Some very disturbing stories but written in such a beautiful way.

Thank you to Titan books for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to receive this arc copy as I have had one of his on my to buy list for a long time and have heard great things about it!

I was not disappointed by this book, I have not have the best experiences in reading short story collections like this before and the last one I read I did not enjoy whatsoever, but this has definitely reignited my want to read more short story collections again! The stories were completely disturbing and left me turning away at points but they were written in such a beautiful way, I really loved this authors writing style! The stories were very gripping and were the perfect length to be able to get involved in the story and invested in it without it being too long for a short story and dragging a bit.

I am definitely going to read and purchase more of his books.

I rated this 4.5 ⭐️.

Another brilliantly disturbing collection of short stories from Eric LaRocca! Once again, LaRocca was somehow able to make me grossed out by the plot whilst being in awe at how beautiful the writing was. Some of the stories seemed pretty tame for most of the way through, but then the super dark plot twist hit on the very last page and genuinely left me lost for words!!

Another set of dark and disturbing queer horror stories from Eric LaRocca, this time focusing on families & familial relations. Extremely gruesome, some tales more so than others but overall great.

I always tend to experience every emotion when reading Eric LaRocca and The Trees Grew Because I Bled There was no different. They’re able to craft stories that are both incredibly unsettling and descriptive, which is wonderful until you need to go to sleep and the nightmares come. My favorite story was You Follow Wherever They Go. I would absolutely read a full length novel based around those spooky little children. If you’re looking for a short story collection you won’t be able to put down, pick up The Trees Grew Because I Bled There.

🪦the trees grew because I bled there by eric larocca🪦

a collection of deeply dark, queer & nightmarish short stories from the author of things have gotten worse since we last spoke (which I'm definitely going to read after reading this!)

the title story & you're not supposed to be here were my favourites. they were dark and unsettling and everything you want from a horror collection. eric laroccas writing style is beautiful and almost poetic, while writing about the most disturbing and dark things. the last story was a big let down but the rest were wonderful.

Eric LaRocca has the amazing ability to pack everything one could want in a horror novel into a short story. I've read a lot of anthologies and single author collection, and, never fail, there are always stories I love, stories I dislike, and all those forgettable ones in between. Not so, in this case. Every story left me feeling uncomfortable, unsettled, uneasy, and completely satisfied.
I know it's just January, but this is my favorite read of the year so far, and it's going to take something truly amazing to knock it off it's pedestal.

Thank you for the ARC netgalley!

Not one of my favorites, though a few stories had better narrative structure than others, it was a little bit too meandering for my tastes. I hope to read it again and maybe glean more from the individual stories.

Eric Larocca is one of my most favorite authors and his collections of horror stories never let me down. Especially this time. I think this is my favorite yet and the cover is also my favorite.

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic and could not stop reading it.

This is a very weird, creepy collection of short horror stories. If you've already read Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke and other Misfortunes you will know what to expect. Each and every story kept me gripped and I did not want to put this down. I feel its better to go into this not knowing what each story is about. Will definitely be reading more by Eric LaRocca.

Literary, poetic, and beautiful.
Terrifying, disturbing, and brutal.

Welcome to the world of Eric Larocca! This author is one of my favorites and this collection, in my opinion, stands out as some of his best work yet.

From the subtle to the outright horrifying, these stories will wrap around your soul like tiny serpents with wicked sharp teeth.

Each one is written with a prose that camouflages the absolute horror awaiting you. It creeps up on you unexpectedly and once you realize what's happening, it's too late to escape.

I highly recommend this book and it should be on everyone's tongue!

This is another 5 star review. This one is a doozy, as a parent this collection was especially hard to read. So well written, the details are immaculate. I loved it.

This is a collection of horror stories and some are short and some are long. This has LGBTQIAP+ rep. My ratings for the individual stories are:
1. You Follow Wherever They Go - 5 stars.
2. Bodies are for Burning - 3 Stars. This was very unsettling.
3. The Strange Thing We Become - 5 stars.
4. The Trees Grew Because I Bled There - 3 stars.
5. You’re Not Supposed to be here - 2.5 stars.
6. Where Flames Burned Emerald as Glass - 3 Stars.
7. I’ll Be Gone by Then - 5 Stars.
8. Please Leave or I’m Going to Hurt You - 4 stars.

These stories ranged in enjoyment for me but they all had a strong voice that only LaRocca provides. I has a great time reading this. Some of the stories were unsettling but still felt very comforting to me. LaRocca just has a special way with words that I instantly connect to. I recommend this for horror fans but especially of you already love LaRocca’s other work like I do. The way this author writes human connection in the stories is truly phenomenal.

The Trees Grew because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca is a collection of short stories that I tore through in a single day, unable to put it down, desperately needing to know what was coming next.
Filled with dread and love and the unimaginable, LaRocca is a masterful story telling and I can't wait to see what comes next.
Please find attached my spoiler free youtube review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eddkNmLwx-g&t=538s

ERIC. LAROCCA. DOES. NOT. MISS.

Can I give this 6 stars? These stories are what I can only best describe as "horrifically human" It is honestly difficult to share the best parts of these stories without ruining the messaging behind them. -- The two stories that really stuck with me were "You're Not Supposed To Be Here" and the title story "The Tree's Grew Because I Bled There"

Please mark this collection of stories on your "must reads of 2023" !!!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Titan books for this ARC! I adore Eric’s writing and when I saw The Trees Grew Because I Bled There on NetGalley, I had to request right away!

As always these stories all have Eric’s signature prose. It’s somehow ominously beautiful to me. My favorite stories were The Strange Thing We Become, You’re Not Supposed To Be Here and I’ll Be Gone By Then.

I will say that I enjoyed every story in this collection! They each were unique and written so incredibly well. At this point, I’ll read anything Eric LaRocca writes!!

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There was another excellent addition to Eric LaaRocca's diverse collection of horror masterpieces!

“anything worth doing always hurts.”

I love Eric LaRocca’s writing style very much! It keeps you immersed in the story. One particular one had me on the edge of my seat and I was like “is he gonna go there?!” Totally loved the experience!

As usual his collections follow a theme and in this case it was loss.

Mr LaRocca remains one of my favourites!!!

This is probably one of my favorite Eric short story collections. These stories were sad, disturbing, and heart breaking.

I noticed that the theme with these stories were children and parents. There is also the shared theme of grief and how it affects us in different and monstrous ways. Eric’s stories never fail to make my jaw drop and heart sink at the same time.

I’d say the most impactful stories for me were: Bodies are for burning, You’re not supposed to be here, Where flames burned emerald as grass, & I’ll be gone by then. We all have complicated relationships with ourselves as well as our families, and this collection did an amazing job at exploring that. I think this is the one collection of his there wasn’t a story I was bored with or hated. Everything was off the walls as usual, but with a message underneath that I understood and was sympathetic to. I’m slowly becoming a fan here and I’m so excited that Eric’s voice in queer horror is getting such a wide audience. This collection debuts March 7th so be sure to order it!

So weird! I love Eric LaRocca writing and the way he presents his stories. Might not be for everyone, but if you like weird stuff and beautiful prose, jump right in!