What do you think?
Rate this book
These Ghosts Bleed
“I think people live many different lives before dying,” Anna Gordon wrote before pulling the trigger and killing herself. Her husband, Allen, is more angry than grieved at his wife's suicide. After all, she belonged to him. After sixteen years of marriage, he thought he knew his wife through and through. He was wrong. Anna had a secret life that he never knew about. Anna was writing books, really good books, without him knowing. It was her secret. Now, Allen has decided the ultimate revenge he can have on his late wife is to publish the books she wrote only for herself and paste his name on them. After all, what belongs to his wife also belongs to him.But as he begins to move on with his plan, it becomes increasingly apparent that Anna won't accept this lying down. Not even when she's lying down six feet under the dirt. Anna is still with Allen, watching his every move, turning his new life upside down, and driving him mad. Allen begins to fear that death will never do them part. Anna will have her revenge, one way or another.
Trigger
Abuse, necrophilia, suicide
Trigger
Abuse, necrophilia, suicide
441 pages, Paperback
Published June 6, 2021
9 people are currently reading
525 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
October 27, 2021
You need to drop everything and get your hands on THESE GHOSTS BLEED by Christy Aldridge because this book, this dark, vile, psychological mess of a book is fantastic!
This book is about Allen Gordon and his doting wife Anna. Anna loves Allen. Anna would do anything to make Allen happy. But Anna’s love is never satisfactory enough for her despicable husband. So Anna decides she no longer wants to live. After her death, Allen discovers his wife wrote books, really good books. So he decides to publish his wife’s writing under his name and steal credit in a personal act of vengeance for her keeping secrets and leaving him behind. But Anna won’t take this disrespect lying down, not anymore, not in death.
This book is the epitome of “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” and I loved it. As a reader of horror, there’s nothing like the gratifying catharsis that comes with a ghost’s vengeance. Prepare for violence, paranoia, a loathsome antagonist, and a fearsome woman from beyond the grave.
(TW: domestic abuse, child loss, suicide)
This book is about Allen Gordon and his doting wife Anna. Anna loves Allen. Anna would do anything to make Allen happy. But Anna’s love is never satisfactory enough for her despicable husband. So Anna decides she no longer wants to live. After her death, Allen discovers his wife wrote books, really good books. So he decides to publish his wife’s writing under his name and steal credit in a personal act of vengeance for her keeping secrets and leaving him behind. But Anna won’t take this disrespect lying down, not anymore, not in death.
This book is the epitome of “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” and I loved it. As a reader of horror, there’s nothing like the gratifying catharsis that comes with a ghost’s vengeance. Prepare for violence, paranoia, a loathsome antagonist, and a fearsome woman from beyond the grave.
(TW: domestic abuse, child loss, suicide)
March 16, 2023
"They were his words the moment Anna splattered her brains across the bathroom wall.
Miss me now, Anna? He asked."
With a great and haunting cover comes a greatly disturbing tale. A tale that would make any necrophiliac squee with glee and any bizarre horror lover smile with delight. It was twisted in the greatest of ways and truly disgusting.
Miss me now, Anna? He asked."
With a great and haunting cover comes a greatly disturbing tale. A tale that would make any necrophiliac squee with glee and any bizarre horror lover smile with delight. It was twisted in the greatest of ways and truly disgusting.
June 2, 2022
1.5 stars.
The first chapter or three started out with an interesting concept. However, the writing/editing drove me crazy. Repetitious, misspelled words, words missing completely, and sentences that just plain didn't make any sense at times (the style of which was in complete contrast to the style seen throughout the rest of the book). The "twist" I figured out before the book really got going. I honestly feel the author was going more for shock value of horror (there were some gruesome scenes to appreciate), and neglected to give the story more "cohesion" and editing.
Other reviewers loved this book, so if you're interested, you'll want to check out their reviews. Not for me.
The first chapter or three started out with an interesting concept. However, the writing/editing drove me crazy. Repetitious, misspelled words, words missing completely, and sentences that just plain didn't make any sense at times (the style of which was in complete contrast to the style seen throughout the rest of the book). The "twist" I figured out before the book really got going. I honestly feel the author was going more for shock value of horror (there were some gruesome scenes to appreciate), and neglected to give the story more "cohesion" and editing.
Other reviewers loved this book, so if you're interested, you'll want to check out their reviews. Not for me.
January 27, 2022
“𝒪𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈, 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓏𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓅𝑒𝓇𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑜𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝑒𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝒻 𝒶 𝒻𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒹𝒾𝑒𝒹 𝒶𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝑒𝓍𝒶𝒸𝓉 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝒷𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝑔𝒶𝓃. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝒸𝓇𝓊𝑒𝓁 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹. 𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒻𝒾𝓇𝓈𝓉 𝓈𝓁𝒶𝓅.”
The cover sucked me in big time because I mean…how eerily haunting..
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗘 𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗗 is a viciously violent tale of the marriage between Anna and Allen.
Anna is the perfect dotting wife. She has to be with Allen’s unstable moods. The tone of her voice or one look can set him off. And the consequences could prove to be dire.
Before Anna commits suicide, she’s already died a thousand deaths at the hands of Allen. Each word, slap and punch slowly takes the life from her. But she has a secret…she’s been writing books.
This infuriates Allen and he plays the role of grieving widow well.
But Anna isn’t done with him just yet….her presence lingers in the house… and when Allen starts to hallucinate (or is he?), his life begins to unravel.
Allen is one of my most hated characters. This book was incredibly hard to read at times because the level of domestic abuse. But you’ll cheer for Anna. You’ll cheer when Allen messes up. You’ll cheer because he is a vile monster.
Allen is a narcissist. Allen always wins, or does he?
The cover sucked me in big time because I mean…how eerily haunting..
𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗘 𝗚𝗛𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗦 𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗘𝗗 is a viciously violent tale of the marriage between Anna and Allen.
Anna is the perfect dotting wife. She has to be with Allen’s unstable moods. The tone of her voice or one look can set him off. And the consequences could prove to be dire.
Before Anna commits suicide, she’s already died a thousand deaths at the hands of Allen. Each word, slap and punch slowly takes the life from her. But she has a secret…she’s been writing books.
This infuriates Allen and he plays the role of grieving widow well.
But Anna isn’t done with him just yet….her presence lingers in the house… and when Allen starts to hallucinate (or is he?), his life begins to unravel.
Allen is one of my most hated characters. This book was incredibly hard to read at times because the level of domestic abuse. But you’ll cheer for Anna. You’ll cheer when Allen messes up. You’ll cheer because he is a vile monster.
Allen is a narcissist. Allen always wins, or does he?
March 3, 2022
I saw this book on Twitter and was immediately drawn to the cover and the synopsis. I wasn’t disappointed. This will probably be in my top reads of the year!
I absolutely hated the husband Allen with a passion. He’s one of the most despicable characters I’ve come across. I wanted Anna to get her revenge and then some. And she does kind of 😏 You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean by that.
I really enjoyed Aldridge’s writing style and the short chapters kept the story moving at a very fast pace. I also really developed strong feelings for all of the characters. I love strong character development.
The difference between this book and most ghost stories is that I’d consider this to be extreme horror ( one of my favorite types!) Its full of gory violence and there’s even necrophilia. It’s definitely not for the squeamish.
This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last. Highly recommended!!
I absolutely hated the husband Allen with a passion. He’s one of the most despicable characters I’ve come across. I wanted Anna to get her revenge and then some. And she does kind of 😏 You’ll have to read the book to see what I mean by that.
I really enjoyed Aldridge’s writing style and the short chapters kept the story moving at a very fast pace. I also really developed strong feelings for all of the characters. I love strong character development.
The difference between this book and most ghost stories is that I’d consider this to be extreme horror ( one of my favorite types!) Its full of gory violence and there’s even necrophilia. It’s definitely not for the squeamish.
This was my first book by this author but it won’t be my last. Highly recommended!!
May 13, 2022
GODDAMN. Absolutely one of my favorite books from this year, perhaps in several years. I mean, holy shit. You need this book.
June 11, 2023
I’m pretty sure I went crazy just by reading this
June 29, 2021
Well then.
I did not expect the brutality that awaited within ‘These Ghosts Bleed.’ I’m torn between not saying a single word about it and telling you what to prepare yourself for because JFC Aldridge goes places only Cannibal Corpse lyrics dare venture. There you go. That’s your warning.
Truth be told, Aldridge is a new to me author. It was one of those times when I was scrolling Twitter and a mutual follower had liked her release day post. I loved the cover, LOVED the synopsis and so I promptly snagged a copy for my Kindle. I then apologized to my 1000 Kindle books on my TBR list and bumped this up to the top. Glad I did.
What I liked: Ok, I’m going to share something that I don’t believe is a spoiler, but I want to let people know going in – the start of the book focuses heavily on the aftermath of Anna having committed suicide and her grieving husband trying to figure out how to go on. But not in the normal sense. You see, Allen just may well be the most despicable character I’ve ever read. Narcissistic, abusive, and a womanizer, he views ever woman as a conquest. Being a doctor, some play it off as him just being arrogant, but that is far from the truth.
Aldridge does a fantastic job of making you want to push him down a flight of stairs. When he discovers Anna’s secret computer files that contain her novels she wrote to try and mentally escape from Allen’s abuse and her losing their child during pregnancy, you just know he’s not going to be respectful, but will instead attempt to use it for personal gain.
But as things unravel, Anna hasn’t left. Her ghost still is around and this ghost is not a peaceful spirit. It’s in these scenes, when Anna returns and torments Allen that you almost feel sorry for him. Anna does what she can to make sure he’s not happy and that doesn’t matter if it means hurting those who are with him.
I wish I could say just a bit more about Anna’s torment and what happens in the final quarter of this book, because it is just grotesque and cathartic and will make you squirm and smile. The ending was fantastic and Aldridge did a fantastic job of completing Allen’s downward spiral. His breakdown happens over many, short punchy chapters, but when it finally completes, it is stunning.
What I didn’t like: Gah! I hate this when the one little thing that bothered me is something I can’t actually say. What I will mention, is that one character never really had a resolution and that’s what frustrated me. I wanted to see it, but it never happened. If you’ve read this and want to discuss let me know, otherwise I won’t say anything else.
Why you should buy this: I mean, look at that cover! And the synopsis! And Aldridge can write like nobody’s business. This book snaps along and delivers moments of tenderness and savagery that hook into the reader and pull them along. I had a blast with this one and am so glad I took the chance and snapped it up. At this point, I have this slotted in my ‘Top 10 of the Year’ list, and I think it will take a lot to bump it off.
I hope somebody reading this review does the same, because I can guarantee you, you’ll be happy you did.
I did not expect the brutality that awaited within ‘These Ghosts Bleed.’ I’m torn between not saying a single word about it and telling you what to prepare yourself for because JFC Aldridge goes places only Cannibal Corpse lyrics dare venture. There you go. That’s your warning.
Truth be told, Aldridge is a new to me author. It was one of those times when I was scrolling Twitter and a mutual follower had liked her release day post. I loved the cover, LOVED the synopsis and so I promptly snagged a copy for my Kindle. I then apologized to my 1000 Kindle books on my TBR list and bumped this up to the top. Glad I did.
What I liked: Ok, I’m going to share something that I don’t believe is a spoiler, but I want to let people know going in – the start of the book focuses heavily on the aftermath of Anna having committed suicide and her grieving husband trying to figure out how to go on. But not in the normal sense. You see, Allen just may well be the most despicable character I’ve ever read. Narcissistic, abusive, and a womanizer, he views ever woman as a conquest. Being a doctor, some play it off as him just being arrogant, but that is far from the truth.
Aldridge does a fantastic job of making you want to push him down a flight of stairs. When he discovers Anna’s secret computer files that contain her novels she wrote to try and mentally escape from Allen’s abuse and her losing their child during pregnancy, you just know he’s not going to be respectful, but will instead attempt to use it for personal gain.
But as things unravel, Anna hasn’t left. Her ghost still is around and this ghost is not a peaceful spirit. It’s in these scenes, when Anna returns and torments Allen that you almost feel sorry for him. Anna does what she can to make sure he’s not happy and that doesn’t matter if it means hurting those who are with him.
I wish I could say just a bit more about Anna’s torment and what happens in the final quarter of this book, because it is just grotesque and cathartic and will make you squirm and smile. The ending was fantastic and Aldridge did a fantastic job of completing Allen’s downward spiral. His breakdown happens over many, short punchy chapters, but when it finally completes, it is stunning.
What I didn’t like: Gah! I hate this when the one little thing that bothered me is something I can’t actually say. What I will mention, is that one character never really had a resolution and that’s what frustrated me. I wanted to see it, but it never happened. If you’ve read this and want to discuss let me know, otherwise I won’t say anything else.
Why you should buy this: I mean, look at that cover! And the synopsis! And Aldridge can write like nobody’s business. This book snaps along and delivers moments of tenderness and savagery that hook into the reader and pull them along. I had a blast with this one and am so glad I took the chance and snapped it up. At this point, I have this slotted in my ‘Top 10 of the Year’ list, and I think it will take a lot to bump it off.
I hope somebody reading this review does the same, because I can guarantee you, you’ll be happy you did.
June 6, 2021
The main character in this story, Allen, is a narcissist, a psychopath, and a man who gets off on controlling every aspect of his wife's life. When his mistress tells his wife Anna of his indefinitely, she commits suicide. Left to pick up the pieces of his life, Allen plays the part of a grieving widower because that's what he wants everyone to believe he is. In reality, he's glad to be free of her. When Allen discovers some of his wife's hidden writing and decides to publish it as his own, Anna comes back from beyond and haunts him.
This story very clearly portrays Allen as an asshole husband. Full of passages that break down his psyche, you are given a deep dive into his world of power and control. He quickly loses some of that control when Anna exerts her power, exacting her eventual revenge.
This book was a quick read, and while repetitive at times with depicting Allen's methodology, it all seemed to come from a personal place. There were some truly brilliant observations, some truly tragic moments, and a very satisfying ending with plenty of violence and blood to satiate any horror reader's thirst. For those who are sensitive to tales containing abuse or necrophilia, consider this your trigger warning.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this story.
This story very clearly portrays Allen as an asshole husband. Full of passages that break down his psyche, you are given a deep dive into his world of power and control. He quickly loses some of that control when Anna exerts her power, exacting her eventual revenge.
This book was a quick read, and while repetitive at times with depicting Allen's methodology, it all seemed to come from a personal place. There were some truly brilliant observations, some truly tragic moments, and a very satisfying ending with plenty of violence and blood to satiate any horror reader's thirst. For those who are sensitive to tales containing abuse or necrophilia, consider this your trigger warning.
Thank you to the author for an advance copy of this story.
November 13, 2021
An effective, surprisingly nasty story in the tradition of Poe. An unlikeable man is haunted by the ghost of his deceased wife. To tell anything else would ruin the experience.
Like Poe, Aldridge does a very effective job of drawing your interest to a very unpleasant main character and keep you hooked to the very end.
Recommended.
Like Poe, Aldridge does a very effective job of drawing your interest to a very unpleasant main character and keep you hooked to the very end.
Recommended.
June 17, 2021
I had to take a break from my #bookseriessummer readathon to dive into the latest work from the Southern Belle of Horror, the inimitable @christy_aldridge. This book was released last week, and I'm eagerly awaiting an autographed copy of this hardcover to grace my autographed bookshelf. I couldn't wait any longer, so I purchased the Kindle version, and was as impressed with her writing as with any of her prev ious works.
Between scenes of domestic violence, suicide, graphic violence and even necrophilia, this novel is a cover-to-cover trigger alert, but Aldridge does not use these in a gratuitous manner; every word, scene and action draws the story further along to its conclusion.
Christy has always has an incredible ability to create characters that resonate with the reader, and this talent is on full display in These Ghosts Bleed. From poor Anna to Alan's younger brother Daniel, this cat is full of players so reminiscent of people you yourself may know.
The plot and storyline are on a level with Aldridge's novel Six Months, one of the best-plotted stories I've ever read. The tale flows constantly forward, pulling the reader further and further into Allen's downward-spiraling life.
With These Ghosts Bleed, Christy Aldridge has done nothing more than cement her place a my second-favorite author (sorry, but Steve King is still tops).
Between scenes of domestic violence, suicide, graphic violence and even necrophilia, this novel is a cover-to-cover trigger alert, but Aldridge does not use these in a gratuitous manner; every word, scene and action draws the story further along to its conclusion.
Christy has always has an incredible ability to create characters that resonate with the reader, and this talent is on full display in These Ghosts Bleed. From poor Anna to Alan's younger brother Daniel, this cat is full of players so reminiscent of people you yourself may know.
The plot and storyline are on a level with Aldridge's novel Six Months, one of the best-plotted stories I've ever read. The tale flows constantly forward, pulling the reader further and further into Allen's downward-spiraling life.
With These Ghosts Bleed, Christy Aldridge has done nothing more than cement her place a my second-favorite author (sorry, but Steve King is still tops).
January 19, 2022
“Anna's life first ended when she met Allen Gordon. The proverbial nail in the coffin was the moment she took his last name and became his wife. That was the true moment her first life ended, but she wasn’t aware of her first death. She didn’t know a person could die without being dead. You simply had to kill a part of them inside.”
This novel has been sitting in my TBR list for a while and I finally grabbed the time to read and it didn’t disappoint. I saw TGB swimming around the Bookstagram community. The book cover pulled me in, reminding me of a Rene Magritte painting just scarier.
Before committing suicide, Anna Gordon wrote in private, pouring her real life pain into her storylines and characters. After her death, her husband Allen finds her work and decides to publish her work but does it under his name, not hers. He moves along with his plan, realising that even if she is six feet under, Anna won’t let him get away with it.
This story was a wonderful blend of supernatural horror and serious issues such as domestic violence. The writing was beautifully chilling. There were uncomfortable moments, some sickening parts where I had to put the book down and watch some comedy on the telly. If you’re a fan of psychological horror and gore, I highly recommend you give this novel a peep. Well done on the story, Christy. You’re a talented writer and I’m looking forward to your next project.
P.S. Don’t read this book before going to sleep, just trust me.
This novel has been sitting in my TBR list for a while and I finally grabbed the time to read and it didn’t disappoint. I saw TGB swimming around the Bookstagram community. The book cover pulled me in, reminding me of a Rene Magritte painting just scarier.
Before committing suicide, Anna Gordon wrote in private, pouring her real life pain into her storylines and characters. After her death, her husband Allen finds her work and decides to publish her work but does it under his name, not hers. He moves along with his plan, realising that even if she is six feet under, Anna won’t let him get away with it.
This story was a wonderful blend of supernatural horror and serious issues such as domestic violence. The writing was beautifully chilling. There were uncomfortable moments, some sickening parts where I had to put the book down and watch some comedy on the telly. If you’re a fan of psychological horror and gore, I highly recommend you give this novel a peep. Well done on the story, Christy. You’re a talented writer and I’m looking forward to your next project.
P.S. Don’t read this book before going to sleep, just trust me.
March 1, 2024
“She didn’t know a person could die without being dead. You simply had to kill a part of them inside.”
“These Ghosts Bleed” by Christy Aldridge gets 3.5 out of 5 stars.
This was not as I expected. I thought this would be a “things go bump in the night” ghost story but I was wrong. This plays along Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” but a little more brutal and unforgiving. It’s hard to hate a character but Allen Gordon was written perfectly as he grew angrier and insane rather than grieve his wife’s death. His character was beyond narcissistic with an excuse for everything. You can’t help but read on to see what happens next. There were some areas that did seem to drag out the story but it all tied together. Overall, this was a brutal tale of ghostly revenge and kept you intrigued until the end.
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram profile (Ashesandlore) for more reviews. Thank you!
“These Ghosts Bleed” by Christy Aldridge gets 3.5 out of 5 stars.
This was not as I expected. I thought this would be a “things go bump in the night” ghost story but I was wrong. This plays along Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” but a little more brutal and unforgiving. It’s hard to hate a character but Allen Gordon was written perfectly as he grew angrier and insane rather than grieve his wife’s death. His character was beyond narcissistic with an excuse for everything. You can’t help but read on to see what happens next. There were some areas that did seem to drag out the story but it all tied together. Overall, this was a brutal tale of ghostly revenge and kept you intrigued until the end.
Please visit my GoodReads or Instagram profile (Ashesandlore) for more reviews. Thank you!
October 27, 2021
This was twisted and I loved it. The horror! All month long I've been waiting to read something like this for fright fest. Allen is an unbearable narcissist but you're supposed to hate him so much you can't stop reading so you can see him suffer. The cover is also stunning. So creepy I was publically reading it in obvious way to scare random strangers on the train.
July 24, 2022
This is a tough book for me to review. Throughout the book, I danced between a 2.5 and 3.5 rating, so landing on 3 seems fair enough.
I give the author a lot of credit for self-publishing this book and keeping it interesting enough for me to keep turning the pages. While I did genuinely like the idea of the story, one thing I couldn’t ignore was all the typos and grammar issues. If this is something that is distracting for you when you read, then this might not be the book for you. It was scattered enough throughout the book that I could ignore it for a while - it wasn’t a constant disregard, but it did happen enough that I did find myself getting pulled from the story when it occurred (a lot near the end). There were also moments that felt redundant or absolutely unneeded, pages that went on without much content or anything necessarily important.
The shift of perspective at the end was a nice touch that I actually appreciated. We got to see the situation from other points of view after staying with Allen throughout the whole story. I won’t reveal much more, but I will say that the story - the concept - is interesting and the author kept the story moving for the most part. Was I scared? Not personally, no. Is it a must read? I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to you.
I give the author a lot of credit for self-publishing this book and keeping it interesting enough for me to keep turning the pages. While I did genuinely like the idea of the story, one thing I couldn’t ignore was all the typos and grammar issues. If this is something that is distracting for you when you read, then this might not be the book for you. It was scattered enough throughout the book that I could ignore it for a while - it wasn’t a constant disregard, but it did happen enough that I did find myself getting pulled from the story when it occurred (a lot near the end). There were also moments that felt redundant or absolutely unneeded, pages that went on without much content or anything necessarily important.
The shift of perspective at the end was a nice touch that I actually appreciated. We got to see the situation from other points of view after staying with Allen throughout the whole story. I won’t reveal much more, but I will say that the story - the concept - is interesting and the author kept the story moving for the most part. Was I scared? Not personally, no. Is it a must read? I don’t know. I’ll leave that up to you.
October 28, 2024
“I loved you,” she told him. “That’s the worst crime of all.”
this is so good why arent there more people talking about this book?????
at first i thought it was just gonna be your typical supernatural/ghost haunting novel but it is so much more!!!!! the gore and explicit scenes were very nicely written, and the slow descent into madness that the despicable mc goes through was so satisfying to read.
this is so good why arent there more people talking about this book?????
at first i thought it was just gonna be your typical supernatural/ghost haunting novel but it is so much more!!!!! the gore and explicit scenes were very nicely written, and the slow descent into madness that the despicable mc goes through was so satisfying to read.
October 24, 2022
Anna Gordon killed herself, and her husband, Allen, is angrier than grieved at his wife's suicide. After sixteen years of marriage and control, he thought he knew his wife. He was wrong. Anna was writing books without his knowledge. Now, Allen has decided the ultimate revenge he can have on his late wife is to publish the books in his name. But as he begins to move on with his plan, it becomes increasingly apparent that Anna won't accept this, even if she's six feet under. Anna watches his every move, turning his new life upside down. Will Anna get her revenge, one way or another?
THESE GHOSTS BLEED is a heinous story of an abusive husband who seeks revenge on his dead wife. Sounds petty and crazy, right? Little does he know that Anna won't hover silently. She's coming for him, and Allen has no idea what's about to hit him. Allen, oh Allen, where do I even start? He was the most despicable male character I've ever witnessed. I didn't have one ounce of sympathy for this animal. It's bad enough that he was an abuser but also a psychopath and womanizer. I must warn you that parts of this novel include necrophilia. It was hard to swallow and beyond cringe-worthy. The triggers between that and the violence against women are not for the faint-hearted. I have no words for how much it made my stomach churn.
At times, my heart went out to Anna. Even though I didn't get a chance to dig deep into her personality, her pain and anguish were evident in her writing. Plus, her angry haunting scenes were quite satisfying! Overall, Aldridge created a well-thought-out plot that shed light on the brutality of abuse and the sick mind games of a controlling husband. THESE GHOSTS BLEED kept my attention from start to finish, but it did become repetitive after a while. There are only so many times I can hear Allen say he "loved" Anna. By the finale, it's a bit open-ended for my liking, but I can see why Aldridge decided to close the story that way. It was a promising book, but I wanted more ghost fiction and less of POS Allen.
THESE GHOSTS BLEED is a heinous story of an abusive husband who seeks revenge on his dead wife. Sounds petty and crazy, right? Little does he know that Anna won't hover silently. She's coming for him, and Allen has no idea what's about to hit him. Allen, oh Allen, where do I even start? He was the most despicable male character I've ever witnessed. I didn't have one ounce of sympathy for this animal. It's bad enough that he was an abuser but also a psychopath and womanizer. I must warn you that parts of this novel include necrophilia. It was hard to swallow and beyond cringe-worthy. The triggers between that and the violence against women are not for the faint-hearted. I have no words for how much it made my stomach churn.
At times, my heart went out to Anna. Even though I didn't get a chance to dig deep into her personality, her pain and anguish were evident in her writing. Plus, her angry haunting scenes were quite satisfying! Overall, Aldridge created a well-thought-out plot that shed light on the brutality of abuse and the sick mind games of a controlling husband. THESE GHOSTS BLEED kept my attention from start to finish, but it did become repetitive after a while. There are only so many times I can hear Allen say he "loved" Anna. By the finale, it's a bit open-ended for my liking, but I can see why Aldridge decided to close the story that way. It was a promising book, but I wanted more ghost fiction and less of POS Allen.
January 20, 2023
These Ghosts Bleed is a dizzying, chilling read that will leave you wanting more. This is a definite psychological horror, and I couldn't put it down.
16 years of marriage are gone the moment Anna Gordon kills herself. She was a doting wife, always looking after her husband, Allen Gordon. She tried to make sure everything was perfect for him, all the time. 16 years is a long time to feel dead, and she has had enough. When Allen finds his wife, he is surprised and grieving, but also angry, raging to be correct, that Anna could do this to him. She was HIS after all. He knew everything about her and made sure nobody else ever could. At least he thought he knew everything about her; until he finds her locked folder on the computer. Anna had one last secret; she was a writer, and a really good one too. Allen decides to exact revenge on his dead wife; he publishes her book under his own name. This was just one more way for him to control her. He thinks he has had the last laugh. What Allen doesn't realize is Anna is still watching. Anna has been watching the whole time. Allen is thrust headfirst into a world of Anna's revenge; a place he fears that even death won't save him.
These Ghosts Bleed is such a gritty and raw horror. There is a lot of talk about grief and abuse to the point I HATED Allen's character. He was absolutely despicable, but SO well written too. If you're looking for a dark and scary read, pick up this book.
16 years of marriage are gone the moment Anna Gordon kills herself. She was a doting wife, always looking after her husband, Allen Gordon. She tried to make sure everything was perfect for him, all the time. 16 years is a long time to feel dead, and she has had enough. When Allen finds his wife, he is surprised and grieving, but also angry, raging to be correct, that Anna could do this to him. She was HIS after all. He knew everything about her and made sure nobody else ever could. At least he thought he knew everything about her; until he finds her locked folder on the computer. Anna had one last secret; she was a writer, and a really good one too. Allen decides to exact revenge on his dead wife; he publishes her book under his own name. This was just one more way for him to control her. He thinks he has had the last laugh. What Allen doesn't realize is Anna is still watching. Anna has been watching the whole time. Allen is thrust headfirst into a world of Anna's revenge; a place he fears that even death won't save him.
These Ghosts Bleed is such a gritty and raw horror. There is a lot of talk about grief and abuse to the point I HATED Allen's character. He was absolutely despicable, but SO well written too. If you're looking for a dark and scary read, pick up this book.
October 27, 2021
3.5 rounded up to 4.
This book had some really great, classic creepiness. A haunted house, a dead wife, a crazy person... what more can you ask for? The scare scenes were so well written you could practically feel it happening. This was my first Christy Aldridge book and it definitely won't be my last.
A few stars shaved off because I don't think this book needed to be quite as long as it was, especially with an unlikeable MC. Although the writing was great, after awhile the sequences started feeling just a tad repetitive and I just wanted to get to the finale. How many women can one DB seduce and then graphically bed? Quite a few, it seems. Bear in mind that sex sequences in books aren't my thing, so that has definitely affected how I see the pacing... so this is more of a personal bias than anything against the story. It dragged a bit in the middle for me, causing me to set it aside for a while, but when we got to the ending the payoff was definitely everything that I hoped for.
Excellent first read from Christy, and I'll certainly pick up more of her books!
This book had some really great, classic creepiness. A haunted house, a dead wife, a crazy person... what more can you ask for? The scare scenes were so well written you could practically feel it happening. This was my first Christy Aldridge book and it definitely won't be my last.
A few stars shaved off because I don't think this book needed to be quite as long as it was, especially with an unlikeable MC. Although the writing was great, after awhile the sequences started feeling just a tad repetitive and I just wanted to get to the finale. How many women can one DB seduce and then graphically bed? Quite a few, it seems. Bear in mind that sex sequences in books aren't my thing, so that has definitely affected how I see the pacing... so this is more of a personal bias than anything against the story. It dragged a bit in the middle for me, causing me to set it aside for a while, but when we got to the ending the payoff was definitely everything that I hoped for.
Excellent first read from Christy, and I'll certainly pick up more of her books!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2022
This book was different than what I expected - I thought it was going to be a haunting with a twist, but as I started reading I started wondering if the ML was actually being haunted by his dead wife, or if it was all in his head.
The book was definitely interesting, I’ll say that. It had its gory moments but nothing too extreme (in my desensitised opinion lol) and definitely had a good few disturbing moments. The book is mainly told from the POV of Allen, the MC and abusive dickhole. It was interesting to read a book form the POV of an abuser and as a result there was a lot of misogyny in this one. People with DA triggers beware - it probably isn’t the book for you.
I was surprised how disturbing the book got at times, but it was never too much for me, and was definitely a fun read.
It was perfect, there are some typos and missing words in the book and the writing style was a little simplistic at times, but I liked the concept and I got it on KU so I can’t really argue with that 😁
It’s a 4/5 ⭐️ from me.
The book was definitely interesting, I’ll say that. It had its gory moments but nothing too extreme (in my desensitised opinion lol) and definitely had a good few disturbing moments. The book is mainly told from the POV of Allen, the MC and abusive dickhole. It was interesting to read a book form the POV of an abuser and as a result there was a lot of misogyny in this one. People with DA triggers beware - it probably isn’t the book for you.
I was surprised how disturbing the book got at times, but it was never too much for me, and was definitely a fun read.
It was perfect, there are some typos and missing words in the book and the writing style was a little simplistic at times, but I liked the concept and I got it on KU so I can’t really argue with that 😁
It’s a 4/5 ⭐️ from me.
March 9, 2022
Wow...what did I just read?! This took me on quite the journey of varying emotions and feelings! For starters, Allen was truly a deplorable piece of shit for a human being...I would be running from that as fast as I could. Aldridge really nailed the sociopath, narcissist and misogyny down with this one...it makes me feel for Anna and all those other women so much more. The ending was very satisfying.
The biggest shocker to me was her attention to detail regarding very uncomfortable situations (sex with a corpse anyone?). Aldridge really hit you in the guts with all that. If you're looking for a book with a disgusting main characters and you like to squirm while you read, check out "These Ghosts Bleed".
The biggest shocker to me was her attention to detail regarding very uncomfortable situations (sex with a corpse anyone?). Aldridge really hit you in the guts with all that. If you're looking for a book with a disgusting main characters and you like to squirm while you read, check out "These Ghosts Bleed".
August 7, 2022
This book could have been so much better. I usually give a pass for a few grammar errors when it comes to Kindle versions because most likely it is a transposing error, but in this case it felt like it was every couple sentences. It was extremely distracting and took away from the story itself. Outside of that the story just wasn't that original. Freida McFadden does a similar concept that is a fantastic read.
January 2, 2022
i picked up this book because of a bookstagrammer i follow and i am so glad i did bc read this book in like 7 hours; i couldn't stop. it is a horrible and ugly story but so compulsively readable. the main character is like, the worst i have ever read, an absolute insufferable narcissist. but this book was so good and scary.
tws: p much everything: suicide, pregnancy, etc
tws: p much everything: suicide, pregnancy, etc
January 6, 2022
These Ghosts Bleed was an amazing read. The husband is such a Narcissist and I found myself shaking my head so many times throughout the book. It has a great combination of Thriller and a small amount of Horror, along with some twisted topics that shocked me as I was reading it. This book will definitely be a top recommendation from me.
June 25, 2021
Control is everything. When there's no control, chaos reigns.
So if you suddenly wake up in the front seat of your car with nothing on, try not to panic.
Clean your house, take a long shower and don't ever answer the phone....cause some ghosts do more than just bleed.
So if you suddenly wake up in the front seat of your car with nothing on, try not to panic.
Clean your house, take a long shower and don't ever answer the phone....cause some ghosts do more than just bleed.
October 9, 2022
Allen. Allen always gets what he wants, and gets away with everything. But that’s all about to change. The woman he thought he had wrapped around his finger all these years, is dead, and now she is going to help him get what’s coming to him. After all, behind every exceptional man, is an exceptional woman.
June 10, 2021
Ana is married to Allen for sixteen years, but he’s such an abusive himbo prick to her over the years that she committed suicide. Allen is more angered than grieved and soon discovers that his wife was secretly a writer of dark fiction, but never had her work published. Allen sees this as an opportunity to cash in on her success by passing the books off as his own. Despite this, he’s becoming more unhinged and paranoid when he sees Ana haunting him and starts affects everyone he comes in contact with.
Christy Aldridge knows how to write characters to the point you can understand every viewpoint of them including the unlikeable ones. She’s never afraid to lean hard into truly pitch black dark territory by having Allen be the main character and we’re exposed to every terrible thought he has and at the same time, she never asks us to empathize with him. Something that many writers struggle with.
This was nicely paced, engaging and is extremely gory in numerous scenes and you know I’m about all that! And there’s a fantastic twist as the cherry on top! Perfect character study for horror fans!
Christy Aldridge knows how to write characters to the point you can understand every viewpoint of them including the unlikeable ones. She’s never afraid to lean hard into truly pitch black dark territory by having Allen be the main character and we’re exposed to every terrible thought he has and at the same time, she never asks us to empathize with him. Something that many writers struggle with.
This was nicely paced, engaging and is extremely gory in numerous scenes and you know I’m about all that! And there’s a fantastic twist as the cherry on top! Perfect character study for horror fans!
June 15, 2021
I normally don't leave a written review... I feel like I have to with this book. Allen is a character that will stay with me forever-- good or bad. I wasn't expecting half of the things that happened, but my land, what a roller coaster.
June 3, 2021
How do you like your horror?
You want a ghost story? You want blood and guts? You want a descent into insanity? You want a bit of necrophilia?
You'll get all that and more right here.
This book has two main characters: Anna, our ghost, who starts out with some beautiful writing that makes us feel entirely sympathetic toward her; and Allan, her husband, who is a jerk from the start and only gets worse as the story progresses. Add in a cast of Allan's sexual conquests, a naive brother, a couple of cops, a whole lot of blood, some seriously gross scenes, and....a very large freezer in the basement. Mix all well into a crazy downward spiral and you get the beauty that is this book. These ghosts do indeed bleed and this particular husband deserves every moment of the haunting that he gets.
This is my second book by Christy Aldridge and she is one to watch. She writes both deep emotional pain and awful physical torment with intelligence and style.
You want a ghost story? You want blood and guts? You want a descent into insanity? You want a bit of necrophilia?
You'll get all that and more right here.
This book has two main characters: Anna, our ghost, who starts out with some beautiful writing that makes us feel entirely sympathetic toward her; and Allan, her husband, who is a jerk from the start and only gets worse as the story progresses. Add in a cast of Allan's sexual conquests, a naive brother, a couple of cops, a whole lot of blood, some seriously gross scenes, and....a very large freezer in the basement. Mix all well into a crazy downward spiral and you get the beauty that is this book. These ghosts do indeed bleed and this particular husband deserves every moment of the haunting that he gets.
This is my second book by Christy Aldridge and she is one to watch. She writes both deep emotional pain and awful physical torment with intelligence and style.
April 26, 2022
Oh boy. I enjoyed the story and found it engaging. But the writing was atrocious. Sentences clumsily put together and sometimes nonsensical, and words used incorrectly or even missing, all made for a frustrating read. Too bad.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews