In the early 1990s, the rising popularity of the video cassette gave birth to a seedy, underground world of illicit pornography.
Talia, a Midwest dreamer, leaves home in search of fame under the blinding Broadway lights. But nothing could have prepared her for what she finds instead. Savage violence, bottomless depravity, and no way out.
Talia will unapologetically drag you into the foul underbelly of society. A sanity-straining journey, full of hot bloodshed and betrayal.
I would like to start by saying that I do not usually enjoy extreme horror as I feel that it lacks any real talent when it comes to writing. Yet, holy hells-bells was this book brilliant! Volpe quickly proved me wrong with this unapologetically, beautifully brutal novel. You are immediately introduced to our main character Talia, who is a serious badass in my humble opinion. Talia is a young woman who finds herself working in the porn industry to make ends meet. However, Talia finds herself mixed with a bad group of men whose taste in videomaking far exceeds the realm of the taboo. Talia and her partner/best friend soon realize just how dangerous their predicament is, leading her friend to try and escape. The sad truth is, there is no escape in this industry-leading to a violent and brutal death. Talia soon learns the truth of what has happened leading to her own attempt at an escape. Where she finds herself on the brink of death, that is until a strange man heals her. Granting her a gift to exact her revenge on those who hurt not only her but her best friend as well.
This has been one of my favorite reads of 2022. I could not put this novel down even for a second. Volpe proved to be a master storyteller and showed excellent skill in his character development. Talia’s character was absolutely brilliant! I loved her fierce, loyal, strong-willed personality. It was honestly so refreshing to see a woman portrayed in such a way, as they are usually being made a victim. Do not get me wrong, Talia dealt with her share of abuse throughout the novel. However, Volpe gave us an ending that had me literally cheering Talia on. I could not help but smile as Talia’s true nature shined through giving us a true glimpse into this layered character. Talia was not the only character that was brought to life in this jaw-dropping indie novel, she was just the only one worth liking. The other characters were vile, cruel, and you could not help but wish the worst for them all. Leaving our leading lady a true hero in the end, or at least to me. Dare I even admit to having a crush on this fierce female?
Aside from stealer characters, Volpe brought excellent writing to this wicked novel. The writing was crisp, easy to follow, and descriptive throughout. I will say even the vilest parts were described in gruesome detail including but not limited to sex, violence, and death. I did not feel like it was just placed for shock value as some extreme novels have a tendency of doing either. Every horrific detail was placed in such a way it brought the events to life illuminating Talia’s inner strength. I have not one bad thing to say about this exceptional read!
If you love extreme horror, are looking for a badass female lead, or are looking for something a bit taboo and out-of-the-box look no further. This is a must-read for the extreme horror community. I will say this book has some wickedly brutal scenes so it is not for the faint of heart.
Pages: 120
Published: April 25th, 2021
Genre: Extreme Horror – Adult Fiction
*Currently free on Kindle Unlimted*
Grab your copy today by clicking the link above!
Ali’s Book Nook Corner 📚 