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WILLARD
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.
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
8 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 29, 2026
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!
February 2, 2026
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.
January 17, 2026
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.
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.
January 18, 2026
Thank you Captain Lolly Storm Sparrow for the ARC.
This was a well written, eloquent story. Gory and shocking with a sad ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a well written, eloquent story. Gory and shocking with a sad ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 24, 2026
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.
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.
January 18, 2026
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!
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!
January 18, 2026
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! 🤎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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! 🤎
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 28, 2026
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!
You can imagine how the story goes but , my goodness the ending was absolutely chef's kiss!
A great novella with an amazing twist!
January 25, 2026
Amazing book. My boy Willard takes no prisoners y'all. Catwait to see Sparrow give another classic her touch. A splatterpunk Matilda for starters!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews