Reviews

Sleep Alone by J.A.W. McCarthy

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ngallegos87's review against another edition

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Are you a fan of rock n' roll and lesbian succubi? Then this novella is for you!

libraryraven's review

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dark emotional hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

the_coycaterpillar_reads's review

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4.0

A rock band. A merch girl. Starving Succubi.

One sitting. An enraptured reader.

Ronnie and her band of misfits. Life on the road can be lonely. She’s spent a life lonely, and she refuses to sleep alone anymore. When she meets the enigmatic band, she realises that they are everything she’s been searching for. They tour the pacific Midwest and their youthfulness and zest for life reminds Ronnie of a life gone by. She wants to tap into that once again, live carefree and they make her hungry for it. The only problem is that Ronnie is a Succubi, she’s hungry to feed and she wants these men around for the long term. How easy it would be to turn them…

McCarthy has created characters that are well developed and with enough layers that you just know that it’s going to keep you going through the winter. It’s exceedingly hard to develop characters worth caring about in a novella sized story but McCarthy has excelled where others fail. Oh, and that cover. Well, don’t ask me why but I got the Mystery INC feelings. I was totally here for it!

Ronnie was an enigma to me. When you think of Vampires or Succubi, what immediately springs to mind? Dark and devious creatures of the night? Blood sucking beings that don’t care about picking off victim after victim. Bram Stoker’s Dracula? This was different. Ronnie taught the boys self-control, not only because if they went too far and left corpses in their wake some hotshot detective might put two and two together and get four. They feed to sustain, and Ronnie has taught them to take the victim’s negative memories from them. She sees it as a kindness whilst sustaining their unnatural lives.

When Ronnie spots the mysterious Helene at one of the band’s shows, she knows right there and then that she’s different. Her aura shines throughout, and she knows she needs to make some kind of contact with her. Her eyes…it’s all in the eyes. Little does she know that the connection she feels is something akin to home. They know each other on a deeper level, there is probably no-one that knows the other better.

Unfortunately, when you create something so unnatural, an abomination, such is what the boys from the band have become, it is an uncontrollable variable. Ronnie doesn’t know how they will turn out and so far in the six years that they’ve been together as this new dynamic, things have been good. However, one member develops this really nasty wound at his navel that only gets worse. Is this a sign of things to come or is it simply a feeding session that went wrong?

bookbabe0614's review against another edition

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dark lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

inkychaotics's review

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dark emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sex, drugs, and Rock'n'Roll are a classic combo that meet a succubus twist in SLEEP ALONE. I loved this book. So much is packed into the novella, and I enjoyed watching each layer unfold as the plot developed. The main character, Ronnie, is interesting and flawed (which I love -- I don't want characters who never make mistakes); her restlessness jumps off the page and invites the reader to come along on a heartbreaking journey. McCarthy excels at creating such strong emotions and connections through her utterly gorgeous prose. Seductive and sad, SLEEP ALONE croons out a melody that readers can't resist.

J.A.W. McCarthy is an incredibly exciting voice in horror. I loved her short story collection (SOMETIMES WE'RE CRUEL and her novelette IMAGO EXPULSIO featured in Split Scream. I eagerly await her next works!

k8we's review

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adventurous dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

emco_0's review against another edition

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dark fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

bluebreex's review

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dark funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book had a really interesting concept that got me invested really fast! I don't usually read horror, but I really enjoyed this book. If you want a short queer horror experience I would highly recommend it!

Content Warnings

jamieleepilk's review

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dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? N/A
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

eelisedunn's review

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

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