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Bunny Room by Oscar Brady Is a Bleak Cannibal Masterpiece
In Bunny Room, an elderly hillbilly living in the Appalachian mountains is just doing his best to take care of…
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Ingest Me, too: A Quick Bite of Pure Horror
Ingest Me, too by Lesley A. Camphouse is a brutal little follow-up to her visceral novella Ingest Me, and let…
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Horror Heads West: My First Splatter Western
Westerns aren’t typically my shot of whiskey. I immediately assume they’re a bunch of old white dudes who are either…
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Cows Go Moo, Minotaurs Go Mmm… That’s the Spot
Morning Glory Milking Farm by C.M. Nascosta is the first book in the Cambric Creek series and to be completely…
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I Thought This Was Just a Slasher Splatterpunk—But Janitor Surprised Me
Janitor was more than I expected. I assumed this was a straightforward splatter punk book about a psycho janitor in…
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What If Saw Was a Resort? This Book Answers That
You’re Going to Die here is an extreme horror novella released in 2024 by Y.M. Miller. When an invitation to…
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Imaginary Friend… or Something Worse? | Anathema by Nick Roberts Review
At its core, Anathema is the story of addiction, anger, trauma, and the effect it has on the family dynamic.…
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Deadgirl by Bridget Nelson Gave the Movie a Soul—and It Hurts
I wasn’t sure what to expect going into Deadgirl by Bridgett Nelson. I rewatched the film beforehand and assumed this…
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Bone Deep by Rachael Chadwick | Dark Romance Meets Erotic Thriller
Bone Deep follows Levana, a mortician who’s living her best single life, perfectly content being on her own—until she crosses…
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Extreme Horror Goes to Eleven in Genital Rot
I went into Genital Rot mostly blind. I knew it involved a death metal band and… that’s about it. What…
Welcome to Rotten Reads
Rotten Reads is your one-stop haunt for horror and dark romance book reviews, recommendations, and unfiltered commentary. Whether you’re into blood-soaked splatterpunk, taboo tales, or villains you shouldn’t be rooting for (but do anyway), you’ve found your new favorite nightmare.
Who’s behind the horror?
My name is James Lewis, and I’m the voice behind Rotten Reads. I’m a lifelong horror fanatic with a soft spot for morally gray characters, messy love stories, and books that push boundaries. I created Rotten Reads to spotlight the bold, the brutal, and the beautifully twisted — the kinds of books that linger like a bruise and hit like a hammer.
What you’ll find here:
- Honest, spoiler-free (mostly) reviews of horror and dark romance novels
- Deep dives into indie, extreme, and underrated reads
- Companion content on YouTube and TikTok @jameslewisbooks
- Author interviews, curated rec lists, and themed reading challenges
- A growing community of readers who like their fiction a little messed up
Not your mom’s book blog.
Rotten Reads celebrates the books that others shy away from — the provocative, the polarizing, the beautifully grotesque. If you like your love stories with bloodstains and your horror with heart (and entrails), you’re in the right place.
Join the Rotten Reads community:
Follow me on TikTok and YouTube for video reviews, spicy takes, and exclusive reading content.
Ready to rot your TBR?
Your dark corner of the book world. Expect brutally honest reviews of extreme horror and dark romance books that push boundaries and haunt your thoughts.
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