I received a digital copy of this novella from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Petrified Women
A Novella
Written by Jeremy Ray
Published by Infinite Ray Publishing
on May 14, 2021
Genre: Adult, Horror
Length: 92 pages
Goodreads | Amazon
Synopsis:
Some pranks go too far. This one could be deadly.
Harley has finally picked the perfect boyfriend.
Sure, he's a bit eccentric. His wood carving hobby is a little odd. His need for isolation while he carves his life-size female figurines is strange. And maybe his obsession with pranks, or "scares" on Harley goes a little too far. But what do you expect? Aiden's an artist.
She has the ultimate surprise planned for Aiden's birthday, one that's going to help her get even in their battle to out-prank each other. She hides in his apartment, excitedly waiting to pull off the scare of a lifetime... but when he comes home, she witnesses a different side of her boyfriend. One that only exists behind closed doors. Is this just one of his scares? Harley's about to find out.
CONTENT WARNING:
SEXUAL ASSAULT
VIOLENCE
BODY HORROR
STRONG LANGUAGE
My Thoughts:
I flew through this novella in just an hour or two and absolutely loved it! It's spooky and suspenseful and has a fan-freaking-tastic ending.
Harley hasn't had the best luck with boyfriends in the past, and her best friend, Shelly, agrees. But Aiden is different. He's an artist that carves life-size figurines of women at home that sell for lots of money and has a twisted sense of humor but is lots of fun. Aiden's practical jokes, or "scares" as he likes to call them, can get a little intense but they're helping Harley get over her fears after all.
Harley is convinced that Aiden is 'the one' and has the best idea to get him back for all of his winning scares so she sneaks into his apartment to hide but soon sees a side of Aiden that has her wondering if it's a new scare or the real deal.
This was so good! I was hooked from the start and didn't put it down until I was finished.
I don't read novellas very often but something about this book's synopsis (and that simply gorgeous cover) had me jumping at the chance to read it and I'm so glad I did. I sympathized with Harley and loved the emotional depth in her character and the author's writing but it's the ending that made this a truly memorable tale. I don't think I'll forget it any time soon!
Be aware that this is an adult novella with content warnings that the author has graciously provided for us, including sexual assault, violence, body horror, and strong language.
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