First thanks to NetGalley for letting me reading “She Ain’t Pretty” in exchange for an honest review.

Fates intertwine when Blake ,who was recently fired from his job , finds a help wanted ad online for an “older” widow needing help on her farm. Meanwhile Bill is trying to convince his friend and journalist Eva that he has a story for her about a cult that has a suspicious amount of missing persons connected to it. Eva and Blake’s life are going to come together in a horrific way and it ain’t gonna be pretty (see what I did there)

I have never read a succubus story before and you would think that after I’ve read like every horror genre out there that I would be acquainted with the thought of a succubus but alas I was not. I don’t really know what to expect like you would with most books but I found that it was surprisingly delicious. The protagonist Lily was just so manipulative, cunning, and just down right evil, in a good way. I do have to say sometimes it did feel like the story was dragging on a little bit but when it did drag on it was made up for a couple pages later where the story would really pick up at lightning speed. But then it will drag on again so there’s a little bit of a consistency issue there although it didn’t really bother me or affect my opinion as much. I do think that I would most likely read more from Renee Miller in the future. I do think that this was an
extremely fascinating story , it has an appealing concept and it gave the perfect amount of story for a satisfying novella. So that is where I’m gonna leave you guys I hope that you have enjoyed my review and you have a chance to read this in the future. Happy reading X

“A woman of about forty greeted him. Well, maybe younger. It was hard to tell. She was hot, though. Blake didn’t usually go for older women, but something about her dark eyes made his stomach tingle.”*

Something feels off during his job interview, but Blake has no idea becoming a stud is the primary part of the job description. Stuck into servitude to a succubus, Blake hopes the latest addition to the staff, Lily’s personal assistant Eva, will be his salvation. Little does he know Eva has her own agenda, an expose on the cult that will bring her big bucks.

This book felt like a mashup between the storyline with the maenad on the TV series True Blood and the cult aspects of Midsommer. I dug the older woman/young man dynamic, the succubus lore, and the way Lily’s followers craved her like a drug. Lily’s master plan and way of dealing with inconvenient humans was stomach turning. It’s always hard to see innocents get burned, but Miller handles it masterfully, adding to the horror of the story without traversing into gratuitous gore territory. The cast is full of cult members, but I never had a problem keeping track of the characters.

I found the ending satisfying, and I am full on in love with the beautiful cover. Miller always delivers a superb story and adds the perfect dash of erotic horror to this tale. I really enjoyed her previous Rewind or Die book BLOOD LAKE MONSTER and her contributions to Unnerving Magazine. SHE AIN’T PRETTY is the perfect precursor to the release of the special cult edition of Miller’s novella CHURCH, which I happily preordered.

The Rewind or Die books are a blood-splattered oasis in these turbulent times. I am a huge fan of the series, which invokes the spirit of horror movies watched on videotape.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley and Unnerving for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

This was an exciting fast paced novella depicting a modern day succubus and one woman's quest to not 'drink the koolaid'. Once I started the short story I couldn't stop. What an ending...unexpected. Very imaginative and entertaining.

Thank you netgalley for this arc

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book. Another killer story from Renee Miller. I love her writing style. She has a unique imagination and always comes up with some unusual stories. This one follows the succubus myth. A great read, good pacing for a shorter novel. Enjoyed the ending as well. Love those non- happy, happy endings 😱