Where to start with this collection of stories? My only experience with Eric La Rocca was their previous book, Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, and I found that to an incredibly interesting read. Of the three stories presented in that collection I found that one didn't really do a huge amount for me, one was a very interesting slow burn story that felt very ghostly, and the other was incredibly disturbing, disgusting, and unsettling. It felt like a very broad mixture of styles, and I wasn't sure which of those I'd be getting in this book; which of LaRocca's styles would be the dominant one that would come through more often.

Whilst there are some spooky stories thrown into the mix here, with the first story the book presents you with being a prime example of this, for me most of these stories ended up falling into the latter category; the one that's designed to shock and disgust the reader. LaRocca's stories seem designed to make the reader gasp, to push you to the point where you're not sure if you want to keep reading, and to make your stomach turn.

The first story in the book that does this is the second one, 'Bodies Are For Burning', and I felt that this story makes it pretty clear that there's not going to be much in this collection that's off the table, or too taboo for LaRocca to bring into the mix. The story follows an aunt who's looking after her very young niece. The woman is recently widowed, and is finding it hard to deal with the fallout of that; especially because their thoughts about burning people keeps coming to the fore. She's had these thoughts all her life, but never acted on them. But now she's afraid that she's going to hurt the baby she's left in charge of. Through her internal monologue we get descriptions of the things she wants to do to the kid, like putting her in the oven and watching her scream as she cooks, or holding her hands over the burners on her cooker. The imagery is visceral, disturbing, and incredibly upsetting; and I feel that this is the area in which LaRocca excels.

'The Strange Things We Become' will feel very familiar to those that read 'Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke'. As with that story, this is told in the form of digital media logs, though message board posts this time round. It also deals with similar themes of love,of physical and emotional change, and of what people are willing to do when they're in love. There are parts of this story that have very little explanation, where the reader is left to try and figure it all out themselves, and the not knowing completely is the worst part. We only get brief glimpses of this story because of the way the narrator gives it to us, and that lack of understanding helps it to feel all the more unsettling.

Family also plays a huge role in the stories presented in this collection, and this comes to the forefront towards the latter half of the book where familial connections gets the spotlight. These stories can be the most disturbing because they take a look at how fine the line between love and hate can sometimes be, how your family can drive you to do awful things, and it really gets under your skin.

'I'll Be Gone By Then' follows a woman whose mother is moving to live with her since becoming sick. Having travelled to the US from Italy, and having given up most of her Italian identity, the woman already hates the idea of having her ailing mother coming into her life. Throughout the story we see moments of how this young woman has grown to convince herself that she has to hate her mother, how her carefully constructed present is more important that her past, and we get to see sinister thoughts begin to form in her mind as she tries to find a way of getting rid of her mother for good. The most disturbing part of the story isn't the attempts she makes to do away with her mother, like leaving her locked in a car on a hot day (though these moments are incredibly disturbing), but its the moment when she realises how monstrous she's become, how awful her actions are and tries to take it back that is the most heartbreaking and upsetting.We all have a capacity to do awful things to those we love, it's the realisation of that after the fact and the guilt of having to live with those actions that hurts the most.

'Please Leave Or I'm Going To Hurt You' is the final story in the collection, and whilst not involving things like imagined burning of babies, matricide, or bodily mutilation it might be one of the most disturbing in the bunch in its simplicity. The story follows a man and his elderly father who are hiking out to a remote cemetery, where the father is picking out the plot where he wants to be buried. Along the way we learn that the man has certain romantic desires towards his father, and things kind of only get worse from there. There's nothing truly awful about this story (you're not going to have to read about actual incestuous acts), but the way the topic itself is brought up here, they way the central character goes through things, it all leads you towards a very uncomfortable destination. And that's how the book ends, leaving you feeling....I don't even know how to describe it; but it's not good.

LaRocca seems to know exactly how to get under their readers skin, how to make people feel uncomfortable. There are so many types of horror, and whilst none of these stories frightened me, none of them fell into easily quantifiable horror sub-genres, they each one of them made me feel very uneasy. Reading them left me feeling bad, left me feeling almost dirty because it felt like I'd been taken to some truly disturbing and dark places and was made to take part in some terrible stuff because I saw it through the eyes of some awful people. This might not be a ghostly horror, or a slasher story, nor does it feature monsters, but it's most certainly horrific in its own unique ways.

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There features a number of stories that focus on queer identities, with almost every single one incorporating the queer community in some way. LaRocca is a queer writer, and it's clear that these themes mean a lot to them. LGBTQ+ stories tend to fall into a few neatly defined categories, things like coming out stories, love stories, and tragedies. We're either the victims or oppression and violence, the hopeful young queer out to make a better world, or a sidekick to a cool cis het hero who must be cool because they're down with the gays. But LaRocca's stories show us in a different light. We get to be people. Messy, muddled, complex, and even terrible people. Nothing would change in these stories if the people's sexual orientations were changed, their identities aren't intrinsic to the plots. Instead of being tokens or the inspirational queers they're just people. I love that LaRocca isn't scared of showing this different side of the queer community, and how we're often no different from the straight cisgender ones.

The book has another theme that seems to run through almost every single story in the collection; and those where it wasn't overtly included did seem to at least hint towards it. Cancer plays a big part here. People dying of cancer, people who have already died of it, it doesn't matter how its portrayed, it always seems to be a looming spectre. I don't know if this was a conscious thing LaRocca was doing, if they've had personal experience with the disease and was writing these stories as a way of dealing with it. Chances are though that people reading it will have had experiences with cancer, will have been through it themselves, or lost people to it. I watched both my in-laws die from it and saw what that did to my partner. I lost a friend to it, an amazing young woman who didn't even get to see twenty because of it. My best friend and most beloved companion died in my arms last year because of it. Cancer is cruel. It takes without care and we're all going to come up against it in some way. It's a looming spectre to be feared, and the feelings this book gives you, the horror, the disgust, the awe at cruelty, it all mirrors those feelings that cancer brings out in you. So please, if cancer is something that you're struggling with emotionally, if it's left its scars on you, or if you're dealing with it now, please be aware of it in this book before picking it up.

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There is not an easy read. I wouldn't even say its enjoyable. But its affecting. It's shocking and twisted and it hurts at times. It's not going to be for everyone, and I can understand not even getting all the way through it because it's not fun; but it is a hell of an experience.

Excellent collection as always. Eric is one of my auto-read authors and I can never wait for what comes next.

I received this as an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read! Its a collection of short, horror stories that deal mainly with death, grieving, mental illness and love. I didn’t find the stories scary for the usual reasons that make horror books scary, but rather because the stories tackle real life issues, even if there’s a “supernatural” spin on them which, in my opinion, makes them 100x scarier.

The titles are listed below in this order:

- You Follow Wherever They Go
- Bodies Are For Burning
- The Strange Thing We Become
- The Trees Grew Because I Bled There
- You’re Not Supposed To Be Here
- Where Flames Burned Emerald As Grass
- I’ll Be Gone By Then
- Please Leave Or I’m Going To Hurt You

I think Bodies Are For Burning is the one that resonated with me the most. I definitely felt some anxiety, waiting to see what the MC’s next move was going to be and how they were going to deal with their “impulses”.

I think any story that deals with children will automatically affect me, but You’re Not Supposed To Be Here was another interesting one, I could definitely see this one being made into a movie (if it hasn’t already).

Overall, I enjoyed this book and will definitely be reading more of Eric LaRocca’s works.

I enjoyed each story in this collection, each of them were inventive and creepy. Really unique.
I think You're Not Supposed to be Here was one of my favourites, especially as its a bit ambiguous at the end.
I don't have any complaints or judgements to make, would recommend this book.

Thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for the early access to this book. I read and enjoyed this authors previous short story collection, and The Trees Grew Because I Bled There was an equally enjoyable and disturbing time. Some of the stories were better than others, but overall they were all strongly written and really weird and creepy. Exactly what I expected!

It was definitely an interesting read that I had a really hard time putting down. Like a car crash you can't look away from. Each story is filled with such depraved characters,that it's almost hard to stomach at times, and that's kind of what makes it fascinating. To rely entirely on the disgusting thoughts and actions human beings are capable of instead of some kind of boogeyman is not something that's often this deeply explored in most modern horror (that I've recently read.) He's definitely done well (also in making me incredibly uncomfortable)

Brief Synopsis: 8 beautifully written horror stories about love, loss, betrayal and death.


Story 1, You Follow Wherever They Go
Heartbreakingly shocking and short about death of a family member.
TW: Cancer

Story 2,
Bodies are for burning
Disturbing thoughts possess a young widowed woman who looks after her niece.
TW: Suicide

Story 3,
The strange thing we become
Written in forum’ posts online chronicles a cancer diagnosis.

This one got me emotional due to my dad succumbing to prostate cancer in 09!
TW: Cancer

Story 4,
The trees grew because I bled there
Disturbingly horrific!
TW: Body Dysmorphia

Story 5,
You’re not supposed to be here
Reminds me of ‘the chain’. But more horrific! A couple having a picnic with their 6 month old when two strangers distract them…
TW: Kidnapping

Story 6,
Where flames burned emerald as glass
Unnerving, disturbing and shocking of a father/daughter holiday gone wrong

Story 7,
I’ll be gone by then
Mother daughter relationship wishing someone wasn’t there but then regretting it

Story 8,
Please leave or I’m going to hurt you.
Son father relationship, love hurt and betrayal.

Overall I thought each story was written beautifully and they were all so different and disturbing in their own unique way. Definitely recommend this for the horror enthusiast and it was a nice quick read at only just over 180pages.

When I saw Eric LaRocca, I knew I had to read it and see what the hype was all about. In this book, its a collection of different type of stories. Some are very short and some are on the longer side. An easy read, finished it in about 2 days. Some stories creeped me out and some left me feeling a bit confused. Check the trigger warnings on this because it discusses a ton of hard concepts. Since this was my first novel by him, I’ll check out his other work as well.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC for an honest review!

This is quite the collection of short stories. I was expecting a lot of gruesome body horror and I definitely got it along with a whole lot more. Every one of the stories in this collection are incredibly dark with some very unlikeable characters, but I was totally along for the ride. Some of the stories, like You Follow Wherever They Go, are heartbreaking while others such as the title story, filled me with dread as I raced towards the conclusion. Some of the images I have in my head after reading this will probably cause some nightmares, but it was worth it.

This was the second book I've read by Eric LaRocca and I'm already itching for a third! What a brilliant author he is, I Iove his short stories!

The stories in this collection are unsettling, weird to a point that they could almost be true. Honestly, they made my spine tingle. Details about the stories keep hitting me even days after finishing the book, and they add an even weirder dimension to them... alternative interpretations, more nuances, further depth.

I recommend this book if you love horror but don't necessarily want blood and violence.

Thank you NetGllery and Titan Books for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second Eric LaRocca short fiction collection that I've read, and I liked this one just as much as the first (which I loved). The Trees Grew Because I Bled There is a fantastic collection of stories that speak to a unique talent who knows how to write stories that are captivating and haunting. My favorite from this collection is "Bodies Are For Burning" which was very unsettling but so well done. Highly recommended for fans of horror that will stay with you long after you've read it.

I’ve always been super sad about the fact that I missed out on The Strange Thing We Become and Other Dark Tales so finding out that it would be re-released (albeit a bit differently I assume?) as The Trees Grew Because I Bled There I just KNEW I had to get my hands on it — and I am so happy I did.

This collection is a showcase of everything that Eric LaRocca does best — writing about people, their relationships, struggles and how unhealthy our minds can get. If you are familiar with his other works, you will feel right at home reading The Trees Grew Because I Bled there. If you are a new reader, you will be welcomed in the dark, horrifying embrace that will leave you wanting to explore all the dark crevices in your own soul.

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There is a showcase of masterful storytelling, of how people’s love and grief can make them do terrible things — and wonderful things too — and how trauma can shape who we are as people. Each of the stories in this collection are worth reading, but a few really stood out to me personally:
You Follow Wherever They Go
The Strange Thing We Become
I’ll Be Gone By Then
Please Leave or I’m Going to Hurt You
These stories left individual marks on my heart and soul and I’m sure I won’t be able to let them go for a very long time.

Overall, an amazing collection that is worth reading if you’re a fan of Eric LaRocca’s work but just as exceptionally a read if you’re new to his work!

Thank you to Titan Books, and NetGalley, for the ARC.

This was my first book by LaRocca and it certainly won't be the last.
I really liked LaRocca‘s unique way of writing dark and disturbing stories that get under your skin. He has such a way with words. Reading some of these stories made me feel quite uneasy…in a weird but good way. It’s definitely one of the best short story collections I‘ve read.

My favorite stories were Bodies Are For Burning, You‘re Not Supposed to be Here, Where Flames Burned Emerald As Grass & The Trees Grew Because I Bled There.
These stories were dark, weird and unsettling and exactly what you want from horror short stories.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so horrified and utterly enchanted at the same time. This collection of short horror stories was everything I didn’t know I wanted. I don’t want to go into a lot of detail on plot as I think going in blind made it even better.

My personal highlights were:

You’re Not Supposed to Be Here - this read like an episode of Black Mirror and had me on the absolute edge of my seat.

Bodies Are For Burning - my skin was crawling with discomfort the entire time.

I just had the worst time in the best possible way.

Eric LaRocca is a name that was brandished in my brain after reading Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke. That book engraved itself deep inside the darker side of my brain somewhere and niggles away at me every now and again. I can't get rid of it. In this short story collection, he showed his mastery again and some of the stories within this collection were absolutely sublime. A standout story for me was the one with the couples playing "a game". I absolutely flew threw this offering yet it is still tingling on my skin long after the fact. Eagerly awaiting the next one!

The Trees Grew because I Bled There Review!

Thank you so much Titan Books and Netgalley for this gifted e-copy, in exchange for an honest review! The Trees Grew Because I Bled there is out March 7, 2023!

I read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke in 2022 and I absolutely loved it. LaRocca has such a way with words and his stories feel like poetry. This stories are also extremely disturbing and have a way of crawling into your brain and they just won’t leave. The Trees Grew Because I Bled There was a 3.5/5 for me!

My favorites of this short story collection were
1. You’re Not Suppose to Be Here
2. Bodies Are For Burning
3. The Trees Grew Because I Bled There

The main reason for the 3 stars was because most of these stories were so short that there was zero back story. I had a hard time getting into each one before it ended.

Is Eric LaRocca ever not completely disturbing?
I'm a hardened horror reader and Eric LaRocca is the only author that consistently grosses me out and makes me want to put a book down (in the best way).
As with all of Eric's books - I HIGHLY recommend.

Eric LaRocca’s done it again. I enjoyed every short story in this collection. At the start of each, I was hooked in. They were uncompromising in demonstrating how humans can unleash so much hurt onto each other in one way or another. I can’t stop thinking about the thought-provoking story You’re Not Supposed to be Here. Eric LaRocca’s signature element of body horror came out in gruesome full force in Bodies Are For Burning which made me wince. The horror is beautifully described in a very poetic way that made each story a treat to read and they get bonus points for their queer representation.

This is the second collection of stories I’ve read from Eric Larocca, and just like the first time, it was a deeply unsettling experience but I couldn’t help but continue; his stories are so disturbing, yet I can’t look away.

The author explores dark and uncomfortable subjects centred around the human condition in 8 short stories which you read filled with dread and unease. Often the stories are met with an abrupt end which can sometimes feel too soon.

I know that anything and everything I read from LaRocca will remain in my head forever - these are simply unforgettable because they are so tension filled and suspenseful. Each story is so original and unlike anything I’ve read before.

His works come with a lot of trigger warnings and I would only advise reading if you have a strong stomach. This collection seemed to have a general running theme of parenthood, death and terminal illness. Everything I write about this collection may sound negative, but I was fascinated by this.

Whenever a new LaRocca book comes up, I know I have to get my hands on it. In this case, I never had the chance to read the original release, and was very excited to read a short story collection from Eric.

There are 8 stories in this collection, and while they are seemingly unrelated, they all carry the same topics within them. They all have to do with cancer, death, and grief. Some are more shocking than others, but I enjoyed pretty much all of them.

Out of the 8 stories, here are some of my favorites:
-Bodies Are for Burning
-You’re Not Supposed to Be Here
-I’ll Be Gone By Then

A few of the stories felt too short and I couldn’t properly invest emotionally in them. I would love to see longer versions of every single story, but especially The Trees Grew Because I Bled There.

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the chance to read this advanced review copy.

CW for cancer, death of parent, gore, body horror, blood, death, violence, intrusive thoughts, bullying, homophobia, kidnapping, infidelity, adult/minor relationship, abandonment, and incest