The Patch

by V.S. Lawrence

The vines are spreading. The town is unraveling. And the entity won't stop until every last descendant...



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When sixteen-year-old Maddox moves to a remote town with his father, he learns the locals fear a pumpkin patch on the edge of town that is rumored to be cursed. Determined to prove it's just superstition, Maddox smashes a pumpkin and ends up triggering something ancient and vengeful.



With the help of his new friends, Maddox uncovers the horrifying truth of the town's gruesome history...



And the residents who refuse to admit to their ancestors' sins.



V.S. Lawrence, author of 80s Ghosts, brings pumpkin-filled Halloween spooks to the Totally Freaked! series in this dark, unpredictable supernatural romp!

Genres: Paranormal

135 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

V.S. Lawrence grew up in Utah being scared of everything. Now, she puts her fears on paper, writing spooky books that feel like Scooby Doo chase music. When not writing, she can be found buried in a horror novel, wandering aimlessly, or cuddling her dog, Rigby. She is still scared of everything.

Reviews

[Rebecca White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another banger in the Totally Freaked series!

A vengeful pumpkin patch, a secretive small town, a crisp October night. What more could you ask for?

This read filled the entire nostalgia bucket for me and reminded me of the books I missed out on reading when I was a kid. Exciting enough for the kids, but built for the adults, this book will leave everyone satisfied.

[Bryan Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

16-year-old Maddox has just reluctantly moved to Plattsville, a nowhere place with little in the way of distraction, unless you count the supposedly cursed pumpkin patch on the edge of town. When Maddox, in true Hocus Pocus style, decides to put this curse to the test, he and his new friends are left facing a otherworldly force, one determined to visit di-vine retribution upon the town's residents for the sins of the past.

The Patch by V. S. Lawrence is the latest installment in the gnarly nostalgic Totally Freaked! book series from Mad Axe Media, a collection of YA horrors inspired by OG 90's genre innovators like R.L. Stine and Christopher Pike.

Like most of you, my TBR is always out of control and with SO many different books and genres I want to check out, I don't have many authors in my "Must Read Everything They Write" category but V.S. Lawrence is one of them. Her body of work is consistent, creative, and creepy and her books such as 80's Ghosts, With Friends Like These, Chalupacabra Y2K, and Just Us, Here all set a ridiculously high bar for quality in the indie horror space.

So, one of my favourite horror authors writing a modern spin on a Goosebumps book was a concept I was very excited about...and I am delighted to say The Patch exceeded even my high expectations and delivered a spooky and atmospheric good time that brought all the Goosebumps/Are You Afraid Of The Dark style chills along with the author's usual knack for mixing wry humour and great character work with page-turning terror.

[Jonathan Pongratz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun book to get into the Halloween spirit!

Maddox hates that he's been forced to move to stupid Plattsville with his alcoholic dad. All of the houses are too perfect, and everyone stares at him. As Maddox explores the small town he discovers a forbidden pumpkin patch called the Witch's Acre. Desperate to have some fun with new friends in town, he throws caution to the wind to the curse that supposedly plagues the pumpkin patch. After all, curses aren't real, are they?

Lawrence's writing always draws me in, and I really enjoyed how quickly I was invested in this story. Nostalgic 90s vibes and small town secrets are big themes in this novel, and that really spurred me forward.

Maddox is your typical teen from the 90s. He's restless, courageous when it counts, and loves to skateboard around town. I found it easy to vibe with him, especially his angst about being forced to move somewhere unfamiliar since that happened to me in high school. Fiona and Callie were great sidekicks along his journey and I liked their realistic dialogue.

Each chapter moves at a fast pace with mystery and light thrills, and though I thought the second half of the book wasn't quite as enthralling as the buildup was in the first half, this was a very solid read for any lover of Halloween or nostalgia.

Definitely worth a read!

[elijahsreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

made for fans of r.l. steins pumpkinhead and well pumpkinhead (1988) this book (the patch) was such an interesting and fun read. i loved the lore and the building of the town and atmosphere. it felt so bleak and dreadful.

the characters were also really entertaining. the female characters especially. they felt like two sides of the same coin. maddox was a bit frustrating i’ll admit. to me, it felt like it wasn’t really sure what he believed because he kept like flip-flopping what he thought and how he wanted to go about it. I also wish he had a little remorse for what he caused.

but that being said, it’s such a fun ride and totally recommend this for the halloween season. and that ending is so crazy and also a little bit gory.

review and post coming to instagram soon

[Adam Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect update of the kind of books that got me into reading horror in the first place. Somewhere between Goosebumps and Fear Street, this is the kind of book that will be perfect for that reader looking for the next step up from middle grade but not quite ready for full on YA yet. It’s also wonderful for any adult looking for a nostalgic trip into October Country with great characters, a creepy setting, and a payoff that is absolutely fantastic.

[Amber Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Patch by V.S. Lawrence will make you want to break out your old Walkman while dialing up the internet to discuss smalltown lore with your buddies on AIM. (And if you're old enough to know what AIM is then you know a time was had, baby!)

I finished The Patch in one-sitting and between the nostalgia drops and wondering if there is a curse on the small town or if Maddox's new friends were playing a trick on him, I was thoroughly entertained.

[Natasja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a nostalgic read! If, like me, you loved the Goosebumps and Fear Street series as a kid (and still do as an adult), "The Patch" is a must read. Even for adults, this is such a fun and creepy read, definitely recommended for spooky season or when you want some Halloween vibes! I received an ARC copy from the publisher and am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Jen Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this newest addition to the Totally Freaked series! It's a super fun, nostalgic read with all of the spooky Autumn vibes, and YA readers as well as adults can both enjoy this one! If you enjoyed the Goodbumps or Fear Street books back in the 90s, go add this to your TBR...you will love it!

[Elford Alley · Rating 5 out of 5]

For young readers, this is a fun and creepy foray into the world of horror. For adults, an enjoyable throwback to the Goosebumps tales of the 90s. Perfect Halloween reading!

[Chelse · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very nostalgic for me. It reminded me of the stories I would read as a kid. In The Patch, Maddox moves to a new town with his dad and meets new friends Fiona and Callie. We follow Maddox on his journey as he learns about the haunted past of his new town.
I really enjoyed this book. I read it as part of my summerween reading list and it was perfect. I also loved the references to things from my own childhood and it was fun to step into the past for a good story.