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Girls' Night Out
It was just supposed to be a girls’ night out… Stay-at-home mom Kris loves her life and her family but she can’t help but feel as though she’s lost a little bit of herself. Sometimes it feels like she could burst out of her own skin. She’s starving for attention, starving for an escape and starving to reclaim her own sense of identity and place in the world again. On a rare girls’ night out, Kris has a little too much to drink and gets roughed up and romanced by a hypnotic stranger. She goes home with a wounded shoulder and an equally wounded ego, and wakes up the following day with strange new cravings. With every day, Kris finds it more and more difficult to deny that something is terribly wrong with her. With the help of a new friend, Kris soon learns that she’ll have to make the biggest sacrifice of all if she wants to keep her family and herself intact. Girls Night Out is a fever dream dissection of how one bad decision and a lifetime of repression and regrets can lead to a spiral self-destruction.
- GenresHorror
183 pages, Paperback
Published February 9, 2023
4 people are currently reading
176 people want to read
About the author
Wendy Dalrymple
81 books299 followersWendy Dalrymple loves to explore the beauty in horrific things.. When she’s not writing #pinkhorror or Florida Gothic horror, you can find her hiking with her family, painting (bad) wall art, and trying to grow as many pineapples as possible. Follow her on IG or TikTok @wendydalrymplewrites.
Www.wendydalrymple.com
Www.wendydalrymple.com
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 18, 2024
I've said it before and I will say it again, you cannot go wrong with a Wendy Dalrymple. Aside from a few times where the timeline was seemingly a little confused this was a really solid little story with a satisfying ending.
March 11, 2024
Books that start out with a pretty normal premise but descend into absolute madness are my favourite and Wendy is a master at this, writing feminist horror at its finest, exploring relatable experiences and themes for women that on their own are horrific enough, Wendy takes it to the next level in this *careful what you wish for* novella
July 4, 2024
Girls' Night Out is another fun and well-paced horror novella from Wendy Dalrymple.
Thirty-nine-year-old Kris is the MC here, and we follow along with her as she goes through a terrifying, unimaginable experience. Kris has two children (twins) and a somewhat tense relationship with her husband. These elements created an emotional core which made the characters feel real to me, and which had me invested in their outcome.
Of course, this is not solely a domestic drama! There is a major supernatural element which carries the bulk of the story, and which I'll put in spoiler tags because I don't think it's referenced in the official plot summary:
Wendy Dalrymple writes in a clean, straightforward prose style which flows well and serves the nature of the story being told. I always refer to her books as "horror beach reads" but I don't mean that to diminish them in any way; it's very much intended as a compliment, and it's great to pick up a book like this when you're in the mood for something to escape from heavier, drearier books. In this sense, her style is almost like the literary equivalent of watching a comfort horror movie from the 90s or 00s.
I really enjoyed Girls' Night Out, and always look forward to reading more work by this author. I think this novella, in particular, might appeal to some fans of contemporary urban fantasy (a la Ilona Andrews) who might want to try something more on the horror end of things.
Thirty-nine-year-old Kris is the MC here, and we follow along with her as she goes through a terrifying, unimaginable experience. Kris has two children (twins) and a somewhat tense relationship with her husband. These elements created an emotional core which made the characters feel real to me, and which had me invested in their outcome.
Of course, this is not solely a domestic drama! There is a major supernatural element which carries the bulk of the story, and which I'll put in spoiler tags because I don't think it's referenced in the official plot summary:
Wendy Dalrymple writes in a clean, straightforward prose style which flows well and serves the nature of the story being told. I always refer to her books as "horror beach reads" but I don't mean that to diminish them in any way; it's very much intended as a compliment, and it's great to pick up a book like this when you're in the mood for something to escape from heavier, drearier books. In this sense, her style is almost like the literary equivalent of watching a comfort horror movie from the 90s or 00s.
I really enjoyed Girls' Night Out, and always look forward to reading more work by this author. I think this novella, in particular, might appeal to some fans of contemporary urban fantasy (a la Ilona Andrews) who might want to try something more on the horror end of things.
December 13, 2023
Today, I decided that I was going to read this novella. And I'm glad I did.
Kris is a mother and wife who doesn't get out much. Her young twins keep her busy and her marriage isn't going too well. So, joining her friends for a fun night out sounds like a nice idea. Except, it doesn't go according to plan and she finds herself stuck in a terrible situation...
Well, this is yet another awesome Wendy Dalrymple story!
I had an absolute blast reading this novella. I love stories that start out very normal before turning everything upside down. And this book introduces us to a mother who's stuck in an unhappy rut even though she loves her family. A woman who wants more out of life and when she gets it, doesn't know how to deal with everything.
Of course, what happens to her is terrible and she blames herself, but I love how determined Kris is to understand what's going on and deal with it.
There's also plenty of gruesome body horror, and several familiar faces that I wasn't expecting.
Like every other story I've read written by this fantastic author, I loved it!
Kris is a mother and wife who doesn't get out much. Her young twins keep her busy and her marriage isn't going too well. So, joining her friends for a fun night out sounds like a nice idea. Except, it doesn't go according to plan and she finds herself stuck in a terrible situation...
Well, this is yet another awesome Wendy Dalrymple story!
I had an absolute blast reading this novella. I love stories that start out very normal before turning everything upside down. And this book introduces us to a mother who's stuck in an unhappy rut even though she loves her family. A woman who wants more out of life and when she gets it, doesn't know how to deal with everything.
Of course, what happens to her is terrible and she blames herself, but I love how determined Kris is to understand what's going on and deal with it.
There's also plenty of gruesome body horror, and several familiar faces that I wasn't expecting.
Like every other story I've read written by this fantastic author, I loved it!
February 6, 2024
More thoughts in my January wrap-up ⬇️
February 9, 2024
Girls will be girls…and they will also be monsters. I devoured this, but I don’t think I’ll be able to think about raw meat for the foreseeable future…
March 16, 2024
I recently read this banger from Wendy Dalrymple , a writer that just gets better and better with each book I read! An innocent girls' night that goes awry, causing things to spiral out of control for one loving mother.
I really enjoy the characters Wendy creates, the amount of realism she injects into them really draws me into her stories. She does an excellent job of creating a normal, relatable scenario and turning it on its head. You really feel for our main character Kris as her life begins to turn upside down.
Check out this 5 star read!
I really enjoy the characters Wendy creates, the amount of realism she injects into them really draws me into her stories. She does an excellent job of creating a normal, relatable scenario and turning it on its head. You really feel for our main character Kris as her life begins to turn upside down.
Check out this 5 star read!
February 29, 2024
Not your typical monster story…
Not your typical tired mom story either…
Girls’ Night Out is a fun and frightening, can’t-put-it-down read. I picked up on the clues about Kris’ transformation, but was so pleasantly surprised by the creative ways the author chose to reveal it.
Wendy Dalrymple is a master of “pink horror.” In this book, she uses elements of horror to highlight the struggles many mothers face as they attempt to retain some semblance of individuality while balancing marriage and motherhood.
I enjoyed the vivid sensory imagery and attention to detail, especially the specific nods to Tampa, Florida. The storyline is super clever and you should absolutely read it!
Not your typical tired mom story either…
Girls’ Night Out is a fun and frightening, can’t-put-it-down read. I picked up on the clues about Kris’ transformation, but was so pleasantly surprised by the creative ways the author chose to reveal it.
Wendy Dalrymple is a master of “pink horror.” In this book, she uses elements of horror to highlight the struggles many mothers face as they attempt to retain some semblance of individuality while balancing marriage and motherhood.
I enjoyed the vivid sensory imagery and attention to detail, especially the specific nods to Tampa, Florida. The storyline is super clever and you should absolutely read it!
February 18, 2025
OMG OMG OMG OMG *flails* This was SO GOOD!
A girls' night out ends up in eating peacocks + a heightened grocery bill + well some other things. Our MC was a fun/interesting one and I was rooting for her to find the problem + figure things out along the way. I am also happy that she and her husband eventually got closer, in true Wendy Dalrymple style I thought he was going to be munched on, haha. I loved the ending, that was perfection. You could have gone x way, but she went a different one that I love even more.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
A girls' night out ends up in eating peacocks + a heightened grocery bill + well some other things. Our MC was a fun/interesting one and I was rooting for her to find the problem + figure things out along the way. I am also happy that she and her husband eventually got closer, in true Wendy Dalrymple style I thought he was going to be munched on, haha. I loved the ending, that was perfection. You could have gone x way, but she went a different one that I love even more.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
February 25, 2024
A fun read. Would definitely recommend.
February 24, 2023
Let's hear it for the ghouls! Wendy Dalrymple is back with a new Florida Gothic and it is to DIE for.
"Girls Night Out" follows main character Kris as her mini midlife crisis unfolds into something much more sinister, something completely unimaginable. What starts out as a girls night out to celebrate a friend's upcoming marriage in a dark, gothic night club morphs into a deranged fight for blood, sanity, and life, driving Kris to deal with her most carnal self...whether she likes it or not. Through phenomenal character development, realistic dialogue, and creative genius, Wendy demonstrates her unique perspective, bringing the genuine horrors of womanhood crashing down upon her readers, tying it all up with a nice gore soaked bow. She's taken the hard feelings nobody wants to talk about and given them life within the pages of "Girls Night Out". She lends her voice to tell a story with a message so powerful for women without sacrificing any necessary horror elements. She intricately stitches characters together, taking care to pack them with details to form the absolute most relatable experiences for her readers. Wendy truly understands horror and has a heart for it; a fact that shines through each word she writes. "Girls Night Out" is no exception.
"Girls Night Out" follows main character Kris as her mini midlife crisis unfolds into something much more sinister, something completely unimaginable. What starts out as a girls night out to celebrate a friend's upcoming marriage in a dark, gothic night club morphs into a deranged fight for blood, sanity, and life, driving Kris to deal with her most carnal self...whether she likes it or not. Through phenomenal character development, realistic dialogue, and creative genius, Wendy demonstrates her unique perspective, bringing the genuine horrors of womanhood crashing down upon her readers, tying it all up with a nice gore soaked bow. She's taken the hard feelings nobody wants to talk about and given them life within the pages of "Girls Night Out". She lends her voice to tell a story with a message so powerful for women without sacrificing any necessary horror elements. She intricately stitches characters together, taking care to pack them with details to form the absolute most relatable experiences for her readers. Wendy truly understands horror and has a heart for it; a fact that shines through each word she writes. "Girls Night Out" is no exception.
November 20, 2023
I loved the twist! I didn’t see it coming.
July 9, 2025
4⭐ Review from someone who's definitely NOT spiraling, thank you very much 🫨
😅I thought I was picking up a little "Girls just wanna have wine" type of book with a splash of mommy exhaustion and a sprinkle of mild chaos.
🖤 What I actually got was a pink-splattered, full-throttle descent into feminine rage, body horror, and enough metaphorical teeth to leave me emotionally mauled but smiling? Confused? Empowered? Yes.
😳Wendy Dalrymple said, “What if motherhood… but also eldritch hunger?” and I said, “Okay girl let’s do this,” and she did.
She really, really did.🙃
💋The book starts off like your average "I'm tired, over-touched, mildly feral stay-at-home mom" setup, and you're lulled into thinking this will be a little feminist tale with cocktails and confessions.
🆘And then BAM ....you’re in the back of a bar with a cryptid in a hot body whispering sweet nothings about your wasted potential and licking your wound clean. I mean. We've all been there.
🖤I figured out where Kris was headed pretty early on, but it’s the how that slapped me. The pacing, the prose, the visceral hunger literal and emotional. Wendy wrote it all with this syrupy dread that made me feel like I was watching a cupcake rot in real time, and somehow I couldn’t look away.
😱It’s horror for women who’ve stared at the dishwasher too long and fantasized about just… walking into the woods. Horror for women who are tired of being "normal". Horror for women who’ve smiled through clenched teeth at a husband asking what’s for dinner when they’ve been on their feet for 12 hours bleeding out their soul.
🖤So the 4 stars, because while I loved the symbolism, the teeth, the twist—I did want just a bit more chaos. More gore. More unhinged unraveling. I wanted Kris to go full monster sooner and chew the whole damn neighborhood. (Maybe that’s just me. Maybe I need therapy.) 😭
🖤This book is for you, if you like your horror with lipstick smudges, maternal angst, and blood in your wine glass. Wendy is a sick genius and I’m officially watching her like a hawk. A sexy, sleep-deprived hawk in a bathrobe.
(Listened to the audiobook)
😅I thought I was picking up a little "Girls just wanna have wine" type of book with a splash of mommy exhaustion and a sprinkle of mild chaos.
🖤 What I actually got was a pink-splattered, full-throttle descent into feminine rage, body horror, and enough metaphorical teeth to leave me emotionally mauled but smiling? Confused? Empowered? Yes.
😳Wendy Dalrymple said, “What if motherhood… but also eldritch hunger?” and I said, “Okay girl let’s do this,” and she did.
She really, really did.🙃
💋The book starts off like your average "I'm tired, over-touched, mildly feral stay-at-home mom" setup, and you're lulled into thinking this will be a little feminist tale with cocktails and confessions.
🆘And then BAM ....you’re in the back of a bar with a cryptid in a hot body whispering sweet nothings about your wasted potential and licking your wound clean. I mean. We've all been there.
🖤I figured out where Kris was headed pretty early on, but it’s the how that slapped me. The pacing, the prose, the visceral hunger literal and emotional. Wendy wrote it all with this syrupy dread that made me feel like I was watching a cupcake rot in real time, and somehow I couldn’t look away.
😱It’s horror for women who’ve stared at the dishwasher too long and fantasized about just… walking into the woods. Horror for women who are tired of being "normal". Horror for women who’ve smiled through clenched teeth at a husband asking what’s for dinner when they’ve been on their feet for 12 hours bleeding out their soul.
🖤So the 4 stars, because while I loved the symbolism, the teeth, the twist—I did want just a bit more chaos. More gore. More unhinged unraveling. I wanted Kris to go full monster sooner and chew the whole damn neighborhood. (Maybe that’s just me. Maybe I need therapy.) 😭
🖤This book is for you, if you like your horror with lipstick smudges, maternal angst, and blood in your wine glass. Wendy is a sick genius and I’m officially watching her like a hawk. A sexy, sleep-deprived hawk in a bathrobe.
(Listened to the audiobook)
February 10, 2024
Kris is on a rare girls night out with her friends when she catches the eye of a stranger, she is hypnotised by him and during a dance he attacks her tearing her shoulder and leaving her reeling.
The next morning the wound has almost healed but then the strange cravings start and she realises she is changing.
This is a transformation tale with a twist, Kris is in an unhappy marriage, her whole identity is has a mother and wife. Starved of affection she is easy prey for a predator. As she spirals out of control, unable to resist her urges and knowing she is a danger to her family help comes from a group of women who have been hunted as she has. There is a way she can take back control but can she do what needs to be done.
A lesson in “be careful what you wish for” this is a surreal journey into the repercussions of a split second decision, loved it!
The next morning the wound has almost healed but then the strange cravings start and she realises she is changing.
This is a transformation tale with a twist, Kris is in an unhappy marriage, her whole identity is has a mother and wife. Starved of affection she is easy prey for a predator. As she spirals out of control, unable to resist her urges and knowing she is a danger to her family help comes from a group of women who have been hunted as she has. There is a way she can take back control but can she do what needs to be done.
A lesson in “be careful what you wish for” this is a surreal journey into the repercussions of a split second decision, loved it!
December 31, 2024
“In the morning, Kris would happily settle back into her life, to be the mother, the wife, the daughter, and the friend that everyone needed her to be. But for now, with an empty stomach and full agenda, Kris was going to sink her claws into the night.”
Ok so this story was so unhinged in a great way. Is it vampires? Is it werewolves? Is it burnt out moms with a hunger for vengeance and a taste for cannibalism? Well, actually, it’s kind of all three.
I had no idea where this story was going (had a suspicion throughout of what I thought was obvious, but I was never exactly correct)—but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless. Definitely kept me on my toes!
Ok so this story was so unhinged in a great way. Is it vampires? Is it werewolves? Is it burnt out moms with a hunger for vengeance and a taste for cannibalism? Well, actually, it’s kind of all three.
I had no idea where this story was going (had a suspicion throughout of what I thought was obvious, but I was never exactly correct)—but I enjoyed the ride nonetheless. Definitely kept me on my toes!
February 10, 2024
Girls just wanna have fun, right? Bloody, man-eating fun? I was very much wrong with my suspicions at the beginning of this book, but was in no way disappointed. It was bloody, fun, and very good for her. Four stars of happy!
February 20, 2024
Loved it!
I already knew I would love this book, but honestly it was even better than I was expecting. I am constantly enjoying what Wendy writes and I loved what she did with this story!
I already knew I would love this book, but honestly it was even better than I was expecting. I am constantly enjoying what Wendy writes and I loved what she did with this story!
August 5, 2025
3.5 ⭐
The story was light, entertaining, and didn’t try to be more than it was, which I appreciated. It had just the right mix of sass, drama, and humor to keep me engaged without dragging things out. Perfect for when you want something breezy and bite-sized
The story was light, entertaining, and didn’t try to be more than it was, which I appreciated. It had just the right mix of sass, drama, and humor to keep me engaged without dragging things out. Perfect for when you want something breezy and bite-sized
March 17, 2024
A fun Florida suburban gothic tale!
October 22, 2025
Review Pending
November 16, 2025
I did not expect this book to be what it was, but was pleasantly surprised.
June 21, 2024
Really enjoyed this fast paced novella! It was a very fun read and I love the way the author wrapped it all up in the end very satisfying!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews