Petrified Women

I came across the novella_cellar_bookclub on Instagram and I thought it was the perfect way for me to read more horror books in the form of novellas. This is the first book by this author that I have read and after reading this one I would definitely be interested in reading more. 

This review is going to be spoilery. I can't write this review without spoiling the end so if you haven't read this book yet I suggest you skip this. I don't tend to read a whole lot of horror not because I'm not interested in it because I am I just tend to stay within my comfort zone. This book does get a bit dark and I highly recommend you reading the content warning at the bottom of the synopsis before picking it up. 

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. Aiden is a prankster which is fine and I even got a few laughs out of this book. I'm all for pranking people but there's a line that just shouldn't be crossed and lets just say you know early on that something is just not right about Aiden. Harley wasn't my favorite to start with. She came off as one of those people who would let people walk all over her and then forgive them despite knowing that what they did was wrong. 

Here's where things get spoiled. I wasn't the biggest fan of the ending. It wasn't a bad ending and I still really enjoyed the book but when I am reading a book that seems normal to all of a sudden have this supernatural ending thrown in I just don't care for that. I would much rather have a book where the main character kicked ass herself. That being said I totally should have seen that ending coming from the very beginning but I just didn't for some reason. Thinking back on it now it should have been very obvious. Like I said it wasn't a bad ending and it made complete sense it's just a personal preference thing.

Overall I am enjoying my foray into horror and I can't wait to pick up more in this genre and by this author. 

There is a CW at the start of the book for SA, violence, strong language and body horror.

From the very start of this novella, I was exclaiming “wtf?” as the main character seemed so subservient and I felt I was not going to connect to her. It wasn't long before I realised her assumed subservient attitude was more so a response to past traumatic events. It was painful to witness how much she gaslit herself questioning her very real feelings and intuitions, punishing herself for her reactions.

I loved the pacing of this book and read it in one go as it's a short read. I was rooting for the main character once I knew her story.

I highly recommend this novella, the only logical next step for me is to read more from Jeremy Ray.

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolutely obsessed

Fast and interesting read. I was at the edge of my seat for a lot of it and the ending was chef's kiss!

This was such a fast paced, thrilling novella! I read it in one sitting and could not put it down.

“Petrified Women” follows Harley as she attempts to prank her boyfriend, Aiden. However, the prank goes too far when she witnesses his true self behind closed doors. Not to mention, he's an artist with creepy, life-like wooden figurines of women. Plus, that ending was so unexpected! I almost wish it was longer so I could see into the future!

Since this is a fairly short novella, I can't give too much away. But, I highly encourage you to read it. Its a quick, well written story, and it is on Kindle Unlimited, which is a plus! I can't wait to read more from Jeremy in the future.

***Quick mention that there is triggering content in this book, so please make sure you look those up before picking up this book. All the triggers are listed on the authors website.

Thank you so much Jeremy for reaching out for me to review this book for you. You are extremely kind and talented.

I think Novellas are becoming some of my favorite books. The synopsis sums of this book quite nicely.

This is a fast paced novella that will give you the creeps. It's suspenseful and keeps you turning the pages until suddenly it's ended. But don't think you're left hanging. Sometimes novellas can leave you wanting more because they're so short, but Jeremy Ray does a great job of writing a full fledged novella with all the details you could hope for. The FMC is lovable and you can't help feeling for her. It also covers topics of sexual assault and PTSD while making it seem clique or appropriating those topics for a story line. The author's note is also very important to understanding this. Also I'm always there for women helping women....which you'll have to read the whole thing to understand.

Definitely recommend!

Petrified Women by Jeremy Ray

Harley is used to dating toxic men, but her current boyfriend Aiden isn't too bad. He has one special request; scaring Harley. Aiden absolutely loves pranks. The scarier the better. Harley sucks at pulling pranks but she's certain her most recent idea will give her the “jump” on Aiden. However, it's not always fun and games, and sometimes a prank becomes reality.

A warning that this book contains content that may be uncomfortable for some, so reader beware.

Petrified Women is a short suspenseful read. Jeremy Ray is a great storyteller and his pacing in the story is excellent. I definitely felt unsettled the entire time reading this book. The writing is detailed and I could imagine certain scenes perfectly. I literally flew through this book. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking of it. Characters were unique and interesting, although I found myself wanting to scream at Harley a few times to use her brain.

OK wow. That was terror in a whole different style and my heart is still trying to calm down. This author has a way of sucking you IN and feeling like you are the one the terror is happening to.

But the ending...