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Wormwood
For some kids, Long Lake, Georgia is home. But for fourteen-year-old Baker Gray, it’s just another stop, another town in another state. Because of his mother’s nomadic lifestyle, he’s never had a best friend, never kissed a girl, and he’s certainly never met anyone like Cassandra Larsson—the enigmatic, older girl whose idea of fun blurs the line between right and wrong.Being hopelessly led by emotions he’s never felt, Baker finds himself plodding along dark paths paved by the girl he thinks he may love—a road to self-destruction, where vigilante justice is encouraged and bloodshed is an art form.
150 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 2020
About the author
Chad Lutzke
84 books720 followersChad has written for Famous Monsters of Filmland, Rue Morgue, Cemetery Dance, and Scream magazine. He's had dozens of short stories published, and some of his books include: OF FOSTER HOMES & FLIES, STIRRING THE SHEETS, SKULLFACE BOY, THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU, THE PALE WHITE, THE NEON OWL and OUT BEHIND THE BARN co-written with John Boden. Lutzke's work has been praised by authors Jack Ketchum, Richard Chizmar, Joe R. Lansdale, Stephen Graham Jones, Tim Waggoner and his own mother.
He can be found lurking the internet at www.chadlutzke.com
He can be found lurking the internet at www.chadlutzke.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
April 20, 2021
And that, ladies and gentleman, is how it is done!
There is nothing - not a single thing - I can think of that would have made this story any better.
This book should be coming-of-age royalty.
Loved everything about it - highly recommend!
*Full review at IndieMuse
* https://www.myindiemuse.com/author/mo...
There is nothing - not a single thing - I can think of that would have made this story any better.
This book should be coming-of-age royalty.
Loved everything about it - highly recommend!
*Full review at IndieMuse
* https://www.myindiemuse.com/author/mo...
December 13, 2021
Is it horror? Definitely. A sometimes larger than real coming of age story. Baker's mom is moving every year for job reasons. He has difficulty in finding new friends. At their latest stop he becomes familiar with Seb and Cass. The girl is a bit older, cunning and very experienced with men. She helps him literally get rid of the bully in school that tortures him. But there is a dark secret behind Cass. What happened to her? Things turn truly bizarre when the play a prank in the home of the school's counselor. How is that person and her husband involved in the story? What seemed to be a harmless intense friendship of a couple of youth spending their time in a derelict house soon turns into a nightmare of violence and bloodshed. The characters are absolutely outstanding. The story is tragic and thought-provoking. You have to be careful not to get in contact with the wrong bunch of fellows... this eternal truth is extremely well told here. Masterpiece. Must read. Modern classic. Highly recommended!
July 6, 2024
This was pretty good. I really liked the uncertainty of Cass and build up to the big reveal, but I just kept finding myself wanting more. I needed to know more about Cass and her background. It was a very hard pivot from what she was to what she became, which was only briefly touched on, but it just felt incomplete in several glaring spots. I also felt like how Joe was treated as a side character, but then suddenly shoved into a major role, felt very mismatched and weak, too. I also wished for a more fleshed out final chapter that revealed what actually was proven and found after the final scene. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the story, the writing was good, and the climax was great, but I just felt like there were a lot of things that felt out of place and/or underdeveloped.
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December 1, 2020Hope you all add it to your shelf, read it and dig it!
December 17, 2020
Absolutely honored to have written the foreword for this collaborative effort by Tim Meyer & Chad Lutzke. Coming-of-age horror is my jam and these two knocked it out of the park as far as I'm concerned. I chose to keep my reading experience private, knowing I had diabolical plans for its distribution to horror fans.
It was a magical thing to publish a special, limited, exclusive edition through Thunderstorm Books for Night Worms in the November 2020 Package, Haunted Harvest. Now, that it has already gone out to customers, it is back in publication through Silver Shamrock and available now! I feel like I can share my love for it openly now.
As a horror lover and a mother of two boys (one is currently 15 years old, the age of Seb & Baker) the authenticity and risk factor came through in spades. Baker moves around a lot with his single mother. He's desperate to fit in and make friends at his new school.
What begins as a healthy, fledgling friendship between Seb and Baker is suddenly altered with the introduction of Cass. Watching the toxicity she introduces subtly and insidiously was terrifying. I was so nervous for the boys but mostly Baker.
I devoured this story.
There was this overarching urgency for me to find out how everything played out. As soon as I was finished--I knew I was holding something special in my hands. I hope to god, Chad and Tim collaborate again. I don't know if they know this on the same level that their readers know this, but their combined storytelling voices, shared talents, and unique skill sets brought this thing to life in a way that could not have happened quite the same on their own, which sounds like a "Yeah, duh" thing to say, but it's actually a valid point. A collaboration imports two voices to become one that doesn't exist apart from each other. The strengths of each author become stronger, the weaknesses, balanced. And WORMWOOD is just the beginning, in my opinion. Go buy that Silver Shamrock edition, everyone!
It was a magical thing to publish a special, limited, exclusive edition through Thunderstorm Books for Night Worms in the November 2020 Package, Haunted Harvest. Now, that it has already gone out to customers, it is back in publication through Silver Shamrock and available now! I feel like I can share my love for it openly now.
As a horror lover and a mother of two boys (one is currently 15 years old, the age of Seb & Baker) the authenticity and risk factor came through in spades. Baker moves around a lot with his single mother. He's desperate to fit in and make friends at his new school.
What begins as a healthy, fledgling friendship between Seb and Baker is suddenly altered with the introduction of Cass. Watching the toxicity she introduces subtly and insidiously was terrifying. I was so nervous for the boys but mostly Baker.
I devoured this story.
There was this overarching urgency for me to find out how everything played out. As soon as I was finished--I knew I was holding something special in my hands. I hope to god, Chad and Tim collaborate again. I don't know if they know this on the same level that their readers know this, but their combined storytelling voices, shared talents, and unique skill sets brought this thing to life in a way that could not have happened quite the same on their own, which sounds like a "Yeah, duh" thing to say, but it's actually a valid point. A collaboration imports two voices to become one that doesn't exist apart from each other. The strengths of each author become stronger, the weaknesses, balanced. And WORMWOOD is just the beginning, in my opinion. Go buy that Silver Shamrock edition, everyone!
December 22, 2020
For me, this story was a bit on the YA side. A teenage loner is finding his true personality while under the influence of two questionable friends, one of whom he has a crush on. Circumstances escalate, and dangerous things begin to happen. The last part of the story picks up a great deal and had me in suspense until the ending. While I enjoyed the book for the most part, there were times when the characters felt typical and their actions were predictable. Still, the writing is pristine, and when the action picks up, it is electric.
3.5 scarred stars
3.5 scarred stars
January 5, 2021
Baker watches her intently for a tell. She must still be joking. Has to be. She offers another smirk that feels like a weight lifted, then gives the intestines one more tug and lets go. The fleshy rope recoils, then settles with a light smack against the pig’s belly. “Beats science class, huh?” she says, wiping her hands on her jeans. It all feels like the beginning of something very wrong.
This collaborative tale, first one I've read from authors Tim Meyer and Chad Lutzke, was a very entertaining coming of age thriller/horror page-turning read for me, with
I enjoyed a lot storyline and characters in this well written book, with the "## days ago" countdown before every chapter hinting to an explosive, sadly far from unexpected, ending.
And enigmatic, seductive and manipulative, Cassandra Larsson reminded me a lot a crazy beautiful girl I've met in my so far away wild teen days.
“What do you mean?” He waves him off. “Nothing.” Baker grips his shoulder. “Tell me.” “Nothing, man. Just…you know.” “No, I don’t know. Tell me.” “You’re just…you worry too much.” Baker stares at another fry, debates eating it. “Yeah, I guess I do.” “You need to relax. We’re not hurting anyone. We’re just kids having fun. It’s what kids do.”
Highly recommended to all fans of dark/intense coming of age/toxic relationships tales.
This collaborative tale, first one I've read from authors Tim Meyer and Chad Lutzke, was a very entertaining coming of age thriller/horror page-turning read for me, with
I enjoyed a lot storyline and characters in this well written book, with the "## days ago" countdown before every chapter hinting to an explosive, sadly far from unexpected, ending.
And enigmatic, seductive and manipulative, Cassandra Larsson reminded me a lot a crazy beautiful girl I've met in my so far away wild teen days.
“What do you mean?” He waves him off. “Nothing.” Baker grips his shoulder. “Tell me.” “Nothing, man. Just…you know.” “No, I don’t know. Tell me.” “You’re just…you worry too much.” Baker stares at another fry, debates eating it. “Yeah, I guess I do.” “You need to relax. We’re not hurting anyone. We’re just kids having fun. It’s what kids do.”
Highly recommended to all fans of dark/intense coming of age/toxic relationships tales.
March 28, 2021
In this book you quite possibly have the perfect storm, a book from Silver Shamrock, a cover by Kealan Patrick Burke, an introduction by Sadie Hartmann (Mother Horror) and then you have the quite brilliant story by Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer.
This is a story about growing up, it’s a coming of age tale that drips with the wanton desire of belonging and to belong at all costs, teenage angst drips from the pages like the blood that flows within. With Wormwood we feel everything, we become invested, we are changed, we connect - it’s that damn good!
Our main protagonist Baker finds himself again, in a new town, a new home, a new school and he’s alone, he’s become accustomed to being the odd one out, the new kid in a new town, stripped of friends and the comfort of connection - he’s alone. But when he meets a young boy called Seb a friendship forms, one where the both of them are as thick as thieves.
When the enigmatic and older Cassandra Larsson (Cass) begins to show an interest to these boys they welcome her in, they cherish the time they spend with her, they put her on this pedestal and almost treat her as their Goddess a girl to be worshipped as any young teen does. They become over a short space of time her followers in a way and they’d follow her anywhere, she has them smitten, she’s aware that they both care deeply for her (in that teenage fantasy kind of way) and so she keeps them on the hook, playing each boy off with each other, using her body and her mind to manipulate the two of them to her calling and so she keeps them wanting, and in the end they’d do anything for her!
There is a fierce bond that is created, a pact that can’t be broken, one that is forged in blood and the desperate need to belong - the moments of Baker’s life and his aloneness are rendered beautifully and this helps to further cement his desire to belong to something bigger, it shows infatuation, love, desire and the impact of being isolated for so long. This story also shows how blinded one can be to chase after those things and Cass takes these two boys down the path of self-destruction and vigilante justice, and to quote the cover ‘where bloodshed is an art form’
This is a fabulous book, the prose is a tinderbox of brilliance and Lutzke and Meyer are the sparks that set this quite wondrous story aflame, the book catches alight in the first few chapters and by the end it’s a raging fire. It was cruising along at a solid four stars for me, but then a page is turned later in the story and it’s like opening a door to a fire, the backdraft that comes through just burns so hot, so bright and with an insatiable hunger to consume everything even the reader.
The horrors in this book are subtle, there are no creepy monsters, no boogeyman hiding in the corner or under the bed, the horrors are real, the horrors are flesh and blood and bone, the horrors are what we fear most - the real life horrors that show us the depravity of the mind and the desires of the heart.
The key to this book in my opinion are our protagonists Cass, Baker and Seb - each one feels real, nothing is forced about them, they exist in a way outside of this book, they are in my mind real people, fully rendered and desperately searching for belonging, they broke my heart and appalled me in the same moment - the age and the outlook of our characters is magically done (never questioned and reminded me of Stephen King’s ‘The Body’ in how Lutzke and Meyer have been able to capture that moment in time). The characters are what make this story work, they are the lifeblood, the connection, the glue that holds this most brutal story together!
Wormwood is stunning, there is brilliance here shrouded in pig foetuses and teenage angst - it’s special, very special so check it out, you’ll not be disappointed.
This is a story about growing up, it’s a coming of age tale that drips with the wanton desire of belonging and to belong at all costs, teenage angst drips from the pages like the blood that flows within. With Wormwood we feel everything, we become invested, we are changed, we connect - it’s that damn good!
Our main protagonist Baker finds himself again, in a new town, a new home, a new school and he’s alone, he’s become accustomed to being the odd one out, the new kid in a new town, stripped of friends and the comfort of connection - he’s alone. But when he meets a young boy called Seb a friendship forms, one where the both of them are as thick as thieves.
When the enigmatic and older Cassandra Larsson (Cass) begins to show an interest to these boys they welcome her in, they cherish the time they spend with her, they put her on this pedestal and almost treat her as their Goddess a girl to be worshipped as any young teen does. They become over a short space of time her followers in a way and they’d follow her anywhere, she has them smitten, she’s aware that they both care deeply for her (in that teenage fantasy kind of way) and so she keeps them on the hook, playing each boy off with each other, using her body and her mind to manipulate the two of them to her calling and so she keeps them wanting, and in the end they’d do anything for her!
There is a fierce bond that is created, a pact that can’t be broken, one that is forged in blood and the desperate need to belong - the moments of Baker’s life and his aloneness are rendered beautifully and this helps to further cement his desire to belong to something bigger, it shows infatuation, love, desire and the impact of being isolated for so long. This story also shows how blinded one can be to chase after those things and Cass takes these two boys down the path of self-destruction and vigilante justice, and to quote the cover ‘where bloodshed is an art form’
This is a fabulous book, the prose is a tinderbox of brilliance and Lutzke and Meyer are the sparks that set this quite wondrous story aflame, the book catches alight in the first few chapters and by the end it’s a raging fire. It was cruising along at a solid four stars for me, but then a page is turned later in the story and it’s like opening a door to a fire, the backdraft that comes through just burns so hot, so bright and with an insatiable hunger to consume everything even the reader.
The horrors in this book are subtle, there are no creepy monsters, no boogeyman hiding in the corner or under the bed, the horrors are real, the horrors are flesh and blood and bone, the horrors are what we fear most - the real life horrors that show us the depravity of the mind and the desires of the heart.
The key to this book in my opinion are our protagonists Cass, Baker and Seb - each one feels real, nothing is forced about them, they exist in a way outside of this book, they are in my mind real people, fully rendered and desperately searching for belonging, they broke my heart and appalled me in the same moment - the age and the outlook of our characters is magically done (never questioned and reminded me of Stephen King’s ‘The Body’ in how Lutzke and Meyer have been able to capture that moment in time). The characters are what make this story work, they are the lifeblood, the connection, the glue that holds this most brutal story together!
Wormwood is stunning, there is brilliance here shrouded in pig foetuses and teenage angst - it’s special, very special so check it out, you’ll not be disappointed.
May 31, 2021
Flawless collaboration, and a great slice of twisted fiction.
November 18, 2020
4.5, rounding up
Horror is not always about vampires and zombies. Horror is what we have in our soul. Highly recommend.
Horror is not always about vampires and zombies. Horror is what we have in our soul. Highly recommend.
December 28, 2020
What do you get when you cross a Tim Meyer book with a Chad Lutzke book? A five star psychological horror thriller, of course. WORMWOOD is a coming of age tale bleeding with dark foreboding. Crafted to perfection with the pens of these two proven yarn spinners of the macabre.
Meyer and Lutzke have both done great work on their own. Pairing up to tell the story of WORMWOOD is as obvious a fit as Bonnie and Clyde or Gomez and Morticia or Woody Harrelson and that other chick in Natural Born Killers. The story is so engrossing you never find yourself wondering who wrote which parts because its all seamless.
Your need to read WORMWOOD because it's a great collaboration. You have to read WORMWOOD because its a great book. You will read WORMWOOD because I gave it five stars and I almost never do that.
Meyer and Lutzke have both done great work on their own. Pairing up to tell the story of WORMWOOD is as obvious a fit as Bonnie and Clyde or Gomez and Morticia or Woody Harrelson and that other chick in Natural Born Killers. The story is so engrossing you never find yourself wondering who wrote which parts because its all seamless.
Your need to read WORMWOOD because it's a great collaboration. You have to read WORMWOOD because its a great book. You will read WORMWOOD because I gave it five stars and I almost never do that.
March 3, 2022
Chad does it again!
I’ve had this sitting in my kindle for a while now, and yesterday decided to start reading some of the books stored on it. This is a typical coming of age drama from Chad Lutzke, who has collaborated with Tim Meyer on this book, which means it’s going to take a different turn from the norm. Baker moves to ‘another’ different town with his mom, due to her work. Baker befriends Seb, who both become friends with Cass, who is a little older than them and starts to manipulate them into doing what she wants. Baker is a nice boy who basically falls in with the wrong crowd, and when tensions get high one night, things take a nasty turn. This was a really good book and had my attention from the beginning to the end. I really like CL, and this collaboration with TM is a perfect pairing. I highly recommend and give 5 awesome stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I’ve had this sitting in my kindle for a while now, and yesterday decided to start reading some of the books stored on it. This is a typical coming of age drama from Chad Lutzke, who has collaborated with Tim Meyer on this book, which means it’s going to take a different turn from the norm. Baker moves to ‘another’ different town with his mom, due to her work. Baker befriends Seb, who both become friends with Cass, who is a little older than them and starts to manipulate them into doing what she wants. Baker is a nice boy who basically falls in with the wrong crowd, and when tensions get high one night, things take a nasty turn. This was a really good book and had my attention from the beginning to the end. I really like CL, and this collaboration with TM is a perfect pairing. I highly recommend and give 5 awesome stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 12, 2021
Review of “Wormwood by Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer”
I finished wormwood feeling so many emotions I didn’t think I would feel. Wormwood is a Dark coming of age story that plays on the struggles of the real world. The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of some of the dark coming of age movies I’ve seen such as “Thirteen”, “Mean Creek” and the one I felt the most inspiration came from was “Super Dark Times”.
The main character, Baker, is always the new kid traveling around because of his mom’s job. On his first day at his new school, he is directly in the sights of the school’s bully. He meets Seb who kinda shows him the ropes and they are instantly friends. The only problem is a girl named Cassandra has invited herself into their friend group with way more life experiences then they have. She exudes danger … and the bad influences are just the beginning.
The book starts off with a slow build. The kids just being kids are curious and invested in Cass and what she could teach them. She is a bad influence but it’s hard to know that from a teenage boy's mind which is filled with hormones. Baker has so much emotionally on the line with always moving from place to place and never actually making real friends. I felt for him and understood what he did. Kids just want to find their people, their home and a place to belong. I kind of knew what was coming but not to the full extent of what happens. I was happy to have some surprises there. I loved this book! 5 ⭐️
I finished wormwood feeling so many emotions I didn’t think I would feel. Wormwood is a Dark coming of age story that plays on the struggles of the real world. The whole time I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of some of the dark coming of age movies I’ve seen such as “Thirteen”, “Mean Creek” and the one I felt the most inspiration came from was “Super Dark Times”.
The main character, Baker, is always the new kid traveling around because of his mom’s job. On his first day at his new school, he is directly in the sights of the school’s bully. He meets Seb who kinda shows him the ropes and they are instantly friends. The only problem is a girl named Cassandra has invited herself into their friend group with way more life experiences then they have. She exudes danger … and the bad influences are just the beginning.
The book starts off with a slow build. The kids just being kids are curious and invested in Cass and what she could teach them. She is a bad influence but it’s hard to know that from a teenage boy's mind which is filled with hormones. Baker has so much emotionally on the line with always moving from place to place and never actually making real friends. I felt for him and understood what he did. Kids just want to find their people, their home and a place to belong. I kind of knew what was coming but not to the full extent of what happens. I was happy to have some surprises there. I loved this book! 5 ⭐️
June 25, 2022
Awesome coming of age novella. Read this in one sitting and really enjoyed it.
November 9, 2021
While this was a fun book, I wasn't totally blown away by it. (No pun intended). The situation with "Corny" and Gerald were predictable. Maybe if I haven't read "true crime" by Samantha Kolesnik and "odd man out" by James Newman recently it would have been a 5 star review. Overall an enjoyable book and both Mr. Meyer and Mr. Lutzke are very talented writers, this one feels like it's either been done before or missing a little something. Overall 4.25/5 and would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 14, 2022
Wow. This book was compulsively readable, utterly intense, psychologically compelling, gut-wrenching, and disturbingly realistic all at once. It was a deeply twisted coming-of-age nightmare. It’s probably one of the best stories I’ve ever read about the dangers of toxic friendships (especially during your teenage years) and how those troubled relationships can breed pure chaos. Wormwood was like a Lifetime movie from hell. Trigger warnings galore in this one. But damn ... what a good read.
January 19, 2021
A solid read, if difficult in parts just due to the subject matter. Reminiscent of "The Girl Next Door." For that reason, and the use of a particular item in a key moment in the climax, would not recommend to squeamish readers.
The writers did a particularly good job with characterization. Some crazy stuff happens, but they kept the goings-on still grounded and believable.
The writers did a particularly good job with characterization. Some crazy stuff happens, but they kept the goings-on still grounded and believable.
April 30, 2021
Wie heißt es bei BUFFY, die es wissen muss: Highschool is hell! Dabei besucht Baker noch nicht einmal die Highschool, ist erst vierzehn, als er in den Bann der gefährlich=schönen Cassandra gerät. Klar, Pubertät ist sowieso die Hölle, und sich als netter Junge ohne jegliche sexuelle Erfahrung in eine zwei Jahre ältere GEFÄHRLICHE FREUNDIN zu verlieben ist ... na ja, eben auch die Hölle.
Bakers Mutter ist alleinerziehend und zieht so ziemlich einmal pro Jahr mit ihrem Sohn in eine andere Stadt, um auf der beruflichen Leiter die nächste Sprosse zu erklimmen und den Lebensunterhalt zu sichern. Für Baker bedeutet das, niemals länger an einer Schule zu bleiben, niemals Freundschaften aufzubauen. Als er in Long Lake ankommt, scheint sich das Blatt zu wenden. Er lernt Sebastian und die zwei entscheidende Jahre ältere Cassandra kennen. Die Jungen verfallen der attraktiven und charismatischen Cass von der ersten Begegnung an. Als (erwachsener) Leser hat man ziemlich schnell den Eindruck, dass die Geschichte für Baker nicht gut ausgehen wird, aber zugleich macht die Erzählung plausibel, warum Baker in ein bei aller Unschuld seinerseits bald sexuell motiviertes Abhängigkeitsverhältnis gerät. Und das ist die große Stärke der Erzählung: Cass ist brandgefährlich, sie ist Gift für Baker, aber eben nur aus der Sicht des Außenstehenden. Zugleich kann man sich unschwer vorstellen, wie Probleme im Elternhaus und die Verlockungen Baker und Sebastian an die junge Frau binden, die neben ihren körperlichen Reizen auch durch ihr selbstbewusstes und geheimnisvolles Auftreten fesselt.
Das Geschehen steigert sich zu einem üblen Höllentrip, bleibt dabei aber glaubwürdig und psychologisch motiviert.
"Do you still do it? C-cut yourself?" fragt Baker Cass.
"No. Now I cut others."
WORMWOOD ist eine absolut packende Story, die ich in einem Atemzug mit dem großartigen Buch The Evil Friendship nennen würde.
Bakers Mutter ist alleinerziehend und zieht so ziemlich einmal pro Jahr mit ihrem Sohn in eine andere Stadt, um auf der beruflichen Leiter die nächste Sprosse zu erklimmen und den Lebensunterhalt zu sichern. Für Baker bedeutet das, niemals länger an einer Schule zu bleiben, niemals Freundschaften aufzubauen. Als er in Long Lake ankommt, scheint sich das Blatt zu wenden. Er lernt Sebastian und die zwei entscheidende Jahre ältere Cassandra kennen. Die Jungen verfallen der attraktiven und charismatischen Cass von der ersten Begegnung an. Als (erwachsener) Leser hat man ziemlich schnell den Eindruck, dass die Geschichte für Baker nicht gut ausgehen wird, aber zugleich macht die Erzählung plausibel, warum Baker in ein bei aller Unschuld seinerseits bald sexuell motiviertes Abhängigkeitsverhältnis gerät. Und das ist die große Stärke der Erzählung: Cass ist brandgefährlich, sie ist Gift für Baker, aber eben nur aus der Sicht des Außenstehenden. Zugleich kann man sich unschwer vorstellen, wie Probleme im Elternhaus und die Verlockungen Baker und Sebastian an die junge Frau binden, die neben ihren körperlichen Reizen auch durch ihr selbstbewusstes und geheimnisvolles Auftreten fesselt.
Das Geschehen steigert sich zu einem üblen Höllentrip, bleibt dabei aber glaubwürdig und psychologisch motiviert.
"Do you still do it? C-cut yourself?" fragt Baker Cass.
"No. Now I cut others."
WORMWOOD ist eine absolut packende Story, die ich in einem Atemzug mit dem großartigen Buch The Evil Friendship nennen würde.
November 9, 2020
This story was so scary, because it could happen so very easily. Had I fallen in with the wrong crowd as a kid, I could have wound up doing some bad things. Kids need validation - if they are not getting it from the right places, they will get it from the wrong places. Teenagers have so many hormones swirling around their bodies, and their brains are not fully developed, so how can they be anything other than dumb - especially when they think they are being offered everything they want.
So, all this to say that I could see where the story was going. I had a feeling of dread in my gut that just got worse and worse and worse - until the climax. And what an explosion that was!
My heart hurt for these kids. I wanted someone to step up, to step in, to make it right - but alas, so many times, the world just doesn't work that way.
Excellent story. Sympathetic and entirely too real characters. Just a powerhouse of a story.
Loved it!
So, all this to say that I could see where the story was going. I had a feeling of dread in my gut that just got worse and worse and worse - until the climax. And what an explosion that was!
My heart hurt for these kids. I wanted someone to step up, to step in, to make it right - but alas, so many times, the world just doesn't work that way.
Excellent story. Sympathetic and entirely too real characters. Just a powerhouse of a story.
Loved it!
January 12, 2021
Buddy review with Ben Long coming soon on Night Worms and video to follow. Suffice to say, you should believe the hype as this is outstanding.
Review from Night Worms Side by Side review -
I will admit going into Wormwood with very high expectations. I was really hyped for it, having seen all the photos and 5 star reviews pouring in after the initial Night Worms release, and then chatting to Tim and Chad about it on YouTube. I am also a HUGE fan of Tim’s work. Chad is still a newer voice for me, although the little I have read has been great.
The only thing that could have made me more excited, was the fact I was buddy reading it with Ben. We just build each other’s anticipation so we are dying to start it.
Finally, it was time …
If I tell you that I read this in under 24 hours across one late afternoon/evening and following morning, I think you might know where this is heading.
I absolutely bloody loved it.
Having spoken in length to Tim and Chad, I knew roughly about the storyline and that it was going to have less of Tim’s cosmic imprint and more of Chad’s melancholic highly emotive characters.
The key thing for me as a writer, are characters you believe in. You feel for them and feel with them. You even grow to love them, no matter how short your time is together.
Coming of age stories need this attribute. Without a character you are invested in, it is just words – a series of experiences and hollow emotions you don’t give a damn about.
I already knew from previous outings into the minds of these two, that I was going to love Baker. And I did. He was right up there with Rocky and James from Glenn Rolfe stories as two of my favourite protagonists. He isn’t a model teen. He makes some shocking decisions. But so does everyone at that age. The mistakes we make and learn from in our formative years help share who we are today.
I knew from talking to the guys, that some of the idea for the story came from Chad’s own past, and he was very candid about how easy it is to fall in with the wrong crowd, to be easily led by hormones and booze. This is amplified times a thousand when you are the new kid, again, in your final year before High School.
Seb and Cass were magnificent secondary characters, both an integral part of Baker’s ultimate *situation*. I won’t say any more than that as I would hate to give away any of the ending. Despite their terrible flaws, because they are kids and I always try to see the best in people, I still felt for them. Terrible judgments were made, but at the very end of it all, I was left with that distinct taste in my mouth, that if one of the adults had not acted in a certain abhorrent way, things might have been very different.
It’s a long time since I was a teen, but the problems never really change, they are always there – hormones, fledgling feelings for others, stress of school and that sense of no longer being a child, yet not quite and adult. No matter what time or city you live in, teens experience these raw emotions. Tim and Chad were able to transport me back to that awkward and conflicting time. When the highs and lows are extreme. When you would do almost anything at all for the one you think you are in love with, even if you don’t have a clue what that actually means or feels like. Through the language, setting and natural dialogue, I found myself in Baker’s shoes and I didn’t like it anymore now than I did back in the 90’s.
I didn’t find Wormwood as bleak as say Odd Man Out by James Newman, but it certainly isn’t a happy-go-lucky tale. The story proves that you don’t need a shock in every chapter, hell, you don’t need a story to be splatterpunk for it to be horrific.
What made my blood run cold was the fact that this kind of thing could and does happen. And sometimes THAT is the scariest thing of all.
5 stars all the way, baby.
https://youtu.be/i0Kuwp40w6s
Review from Night Worms Side by Side review -
I will admit going into Wormwood with very high expectations. I was really hyped for it, having seen all the photos and 5 star reviews pouring in after the initial Night Worms release, and then chatting to Tim and Chad about it on YouTube. I am also a HUGE fan of Tim’s work. Chad is still a newer voice for me, although the little I have read has been great.
The only thing that could have made me more excited, was the fact I was buddy reading it with Ben. We just build each other’s anticipation so we are dying to start it.
Finally, it was time …
If I tell you that I read this in under 24 hours across one late afternoon/evening and following morning, I think you might know where this is heading.
I absolutely bloody loved it.
Having spoken in length to Tim and Chad, I knew roughly about the storyline and that it was going to have less of Tim’s cosmic imprint and more of Chad’s melancholic highly emotive characters.
The key thing for me as a writer, are characters you believe in. You feel for them and feel with them. You even grow to love them, no matter how short your time is together.
Coming of age stories need this attribute. Without a character you are invested in, it is just words – a series of experiences and hollow emotions you don’t give a damn about.
I already knew from previous outings into the minds of these two, that I was going to love Baker. And I did. He was right up there with Rocky and James from Glenn Rolfe stories as two of my favourite protagonists. He isn’t a model teen. He makes some shocking decisions. But so does everyone at that age. The mistakes we make and learn from in our formative years help share who we are today.
I knew from talking to the guys, that some of the idea for the story came from Chad’s own past, and he was very candid about how easy it is to fall in with the wrong crowd, to be easily led by hormones and booze. This is amplified times a thousand when you are the new kid, again, in your final year before High School.
Seb and Cass were magnificent secondary characters, both an integral part of Baker’s ultimate *situation*. I won’t say any more than that as I would hate to give away any of the ending. Despite their terrible flaws, because they are kids and I always try to see the best in people, I still felt for them. Terrible judgments were made, but at the very end of it all, I was left with that distinct taste in my mouth, that if one of the adults had not acted in a certain abhorrent way, things might have been very different.
It’s a long time since I was a teen, but the problems never really change, they are always there – hormones, fledgling feelings for others, stress of school and that sense of no longer being a child, yet not quite and adult. No matter what time or city you live in, teens experience these raw emotions. Tim and Chad were able to transport me back to that awkward and conflicting time. When the highs and lows are extreme. When you would do almost anything at all for the one you think you are in love with, even if you don’t have a clue what that actually means or feels like. Through the language, setting and natural dialogue, I found myself in Baker’s shoes and I didn’t like it anymore now than I did back in the 90’s.
I didn’t find Wormwood as bleak as say Odd Man Out by James Newman, but it certainly isn’t a happy-go-lucky tale. The story proves that you don’t need a shock in every chapter, hell, you don’t need a story to be splatterpunk for it to be horrific.
What made my blood run cold was the fact that this kind of thing could and does happen. And sometimes THAT is the scariest thing of all.
5 stars all the way, baby.
https://youtu.be/i0Kuwp40w6s
January 24, 2021
Wormwood is a damn fine book. A young boy in the thrall of a seductive and dangerous older girl and the dark path she leads him down. The tension builds. You won’t want to put this one down. Great stuff from two top notch authors. Go get it!
November 25, 2020
Review to come
April 27, 2021
Wow! What a fantastic read by these two authors. I got completely lost in the story and the characters. A dark coming-of-age with awesome build up to a wild ending. Loved it! 5/5 Wormwood skulls💀
February 4, 2021
WORMWOOD, by authors Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer, is a coming of age horror novel that revolves around the friends a new boy in town makes, and what he will do to fit in . . . somewhere.
Baker has never had a permanent home, with his mom's job taking them to new locations every year or so. However, she tells him she's "hoping" that this one will be more permanent. With that in mind, he finds a friend in an unpredictable boy named Seb.
When they are joined by a beautiful sixteen-year old (two years older than them) girl, her whims quickly become their dreams. Cass is everything the boys can think of.
And then some . . .
". . . There are fences all around us . . . And we're gonna climb them all."
The dangerous allure of this unpredictable, unstable teenager is something neither boy can resist. Even as her moods show signs of potential danger, the lure of puberty keeps them steadfast at her side.
". . . Why keep hanging out with her? Because you're scared of her . . ."
Lutzke and Meyer really bring you into the minds of these teenagers. You feel their emotions, their questions, see the mental changes they go through, and ultimately, the pull of friendship, relationships, and wonder where the line between what's right and wrong is drawn.
"People aren't houses, Bake. A home doesn't define a person."
Recommended.
Baker has never had a permanent home, with his mom's job taking them to new locations every year or so. However, she tells him she's "hoping" that this one will be more permanent. With that in mind, he finds a friend in an unpredictable boy named Seb.
When they are joined by a beautiful sixteen-year old (two years older than them) girl, her whims quickly become their dreams. Cass is everything the boys can think of.
And then some . . .
". . . There are fences all around us . . . And we're gonna climb them all."
The dangerous allure of this unpredictable, unstable teenager is something neither boy can resist. Even as her moods show signs of potential danger, the lure of puberty keeps them steadfast at her side.
". . . Why keep hanging out with her? Because you're scared of her . . ."
Lutzke and Meyer really bring you into the minds of these teenagers. You feel their emotions, their questions, see the mental changes they go through, and ultimately, the pull of friendship, relationships, and wonder where the line between what's right and wrong is drawn.
"People aren't houses, Bake. A home doesn't define a person."
Recommended.
December 3, 2020
Baker is the new kid in school, as he has almost always been. Dragged behind his single mom from job to job and town to town, never staying long enough to settle in. He has never seen a point in making friends since they just end up left behind when it's time to move on. It seems like this time may be different for him when he meets Seb and they hit it off, but then they meet Cass who takes an interest in both of them. Teenage hormones make them an easy target for an older girl with a charismatic personality and an evil intent. Cass is pretty, smart, and dangerously manipulative. If you are on her good side there isn't anything she won't do for you, and I do mean anything, no matter how sick. If you are on her bad side....well that is a terrifying place to be. This coming of age tale leads down a dark and deadly tension filled path and I loved it.
I received an advance copy for review
I received an advance copy for review
November 12, 2020
Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer are admittedly two authors I'd never heard of when receiving this novel in the Night Worms November package. Often, when a novel is co-authored, readers can tell who's driving and who's co-pilot, though with characters this well written and a steady, even-paced progression throughout, the novel read like a breeze; a weird chilly breeze that comforts at first, then runs down the back of shirt giving you the shivers. Wormwood is partially a coming of age tale, but also one of rapt horror as the main protagonist, Baker, grows all-too-fast over a third of a year. Adolescence and love will make anyone do stupid things, which is what makes this novel so compelling. I'm sure we've all been in situations where we did things we didn't necessarily want to do for a crush. Granted, they're hopefully not as dark and dangerous as Baker's. That's what makes this book so scary. This could be any kid these days, maybe even your kid.
"[...] no matter how much a mother loves her son, that no matter how convinced their child is an innocent angel, kids are fully capable of making stupid decisions behind closed doors [...]"Clocking in at just under 200 pages, the novel is a quick read, though one I found myself deeply immersed in, not just sprinting through. Chapters are short and sweet and the plot lean, with no need to trim off any fat; what's written was written with purpose. I won't give away much of the plot itself, other than to say that the cover speaks for itself. I now need to go look into Lutzke and Meyer's other prose and get caught up on two new authors I've just discovered.
January 10, 2021
Coming of age stories are one of my favorite sub genres so when I saw that two excellent indie authors wrote one together I couldn’t wait to read it. Chad Lutzke has a gift for writing horror with heart and Tim Meyer writes with an intensity and edginess that I’ve always enjoyed. They both have these very different writing styles but somehow this book flows seamlessly.
Wormwood is about two 14 year old best friends, Baker and Seb, and how their life and friendship changes after meeting badgirl Cass. I really connected with Baker, the new kid at school and only child, as I’ve been in that same situation when I was young. Cass is Baker’s first crush and the way it’s described reminded me of the awkwardness I felt when I experienced my first case of puppy love. After gaining the boys trust, Cass slowly starts to show the sadistic part of her personality. By this point both boys are mesmerized by her charms and able to tolerate and even embrace this side of her.
One of the things I loved was how each chapter had a countdown under the title leading up to the horrible event that goes down at the end of the book. It kept me turning the pages faster and faster to see what was going to happen.
My only reasons for not giving this book five stars are I would have liked to learn more about Seb’s character and the book felt a tiny bit YA for me.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. It had everything I look for in a good coming of age tale. I’d love to see these two wonderful writers collaborate again in the future!
Wormwood is about two 14 year old best friends, Baker and Seb, and how their life and friendship changes after meeting badgirl Cass. I really connected with Baker, the new kid at school and only child, as I’ve been in that same situation when I was young. Cass is Baker’s first crush and the way it’s described reminded me of the awkwardness I felt when I experienced my first case of puppy love. After gaining the boys trust, Cass slowly starts to show the sadistic part of her personality. By this point both boys are mesmerized by her charms and able to tolerate and even embrace this side of her.
One of the things I loved was how each chapter had a countdown under the title leading up to the horrible event that goes down at the end of the book. It kept me turning the pages faster and faster to see what was going to happen.
My only reasons for not giving this book five stars are I would have liked to learn more about Seb’s character and the book felt a tiny bit YA for me.
Overall I really enjoyed this one. It had everything I look for in a good coming of age tale. I’d love to see these two wonderful writers collaborate again in the future!
January 2, 2021
"....and he wonders how in the hell love can feel so lonely."
How resonating this quote is. Because sometimes; even though it shouldn't, love can feel very lonely. A dark and disturbing story of teenage angst and trying to fit in, falling into the wrong group of friends. But as a teenager, none of that matters when it's what you want more than anything. The hormones are raging and the blinders are on. The warning signs are so easy to ignore All that is seen is two exciting friends to hang out with, have fun with, and finally fit in.
Even though this delves into a very dark place, it was an exciting and edgy coming-of-age story. And written as a collaborative by two exceptionally talented authors makes it that much more unique.
Beautifully written where the scars run deep! Suspenseful and intense!
How resonating this quote is. Because sometimes; even though it shouldn't, love can feel very lonely. A dark and disturbing story of teenage angst and trying to fit in, falling into the wrong group of friends. But as a teenager, none of that matters when it's what you want more than anything. The hormones are raging and the blinders are on. The warning signs are so easy to ignore All that is seen is two exciting friends to hang out with, have fun with, and finally fit in.
Even though this delves into a very dark place, it was an exciting and edgy coming-of-age story. And written as a collaborative by two exceptionally talented authors makes it that much more unique.
Beautifully written where the scars run deep! Suspenseful and intense!
April 9, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this dark coming of age story and the ending was sublime. However, I do feel the story was a step down for me when compared with the three previous Chad Lutzke stories I've read so far, all 5 stars.
There is nothing wrong with the writing or the characters, I think it is more to do with the collaboration and different voices of two different authors. This book just lacked the pure heart and soul I experienced in Skullface Boy- for example.
This is not to say I would not enjoy Tim Meyer's work, I will still be seeking out more from both authors in future.
There is nothing wrong with the writing or the characters, I think it is more to do with the collaboration and different voices of two different authors. This book just lacked the pure heart and soul I experienced in Skullface Boy- for example.
This is not to say I would not enjoy Tim Meyer's work, I will still be seeking out more from both authors in future.
February 3, 2023
Story 4/5
Narration 5/5
I would have like more characters development. Otherwise I liked the atmosphere of Wormwood by Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer.
I recommend it.
Narration 5/5
I would have like more characters development. Otherwise I liked the atmosphere of Wormwood by Chad Lutzke and Tim Meyer.
I recommend it.
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