I was previously approved for the written version of Bleed More, Bodymore, which I also reviewed prior to writing this review. When I saw that the audiobook version of Bleed More, Bodymore was available, I clicked on the "read now" button ASAP. It's a fairly common practice for me to listen to an audiobook even when I've read the print copy. More than once, I have realized I missed something in my own reading, or the character development was lacking when I heard the tale in my own voice.

My previous / print review:
"Three stars from me, which means "I liked it!" I enjoyed Bleed More, Bodymore and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a creeptastic book outside of the realm of Stephen King. I do believe this was my first Ian Kirkpatrick book, and I will likely seek more. As I have expressed in my reviews (of other books), I have a bad habit of falling in love with protagonists, but that wasn't so much the case in this one as I didn't easily or readily connect with Joey, yet I wanted to understand her, to "get" her. This book is perfect for other readers like me, those who just want to read and enjoy the ride without analyzing what's underneath the surface."

After the audiobook, I am leaning more towards 3.5 stars. By listening to the narration by someone outside of my own head and voice, I picked up on more of the subtle humor. Although I still don't love Joey because I can only take so much sarcasm (I felt the same about Amy in Grady Hendrix's Horrorstör), I felt much more sympathetic towards her this time around.

My favorite aspect of this book is the vibrant darkness. The scenes, even the darkest of the dark, are painted so vividly that I really could watch them play out, almost like watching a movie. If it wasn't creepy enough on its own, I had the pleasure of a very dark commute to work with this book playing . . . with cackling murders of crows along the route.

Off topic: I'm kind of a bird nerd so if I were to nitpick, I just want to point out that a group of ravens is an unkindness. A group of crows is the murder.

Oh, and if this book is at all accurate about Baltimore, I don't think I'll ever visit.

Thank you, NetGalley for both versions of Bleed More, Bodymore.

This story was all over the place for me. There were too many things happening and it all seemed incoherent. I liked that the main character was hilarious. All the characters were well-developed and interesting. The writing is good too, especially while portraying complex emotions and different relationships. I wish the book was narrated by a woman since the MC is a woman. It confused me sometimes, but the narrator did a good job.

This book felt a little all over the place and confusing at times, but there were a few parts that I really liked.

I rarely say this but there are two things you need to do as soon as possible; 1-Go out now and get this book! Get the physical book, the ebook, the audiobook, it doesn't matter…
2- Put the name Ian Kirkpatrick on your must-read list. Yeah, really. Right next to Stephen King...do it now, I’ll wait…

Now why I say these things; Ian Kirkpatrick was an unknown name to me until I read Bleed more, Bodymore. But it’s a name I will not only remember but will pop over to Barnes and Nobel and Amazon to see what else I can find of hers to read.

I want to be careful here because it would be so easy to give spoilers in this review, and there are few things I hate more than spoilers...and cheaters...and bad horror that’s not horror...of yeah, and rats...but I digress.

So Bleed More, Bodymore takes place in good old Baltimore, Md. A place I did not realize, even after years of going there for business on a bi-weekly basis, that it was so God awful deadly! And this book gives a very valid and believable reason why it smells the way it does, but to tell you would be a spoiler. (See above paragraph).

Ok, the particulars; Joey’s a mechanic. One night, she receives a call from her best friend, asking for his car to be picked up from the infamous body dumping grounds of Baltimore: Leakin Park.  Back at the body shop, it doesn’t take long for the smell of rot to permeate the trunk. Inside? A corpse.  But something isn’t right in Baltimore.  Her search for her friend reveals something much worse hiding under the city.  Suddenly, the city’s rage and the stink rising out of the dirt make much more sense.

I loved every page, every word of this book. I loved Joey, one plucky, strong, street-wise woman who goes looking for a friend even when she’s scared out of her mind.
Joey’s life has not been easy, her mom walked when she was a young kid, and her dad is a drunk who sits in his recliner watching bad TV and drinking beer when he’s not trying to beat Joey into an early grave. She can come across as a bit of a jerk, but it’s the woman hiding behind the snarky remarks and the rebellion that is the real Joey. Don’t judge her too quickly, she’s worth knowing.

This book is about to be one of the hottest titles out there, trust me on this, I know good horror and Kirkpatrick writes dang good horror! I am hoping and praying this is just book one in a long series, like Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files. I kid you not. The situations, the horror, the murder, the ghost just in Baltimore could fill at least 10 full novels...just saying.

I also listened to the audiobook version of this, and while it held my interest and was still a good novel, the use of a male narrator threw me at first. Joey is a girl, but for most of the audiobook, you find yourself wondering if you got that part wrong. Kieran Regan does a good job as narrator but I’m not sure he was the best choice for voicing a 24-year-old woman.

Thanks to NetGalley, Steak House Books, and Ian Kirkpatrick for this ebook and audio in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

OK so this book was a wild ride from beginning to end and I’m kind of here for it. First can I just say as someone born and raised in Killadelphia knowing that Baltimore has its own quirky dead name amuses me to no end. Baltimore and Philly have for decades been like twins and I loved that little aspect of the city being shown here.

Also a note about the audiobook. The narrator is a male voice but our POV character is a girl. That isn’t immediately obvious, the most feminine attribute she has is eyeliner, and that can be a little confusing or disorienting in the beginning. But once I adjusted my frame of reference here it didn’t take me out of the story; the voice used was slightly softer, a little more androgynous and by the end that’s what Joey sounded like in my head and I was totally OK with it.

Now for the story itself, I enjoyed myself. It was a little difficult at times to adjust my mental picture to what was happening. It’s almost like this blend of magical realism and urban fantasy. Because of that sometimes my brain took a little bit longer to catch up. It was like I was having the same struggles that Joey was having in orienting myself with this new reality. So while that did make it slower for me to connect in certain places ultimately I did connect.

I’m also a huge fan of this cast of characters. I did see in somebody else’s review they think that Joey reads as “not like other girls”. And while I can totally see why somebody would maybe take that away from this, I think that this is really an instance of somebody not understanding a lifestyle. Joey is quintessentially from the wrong side of the tracks. And that means that her worldview and the things that she finds acceptable and not acceptable the way that she oriented herself in the world is different. There is no safe space for her, there is no savior for her so she has to do it all herself. For people who haven’t grown up in that kind of environment I can see where that might read as being “not like other girls“. In reality I think it’s just an example of a different worldview, one that isn’t considered very often when it comes to books. I was also a huge fan of Jag 10 out of 10 would recommend. I’m very into Val also, there was snark, there was sass, he’s also turns into a creepy black bird, it was all there for me. I appreciated how Sol was this very glitch in the matrix type moment or character, I liked seeing that on the page as well.

Overall the beginning was a little bit slower but I felt like it did set the stage well for us to follow along with what was going on. It definitely created that atmosphere where the cops are incompetent and can’t be trusted, which is my lived experience too. Made it very believable that these people would try and work things out themselves because there is no trust of authority figures here. Overall I liked it I thought it was handled really well and I will be continuing in the series.

I would like to think net galley for letting me have early access to both the e-book and the audiobook, and tomorrow when it releases I will be getting a copy of my own.

[I received an audio ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review]
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Three stars for me but mostly because it just wasn’t really my thing. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it was a great set up. At the beginning I was hooked by the mystery and the setting. Joey is a rough around the edges mechanic and a decent MC. When a dead body shows up in her best friend Wayland’s car but Wayland is nowhere to be seen she immediately knows he’s in trouble. What follows is a topsy turvy whirlwind of strange encounters and a whole lot of dead bodies. The plot was a bit meandering for me and I would have liked a bit more of the romance which was sporadic at best. The writing is sharp and funny but can border on clichè. I would pick up another book from this author, but not sure I would continue with this series. Overall, it’s spooky and fun while hitting on some heavy themes. Great Halloween read.

I really enjoyed listening to Bleed More, Bodymore … great for this time of year around Halloween. This is a very busy story … but I suppose as it’s the first in a series, there’s a lot to set up. I thought that there was much to be said for the plot, characters and development, and I will look out for the other books. However, the female main character, (Joey) is portrayed by a male narrator, which I found difficult when trying to picture her characters and warm to her. I think having different narrators for the audio version, would have improved the experience for me personally.

This story was sort of all over the place and hard to follow. It made sense to start but the further and further you dove into the story the more this book seemed to spiral out of control. It felt as if the author took and bunch of horror tropes and just sort of thew them all at this one book. This book had some really great bits in it and the over arching idea was solid the author just tried to do to much in to short a time.

I was initially drawn in by the cover and then I was fully engaged by the narration of Ian's words by Kieran Regan. What a fun and bizarre little mystery ride.

This novel is about Joey, a young adult living in Baltimore working as a mechanic who has had a not a great life. One night she gets a call to tow her best friend's car but he's no where to be found. She finds things in her car that lead her into a crazy mystery involving badges (cops), the afterlife, boys, and survival.

All the main characters are fully fleshed out and I am hoping that Jag and Val will make appearances in future books as they were my favorites. The story is a nice blend of comedy, supernatural mystery, mythology, coming of age, and horror. It was a nice book to listen to for the Halloween/fall season.

My one complaint about the book is that I wish Joey didn't have a lip ring. Every time the author said that she bit her lip ring or sucked her lip ring it just felt like filler.

TW: Abuse - For any future readers

Book available October 31, 2021

A Tim Burton - esque confection of murder, ghosts, and Baltimore at it’s finest.

MV Rating: 6.5/10
•Joey finds a dead body in her best friend’s car, and goes on a journey to hell and back (literally) to find him & figure out what’s happening in Bodymore.
•This is book #1 in a series, and it definitely shows. The story ends with a lot of unfinished business for all of our characters, so don’t expect a nice solid ending.
• I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator was great - often times audiobooks have a tough time capturing male and female voices in stories for me, and this one was the best I’ve listened to.
•Joey’s fiery personality really shines in this story, and the chip on her shoulder is huge. I can’t wait to learn more about her in the sequel!


Thank you to NetGalley, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Steak House Audiobooks for the ARC access!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.
I have to say that the narration was spot on. For me, it was kind of slow but the Netgalley shelf app made it easier to make the audio faster which was really helpful for me. Kieran Regan, the narrator had done a great job with sound effects which had changed the mood of the story and it helped it make sense. It was also quite interesting to hear the sound effects because it gave a simple idea and for me, a vague imagination of what was going on.
I also have to say that the world building was very good and descriptive which is what made me raise my rating to 2 stars.

However, there were some downsides to the story as well. What really got to me was the way the story was written or how it was structured. I often found myself distracted either because the storyline was slow, or because of the main character.
One thing I can say for sure is that I didn’t feel connected to the characters. They lacked development and depth to be honest. The author kept repeating a certain phrase from Joey’s POV were she sucked or bit her lip ring and I found the phrase annoying because of how many times it was repeated.
I also found that the story was quite slow, and I prefer fast paced plot lines because I often get bored easily to the point were I felt I just needed a break from the book and i just wanted to DNF it.

Overall, I think the plot line is good, but the writing style was not for me.

I finished this book quickly. I loved that the main character was smart, funny, and fairly brave even though she lived in a horror-show of a town. I enjoyed learning the rules of the world with the main character and thoroughly enjoyed the sense of doom that came with counting ravens. This is a story with its own lingo and pace. I'd recommend it to anyone, but especially to fans of shows like Buffy or Supernatural that blend thecomedic with the macabre.

A well earned 4.3 stars.

If you’re looking for something spooky, supernatural, and thrilling with a good dose of humor from the main character, then you’ll like this. Joey has a lot of sarcasm and impulsive decision making throughout the whole story, so you never really know what she’s going to do or say next while she’s searching for her lost friend, Wayland Cross.

Throughout the book you’re introduced to Baltimore, or “bodymore” as Joey aptly calls it. It’s a city riddled with murder, violence, and an assortment of nasty street crawling criminals. Police are so overworked that they barely do their jobs, but that’s hardly the largest problem in this place.

The world building for the supernatural elements is pretty solid, and it all works its way back into the beginning of the story once Joey discovers the secrets beneath Baltimore. The themes and the analogies for suffering and regret woven into the story are also wonderful and were some of my favorite aspects.

The feeling that seeps in through this was so potent that I legitimately had to take breaks sometimes or risk beginning to mirror those emotions myself, so I’d say the atmosphere of everything was conveyed very well. There’s a lot of pain, doubt, fear, and regret, but there’s also hope for an odd new beginning at the end.

The parts that seemed to come out of left field were some of the tone changes. In the beginning, it was hard for me to tell just how close Joey and Wayland were meant to be and he felt more like someone that might be a casual acquaintance. They were obviously friends on some level, but it took several chapters before the depth of their relationship was explained. Some instances of Joey’s and Jag’s relationship also seemed a bit sudden or just lit up at unusual times, particularly the first time. However, those snags seems to smooth out towards the latter half.

The voice actor for this audiobook was excellent by the way. He was super expressive and really put in the effort to differentiate each character’s voice. It made listening to it really engaging and I could tell who was speaking without the book having to say it, so shout out to that guy.

Thank you to the author for this arc, I loved listening to it!


SOME SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT



Some rambling thoughts:

There wasn’t much time with Wayland or much exploration into his character, but I really like this guy. When Joey and Jag snuck into his house and started flipping through his things, I knew I was going to like him right away. Jag is great as a steady friend/boyfriend/what have you, but I guess there’s just something I really sympathize with in Way. A nerdy sweetheart with social anxiety that has a huge crush on someone he’s too afraid to admit it to, then regretting it so much that he tried to escape judgement. Aw, my heart. The only way he could control himself from strangling Jag was holding Joey’s hand? AWW. So freaking cute. You win.

Aside from that, all the characters in purgatory really stay true to their vibe. Sol is immensely annoying, obviously knowing way more than she’s willing to discuss and acting like a computer program or a person that’s forgotten how to approach new situations.

Val is a strange one, almost like there might be more personality under the surface than he lets on despite being kind of animalistic and raven-like, but he enjoys being jarring and blunt. It’s hard to tell if he’s really as void as he seems or if he has more compassion than one might expect.

Then Kairen… Karen? Keiran? I listened to the audiobook, I don’t know how it’s spelled. Reaper dude. If reapers were real, that’s how I’d imagine one. His little ornaments and tools really sold it with the crystal jars and magical chains. He was trying to be patient but is obviously 98% done with humans being confused and fussy.

Even though Joey’s father was awful, you actually gain a bit of insight into his personality at the end. He returned, drowning on regret to come back to the living, yet he never killed Joey. Joey was struggling not to beat people’s heads in - even Jag’s - upon returning, and Wayland tried to murder Jag several times, so the amount of self restraint going into Joey’s father not killing her for years is interesting. He was still a piece of trash, but a slightly more three dimensional piece of trash than you first expect.

Some things that came a little out of left field for me were some of the tone changes. It was hard to tell for a while how close Joey and Way were due to her reaction to his car having a body in it. She seemed surprisingly calm for a while until she finally asked Rocky if the man in the trunk was Way. Given that it took her so long to wonder that made me think light acquaintance rather than someone you supposedly didn’t keep any secrets from.

When Joey’s leg slipped into the silver puddle in the park while searching for her MIA friend, it was only a few minutes after that when she and Jag were making out despite her leg being on fire. The timing of it is what seemed a little off.

One of the best twists, and the only part I rewound it to listen a second time, was when Joey said her father was dead for the first time. That he had a funeral, I believe it was, and that she’d need to ask Way if he remembered attending it. That was the best way to introduce this because for a while it left me wondering if Joey was actually a crazy person. Which, with how impulsive this person can be and the life she leads, didn’t seem like an impossible outcome.

The only questions that remain now are how Way died and what the heck he’d gotten himself into. If Ian decides to continue the series, I will be on the second book immediately.

I found this book to be, for lack of a better phrase, rather discombobulated. It was a bit all over the place and difficult to follow, despite me trying my very best to follow it. I couldn't engage with the book at all and didn't enjoy what I could follow of it. Unfortunately this one isn't for me.

"We live in Bodymore, Rocky. The status quo is bleeding on the payment without a pulse"

Joey the female protagonist works at an auto body shop and her friends vehicle comes in with a dead body in the trunk but her friend Wayland is missing. From this point on the storyline goes a bit all over the place.
The character development of Joey is pretty good but the other characters are lacking in a sense. I would of liked a bit more background of Joey's Dad and some of the others.
It's described as sci fi/fantasy/horror. I did not get "horror vibes" from this story however. It is laced throughout with a light mystery and fictional crime however.
The cover art is outstanding!
The storyline is a bit messy which made for a bit of confusion unfortunately.
Thank you #netgalley for allowing me to read & review. I listened to the audio arc.
Thank you Steak House Books
#BleedMoreBodymore
2 out of 5 stars for me
⭐⭐

Let me preface that this book was wildly entertaining and extremely fitting for Halloween. I loved the descriptions of the town and the group that was hanging out. However, the narrator is a guy and looking at the goodreads reviews everyone was talking about how Joey is a girl. This killed it for me. I got super 😕. So with that I give it a 4 out of 5. Would a reccomend it still. Absolutely. Grab it now before Halloween it will keep you up at night and entertain you until the morning. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a chance for a honest review

Bleed More, Bodymore
by: Ian Kirkpatrick
Pub. date: October 31, 2021
Date reviewed: October 24, 2021

Many thanks to Steak House Books & NetGalley for allowing me access to this Audio ARC & eARC, as I both listened to And read this ARC simultaneously.
I preferred the written version of Bleed More, Bodymore over the audio version. It’s a crazy story with Tons going on & an awful lot to keep track of. I feel there could’ve been more character building done & less junk in between. It almost felt like kind of a messy read. I’d recommend the author clears some of the unnecessary noise out from the pages before it goes to print. It would make for a much more enjoyable & understandable reading experience. I’m giving 2.5/3 stars.
#BleedMoreBodymore #NetGalley

"Horror is what happens when evil overtakes the heart"

*I received a review copy of the audio book on Netgalley for an honest review*

To be honest this book was not at all what I expected based on the synopsis but it was an entertaining read.
It's overall a pretty slow book and it both feels like a lot is or should be happening while it also feels like not much is happening at all.

I would've liked for the characters to have been about more fleshed out especially Joey, as flicking her lip ring felt like her only personality trait in some moments.

The book might be relatively slow paced but it keeps you hooked enough that you want to know what will happen next! And with that ending I do hope for another book:)

Bleed More, Bodymore is a book that begs to be read. In print. Not on audio. There is a lot to love about the plot, characters, development, and world building in this book. However, on audio it just wasn't as good as I think it will be in print. There is a female main character, portrayed by a male narrator, which posed a major issue for me personally in picturing the characters and their development throughout. There is also just a lot going on in this book, and I feel like it is one that I will love in print. Will definitely be purchasing the print version when it becomes available and doing a re-read to fully immerse myself in this amazing story line and characters.

I received an audio ARC in exchange for honest review from netgalley.

TW for abuse.
Light romance.

Joey is a mechanic & goes to pick up her friends car one night. Her friend is no where to be seen but there is a dead body in the trunk. This is just the first of dead bodies Joey comes across while trying to find her friend & find out if he was involved. But more is going on than Joey is aware of & now she's found herself right in the middle.

I loved the cover & enjoy the overall idea, but the story just did hit the mark for me. I wish Joey had been a little more fleshed out to really sympathise with her & wish the author had cut back on Joey licking / flicking her lip ring. Once or twice puts the image of your head, but found it was overused. I found the story felt like it coasted along without really delving into what was happening making it feel like nothing really happened other than Joey constantly finding dead bodies. I liked the characters of Charon & Val, wish they had been used a bit more.

Wish a female narrator had been used instead of a male narrator, this kept pulling me out of the story.

I enjoyed the take on death & Joey is an interesting character from what has been shown so far. The story has good bones & as this is the start of the series, I hope as it goes along it delves deeper & deeper to the merging mythology. For the subject matter it didn't get to dark & was left constantly wondering what was going on. Had a good ending that will leave you wondering what comes next for Joey.