Review: The Trees Grew Because I Bled There by Eric LaRocca (Spoiler-Free)

You Follow Wherever They Go- ★★★☆☆

Bodies Are For Burning- ★★★★½

I'm a sucker for a fear of motherhood story. Literally don't care what happens in it—if it involves unwanted thoughts and a fear of being responsible for children, I'm strapped in. Naturally, Eric LaRocca's take on the topic is no exception.

The Strange Thing We Become- ★★★★★

🚨 Online message board format! 🚨 Reminiscent of LaRocca's Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke, this story haunts through not only its content, but the format itself. Both stories center ideas of isolation and obsession paired with a delusional need to care for the only biological offering you can provide for the world (even if it's not exactly a child...).

The Trees Grew Because I Bled There- ★★★★☆

You're Not Supposed to Be Here- ★★★★★

I need this to be a full length novel. It's somehow sci-fi, thriller, and horror all at once. Such a fun concept and executed so well. In a longer version, I'd love to see all the dynamics between each pair of couples and how they would react differently to the conflict, exposing the cracks (or lack thereof) in each relationship. Even with just the one we were given here, there was a surprising amount of depth to explore.

Where Flames Burned Emerald As Glass- ★★★½

I'll Be Gone By Then- ★★★★★

HAUNTING. CHILLS. While this may be the least physically horrific story of this collection, I'd argue it's the most heinous. But also the most awfully human.

Please Leave Or I'm Going to Hurt You- ★★★★★

ahahahahaha what. LaRocca is brave for writing this one.