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To Offer Her Pleasure
After the death of his father and his mother taking off, it becomes clear to Ben that the only thing he can count on, is no one to count on.
Until he finds the book. One that calls forth a shadowy horned figure.
She comes with unexpected gifts and the comfort of a dependable presence.
She asks for very little in return, really. The more Ben offers her, the easier it gets.
Sometimes, family requires more than a little sacrifice...
Until he finds the book. One that calls forth a shadowy horned figure.
She comes with unexpected gifts and the comfort of a dependable presence.
She asks for very little in return, really. The more Ben offers her, the easier it gets.
Sometimes, family requires more than a little sacrifice...
132 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2021
4 people are currently reading
750 people want to read
About the author
Ali Seay
24 books88 followersALI SEAY lives in Baltimore with her family and the ghost of a geriatric wiener dog who once ruled the house. She’s the author of Go Down Hard, The Death Doula, and To Offer Her Pleasure, among others. Her work can be found in numerous horror and crime anthologies. When not writing, she hunts vintage goods, riffles through used bookstores, and is always down for a road trip. Visit her at aliseay.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
April 29, 2025
Clunky Writing Full of Loose Ends...
TO OFFER HER PLEASURE
by Ali Seay
3 stars. Some spoilers, but I'll give plenty of warning before you get there...
When 15 year old Ben's father died of cancer, his mother went AWOL...
She went into a drunken stupor with her abusive boyfriend until finally, one day they both took a powder...
... leaving Ben on his own to cope with grief and a mother who obviously didn't care about him...
Ben wasn't alone for long, though...
Searching through his father's basement library, Ben found a curious old volume: To Offer Her Pleasure...
Opening the book, Ben saw an illustration of a woman with a head full of antlers. The woman made it known that she was hungry...
... and Ben fed the demon; at first bits of flesh and dried blood but soon graduating to animals and people...
SPOILERS AHEAD:
I couldn't get into the clunky writing style of this author, and there were so many holes and unanswered questions such as: What was the significance of a vacant shack in the woods, or the labyrinth of tunnels Ben and Mikey found in the woods, or the chair in the middle of the pond? Why was the woman next door so intrusive?... I just didn't buy that she was concerned for Ben. She sure didn't bring over any casseroles, being that she knew he was alone.
Also, I found it hard to swallow that a young boy would kill his friends and pets for the entity without hesitation.
To sum up: The idea was a good one, and I settled in thinking I would be reading a book high on the fear factor, but after finishing the story, I felt let down.
Warning to some readers: Animal cruelty is part of the story.
TO OFFER HER PLEASURE
by Ali Seay
3 stars. Some spoilers, but I'll give plenty of warning before you get there...
When 15 year old Ben's father died of cancer, his mother went AWOL...
She went into a drunken stupor with her abusive boyfriend until finally, one day they both took a powder...
... leaving Ben on his own to cope with grief and a mother who obviously didn't care about him...
Ben wasn't alone for long, though...
Searching through his father's basement library, Ben found a curious old volume: To Offer Her Pleasure...
Opening the book, Ben saw an illustration of a woman with a head full of antlers. The woman made it known that she was hungry...
... and Ben fed the demon; at first bits of flesh and dried blood but soon graduating to animals and people...
SPOILERS AHEAD:
I couldn't get into the clunky writing style of this author, and there were so many holes and unanswered questions such as: What was the significance of a vacant shack in the woods, or the labyrinth of tunnels Ben and Mikey found in the woods, or the chair in the middle of the pond? Why was the woman next door so intrusive?... I just didn't buy that she was concerned for Ben. She sure didn't bring over any casseroles, being that she knew he was alone.
Also, I found it hard to swallow that a young boy would kill his friends and pets for the entity without hesitation.
To sum up: The idea was a good one, and I settled in thinking I would be reading a book high on the fear factor, but after finishing the story, I felt let down.
Warning to some readers: Animal cruelty is part of the story.
January 5, 2022
This was a dark delight. It is a painful coming of age story drenched in grief and anger. Who can blame a boy for attempting to find comfort and safety when his world has gone all to shit ? Review later - when I can think again but very much recommended if you can stomach some very disturbing turns . . .
September 4, 2021
Following up her fantastic grindhouse inspired ‘Go Down Hard’, Ali Seay has penned an altogether different tale, albeit one that is just as gripping and entertaining, with her latest novella, ‘To Offer Her Pleasure’.
Ben is a fifteen-year-old boy who has recently lost his father to cancer. His mother has grown increasingly distant, dealing with her husbands passing with alcohol and a string of destructive relationships. When his mother ups and leaves one day, leaving Ben home alone, he finds himself surprisingly indifferent to her absence.
When searching his fathers’ belongings Ben comes across a book. The cover is plain, almost like a photo album and when he looks inside there is no text, no pictures. Just a title page with four words.
To Offer Her Pleasure
Ben soon finds that the answers to his problems may lie inside this book’s pages. All it demands in return is a little blood and a little sacrifice.
Whereas ‘Go Down Hard’ was a bold, joyously entertaining book, ‘To Offer Her Pleasure’ is a much more introspective and downbeat, almost nihilistic story. It presents a young protagonist who has lost both of his parents in quick succession and finds he has nobody else in his life he can turn to. What follows is a melancholy character piece as we follow Ben trying to make the best of the hand life has dealt him, until things take a decidedly more disconcerting and disturbing turn as the supernatural presence of the book asserts itself. I won’t spoil any further details about the book, how it works, or what it does, but Seay has created a memorable and scary new antagonist here and wisely doesn’t give away too much information as to its motives or desires, making it all the more unsettling.
I loved the ambiguity when it came to Bens character, namely his actions as the book progresses. When we first meet him, he is a good kid going through a difficult time. You can tell by the way he thinks and the way he talks to people that his heart is in the right place. That begins to change once he finds the book and his actions begin to feel less and less like the ones of the boy we meet in the opening scenes, taking in stray animals and missing his father. What isn’t clear (and purposefully so I expect) is how much of this shift into darker thoughts and more concerning behaviour is the influence of the book, or whether this was who Ben was all along, now freed by the book to be the person he was from page one. Perhaps there’s an answer in between, whereby the things Ben is going through are changing his perspective on things, and these are just both sides of a troubled young man. There is no answer forthcoming, and the shift is so gradual, and masterfully paced, that you barely even notice it until things get really dark.
It is a rare but joyful occasion when you pick up a book with sky-high expectations, and that book not only meets them but knocks them out of the park. To Offer Her Pleasure is a heart-breaking and chilling look at loss, grief and isolation and a book that firmly marks out Ali Seay as a must-read voice in the horror genre.
Ben is a fifteen-year-old boy who has recently lost his father to cancer. His mother has grown increasingly distant, dealing with her husbands passing with alcohol and a string of destructive relationships. When his mother ups and leaves one day, leaving Ben home alone, he finds himself surprisingly indifferent to her absence.
When searching his fathers’ belongings Ben comes across a book. The cover is plain, almost like a photo album and when he looks inside there is no text, no pictures. Just a title page with four words.
To Offer Her Pleasure
Ben soon finds that the answers to his problems may lie inside this book’s pages. All it demands in return is a little blood and a little sacrifice.
Whereas ‘Go Down Hard’ was a bold, joyously entertaining book, ‘To Offer Her Pleasure’ is a much more introspective and downbeat, almost nihilistic story. It presents a young protagonist who has lost both of his parents in quick succession and finds he has nobody else in his life he can turn to. What follows is a melancholy character piece as we follow Ben trying to make the best of the hand life has dealt him, until things take a decidedly more disconcerting and disturbing turn as the supernatural presence of the book asserts itself. I won’t spoil any further details about the book, how it works, or what it does, but Seay has created a memorable and scary new antagonist here and wisely doesn’t give away too much information as to its motives or desires, making it all the more unsettling.
I loved the ambiguity when it came to Bens character, namely his actions as the book progresses. When we first meet him, he is a good kid going through a difficult time. You can tell by the way he thinks and the way he talks to people that his heart is in the right place. That begins to change once he finds the book and his actions begin to feel less and less like the ones of the boy we meet in the opening scenes, taking in stray animals and missing his father. What isn’t clear (and purposefully so I expect) is how much of this shift into darker thoughts and more concerning behaviour is the influence of the book, or whether this was who Ben was all along, now freed by the book to be the person he was from page one. Perhaps there’s an answer in between, whereby the things Ben is going through are changing his perspective on things, and these are just both sides of a troubled young man. There is no answer forthcoming, and the shift is so gradual, and masterfully paced, that you barely even notice it until things get really dark.
It is a rare but joyful occasion when you pick up a book with sky-high expectations, and that book not only meets them but knocks them out of the park. To Offer Her Pleasure is a heart-breaking and chilling look at loss, grief and isolation and a book that firmly marks out Ali Seay as a must-read voice in the horror genre.
February 7, 2022
Loved this dark novella! Stories about libraries and books (especially powerful books that can do shit) are among some of my favorites. When I found out this one was about an entity in an old book I had to read it. So glad I did. Wonderful writing, stunning descriptions of the book and the terrifying lady with antlers and claws, and a really interesting plot really cemented my enjoyment of this book. Personally think this is a story that could be revisited by the author as the ending is left wide open. If that happens I will absolutely be here for it.
Also, I will be adopting a black cat some day and I will 100% be naming it Solace. Such a great name! I would like to personally thank Ali Seay for keeping the violence that we were shown be against the humans only.
Would recommend!
Also, I will be adopting a black cat some day and I will 100% be naming it Solace. Such a great name! I would like to personally thank Ali Seay for keeping the violence that we were shown be against the humans only.
Would recommend!
December 12, 2024
Novela corta que pertenece a la línea Démeter de La Biblioteca de Carfax. Se trata de pequeñas historias en formato bolsilibro que tienen el tamaño justo para llevarte a cualquier parte.
Anteriormente leí La noche de los maniquís y aunque me gustó no quedé del todo satisfecha con la historia, cosa que se ha solventado con esta que tenemos entre manos y que hace que abra un poco más la puerta a hacerme con más títulos.
Para ofrecerle placer nos presenta la historia de una pérdida y la manera de intentar afrontarla lo mejor posible. Ben, nuestro jóven protagonista acaba de perder a su padre tras una enfermedad, junto a la pena y la pérdida tiene que lidiar también con el abandono de su propia madre. Ella más centrada en su situación y en intentar "resolver" su vida deja a su hijo sólo y desamparado sin ver que no sólo es ella la que ha perdido a su marido sino que su hijo también ha perdido a su padre.
Al verse sólo en la casa, Ben intenta hacerle frente a la situación y mientras está en casa inmerso en los recuerdos y objetos de su padre encuentra un extraño libro con la imagen de una mujer que ejerce una fuerte influencia sobre él.
En esta figura empieza a encontrar una especie de protección que no sabe muy bien como interpretar. Empieza a darle pequeñas ofrendas a cambio de que las cosas empiecen a fluir pero cada vez ella pide y exige más...
Una pequeña historia plagada de sangre y situaciones violentas que harán las delicias de cualquiera que se adentre entre sus páginas. Pese a no ser una historia novedosa y con grandes sorpresas es muy entretenida y se lee en una tarde.
Anteriormente leí La noche de los maniquís y aunque me gustó no quedé del todo satisfecha con la historia, cosa que se ha solventado con esta que tenemos entre manos y que hace que abra un poco más la puerta a hacerme con más títulos.
Para ofrecerle placer nos presenta la historia de una pérdida y la manera de intentar afrontarla lo mejor posible. Ben, nuestro jóven protagonista acaba de perder a su padre tras una enfermedad, junto a la pena y la pérdida tiene que lidiar también con el abandono de su propia madre. Ella más centrada en su situación y en intentar "resolver" su vida deja a su hijo sólo y desamparado sin ver que no sólo es ella la que ha perdido a su marido sino que su hijo también ha perdido a su padre.
Al verse sólo en la casa, Ben intenta hacerle frente a la situación y mientras está en casa inmerso en los recuerdos y objetos de su padre encuentra un extraño libro con la imagen de una mujer que ejerce una fuerte influencia sobre él.
En esta figura empieza a encontrar una especie de protección que no sabe muy bien como interpretar. Empieza a darle pequeñas ofrendas a cambio de que las cosas empiecen a fluir pero cada vez ella pide y exige más...
Una pequeña historia plagada de sangre y situaciones violentas que harán las delicias de cualquiera que se adentre entre sus páginas. Pese a no ser una historia novedosa y con grandes sorpresas es muy entretenida y se lee en una tarde.
August 19, 2021
“𝗕𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗱. 𝗛𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀.”
If this line doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will.
After reading 𝗚𝗢 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗 by Ali Seay I knew I had to read her newest book, 𝗧𝗢 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy, thank you Ali and Weird Punk Books!
Grief does strange things to us. Sometimes we laugh when we don’t mean to, and sometimes… well, we give offerings to a beast with no name.
This is like a nightmare landscape; a grisly dark fairy tale that you tell to terrify children.
Ben finds himself more alone after the death of his father because his mother has taken to drowning her sorrows in gin, and someone named Patrick.
You can feel Ben’s love for his father and his grief all wrapped up into one. And it all begins when Ben finds a book hidden and opens it to find the words swimming around in his brain before his eyes. He’s unable to tell you exactly what the book says but he sure knows one thing….
𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿?
I love dark stories. I love grief and trauma in horror. I love horned beasts. I love references to god like figures. I fricken loved this book. AND THE COVER 🖤
If I could preorder in Canada, I would. But I have to wait for it’s release.
Pub Date: August 31, 2021
5⭐️
If this line doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will.
After reading 𝗚𝗢 𝗗𝗢𝗪𝗡 𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗗 by Ali Seay I knew I had to read her newest book, 𝗧𝗢 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗘. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy, thank you Ali and Weird Punk Books!
Grief does strange things to us. Sometimes we laugh when we don’t mean to, and sometimes… well, we give offerings to a beast with no name.
This is like a nightmare landscape; a grisly dark fairy tale that you tell to terrify children.
Ben finds himself more alone after the death of his father because his mother has taken to drowning her sorrows in gin, and someone named Patrick.
You can feel Ben’s love for his father and his grief all wrapped up into one. And it all begins when Ben finds a book hidden and opens it to find the words swimming around in his brain before his eyes. He’s unable to tell you exactly what the book says but he sure knows one thing….
𝗦𝗵𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲. 𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗿?
I love dark stories. I love grief and trauma in horror. I love horned beasts. I love references to god like figures. I fricken loved this book. AND THE COVER 🖤
If I could preorder in Canada, I would. But I have to wait for it’s release.
Pub Date: August 31, 2021
5⭐️
August 21, 2021
Ali Seay made her horror debut with 2020's Go Down Hard, a darkly humorous look at what happens when two serial killers meet-cute. Her sophomore effort, To Offer Her Pleasure, firmly cements her as an author to watch out for.
Ben is reeling from the death of his father, who lost his battle with cancer, and has been left to learn how to cope and grieve on his own while his mother retreats into an alcoholic fugue and takes on a new and abusive lover. He returns to an empty house one day, and his initial suspicions are quickly confirmed - his mother has abandoned him, not even bothering to leave a note, and the sixteen-year-old is left to fend for himself. Since his father passed, Ben's had to pick up more responsibilities around the house while his mother retreated into a bottle, paying the bills, doing laundry, buying groceries, so the day-to-day landscape hasn't changed too, too much for him. He takes in a stray kitten, spends time with his school friends, and eventually raids his father's library in an effort to connect with the man. While looking through those books, Ben discovers an odd work hidden in the back of the shelves. Its words can't be read, and there's a picture of a woman with antlers who can't seem to stay still. Soon, he's compelled to place items inside the book, small, bloody offerings for the antlered woman. She's hungry, though, and constantly craving more. But what lengths will Ben go to in order to feed her and make her real?
To Offer Her Pleasure is a lean and dark descent into parental neglect, madness, and the search for a connection -- any connection -- as Ben seeks to restore the balance of his off-kilter life before everything slips away. Seay paces this coming-of-age story perfectly, methodically pushing her readers and her characters uphill, to that point of no return, and then cuts the brakes and shoves us downhill, plunging us headlong into depravity and madness. We are constantly forced to question Ben's culpability and examine how much his decisions are willingly made, fueled by grief and anger, or are coerced and seduced out of him by far stronger forces. Seay constantly narrows that tenuously thin line between predator and prey, casting doubt on issues of victimhood and complicity, and forcing readers to determine the subjective and objective elements of the story for their own selves.
To Offer Her Pleasure is a smart and wicked slice of horror, and I absolutely loved Seay's antlered creation. She sets an evocative mood throughout, using shadowy interiors and the creepy-crawlie, somebody-is-watching feelings of darkened basements (I don't know what the hell it is about basements, but I'm not a fan) to its absolute fullest effects (had this been a movie, I can guarantee you at least two incredibly well-earned jump scares with incredible payoffs). Seay offers readers a well-crafted horror pleasure with this bleak and bloody gem, and she's only just getting started.
Ben is reeling from the death of his father, who lost his battle with cancer, and has been left to learn how to cope and grieve on his own while his mother retreats into an alcoholic fugue and takes on a new and abusive lover. He returns to an empty house one day, and his initial suspicions are quickly confirmed - his mother has abandoned him, not even bothering to leave a note, and the sixteen-year-old is left to fend for himself. Since his father passed, Ben's had to pick up more responsibilities around the house while his mother retreated into a bottle, paying the bills, doing laundry, buying groceries, so the day-to-day landscape hasn't changed too, too much for him. He takes in a stray kitten, spends time with his school friends, and eventually raids his father's library in an effort to connect with the man. While looking through those books, Ben discovers an odd work hidden in the back of the shelves. Its words can't be read, and there's a picture of a woman with antlers who can't seem to stay still. Soon, he's compelled to place items inside the book, small, bloody offerings for the antlered woman. She's hungry, though, and constantly craving more. But what lengths will Ben go to in order to feed her and make her real?
To Offer Her Pleasure is a lean and dark descent into parental neglect, madness, and the search for a connection -- any connection -- as Ben seeks to restore the balance of his off-kilter life before everything slips away. Seay paces this coming-of-age story perfectly, methodically pushing her readers and her characters uphill, to that point of no return, and then cuts the brakes and shoves us downhill, plunging us headlong into depravity and madness. We are constantly forced to question Ben's culpability and examine how much his decisions are willingly made, fueled by grief and anger, or are coerced and seduced out of him by far stronger forces. Seay constantly narrows that tenuously thin line between predator and prey, casting doubt on issues of victimhood and complicity, and forcing readers to determine the subjective and objective elements of the story for their own selves.
To Offer Her Pleasure is a smart and wicked slice of horror, and I absolutely loved Seay's antlered creation. She sets an evocative mood throughout, using shadowy interiors and the creepy-crawlie, somebody-is-watching feelings of darkened basements (I don't know what the hell it is about basements, but I'm not a fan) to its absolute fullest effects (had this been a movie, I can guarantee you at least two incredibly well-earned jump scares with incredible payoffs). Seay offers readers a well-crafted horror pleasure with this bleak and bloody gem, and she's only just getting started.
November 2, 2021
TW: alcoholism, toxic relationships, abandoning child, fat shaming, gory scenes, parents death, cancer, animal death
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After the death of his father and his mother taking off, it becomes clear to Ben that the only thing he can count on, is no one to count on.Until he finds the book. One that calls forth a shadowy horned figure.She comes with unexpected gifts and the comfort of a dependable presence.She asks for very little in return, really. The more Ben offers her, the easier it gets.Sometimes, family requires more than a little sacrifice...
Release Date: August 31st, 2021
Genre: Horror
Pages: 132
Rating: ⭐⭐2.5
What I Liked:
• The cover is creepy af
• The storyline sounded interesting
What I Didn't Like:
• I fucking knew the cat was going to die
• Pretty boring and you know everything that's going to happen
Overall Thoughts: My thoughts as soon as the book started wanting blood was please don't feed the kitten to her.. Please don't! I know it's a fictional cat but I HATE reading about animals dying and I always skip those parts. I found the book kind of straightforward. I can tell an older woman wrote this because there's a part where in the bunger there's a mention of tit & ass magazines.... Um why would a teen boy who owns a cell phone be looking at magazines? Also if you love hearing about a 16 - year old boys dick getting hard 100 times this is for you. The cat died..... Sigh. At least it wasn't in too much detail. I'm confused on how understanding Steve is even after Ben locks him in the bunker and comes back and cuts his ear off and then back again to kill him. It's like he didn't even care to get out. Plus how did he lose so much weight in a few days if he had snacks? Yeah snacks aren't much but they are high in fat and Steve's not burning calories doing much. There just seems to be so many plot issues here. Like the sister comes to visit Ben and says she hasn't seen Steve in days and Ben says the last time they were together was the woods. But Ben goes back to the woods it's like the parents aren't even searching for Ben back there at the last known place he was at. Like how did they not stumble upon the bunker themselves? Did they not file a missing report on their kid?
Final Thoughts: I'd consider this as a reversed version of Clive Barkers "The Hellbound Heart" aká Hellraiser. I liked that much better but not by much. Devil is in the details and I think that's something that is often forgotten in novellas.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:After the death of his father and his mother taking off, it becomes clear to Ben that the only thing he can count on, is no one to count on.Until he finds the book. One that calls forth a shadowy horned figure.She comes with unexpected gifts and the comfort of a dependable presence.She asks for very little in return, really. The more Ben offers her, the easier it gets.Sometimes, family requires more than a little sacrifice...
Release Date: August 31st, 2021
Genre: Horror
Pages: 132
Rating: ⭐⭐2.5
What I Liked:
• The cover is creepy af
• The storyline sounded interesting
What I Didn't Like:
• I fucking knew the cat was going to die
• Pretty boring and you know everything that's going to happen
Overall Thoughts: My thoughts as soon as the book started wanting blood was please don't feed the kitten to her.. Please don't! I know it's a fictional cat but I HATE reading about animals dying and I always skip those parts. I found the book kind of straightforward. I can tell an older woman wrote this because there's a part where in the bunger there's a mention of tit & ass magazines.... Um why would a teen boy who owns a cell phone be looking at magazines? Also if you love hearing about a 16 - year old boys dick getting hard 100 times this is for you. The cat died..... Sigh. At least it wasn't in too much detail. I'm confused on how understanding Steve is even after Ben locks him in the bunker and comes back and cuts his ear off and then back again to kill him. It's like he didn't even care to get out. Plus how did he lose so much weight in a few days if he had snacks? Yeah snacks aren't much but they are high in fat and Steve's not burning calories doing much. There just seems to be so many plot issues here. Like the sister comes to visit Ben and says she hasn't seen Steve in days and Ben says the last time they were together was the woods. But Ben goes back to the woods it's like the parents aren't even searching for Ben back there at the last known place he was at. Like how did they not stumble upon the bunker themselves? Did they not file a missing report on their kid?
Final Thoughts: I'd consider this as a reversed version of Clive Barkers "The Hellbound Heart" aká Hellraiser. I liked that much better but not by much. Devil is in the details and I think that's something that is often forgotten in novellas.
IG | Blog
September 30, 2022
You may recognize Ali Seay from her debut novel, Go Down Hard, which was an extremely fun serial killer vs serial killer story. With To Offer Her Pleasure, we get a much more visceral and delightfully darker story... I mean, just look at the cover!
Ben's father dies and then his mother turns to the bottle and a new man and disappears. So now this teen is alone, doing the best that he can.. and then he finds a book in his father's things. Thus begins Ben's coming-of-age story.
This is no ordinary book and Ben is inexplicably drawn to it. After all, it's his only real company outside of the stray kitten he took in. The only person that he can count on is himself and that's even questionable at times. What's a little blood and sacrifice if it solves his problems? But the more he gives, the more it demands, which leads to devastating decisions.
What's fantastically maniacal about our "villain" here is that we are unsure of what their motive is thus leaving us without a complete understanding of the motives behind the demands. It's creepily delicious and leaves the mind to wander. As Ben starts to go further and further in his downward spiral we're left to wonder: Has the book influenced him to be this person or has this dark side always been within? Perhaps we all have this side to us that just needs a little prodding to come to the surface. Perhaps we will never know...
Giving modern folklore vibes, this is a must read. At a bit over 100 pages, this story truly brings us a LOT to devour. Lovers of grief horror, come hither.
Ben's father dies and then his mother turns to the bottle and a new man and disappears. So now this teen is alone, doing the best that he can.. and then he finds a book in his father's things. Thus begins Ben's coming-of-age story.
This is no ordinary book and Ben is inexplicably drawn to it. After all, it's his only real company outside of the stray kitten he took in. The only person that he can count on is himself and that's even questionable at times. What's a little blood and sacrifice if it solves his problems? But the more he gives, the more it demands, which leads to devastating decisions.
What's fantastically maniacal about our "villain" here is that we are unsure of what their motive is thus leaving us without a complete understanding of the motives behind the demands. It's creepily delicious and leaves the mind to wander. As Ben starts to go further and further in his downward spiral we're left to wonder: Has the book influenced him to be this person or has this dark side always been within? Perhaps we all have this side to us that just needs a little prodding to come to the surface. Perhaps we will never know...
Giving modern folklore vibes, this is a must read. At a bit over 100 pages, this story truly brings us a LOT to devour. Lovers of grief horror, come hither.
October 25, 2023
https://youtu.be/gg_n2Uc3bnI?si=gWEHr...
Mi reseña en Youtube
PARA OFENDERLE PLACER es una novela corta con mucho carácter.
La primicia es buena, aunque no muy original, me pareció muy similar a dos o tres novelas que he leído en los últimos meses. Pero eso no significa que imite a otras.
Una historia que mezcla el terror y horror a partes iguales.
Incluyendo rupturas familiares, el duelo de una madre y un hijo ante la pérdida de un ser querido, con situaciones sobrenaturales y objetos malditos.
Ben, el personaje principal, logra atraparnos desde la primera página, debido al buen manejo que hace la autora de él, ya que vemos una transformación radical, aunque no sabemos a ciencia cierta que parte es justificable y que situaciones están solamente en su cabeza.
Si eres fan de Arthur Machen te llevarás una sorpresa que sirve como "souvenir" o tributo al autor que ha influenciado con su trabajo a la escritora Ali Seay.
Una novela que se disfruta mucho gracias a su corta extensión, pero que no queda a deber. He de admitir que el final lo ví venir desde la mitad del libro, aunque eso no debería suponer que lo considere un mal cierre
Un libro muy atractivo, que sirve de excelente motivo para conocer la colección DÉMETER de la editorial española LA BIBLIOTECA DE CARFAX.
Mi reseña en Youtube
PARA OFENDERLE PLACER es una novela corta con mucho carácter.
La primicia es buena, aunque no muy original, me pareció muy similar a dos o tres novelas que he leído en los últimos meses. Pero eso no significa que imite a otras.
Una historia que mezcla el terror y horror a partes iguales.
Incluyendo rupturas familiares, el duelo de una madre y un hijo ante la pérdida de un ser querido, con situaciones sobrenaturales y objetos malditos.
Ben, el personaje principal, logra atraparnos desde la primera página, debido al buen manejo que hace la autora de él, ya que vemos una transformación radical, aunque no sabemos a ciencia cierta que parte es justificable y que situaciones están solamente en su cabeza.
Si eres fan de Arthur Machen te llevarás una sorpresa que sirve como "souvenir" o tributo al autor que ha influenciado con su trabajo a la escritora Ali Seay.
Una novela que se disfruta mucho gracias a su corta extensión, pero que no queda a deber. He de admitir que el final lo ví venir desde la mitad del libro, aunque eso no debería suponer que lo considere un mal cierre
Un libro muy atractivo, que sirve de excelente motivo para conocer la colección DÉMETER de la editorial española LA BIBLIOTECA DE CARFAX.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2021
TW: Animal death, gore
Sixteen-year-old Ben Schon, still reeling from the death of his beloved father, is faced with the loss of his mother. Not to death, but abandonment, by checking out of life with booze and men, unable to deal with the loss of her husband. Now his mom has left him, taking off on a booze-filled trip with her boyfriend. Ben is used to being the adult in the house, so very little changes with her departure, other than the emptiness and silence of the house.
Desperately missing his father, Ben begins seeking out relics of his father’s short life- wearing his Doc Martens, sipping his port, smoking his pipe, and exploring his dad’s books in his man cave. While perusing his dad’s bookshelves, he comes across a book titled To Offer Her Pleasure. Inside the book is a robed, horned woman standing in profile. Soon the robed figure communicates with Ben through the book with one word: Sacrifice.
Soon Ben is seeking to fulfill the robed woman’s every appetite and whim, it only takes blood and sacrifice.
When Weirdpunk Books offered the opportunity to review To Offer Her Pleasure, I jumped at the chance. Having just read and reviewed another of their titles, I knew I was in for a good read. I was most definitely not disappointed. Ali Seay knocked this book out of the park. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down until I finished Ben’s story. It is provocative, gory, and gripping.
I loved the character development Seay put into creating Ben. He starts out as this sad, lonely kid who misses his dad and morphs into a cold, uncaring shadow of his former self. When I was reading this, I kept thinking of the stages of grief and how Ben’s character changes throughout the story to almost epitomize those stages: beginning in grief for his father, isolating himself in his house away from others, anger with his mother’s abandonment, bargaining with the entity to obtain his wishes, rage when dealing with his mother and her lover, and finally acceptance of how his life will be from here on out. A wholly satisfying read from beginning to end.
5/5 Stars
Thank you to Sam Richard at Weirdpunk Books for providing me with an e-ARC of this book for me to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sixteen-year-old Ben Schon, still reeling from the death of his beloved father, is faced with the loss of his mother. Not to death, but abandonment, by checking out of life with booze and men, unable to deal with the loss of her husband. Now his mom has left him, taking off on a booze-filled trip with her boyfriend. Ben is used to being the adult in the house, so very little changes with her departure, other than the emptiness and silence of the house.
Desperately missing his father, Ben begins seeking out relics of his father’s short life- wearing his Doc Martens, sipping his port, smoking his pipe, and exploring his dad’s books in his man cave. While perusing his dad’s bookshelves, he comes across a book titled To Offer Her Pleasure. Inside the book is a robed, horned woman standing in profile. Soon the robed figure communicates with Ben through the book with one word: Sacrifice.
Soon Ben is seeking to fulfill the robed woman’s every appetite and whim, it only takes blood and sacrifice.
When Weirdpunk Books offered the opportunity to review To Offer Her Pleasure, I jumped at the chance. Having just read and reviewed another of their titles, I knew I was in for a good read. I was most definitely not disappointed. Ali Seay knocked this book out of the park. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down until I finished Ben’s story. It is provocative, gory, and gripping.
I loved the character development Seay put into creating Ben. He starts out as this sad, lonely kid who misses his dad and morphs into a cold, uncaring shadow of his former self. When I was reading this, I kept thinking of the stages of grief and how Ben’s character changes throughout the story to almost epitomize those stages: beginning in grief for his father, isolating himself in his house away from others, anger with his mother’s abandonment, bargaining with the entity to obtain his wishes, rage when dealing with his mother and her lover, and finally acceptance of how his life will be from here on out. A wholly satisfying read from beginning to end.
5/5 Stars
Thank you to Sam Richard at Weirdpunk Books for providing me with an e-ARC of this book for me to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 13, 2022
Ben’s father is dead, and his mother is chasing her grief in the homes of other men. He has a lot of time to himself, and eventually passes by a book that calls to him, and calls for blood.
He brings her blood, in many forms, until he’s gotten the power he truly wants.
Ali Seay wrote a beautiful story about a boy’s grief, where no one really turns out the winner. If you love grief horror, this one is for you.
He brings her blood, in many forms, until he’s gotten the power he truly wants.
Ali Seay wrote a beautiful story about a boy’s grief, where no one really turns out the winner. If you love grief horror, this one is for you.
August 17, 2021
4 1/2
This is a coming of Age story on the surface before you start to peel back the layers and dig deeper.
Initially it didn’t feel like a Weird Punk Book. It has the typical coming of age feel. A young boy on a journey to discover life on his own. Then it happens. The "thing" happens. I won’t get too deep into what the "thing" is, but it happens, and I settled in, ecstatically because then it feels like the Weird Punk Book I’m used to. Then I feels at home.
Here is the set up. The book right away starts off with rough news. Young Ben finds out his father has lost his battle with Cancer. This isn't a spoiler, this is told to us right away. Ben is a teen, just now learning about life. And with this news, Ben has to grow up quick, because his mother checks out. She’s involved in a bad relationship and leaves with the dude, leaving Ben to fend for himself.
Ben is roaming around his house, and decides to go through some of his fathers old things in the basement. He skims through some of his books. He comes across this weird looking book, sorta like a grimoire, but not quite and opens it. Within he sees a portrait of a lady, with a helmet of horns. Not thinking much more of the portrait, Ben soon realizes this dark figure will become part of his life.
And this is where the book gets freaky. I feel like I’ve said that before for Weird Punk Books.
This book is entertaining as beat all. Ben realizes he needs to “Offer” her things to keep her happy. And she is moody. At times turning her back to him in the pages if she doesn’t care for what he is offering her. Each time, he has to offer her something bigger and bigger, and the more real she becomes.
This book is bloody. Gruesome at times. Let’s just say Ali Seay holds no punches. She’s not afraid to get graphic. Not over the top graphic. Just enough for you to get a complete detailed picture in your head of everything happening, in full color. There may be a couple of squeamish moments here and there.
I enjoyed the pacing and flow over-all. There is a lot to take in. But with the chapters being as short as they are you will find yourself constantly saying just one more chapter before going to sleep or heading out the door.
Through Ali Seay’s perfect prose, the dream sequences hammer home as reality, not just for Ben, but for the reader also. And as with most Weird Punk Books, there are several layers. Ben is looking for the meaning of everything, all the while he believe his father to be with him, guiding him in the right direction.
The whole idea, the whole concept behind this story is truly fascinating. It’s an extraordinary mix of a coming of age story and a possible black magic shadowy figure who eats on the offerings provided by Ben, well, I should say provided by Ben’s friends.
The story shows the true brutality of tragic events and how they affect people In the family in different ways. I’m still digesting, and dissecting the ending, and trying to get a grip on the “relationship.” It’s a bit Unsettling
But the overall picture is Ben has to sometimes give in, make sacrifices, to make the family better. And I use that word “Family” a bit loosely here, because we see this family change a lot over the course of these pages.
Totally entertaining with the right amount of cringe to make you feel uneasy. I enjoyed this a lot. I’m giving this a 4 ½ star rating.
This is a coming of Age story on the surface before you start to peel back the layers and dig deeper.
Initially it didn’t feel like a Weird Punk Book. It has the typical coming of age feel. A young boy on a journey to discover life on his own. Then it happens. The "thing" happens. I won’t get too deep into what the "thing" is, but it happens, and I settled in, ecstatically because then it feels like the Weird Punk Book I’m used to. Then I feels at home.
Here is the set up. The book right away starts off with rough news. Young Ben finds out his father has lost his battle with Cancer. This isn't a spoiler, this is told to us right away. Ben is a teen, just now learning about life. And with this news, Ben has to grow up quick, because his mother checks out. She’s involved in a bad relationship and leaves with the dude, leaving Ben to fend for himself.
Ben is roaming around his house, and decides to go through some of his fathers old things in the basement. He skims through some of his books. He comes across this weird looking book, sorta like a grimoire, but not quite and opens it. Within he sees a portrait of a lady, with a helmet of horns. Not thinking much more of the portrait, Ben soon realizes this dark figure will become part of his life.
And this is where the book gets freaky. I feel like I’ve said that before for Weird Punk Books.
This book is entertaining as beat all. Ben realizes he needs to “Offer” her things to keep her happy. And she is moody. At times turning her back to him in the pages if she doesn’t care for what he is offering her. Each time, he has to offer her something bigger and bigger, and the more real she becomes.
This book is bloody. Gruesome at times. Let’s just say Ali Seay holds no punches. She’s not afraid to get graphic. Not over the top graphic. Just enough for you to get a complete detailed picture in your head of everything happening, in full color. There may be a couple of squeamish moments here and there.
I enjoyed the pacing and flow over-all. There is a lot to take in. But with the chapters being as short as they are you will find yourself constantly saying just one more chapter before going to sleep or heading out the door.
Through Ali Seay’s perfect prose, the dream sequences hammer home as reality, not just for Ben, but for the reader also. And as with most Weird Punk Books, there are several layers. Ben is looking for the meaning of everything, all the while he believe his father to be with him, guiding him in the right direction.
The whole idea, the whole concept behind this story is truly fascinating. It’s an extraordinary mix of a coming of age story and a possible black magic shadowy figure who eats on the offerings provided by Ben, well, I should say provided by Ben’s friends.
The story shows the true brutality of tragic events and how they affect people In the family in different ways. I’m still digesting, and dissecting the ending, and trying to get a grip on the “relationship.” It’s a bit Unsettling
But the overall picture is Ben has to sometimes give in, make sacrifices, to make the family better. And I use that word “Family” a bit loosely here, because we see this family change a lot over the course of these pages.
Totally entertaining with the right amount of cringe to make you feel uneasy. I enjoyed this a lot. I’m giving this a 4 ½ star rating.
September 1, 2021
TO OFFER HER PLEASURE by Ali Seay is my second Weird Punk Books outing and let me just say I am picking up what they are putting down. This coming of age tale was weird, unsettling, gruesome, and provocative.
Ben has lost his father to cancer while simultaneously losing his mom to a downward spiral of neglectfulness, an abusive relationship, and the bottom of a bottle. While his mom is all consumed by her grief Ben doesn’t really get the chance to process and deal with his own emotions. He has to step up and not only be the man of the house but also pick up his mom’s slack in the parental responsibilities department; buying groceries, doing laundry, paying bills, etc. Waking up one morning Ben finds the house empty and silent, knowing that his mom has run off with her new lover leaving her son on his own to fend for himself.
Ben is in search of a connection that was severed when his father died. His annoying friends don’t cut it, even his high school crush who makes his heart palpitate isn’t quite what he’s in need of. Ben misses the good times, back before his father got sick and his mom became a shadow of her former self. Digging through his late father’s possessions down in the basement Ben uncovers a curious book. A book with no title, and the words within dizzyingly unreadable. A picture of a lone figure, an antlered (woman?) who seems to move upon the page. A compulsion, a desire, overcomes Ben. Growing stronger and compelling him to give. More. To sacrifice. More. To surrender. MORE, to the figure.
Is Ben fulfilling his desire, his need, to be cared for, to be looked after, to be loved and protected in some sick and twisted way by appeasing the hunger of the woman? Has he finally been consumed by his own grief and split from reality, descending into a hallucinatory madness of shadowy figures and a burning hatred for what has been stolen from him. What lengths would he be willing to go to, what extremes, to have an inkling of the paternal affection that once was restored to his broken life?
Horror mixed with bits of dark fantasy. TO OFFER HER PLEASURE by Ali Seay is a unique and darkly chilling look at grief and how it can fester and blindly consume us in additively unhealthy ways. Finely honed prose, smooth pacing, a weird otherworldly villain, and bloody bone crunching violence all culminate into a perfect package for your reading pleasure (pun intended?) I will definitely be checking out Seay’s other book GO DOWN HARD and anything else that she decides to write in the future.
I received a eARC of this book from the author for review consideration.
Ben has lost his father to cancer while simultaneously losing his mom to a downward spiral of neglectfulness, an abusive relationship, and the bottom of a bottle. While his mom is all consumed by her grief Ben doesn’t really get the chance to process and deal with his own emotions. He has to step up and not only be the man of the house but also pick up his mom’s slack in the parental responsibilities department; buying groceries, doing laundry, paying bills, etc. Waking up one morning Ben finds the house empty and silent, knowing that his mom has run off with her new lover leaving her son on his own to fend for himself.
Ben is in search of a connection that was severed when his father died. His annoying friends don’t cut it, even his high school crush who makes his heart palpitate isn’t quite what he’s in need of. Ben misses the good times, back before his father got sick and his mom became a shadow of her former self. Digging through his late father’s possessions down in the basement Ben uncovers a curious book. A book with no title, and the words within dizzyingly unreadable. A picture of a lone figure, an antlered (woman?) who seems to move upon the page. A compulsion, a desire, overcomes Ben. Growing stronger and compelling him to give. More. To sacrifice. More. To surrender. MORE, to the figure.
Is Ben fulfilling his desire, his need, to be cared for, to be looked after, to be loved and protected in some sick and twisted way by appeasing the hunger of the woman? Has he finally been consumed by his own grief and split from reality, descending into a hallucinatory madness of shadowy figures and a burning hatred for what has been stolen from him. What lengths would he be willing to go to, what extremes, to have an inkling of the paternal affection that once was restored to his broken life?
Horror mixed with bits of dark fantasy. TO OFFER HER PLEASURE by Ali Seay is a unique and darkly chilling look at grief and how it can fester and blindly consume us in additively unhealthy ways. Finely honed prose, smooth pacing, a weird otherworldly villain, and bloody bone crunching violence all culminate into a perfect package for your reading pleasure (pun intended?) I will definitely be checking out Seay’s other book GO DOWN HARD and anything else that she decides to write in the future.
I received a eARC of this book from the author for review consideration.
September 6, 2021
Ben is living at home alone, fending for himself at only 15. After losing his father to melanoma, his mother went completely off the rails with drinking and men. He took off with her latest boyfriend without a thought for Ben, and no clue to when she’ll be back. He’s grieving and heartbroken, trying his best to survive and cope. He finds a strange book in the basement that belonged to his dad. He can’t exactly read the language, but the illustration is a kind of woman with antlers, and she seems to have shifted position each time he looks. This book gives him comfort and makes him feel better, and starts giving him unexpected gifts. It only asks for a few small things in return. A little blood, a little flesh, a small sacrifice. And isn’t family about making sacrifices?
This story was really everything that I love about horror. It was intense, chilling and brutal. Also very thought provoking. Ben is clearly a good kid who is trying to survive a heartbreaking situation. I wonder how many children this happens to - losing one parent to death and then losing the other to grief? I could really feel his pain, his sadness, his loneliness. I really oved the ambiguity. I wondered all along if he was really seeing the things he thought he saw, or if he was suffering a (understandable) mental break. Little by little, he gave in to the madness and the result was terrifying. There were moments when I yelled, “oh no” right out loud, the plot was very immersive and I was in deep. This was a great little book, I also enjoyed the heck out of Go Down Hard by the same author. Can’t wait to see what comes next from Seay.
I received a eARC of this book from the author for review consideration.
This story was really everything that I love about horror. It was intense, chilling and brutal. Also very thought provoking. Ben is clearly a good kid who is trying to survive a heartbreaking situation. I wonder how many children this happens to - losing one parent to death and then losing the other to grief? I could really feel his pain, his sadness, his loneliness. I really oved the ambiguity. I wondered all along if he was really seeing the things he thought he saw, or if he was suffering a (understandable) mental break. Little by little, he gave in to the madness and the result was terrifying. There were moments when I yelled, “oh no” right out loud, the plot was very immersive and I was in deep. This was a great little book, I also enjoyed the heck out of Go Down Hard by the same author. Can’t wait to see what comes next from Seay.
I received a eARC of this book from the author for review consideration.
Read
September 3, 2021**Review coming soon**
October 10, 2021
Oh my god, this just ruined my life.
November 14, 2024
3.5 stars
August 21, 2021
To Offer Her Pleasure is an incredibly dark new novella by Ali Seay which explores grief and the lengths we would we willing to go to when grieving.
I was blown away when I read Ali’s last novella - Go Down Hard and I can honestly say she has managed to reach and then exceed these preconceived expectations.
Pagan deities and offerings are a large focus in this story. I have made many an offering to a goddess in my time but this took things to a horrifying new level. A young male finds a book of his father’s who recently passed away and accidentally manages to begin making offerings to a strange horned goddess who quickly wants more commitment from him.
Expect feminist undertones, grief horror, dark yet beautiful fairytale vibes and a whole lot of strangeness.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I was blown away when I read Ali’s last novella - Go Down Hard and I can honestly say she has managed to reach and then exceed these preconceived expectations.
Pagan deities and offerings are a large focus in this story. I have made many an offering to a goddess in my time but this took things to a horrifying new level. A young male finds a book of his father’s who recently passed away and accidentally manages to begin making offerings to a strange horned goddess who quickly wants more commitment from him.
Expect feminist undertones, grief horror, dark yet beautiful fairytale vibes and a whole lot of strangeness.
Thank you to the author for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2021
I read To Offer Her Pleasure a few days ago and I can already tell I will read it again. This story is living in my head! I really enjoyed the psychological elements that drove the story through an unraveling narrator. I was genuinely unsettled at times. Loved it!
February 9, 2022
Off the back of Ali’s magnificent Go Down Hard, I made a mental note to keep a close eye on anything Ali Seay released, and To offer her pleasure hit the shelves sometime at the beginning of September if memory serves? I bought it but knew it would be a while till I got to it. Well, that promise to myself was finally realized last week, and I blitzed through it in a day.
It is eminently readable, Seay writes like your best friend, it is so easy to get comfortable and just let her take control of the moving vehicle. And Seay is a Monster truck racer, you know the ride is going to be memorable. And it is.
I made early comparisons in theme to Laurel Hightower’s Crossroads – in that it is grief-driven. The loss of the MC (ben)’s father is the breakdown that fuels his grief-filled obsession. His mother falls apart, into alcoholism, and absconds from her position of Mother and responsible adult, choosing to escape to her own reality and abandons her son. Now the underlying base of the two stories is similar, in that the death of a loved one is the capstone that drives the story forward, but the two MCs could not be more different in their approaches. In Crossroads, the mother wishes to bring her son back and sacrifices herself to do so. Here, the MC decides, through a devilish plot device in the shape of a book, to sacrifice others, for much the same purpose.
Let’s just give the spotlight to that later narrative. It DOES make for mixed feelings on the MC – his absolute commitment to his goal – feeding the book and feeding “her”, is something that makes the character somewhat unpleasant. This isn’t sympathy that is garnered here as he forces a friend to self-mutilate themselves. Likewise, his treatment of a sympathetic gay friend is equally narcissistic - he puts his own needs and wishes in front of the very lives of those he interacts with. Not his love interest, of course, because she is essential to his own self-image of himself as the victim – let’s not forget to feel sorry for him?
It’s brilliantly done.
You feel sorry for Ben, but just not that sorry. We watch in mild repulsion as he goes through the stages of ever-increasing commitment to a process he started until we are as desperate to see it finished as he is – stopping the runaway train was never an option, the only question is of how much he has to personally do himself – and reducing that participation is seen as a win.
It’s Hedonistic, make no mistake, regardless of its grief-fueled origins, and Seay illustrates it just enough. She pans away from gratuitous violence. We see the aftermath of Ben’s decisions, all the while shaking our heads but still wanting to see just how bad is it going to get. It mocks us in our own sensibilities – I couldn’t agree with Ben’s logic but was as caught in the loop as he was, wondering exactly what would happen if “She” manifested enough…
Seay writes with passion, and the rollercoaster allows no one to get off once the ride is underway, bringing you through all of the highs and lows until the inevitable end where Ben decides the actual thing the book is based upon – the worth of the life of a person that has abandoned you. Other reviewers can highlight non-sensical sections, faults in thinking, happy circumstances, or flaws of logic, but honestly, I didn’t care. Seay captured me, and took me, once again, on a whirlwind ride to an ending that was long ago decided, foreseeable, yet the vortex of the book, and totally inescapable.
5 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s, A great addition to the growing Seay collection.
It is eminently readable, Seay writes like your best friend, it is so easy to get comfortable and just let her take control of the moving vehicle. And Seay is a Monster truck racer, you know the ride is going to be memorable. And it is.
I made early comparisons in theme to Laurel Hightower’s Crossroads – in that it is grief-driven. The loss of the MC (ben)’s father is the breakdown that fuels his grief-filled obsession. His mother falls apart, into alcoholism, and absconds from her position of Mother and responsible adult, choosing to escape to her own reality and abandons her son. Now the underlying base of the two stories is similar, in that the death of a loved one is the capstone that drives the story forward, but the two MCs could not be more different in their approaches. In Crossroads, the mother wishes to bring her son back and sacrifices herself to do so. Here, the MC decides, through a devilish plot device in the shape of a book, to sacrifice others, for much the same purpose.
Let’s just give the spotlight to that later narrative. It DOES make for mixed feelings on the MC – his absolute commitment to his goal – feeding the book and feeding “her”, is something that makes the character somewhat unpleasant. This isn’t sympathy that is garnered here as he forces a friend to self-mutilate themselves. Likewise, his treatment of a sympathetic gay friend is equally narcissistic - he puts his own needs and wishes in front of the very lives of those he interacts with. Not his love interest, of course, because she is essential to his own self-image of himself as the victim – let’s not forget to feel sorry for him?
It’s brilliantly done.
You feel sorry for Ben, but just not that sorry. We watch in mild repulsion as he goes through the stages of ever-increasing commitment to a process he started until we are as desperate to see it finished as he is – stopping the runaway train was never an option, the only question is of how much he has to personally do himself – and reducing that participation is seen as a win.
It’s Hedonistic, make no mistake, regardless of its grief-fueled origins, and Seay illustrates it just enough. She pans away from gratuitous violence. We see the aftermath of Ben’s decisions, all the while shaking our heads but still wanting to see just how bad is it going to get. It mocks us in our own sensibilities – I couldn’t agree with Ben’s logic but was as caught in the loop as he was, wondering exactly what would happen if “She” manifested enough…
Seay writes with passion, and the rollercoaster allows no one to get off once the ride is underway, bringing you through all of the highs and lows until the inevitable end where Ben decides the actual thing the book is based upon – the worth of the life of a person that has abandoned you. Other reviewers can highlight non-sensical sections, faults in thinking, happy circumstances, or flaws of logic, but honestly, I didn’t care. Seay captured me, and took me, once again, on a whirlwind ride to an ending that was long ago decided, foreseeable, yet the vortex of the book, and totally inescapable.
5 out of 5 ⭐ ‘s, A great addition to the growing Seay collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2022
While it took me four days to read this novella, it is not a tedious read. On the contrary, TO OFFER HER PLEASURE can easily be read at one sitting, over the course of a day with frequent breaks to relieve the tension, or even longer in order to savor some of the more colorful chapters.
My excuse is that I started reading this, then became super-busy with other matters. The fact that I would read a chapter or two whenever I had a spare moment, using the bathroom, or a quick read before turning out the lights for bedtime is a testimonial as to how engaging this story can become.
Ali Seay's writing style helped matters. She writes in concise yet revealing sentences and always gets to the point, sometimes bluntly. This economical approach works very well with the rapid-fire pacing of events as well as the quick, short chapters. Seay also gets right to the heart of each moment and doesn't drag a scene out. Other authors might take advantage of a particularly dramatic or horrific scene and expand upon it for many pages.
Main character Ben is coming-of-age awkwardly and exploring his sexuality in similar awkward fashion while also dealing with loss and grief (his father died early from cancer) and then abandonment and isolation (his drunken mother skips out with her abusive new boyfriend). While exploring his father's man cave, he finds a strange tome hidden inside a bookcase and then becomes bewitched by the image of an antlered woman who seems to be a combination siren/succubus. The woman requires sacrifice . . . and Ben complies. TO OFFER HER PLEASURE feels like a modern uptake on the needy plant Seymour from THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, but this is much, much darker, complex, and meaningful.
Without spoiling the details, Ben's demeanor changes dramatically by the end of the novel and there are a few major and minor surprises along the way, especially in the final chapter.
The only shortcomings of the novel are a scene that seems to have omitted a critical detail (but is still understandable and enjoyable) and an ending that leaves several mysteries unexplained. Whether that is a set-up for a sequel is not clear.
My excuse is that I started reading this, then became super-busy with other matters. The fact that I would read a chapter or two whenever I had a spare moment, using the bathroom, or a quick read before turning out the lights for bedtime is a testimonial as to how engaging this story can become.
Ali Seay's writing style helped matters. She writes in concise yet revealing sentences and always gets to the point, sometimes bluntly. This economical approach works very well with the rapid-fire pacing of events as well as the quick, short chapters. Seay also gets right to the heart of each moment and doesn't drag a scene out. Other authors might take advantage of a particularly dramatic or horrific scene and expand upon it for many pages.
Main character Ben is coming-of-age awkwardly and exploring his sexuality in similar awkward fashion while also dealing with loss and grief (his father died early from cancer) and then abandonment and isolation (his drunken mother skips out with her abusive new boyfriend). While exploring his father's man cave, he finds a strange tome hidden inside a bookcase and then becomes bewitched by the image of an antlered woman who seems to be a combination siren/succubus. The woman requires sacrifice . . . and Ben complies. TO OFFER HER PLEASURE feels like a modern uptake on the needy plant Seymour from THE LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, but this is much, much darker, complex, and meaningful.
Without spoiling the details, Ben's demeanor changes dramatically by the end of the novel and there are a few major and minor surprises along the way, especially in the final chapter.
The only shortcomings of the novel are a scene that seems to have omitted a critical detail (but is still understandable and enjoyable) and an ending that leaves several mysteries unexplained. Whether that is a set-up for a sequel is not clear.
September 22, 2023
La reseña completa en https://inthenevernever.blogspot.com/...
«Cerró los ojos y sacudió la cabeza, y el libro pareció estremecerse en sus manos. Le había hecho ofrendas. Le había ofrecido placer y ahora el libro pretendía conseguir más».
¿Qué pasaría si perdieras a tus padres casi a la vez? ¿Si la muerte de tu padre hunde a tu madre en una alcoholizada depresión? Sí cuando no han transcurrido ni cinco meses desde el entierro tienes que lidiar no solo con tu propia tristeza, sino también con el nuevo y despreciable novio de tu mamá. Si despiertas un día y te encuentras solo en casa, abandonado también por la persona que te debía proteger, sin estar seguro si volverá. ¿Qué ocurriría si encuentras un extraño libro que te pide sacrificios a cambio de cumplir tus deseos? Hoy quiero recomendarles Para ofrecerle placer, de Ali Seay. Una historia tan oscura y retorcida como adictiva, que nos habla sobre el paso de la adolescencia a la adultez, el duelo y la necesidad de sentirnos queridos, protegidos.
«Cerró los ojos y sacudió la cabeza, y el libro pareció estremecerse en sus manos. Le había hecho ofrendas. Le había ofrecido placer y ahora el libro pretendía conseguir más».
¿Qué pasaría si perdieras a tus padres casi a la vez? ¿Si la muerte de tu padre hunde a tu madre en una alcoholizada depresión? Sí cuando no han transcurrido ni cinco meses desde el entierro tienes que lidiar no solo con tu propia tristeza, sino también con el nuevo y despreciable novio de tu mamá. Si despiertas un día y te encuentras solo en casa, abandonado también por la persona que te debía proteger, sin estar seguro si volverá. ¿Qué ocurriría si encuentras un extraño libro que te pide sacrificios a cambio de cumplir tus deseos? Hoy quiero recomendarles Para ofrecerle placer, de Ali Seay. Una historia tan oscura y retorcida como adictiva, que nos habla sobre el paso de la adolescencia a la adultez, el duelo y la necesidad de sentirnos queridos, protegidos.
October 7, 2023
Un "coming of age" de un adolescente de 16 años, con un padre fallecido recientemente y su madre caída en el alcoholismo y las malas relaciones.
Lo extraño llega con la aparición de un misterioso libro, ilegible, con una imagen de una figura humana. Un libro de que requiere de ciertos sacrificios para cumplir tus deseos, para darte placer.
Una novelette que encaja a la perfección en la línea Demeter de La biblioteca de Carfax, un relato sobre hacerse adulto, dejar ciertas cosas atrás, la familia y la soledad.
Lo extraño llega con la aparición de un misterioso libro, ilegible, con una imagen de una figura humana. Un libro de que requiere de ciertos sacrificios para cumplir tus deseos, para darte placer.
Una novelette que encaja a la perfección en la línea Demeter de La biblioteca de Carfax, un relato sobre hacerse adulto, dejar ciertas cosas atrás, la familia y la soledad.
November 19, 2021
“ℍ𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕕 𝕘𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕟 𝕚𝕥 𝕠𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤. 𝕆𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕕 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕦𝕣𝕖-𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖.” 💀🩸
𝗧𝗼 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 by Ali Seay is a coming of age horror novella with occult and erotic elements that will keep you hooked and disturbed until the very end.
The story is told in the perspective of Ben, a teenage boy who recently lost his father due to cancer and lost his mother because she decided to walk out on him. Left to deal with the grief and loneliness, Ben goes through his father’s old things and finds a strange book with a girl/woman/creature on the front cover.
Suddenly, Ben gets this idea to start handing it/her things… offerings. Ben discovers that he enjoys her company and wants to continue to please her. But as time goes on, he realizes that the little sacrifices are not enough. He must give her more. A lot more in order to keep her happy.
A quick, enjoyable read for any indie horror junkie. Or even for someone who wants to read more indie horror.
Loneliness can be deadly. What lengths are you willing to go to feel less alone?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! ⭐️
𝗧𝗼 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 by Ali Seay is a coming of age horror novella with occult and erotic elements that will keep you hooked and disturbed until the very end.
The story is told in the perspective of Ben, a teenage boy who recently lost his father due to cancer and lost his mother because she decided to walk out on him. Left to deal with the grief and loneliness, Ben goes through his father’s old things and finds a strange book with a girl/woman/creature on the front cover.
Suddenly, Ben gets this idea to start handing it/her things… offerings. Ben discovers that he enjoys her company and wants to continue to please her. But as time goes on, he realizes that the little sacrifices are not enough. He must give her more. A lot more in order to keep her happy.
A quick, enjoyable read for any indie horror junkie. Or even for someone who wants to read more indie horror.
Loneliness can be deadly. What lengths are you willing to go to feel less alone?
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! ⭐️
October 25, 2021
Unsettling. She gets her antlers into you and you won't really fight it.
Spoiler: does the cat die? Indeed.
How far are you willing to go? Further than you'll be comfortable admitting.
Perfect read when you're feeling alone and you're greatest desire is to stop that feeling at any cost.
Spoiler: does the cat die? Indeed.
How far are you willing to go? Further than you'll be comfortable admitting.
Perfect read when you're feeling alone and you're greatest desire is to stop that feeling at any cost.
September 13, 2021
Review to follow but rest assured, I thoroughly enjoyed this…
February 7, 2022
The basics
Enjoyment: ⭐⭐
Start: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐.5
Ending: ⭐⭐
Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐
What I loved
The beginning drew me in. I was so interested in everything that what happening with Ben and the book, but then, it started going a bit downhill for me. I felt like the plot got a little lost, and I do not like animal/pet deaths. In this case, there was no reason for it other than to show the change in the character.
I'm definitely interested in checking out other books by this author, but I'll be more cautious going into them.
Enjoyment: ⭐⭐
Start: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters: ⭐⭐⭐
Atmosphere: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Plot: ⭐⭐.5
Ending: ⭐⭐
Style:⭐⭐⭐⭐
What I loved
The beginning drew me in. I was so interested in everything that what happening with Ben and the book, but then, it started going a bit downhill for me. I felt like the plot got a little lost, and I do not like animal/pet deaths. In this case, there was no reason for it other than to show the change in the character.
I'm definitely interested in checking out other books by this author, but I'll be more cautious going into them.
January 6, 2022
Disturbing, shocking, intense and emotional.
Ben is temporarily abandoned by his mother after his father dies. Alone and neglected, Ben falls under the spell of a shadowy figure who requires blood sacrifice to give him what he most wants - a family.
It's a short read at 150 pages, but Seay's writing is addictive and vivid nonetheless. The storms, the heat, and Ben's despair leap off the page and envelope you from Page 1. I loved 'Go Down Hard' and this book was a fantastic read as well.
Ben is temporarily abandoned by his mother after his father dies. Alone and neglected, Ben falls under the spell of a shadowy figure who requires blood sacrifice to give him what he most wants - a family.
It's a short read at 150 pages, but Seay's writing is addictive and vivid nonetheless. The storms, the heat, and Ben's despair leap off the page and envelope you from Page 1. I loved 'Go Down Hard' and this book was a fantastic read as well.
July 19, 2024
2,5 ⭐️
Tiene una lectura ágil y se lee de una sentada. Reflexiona sobre las relaciones familiares, la toxicidad de ellas, sobre las elecciones y sus consecuencias…
Me he aburrido un poco leyendo la novela, solo tenía ganas de que acabase y de que llegase a donde tenía que llegar sin sorpresa alguna.
Intenta transmitir mensajes y crear una psicología de personaje interesante, pero deja muchísimos puntos interesantes a tratar; haciendo así que sea una historia tremendamente superficial, sin ningún rasgo de distinción entre muchas otras del estilo.
Tiene una lectura ágil y se lee de una sentada. Reflexiona sobre las relaciones familiares, la toxicidad de ellas, sobre las elecciones y sus consecuencias…
Me he aburrido un poco leyendo la novela, solo tenía ganas de que acabase y de que llegase a donde tenía que llegar sin sorpresa alguna.
Intenta transmitir mensajes y crear una psicología de personaje interesante, pero deja muchísimos puntos interesantes a tratar; haciendo así que sea una historia tremendamente superficial, sin ningún rasgo de distinción entre muchas otras del estilo.
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