The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: Collected Stories - Eric LaRocca

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Advanced praise of "The Tree Grew Because I Bled There" hailed this collection of eight short stories as "deeply-unsettling, painfully-dark." Fortunately for true horror aficionados and unfortunately for readers like me who only think we truly love horror, that description is correct.

While it's an indisputable fact that Eric LaRocca's writing is gripping, vivid, and the marker of a great storyteller, many--if not most--of these stories were too harrowing for my taste. In picking this up in the early morning, I genuinely cried because one of these stories unsettled me so deeply. So for readers of a fainter heart like mine, proceed with caution, because this collection is specifically body horror of the most grotesque and the most haunting form. For readers who already know and love LaRocca, I suspect they'll be thrilled that he has a seemingly depthless reservoir of inspiration from which to spin short stories that will keep you glued to the page.

While I may not have enjoyed this collection of literary horror, I can't deny its sheer originality and superb execution. These stories are the lump in your throat and the shadow in the basement; truly horrifying. 

No rating given due to content
Publication Details: 3/7/2023, Titan Books

*Huge thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing my review copy!*


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