Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a chilling, atmospheric novella set in an abandoned and haunted Japanese Heian-era mansion, chosen as a wedding venue by a group of friends. What starts off as a fun evening quickly spirals into a nightmare.

I really enjoyed this novella and loved the elements of Japanese folklore and mythology. The setting is everything I look for in horror, so I was immediately hooked and not disappointed. I read this in one sitting, and my intrigue didn’t wane despite the slow build.

The writing was impressive, giving off an eerie, tense vibe and providing a vivid atmosphere throughout. However, I will admit to having a dictionary on standby for my entire read—it is extremely wordy!

The characters aren’t particularly likeable, but I enjoyed the themes we got to explore as their histories slowly unraveled. Namely grief, relationships and the consequences of our actions.

I do wish this was a little longer; the ending felt abrupt after such a slow build-up, which I do believe was intentional. However, I would have loved a few more pages.


Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Japanese-inspired horror novella published by Titan Books (in the UK – Tor Nightfire in the US), this sees a group of friends (although that term stretches things a bit) spend the night in an ancient Japanese mansion to celebrate the impending marriage between two of them. Tensions among the group quickly come to the fore though, and a night spent drinking and telling ghost stories brings out the worst in each of them. And all the while, something lurks in the walls – the hungering spirit of a spurned bride whose bones rest within the mansion’s foundations.

Short even for a novella, this is nevertheless quite impactful, drawing upon sinister Japanese folklore and brought to life with brilliantly dark imagery throughout (and I mean, just look at that cover too!). The characters aren’t especially likeable, intentionally I think, although protagonist Cat is at least relatable – still recovering from a serious mental health crisis, uncomfortable even being there, but bound to this group in complex ways. It’s very much a story about grief and pain and the fractures that develop and grow within a friendship group, deliberately playing with and confronting common horror tropes in a strange sort of meta narrative. The prose is a bit dense in places, and the unlikeable characters mean there’s little room for sympathy, but overall it’s an interesting little horror story full of creepy yokai and very human conflict.

Nothing But Blackened Teeth, a novella by Cassandra Khaw, is a chilling and atmospheric horror story that will leave readers with goosebumps. The setting is a decaying Japanese Heian-era mansion, which is described in visceral detail, and adds a haunting backdrop to the tale. Khaw's prose is sparse, yet evocative, making for a chilling and engrossing reading experience.

The characters are a motley crew of old friends with long-standing grudges and unresolved issues. Khaw masterfully captures the tension between them, which adds to the sense of unease permeating the story. As things start to go awry, the characters' personalities begin to unravel, and Khaw unveils their dark sides with gruesome delight.

The horror in Nothing But Blackened Teeth is not just in the acts of violence that occur, but also in the psychological terror that the characters experience. Khaw presents a bleak view of human nature that is both thought-provoking and terrifying. The ending is deeply unsettling, leaving readers with a feeling of unease long after they've finished reading. Overall, Nothing But Blackened Teeth is a haunting and chilling horror tale that is not to be missed.

*******Many thanks to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

"Nothing But Blackened Teeth" by Cassandra Khaw is a chilling and atmospheric horror novella that will leave readers both unsettled and enthralled. The story follows a group of friends who decide to hold a wedding ceremony in an abandoned Japanese mansion, only to discover that the house is haunted by a malevolent presence.

Khaw's writing is visceral and haunting, with vivid descriptions that create a palpable sense of dread and unease. The characters are flawed and complex, with their interpersonal conflicts and histories adding depth to the story.

The novella is also steeped in Japanese folklore and culture, with Khaw's knowledge and research on the subject shining through in the writing. The setting is expertly crafted, with the mansion and its surrounding grounds feeling both hauntingly beautiful and foreboding.

Thankyou to Titan Books and the author Cassandra Khaw for allowing me to read this arc.

Firstly I feel like the whole premiss would make a brilliant film. I liked the opening as it set the story and introduce you to the characters, but after about halfway through chapter 1 I feel like some aspects of the story start to get dragged out and slows the pace down.
For a short book you want to get to the action quick but no dawdling.

The detail gone into the Heian-era mansion, surroundings also the detail into the Japanese folk-lore and mythology really builds the mood and is done really well
The plot is really a great horror story plot - A small group on a destination wedding, where the bride has always wanted to get married in a haunted house and her fiancee is more than happy to oblige. Like many horror films there is a downside to this group of friends...a hidden tension, a bride who isn’t happy about Cat’s (the story-teller), presence, but dealing with it because it’s what the groom wants.

I wanted to love this, it's just a shame about the slow pace, also the masturbation scene was just a bit like..why?
Short, spooky Japanese ghost story, great for Spooktober.

First things first; can this be adapted, because this would make an absolutely excellent film.

I can understand why some people don’t particularly get on with this book, but the biggest drawback for me was how short it was. The novella length means we actually spend a really short amount of time in this place with these characters, and because of that it feels like the pacing is a little off – the first part is slow, the second almost rushed, and it would have been great for this to have had more room to breathe and build up the tension.

Safe to say, however, I was totally hooked on this, from beginning to end. A small group on a destination wedding, where the bride has always wanted to get married in a haunted house, so the friends end up in a Heian-era mansion in Japan. Like the best old buildings, this one comes with a ghost story; a bride asked to be buried alive when her groom-to-be didn’t show for their wedding. But now a sacrifice must be made, yearly, because the bride wants warm bodies for company, and brides must always get what they want, right?

This group don’t really feel like friends, and there’s a question that almost hangs over all of them: what are they doing here, together? What actually connects them? There’s a lot of under the surface tension, with various types of relationships between them, and a bride who isn’t happy about the Cat’s, the POV character, presence, but dealing with it because it’s what the groom wants. Cat is recovering from a suicide attempt and struggling with her own emotions here. It really felt like the writing itself matched her completely as a character.

The characters themselves almost feel like more selfish versions of the archetypes you tend to see in “group of young people gather in haunted location” stories, and it works really well.

I loved the Gothic atmosphere, I loved the underlying complications between the friends, and I loved the use of Japanese folklore and mythology underscoring the book, as well as the almost-commentary of the Hollywood horror movies with these types of characters. It reminded me (in a good way) of a darker, more thoughtful, less American-centric version of Cabin in the Woods. The only drawback was the pacing, but overall this was a book I very much enjoyed.

The premise of this book seems great. Asian traditions and horror. Some of the book is very spooky but I felt that the characters were flat, I couldn’t connect or engage with them. It seems to drag in parts and not much happened for most of the book, then the end although had its spooky elements felt rushed. It was a quick read and I didn’t hate it but probably just a one read only book for me.

A Heian-era mansion with a big fat ghost story (buried bride, girls buried in the walls to keep her company), as a wedding venue? N then creepy stuff happens??? I wanted this book to so so badly be more than it was.

The story was good, genuinely. Appreciated the twists on the tropes (even if they were a touch heavy-handed). Even enjoyed the flowery language most of the time (did get a bit much though). Quite a few bits were creepy n grim n made me feel a bit ~blech, and the Japanese Folklore was super interesting to me. But realistically I think if you're gonna limit your story to 120 pages you gotta keep it tight n this just didn't quite give what I was looking for - especially with such an irritatingly juvenile cast.

Also could 100% have done without the masturbation scene.

Anyway it's a quick read n definitely enjoyed a lot of it, but I'd be loathe to recommend it unless you lower your expectations 👀

Big thanks to NetGalley, Titan Books, and the author for the e-ARC - am sorry I didn't love it more.

Available now.

A thrilling short horror story that still packs a punch. The characters are vividly drawn and the writing is lush. I devoured it in a few hours and will check out the author's other worlds, they all look brilliant.

Nothing but Blackened Teeth for me was extremely polarising. Did I love it, No but I thought it was an ok read. I love Japanese lore; the atmosphere and culture entice me like no other. Their mythology blows my mind – from their theory of creation to the myth of the serpent captures my imagination. Although I enjoyed this journey into dark folklore a lot of it failed to hit the target for me.

As I said, the atmosphere was chilling, and I loved reading a horror story that wasn’t set in either Europe or America. It was refreshing and new and has opened up the possibility of me seeking out more Asian horror literature.

The writing was clever and intelligent but for me, the narrative was just full of words that I had to check the meaning to. I guess that’s on me rather than the author, but I did feel it was completely unnecessary. The story although short was slow to get going. I think if we had lost the first couple of chapters then it would have been more impactful. The characters are all annoying and shallow, they are also incredibly immature.

I guess this one just wasn’t for me.

A wonderfully unhinged horror that doesn't waste a single moment and creates something vibrant, visceral and intoxicating and genuinely unnerving. Reminded me of the 90's horror film R-Point which I had to seek out immediately after reading this.

What in the F did I just read?! Like, literally. I kinda wish this was fleshed out a little bit more, give us some more from the characters, explain their friendships and background a bit more. And I also felt the ending was rushed a little. But generally, the atmosphere was really good, and I was sufficiently creeped out for a 120 page novella.

This was my most anticipated read of the year but, sadly, I was very underwhelmed. The writing was pretty good and I did like the premise. The execution, however, was badly done. The cover, though, is amazing!

I liked the elements of Japanese folklore and the description of spirits that haunt this house. This book shows the conflict between modern Western thinking and old Eastern beliefs that ultimately leads to a harrowing end. I thought the setting is clearly portrayed and plays a large part in adding to the tension in the story.

However, I had a hard time connecting with the characters who feel thinly sketched and stereotypical. I think their relationships could have been fleshed out more because it's like watching the final episode of a series where all the conflicts come to a head. Their dialogue sounds like the way teens would talk (also what adults still wear varsity jackets?). The ending is abrupt and glosses over the ramifications of everything that happened. I feel like this book has a lot of potentials and I would have enjoyed it more if the story's been allowed to breathe. In the end, it didn't affect me as much as it should.

I can not comprehend just how blown away I am by this novella. I went in having been recommended Cassandra Khaw’s works by Corey J White and Marlee Jane Ward many moons ago and I had sort of let the rec simmer for a while until the right moment came up. Reader, it came up on Netgalley a few months ago (also on the publishers stories on Instagram and Facebook.)

We start out with a bunch of friends who alongside being friendly, seem to have bounced between relationships with each other. Enter present day when everyone is gathering for a wedding in the brides favourite spot, a haunted house, and there was bound to be some tension. Upon arrival, everything starts to escalate with the bride hating our MC, the brides husband having had a previous relationship with her. There’s also the married guy (I am unsure whether they had an affair while he was with his current squeeze or beforehand) and the poor little rich boy who got ordained in order to marry his friends. Its all very angsty and bitchy (I love it). But once they finally enter the mansion, everything changes, and the creepy dead girl starts to play.

Now I know I really should have been reading this creepy masterpiece during October because its Halloween month but frankly, I was too busy moving. But I’m also kind of glad I didn’t because it didn’t get weighed down with the chaff that usually occurs during my spooky month reads. Had it been another horror novel to fill my TBR, I feel like I would have missed the intricacies around the discussions of mental health and stigma, as well as so many great references to Japanese mythology and culture.

But why did I love it, you ask. It’s actually a really hard one to pinpoint because despite it being weird and predictable, due to its short length, the super-fast pace kept you on the edge of your seat. Thinking back not a lot ‘happened’ but it was also perfectly punchy and spooky.

The story being set in a Heian era mansion is probably what truly drew me in to be honest. I am trash for anything Japanese history but also how many absolutely batshit crazy stories have you heard that come from Japan. If you’ve never heard any, then you’re wrong because there’s million of them. A lot of them involving deformed women or maidens who have been buried alive. Its my jam and y’all can pick on me all you want but I ain’t budging from this soapbox. I really enjoyed the dead wife aspect of the whole thing but part of the genius of it was including references to and depictions of yōkai.

Basically, it was a supremely paced, absolute marvel of a novel full of nods to Japanese culture and mythology as well as a great discussion of mental health and the stigma associated with it. The pace is fast and punchy, leaving no room for the audience to get bored or distracted. Due to its short length, it is also that perfect tale to sit down and enjoy in a few hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I'm still blown away by the macabre and lush writing in this short but visceral story,
On the surface level it's a story about a group of friends (if you can call them that) gathered at a supposedly haunted house in the Japanese wilderness. A very common horror trope explored in countless movies and other media. But there was something about this story and the author's writing that was so enthralling.
It was almost aware of it's own similarities to the typical horror genre while still giving you this heart pounding, edge of your seat kind of reading experience in the same breath.

The descriptions were so visceral but elegantly written at the same time. I don't know how you can do that while describing dead and rotting things but Cassandra Khaw managed it.

While all these characters are pretty grey and messily human or outright nasty at times, they were so well written in the relatively small amount of space. You really got a sense of who they were beyond the pages we were given.

I'm not sure if some people may think that this story needed to be longer or have a less abrupt ending, but I love the way the author wrote the conclusion. It left you with this uncomfortable feeling even after the "haunting" part of the story had passed.
Will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of their work.

Unfortunately, this novella with an intriguing title and creepy cover didn't manage to capture my attention - nor spook me - in the first 32% and I don't feel compelled to read on further despite being intrigued by the myth of the bride buried alive. While the writing is stellar, there are way too many characters to keep track of and care about in such a short story and none of them particularly stand out. I may just not be in the right mindset for this kind of story but it lacked tangible atmosphere and I doubt I'd be convinced by any twists, turns, revelations or horror it may present down the line. Although this one didn't click with me, I'm grateful to Netgalley and Titan Books for providing me with an e-ARC for review.

What on earth did I just read? No, really, I don’t know. I was so excited when I got approved for this novella, as I love Japanese horror. I don’t think this author’s style is for me. The prose is beyond purple, with metaphors and similes in every single sentence, that do not make sense. I was pulled out of the story every other line as I was just so confused as to what I was supposed to be picturing. I didn’t care about the characters, who we barely get to know and have a massive history with each other but we never are let in on it fully. It was filled with Japanese folklore – I knew most of what was mentioned but it might be even more difficult for others without descriptions. It’s a pity as this was very high on my Anticipated Reads list. Just not for me, I guess.

The book was ok but too short and ended abruptly.
I enjoyed the writing but the characters were annoying and acted in a very unrealistic manner. The Japanese folklore element of it was not elaborated on and therefore will probably confuse any reader not familiar with yokai (Japanese "demons").

DNF - I struggled to engage with this one. I think I will get the audiobook from the library at some point and try it again then, but I found myself putting it down too many times for me to justify trying to keep reading. I think for a novella I need to be hooked fast, personally, and that didn't happen for me.