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It Feeds
Lost. Thirsty. Hunted.
Alec, Ryder, and Savannah only wanted a simple outdoor adventure, but the forest has other plans. When they wander off the path, they discover the forest itself is alive—an ancient evil that makes every step worse than the last while learning them one wound, one secret, one scream at a time.
The deeper they go, the more it twists their bodies, minds, and relationships into something unrecognizable.
IT FEEDS is relentless, visceral horror with escalating suspense, nightmare imagery, severe psychological dread, and a finale that won’t let go.
Alec, Ryder, and Savannah only wanted a simple outdoor adventure, but the forest has other plans. When they wander off the path, they discover the forest itself is alive—an ancient evil that makes every step worse than the last while learning them one wound, one secret, one scream at a time.
The deeper they go, the more it twists their bodies, minds, and relationships into something unrecognizable.
IT FEEDS is relentless, visceral horror with escalating suspense, nightmare imagery, severe psychological dread, and a finale that won’t let go.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2026
About the author
Shawn McClintock
1 book5 followersShawn McClintock was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and resides in Massachusetts. He owns and operates a doggy daycare and teaches hip hop dance, work that reflects his longstanding affection for animals and the arts. He’s been lifelong lover of horror and all things spooky, and he hopes to bring that enduring interest to the page with his first novel, It Feeds. He looks forward to seeing what comes next and to dive into the world of writing.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 16, 2026
A truly haunting book with incredible possessed and dream-like sequences. The build up to the climax was perfect and the horror built up slowly (just like the forest slowly eating its victims). I’m not usual a horror reader, but I couldn’t put the book down.
Thank you again for signing my copy at the goth market!
Thank you again for signing my copy at the goth market!
September 23, 2026
I can guarantee this book will deliver on a terrifying experience.
October 17, 2026
Atmospheric and full of dread. The descriptive imagery was so vivid throughout. Watching these characters unravel had me on the edge of my seat and I loved the flashbacks/visions that added to the feeling of ancient lore. What an unsettling sensory experience! 🪱
September 14, 2026
The biggest takeaway from this book is how original this story is. After reading for a bit I was trying to guess what was going to happen. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and just enough detail to keep me wanting more. It was such a mind bending and impressive first publication, I can’t wait to read the next!
October 5, 2026
Wow, this book is exactly what I needed to start off my October read. I would 110% recommend it.
It Feeds is the kind of horror story that starts off feeling like a normal trip into the wilderness and then slowly makes you question just how badly things can go wrong.
I absolutely loved how descriptive the author’s writing is. From the very first page, I felt completely sucked into the story, and the descriptions make the book incredibly immersive. There are moments where you can almost hear and feel what the characters are experiencing. One line that really stood out to me was, “the only sounds left were his own quickened breathing and the imagined damp thump of the toad’s racing heart.” It’s little details like that that pull you further into the scene.
The woods are also so much more than just a setting. They almost become their own character. The deeper the characters get into them, the more unsettling everything feels, and I really enjoyed the way the environment seems to have its own presence throughout the story.
I also liked how conversational some of the moments feel. It makes the characters feel more natural rather than like they’re simply there to move the plot along. The characters are all distinguishable from one another, which I appreciated because it makes it easy to keep track of everyone as the story becomes more chaotic.
There are some genuinely creepy moments throughout the book.
The mystery surrounding what is happening kept me wanting to know more, and I liked that the story doesn’t rely entirely on throwing something scary at the reader every few pages. There is a gradual feeling that something is very, very wrong.
Overall, It Feeds was an atmospheric and unsettling horror read with a great wilderness setting, an intriguing unexplained element, and plenty of moments that made me wonder what the hell was going to happen next. 😂
This book was provided to me as a free copy to review by the author.
It Feeds is the kind of horror story that starts off feeling like a normal trip into the wilderness and then slowly makes you question just how badly things can go wrong.
I absolutely loved how descriptive the author’s writing is. From the very first page, I felt completely sucked into the story, and the descriptions make the book incredibly immersive. There are moments where you can almost hear and feel what the characters are experiencing. One line that really stood out to me was, “the only sounds left were his own quickened breathing and the imagined damp thump of the toad’s racing heart.” It’s little details like that that pull you further into the scene.
The woods are also so much more than just a setting. They almost become their own character. The deeper the characters get into them, the more unsettling everything feels, and I really enjoyed the way the environment seems to have its own presence throughout the story.
I also liked how conversational some of the moments feel. It makes the characters feel more natural rather than like they’re simply there to move the plot along. The characters are all distinguishable from one another, which I appreciated because it makes it easy to keep track of everyone as the story becomes more chaotic.
There are some genuinely creepy moments throughout the book.
The mystery surrounding what is happening kept me wanting to know more, and I liked that the story doesn’t rely entirely on throwing something scary at the reader every few pages. There is a gradual feeling that something is very, very wrong.
Overall, It Feeds was an atmospheric and unsettling horror read with a great wilderness setting, an intriguing unexplained element, and plenty of moments that made me wonder what the hell was going to happen next. 😂
This book was provided to me as a free copy to review by the author.
October 7, 2026
Okay… this book is basically a giant NOPE sign in book form. 😂🌲
Alec, Ryder, and Savannah head into the forest looking for a simple outdoor adventure and instead find themselves trapped somewhere that feels very, VERY wrong. The deeper they go, the more the forest seems to come alive, and it is absolutely not interested in letting them leave.
This was visceral, unsettling, and relentlessly creepy. The horror kept escalating, and I loved how the forest itself became this terrifying, almost unknowable threat. There’s a constant feeling of something is watching you and you should NOT be here, which had me suspicious of literally everything.
The psychological horror was probably my favorite part. The book doesn’t just mess with the characters physically. It gets inside their heads, their relationships, and their deepest fears. And some of the imagery?? 🤢 Absolutely disgusting. In the best horror-reader way possible.
The further the story went, the more chaotic and disturbing it became, and that finale definitely delivered. I finished this one with that lovely horror-book feeling of “cool cool cool… I will never be going into a forest again.” 😂
Tropes / Horror Elements:
• 🌲 Sentient/evil forest
• 🩸 Visceral body horror
• 🧠 Psychological horror
• 👁️ Something is watching
• 🏃 Trapped & hunted
• 😵 Reality distortion
• 🤢 Nightmare imagery
• 🔪 Survival horror
• 👥 Friend group in danger
• 🕯️ Ancient evil
• 😨 Escalating dread
• 🩸 Gore & disturbing imagery
If you like horror that makes you uncomfortable, keeps the tension climbing, and leaves you questioning whether you should ever trust a peaceful-looking forest again… add this one to your TBR. 🌲🩸
Alec, Ryder, and Savannah head into the forest looking for a simple outdoor adventure and instead find themselves trapped somewhere that feels very, VERY wrong. The deeper they go, the more the forest seems to come alive, and it is absolutely not interested in letting them leave.
This was visceral, unsettling, and relentlessly creepy. The horror kept escalating, and I loved how the forest itself became this terrifying, almost unknowable threat. There’s a constant feeling of something is watching you and you should NOT be here, which had me suspicious of literally everything.
The psychological horror was probably my favorite part. The book doesn’t just mess with the characters physically. It gets inside their heads, their relationships, and their deepest fears. And some of the imagery?? 🤢 Absolutely disgusting. In the best horror-reader way possible.
The further the story went, the more chaotic and disturbing it became, and that finale definitely delivered. I finished this one with that lovely horror-book feeling of “cool cool cool… I will never be going into a forest again.” 😂
Tropes / Horror Elements:
• 🌲 Sentient/evil forest
• 🩸 Visceral body horror
• 🧠 Psychological horror
• 👁️ Something is watching
• 🏃 Trapped & hunted
• 😵 Reality distortion
• 🤢 Nightmare imagery
• 🔪 Survival horror
• 👥 Friend group in danger
• 🕯️ Ancient evil
• 😨 Escalating dread
• 🩸 Gore & disturbing imagery
If you like horror that makes you uncomfortable, keeps the tension climbing, and leaves you questioning whether you should ever trust a peaceful-looking forest again… add this one to your TBR. 🌲🩸
September 1, 2026
It Feeds was the kind of horror novel that gets under your skin slowly and then refuses to leave. What I loved most was the atmosphere. There’s was a constant sense that something is watching from just beyond the trees, so much I felt uneasy in my own room while reading. The dread grew gradually until even the quiet moments feel threatening.
There are images in this book that I genuinely wish I could erase from my head but I say that in the best possible way. The body horror is on another level, the forest is terrifying, and once the story really starts descending into nightmare territory, it becomes difficult to put down. I'm also not sure I’ll ever look at a quiet forest the same way again.
There are images in this book that I genuinely wish I could erase from my head but I say that in the best possible way. The body horror is on another level, the forest is terrifying, and once the story really starts descending into nightmare territory, it becomes difficult to put down. I'm also not sure I’ll ever look at a quiet forest the same way again.
October 5, 2026
Wow! What a mushroom trippy fever dream this book was! It was so immersive and rich in storytelling. At times I felt like I was in that terrifying unending forest with the characters and could smell the damp earth in the air. It was my first real horror novel and it definitely delivered! I highly recommend 🍄🌲🍂
October 15, 2026
The concept is excellent. Not many stories like this one. Which is why I went with three stars. However, the first half was well done but the second half drug on extensively. There felt to be a major emphasis on the characters slow suffering which in turn made the reading feel the same way. I feel that could’ve been accomplished without sacrificing the reader’s experience. A great debut though.
October 8, 2026
A dark, grotesque, and deeply atmospheric read that sets you right into the heart of the remote Maine woods. You can feel the isolation and paranoia driving the characters to their limits as the tension builds relentlessly, filling you with anxiety and dread trying to figure out what’s coming next. Shawn McClintock crafts a visceral, relentless horror at its finest! Will have you double-checking your surroundings and making sure you stay on the path on your next hike in the woods!
October 13, 2026
I really liked this book. It had a very claustrophobic vibe that I really enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews