine corridors and chocolate themed playgrounds offer nothing but a painful death.

Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2026

Reviews

[Milt Theo]

Hilarious, dark and extreme at all the right places, "Willard" imagines a child-hating Willy Wonka slowly losing his cool and going off the deep end when the children on the tour to his factory become too much of a nuisance. The tale becomes darker and darker, funnier and funnier, as each child faces a different (well-deserved, me thinks) fate! And then there remains only one: Charlie, who's been the most prudent of them all! What will be his fate? A great reveal caps this deliciously twisted little story, providing a wonderful ending to Sparrow's take on a favorite children's icon!

[Shannon Reviews]

If you ever wanted to read a horror version of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then this book is for you! It’s short and a quick read but it’s packed with brutal scenes where the “Oompa Loompa’s” are like cannibals.

[Trish]

Golden Tickets in hand, Willard leads his exclusive tour. But why can’t the tourists listen to simple instructions? The rules are there for safety after all and the tour must go on.

This is a fun reconsideration of a story we all know, with gruesome spins and visceral depictions galore. I loved the playful, yet deeply disturbing songs between scenes.

But if you are familiar with Sparrow’s work, there is a powerful undercurrent of social commentary that grips you hard when you least expect it.

[Zane]

If Willy Wonka snapped… this would be the aftermath.

Willard is a deliciously twisted descent into horror that disguises itself in sugar, color, and childhood nostalgia then rips the mask off. From the moment you crack this book open, you’re pulled into a world where candy-coated visuals clash violently with blood, cruelty, and psychological unraveling. And it works way too well.
Lolly Sparrow takes something familiar and comforting sweets, treats, indulgence and corrupts it into something grotesque and unforgettable. The contrast is brutal: bright candies, dripping chocolate, and whimsy… paired with violence, madness, and moral decay. This book doesn’t just tell a horror story it taunts you with it.The character of Willard is disturbing in the best way. He’s not just a villain; he’s a spectacle. A symbol of excess, obsession, and what happens when control melts away. You’ll find yourself equal parts fascinated and horrified, unable to look away even when you desperately want to.The pacing is sharp, the imagery is vivid (borderline cinematic), and the atmosphere is thick with dread. This is not a cozy read this is a sticky, bloody, sugar-stained nightmare that crawls under your skin and refuses to leave.

If you love:
• 🍬 Horror with twisted whimsy
• 🩸 Graphic, unsettling imagery
• 🧠 Psychological breakdowns
• 🎭 Villains that feel uncomfortably real

…this book was written for you.

[Jess Beedle]

Got this as an Arc book today from Lolly Sparrow!! Read in one sitting and loved it the whole way through!
Fucking awesome book as per usual from her and her partner Kelvin VA Allison! Always will recommend their books until the day I die!!
Especially loved the rhyming song parts!!

Another epic read!! If you see the book you should definitely read!! Highly recommend Thank you for the arc guys!

[Summer Waters]

If you're looking for an adult version of Willy Wonka, look no further! This is the exact story of Willy Wonka, but with a gruesome and funny twist. That is, until you reach the ending! The ending is a twist you don't expect, and it's executed perfectly! I had a great time with this book. It's absolute perfection and is my new favorite Willy Wonka book! Two of my favorite words are used a lot, and I plan to revisit soon so I can tally the number of times they're used (for my own satisfaction)! Let's be honest here, I also plan to revisit this book soon because it was such a fun and wild ride that I want to return to my new friend Willard! There are instances of child death, but if that doesn't bother you, please, do yourself a favor and pick up this book! You won't regret it!

[Becki 🤎]

Willard 🍭

When I saw this cover over on Kelvins ARC team page I just knew it was a must read! I haven’t read much of Lolly unfortunately but what I have read I have absolutely loved so I was eager to start this ASAP 👏🏼

The very first page had me hooked, giggling & soooo excited for what’s to come!!

Think Willy Wonka…but make it hilarious, with a common old Will that’s fuming about letting these kids into his factory, they’ve f’d around with all his stuff contaminating the river, touching what they shouldn’t & Willard has simply had enough!

The workers take care of the little 💩’s in true horror style 👏🏼

Oh Lolly, I genuinely loved this so much. It’s much better than the original story that’s for sure 😅 you gave me all the laughs with the good gore, I literally smiled the whole way through this whilst speed reading to see who’s next!!

The poems from the workers had me howling 🤣 I kept reading them out to my OH, truly genius! 😂

And the ending was a little twist I certainly didn’t predict! 😌

I saw that this was a short story from f’d up fables, which Kelvin kindly gifted me a while ago so I most definitely will be picking that up soon to read everyone else’s stories!

Defo one for us SP/EH lovers that also love humour within our reads! Releasing 31st January. Do check those triggers first though! 🤎

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[K D Davies]

The little boy just couldn’t help himself. The chocolate river was just too appealing. Willard just can’t stand it! So he does what any chocolate entrepreneur would do and seeks out his revenge.
This is wonka gone wonky 🤣🤣 and I loved it. I loved the lyrical verses of the little people are Willard’s dark character! Such a great read!

[Rebecca Bectoria]

My first ever book by Captain Lolly Storm Sparrow and 100% it will not be my last. This story was disturbing and gross but the ending wow chefs kiss 😘 amazing I actually sat for a while with my jaw open 🫣. A short read it's only 37 pages but contains everything you need.

[Shaun Filion]

A great take on a classic tale. With scenarios that I'm sure many of us would have much rather preferred in the original telling. A fun , quick read.

[Morgan Cash]

'Willard' by Lolly Sparrow
Release Jan. 30, 2026
4🌟

'Willard' is the grown-up Willy Wonka story that you didn't know you were missing! Willard invites unsuspecting children and their families to his faculty full of sweet treats, and even sweeter revenge!

This was the perfect bite-sized story that hooks you and doesn't let you go until it's finished with you. It was so comical and macabre, twisting some of our favorite characters into warped versions of their former selves. Go grab a copy and sink your teeth into a sickly sweet good time!

[Erica Hart]

Thank you Captain Lolly Storm Sparrow for the ARC.
This was a well written, eloquent story. Gory and shocking with a sad ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Gore Williams]

I seriously looked at the cover and said "Wait, is that what I think it is?" and it was more! If you have a sweet tooth you need to read this! Careful though it is a bit rotten, but we all like rotten in horror stories don't we? Check it out for yourself if you wish to take a visit to go see Willard!

[Janet Ross]

An incredibly dark retelling of the 'chocolate guy ' story, I wish the Depp film had gone this dark!
You can imagine how the story goes but , my goodness the ending was absolutely chef's kiss!
A great novella with an amazing twist!

[Donyale Mann]

Amazing book. My boy Willard takes no prisoners y'all. Catwait to see Sparrow give another classic her touch. A splatterpunk Matilda for starters!

[Amy Taylor]

A terrifying version of Wonka without the sweet treats😈
This was a fun little story!
The rhymes made me chuckle way more than I should have considering the situations 😜
Entertaining short story 😊