Eric LaRocca is an absolute genius. His stories make me physically cringe and leave me speechless. These are amazing and horrific. Stories that will long stay with me.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes review!

Thank you so much Titan Book and Netgalley for this gifted copy, in exchange for an honest review! Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes comes out September 6, 2022.

Okay wow, what did I just read? 😅 While reading LaRocca’s work it often felt like reading poetry, but then I realized what I was reading and was just so disturbed as well. 😂 Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was a solid 5/5 stars. I was left wanting more, but also not really because I was so disgusted. The Enchantment was an beautiful and eerie story, but didn’t hook me as much as the first, so I gave it a 4.5/5. You'll Find It's Like That All Over was terrifying and had my heart racing, but it was only about 20 pages, so it didn’t get that build up I needed! I gave that one a 4.75/5. Over all, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke And Other Misfortunes was a 4.75/5 ⭐️!! LaRocca will definitely be on my radar for horror for now on!!

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke ages like fine wine, the new materials are decent, if not as immediately impactful or fully fleshed out; considering this short stories collection as '1 feature presentation + 2 bonus materials' then you won't be disappointed.

There's an evident thread across all 3 stories — the desperate desire for human connection. The new stories, The Enchantment and You'll Find It's Like That All Over, while each manage to tackle the collective theme from a provocative perspective, both are a couple steps away from feeling polished or as cohesive as THGWSWLS.

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.

You'll Find It's Like That All Over is simply way too short to let its intention breathe, resulting in the whole thing feeling under-baked and oversimplified — I get its message, but the execution is very vanilla.

The star rating is basically for the short story Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke alone, which remains powerful (and grotesque) upon re-read. The remainder is inoffensive at best — which might be a letdown if you're expecting materials at the same caliber as THGWSWLS.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is a collection of 3 short horror stories and one in particular has really creeped me out. The first story is disgusting and horrific, and not like anything I have ever read before. The second story is completely different but just as mind-boggling. The third didn’t do much for me and unfortunately brought my rating down.

Three short stories so this review is basically three reviews in one. I have to admit that I do not read horror often and the last two did not feel like horror to me. But, they were all quick and fast-paced reads that I found intriguing regardless and am excited to see what the author has for us in the future.

1. Things have gotten worse since we last spoke (4 stars)
CW: Animal cruelty, animal death, body horror, vomit, suicidal thoughts, sexual content, child abuse

I’ve already read this one and I didn’t notice any changes when I reread it so I’m going to assume nothing was changed, however I definitely appreciated the story a lot more this time around and even though I already knew what was to happen, I did still feel dread whilst reading it.

I remember not knowing what to expect going into this book; all I knew was that it was sapphic horror in an internet chatroom and though the format was quite new to me and I wasn’t expecting it, it was good! Pretty much my only complaint was that I wish we had more because I was quite invested in Agnes and Zoe’s relationship but I liked where it left off too.

SPOILER. Agnes eating the meat had me cringing just like when I’d first read it. After reading the contract, I really thought Zoe would be the one to look out for, but Agnes’ downward spiral became surprisingly morbid and horrific pretty quickly. She was so entranced and eager at times to do whatever Zoe asked, and then it culminated in her desperation for a child and her unhealthy obsession with it. It was so intriguing to see Zoe’s clear apprehension in where things were going, and then after that how she ended things when it became too much for her. END SPOILER.

Overall, my favourite of the three!

2. The enchantment (3 stars)
CW: Death of a child, suicide, suicide attempt, infidelity, miscarriage, death

An intriguing beginning and end and I did like it and thought it had potential, but the writing and pacing really threw me off. The word ‘notice’ and the phrase ‘senses herself’ appeared way too much and I found that the story wasn’t subtle at all as things that the characters miss are constantly pointed out in a ‘what they don’t see is…’ sort of fashion. I’m not sure if that was intentional, but it just felt juvenile to me.

As we neared the end, I felt like everything was being rushed as we had time skip after time skip and there wasn’t enough happening in each little section. I think I would have liked more set up on the religious aspect of the story, or even the story just being longer in the first place. In general, I was just so thrown off by the writing that I did not feel any strong emotions with this one.

3. You’ll find it’s like that all over (3 stars)

I’m not quite sure what to make of this one. It felt more like a really long riddle than anything else and although I did love the theme and the ending, I think it’s just not for me. I did like the writing though and how Mr. Fowler was so desperate to stay courteous and polite he went through all of that despite his growing reluctance because honestly relatable.

3*

Kind of mixed feelings about this one.

I will say, that from the moment I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The first story had some high highs, and some low lows. Some incredible moments of the lengths we go to in order to find a connection. The second story felt a little weaker to me, but still kept my attention. The premise was strong, but I feel like it left me wanting a little more fleshed out conclusion. The final story was short, sweet, and to the point.

Eric La Rocca does it again, Things Have Gotten Worse Since the Last Time we Spoke, was a novella I highly anticipated and I wasn’t let down. The novella consists of three short horror stories that explore themes of obsession, relationship’s, and isolation.

“What have you done to deserve your eyes today?”

Each story is as wild, horrific, and bizarre as the next but I guarantee you won’t be able to put the book DOWN. La Rocca’s writing is just that addictive. Our first story is told in various emails between two women and I loved the mixed media style. It was enjoyable to read even as I was horrified by certain events.

Furthermore I loved that we have queer main characters at centre stage. We don’t have a lot of queer horror novels and it makes my heart happy anytime we get more… even with the, you know *gestures to the horrifying parts*

As much as I enjoyed the first story, the second story was my favourite. I don’t want to give anything away so you’re not even getting the title but it was the highlight of the book for me and it’s winter vibes gave me shining chills.

The last story didn’t work for me as much as the other two and is actually one of the reasons I gave this four instead of five stars. However, like I said above- I did enjoy the way it was written.

If you enjoy wild horror and stories that you won’t be able to look away from, then I highly recommend this novella and other Eric La Rocca books.

*Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review. All thoughts are my own.*

The stories contained in this book are not for the weary. Trying to describe them to others is difficult as it's hard to communicate the creepy, disturbed feeling you get when reading these short stories. Beautifully written, it's easy to get buried onto the scenarios written within the pages. I consumed this book in two sittings

This book is split into three short stories, one of which I have seen mentioned by a ton of book bloggers!

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke was an incredibly bizarre read yet I couldn’t put it down. I don’t normally get on with “transcript” type formats but with this book being written as emails and instant messenger conversations it worked well.

Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy the other two stories in the book as they just didn’t maintain my interest and I found The Enchantment a bit too slow for my liking.

Thank you to netgalley for my arc!

Thank you to NetGalley, Titan Books and Eric LaRocca for this advanced copy!

Hmm, I'm not really sure what I just read?! Three stories that are just as haunting as each other but I couldn't stop reading them. Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke deals with death, obsession, love, pain and more. It's a dark, dark book and not one I would read again but I'm glad I picked it up. Delving into these narratives, you see what can happen when sick, twisted minds are at play.

I will say this, there are some stomach churning moments so be prepared heading into this one. I had to take a few little breathers. Not my most favourite read but it kept my attention throughout and I found the very interesting. Definitely one I would recommend for those that enjoy psychological horror, and a perfect choice for Spooky Season!

* Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

I find Eric LaRocca’s writing so disturbing and so beautiful at the same time. These 3 shorts are creepy because they make us think about what we crave most as humans: connection. To things, to people, to belief systems. These shorts will make you ask yourself “what is all of this [life] for? What happens in the end?” and the answers that you’ll find through this collection will leave you feeling both fulfilled and hollow at the same time.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

TW: Animal deaths, animal murders, pregnancy issues, suicide, manipulation, relationship abuse, disturbing food scenes, toxic workplace, toxic family, bdsm, depression, divorce, loss of child, miscarriage, racism,

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book: 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.

A couple isolate themselves on a remote island in an attempt to recover from their teenage son’s death, when a mysterious young man knocks on their door during a storm…

And a man confronts his neighbor when he discovers a strange object in his back yard, only to be drawn into an ever-more dangerous game.
Release Date: September 6th, 2022
Genre: Horror
Pages: 288
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ (2.5)

What I Liked:
• Creepy story
• You have no idea what the point is
• Some parts are disgusting
• Format of telling the story

What I Didn't Like:
• The ending
• The writing seemed different on different conversations.
• All the animals killed (my poor heart)

Overall Thoughts:
Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke (original review from when I read in 2021) - I'm honestly surprised at all the hype around this book. This reads like a novella found on Kindle Unlimited (no insults to those authors but that's where you find the "odd" horror stories.) For me it felt like at certain points it was different people writing this book. We went from emails from Agnes where they were so poetically written and descriptive to IMs where she's just talking like hey and not much just watching tv. The writing just didn't seem to match. Little things bothered me about this book....They never talked about ages or anything personal. What happened to A/S/L? We only get Agnes' age from the authors note. It bothered me that Zoe asked for a photo of Agnes in her red dress but I remember digital cameras being expensive so she just whips one out on demand. Was there even a discussion on her even owning one? I just felt like a lot of things were left out and we were only getting a small picture of what happened. I found it odd that Agnes never pushed to talk on the phone or it was even brought up. Months went by and no one mentions a phone call. On another note... How the hell was Agnes living on the $1500 a month? Even in 2000 it's not that much.

The conversation from apple peeler to sexual talk happens so fast that it felt unbelievably rushed. No where in the conversation is it hinted at that there was something more than friendship. It's safe to assume that some parts might be missing since in the author's notes it's written; The author has noticeably marked these redacted elements with [omitted.] The absent contents remain in the archives of the Henley’s Edge Police Department and are strictly forbidden from being removed from their records.". So I guess some pages are missing.

I hated that it's made out the bdsm is just being selfish and personally pushing someone to do something they clearly don't want to do for the fun of it.

There are so many many scenes where living things are killed in this book that just made me sad. I had to skip over them because they are so graphic.

And last but not least the ending.... Why? Did the author not want us see her slip into madness anymore? I suppose it's already talked about in Agnes' emails that she's on the edge of killing herself. In one of the first emails we she says;"I don’t know what I could possibly ever do to repay you, but just know that you have changed the life of someone who was seriously contemplating ending it all if things kept going the way they were going. It’s not as if I had a plan or anything. I didn’t go out and buy a rope or rat poison to stir in my morning coffee. But I was sincerely considering doing something to change my life in an irreversible way. You plucked me right from the edge before I was about to jump. I hope you know that."So we already know she's desperate and she put a lot of trust and love into Zoe.

For the most part I enjoyed it but there was some stuff that bothered me. Definitely worth a read since it's so short and easy to get through with the email/IM format. I honestly think this book is an almost rip off of Dennis Cooper's "The Sluts" , which is one messed up book.

The Enchantment - There is ZERO way dude can nail himself to a cruifex by himself. Zero👏🏻! Like the only way you can nail your feet down is if you nail your wrists up first because your feet nailed to the board would not hold you up enough to finish hands. As soon as it's mentioned that this kid is building a cruifex you know he's going to nail himself to it. Didn't understand how this super religious person is chill with suicide.

This story was interesting. I wouldn't say this story had a twist. As she's slowly slipping into madness and desperation from missing her son Olive thinks the man that shows up is an angel here to save them. I didn't understand then how she ended up pregnant because I'm assuming that James couldn't get her pregnant. So the angel got her pregnant? But then when she crossed him by changing his room he made her lose the baby or were these things really miracles? It doesn't make sense then for the angel to take them. Were they going to die from a gas leak and that was when he was going to take them? I left with too many questions.

You'll Find Its Like That All Over - This story wasn't terrible but it felt like a filler. For a moment it reminded me of a Goosebumps book. Very tame & lame. Forgettable.

Final Thoughts: Most of the time it feels as though this author sets you up with an interesting story with descripitive details for it, only to pull the rug from under you and NONE of that mattered. You're left with a bunch of shit that is pointless and a confusing ending that makes no sense. I'm convinced that this author is out there making stories that are confusing just to mess with us - the readers - and charge $15 for 100 page "books". Ah. The added stories did nothing for the book. They were meh okay but they didn't add anything to the story that the previous novella didn't already have.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A captivating read that I just couldn’t put down. This book is exactly what I look for in horror - eerie and appropriately graphic with the perfect sense of dread in each story.

Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for letting me read an advanced copy of this title.

The title story alone makes this book worth picking up. My second read of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke proved just as fruitful as the first. Here’s a story about two people longing for connection but can never quite get on the same page. They’re just trying to complete the sale of an apple peeler, after all. But the relationship grows and escalates to absurd levels that will astonish you. I loved the form — found correspondences used as evidence — and the gradual escalation of the story. What a fascinating look at relationships.

The second story — The Enchantment — takes place in a world where religion is proved false and follows a family with a son who is obsessed with Jesus. When the story takes a tragic turn, the family goes to an island where their experience reminded me of the Shining with a handsome stranger thrown in. It’s fast-paced, emotional and extremely thought-provoking.

The last story shows how far a person will go to people please. It’s a perfect gambling adventure to round out the collection.

Absolutely magnificent!

"Three dark and disturbing horror stories from an astonishing new voice, including the viral-sensation tale of obsession, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. For fans of Kathe Koja, Clive Barker and Stephen Graham Jones."

This was my first read by Eric LaRocca and it did not disappoint! Since the insomniac in me couldn't sleep, as soon as I got approved I stayed up all night reading it. Who needs to sleep before work? I love horror, and these stories did not disappoint! All three stories were dark and edgy in the best way possible. I found myself just going along for the ride and had no idea were it would take me. While each story was delightfully creepy, they also had a deeper, personal message as well.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and Other Misfortunes is a collection of three horror novellas (short stories) that will surely draw a visceral reaction from every reader, but whether the reaction is positive or negative will largely depend on how well they can stomach this brutal level of horror. I couldn't get over the format of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. I loved the combination of emails, and Chat room messages, I think it's really cool that LaRocca was able to build an entire spooky vibe, without having to describe the environment, and have it being based completely on the characters.

I went into this book blind, I had been seeing the cover online, and I couldn't get over the art. That and I LOVE short story collections. I had heard of the titular novella when it was published in June 2021 and went viral for its visceral body horror and general nausea-inducing reading experience, but I never looked into it. It's fucking disturbing, dude. The unexpectedly sadomasochistic relationship between the only two characters, the extremely grotesque shock horror, and the abrupt, twisted ending - was fucking shocking.

This is a very quick read, or maybe I was just racing to finish this so I could get it over with. If you can handle some truly fucked up stories without dry heaving, then give this a shot. Otherwise, I don't see any good reason to read this for fun.

I've heard a lot about this book going in but I avoided spoilers at all costs. Recommendations were plentiful and I couldn't wait to start reading.

All the praise is true, all the hype warranted. This book of three novellas is pure psychological horror that slithers in your mind and attaches themselves to your subconscious.

The themes of loneliness, connections, and our basic human need for acceptance are explored in ways that are engrossing and familiar. And that familiarity makes the creepy factor increase tenfold as these stories unfold little by little coming to their horrifying conclusions.

The dark spaces in our mind are revealed through these characters and their interactions with effective and frightening results. This is a book I would highly recommend.

Whilst writing this review I’ll try to find a rating I’m happy with.

Split into three, I’m conflicted.

Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke is a story I’ve been desperate to read. And I loved it. My response upon finishing was a “hahahaha, what?!” cackle running through my mind. This is the sort of weird, macabre plot that I like.

The next two stories though, meh. I found them both to be disappointing though each had a moment where I thought oh, it’s going to get good isn’t it?! But alas, they fall flat.

It’s 5 stars for the first, 3 for the second and 2 for the last (it lit a spark and extinguished it immediately).

4.5 stars
Fantastic horror stories within this book! Plus the cover art is just stunning!
These are quite psychological stories, and a bit disturbing.
It was a fast paced and dark read. I look forward to more by this author!

A quick read. Bizarre and dark, this is well written but...I don't really know how to describe it. It seemed a little...pointless?

Adored this. These stories are full of growing horror. The suspense is masterful and the characters are so intriguing – sometimes, especially in the second story there is a clever distance maintained from them. I like LaRocca's prose – it's lush without compromising on pace, indeed every word seems carefully chosen. I was expecting to be repulsed and revolted but I wasn't – the level of body horror (for me) didn't feel gratuitous in the first story, it felt like it was evoked in a really interesting way. A brilliant read.