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Garden
In this dystopian horror tale, it’s not what’s for dinner but who?
Do you dread the daily grind of making dinner? Shopping, preparing, and the dreaded clean-up after eating?
What if one pill could provide perfect nutrition in an instant?
YUM is the answer. Just one pill a day and you're good to go.
No more hunger or hassle. Total gratification. This is Madam's mission at to change the world forever.
But will it improve things or make them worse?
And if YUM makes life so easy, what's for dinner at Madam's Nutri-Corp's dinner parties?
And just what is being hunted in The Hunt?
Do you dread the daily grind of making dinner? Shopping, preparing, and the dreaded clean-up after eating?
What if one pill could provide perfect nutrition in an instant?
YUM is the answer. Just one pill a day and you're good to go.
No more hunger or hassle. Total gratification. This is Madam's mission at to change the world forever.
But will it improve things or make them worse?
And if YUM makes life so easy, what's for dinner at Madam's Nutri-Corp's dinner parties?
And just what is being hunted in The Hunt?
- GenresHorrorScience Fiction
560 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 23, 2021
27 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Carol James Marshall
23 books75 followersCarol James Marshall is an author who specializes in horror stories, combining comedy, paranormal, sci-fi and suspenseful elements. She has 7 books and 4 short stories already out in the world and is currently working on Santa Muerte, a Latino-influenced series about witches that will be released in 2023.
Marshall is a low vision author who uses technology and large fonts to write her books.
When she isn't writing or enjoying audiobooks, Carol works as a translator. With her background in both Los Angeles, California and Mexicali, Mexico, she now lives in Georgia along with her husband and two children.
Marshall is a low vision author who uses technology and large fonts to write her books.
When she isn't writing or enjoying audiobooks, Carol works as a translator. With her background in both Los Angeles, California and Mexicali, Mexico, she now lives in Georgia along with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 25, 2021
Full disclosure - I was provided an advanced reader’s copy of this book by the author but have voluntarily provided a review.
YUM – The wave of the future
Somewhere in the United States, Madam has taken control. Using only a little pill that could easily be mistaken for bubble gum, YUM promises to totally eliminate the need for food. Imagine, all that time spent cooking could be better used for other pursuits. YUM promises to be life-changing and it is indeed that. With all of Nurticorp City under the spell of YUM, the populace has been reduced to either those who are in Madam’s good graces or those who are not. For those whose tics are not noticeable, they enjoy the good life - lavish apartments stable jobs, and even dinner parties with Madam for the elite few. But for the others, whose tics are noticeable, even debilitating, they are relegated to Old Town to live out of sight of Madam, but not out of mind.
However, not all who live within the limits of Nutricorp City and Old Town have succumbed to the magic of YUM. Living outside the city in areas that are easily overlooked are the Gardeners; a community committed to resisting the evils of YUM and the tyranny of Madam. A group of cast-offs and fugitives, the Gardeners have sworn off YUM to live off the land and whatever they can scavenge from the now-forgotten supermarkets of the cities. The Martinez sisters are part of the Gardeners. Having come under the care of the community after their parents succumbed to YUM Lola, Jen and Suzy have two goals: to rescue their parents and to destroy Madam. Neither task will be easy, but Jen has a secret weapon in the form of Danny, the son of Madam and the heir to the Nutricorp throne. Joined by a neighboring community, the group sets out to topple Madam from the throne, but it is only when they have ventured too deep into the fray that they realize just how vast Madam’s reach is. When the smoke clears will the Martinez sisters be successful, or will this all be in vain?
It has been a while since I have read a dystopian novel that really made me pay attention, but Garden did just that. Carol James Marshall’s YUM-fueled world is every bit as attractive as it is sinister; where one wrong move or the whim of Madam can find you on the Hunt or facing down a Shaky. At times, it was hard for me to remember that the cities of Old Town, Nutricorp City, and The Hills were in America as Marshall has completely reimagined a region that does not even remotely resemble anything in the United States. From the futuristic vibe of Nutricorp City with its YUM factories and police forces with their Shakies to the run down YUM infested areas of Old Town where the worst of the worst, or “Poppers” are left to roam, and to the almost apocalyptic feel of the fortified Hills to the nearly imperceptible Gardener camp these different areas provide a vivid backdrop for the story to unfold. Garden is not Marshall’s first foray into the dystopian genre, but this is definitely her best to date and it is definitely worth the time to give it a read.
In Garden, you will find a wide variety of characters and situations that will make you either love or hate them. While reading through, I found myself laughing, yelling out in disbelief, and even shedding a tear or two. When the final sentence is read, Garden will linger with you. I know I am curious for a revisit to catch up with the characters after the fact, whether it be a short story or a full-blown sequel if Marshall so desires. To me there just feels like there may still be quite a bit of story to be told where Nutricorp and the Gardeners are concerned.
YUM – The wave of the future
Somewhere in the United States, Madam has taken control. Using only a little pill that could easily be mistaken for bubble gum, YUM promises to totally eliminate the need for food. Imagine, all that time spent cooking could be better used for other pursuits. YUM promises to be life-changing and it is indeed that. With all of Nurticorp City under the spell of YUM, the populace has been reduced to either those who are in Madam’s good graces or those who are not. For those whose tics are not noticeable, they enjoy the good life - lavish apartments stable jobs, and even dinner parties with Madam for the elite few. But for the others, whose tics are noticeable, even debilitating, they are relegated to Old Town to live out of sight of Madam, but not out of mind.
However, not all who live within the limits of Nutricorp City and Old Town have succumbed to the magic of YUM. Living outside the city in areas that are easily overlooked are the Gardeners; a community committed to resisting the evils of YUM and the tyranny of Madam. A group of cast-offs and fugitives, the Gardeners have sworn off YUM to live off the land and whatever they can scavenge from the now-forgotten supermarkets of the cities. The Martinez sisters are part of the Gardeners. Having come under the care of the community after their parents succumbed to YUM Lola, Jen and Suzy have two goals: to rescue their parents and to destroy Madam. Neither task will be easy, but Jen has a secret weapon in the form of Danny, the son of Madam and the heir to the Nutricorp throne. Joined by a neighboring community, the group sets out to topple Madam from the throne, but it is only when they have ventured too deep into the fray that they realize just how vast Madam’s reach is. When the smoke clears will the Martinez sisters be successful, or will this all be in vain?
It has been a while since I have read a dystopian novel that really made me pay attention, but Garden did just that. Carol James Marshall’s YUM-fueled world is every bit as attractive as it is sinister; where one wrong move or the whim of Madam can find you on the Hunt or facing down a Shaky. At times, it was hard for me to remember that the cities of Old Town, Nutricorp City, and The Hills were in America as Marshall has completely reimagined a region that does not even remotely resemble anything in the United States. From the futuristic vibe of Nutricorp City with its YUM factories and police forces with their Shakies to the run down YUM infested areas of Old Town where the worst of the worst, or “Poppers” are left to roam, and to the almost apocalyptic feel of the fortified Hills to the nearly imperceptible Gardener camp these different areas provide a vivid backdrop for the story to unfold. Garden is not Marshall’s first foray into the dystopian genre, but this is definitely her best to date and it is definitely worth the time to give it a read.
In Garden, you will find a wide variety of characters and situations that will make you either love or hate them. While reading through, I found myself laughing, yelling out in disbelief, and even shedding a tear or two. When the final sentence is read, Garden will linger with you. I know I am curious for a revisit to catch up with the characters after the fact, whether it be a short story or a full-blown sequel if Marshall so desires. To me there just feels like there may still be quite a bit of story to be told where Nutricorp and the Gardeners are concerned.
September 24, 2023
Omg this book was crazy.
The idea of the book was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the book world and seeing the ins and outs of the destruction of humanity based on the concept of science, laziness, and food.
I also am EXTREMELY INTERESTED in what Yum actually tastes like because I am the definition of curiosity killed the cat….
I also felt so bad for these people… a life without food is NOT a life worth living.
The only thing that was not my favorite was that there were SO MANY characters. I understood it to get the total picture of the book world, but it was just too overwhelming for me and I would sort of lose interest because of my ADHD brain.
Overall, this book was so interesting and RIP to my favorite character 😭
The idea of the book was fun and I thoroughly enjoyed the book world and seeing the ins and outs of the destruction of humanity based on the concept of science, laziness, and food.
I also am EXTREMELY INTERESTED in what Yum actually tastes like because I am the definition of curiosity killed the cat….
I also felt so bad for these people… a life without food is NOT a life worth living.
The only thing that was not my favorite was that there were SO MANY characters. I understood it to get the total picture of the book world, but it was just too overwhelming for me and I would sort of lose interest because of my ADHD brain.
Overall, this book was so interesting and RIP to my favorite character 😭
September 7, 2023
"One pill a day and you’d never have to eat again."
I have been wanting to read this for so long! I can't believe I finally read it and a paperback is on its way to me.
"When you took YUM, hunger, the need to eat, the need to cook, the need to buy food vanished. With YUM, you’d live longer, be stronger, healthier."
No more cooking and a pill a day saves sanity and time for everyone? Sounds too good to be true, right? That's because it is. You'd think that pill would have saved lives, and yet, this world is also cannibalistic, but just on special occasions.
If you know me you know fictional cannibalism fascinates me, so I couldn't not read this. I loved that there's also queer relationships without much romance, perfect for me.
Book starts with a creepy scene right away and sets the tone of the story, and then shows how normal this world tries to be and that there's still people who will do anything to not take the pill and keep eating meat and veggies. To be honest, I expected that humans who are hunted for meat would be vegans and wouldn't eat animals because they know how it feels, but it's not like that, they are still very much meat eaters. But that's just my opinion and hope, I know everyone would still be this way if this fictional world were real. That doesn't take anything away from the story, I just wanted mention it.
"She was a villain in his eyes and he a disappointment in hers."
It's about a mother and son who are on opposite sides of this innovation. He's refusing to take the pills that his mother created to substitute the food and she's trying to grow her business.
"He chewed the burger, knowing what it was but not who it was."
There's creepy mist over the whole story and by the end it gets even creepier, but I will not say anything more, you'll have to read and discover it yourself.
It's a delicious story showing human nature in a slightly different way and keeps you guessing until the end, what could possibly be scarier than cannibal humans who would chop you up for a burger.
I have been wanting to read this for so long! I can't believe I finally read it and a paperback is on its way to me.
"When you took YUM, hunger, the need to eat, the need to cook, the need to buy food vanished. With YUM, you’d live longer, be stronger, healthier."
No more cooking and a pill a day saves sanity and time for everyone? Sounds too good to be true, right? That's because it is. You'd think that pill would have saved lives, and yet, this world is also cannibalistic, but just on special occasions.
If you know me you know fictional cannibalism fascinates me, so I couldn't not read this. I loved that there's also queer relationships without much romance, perfect for me.
Book starts with a creepy scene right away and sets the tone of the story, and then shows how normal this world tries to be and that there's still people who will do anything to not take the pill and keep eating meat and veggies. To be honest, I expected that humans who are hunted for meat would be vegans and wouldn't eat animals because they know how it feels, but it's not like that, they are still very much meat eaters. But that's just my opinion and hope, I know everyone would still be this way if this fictional world were real. That doesn't take anything away from the story, I just wanted mention it.
"She was a villain in his eyes and he a disappointment in hers."
It's about a mother and son who are on opposite sides of this innovation. He's refusing to take the pills that his mother created to substitute the food and she's trying to grow her business.
"He chewed the burger, knowing what it was but not who it was."
There's creepy mist over the whole story and by the end it gets even creepier, but I will not say anything more, you'll have to read and discover it yourself.
It's a delicious story showing human nature in a slightly different way and keeps you guessing until the end, what could possibly be scarier than cannibal humans who would chop you up for a burger.
October 24, 2025
DNF
this book was just… I’m really conflicted about this book because I wanted to like it so badly. But it feels like reading something a high schooler wrote and thought it would be edgy. The horror in it () is described in a sort of gratuitous and explicit detail, but it doesn’t feel that the writer delights in these gory details (which would make it ok IMO)… somehow it feels like the author is writing this gore just to shock the reader, almost like they feel it is expected. The main characters are 3-dimensional enough, but anyone outside the four real MCs feels like a paper cutout. I did really like the way was written, . But by far the biggest problem I had with the book was the undercurrent of ableism that seems to run through it. The way that the were described, the utter disgust evident in the language, and basically “other-ing” human beings… I understand that it may be part of but that language made me exceedingly uncomfortable and that’s ultimately why I put the book down. I’m not saying the author holds those opinions themselves but often if we have not had someone close to us with similar disabilities we don’t know the impact our casual turn of phrase may have. It made me so uncomfortable that I can’t in good conscience recommend it.
this book was just… I’m really conflicted about this book because I wanted to like it so badly. But it feels like reading something a high schooler wrote and thought it would be edgy. The horror in it () is described in a sort of gratuitous and explicit detail, but it doesn’t feel that the writer delights in these gory details (which would make it ok IMO)… somehow it feels like the author is writing this gore just to shock the reader, almost like they feel it is expected. The main characters are 3-dimensional enough, but anyone outside the four real MCs feels like a paper cutout. I did really like the way was written, . But by far the biggest problem I had with the book was the undercurrent of ableism that seems to run through it. The way that the were described, the utter disgust evident in the language, and basically “other-ing” human beings… I understand that it may be part of but that language made me exceedingly uncomfortable and that’s ultimately why I put the book down. I’m not saying the author holds those opinions themselves but often if we have not had someone close to us with similar disabilities we don’t know the impact our casual turn of phrase may have. It made me so uncomfortable that I can’t in good conscience recommend it.
August 14, 2021
A darkly unique and intriguing premise with an abundance of body gore. Garden is a dystopian horror novel about a pill called YUM made by a corporation that has taken total control of the population. The effects of YUM are all consuming and so disturbing. In the heart of the novel you follow three sisters who are just trying to survive as well as several other key characters they interact with along the way. You are thrown into this dark world and slowly start to unveil all its horrors. Just thinking about the possibility of this happening today gives me chills. I found myself constantly worried about the Martinez sisters. Madam made me furious but what came to her in the end was perfect. The novel had me feeling unsettled throughout and I really enjoyed this scary world the author created. Thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy.
July 18, 2021
Unique horror
This was a unique horror novel with a unique premise. The idea of a pill a day to stop hunger, despite the side effects made for a compelling story. The characters were well-written and the story was paced well. the world building was fantastic, with three very distinct main areas. I wish some of the plot points had been fleshed out some more in the conclusion, but the story was good enough to pull through any of the gaps in plot.
This was a unique horror novel with a unique premise. The idea of a pill a day to stop hunger, despite the side effects made for a compelling story. The characters were well-written and the story was paced well. the world building was fantastic, with three very distinct main areas. I wish some of the plot points had been fleshed out some more in the conclusion, but the story was good enough to pull through any of the gaps in plot.
April 25, 2024
This story was absolutely wild. I love a good dystopian horror novel and this one really shines. I’m so curious about YUM that I honestly think I would have to try it at least once but I could not imagine a life without the foods I truly love.
There were an awful lot of characters in this book but I must say Madam is terrifying.
And honestly, the cover is EVERYTHING.
There were an awful lot of characters in this book but I must say Madam is terrifying.
And honestly, the cover is EVERYTHING.
May 26, 2022
Interesting story
The idea of taking a pill instead of eating is not a new idea but Carol James Marshall grabs the concept and creates a monstrous mad scientist story with characters that pull you deep into the story
The idea of taking a pill instead of eating is not a new idea but Carol James Marshall grabs the concept and creates a monstrous mad scientist story with characters that pull you deep into the story
November 14, 2023
I enjoyed this story. It was unique, and I really liked the characters. My only complaint is that the book could’ve been edited better. There were a lot of typos that really distracted me from the reading experience but again, I enjoyed the story itself.
January 30, 2025
It was such a good book. Until the epilogue. It's like the author didn't even want to include an epilogue and rushed it. I am left with so many questions
April 6, 2024
This book was crazy and a bit scary. What I can relate YUM to is to vitamin pills or all that “Healthy” pills. And the villain she was scary.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews