Bad People Abuse Animals: The point where it's apparent Zoe is not as nice of a person as she appears is where she commands Agnes to find a salamander in the park and kill it. The story opens with a plea for its realism, classifying the story as ‘evidence’ to which we have been granted access: ‘… Because the litigation surrounding Zoe Cross’s case remains open at the time of this publication, certain elements of their communication have been redacted or censored at the behest of the Henley’s Edge Police Department’ (p.ii). The ‘redacted’ content acts as a negative space in the centre of the story; an insistence on journalistic integrity that undermines the assumed omnipotence of a fictional voice. Calling to mind the openings of H.P. Lovecraft’s ‘The Shadow Over Innsmouth’, M. R. James’s ‘A Warning to the Curious’, or the always-unsettling ‘The following is edited from real footage…’ at the start of every found footage horror film, ‘Things Have Gotten Worse…’ is a love-letter to established horror forms from the very first word.

In the first, titular story, a relationship initially developed from a wanted ad, creates a sense of intimacy and knowledge which is not always possible when meeting in the physical flesh. The distance between yourself and the people you are conversing with is paradoxically widened, and narrowed, by the potential to re-invent yourself and to compel other lonely souls to do your bidding. What begins as a cautious dance , escalates into a folie a deux with, at its core (pun intended) an antique apple peeler. Please don’t google what one looks like, before reading the story, let your imagination roam first, is what I would advise. The story takes the form of internet chatroom conversations being used as evidence of some criminal act, therefore some of the details are redacted, making you feel both voyeur to their relationship as well as judge on the appropriateness of this form of communication. As the layers are built up, their defences are peeled away leaving both women raw, and vulnerable. Or are they?# Now, let's take a few minutes to talk about the plot because if I had to read that, there is no way other people don't get to hear about it too. That hasn’t stopped it from going viral. It may have even helped. Things Have Gotten Worse has sold more than 20,000 copies, making it by far the most successful release to date for Weirdpunk Books, the Minneapolis-based DIY horror imprint that published it.

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Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing. The book in question is Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, a 2021 title from author Eric LaRocca. It’s a short horror story that takes place exclusively online, in chatrooms of the early 2000s. One lonely woman sells a family heirloom to another, and the two dive into a whirlwind of toxic self-disclosure. Critics agree: It’s not for the faint of heart. Absolute poverty is fixed in real terms, while relative poverty measures household incomes below 60% of the median average in that year. LaRocca’s combination of structure, adept pacing and masterful language is more complex than meets the eye… A must-read for fans of body horror, epistolary novels, and depravity”– Library Journal

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is a 2021 queer horror novella by Eric LaRocca. Originally published on its own, it was later reprinted with two additional stories as Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes. Eric LaRocca’s superb collection Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes is cutting edge horror with pristine writing sharp enough to slice open your skin. Strongly recommend.” -Ray Garton, author of Live Girls and Crucifax Autumn A set of three short works, all falling into that bleak, almost nihilistic type of horror. This style is hit or miss for me, sometimes it all just works like gangbusters and sometimes I feel like it's piling on for piling on's sake. These all are in the middle for me, a few recurring themes that are nice since the three stories are very very different otherwise.There is no happily ever after to be found here. These stories are bleak, powerful, and ugly, showcasing the darkest side of human nature.

The Enchantment has a very powerful opening (reminds me of the suffocating dread of a Ari Aster film), and some beautifully depicted imagery, but it also meanders aimlessly (particularly during the middle), and never fully explores the intriguing spirituality inquiry it puts forward at the start. The poems and recordings veered into philosophical territory so much that there was little to no horror—and the one thing that was horror-y made me uncomfortable but not in a good way. My eyes rolled on their own from the halfway point. Tamsen’s story was okay, though it would have been better if there was something concrete enough to tie that story to the bigger picture of this novella. This is honestly my biggest complaint, because having an idea of how these two parts connected in the end would have single-handedly made this book a whole other experience. I find the vague plagiarism explanation to be flimsy at best. It honestly was the most exciting thing about this book, but then he explains it super fast (not to mention that the reason behind it was boring as hell) and immediately killed the tiny bit of suspense he actually managed to create. A whirlpool of darkness churns at the heart of a macabre ballet between two lonely young women in an internet chat room in the early 2000s—a darkness that threatens to forever transform them once they finally succumb to their most horrific desires. For those unfamiliar, the Weirdpunk Sub Club is essentially a subscription service for a year’s slate of books. For 2023, we will be releasing 5. When each book comes out, it will be sent to you without you having to do any additional work. You also get the bonus of knowing you helped us fund an entire year of releases.The need for human connection. To feel understood, validated, a little less alone. Taking a chance on one another, each risk leading to yet another gamble. These three stories show what lengths some may take to fill the void. Story one is set between 2 women in an online chat room. Story two is set between a married couple and an unexpected visitor on an isolated, remote island. Story three is set between two neighbors in a quiet cul-de-sac.... only there is nothing quiet about it. None of these tales will end the way you might predict. This is Eric LaRocca and his words are seeking a connection of their own, leaving an impression on the reader with dark memories not soon forgotten. Eric LaRocca (he/they) is the author of several works of horror and dark fiction, including the viral sensation Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. The ending redeemed this book quite a lot for me, it explained the dismembered feel of the whole book. But it’s just not good enough to justify how bad the book feels (except the novella, a full star goes to it). I suffered through this book, and not in a good way. There's a huge plot twist at the end of one novella which like changes your whole perspective and I'd say it's one of my faves cause it was REALLY surprising. We’ll have cover reveals for Eric LaRocca’s disturbing Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Maria Abrams’ haunting She Who Rules the Dead over the next couple of weeks, too!