THE SADIST'S BIBLE by Nicole Cushing

The cover for this horror novella made me think that it was something that I wouldn't be interested in at all. But this novel really went against my expectations, if not in what it's about, definitely in the direction it went. Nicole Cushing is no-holds-barred when it comes to her deviant approach towards sex and religion. In fact, if you are a prude of any sort or sensitive when it comes to Christianity, just stay away from this one. I'm neither, so I was impressed and drawn in by Cushing's boldness and nerve. She tells a story of a repressed Christian woman named Ellie who agrees to meet up with an online lover for a night of hot lesbian sex capped with a bit of suicide. But what both women discover is a horror beyond anything they are trying to escape in life and that the afterlife might not be the escape their hoping for.

But unfortunately, I felt pretty cold throughout most of the book. It felt like a scatter-brained rough draft to me, with every idea feeling incomplete. I felt disconnected through most of it, like the novella was just going through it's paces and not really fully committing. The character of Lori is the biggest culprit here. It seemed as though Cushing had great ideas with where to take her in relation to Ellie, but the exploration of the character seemed to have been abandoned. Even the absolutely insane climax felt like it was done simply for horrific effect rather than inspiring any real catharsis.

This could have been so much more, and really affecting, but it really fell short for me. But hey, what do I know, this was recently nominated for the Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award!

GRADE: C-