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After the Lamb Bites Back
What is love if not a hole dug from warm flesh that grows teeth, craves like the wolf craves the innocence and purity of the lamb, and the lamb aches for the wolf’s bite, that leaves rot to fester as both become infected by violence and cruelty in the other’s absence?
Blossom James has disappeared, leaving Agent Henry Williamson to be sent back to the city following his grim discovery and narrow escape, but as he struggles to recover and return to his work, he quickly finds himself descending into nightmarish visions that threaten to unearth his past and blur the lines between his dreams, and reality, leading him right back to the source of the infection; where Sheriff Norman Green searches for the truth of what lurks in the trees after another gruesome murder only deepens wounds that refuse to stay closed… Wounds that gush pink.
Blossom James has disappeared, leaving Agent Henry Williamson to be sent back to the city following his grim discovery and narrow escape, but as he struggles to recover and return to his work, he quickly finds himself descending into nightmarish visions that threaten to unearth his past and blur the lines between his dreams, and reality, leading him right back to the source of the infection; where Sheriff Norman Green searches for the truth of what lurks in the trees after another gruesome murder only deepens wounds that refuse to stay closed… Wounds that gush pink.
- GenresDark RomanceHorror
439 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 1, 2022
About the author
Kate Winborne
6 books19 followersWith eccentric, twitchy mannerisms like a lamb carcass infested by bugs, Kate Winborne, aka “The Rotten Girl”, is a surrealist horror-romance author and filmmaker known for her vivid dream imagery, excessive, grotesque depictions of cannibalism, female rage/monstrous femininity, suburban trauma, and indulgences in themes such as hunger/consumption as forms of desire and love as infection/sickness. She is described by her readers alongside contemporary feminist and LGBTQA+ authors in the horror community as the ‘female Lynch.’
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 21, 2023
i need whatever the fuck the author was on
April 26, 2023
Kate Winborne is a brilliant writer. The imagery she weaves in this book is unlike any I have read so far, and the themes present in the first are brought back and expanded upon much more– and done so beautifully. This book truly displays the progress and improvement the author has gone through, and it is a gorgeous continuation of Blossom.
Henry and Blossom’s individual stories are explored further, which was wonderful as I did feel as though the first book had only scratched the surface of those characters. We get to have a peek at the depraved, unhinged things that go through their minds and I loved every bit of it. They were written immaculately, and the relationship they shared had become even more insane, which I definitely loved. Despite their time apart, we got to see the lengths of the attachment they have to one another; such as Henry often dreaming of Blossom and being reminded of her. Speaking of dreams, in my review of the previous book I had mentioned how I wanted more scenes of Henry’s dreams, and After The Lamb Bites Back definitely delivered my request.
Just as I had enjoyed reading the first book, I had an even more delightful time with this one. There were several instances throughout the book where I found myself questioning my own sanity, and that certainly added to the experience of reading this. I wish I had more to write about here, but I would only keep repeating myself over and over again about how talented of a writer Kate Winsborne is and how incredible this book is. I am eager to read more, and to see what happens next.
Henry and Blossom’s individual stories are explored further, which was wonderful as I did feel as though the first book had only scratched the surface of those characters. We get to have a peek at the depraved, unhinged things that go through their minds and I loved every bit of it. They were written immaculately, and the relationship they shared had become even more insane, which I definitely loved. Despite their time apart, we got to see the lengths of the attachment they have to one another; such as Henry often dreaming of Blossom and being reminded of her. Speaking of dreams, in my review of the previous book I had mentioned how I wanted more scenes of Henry’s dreams, and After The Lamb Bites Back definitely delivered my request.
Just as I had enjoyed reading the first book, I had an even more delightful time with this one. There were several instances throughout the book where I found myself questioning my own sanity, and that certainly added to the experience of reading this. I wish I had more to write about here, but I would only keep repeating myself over and over again about how talented of a writer Kate Winsborne is and how incredible this book is. I am eager to read more, and to see what happens next.
September 20, 2022
I’m genuinely obsessed with this story, these characters. At times I feel I don’t even understand what I’m reading, and that I’m going a little insane, and I had never absolutely adored that feeling until now. Sort of like being lost in a David Lynch-esque nightmare, and I desperately need more. I could’ve devoured this book in one sitting, I’m sure, but I just couldn’t because I didn’t want it to end. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book, and in the meantime, I may give Blossom and After The Lamb Bites Back a reread. Or two.
January 22, 2025
I’m praying this book was self published, otherwise the editor needs to lose their job. In addition to grammatical errors sporadically appearing throughout the book, this “story” was less of a story and more of a way to include the words “orb”, “coagulated”, and “pink” as many times as possible.
There was no plot. The book starts with you hearing about Norman and his struggles, and then you get to Henry and you never hear about Norman again. Norman at one point finds an old picture with Henry with Norman’s father, which makes the reader think this is a vampire/immortality book but no- it’s never addressed again.
Also Henry is a creep. I think the author was going for a “hot mysterious cop” (hot cop is a juxtaposition in itself) but it just flopped. I’m supposed to be attracted to the guy with a dead wife who goes to prostitution rings to aggressively have sex with the youngest girl there who looks like ANOTHER teenager he is obsessed with? I’ll pass.
The Blossom storyline was fine, but I wish it was from her perspective only. I feel like that would make so much more sense and give the reader a better understanding of what I imagine they were going for.
Edit- just now after I’ve finished, I’m learning this is book 2. Regardless, the grammatical errors, insanely long run on sentences, and incoherent story make me want to never read this author again.
There was no plot. The book starts with you hearing about Norman and his struggles, and then you get to Henry and you never hear about Norman again. Norman at one point finds an old picture with Henry with Norman’s father, which makes the reader think this is a vampire/immortality book but no- it’s never addressed again.
Also Henry is a creep. I think the author was going for a “hot mysterious cop” (hot cop is a juxtaposition in itself) but it just flopped. I’m supposed to be attracted to the guy with a dead wife who goes to prostitution rings to aggressively have sex with the youngest girl there who looks like ANOTHER teenager he is obsessed with? I’ll pass.
The Blossom storyline was fine, but I wish it was from her perspective only. I feel like that would make so much more sense and give the reader a better understanding of what I imagine they were going for.
Edit- just now after I’ve finished, I’m learning this is book 2. Regardless, the grammatical errors, insanely long run on sentences, and incoherent story make me want to never read this author again.
June 7, 2024
I am so confused this made me feel like I was on drugs 😭😭😭 I felt sick for half of the book and I was going insane like I had to reread some pages 5 times. god I’ve never read anything like this or with any similar writing style and I’m obsessed, I had to close the book and breathe several times. I am going to explode (I support women’s wrongs btw) give me more give me more
April 26, 2023
is this how taking lsd feels like
January 19, 2023
You can definitely see where the author has grown in their writing style/prose and where they're more confident in the themes and subject matter they've been exploring. Even though the first has something so special to it that I'm really excited to be returning to (hopefully) with the third. Kate has a natural talent and eye for weaving a lot of imagery that's common in film with literature and not losing the pace or plot to those descriptions, whereas many authors in the same genre fail to do the same.
January 19, 2023
Wow. I've been thinking of what to say about this since I finished it, but no words I can come up with seem to give credit to this work in the way I mean to. It's a flawless continuation of the first that has taken what was established, turned it up to 500, twisted it inside out, and left me dreadfully anxious, disgusted, and somehow starved yet nauseous. Kate is doing something with this genre I've never seen done before. I'm in absolute awe. These books deserve so much more attention than they're getting. Now to back and re-read them before the third comes out!!
November 30, 2022
this felt like the perfect continuation to the first book of the series. i loved how dream-like and surreal it was, i often kept questioning if the nightmarish events in atlbb were really happening or not. some chapters left me confused, but always wanting for more. a lot of things that were left unanswered in blossom started making sense here, as the story focused even more on henry and blossom and established their mindsets. although they don’t share much time together in the sequel, it becomes clear how dependent and addicted they are to each other. at first, the story seems to focus on the mundane and the aftermath, but the more i read the more insane it got. i also got to fell in love with so many new and returning characters (and their satisfying backstories), they all felt so real and complex, even if they only appeared briefly. really looking forward to read the conclusion of Kate’s story <3 <3 <3
February 8, 2023
I have been following Kate’s work for quite a long time, watching as she posted tons upon tons about her ideas and inspo’s, boards and influences since before Blossom came out and have been along for the entire ride. So when ATLBB came out I naturally had to pick it up ASAP, going as far as getting a mug, t-shirt and a few other pieces and after another read of Blossom and some annotating I was ready to really dive into this one.
And you might be asking, did it live up to the hype?
The short answer is yes.
But you don’t fucking care about the short answer! You want the long, unhinged, screaming, feral response of sheer emotion that this book upheaved upon me! Obviously!
So this book made me feel even more than the first, it continued to play on the themes of the first and amplified them, elevated them further! Colour and food is constantly referenced and woven throughout once again and I eat it up, speaking of eating I had to keep making food while I was reading! The brutality and violence is even more stomach churning in this book and I was loving it. Blossom really went even harder, the scene in the honeymoon suite was a stand out! Henry is falling apart even more in this, the events of the first book clearly effecting him in a massive way, the cuts back to the Town I was unable to set the book down! Seeing how it was rocked by the open exposure of what has been going on for so long, particularly through Norman, the illusion of his home town shattered, was fantastic.
My favourite moment had to be Blossom talking about the trope of final girls in horror, it somehow managed to top her drunken rant/speech in the first book about feminine rage and the lack of understanding from men, it was truly transcendent and she hit the nail on the head in the best way.
The spice and humour and gore was all top notch in this entire book and the final 30 pages I was sweating and consumed with the word on the page until sadly, I realised that the book was over! I am dying, simply dying for the next book to see how this all comes together and finishes! Kate is only getting better and better and I am positive the next book will deliver a satisfying conclusion. 10/10, recommending to all, I felt insane while reading it, would and will read it again and again.
And you might be asking, did it live up to the hype?
The short answer is yes.
But you don’t fucking care about the short answer! You want the long, unhinged, screaming, feral response of sheer emotion that this book upheaved upon me! Obviously!
So this book made me feel even more than the first, it continued to play on the themes of the first and amplified them, elevated them further! Colour and food is constantly referenced and woven throughout once again and I eat it up, speaking of eating I had to keep making food while I was reading! The brutality and violence is even more stomach churning in this book and I was loving it. Blossom really went even harder, the scene in the honeymoon suite was a stand out! Henry is falling apart even more in this, the events of the first book clearly effecting him in a massive way, the cuts back to the Town I was unable to set the book down! Seeing how it was rocked by the open exposure of what has been going on for so long, particularly through Norman, the illusion of his home town shattered, was fantastic.
My favourite moment had to be Blossom talking about the trope of final girls in horror, it somehow managed to top her drunken rant/speech in the first book about feminine rage and the lack of understanding from men, it was truly transcendent and she hit the nail on the head in the best way.
The spice and humour and gore was all top notch in this entire book and the final 30 pages I was sweating and consumed with the word on the page until sadly, I realised that the book was over! I am dying, simply dying for the next book to see how this all comes together and finishes! Kate is only getting better and better and I am positive the next book will deliver a satisfying conclusion. 10/10, recommending to all, I felt insane while reading it, would and will read it again and again.
February 8, 2023
spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (4)
characters: 🖤🖤🖤 (3.5)
writing: ✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️ (5)
horror + gore: 🌲🌲🌲🌲 (4)
descriptions: 🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷 (5)
surrealism: ☁️☁️☁️☁️ (4)
A meal best enjoyed paired with the first, After the Lamb Bites Back takes Kate's corrupt, depraved, and perverted Henry Williamson back to his own habitat, where he was previously, and is continued to be allowed to prey upon the sanctuary of the city without consequence, though this time, his mental state actively and further deteriorating since the first act, Blossom seems to haunt and infect him, sending him into a deep spiral of psychosis where not even the reader knows what's real. Though I wished there were more scenes with the previous titular character, the scenes she does have are just... Spine-chillingly gruesome, and beautifully written. I also have to give the author props here because the book handles itself like tearing up the scab of the first book and sinking back into the fresh wound, and there's a texture, and taste to her writing that other authors lack, especially in today's 'booktok' era of amateur and childish publications that really belong on a 13-year-old's Wattpad. I was a little skeptical before delving into these books knowing Kate is in college, but she writes better than I would say 80% of the most cultured, seasoned adult authors there are. I can't wait to see where she takes us with Dreams From the Edge of Nowhere, and past that.
characters: 🖤🖤🖤 (3.5)
writing: ✒️✒️✒️✒️✒️ (5)
horror + gore: 🌲🌲🌲🌲 (4)
descriptions: 🦷🦷🦷🦷🦷 (5)
surrealism: ☁️☁️☁️☁️ (4)
A meal best enjoyed paired with the first, After the Lamb Bites Back takes Kate's corrupt, depraved, and perverted Henry Williamson back to his own habitat, where he was previously, and is continued to be allowed to prey upon the sanctuary of the city without consequence, though this time, his mental state actively and further deteriorating since the first act, Blossom seems to haunt and infect him, sending him into a deep spiral of psychosis where not even the reader knows what's real. Though I wished there were more scenes with the previous titular character, the scenes she does have are just... Spine-chillingly gruesome, and beautifully written. I also have to give the author props here because the book handles itself like tearing up the scab of the first book and sinking back into the fresh wound, and there's a texture, and taste to her writing that other authors lack, especially in today's 'booktok' era of amateur and childish publications that really belong on a 13-year-old's Wattpad. I was a little skeptical before delving into these books knowing Kate is in college, but she writes better than I would say 80% of the most cultured, seasoned adult authors there are. I can't wait to see where she takes us with Dreams From the Edge of Nowhere, and past that.
January 26, 2023
Despite not being that much longer than the first length-wise, there's a heaviness/weight to this one, an intelligence and breath of life that the first one doesn't necessarily lack because it's very clear that the author purposefully kept it surface-level in establishing the plot and keeping the reader involved in the investigation, but being able to descend with Henry into his dreams (and see just how much effect and control Blossom has over him) alongside the surrealist imagery that Kate is masterful in painting, brings something so horrifically beautiful to this edition that makes you feel like you've been lobotomized coming out the other side of it. It's also obvious that Kate has become more confident in her storytelling skills and the palette she brings to her stories, which makes this time around more filling, and more engaging as she weaves together each picture with fine details and expertise. I cannot wait to see where she takes us with the third (like. who the fuck is the cowboy, and what does he want? he made me have nightmares for a week after just because of that One Scene) ❤️
February 2, 2023
Gritty, disgusting, sleazy, and dreamy, this sequel explores Henry Williamson's rapidly declining mental stability post-Blossom and the events of the first book, taking a peek inside his life back in the city which makes you wish you... Really hadn't. As for Blossom, I had to wonder if she was even there during her scenes, which ones were actually happening or a fantasy (which seems to be a reoccurring thing with her) but I suppose I'll have to wait for the third to find out. Kate is much more confident and strong as a writer in this book, as she settles into the themes and lands the blows with expertise. I haven't read (or watched) a story unfold quite like this one, and as I mentioned in my review of the first book, I wasn't much of a reader until I found the author on her social media, partially expecting to not even be able to finish the first one. But she proved me wrong, and I hope she'll prove you wrong, too.
February 27, 2023
If it's anywhere near as good as the first, the five stars are well worth it
Edit: I'm astonished, appalled, nauseous, weirdly turned on, fascinated, confused, etc. etc. etc. surrounding the events of this book. I feel like somebody stuck my brain in a blender and poured it back into my skull. It's insane how much better this was than the first, and that's not in a negative way, I still absolutely love the first and feel like going back to re-read it and catch the easter eggs in there, setting up the catastrophic downfall of After the Lamb Bites Back, but holy shit. I'm never going to be able to get over just how pervasively unsettling, vivid, disgustingly well written this was.
Edit: I'm astonished, appalled, nauseous, weirdly turned on, fascinated, confused, etc. etc. etc. surrounding the events of this book. I feel like somebody stuck my brain in a blender and poured it back into my skull. It's insane how much better this was than the first, and that's not in a negative way, I still absolutely love the first and feel like going back to re-read it and catch the easter eggs in there, setting up the catastrophic downfall of After the Lamb Bites Back, but holy shit. I'm never going to be able to get over just how pervasively unsettling, vivid, disgustingly well written this was.
June 20, 2023
cannibalism + mother wound yeah this book was made for #ME.
had me questioning my sanity while reading like this book has got to have one of the most insane writings ever, i literally felt like i was on drugs.
i have so many questions my brain is gonna burst. and i need to talk with the author cause i don't know what's real or not anymore and that ending?! henryblossom stay with me 😭
had me questioning my sanity while reading like this book has got to have one of the most insane writings ever, i literally felt like i was on drugs.
i have so many questions my brain is gonna burst. and i need to talk with the author cause i don't know what's real or not anymore and that ending?! henryblossom stay with me 😭
July 23, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
pretty sure i lost a part of my soul somewhere between the pages. 10/10 i would lose myself again. the writing is borderline insane but in the best way and finished it questioning if im even sane anymore
pretty sure i lost a part of my soul somewhere between the pages. 10/10 i would lose myself again. the writing is borderline insane but in the best way and finished it questioning if im even sane anymore
June 18, 2023
went through all 5 stages of grief reading this and aged about 20 years
March 3, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
feel like i just had psychedelic trip. not even sure i am real at this point
feel like i just had psychedelic trip. not even sure i am real at this point
September 10, 2026
every day you tormented me, Henry.
January 23, 2023
This blew me away. I'm addicted. And it will be the death of me. 100/5 I can't even process this I need a drink, a nap, and probably therapy
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews