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All Things Lead to the End #3
The Bedding of Boys
Regina Corsi is a monster, the vilest of predators. Her desire for young boys is only matched by the bloodlust that overcomes her once the sex is finished. But she’s grown hasty in her hunting. And only a special friend can keep her disturbing appetites a secret.Nevada Barnes is fourteen, and, emotionally speaking, still very much a child. When his stable home life is thrown into turmoil by an unexpected visitor, he escapes into the arms of an older woman, where he will find his own desire growing stronger each and every day.In the small town of Bay’s End, Regina and Nevada dive head first into a relationship doomed for disaster, a sex-fueled madness neither will be able to satiate. But Regina’s special friend is impatient and will not be distracted by their love affair. It will feed, whether Regina wills it to or not. For the bedding of boys has consequences that reach far beyond the legal ramifications of her actions.When Ghost is hungry, only death will do.
- GenresHorrorComing Of Age
330 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2018
2 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Edward Lorn
63 books2,920 followersEdward Lorn (E. to most) is a reader, writer, and content creator. He's been writing for fun since the age of six, and writing professionally since 2011. He can be found haunting the halls of Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.
E. lives in Alabama with his wife and two children. He is currently working on his next novel.
E. lives in Alabama with his wife and two children. He is currently working on his next novel.
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October 4, 2018DNF
I'm no stranger to a "Did Not Finish" review. I don't feel any sense of obligation to finish a book I'm not enjoying. Reading, for me, is equal parts enjoyment, entertainment and relaxation. If a book isn't meeting me on those levels, there is no way I'm going to let it eat up valuable time I could be spending on something that's going to do it for me.
And I've DNFd some favorite authors of mine like Stephen King so an author shouldn't feel like it's personal or that I don't think they're a good writer--the problem is with that particular book and myself not finding our stride.
THIS BOOK.
This book is off the rails page one.
I was ready to chuck it 13 pages in but I purposed to see what Chapter 2 was like. Chapter 2 was BRILLIANT! Chapter 2 is why I know that Edward Lorn has chops. I was mentally checking off all the boxes with every paragraph: Capable writer, check. Gifted storyteller, check. Reaching through the pages and grabbing my feelings, check. I was ready to look past Chapter One and hang in there...but then Chapter 3 happened.
FUCK. THIS.
Regina Corsi is the most vile character I've ever read and I DNF'd Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door earlier this year for very similar reasons-- the only reason why Ketchum's "Aunt Ruth" edges Regina Corsi out as the most disgusting creature ever is because she's based on a real person but if she were fictional, Edward wrote an even worse person here and there is no way in hell I'll give that any of my interest. I'm not here in the horror industry for this level of disturbing. I have boundaries and this sprinted over the line with a ferocity I've never encountered before.
So that being said, here's your trigger warnings:
Sexual abuse on children.
Murder of children.
Softcore porny language (LOTS)
Graphic images
Foul, disturbing subject matter
LOTS OF UNCOMFORTABLE DETAILS
and I only read 50 pages. So enjoy this if you're still down with all of this but I tapped out so I can read horror that feels worthy of my valuable time.
Like the SOUND OF BREAKING RIBS--I still have that Ed Lorn book on my shelves and I plan on reading it because Ed is talented and I'll try again.
I'm no stranger to a "Did Not Finish" review. I don't feel any sense of obligation to finish a book I'm not enjoying. Reading, for me, is equal parts enjoyment, entertainment and relaxation. If a book isn't meeting me on those levels, there is no way I'm going to let it eat up valuable time I could be spending on something that's going to do it for me.
And I've DNFd some favorite authors of mine like Stephen King so an author shouldn't feel like it's personal or that I don't think they're a good writer--the problem is with that particular book and myself not finding our stride.
THIS BOOK.
This book is off the rails page one.
I was ready to chuck it 13 pages in but I purposed to see what Chapter 2 was like. Chapter 2 was BRILLIANT! Chapter 2 is why I know that Edward Lorn has chops. I was mentally checking off all the boxes with every paragraph: Capable writer, check. Gifted storyteller, check. Reaching through the pages and grabbing my feelings, check. I was ready to look past Chapter One and hang in there...but then Chapter 3 happened.
FUCK. THIS.
Regina Corsi is the most vile character I've ever read and I DNF'd Jack Ketchum's The Girl Next Door earlier this year for very similar reasons-- the only reason why Ketchum's "Aunt Ruth" edges Regina Corsi out as the most disgusting creature ever is because she's based on a real person but if she were fictional, Edward wrote an even worse person here and there is no way in hell I'll give that any of my interest. I'm not here in the horror industry for this level of disturbing. I have boundaries and this sprinted over the line with a ferocity I've never encountered before.
So that being said, here's your trigger warnings:
Sexual abuse on children.
Murder of children.
Softcore porny language (LOTS)
Graphic images
Foul, disturbing subject matter
LOTS OF UNCOMFORTABLE DETAILS
and I only read 50 pages. So enjoy this if you're still down with all of this but I tapped out so I can read horror that feels worthy of my valuable time.
Like the SOUND OF BREAKING RIBS--I still have that Ed Lorn book on my shelves and I plan on reading it because Ed is talented and I'll try again.
January 3, 2018
When hebephile Regina Corsi sets her sights on young Nevada barnes, she'll do whatever she can to get him in her clutches. But how hard can it be for a gorgeous woman in her thirties to seduce a horny fourteen year old boy? And what about Ghost, the sheeted figure that does Regina's bidding?
Just after I reviewed Tampa last year, Edward Lorn emailed me, worried that he'd just wrote the same book. I said his approach was probably different and told him not to worry about it. Turns out, I was right.
Set in the town that gave Bay's End its name, The Bedding of Boys is about sexual predator Regina Corsi and her prey, Nevada Barnes. It's also about male and female sexuality and the differences thereof.
When the tale begins, Nevada is living happily with his parents and foster brother August. August spends a lot of his time catatonic with periods of wakefulness but there's much more to him than meets the eye. Regina is a predator and Nevada soon falls under her gaze. The mysterious Ghost following Regina around seemed like a pretty way to conveniently keep Regina under the radar until it was explained.
Edward Lorn clearly remembers what it's like to be fourteen, to be perpetually horny and to be as hard as a shovel handle at the slightest provocation. It's all too easy to see how Nevada gets entangled with Regina.
When things go off the rails, they do in a spectacular fashion. The ending was pretty much what it had to be after everything that came before it. After all, you can't very well have a train heading toward a chasm with no bridge suddenly stop at the last minute.
I loved the callbacks to the other books set in Bay's End, like Fog Warning, Life After Dane, The Sound of Broken Ribs, and Cruelty. I'm not sure The End will recover from this one, though.
If I had to pick something to bitch about, it was the way Ghost's origin tale killed the momentum toward the end of the book. It was necessary and I'm not sure of any other way that information could have conveyed. It still felt like a speed bump, though.
While it's not my favorite Lorn book, this one is up there, just a notch below The Sound of Broken Ribs. 4.5 out of stars.
Just after I reviewed Tampa last year, Edward Lorn emailed me, worried that he'd just wrote the same book. I said his approach was probably different and told him not to worry about it. Turns out, I was right.
Set in the town that gave Bay's End its name, The Bedding of Boys is about sexual predator Regina Corsi and her prey, Nevada Barnes. It's also about male and female sexuality and the differences thereof.
When the tale begins, Nevada is living happily with his parents and foster brother August. August spends a lot of his time catatonic with periods of wakefulness but there's much more to him than meets the eye. Regina is a predator and Nevada soon falls under her gaze. The mysterious Ghost following Regina around seemed like a pretty way to conveniently keep Regina under the radar until it was explained.
Edward Lorn clearly remembers what it's like to be fourteen, to be perpetually horny and to be as hard as a shovel handle at the slightest provocation. It's all too easy to see how Nevada gets entangled with Regina.
When things go off the rails, they do in a spectacular fashion. The ending was pretty much what it had to be after everything that came before it. After all, you can't very well have a train heading toward a chasm with no bridge suddenly stop at the last minute.
I loved the callbacks to the other books set in Bay's End, like Fog Warning, Life After Dane, The Sound of Broken Ribs, and Cruelty. I'm not sure The End will recover from this one, though.
If I had to pick something to bitch about, it was the way Ghost's origin tale killed the momentum toward the end of the book. It was necessary and I'm not sure of any other way that information could have conveyed. It still felt like a speed bump, though.
While it's not my favorite Lorn book, this one is up there, just a notch below The Sound of Broken Ribs. 4.5 out of stars.
Want to read
June 15, 2018This deluxe hardcover edition is numbered 14 of 44 numbered copies and is signed by Edward Lorn.
Note: the page count on this edition is 272. The Publication date is June.
Note: the page count on this edition is 272. The Publication date is June.
July 16, 2018
Don't let the title scare you off! The Bedding of Boys is a wonderfully original tale of horrors both real and imaginary. Perhaps one of the strangest coming of age tales I've ever read, innocence is both lost and corrupted to levels I've never seen before. A female pedophile with a penchant for murder is assisted by her strange friend, Ghost, a literal ghost made of nothing more than a bed sheet that absorbs blood and bodies like a sponge. Great character development has you, at times, rooting for people you'd probably send to the gallows in real life. The third act is simply as wonderful as it is brutal and strange. This is one you should not miss!
March 9, 2022
OK, I thought about it, and I really need to tell you about this one. First: please note that I read this in 'beta' format. This means that it was not near the finished product if you ask Edward himself. If you ask me, Edward delivers better beta format books than most writers offer as final products. And, yes, I'm a friend of Edward's - but this is not why he trusts me to beta read, but rather in spite of it. Not that I would ever think differently, but for a few years now, I've come to realize that this guy really means what he says in every context and he would not have it any other way than me busting his chops for the most ridiculously minor error any day. Plus, he's an ocean away.
'The Bedding of Boys' is an amazing read and what I especially appreciated was the tie-ins to Bay's End - and even more to the Bastard and his spawns - Cruelty, and on a further note the rest stop killer Dane and of course Dr. Brent... Without going into details, I will say that the characters and dialog in this one is top notch. Another thing that amazed me was that all the questions that popped up in my head during the reading of the first part was addressed - and not always in the obvious way - later on in the book. This, as well as the continuing "'End" mythology made this a great read and I really can't wait to experience the final story.
Oh, and Edward himself warned about the content of this one. I'd say that he pulled it off, the horrible stuff works great in the context. And if you did read 'Hope for the Wicked' you'll make it through this story as well.
'The Bedding of Boys' is an amazing read and what I especially appreciated was the tie-ins to Bay's End - and even more to the Bastard and his spawns - Cruelty, and on a further note the rest stop killer Dane and of course Dr. Brent... Without going into details, I will say that the characters and dialog in this one is top notch. Another thing that amazed me was that all the questions that popped up in my head during the reading of the first part was addressed - and not always in the obvious way - later on in the book. This, as well as the continuing "'End" mythology made this a great read and I really can't wait to experience the final story.
Oh, and Edward himself warned about the content of this one. I'd say that he pulled it off, the horrible stuff works great in the context. And if you did read 'Hope for the Wicked' you'll make it through this story as well.
September 17, 2018
THE MOST FUCKED UP THING I HAVE EVER READ IN MY ENTIRE LIFE.........
Sometimes Lorn's writing reminds me of the Eminem lyrics:
I'll burn your fuckin' house down
circle around
and hit the hydrant
So you can't put your burnin' furniture out....
Cause nothing is sacred and he will kill everyone if he has to 😵😲😂
3.5 stars. How do you rate a book that is well done, but so completely fuuuucked?! And fucked on purpose. From the very first page, fucked. Like, at one point I stopped reading and was like, "I'm not even gonna keep reading this fuckin' book."--fucked.
As usual, Edward Lorn it's in top form with his characters. I was a young kid again hanging with the boys, and then felt like I was right there hanging out with Nevada's family. I really liked his parents. And Lorn has a way of trying to put you in the place of the most fucked up characters and in turn make you think about yourself and what you would do in their place. In Life After Dane, a mother stands by while her son is tortured slowly by her broken, sadistic husband and then becomes a serial killer. As much as I wanted to hate her, Lorn made me feel her pain and her trepidation to go against her husband. Here we have Regina Corsi who is a monster, but we begin to understand through a series of small reveals, why she is the way she is. That inclusion kept me going. I wanted to see what Lorn did with that thread, and then with these characters.
I don't even know what to say. I can't say I liked this book, I don't even think I'm supposed to. It was fuuuuucked. And as usual, Mr Lorn threw in some Twilight Zone shit that I have found is not my bag, but it was imaginative and original and I will never fault that. If you are into horror, and don't mind very disturbing horror, read it. If not, then don't. I'm going to go take a bath in holy water now.
Sometimes Lorn's writing reminds me of the Eminem lyrics:
I'll burn your fuckin' house down
circle around
and hit the hydrant
So you can't put your burnin' furniture out....
Cause nothing is sacred and he will kill everyone if he has to 😵😲😂
3.5 stars. How do you rate a book that is well done, but so completely fuuuucked?! And fucked on purpose. From the very first page, fucked. Like, at one point I stopped reading and was like, "I'm not even gonna keep reading this fuckin' book."--fucked.
As usual, Edward Lorn it's in top form with his characters. I was a young kid again hanging with the boys, and then felt like I was right there hanging out with Nevada's family. I really liked his parents. And Lorn has a way of trying to put you in the place of the most fucked up characters and in turn make you think about yourself and what you would do in their place. In Life After Dane, a mother stands by while her son is tortured slowly by her broken, sadistic husband and then becomes a serial killer. As much as I wanted to hate her, Lorn made me feel her pain and her trepidation to go against her husband. Here we have Regina Corsi who is a monster, but we begin to understand through a series of small reveals, why she is the way she is. That inclusion kept me going. I wanted to see what Lorn did with that thread, and then with these characters.
I don't even know what to say. I can't say I liked this book, I don't even think I'm supposed to. It was fuuuuucked. And as usual, Mr Lorn threw in some Twilight Zone shit that I have found is not my bag, but it was imaginative and original and I will never fault that. If you are into horror, and don't mind very disturbing horror, read it. If not, then don't. I'm going to go take a bath in holy water now.
July 21, 2018
All things lead to the End.
It should be noted that I am a big fan of Edward Lorn and have been for a long time. I eagerly await everything E. puts out there. I can’t think of anything that I have every read from him that I did not thoroughly enjoy. Dude has skills. For sure.
Regina likes ‘em young.
Her tastes are starting to get her into a real mess.
Thankfully she has Ghost to help clean it up.
Classic.
There are some really great turns and “holy carp” moments in this one that had me reeling with anticipation to see where it would go next. The ending actually gave me goosebumps. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Awesome. 4.5 Stars!
It should be noted that I am a big fan of Edward Lorn and have been for a long time. I eagerly await everything E. puts out there. I can’t think of anything that I have every read from him that I did not thoroughly enjoy. Dude has skills. For sure.
Regina likes ‘em young.
Her tastes are starting to get her into a real mess.
Thankfully she has Ghost to help clean it up.
Classic.
There are some really great turns and “holy carp” moments in this one that had me reeling with anticipation to see where it would go next. The ending actually gave me goosebumps. I can’t remember the last time that happened. Awesome. 4.5 Stars!
July 6, 2018
I have read six of Edward Lorn's books and a handful of short stories without being able to fault any of them. I think it's fair to say E is one of my favourite male authors.
When E asked me to read The Bedding Of Boys I was thrilled!
The first three pages had me electrified. As I read on enjoying the return to Bay's End I found E was really trying to see how far he could push the sexual boundaries and boy did he give them a good shove!!! Some parts actually made me feel ill and I really wasn't expecting that (hits head, read the title).
Not knowing if the whole book would be so confronting I pressed on and wow I'm glad I did. This book has more layers than an onion! The complexities of the story just blew me away and how other characters from Bay's End slotted into place was perfect.
This book brought out some serious emotion in me, anger, hatred, disbelief.
Some parts maybe churned my stomach a bit more as the character involved is the same age as my child. A beautiful child can lose their innocence at the snap of your fingers. Gets you wondering......
Do we have double standards when it comes to age gaps between the opposite sex? An older man having sex with a teen girl is seen as a predator, a pedophile that grooms young girls into thinking what that are doing is okay. But is it always seen the same if an attractive woman, early twenties has a preference for young teen boys or are those boys getting pats on the back from their mates for 'landing an older chick'?
As a decent human I think no child should be touched or ogled no matter boy or girl but read this and you be the judge of how you feel about the older woman.....
When E asked me to read The Bedding Of Boys I was thrilled!
The first three pages had me electrified. As I read on enjoying the return to Bay's End I found E was really trying to see how far he could push the sexual boundaries and boy did he give them a good shove!!! Some parts actually made me feel ill and I really wasn't expecting that (hits head, read the title).
Not knowing if the whole book would be so confronting I pressed on and wow I'm glad I did. This book has more layers than an onion! The complexities of the story just blew me away and how other characters from Bay's End slotted into place was perfect.
This book brought out some serious emotion in me, anger, hatred, disbelief.
Some parts maybe churned my stomach a bit more as the character involved is the same age as my child. A beautiful child can lose their innocence at the snap of your fingers. Gets you wondering......
Do we have double standards when it comes to age gaps between the opposite sex? An older man having sex with a teen girl is seen as a predator, a pedophile that grooms young girls into thinking what that are doing is okay. But is it always seen the same if an attractive woman, early twenties has a preference for young teen boys or are those boys getting pats on the back from their mates for 'landing an older chick'?
As a decent human I think no child should be touched or ogled no matter boy or girl but read this and you be the judge of how you feel about the older woman.....
September 22, 2018
Nevada Barnes is your average, run of the mill, hormonally supercharged fourteen-year-old. Regina Corsi, however, is decidedly atypical - a woman in her thirties, she is a hebephile and a serial killer. She seduces children, uses them to satiate her sexual desires, and then brutally murders them. Aiding her in her crimes is a strange white sheeted creature, appropriately named Ghost, who consumes Regina's victims and scrubs clean the various crime scenes in supernatural ways. Once Regina lays eyes on Nevada, neither of their lives will ever be the same...nor, I'm sure, will the small Ohioan town of Bay's End.
The Bedding of Boys is the third in Edward Lorn's Bay's End novels (there's a few short stories and novellas sets within this town's borders, as well), and although each can be read as a stand-alone work there's a hell of a lot of richness to be found throughout this series when taken as a whole. The End, as it's colloquially known, has a lot of history behind it and when read as a series you get the feel of a fully realized town, recognizing its familiar landmarks, shops, and citizens, as well as the seedy underbelly infecting this region. Bay's End is for Lorn what Derry and Castle Rock are for Stephen King. You don't have to read these books in any particular order, but I strongly recommend familiarizing yourself with Lorn's Bay's End and The Sound of Broken Ribs before hitting the sheets with this one. Feel free to ignore my advice, of course, but I suspect you'll want to know all you can about The End and its inhabitants well before this book reaches its climax.
Fair warning, though - Lorn gets into some highly fucked up terrain here. The primary thrust behind The Bedding of Boys involves a significantly older woman seducing boys much, much younger than she. Regina is, simply put, a child rapist. Lorn pulls absolutely zero punches, and right from the book's very first chapter reader's are forced to bear witness to a handful of murders and a graphically detailed sexual assault of a minor. It's shocking and vulgar and deeply unsettling, and it sets the stage for all that follows. Once Nevada is introduced in the wake of Regina's bloody mayhem, you'll instantly worry for him and your anxiety will rise in creepily steady fashion as he becomes intimately familiar with Regina.
Sex is filtered through the perspective of predator and prey, and whatever glimmers of romantic entanglements these characters may feel, Lorn never shies away from the horrific manipulations behind all of it. This isn't a Happily Ever After romance - this is straight-up horror. Sex here is a weapon, and it is wielded with profoundly deadly intent time and time again. Sex and horror have been intertwined forever, oftentimes purely for sheer titillation, or to make a point about female purity. This last point you can most surely disregard, as ain't nobody in Bay's End pure.
The Bedding of Boys has a surprising amount of depth in its themes of sexual conquest, gender roles, and the animalistic nature of passion and the pursuit for sexual pleasure. Sex begets life, and life begets death. Sex and Death are the Alpha and the Omega, and carnality comes with a cost for each and every one of these characters, rippling through time to warp both minds and bodies alike.
Like Stephen King and George R.R. Martin, Lorn enjoys flicking readers around like a yo-yo. He'll give you plenty of characters to care about, and he does an absolutely fantastic job writing teenage boys (as evidenced in the prior Bay's End), only to sucker-punch you and pull the rug out from beneath your feet. This an author who profoundly destroys his characters with masochistic glee, and there were a few times I wanted to reach out to him and ask him to stop, to leave these people alone, to not devastate them so utterly. But, hell, if I did that, it'd kinda ruin the whole point here, wouldn't it?
There's a darkness in Bay's End. You can't plead with it, and you can't stop it. You can feel the way it eddies through the streets, disrupting the whole town and its people's lives. You can feel it building toward something, too, all throughout The Bedding of Boys. Something cataclysmic. All things lead to The End, after all.
The Bedding of Boys is the third in Edward Lorn's Bay's End novels (there's a few short stories and novellas sets within this town's borders, as well), and although each can be read as a stand-alone work there's a hell of a lot of richness to be found throughout this series when taken as a whole. The End, as it's colloquially known, has a lot of history behind it and when read as a series you get the feel of a fully realized town, recognizing its familiar landmarks, shops, and citizens, as well as the seedy underbelly infecting this region. Bay's End is for Lorn what Derry and Castle Rock are for Stephen King. You don't have to read these books in any particular order, but I strongly recommend familiarizing yourself with Lorn's Bay's End and The Sound of Broken Ribs before hitting the sheets with this one. Feel free to ignore my advice, of course, but I suspect you'll want to know all you can about The End and its inhabitants well before this book reaches its climax.
Fair warning, though - Lorn gets into some highly fucked up terrain here. The primary thrust behind The Bedding of Boys involves a significantly older woman seducing boys much, much younger than she. Regina is, simply put, a child rapist. Lorn pulls absolutely zero punches, and right from the book's very first chapter reader's are forced to bear witness to a handful of murders and a graphically detailed sexual assault of a minor. It's shocking and vulgar and deeply unsettling, and it sets the stage for all that follows. Once Nevada is introduced in the wake of Regina's bloody mayhem, you'll instantly worry for him and your anxiety will rise in creepily steady fashion as he becomes intimately familiar with Regina.
Sex is filtered through the perspective of predator and prey, and whatever glimmers of romantic entanglements these characters may feel, Lorn never shies away from the horrific manipulations behind all of it. This isn't a Happily Ever After romance - this is straight-up horror. Sex here is a weapon, and it is wielded with profoundly deadly intent time and time again. Sex and horror have been intertwined forever, oftentimes purely for sheer titillation, or to make a point about female purity. This last point you can most surely disregard, as ain't nobody in Bay's End pure.
The Bedding of Boys has a surprising amount of depth in its themes of sexual conquest, gender roles, and the animalistic nature of passion and the pursuit for sexual pleasure. Sex begets life, and life begets death. Sex and Death are the Alpha and the Omega, and carnality comes with a cost for each and every one of these characters, rippling through time to warp both minds and bodies alike.
Like Stephen King and George R.R. Martin, Lorn enjoys flicking readers around like a yo-yo. He'll give you plenty of characters to care about, and he does an absolutely fantastic job writing teenage boys (as evidenced in the prior Bay's End), only to sucker-punch you and pull the rug out from beneath your feet. This an author who profoundly destroys his characters with masochistic glee, and there were a few times I wanted to reach out to him and ask him to stop, to leave these people alone, to not devastate them so utterly. But, hell, if I did that, it'd kinda ruin the whole point here, wouldn't it?
There's a darkness in Bay's End. You can't plead with it, and you can't stop it. You can feel the way it eddies through the streets, disrupting the whole town and its people's lives. You can feel it building toward something, too, all throughout The Bedding of Boys. Something cataclysmic. All things lead to The End, after all.
November 19, 2018
So, I finally got around to my first Edward Lorn novel and it didn't disappoint. I have a ton of books on my 'to read' shelf and I've been wanting to read his work, so I had to bump this one up.
Edward, you are a naughty, naughty, sick and twisted man... so, why aren't we hanging out more? Yes, this is one of those stories, an older woman seduces (molests) an underage boy, but there are other layers to this disturbing tale.
SPOILER ALERT: Not only is this woman a child abuser but she is one heartless, murderous bitch. It's one thing that she is taking advantage of a boy who is at an age where he couldn't avoid a hard-on even if he were laying on an ice-berg, but she has outside help, help in the form of another, even more disturbed character that I'll just call, "the ghost".
I would like to have had some more on the "Bastard", the paranormal influence behind the ghost, but all in all, this was a quick, attention grabbing read, and I thought Edward did a great job in adding the creative layers that makes this tale stand out. Now that I have experienced Edwards work I can say that I will certainly be reading more from this author.
It's been fun knowing you on Goodreads, Edward. Now I know that you are not only a fantastic reviewer but a fantastic writer as we..
August 23, 2018
Man did I fly through this book and I loved it. I had read the premise of this book and was worried that this book would be tough to get through. I was surprised how easy this book was to read and I really enjoyed it. I like how the author took the typical abuse scenario and switched the roles. I think the way I reacted to this has given me much to think about. I am not sure how good a person I am considering these reactions. Then again the brain is a confounding creature. The fact that this book makes us uncomfortable and think things over is great. Overall this was a great tale with expertly created characters. I was able to understand the good and bad people and could understand how they were molded into what they were. This story has a good amount of gore and violence that fit the story well. I also loved the references to other Bay’s End stories. This author has really mastered his craft and has written an excellent and riveting novel that shouldn’t be missed.
September 2, 2017
Read for "Serial Killer Spree:" The Bedding of Boys is the upcoming novel by Edward Lorn. I should say couple'a things before we get started, cool? I was a beta reader of this novel, meaning the copy I read and am reviewing now is not the final version. Because of that, I will keep this review purposefully vague as to not chance referencing something that doesn't end up in the final, published edition of this story. E. tells me The Bedding of Boys will likely see two revisions before publication. Said publication will be a limited hardcover that will come along in spring 2018. The ebook/paperback releases will be, at the very soonest, early 2019 — if at all.
I'd like to say one more thing, may it do ya fine. Edward is a good friend of mine; his friendship means a lot to me. However, that did not color my opinion of the story in any way. I feel I can be honest with him, and I'm thankful for that. This review is totally my unobstructed and honest opinion.
Alright. Holy moly, this book. Regina, this novel's antagonist, is a woman in her mid-thirties with an insatiable lust for young men. And she's a serial killer; she often kills her victims in gory, brutal ways. As far as villains of this sort go, I think she's interesting and I love the fact that she is a woman: female rapists aren't explored in fiction enough, in my opinion. Her stalking of victims and unabashed sexuality made for intense reading, often leaving me breathless.
The story's heart is Nevada, fourteen-year-old gamer geek and Regina's latest focus. They soon develop a relationship of sorts, and it is this strange and thrilling and unashamedly erotic development that serves as the crux of this novel. Where does it go? How does it end? Read and find out!
Edward tells me this novel is his exploration of male sexuality, and I would say it's a successful one. Lorn is not afraid to write brutal honesty: he captures the teenage boys in their truest essence, reader's offenses be damned. The friendship of Nevada and Tommy was my favorite part to read, though I did enjoy Regina and the intriguing "ghost," too.
I do have a few complaints, though they are rather minuscule and, again, these problems could certainly be ironed out before this novel's publication. I wish the budding, strange romance between Nevada and Regina would have been expanded some; it all feels a bit rushed. I'm not saying I personally enjoyed the relationship — rape is as unpleasant to me as it is anyone else — but it was highly intriguing. I just wanted more, that's all. Really, that could go for novel as a whole: I wish it were longer.
A sickening and horrific and erotic thrill ride, I'm glad to have started my Halloween Bingo off with The Bedding of Boys. And thank you, E, for letting me be a beta reader!
I'd like to say one more thing, may it do ya fine. Edward is a good friend of mine; his friendship means a lot to me. However, that did not color my opinion of the story in any way. I feel I can be honest with him, and I'm thankful for that. This review is totally my unobstructed and honest opinion.
Alright. Holy moly, this book. Regina, this novel's antagonist, is a woman in her mid-thirties with an insatiable lust for young men. And she's a serial killer; she often kills her victims in gory, brutal ways. As far as villains of this sort go, I think she's interesting and I love the fact that she is a woman: female rapists aren't explored in fiction enough, in my opinion. Her stalking of victims and unabashed sexuality made for intense reading, often leaving me breathless.
The story's heart is Nevada, fourteen-year-old gamer geek and Regina's latest focus. They soon develop a relationship of sorts, and it is this strange and thrilling and unashamedly erotic development that serves as the crux of this novel. Where does it go? How does it end? Read and find out!
Edward tells me this novel is his exploration of male sexuality, and I would say it's a successful one. Lorn is not afraid to write brutal honesty: he captures the teenage boys in their truest essence, reader's offenses be damned. The friendship of Nevada and Tommy was my favorite part to read, though I did enjoy Regina and the intriguing "ghost," too.
I do have a few complaints, though they are rather minuscule and, again, these problems could certainly be ironed out before this novel's publication. I wish the budding, strange romance between Nevada and Regina would have been expanded some; it all feels a bit rushed. I'm not saying I personally enjoyed the relationship — rape is as unpleasant to me as it is anyone else — but it was highly intriguing. I just wanted more, that's all. Really, that could go for novel as a whole: I wish it were longer.
A sickening and horrific and erotic thrill ride, I'm glad to have started my Halloween Bingo off with The Bedding of Boys. And thank you, E, for letting me be a beta reader!
June 26, 2019
A female serial killer who seduces young boys, sleeps with them, and then murders them to satiate a supernatural being following her around? Yes, please! While this book had some seriously disturbing parts, I think it added to the overall horror and just made the story that much more twisted. The deaths are gory and the sex is intense. Erotic horror? Is that a thing? Maybe it is now!
While our female serial killer, Regina, comes across as the main villain of the story, it is worth saying that Ghost, the supernatural entity cleaning up her bloody messes, is creepy, ambiguous, and truly a great addition to this story. I wish we knew a little bit more about Ghost. But the lack of knowing also made him more eerie and haunting.
4 stars from me and I need more!
While our female serial killer, Regina, comes across as the main villain of the story, it is worth saying that Ghost, the supernatural entity cleaning up her bloody messes, is creepy, ambiguous, and truly a great addition to this story. I wish we knew a little bit more about Ghost. But the lack of knowing also made him more eerie and haunting.
4 stars from me and I need more!
February 9, 2024
Tampa but make it Splatterpunk.
I don't usually like surnatural very much, but it definitely made sense in this book.
Another amazing title by Edward Lorn.
I don't usually like surnatural very much, but it definitely made sense in this book.
Another amazing title by Edward Lorn.
July 18, 2018
Edward Lorn is many things, horror author, book reviewer, and YouTuber. Everything he does, he does well. He has a clear voice and a sense of honesty you don’t get from many people. That is where he excels in his novels.
The Bedding of Boys due out August 18th, 2018 is the newest offering in his five book saga, All Things Lead to the End. The saga begins with Bay’s End, a fantastic coming-of-age horror novel that’s reminiscent of The Girl Next Door, It, and Boy’s Life; it continues with The Sound of Broken Ribs, a cosmic horror novel about pain and the terrible decisions people suffering through pain and trauma make to make themselves feel less pain; and we have the third offering The Bedding of Boys, a serial killer horror novel about hebephilia and a boy’s sexual awakening. One thing these books all have in common is Lorn’s town Bay’s End. Which is like Stephen King’s Castle Rock and like Castle Rock all these books are standalone stories with character cameos.
The Bedding of Boys follows two people, Regina Corsi, a woman who is a serial killer and is also sexually attracted to teenage boys, and Nevada Barnes, a horny teenage boy who just wants to play Settlers of Catan. Eventually, these two people’s paths cross, and it’s not pretty for the town of Bay’s End. This book is not for everybody. The subject matter will turn away many readers, the people who decide to read will walk away disturbed. One thing this book benefits from is character voice. Lorn has a fantastic narrative voice, and he excels at writing characters. Regina, Nevada, Tommy, Wally, Nevada’s parents; they all feel like they’re real people. And in some sick way, he makes you care about all of them (yes, even Regina). Most Lorn books benefit from superb characterization.
This book moves lightning fast too, once you read that first chapter, it’s near impossible to put down. In a horror story, pacing is important. This is another one of Lorn’s strong suits. The plot progresses with every chapter, there are no lulls in the story. It’s constantly building. As the blood spills, the bodies pile, the characters evolve and change. This book has a fantastic narrative structure and doesn’t lose focus at all. Once you dive in, the book moves so fast that you won’t be able to put it down. You’ll find yourself saying, “One more chapter” as your day fades away.
When it comes to The Bedding of Boys, this isn’t just about a woman who rapes then murders teenage boys. This is a novel about teenage sexual awakening. Lorn captures what it’s like being a teenage boy and being perpetually horny all the time. How easy it is for a teenage boy to say yes to an older woman’s sexual advanced, even if he knows they’re wrong. Teenage boys can be smart, but they also think with their dicks. This leads to a big criticism of the novel. Nevada and Regina’s relationship happens way too fast, which is probably realistic. But, I didn’t really get a feel for these characters physical attraction to each other. While the rape (let’s call a spade, a spade here) is really unpleasant to read, it could have been expanded upon a bit more. The emotions that Regina feels for Nevada come right off the page; it’s hard to feel the same emotions from Nevada’s side. This could have been expanded upon and been really effective.
Overall The Bedding of Boys is a fantastic serial killer novel, a fantastic novel about teenage sexuality, and most importantly a fantastic horror novel. The recommendation comes with two caveats. First, even though all the Bay’s End books are stand alone novels, if anyone wants to read this book, they should read the books in order starting with Bay’s End. The reader will appreciate the cameos, Lorn’s world that he’s building, and it makes Regina’s character more sympathetic. Second, this is a book about a horrible woman who does horrible things. It’s disturbing, gory, violent, graphic, and Lorn doesn’t shy away from the details here. If you think you can handle this content, go for it. You’ll be in for a wild ride. I’ll be looking forward to Lorn’s continuation of All Things Lead to the End with his next book Everything is Horrible Now.
4.5/5 stars.
This is a limited edition hardcover that is numbered 12 of 44
The Bedding of Boys due out August 18th, 2018 is the newest offering in his five book saga, All Things Lead to the End. The saga begins with Bay’s End, a fantastic coming-of-age horror novel that’s reminiscent of The Girl Next Door, It, and Boy’s Life; it continues with The Sound of Broken Ribs, a cosmic horror novel about pain and the terrible decisions people suffering through pain and trauma make to make themselves feel less pain; and we have the third offering The Bedding of Boys, a serial killer horror novel about hebephilia and a boy’s sexual awakening. One thing these books all have in common is Lorn’s town Bay’s End. Which is like Stephen King’s Castle Rock and like Castle Rock all these books are standalone stories with character cameos.
The Bedding of Boys follows two people, Regina Corsi, a woman who is a serial killer and is also sexually attracted to teenage boys, and Nevada Barnes, a horny teenage boy who just wants to play Settlers of Catan. Eventually, these two people’s paths cross, and it’s not pretty for the town of Bay’s End. This book is not for everybody. The subject matter will turn away many readers, the people who decide to read will walk away disturbed. One thing this book benefits from is character voice. Lorn has a fantastic narrative voice, and he excels at writing characters. Regina, Nevada, Tommy, Wally, Nevada’s parents; they all feel like they’re real people. And in some sick way, he makes you care about all of them (yes, even Regina). Most Lorn books benefit from superb characterization.
This book moves lightning fast too, once you read that first chapter, it’s near impossible to put down. In a horror story, pacing is important. This is another one of Lorn’s strong suits. The plot progresses with every chapter, there are no lulls in the story. It’s constantly building. As the blood spills, the bodies pile, the characters evolve and change. This book has a fantastic narrative structure and doesn’t lose focus at all. Once you dive in, the book moves so fast that you won’t be able to put it down. You’ll find yourself saying, “One more chapter” as your day fades away.
When it comes to The Bedding of Boys, this isn’t just about a woman who rapes then murders teenage boys. This is a novel about teenage sexual awakening. Lorn captures what it’s like being a teenage boy and being perpetually horny all the time. How easy it is for a teenage boy to say yes to an older woman’s sexual advanced, even if he knows they’re wrong. Teenage boys can be smart, but they also think with their dicks. This leads to a big criticism of the novel. Nevada and Regina’s relationship happens way too fast, which is probably realistic. But, I didn’t really get a feel for these characters physical attraction to each other. While the rape (let’s call a spade, a spade here) is really unpleasant to read, it could have been expanded upon a bit more. The emotions that Regina feels for Nevada come right off the page; it’s hard to feel the same emotions from Nevada’s side. This could have been expanded upon and been really effective.
Overall The Bedding of Boys is a fantastic serial killer novel, a fantastic novel about teenage sexuality, and most importantly a fantastic horror novel. The recommendation comes with two caveats. First, even though all the Bay’s End books are stand alone novels, if anyone wants to read this book, they should read the books in order starting with Bay’s End. The reader will appreciate the cameos, Lorn’s world that he’s building, and it makes Regina’s character more sympathetic. Second, this is a book about a horrible woman who does horrible things. It’s disturbing, gory, violent, graphic, and Lorn doesn’t shy away from the details here. If you think you can handle this content, go for it. You’ll be in for a wild ride. I’ll be looking forward to Lorn’s continuation of All Things Lead to the End with his next book Everything is Horrible Now.
4.5/5 stars.
This is a limited edition hardcover that is numbered 12 of 44
January 17, 2019
You'd be hard pressed to find a more uncomfortable book than The Bedding of Boys. I went in prepared to be disturbed, and disturbed I was--not one punch is pulled in this sucker. Coming off of Everything is Horrible Now, which didn't quite do it for me in a few departments, I was pleasantly surprised by just how much fun I had with this twisted (and twisty) little affair.
Now, 'fun' might be the wrong word to describe much of the content here. Regina Corsi is as sick as they come, and twice as dangerous. It's difficult to follow her side of the story without cringing a few times. That said, she did strike me as a bit over the top occasionally, to the extent that I found myself taking herself less seriously during a few moments that might otherwise have prompted a more visceral reaction from me. One line in particular (I won't quote it verbatim here, but it involves being able to sail a boat beneath a certain article of clothing) made me laugh out loud.
Here's where some self introspection comes into play. Would this line have struck me as funny if the roles were reversed and Regina were a man remarking on his self arousal while observing his prey? I can't say for certain--that double standard, and the questions that surround it, is one of the underlying themes of Bedding of Boys and a big reason I found the book so gripping. But I do think that a subtler version of Regina Corsi, one whose general tone was a bit milder and whose antics left a little more to the imagination, would have ultimately disturbed (and resonated) with me more. There's a suggestion of significant trauma in her childhood that I would have loved to have seen a deeper exploration of in regards to how it shaped her as a person. More than once it seemed to me that her affinity for Nevada, the novel's protagonist, had roots in the abuse that she suffered when she was young. But her feelings for him are never really accounted for beyond the fact that they exist--or that she believes they do--and I was left feeling as if their was some development missing in their relationship.
Now to the real champion of this book: Ghost. In the creativity department, Regina's sidekick gets top marks across the board. There's not much I can discuss here without giving things away, so I'll just say that, when his mysterious little sheeted figure finally gets its backstory, the narrative comes full circle in the most satisfying and surprising of ways.
And that climax. Man, that climax. Brutal, pitch perfect, and shocking. Just be sure to read The Sound of Broken Ribs first, if you haven't already. It's not necessary, strictly speaking, but a few dots might go unconnected without some familiarity with that story.
Now, 'fun' might be the wrong word to describe much of the content here. Regina Corsi is as sick as they come, and twice as dangerous. It's difficult to follow her side of the story without cringing a few times. That said, she did strike me as a bit over the top occasionally, to the extent that I found myself taking herself less seriously during a few moments that might otherwise have prompted a more visceral reaction from me. One line in particular (I won't quote it verbatim here, but it involves being able to sail a boat beneath a certain article of clothing) made me laugh out loud.
Here's where some self introspection comes into play. Would this line have struck me as funny if the roles were reversed and Regina were a man remarking on his self arousal while observing his prey? I can't say for certain--that double standard, and the questions that surround it, is one of the underlying themes of Bedding of Boys and a big reason I found the book so gripping. But I do think that a subtler version of Regina Corsi, one whose general tone was a bit milder and whose antics left a little more to the imagination, would have ultimately disturbed (and resonated) with me more. There's a suggestion of significant trauma in her childhood that I would have loved to have seen a deeper exploration of in regards to how it shaped her as a person. More than once it seemed to me that her affinity for Nevada, the novel's protagonist, had roots in the abuse that she suffered when she was young. But her feelings for him are never really accounted for beyond the fact that they exist--or that she believes they do--and I was left feeling as if their was some development missing in their relationship.
Now to the real champion of this book: Ghost. In the creativity department, Regina's sidekick gets top marks across the board. There's not much I can discuss here without giving things away, so I'll just say that, when his mysterious little sheeted figure finally gets its backstory, the narrative comes full circle in the most satisfying and surprising of ways.
And that climax. Man, that climax. Brutal, pitch perfect, and shocking. Just be sure to read The Sound of Broken Ribs first, if you haven't already. It's not necessary, strictly speaking, but a few dots might go unconnected without some familiarity with that story.
November 30, 2018
A free-for-all, perverse, maelstrom-like experiment in seeing where a story can go, The Bedding of Boys is the literary equivalent of the sickest of Jack Ketchum that veers all over hell and back and then ends with the Belushi monologue from "The Blues Brothers."
"I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake! A terrible flood!! Locusts!!! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!!!!"
Watching Lorn fling himself upon his horse and ride off madly in all directions was a hoot and there was never a moment in this book when I was bored or contemplated tossing it aside. The overt and graphic pedophilia was disturbing and puzzling (see Lorn's 1-star review of Nabokov's Lolita for a textbook definition of hypocritical); adding a voyeur in the form of a child ghost made it even weirder.
But it has always been my contention that a novel should be story. Story, story, story! And The Bedding of Boys had story. Wild story, but story. The twisted timeline and magnificently bizarre wrap up of the story elements was either madness or genius or a little bit of both.
I'd recommend this book to anyone without a moral compass.
No, that's a joke.
There is perversity in the world but if you're one of those people who draw an imaginary line at where reality ends, perhaps this book won't be for you. If pedophilia is something you'd rather not read about, walk away. Yeah, it exists in the world, but no one's forcing you to like it, accept it, participate in it, or approve of it. We read to learn and be entertained; if this aspect of the book will hinder either of those, it'd be a waste of your time.
For anyone else, I think you'll enjoy the escape.
I've read a few sources who claim this book is a Laymon rip-off and I disagree. I don't see it as a Laymon homage, either. Yes, comparisons can be drawn, but Laymon, when he was in psycho-sexual mode, was as predictable as the sunrise. Lorn is many things, but predictable is not one of them.
Did I have a few problems with this book? Yeah, I did. It wasn't very well-proofed, there were a few incongruities that pulled me right out of the book and made me realize I was reading, and although I really liked the resolution of the origins of "Ghost," the character Belinda Walsh made me feel cheated--I felt as if she were a "Okay, 240 pages, let's wrap this up and move on..." thing. I searched the first 239 pages and she was nowhere to be found. She just materialized out of nowhere. Is she a character from another Bay's End novel I'm supposed to remember...and if so, isn't that a bit presumptuous? (Just had a friend DM me that Belinda is from The Sound of Broken Ribs - I would NEVER have remembered that--remembering characters from other books is not my job.)
"MELONCHOLIA" also sent me on a search. Watermelon? Nope. Cantaloupe? Nope. There's got to be a double meaning here... What am I missing? Even Goodreads puts a red line under the word because it's spelled "melancholia." What's going on? There's a clue here that I'm not picking up on...
How about "Every Ender knew the story of Francis Bay and his wife, Nevada, just like..." So in addition to the main character, a boy named Nevada, that was also Francis Bay's wife's name? Why? What's the connection? What am I missing? Turns out I wasn't missing anything--the book was missing a period.
The Bastard explaining the mysteries of the universe to Ghost in eloquent modern prose was going nicely until he said, "Man doeth as he pleases." Doeth? Paragraphs of modern English and he turns into Geoffrey Chaucer for one word?
It's ham-handed stuff like this that pulls me right out of a story--yanks me by the ears and screams, "Haha! You're reading! It's not real anymore!"
But listen...nobody's perfect and I know for a fact that Lorn has at least 3 editors and a slew of pre-publication readers who also missed this stuff. I'm just telling you what ruined my suspension of disbelief so you'll be ready for it when you see it.
This is a good book: scary, creepy, unsettling, and bizarre. What else do you read horror for if not that?
"I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake! A terrible flood!! Locusts!!! IT WASN'T MY FAULT!!!!"
Watching Lorn fling himself upon his horse and ride off madly in all directions was a hoot and there was never a moment in this book when I was bored or contemplated tossing it aside. The overt and graphic pedophilia was disturbing and puzzling (see Lorn's 1-star review of Nabokov's Lolita for a textbook definition of hypocritical); adding a voyeur in the form of a child ghost made it even weirder.
But it has always been my contention that a novel should be story. Story, story, story! And The Bedding of Boys had story. Wild story, but story. The twisted timeline and magnificently bizarre wrap up of the story elements was either madness or genius or a little bit of both.
I'd recommend this book to anyone without a moral compass.
No, that's a joke.
There is perversity in the world but if you're one of those people who draw an imaginary line at where reality ends, perhaps this book won't be for you. If pedophilia is something you'd rather not read about, walk away. Yeah, it exists in the world, but no one's forcing you to like it, accept it, participate in it, or approve of it. We read to learn and be entertained; if this aspect of the book will hinder either of those, it'd be a waste of your time.
For anyone else, I think you'll enjoy the escape.
I've read a few sources who claim this book is a Laymon rip-off and I disagree. I don't see it as a Laymon homage, either. Yes, comparisons can be drawn, but Laymon, when he was in psycho-sexual mode, was as predictable as the sunrise. Lorn is many things, but predictable is not one of them.
Did I have a few problems with this book? Yeah, I did. It wasn't very well-proofed, there were a few incongruities that pulled me right out of the book and made me realize I was reading, and although I really liked the resolution of the origins of "Ghost," the character Belinda Walsh made me feel cheated--I felt as if she were a "Okay, 240 pages, let's wrap this up and move on..." thing. I searched the first 239 pages and she was nowhere to be found. She just materialized out of nowhere. Is she a character from another Bay's End novel I'm supposed to remember...and if so, isn't that a bit presumptuous? (Just had a friend DM me that Belinda is from The Sound of Broken Ribs - I would NEVER have remembered that--remembering characters from other books is not my job.)
"MELONCHOLIA" also sent me on a search. Watermelon? Nope. Cantaloupe? Nope. There's got to be a double meaning here... What am I missing? Even Goodreads puts a red line under the word because it's spelled "melancholia." What's going on? There's a clue here that I'm not picking up on...
How about "Every Ender knew the story of Francis Bay and his wife, Nevada, just like..." So in addition to the main character, a boy named Nevada, that was also Francis Bay's wife's name? Why? What's the connection? What am I missing? Turns out I wasn't missing anything--the book was missing a period.
The Bastard explaining the mysteries of the universe to Ghost in eloquent modern prose was going nicely until he said, "Man doeth as he pleases." Doeth? Paragraphs of modern English and he turns into Geoffrey Chaucer for one word?
It's ham-handed stuff like this that pulls me right out of a story--yanks me by the ears and screams, "Haha! You're reading! It's not real anymore!"
But listen...nobody's perfect and I know for a fact that Lorn has at least 3 editors and a slew of pre-publication readers who also missed this stuff. I'm just telling you what ruined my suspension of disbelief so you'll be ready for it when you see it.
This is a good book: scary, creepy, unsettling, and bizarre. What else do you read horror for if not that?
December 18, 2019
Well Holy Yuck-a-Moly!
Regina is a serial killer with a perversion for pubescent boys. She is not a love them and leave them type, more like a love them and cleave them into pieces. She seems to have no empathy for anyone, which would suggest a borderline personality disorder until at last her twisted and shriveled heart finds what she thinks of as "Love" with her latest victim Nev, a 14 year old boy who doesn't realize how dangerous she is until it's far too late. There is also a supernatural aspect to the story, with her "ghost" who is on clean up duty, sucking up blood and chowing down on the dead bodies of her victims. Things are certainly never dull in the town of Bay's End.
Regina is a serial killer with a perversion for pubescent boys. She is not a love them and leave them type, more like a love them and cleave them into pieces. She seems to have no empathy for anyone, which would suggest a borderline personality disorder until at last her twisted and shriveled heart finds what she thinks of as "Love" with her latest victim Nev, a 14 year old boy who doesn't realize how dangerous she is until it's far too late. There is also a supernatural aspect to the story, with her "ghost" who is on clean up duty, sucking up blood and chowing down on the dead bodies of her victims. Things are certainly never dull in the town of Bay's End.
April 13, 2019
https://lovethevillain.wordpress.com/...
This book was an entertaining romp through the twisted mind of its author.
I actually really enjoyed reading it. It's not for everyone, and obviously there are some serious trigger warnings associated with it, including—rape, pedophilia and gore.
But, it had some imaginative supernatural elements, an engaging writing style, and a pretty unique villain, albeit a highly depraved one.
I has some highly graphic scenes, one might almost say too graphic, but this isn't a book for delicate little snowflakes. It's a real glimpse into depravity. Old school horror.
I can keep a secret if you can…
The book follows Nevada, a fourteen (I think?) year old boy who is groomed by a lady called Regina. She has a long history of raping and killing young boys and Nev looks an awful lot like her next target. Nev, as most boys of his age would be, is pretty stoked about the prospect of sex with an attractive older woman. She comes across to him as friendly and approachable and poor Nev falls straight into her net.
It's written in such a matter of fact way that you can almost see any young boy falling for a similar snare by a predator. It's horrifying to see just how easy it is for these people to approach children.
Regina is helped along with her murders by a mysterious entity she monikers 'Ghost'. Ghost appears to look like a kid in a sheet. Think of the shittiest ghost costume around Halloween, and you'll pretty much be dead on, but somehow this comically generic ghost becomes a seriously creepy factor.
Not its, Regina thought. His. Ghost is a he, and he is hungry.
I appreciated the way the story wraps itself up nicely, but there was a little abruptness to the ending that I felt was rushed somewhat. I'm also pretty unsure of what actually happened with Nev there, right at the finish line. I don't suppose it matters much. I mean, the book was entertaining and that's it's main purpose, right?
That bit about how crazy people didn’t know they were crazy was a load of horseshit. Regina knew damn well she was different. Nothing could convince her otherwise, nor would anything change her. Being mad was so much fun.
One thing I really liked about the writing style was the genuinely brilliant use of sentence fragments. Usually, I'm not a fan, but when they're used properly they can really drive a point home. The fragments dotted through this book—Que sera sera, for example—remind me very much of the way Stephen King uses them in some of his earlier works like The Stand and It. Extremely well done.
Every monster has its origins, child, and she is no different.
All in all, I understand some of the comments regarding this book, I too believed it was horrifyingly graphic, but it's a horror story. It's supposed to disgust you and you're supposed to hate Regina. It's important to remember that it's just a fiction book. Seriously, there's worse Harry Potter fanfiction out there.
It was a gripping story well worth reading.
This book was an entertaining romp through the twisted mind of its author.
I actually really enjoyed reading it. It's not for everyone, and obviously there are some serious trigger warnings associated with it, including—rape, pedophilia and gore.
But, it had some imaginative supernatural elements, an engaging writing style, and a pretty unique villain, albeit a highly depraved one.
I has some highly graphic scenes, one might almost say too graphic, but this isn't a book for delicate little snowflakes. It's a real glimpse into depravity. Old school horror.
I can keep a secret if you can…
The book follows Nevada, a fourteen (I think?) year old boy who is groomed by a lady called Regina. She has a long history of raping and killing young boys and Nev looks an awful lot like her next target. Nev, as most boys of his age would be, is pretty stoked about the prospect of sex with an attractive older woman. She comes across to him as friendly and approachable and poor Nev falls straight into her net.
It's written in such a matter of fact way that you can almost see any young boy falling for a similar snare by a predator. It's horrifying to see just how easy it is for these people to approach children.
Regina is helped along with her murders by a mysterious entity she monikers 'Ghost'. Ghost appears to look like a kid in a sheet. Think of the shittiest ghost costume around Halloween, and you'll pretty much be dead on, but somehow this comically generic ghost becomes a seriously creepy factor.
Not its, Regina thought. His. Ghost is a he, and he is hungry.
I appreciated the way the story wraps itself up nicely, but there was a little abruptness to the ending that I felt was rushed somewhat. I'm also pretty unsure of what actually happened with Nev there, right at the finish line. I don't suppose it matters much. I mean, the book was entertaining and that's it's main purpose, right?
That bit about how crazy people didn’t know they were crazy was a load of horseshit. Regina knew damn well she was different. Nothing could convince her otherwise, nor would anything change her. Being mad was so much fun.
One thing I really liked about the writing style was the genuinely brilliant use of sentence fragments. Usually, I'm not a fan, but when they're used properly they can really drive a point home. The fragments dotted through this book—Que sera sera, for example—remind me very much of the way Stephen King uses them in some of his earlier works like The Stand and It. Extremely well done.
Every monster has its origins, child, and she is no different.
All in all, I understand some of the comments regarding this book, I too believed it was horrifyingly graphic, but it's a horror story. It's supposed to disgust you and you're supposed to hate Regina. It's important to remember that it's just a fiction book. Seriously, there's worse Harry Potter fanfiction out there.
It was a gripping story well worth reading.
January 13, 2019
This was a tough book to read, mainly because of the title. So I went into it with preconceived ideas. But Edward Lorn did pull it off. This book is more than a female pedophile. Lorn does a good with character development and a twisted horrific erotic crime.
I have only read 4 of Edward Lorn's works. The other three I gave 5 stars. This one I can only give 4. Not my favorite but it is still good and worth the read if you can get past the title.
I have only read 4 of Edward Lorn's works. The other three I gave 5 stars. This one I can only give 4. Not my favorite but it is still good and worth the read if you can get past the title.
August 17, 2018
This was my first novel by Edward Lorn and it most certainly will not be my last. He has a way with words and language that just drew me right into the setting and the story. Side note: This is set in a fictional Ohio town, Bay's End, and for some reason I enjoy when books are set in my home state💁🏻.
What I liked:
The action begins "right from the get" in this one. Regina Corsi is most certainly a monster and her predilection for younger teenage boys made me CRINGE! And while I have no love for her actions (I even had to skip over a few small parts), she's a perfect villain. The character development of her and several of the other characters is extremely well done, and that means a lot to me. I cannot get invested in a book if this piece is missing.
Other thoughts: The ghost is a fascinating spectre. Bloodthirsty and eerie - I would've liked to know more about the origins of ghost earlier on in the story. I did appreciate the subtle foreshadowing regarding this.
Overall - A great read. There are a few scenes when the hebephilia and gore combine that may not be for some readers; I mentioned earlier that I had to skip just a part or two. The pacing and character/plot development are just a few of the highlights for me. I'll be picking up another one by Lorn very soon.
What I liked:
The action begins "right from the get" in this one. Regina Corsi is most certainly a monster and her predilection for younger teenage boys made me CRINGE! And while I have no love for her actions (I even had to skip over a few small parts), she's a perfect villain. The character development of her and several of the other characters is extremely well done, and that means a lot to me. I cannot get invested in a book if this piece is missing.
Other thoughts: The ghost is a fascinating spectre. Bloodthirsty and eerie - I would've liked to know more about the origins of ghost earlier on in the story. I did appreciate the subtle foreshadowing regarding this.
Overall - A great read. There are a few scenes when the hebephilia and gore combine that may not be for some readers; I mentioned earlier that I had to skip just a part or two. The pacing and character/plot development are just a few of the highlights for me. I'll be picking up another one by Lorn very soon.
August 21, 2018
Strange things are afoot at the Circle K!
The Bedding of Boys is original, suspenseful, super messed up, compulsively readable. I was left with a lot of questions, in the end, but in such a way as to make me want to read the other books set in Bay's End, in search of answers.
(Please note: there is a ton of child abuse in it, so stay well away if you can't be having with that.)
The Bedding of Boys is original, suspenseful, super messed up, compulsively readable. I was left with a lot of questions, in the end, but in such a way as to make me want to read the other books set in Bay's End, in search of answers.
(Please note: there is a ton of child abuse in it, so stay well away if you can't be having with that.)
dnf
May 16, 2019I love this author, but I am not in the right headspace for this book right now. I have to be in a different mindset for reading about stuff on this level, and it's not working at the moment. I can tell that this book is super well-written, and all of the Bay's End stories are so good. I'll pick this up another day. It's just too much right now.
September 14, 2018
I don't know if I loved this or hated it. I started off hating it. The further along I got the more mad I was at myself for liking it. Now I just don't know. Why is a book doing this to me?? The ending was great, and I will be reading the rest of this series.
December 17, 2018
Excel!ent novel
I enjoyed this immensely, it's dark and disturbing and mysterious as hell. The writing is great and I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it, a must for indie horror fiction fans
I enjoyed this immensely, it's dark and disturbing and mysterious as hell. The writing is great and I had a hell of a lot of fun reading it, a must for indie horror fiction fans
July 20, 2018
I received The Bedding of Boys as an ARC.
Let's start off by saying that this books is loosely tied to other Bay's End tales; Bay's End, The Sound of Broken Ribs and Cruelty. We get to see glimpses of some of those characters in this book, which is totally awesome. Right. So, The Bedding of Boys follows three storylines that intertwine. We have Regina Corsi, the kiddie f***er, August, the Nutball, and Nev, the one who gets sucked into the the tornado of chaos caused by the previous two.
This book is chock full of masterbation (both teen and adult) and adult (Regina) on young teen sex. None of that really bothered me. I mean, it is what it is and it furthered the story along. If you're a delicate flower and you don't like that stuff or can't stomach reading about hebepheila, you may want to do a hard pass on this book.
I liked this book. Like, not loved. I thought the writing was a little less than what I've come to expect from Edward Lorn. What makes reading enjoyable for me is the Fictive Bubble. What's that, you say? Well, it's how I get sucked into the story, almost becoming a part of it, riding right on along with the characters. So many things can pop that bubble that I, nor the author, have no control over. But when I'm being tossed out on my ass from my "safe space" because of things in the book, well, I get kind of annoyed. The Bedding of Boys had quite a few moments for me. From things like Regina turning the vacuum off twice in a row to the use of COWL instead of CAUL. You catch my drift. There was also a point where Nev had a flash back of sorts and it took me a bit to realize it was a flash back and that I wasn't brain damaged.
Alright. Yes, go right ahead and call me a nazi, call me anal, whatever. But guys, I did like this book. I loved the names. August and Nevada. Totally awesome. My favorite parts were the every day back and forth, the scenes where the characters were really developed. Nev was a deep, well rounded, well thought out character. And the end was amazing. I loved the August end story and I wished there was more of it to go round.
Let's start off by saying that this books is loosely tied to other Bay's End tales; Bay's End, The Sound of Broken Ribs and Cruelty. We get to see glimpses of some of those characters in this book, which is totally awesome. Right. So, The Bedding of Boys follows three storylines that intertwine. We have Regina Corsi, the kiddie f***er, August, the Nutball, and Nev, the one who gets sucked into the the tornado of chaos caused by the previous two.
This book is chock full of masterbation (both teen and adult) and adult (Regina) on young teen sex. None of that really bothered me. I mean, it is what it is and it furthered the story along. If you're a delicate flower and you don't like that stuff or can't stomach reading about hebepheila, you may want to do a hard pass on this book.
I liked this book. Like, not loved. I thought the writing was a little less than what I've come to expect from Edward Lorn. What makes reading enjoyable for me is the Fictive Bubble. What's that, you say? Well, it's how I get sucked into the story, almost becoming a part of it, riding right on along with the characters. So many things can pop that bubble that I, nor the author, have no control over. But when I'm being tossed out on my ass from my "safe space" because of things in the book, well, I get kind of annoyed. The Bedding of Boys had quite a few moments for me. From things like Regina turning the vacuum off twice in a row to the use of COWL instead of CAUL. You catch my drift. There was also a point where Nev had a flash back of sorts and it took me a bit to realize it was a flash back and that I wasn't brain damaged.
Alright. Yes, go right ahead and call me a nazi, call me anal, whatever. But guys, I did like this book. I loved the names. August and Nevada. Totally awesome. My favorite parts were the every day back and forth, the scenes where the characters were really developed. Nev was a deep, well rounded, well thought out character. And the end was amazing. I loved the August end story and I wished there was more of it to go round.
November 20, 2021
Demented, Disturbing Entertainment!
I thoroughly enjoyed this brutal novel. There's violence, gore, and possible triggers galore, but pathos, yearning, and dark humor run through it like a cable. Also, Ghost is one of the most creative, intriguing characters I've encountered in recent memory. I'll be reading anything Edward Lorn releases. Highly recommended!
I thoroughly enjoyed this brutal novel. There's violence, gore, and possible triggers galore, but pathos, yearning, and dark humor run through it like a cable. Also, Ghost is one of the most creative, intriguing characters I've encountered in recent memory. I'll be reading anything Edward Lorn releases. Highly recommended!
August 27, 2018
Interesting and hopeful premise. Violence cartoonish and characters one dimensional. Got very bored by last 80 pages and barely finished.
November 2, 2018
The Bedding of Boys
"Midnight thoughts and three-am dreams, these are the gifts given to us by the horrors we have lived through."
The bedding of boys was a well written tale by Mr.Lorn. It was a bit heavy at times but thats to be expected with the synopsis given. I really enjoyed the section dedicated to August the best. I felt it was the most compelling and beautifully written part of the story. While I enjoyed the story overall, I just lost interest in some parts which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4.
"Midnight thoughts and three-am dreams, these are the gifts given to us by the horrors we have lived through."
The bedding of boys was a well written tale by Mr.Lorn. It was a bit heavy at times but thats to be expected with the synopsis given. I really enjoyed the section dedicated to August the best. I felt it was the most compelling and beautifully written part of the story. While I enjoyed the story overall, I just lost interest in some parts which is why I gave it 3 stars instead of 4.
August 27, 2018
I want to say that while I enjoyed the book, it wasn't the strongest I felt from E. It was basically everything I expect from him, unfortunately, I did find the book to drag just a little bit at times.
My favorite part was when we get "Ghost" backstory, I loved it and how everything tied in at the end.
Nev was a great all-around character, I enjoyed every time he was in the scene.
I really enjoyed what was going on inside Regina's head.
The dialog was great as usual from the author.
I also LOVED all the callbacks from the other Bays End stories.
My favorite part was when we get "Ghost" backstory, I loved it and how everything tied in at the end.
Nev was a great all-around character, I enjoyed every time he was in the scene.
I really enjoyed what was going on inside Regina's head.
The dialog was great as usual from the author.
I also LOVED all the callbacks from the other Bays End stories.
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