Stella's Scream: An Extreme Horror Novella

by Julie Hiner

136 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication April 16, 2026

About the author

Julie Hiner is an author, storyteller, and blogger. She loves classic horror movies, books, and live music. Her favorite album to this day is Appetite for Destruction. Her favorite movie is Jaws.

Julie has lived her entire life in Calgary. She loves the mountains. Her first writing project was a work of non-fiction about facing fear and doubt by cycling up big European mountains.

She now writes a unique blend of heavy metal and horror, weaving both psychological suspense and many types of rock and metal into a tapestry of musically infused storytelling.

She has published an 80s/90s metal murder detective vs serial killer series, a 90s nostalgic serial killer novella, a death metal demon possession novella, and co-curated a horror anthology. Several of Julie's horror short stories have been published in anthologies. Julie also had a deep sea horror novella published by Torrid Waters, a pulp and extreme horror imprint of Crystal Lake Publishing.

You can find her at KillersAndDemons.com serving up toxic cocktails of metal and murder.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

This was one wild ride, folks. Revenge, sex, and gore, oh my. What's not to love? Stella is a total nutcase with an agenda. She kills the killers, and she doesn't exactly do it with a smile (but …) I really enjoyed this fast-paced book. It had my heart pounding in places. Know your triggers. Check this out.

Thanks to Book Sirens for sending me an advanced copy to read and review

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got the arc from booksirens.

Gory and dark extreme horror. I enjoyed reading it but wasn't one of the most memorable stories ive read. Would like to read more from the author as I was intruiged by the writing.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley for the arc.

I love horror books, but for me personally something was missing to fully enjoy it. I was a bit sickend by a few chapters, and that put me off the book.

The short chapters and the writing style, are amazing, but it reminds me of fan fiction with the shortness of each chapter.

[Rainbeaux Harvest · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read this story. Unfortunately I did not enjoy the story as much as I thought I would. It felt rushed and left me with more questions than answers. I was getting Thelma and Louise vibes, which is not a bad thing. I felt parts were missing from the story.

[Misha · Rating 2 out of 5]

My mind the first 35% of this novella: This is extreme horror? Where?
My mind the following 65%: Oh…

I'm not sure if this level of horrorness counts as extreme since I'm not a horror reader. I am a metalhead though, so maybe I'm still within the target audience.

Imagine my face when I found out the playlist consists of only one band's songs – Black Label Society. That was my first red flag. Then the obsession with this one band and its frontman gets turned up to maximum volume. She mentions "Mr. Wylde" multiple times. I found it odd to refer to a musician this way – you would call a teacher that. I'm not gonna lie, the fanfic factor was really strong with the amount of mentions of this one band.

What I liked:
- The gory parts were absolutely disgusting. As a squeamish person, my stomach rolled multiple times and I call that a win in a horror context.
- The atmosphere was actually pretty vivid. I felt like rolling around in a biker bar while reading.

What I didn't like:
- Repetitive structure. Find a case in newspapers, immediately find out where the serial killer hides, show up, leave many dead bodies behind. That happens three times in 120 pages. There is no real investigation or preparation for these hunts and it made the whole "plot" seem like set dressing for the gore.
- Stella has basically no personality. Her relationship with Iris is based on off-page history and there was nothing making me root for any of these characters.
- Intimate parts descriptions. I felt like the writer used a thesaurus religiously because the words used included rump flesh, the forbidden, her goods, loins, vaginal cavity, sexual core, and other very creative choices. Yes, I did write them down.
- "The white-blond dye they'd applied hid all remnants of the luscious fire red." Not how this works.
- Nu metal is spelled nü metal and it's described as new-age. Maybe if this book was written thirty years ago.

ARC via BookSirens
I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um, yes! This novella is splatterpunk at its finest!! When I think of this genre, I instantly think "extreme gore". That is what author, Julie Hiner gave me. This is my first book I have read by the author and I need more.

This story took me on quite the wild, rollercoaster ride! By the end, I was looking like Carrie covered in blood from the prom dance scene.

Stella is crazy. Yet you combine her with Iris and these two are like Thelma and Louise driving across country on a k!lling spree. Each case they investigated was crazier and crazier. If you are a big fan of splatterpunk, this is one book you don't want to miss!

[Jordyn Burke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Stella's Scream, even though I'm still processing it. Labelled as extreme horror, Julie Hiner's gritty, intense story jumps straight in. Perfect for fans of dark, boundary-pushing horror, I liked its raw energy and underground vibe, which kept me hooked. As a novella, I finished it quickly, ideal for a bloody adrenaline rush. I didn't give it 5 stars because it felt rushed at the end; I wanted more time with characters and plot. It's a wild ride for the brave, but I wish there were more, as Hiner's world is fascinating.

[ALilBitOfHel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Revenge? Plot? And hot ladies! Sign me up! Splatter punk is a genre that I normally go to, but reading this has truly opened my eyes to the genre. This book has everything I wanted in a horror novel, and I couldn't put the book down.

[ChanaReadsHorror · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like what it would have been if Thelma & Louise were crazed lovers on a killing spree to take out those that had wronged them. It was a wild ride in all the right places and was pure splatterpunk. If you are in the mood for a pure female rage and revenge, this is the book for you

[John Bitsko · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a fan of extreme horror you will love this book. The story is excellent and it makes it hard to put down. Definitely recommended!