Cucumbers and Comforters

by Nikki Noir

It started when Dale Oberman went missing. Soon after, authorities discover the bodies of two graduating seniors at a lake party. Their anuses cored out, as if the killer had been looking for something buried deep inside.

As problems continue, Jen Levy believes the culprit is a creature living in the lake. A disgusting creature that wants to eat more than your ass, it wants to suck out your shirikodama, and there’s only one way to stop it.

Jen and her stoner pal Shaggy face the Kappa in a novelette of friendship & revenge.



Petite Morte is Nikki Noir's unique brank of spooky fiction. Bizarre and sometimes extreme, but always entertaining! Digital copies can be found at GodlessDOTcom.

More Noir can be found at THAT SPOOKY BEACH and Blood Bound Books.

Genres: Horror, Audiobook

77 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2021

About the author

Nikki Noir writes erotic thrillers, extreme horror, and bizarre plotlines. She enjoys reviewing all forms of dark fiction and art at her website That Spooky Beach

Reviews

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You thought with a title like that, it was going to be some kind of porno parody with big green dildo's, didn't you? C'mon don't lie. That's what I thought going into this one too. Instead we have an interesting mix of Japanese folklore, known as The Kappa.
When a young man, Dale, goes missing, a vulnerable guy with intellectual disabilities. Jen had a soft spot for him and taught him all about The Kappa. When people start turning up dead with assholes cored out like a cursed artefact in an Indiana Jones Movie.

[Dion Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

You would be forgiven for thinking that this book is a porn parody of some kind, but you would be way off.
This is an awesome creature feature based around the Kappa, an amphibious yōkai demon or imp found in traditional Japanese folklore.

There are a few cringeworthy parts, but the character development is second to none, and I find the writing has a very similar feel to My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix.

I have read a few stories by Nikki Noir now, and the more I read the more I like them.

[Bookaholic__Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not about to lie and say that cover and title didn't take my mind to a whole OTHER place....because it 100 % did. However, the actual story is kind of cute and sweet while also being a bit bloody.

I wasn't familiar with the Kappa at all before reading this. If you like creature features, this just might be worth adding to your tbr.

I loved the narration, too! Solid 4 stars easily.

I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kelly Furniss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars
Dale Oberman is a quiet 10 year old loner with special needs. He spends all his time in the woods trying to block out the World but he then goes missing, not that many people seem to care!.
The bodies of two graduating seniors at a lake party are then found there in the most horrific way. Their anuses are cored out, as if the killer had been looking for something buried deep inside them.
As more bodies are found often after engaging in sexual activity, Jen Levy starts to wonder about the myth that she has shared with her young friend Dale who she shares a connection with. A myth that's obsessed him to the point he often spends time playing out and she indulges. Could it be real? could the culprit actually be the cucumber eating river creature 'Kappas' that is believed to live in the lake?.
Jen is growing frustrated with the cops and together with her frequently stoned pal Shaggy decide to face the 'Kappa's' in this coming of age novelette crammed with friendship, forbidden sex, eroticism, horror & ultimately, revenge!.
I enjoyed this mythical creature short story. The plot was well thought out with good complex characterisation which added little twists to throw you off the scent. I never guessed the ending but thought it was perfect!.
I would without doubt recommend this to any fans of this genre.
My thanks go to S.C. Mendes, the author and Blood Bound Books for providing this copy in return for a honest review.

[Pearl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thankyou to Blood Bound Books, S.C. Mendes, Nikki Noir, and NetGalley for sending me this copy. 𖹭

This was a strange,weird, yet intriguing read. I've been introduced to Japanese folklore in the book, Which I found interesting. Kappa, the cucumber and river loving mythical demons - help Jennifer, the protagonist trying to solve the mystery of her friend Dale, a special need's ten year lonely old kid's sudden disappearance.

The story has enough gore and extremeeelyy explicit details to gross me out, read the content warnings before you read the book, it may not be for the faint heart. Might ruin cucumbers for you. I liked the mystery and friendship part of the story, I'd recommend if you want a strange short read.

[Sonja · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the second short story that I have read from Nikki Noir's short story collection Petite Mort. It is about a mythical creature, the Kappa, who wants to take people's shirikodama which appears to be their life force. People are being killed and nobody knows who is doing the killing. Weird, erotic horror, this could be expanded into a full novel with more depth of character, stronger plot, etc. As it is, it is a quick and quirky read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this short story.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

KAPPAS!

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being a teenager is hard. Being a teenager and having your only real friend turn into a Japanese-style water spirit and your nemesis get torn in half and be suspected of her murder is harder.

I've been on a bit of a short horror kick lately! So when I got the chance to read more S.C. Mendes and Nikki Noir, I had to pick it up. This one is definitely more of a new adult spooky read, but it's perfect if you're looking for a bit of a change of pace. We follow Jen, a new girl in town who hasn't been able to make many friends. Well, except Dale, a young boy with problems of his own. Dale's been missing for days now, and after a run in with him at the lake, Jen has come to one conclusion. Dale has turned into a kappa, and now he's going around town tearing people in half. The police are involved. She's having weird dreams. People are going missing, and when no one believes Jen, she's left to solve the mystery on her own.

Overall, this was a really fun read. It was a great way to break up some heavier books for me. If you're looking for something that's spooky and easy to binge, this is a great choice. There's a little bit of spice for those who want it (though not enough to rival a true steamy horror), and a good amount of mystery for those who don't. Palpable teenage angst, a small cast, and a not-your-typical monster. A fun 4.5/5 read!.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[kymagirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story: Jen just wants to make it through her last few weeks of high school without any more drama. But when she gets humiliated at a lake party and later stumbles upon Dale, the ten-year-old boy who’s been missing for weeks, her life takes a terrifying turn. No one believes her when she says Dale is back, and soon after, people start turning up dead in the most gruesome ways imaginable. As Jen tries to make sense of the violence unraveling around her, she’s haunted by disturbing dreams that seem to predict the murders. Her only ally is Shaggy, a stoner classmate with a belief in the supernatural, but even he struggles to grasp the horror they’re dealing with. Meanwhile, the town is on edge, the police are watching Jen closely, and she’s running out of people to trust. Somewhere in the murky waters of Shale, something ancient and vengeful is lurking. And it’s hungry. A dark coming-of-age story where childhood myths turn deadly and not everyone makes it out alive, in a blend of small-town cruelty, folklore, and psychological horror.

Audio: Narrator Ivy Coldburn does a good job with the story. The audio quality is good and there were no issues.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

**Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.**

Pros
+ genre: YA, magical realism, horror
+ setting: high school, party, lake town
+ plot: Jen tries to find her missing friend, a 10yo boy named Dale, as a string of gruesome murders sweeps the town
+ the friendship between Jen and Dale is so wholesome
+ perfect, dark ending
+ literal cucumbers 🥒 
+ kapas (Japanese water creature-spirit)
+ "keep away from water and sex" 
+ vibes: bloody, visceral, gross

Cons
- more focused on ass stuff than I ever bargained for (good lord make it stop)
- super graphic sex scenes paired with corny banter
- "hose me down with that man-batter" 🤢🤮
- listening to this on audio made the sex talk a truly cringey experiences

TW: bullying, gore, mutilation, EXTREME ass stuff, extremely explicit and vulgar, "r-word/simpleton" slurs, murder, attempted rape

[Samantha Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Comforters And Cucumbers" by Nikki Noir and S.C. Mendes ( @bloodboundbooks )

Meet Jen, whose only friend is a boy named Dale. He's been missing for a few weeks now.

Together, you'll explore the Japanese myth of the Kappa, a catfight, a cucumber, and cowering under the comforters at night.

The opening line to this story is stellar and it truly set the tone for the entire read for me. I enjoyed the mystery behind the missing boy Dale and the hilarity of the cucumber. I also appreciated the mythical story of the Kappa because it was something I had never heard of before. Unfortunately, the supernatural elements to this story didn't really suit my taste. Because of this I rate it a 2.5/3 🌟.

[Catherine Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you know Japanese lore then this book is worth reading. Japanese lore is my youngest son's favorite thing in the world. Before I read the book, I asked him what his take on Dallas and he won't on and on about Pappas for a roll 20 minutes. I took his retelling to heart and then read the book. I cannot believe how right he was about kappas. I was astonished. The book itself was right on the money as my son said. The book was great and was very fun to read. Loved it even though it sounded gross.. But great. Just wish I knew what happened after the book ended. It just seemed unfinished.

I received a free copy of the book and is voluntarily writing a review

[Kimberly Spookybookwurm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to read this because I wasn't familiar with this creature before. I thought the folklore behind it sounded interesting, I really liked the water aspect it went along with. I like the cover, it seems creepy. I thought that the creature seemed scary and with how the descriptions of what it does were vivid, which made me fly through this one.
I had a few favorite characters but Dale would definitely have to be my favorite, I smiled with his scenes. Certain characters made the ending satisfying for me. I didn’t see the twist coming, I thought it was really sad, but it did make the ending even better.

[Tavia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

10-year-old special needs boy Dale has gone missing. His family isn’t very concerned, but his older friend Jen is very worried. When a few teenagers are killed in a very grisly manner, Jen worries if it has something to do with the Japanese Kappa legend her and Dale had been discussing. Story also involves cucumbers, anal sex and other crazy themes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blood Bound Books for a copy of this short story.

[Rainbeaux Harvest · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, this story was more emotional than horror/gore. I felt horrible for Jen and Dale. Poor Dale has special needs and a family that just ain't it. His mother needed a slap with a cucumber for being how she was. Jen, being Dale's friend, thinks what's happened is her fault. She was the one who told Dale the story of Kappa. Booty holes being cored out added some spiciness to this story. Enjoyable short read.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved this book! It was short and greatly written . I couldn’t put it down and was certainly an adventure

[Angelique Jordonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nikki Noir is becoming a favorite author for me.

[Chris Carelse · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the real reason why Mario has to rescue Peach from King Koopa

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cucumbers & Comforters was so ridiculous. 😂😂 I enjoyed it. I love a book with good retribution in the end.

[Bean · Rating 3 out of 5]

After having read a few of Nikki's stories before, when I first saw the title of this book, I thought to myself "oh boy, here we go"...but I was way off base.

We meet Jen, a high school senior who's a bit of an outcast. She has trouble making friends her own age so she ends up befriending Dale, a young boy with disabilities, who is treated as nothing but an annoyance to his family members and others who know him. Jen & Dale frequently run into each other at the local river, it's there that she tells him about Japanese mythological water demon's known as kappa's. Shortly afterwards Dale goes missing and no one seems to really care, except Jen. She is determined to find out what happened to Dale, no matter what cost.

This is a great short creature feature story, I'm a big fan of folklore horror, so she had me at the start. I was impressed with the authors knowledge of them, she portrayed the one in the book quite convincingly.
There is a few good revenge scenes (I love it when people get their comeuppance dished out nice and hot to them), a nice mash up of character's and a surprise ending, which I found rather emotional. I really liked the uniqueness and the plot of the story. My appreciation to S.C Mendes, Nikki Noir and Bloodbound Books for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Demonika · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first selected this book I figured it would be some kinky f-d up porno $h!t that Noir knows how to do so well, but once I got going, I was actually way off. I mean sure, there is some f-d up $h!t... just not the kind I was expecting from the title.

The book is actually a little more bizzaro than anything - half high school seniors coming of age and then randomly throw in a Kappa from traditional Japanese folklore (sort of an imp or little amphibious yōkai demon). We have a missing kid, a seniors’ lake bash, anuses being cored out, lovable stoners, friendship and revenge all in one.

The book is super short, another one of her Petite Morts, so I won’t give too much away. Jen, our senior misfit who befriends a kid named Dale she keeps running into at the local river where everyone kind of hangs out. She tells him the stories of the Kappas. This unexpected friendship is interrupted when Dale goes missing and his family really doesn’t seem to give a $h!t. Jen is determined to put the pieces together and find Dale. Throw in the creature feature and gnarly bits, and it’s a really weird, unique bizzaro story. A perfect airport or other quick read that you will not be disappointed by, because you just can’t expect what will come next, especially the ending.