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Suck-U-Bus
Sinners and saints must be equally vigilant...
"On June 6th, 2006, three friends entered a pact with a succubus. Musical fame and fortune would be there's provided the women could fulfill the demon’s need for sexual energy with willing spirit spouses.
Both parties agreed, and Suck-U-Bus was born."
That’s what the website claimed. But it was just a gimmick to sell tickets. Or so Lisa Hummer thought.
After her brother gets a backstage bus-pass, she isn’t so sure. A strange woman warns them the succubus has marked Danny for more than sex, and it isn’t long before Danny goes missing.
Following the clues, Lisa uncovers a trail of chaos wherever the band plays. She can’t be certain if there is a nefarious plot or if it’s simply a bizarre series of coincidences.
Is the succubus real or is it all in her head?
"Nikki Noir and S.C. Mendes are a match made in hell!” - NIKOLAS P. ROBINSON, author of Innocence Ends
“Equal parts Elmore Leonard, Chuck Palaniuk, and Gillian Flynn, Nikki Noir definitely lives up to her name.” - John Palisano, Bram Stoker Award-winning author
"Mendes knows how to weave a mystery" - Joseph Sale, author of Dark Hilarity
"Nikki Noir is a sultry new voice in erotic horror, one you should watch as closely as a black widow in your bedsheets" - Kristopher Triana, Splatterpunk-Award winning author of Toxic Love
"On June 6th, 2006, three friends entered a pact with a succubus. Musical fame and fortune would be there's provided the women could fulfill the demon’s need for sexual energy with willing spirit spouses.
Both parties agreed, and Suck-U-Bus was born."
That’s what the website claimed. But it was just a gimmick to sell tickets. Or so Lisa Hummer thought.
After her brother gets a backstage bus-pass, she isn’t so sure. A strange woman warns them the succubus has marked Danny for more than sex, and it isn’t long before Danny goes missing.
Following the clues, Lisa uncovers a trail of chaos wherever the band plays. She can’t be certain if there is a nefarious plot or if it’s simply a bizarre series of coincidences.
Is the succubus real or is it all in her head?
"Nikki Noir and S.C. Mendes are a match made in hell!” - NIKOLAS P. ROBINSON, author of Innocence Ends
“Equal parts Elmore Leonard, Chuck Palaniuk, and Gillian Flynn, Nikki Noir definitely lives up to her name.” - John Palisano, Bram Stoker Award-winning author
"Mendes knows how to weave a mystery" - Joseph Sale, author of Dark Hilarity
"Nikki Noir is a sultry new voice in erotic horror, one you should watch as closely as a black widow in your bedsheets" - Kristopher Triana, Splatterpunk-Award winning author of Toxic Love
194 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 9, 2023
37 people are currently reading
477 people want to read
About the author
S.C. Mendes
24 books99 followersS.C. Mendes is the co-owner of Blood Bound Books—an independent publisher whose mission is to spreading hope through dark fiction.
Find more about the mission at www.BloodGutsAndStory.com
Mendes has published dark fiction under various pen names since 2009. The Dawn of the Serpent Girl, the final book in The City series is slated for a Dec. 2024 release. His collaborations with Nikki Noir can be found in the New Adult Occult series.
Find more about the mission at www.BloodGutsAndStory.com
Mendes has published dark fiction under various pen names since 2009. The Dawn of the Serpent Girl, the final book in The City series is slated for a Dec. 2024 release. His collaborations with Nikki Noir can be found in the New Adult Occult series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 7, 2023
I felt like I'd gotten VIP tickets to an exclusive gig when this came unexpectedly through my door!! Which is exactly what this is, and I couldn't wait to (stage)dive in! Now I'm finished and still basking in that after gig glow, it's still resonating in my brain and I feel a little like I'm on the comedown now, it was a great read and I'm gonna be right here waiting for an encore!! 🤘
Danny and his sister Lisa are off to a gig for a bit of sibling bonding, to rekindle old times after not seeing each other for so long! But Lisa is more settled in her life now, more responsible, and so it takes a bit of persuading!
The band is called Suck-U-Bus, and they have a very unique selling point, which only a few chosen fans get to experience! Danny, of course, is over the moon when he is marked as a chosen one by The Mothers and gets to go backstage to the bus after the gig! He finally gets to lose his virginity, but with a demon? The story goes that this is exactly how the band thrives…sexual sacrifice, and Danny is more than up for it!
The day after the gig, when a strange woman appears at her front door, warning her to be careful, that her brother is in danger, and then Danny disappears, she has to try and track him down, and that's when things get really crazy!! Her first stop is their old family home, but he's not there, and after looking back at her old journals, she realises her vulnerability and the familiarity of the succubus. Is this all for real or just a product of the sleep paralysis she suffers from? She hasn't had a sleep paralysis attack for a while, but after the gig, they start again, along with the terrifyingly vivid hallucinations, and while battling with the thought that she might just be losing her mind, she sets off for the next Suck-U-Bus gig, to find her brother and put an end to the madness. But then, she is chosen by The Mothers herself!
Things just continue to get worse and more surreal for her, she is truly battling her demons, physically and mentally, and once she finally thinks she has made progress, things take a disturbing twist!! 🖤
Dont fuck with Demons….or do! 😉
This was packed full of demons, metal, visions, horror, sex, nightmares & hallucinations, astral planes, rituals and a very unique way of trapping a Demon!! It was chilling, haunting, and creepy, the vibe of a good gig was captured brilliantly. Fantastic imagery, quality content, every single chapter left me wanting more!! Very well co-written, the narrative flowed perfectly and kept you gripped throughout!
Also, bonus points for this one because it literally gave me nightmares….or maybe that was Eisheth!?! 😈
Danny and his sister Lisa are off to a gig for a bit of sibling bonding, to rekindle old times after not seeing each other for so long! But Lisa is more settled in her life now, more responsible, and so it takes a bit of persuading!
The band is called Suck-U-Bus, and they have a very unique selling point, which only a few chosen fans get to experience! Danny, of course, is over the moon when he is marked as a chosen one by The Mothers and gets to go backstage to the bus after the gig! He finally gets to lose his virginity, but with a demon? The story goes that this is exactly how the band thrives…sexual sacrifice, and Danny is more than up for it!
The day after the gig, when a strange woman appears at her front door, warning her to be careful, that her brother is in danger, and then Danny disappears, she has to try and track him down, and that's when things get really crazy!! Her first stop is their old family home, but he's not there, and after looking back at her old journals, she realises her vulnerability and the familiarity of the succubus. Is this all for real or just a product of the sleep paralysis she suffers from? She hasn't had a sleep paralysis attack for a while, but after the gig, they start again, along with the terrifyingly vivid hallucinations, and while battling with the thought that she might just be losing her mind, she sets off for the next Suck-U-Bus gig, to find her brother and put an end to the madness. But then, she is chosen by The Mothers herself!
Things just continue to get worse and more surreal for her, she is truly battling her demons, physically and mentally, and once she finally thinks she has made progress, things take a disturbing twist!! 🖤
Dont fuck with Demons….or do! 😉
This was packed full of demons, metal, visions, horror, sex, nightmares & hallucinations, astral planes, rituals and a very unique way of trapping a Demon!! It was chilling, haunting, and creepy, the vibe of a good gig was captured brilliantly. Fantastic imagery, quality content, every single chapter left me wanting more!! Very well co-written, the narrative flowed perfectly and kept you gripped throughout!
Also, bonus points for this one because it literally gave me nightmares….or maybe that was Eisheth!?! 😈
January 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Blood Bound Books for the advanced copy of this title.
I’m not even sure where to begin, and it’s not like I didn’t read the synopsis, so I sorta knew what was coming. When stories are in the genre of horror, you expect a certain amount of graphic content and gratuitous sex. But this was over the top. It’s probably on the same level as a book I read a few years ago called “The Body Will Follow” (also from NetGalley).
With that said be warned because this story may have some trigger warnings for people are sensitive to sexual scenes and situations, demons, and death in sexual situations. Personally, I think there is an unnecessary amount of sexual content, and just because I’m grown doesn’t mean I always want to see it in print. However, if you strip away some of this, you have a great story about two siblings (Lisa and Danny) who bonded over metal music after the death of their parents. Through abusive relationships and other struggles, they became quite the duo.
Now enter Suck-U-Bus (no, really, that’s the name) …a metal rock group that consisted of three women who called themselves “The Mothers,” and when they perform, they choose three people within the crowd to board the “bus” and have the wildest sexual fantasies come true.
We can call this a story of a publicity stunt gone wrong or right (depending on how you see it), but everything changes when Danny is chosen to board the bus at a show. Since that encounter, his obsession with the band has led him to a zombie-like existence.
Lisa has been frantically trying to find Danny after several mysterious deaths of fans who have boarded the bus. Lisa worries that Danny may be in trouble. So she drops everything to search for her brother through cryptic messages and voicemails. With the help of a suspicious character named “Corpse Paint” …(yes, that is what they call her). Lisa would find out what happens to people when they board “the bus.” Let’s also throw in that Lisa has parasomnia and has been battling her invisible demons since she was a teenager.
MY THOUGHTS: I thought this was going to be a title that I couldn’t finish at the 30% mark, but I kept going even though I disliked a few scenes in the story. Plain and simple …this could be great if the author could allude to the sex and not describe it in detail because the book turns into something else.
This also takes me back to a SyFy series called “Lost Girl.” Same premise minus the metal. The main character (the Succubus) feeds on people’s (men and women) sexual energy to survive and become strong. That story was digestible because you knew what was happening, and due to the killing being graphic enough, you don’t need everything else. So I’m giving this title 3.25⭐⭐⭐.
MORE GREAT QUOTES FROM THIS TITLE
**My dad used to say once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is war.**
**There’s nothing more sinister than your own mind.**
**We have the power to choose which thoughts we entertain.**
I’m not even sure where to begin, and it’s not like I didn’t read the synopsis, so I sorta knew what was coming. When stories are in the genre of horror, you expect a certain amount of graphic content and gratuitous sex. But this was over the top. It’s probably on the same level as a book I read a few years ago called “The Body Will Follow” (also from NetGalley).
With that said be warned because this story may have some trigger warnings for people are sensitive to sexual scenes and situations, demons, and death in sexual situations. Personally, I think there is an unnecessary amount of sexual content, and just because I’m grown doesn’t mean I always want to see it in print. However, if you strip away some of this, you have a great story about two siblings (Lisa and Danny) who bonded over metal music after the death of their parents. Through abusive relationships and other struggles, they became quite the duo.
QUOTE: “Lisa had expected more of a mythology professor or a psychologist on the phenomena of demons. Not a punk rock Gandalf.”
Now enter Suck-U-Bus (no, really, that’s the name) …a metal rock group that consisted of three women who called themselves “The Mothers,” and when they perform, they choose three people within the crowd to board the “bus” and have the wildest sexual fantasies come true.
We can call this a story of a publicity stunt gone wrong or right (depending on how you see it), but everything changes when Danny is chosen to board the bus at a show. Since that encounter, his obsession with the band has led him to a zombie-like existence.
With that said, let’s define what a Succubus is:
Wikipedia (loosely) defines a Succubus as a female-looking demon or supernatural entity in folklore who appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through continued sexual activity draining their essence.
QUOTE: "A famous Rabbi once said, ‘It’s all in your head — you just have no idea how big your head is.”
Lisa has been frantically trying to find Danny after several mysterious deaths of fans who have boarded the bus. Lisa worries that Danny may be in trouble. So she drops everything to search for her brother through cryptic messages and voicemails. With the help of a suspicious character named “Corpse Paint” …(yes, that is what they call her). Lisa would find out what happens to people when they board “the bus.” Let’s also throw in that Lisa has parasomnia and has been battling her invisible demons since she was a teenager.
QUOTE: "The brain doesn’t interpret a difference between real and imagined when sleeping."
MY THOUGHTS: I thought this was going to be a title that I couldn’t finish at the 30% mark, but I kept going even though I disliked a few scenes in the story. Plain and simple …this could be great if the author could allude to the sex and not describe it in detail because the book turns into something else.
This also takes me back to a SyFy series called “Lost Girl.” Same premise minus the metal. The main character (the Succubus) feeds on people’s (men and women) sexual energy to survive and become strong. That story was digestible because you knew what was happening, and due to the killing being graphic enough, you don’t need everything else. So I’m giving this title 3.25⭐⭐⭐.
MORE GREAT QUOTES FROM THIS TITLE
**My dad used to say once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is war.**
**There’s nothing more sinister than your own mind.**
**We have the power to choose which thoughts we entertain.**
Read
February 1, 2024I've been sitting with this one for a few days. I've tried getting into this book a couple of times before and I just didn't vibe with it. Now that I've made it through, I've got a it was just ok feeling even though the ending was really great, and I'm not sure if it's a case of right book wrong time or if this book just wasn't for me.
June 29, 2023
HEAVY METAL AND DEMONS? what more do you want or need?! This was incredible and spoke to my soul (yes I have one), firstly the cover, I am obsessed, from the beginning it really sucked me in and I have a major book hangover now its over, I need more! the authors captured the vibe of a great gig perfectly, of course I also enjoyed all the spookiness which included some of my favourite tropes in horror, occult practices, witches, possesion and sexy stuff! It kinda gave me Low Shoulder vibes (any Jennifers Body Fans?) Highly recommend to horror fans! Do you like books that have bands/musical elements? Thankyou as always to the amazing bloodboundbooks for the copy!
May 24, 2023
Well I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!
Suck-U-Bus is a total page turner, we follow Lisa on her bizarre journey to find out the truth of after show rumours of the metal band Suck-U-Bus. Is it the work of demons, drugs or dreams?
I had a ton of fun reading this book, it had great pacing and an engaging storyline. It had a nice mix of bizarro, extreme horror, supernatural and erotica. The writing was smooth and the ending was solid- if you are a lover of bizarre books definitely add this to your TBR!
I loved the themes as a metal lover myself, and the novel had lots of early 2000 nostalgia that made me think of my early party days drinking Lucky Lager at metal night.
Huge thank you to S.C. Mendes and Nikki Noir for the ARC opportunity!
Suck-U-Bus is a total page turner, we follow Lisa on her bizarre journey to find out the truth of after show rumours of the metal band Suck-U-Bus. Is it the work of demons, drugs or dreams?
I had a ton of fun reading this book, it had great pacing and an engaging storyline. It had a nice mix of bizarro, extreme horror, supernatural and erotica. The writing was smooth and the ending was solid- if you are a lover of bizarre books definitely add this to your TBR!
I loved the themes as a metal lover myself, and the novel had lots of early 2000 nostalgia that made me think of my early party days drinking Lucky Lager at metal night.
Huge thank you to S.C. Mendes and Nikki Noir for the ARC opportunity!
June 17, 2023
What a wild ride! Fast paced and exciting it drew me in and wouldn't let go. A little bit of humor, mysterious supernatural creature and characters that were fun to get to know. I loved how you weren't quite sure what was happening, could it be demons or someone going insane? I kind of saw the ending coming, but it was still an "oh crap!" moment for me. Highly recommend!
September 12, 2025
This story felt nostalgic but still very much its own unique thing. Aspects of it definitely gave me b-movie horror movie vibes. The kind of horror you can't help but to love no matter how outrageous it might seem at times. That's what this was for me. I also think the title was incredibly clever. The story was easy to follow and written in a way that I found myself eager to get back to every time I had to sit it down.
I loved how it blended metal music and horror with a focus on the supernatural and occult.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I loved how it blended metal music and horror with a focus on the supernatural and occult.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 8, 2023
Great story about possession, a succubus, dark metal, and a young woman that tries to save her brother.
Lisa and Danny are brother and sister, and Danny makes his sister go to a Suck-U-Bus concert. Before each concert, the three woman that make up the band, choose three people that are allowed on their tour bus. What happens in there? Nobody really knows but what Lisa does know is that Danny changed. She is going to rescue him, no matter what.
Lisa and Danny are brother and sister, and Danny makes his sister go to a Suck-U-Bus concert. Before each concert, the three woman that make up the band, choose three people that are allowed on their tour bus. What happens in there? Nobody really knows but what Lisa does know is that Danny changed. She is going to rescue him, no matter what.
April 27, 2024
“I told you, besides listening to Dio, I’m not very magical.”
Making me nostalgic for my teenage metal scene self? Check. Mentioning Peter Steele’s Playgirl shoot? Check. Hot succubus that I imagined as Dead from Mayhem? Check. I mean… what more could you actually ask for?
This was just so self aware, funny, gory, and FUN. I loved it.
We follow Lisa and her brother, Danny. They are both metal heads, but Danny has found himself obsessed with a band called Suck-U-Bus. Legends surround this all female band, but the main one is that if you’re invited onto the tour bus after a show, you will be initiated with horny demon sex. But, that can’t be true… right? Demons don’t exist, but artists creating a crazy story to entice new fans do.
After one of the concerts, Danny is invited onto the tour bus. From there, Lisa has to decide if her brother’s strange behavior is just from getting laid, or getting laid by a literal demon.
A wild ride full of humor, terror, magick, and band references. Just read it. I PROMISE you won’t find yourself digging up old band posters and cds from your garage when you’re done…. PROMISE!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.
Making me nostalgic for my teenage metal scene self? Check. Mentioning Peter Steele’s Playgirl shoot? Check. Hot succubus that I imagined as Dead from Mayhem? Check. I mean… what more could you actually ask for?
This was just so self aware, funny, gory, and FUN. I loved it.
We follow Lisa and her brother, Danny. They are both metal heads, but Danny has found himself obsessed with a band called Suck-U-Bus. Legends surround this all female band, but the main one is that if you’re invited onto the tour bus after a show, you will be initiated with horny demon sex. But, that can’t be true… right? Demons don’t exist, but artists creating a crazy story to entice new fans do.
After one of the concerts, Danny is invited onto the tour bus. From there, Lisa has to decide if her brother’s strange behavior is just from getting laid, or getting laid by a literal demon.
A wild ride full of humor, terror, magick, and band references. Just read it. I PROMISE you won’t find yourself digging up old band posters and cds from your garage when you’re done…. PROMISE!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher who provided me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All of these thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 24, 2023
4.5 stars
This book is about a metal band, but it’s not, and what I mean is that it’s about a metal band, but it’s more about the people, and the culture of a music fan, so you don’t need to be a metal fan or even a live music fan to enjoy this, there is a few references to a few bands, and I will never see a metal band again without thinking of the cookie monster, lol.
The writing is smooth and easy to follow, with likeable and realistic characters.
This book has a similar feel to a trend in the late 80’s horror movies with metal bands and demons in them. Which even though they were b-grade-ish, I still loved them.
These authors remind me a bit of Poppy Z Brite, because I can never guess where the story is going, which I love, there is nothing worse than a predictable plot.
I have read a few books by both of these authors now, and I’m at the point where anything they put out automatically go’s onto my to read list.
Thank Blood Bound Books for the opportunity to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about a metal band, but it’s not, and what I mean is that it’s about a metal band, but it’s more about the people, and the culture of a music fan, so you don’t need to be a metal fan or even a live music fan to enjoy this, there is a few references to a few bands, and I will never see a metal band again without thinking of the cookie monster, lol.
The writing is smooth and easy to follow, with likeable and realistic characters.
This book has a similar feel to a trend in the late 80’s horror movies with metal bands and demons in them. Which even though they were b-grade-ish, I still loved them.
These authors remind me a bit of Poppy Z Brite, because I can never guess where the story is going, which I love, there is nothing worse than a predictable plot.
I have read a few books by both of these authors now, and I’m at the point where anything they put out automatically go’s onto my to read list.
Thank Blood Bound Books for the opportunity to read a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 15, 2025
2.5 rounded up to 3
RTC
RTC
May 9, 2024
As soon as I read the mention of GWAR on the first page, I knew this was my kind of book!
This is an easy, short read that will appeal to fans of metal and horror movies. The two siblings are easy to invest in. I related to Lisa's struggles with sleep paralysis. Those scenes were some of the scariest in the book.
I should mention that the book goes into darker territory than I initially expected. Trigger warnings for sexual assault. I probably should have known that was coming with the book being about a succubus. The victims are supernaturally seduced so this is not violent but it is not consensual. Think of it like vampire movies where the victims are under the vampire's thrall.
I really enjoyed this book and will be checking out more from S. C. Mendes and Nikki Noir. I would love a prequel all about the Mothers! I'll be checking out their other book, Petite Mort soon!
This is an easy, short read that will appeal to fans of metal and horror movies. The two siblings are easy to invest in. I related to Lisa's struggles with sleep paralysis. Those scenes were some of the scariest in the book.
I should mention that the book goes into darker territory than I initially expected. Trigger warnings for sexual assault. I probably should have known that was coming with the book being about a succubus. The victims are supernaturally seduced so this is not violent but it is not consensual. Think of it like vampire movies where the victims are under the vampire's thrall.
I really enjoyed this book and will be checking out more from S. C. Mendes and Nikki Noir. I would love a prequel all about the Mothers! I'll be checking out their other book, Petite Mort soon!
August 26, 2025
I must start with I don't feel the blurb does justice for this one. Lisa ends up on an adventure chasing her brother chasing a demonic band who's rumors of what happens behind stage bend reality. while Lisa chases her brother in his obsession over the band she battles her own demon's.
September 17, 2025
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did, which is a shame. The premise was very intriguing to me, and, to be fair, the plot does mostly deliver. There are some aspects of suspense and horror, though I wouldn’t call this particularly terrifying. It was more entertaining than anything else. I also did like the originality behind the idea. Some of the sexual scenes felt a bit irrelevant to the story, but it wasn’t difficult to move past that.
Unfortunately, the writing lets this book down. It’s not bad, per se, but it’s strange. It doesn’t flow well, and there are some unnecessary words that are just off-putting. There was a lot of telling rather than showing. The main issue, however, is that some of the exposition is just dumped in the middle, as if the author couldn’t find a satisfying way to deliver information. This happens not just in narration but also in dialogue. There are things the characters tell each other that they should already know, so it feels very forced. Some also felt really irrelevant. I didn’t see a point to a large portion of the information given to us, other than to make us root for the characters with no effort put into that.
Speaking of characters, the people in Suck-U-Bus were mostly uninteresting. I don’t think anyone had a personality that really stood out to me. Usually, writing a book in third person gives you a chance to explore multiple different minds and experiences, but only Lisa was explored – and not particularly well. I will say that the scenes with her sleep paralysis – and how that related to the Mothers – had some development to them, which I appreciate, but a vast majority of Lisa’s character was just boring. Nothing about her made me want to see her make it through the story. Danny is also not a well-done character. To be honest, I had a hard time believing he was older. Throughout the book, he acts like a young teenager. It was really difficult to take certain aspects – e.g the sexual comments Danny makes or the idea of what happened on the bus – seriously.
Overall, I did genuinely enjoy the plot of this book and I think so much more could have come out of it. It was entertaining but so much just let the book down and made me disappointed as a reader. Still, if you like the premise, maybe give it a go.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Unfortunately, the writing lets this book down. It’s not bad, per se, but it’s strange. It doesn’t flow well, and there are some unnecessary words that are just off-putting. There was a lot of telling rather than showing. The main issue, however, is that some of the exposition is just dumped in the middle, as if the author couldn’t find a satisfying way to deliver information. This happens not just in narration but also in dialogue. There are things the characters tell each other that they should already know, so it feels very forced. Some also felt really irrelevant. I didn’t see a point to a large portion of the information given to us, other than to make us root for the characters with no effort put into that.
Speaking of characters, the people in Suck-U-Bus were mostly uninteresting. I don’t think anyone had a personality that really stood out to me. Usually, writing a book in third person gives you a chance to explore multiple different minds and experiences, but only Lisa was explored – and not particularly well. I will say that the scenes with her sleep paralysis – and how that related to the Mothers – had some development to them, which I appreciate, but a vast majority of Lisa’s character was just boring. Nothing about her made me want to see her make it through the story. Danny is also not a well-done character. To be honest, I had a hard time believing he was older. Throughout the book, he acts like a young teenager. It was really difficult to take certain aspects – e.g the sexual comments Danny makes or the idea of what happened on the bus – seriously.
Overall, I did genuinely enjoy the plot of this book and I think so much more could have come out of it. It was entertaining but so much just let the book down and made me disappointed as a reader. Still, if you like the premise, maybe give it a go.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 20, 2024
Needless to say, I acquire a lot of books, whether they're sent for review, whether I buy them from local authors I happen to meet or whether they're part of a collection built over a lifetime, but it's a rare title that arrives with presentation as stylish as this one. It's a horror novel, written by two local authors, about a heavy metal band on tour. Not only is the cover presented like the flyer to a gig, complete with promoter and special guest shoutouts, but it comes with a Suck-U-Bus beer mat and an honest to goodness ticket for their gig at the Steele Jar here in town back in 2007, part of a Backseat Tour 2006. The design elements here are priceless and I suddenly wish I'd attended.
Now, given who Suck-U-Bus are and what their gimmick happens to be, anyone reading this having devoured this novel already will immediately question why I wish I'd been there. That's because it isn't just a band, as per their own hype. Sure, they perform actual sets with actual songs and they seem to be highly talented, but they also allegedly entered into a pact with a succubus for mutual benefit. At the beginning of each set, the three Mothers who constitute the band venture into the audience and scrawl an X in what appears to be blood on the forehead of their choice of victim. At the end of the show when the lights go up, those three targets get to go backstage with the band and feed the inevitable rumours about what happens on their tour bus.
Given that the Mothers are indeed female and enticing in black long sleeved Victorian gowns and dark veils, this gimmick works a treat for their largely male audience and with female fans too. In particular, Danny Hummer, a quintessential twenty-something male metal fan, simply aches to be chosen and indeed he is, at the local Steele Jar show. Fortunately, he has the forethought to bring his sister Lisa along to the gig too, so that, when things start to go wrong, we have our story in her trying to figure out where he is and what's happened to him.
I'd usually call out how stereotypical Danny Hummer is at this point as a negative, but I won't because it's a fair stereotype. I've known plenty of Danny Hummers. In fact, I've even been Danny Hummer, near enough, even if I was never so desperate that I'd follow a band around from town to town across an entire tour just to see if I might get laid. Danny hints at that to Lisa even before he gets chosen in Phoenix and his world changes because of it. What I'll call out instead is how solidly grounded this is in the metal community. Sure, there are a bunch of Danny Hummers for real, but they're not the only metal fans, in our reality or in Suck-U-Bus's.
What's more, Mendes and Noir know their stuff and that grounds this book wonderfully. Possibly the worst aspects to growing up is learning about things, whether for work or for fun, to the point that you become experts in them, only to discover that the people covering those fields in fiction don't have a clue. I've bumped into Mendes often enough at gigs and, if Noir is the fan of My Dying Bride that seems fair to extrapolate, then she has even better taste than he does. This matters to me, because it's my subject and they handle it properly, from the opening conversations between Danny and Lisa, two metalheads with different tastes in subgenres.
I can happily read about scientists conducting lab experiments on rats, back stage organisation of a Florida theme park or the effects of colonisation on the folk religions of 19th-century Sri Lanka, as indeed I have in recent months, and buy into everything for no better reason than it sounds like the authors know what they're talking about. However, when I read fiction that trawls in corporate IT, self-publishing or heavy metal, to cite just three examples, I'm frequently disappointed due to knowing absolutely that what's happening is complete and utter bollocks. This is not. I'd know.
What I don't know is how the two authors divvied up writing responsibilities. What I can say is that the story is told from Lisa's perspective as she puts her life on hold to follow Suck-U-Bus on tour to try to find her brother Danny. Even before she leaves Phoenix, there's a dead body, as Lisa tracks down a young lady who was chosen by the Mothers alongside Danny and finds her dead in what I'd suggest is a quintessential Mendes scene, given how easily it could be transplanted into one of his 'City' novels. However, Lisa isn't just a token female lead, she seems entirely believable, even if, of course, I have absolutely no idea what it means to be female. I might venture to guess that this is primarily Noir's writing but with plenty of input from Mendes.
Of course, other characters get trawled into the story and the bodies mount up, making us wonder whether the authorities would have figured out the connection between them before Lisa points it out to them in no uncertain terms. As Suck-U-Bus's tour schedule quickly takes them across state lines, from Arizona to New Mexico and up to Colorado, I can see how that could be complicated but I also couldn't help but recall Rob Halford's comments after the Judas Priest subliminal message trial, which was really as imaginative as this novel, about how it would be a crazy band who would kill off their own audience. Suck-U-Bus's business plan really wasn't incredibly well thought out, as inherently cool it might seem in fiction.
My favourite character was, as I'm sure it would be for most readers, the lady who's only known as Corpse Paint for the longest time. Suck-U-Bus do not play black metal but she shows up to gigs in a carefully applied corpse paint design anyway to warn each selected audience member of the risks inherent in going backstage with the band. Of course, nobody actually pays heed to her, but when things start to happen, they remember her offer to help and reach out. In some ways, the biggest success of this book is how Corpse Paint grows as a character.
I liked this a lot, but it's a short novel at a hundred and sixty pages, so it's there and gone roughly as quickly as a band breezing into town, lighting up the stage of the Steele Jar—presumably a nod to the Mason Jar, but that was before my time in Phoenix—and breezing on out again. However, it seems entirely possible that Mendes and Noir could spin up a sequel, given how the end this one, and I'd be very happy to get in line to buy tickets; whatever the reasons I might have for doing so.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in June 2024:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Books...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
Now, given who Suck-U-Bus are and what their gimmick happens to be, anyone reading this having devoured this novel already will immediately question why I wish I'd been there. That's because it isn't just a band, as per their own hype. Sure, they perform actual sets with actual songs and they seem to be highly talented, but they also allegedly entered into a pact with a succubus for mutual benefit. At the beginning of each set, the three Mothers who constitute the band venture into the audience and scrawl an X in what appears to be blood on the forehead of their choice of victim. At the end of the show when the lights go up, those three targets get to go backstage with the band and feed the inevitable rumours about what happens on their tour bus.
Given that the Mothers are indeed female and enticing in black long sleeved Victorian gowns and dark veils, this gimmick works a treat for their largely male audience and with female fans too. In particular, Danny Hummer, a quintessential twenty-something male metal fan, simply aches to be chosen and indeed he is, at the local Steele Jar show. Fortunately, he has the forethought to bring his sister Lisa along to the gig too, so that, when things start to go wrong, we have our story in her trying to figure out where he is and what's happened to him.
I'd usually call out how stereotypical Danny Hummer is at this point as a negative, but I won't because it's a fair stereotype. I've known plenty of Danny Hummers. In fact, I've even been Danny Hummer, near enough, even if I was never so desperate that I'd follow a band around from town to town across an entire tour just to see if I might get laid. Danny hints at that to Lisa even before he gets chosen in Phoenix and his world changes because of it. What I'll call out instead is how solidly grounded this is in the metal community. Sure, there are a bunch of Danny Hummers for real, but they're not the only metal fans, in our reality or in Suck-U-Bus's.
What's more, Mendes and Noir know their stuff and that grounds this book wonderfully. Possibly the worst aspects to growing up is learning about things, whether for work or for fun, to the point that you become experts in them, only to discover that the people covering those fields in fiction don't have a clue. I've bumped into Mendes often enough at gigs and, if Noir is the fan of My Dying Bride that seems fair to extrapolate, then she has even better taste than he does. This matters to me, because it's my subject and they handle it properly, from the opening conversations between Danny and Lisa, two metalheads with different tastes in subgenres.
I can happily read about scientists conducting lab experiments on rats, back stage organisation of a Florida theme park or the effects of colonisation on the folk religions of 19th-century Sri Lanka, as indeed I have in recent months, and buy into everything for no better reason than it sounds like the authors know what they're talking about. However, when I read fiction that trawls in corporate IT, self-publishing or heavy metal, to cite just three examples, I'm frequently disappointed due to knowing absolutely that what's happening is complete and utter bollocks. This is not. I'd know.
What I don't know is how the two authors divvied up writing responsibilities. What I can say is that the story is told from Lisa's perspective as she puts her life on hold to follow Suck-U-Bus on tour to try to find her brother Danny. Even before she leaves Phoenix, there's a dead body, as Lisa tracks down a young lady who was chosen by the Mothers alongside Danny and finds her dead in what I'd suggest is a quintessential Mendes scene, given how easily it could be transplanted into one of his 'City' novels. However, Lisa isn't just a token female lead, she seems entirely believable, even if, of course, I have absolutely no idea what it means to be female. I might venture to guess that this is primarily Noir's writing but with plenty of input from Mendes.
Of course, other characters get trawled into the story and the bodies mount up, making us wonder whether the authorities would have figured out the connection between them before Lisa points it out to them in no uncertain terms. As Suck-U-Bus's tour schedule quickly takes them across state lines, from Arizona to New Mexico and up to Colorado, I can see how that could be complicated but I also couldn't help but recall Rob Halford's comments after the Judas Priest subliminal message trial, which was really as imaginative as this novel, about how it would be a crazy band who would kill off their own audience. Suck-U-Bus's business plan really wasn't incredibly well thought out, as inherently cool it might seem in fiction.
My favourite character was, as I'm sure it would be for most readers, the lady who's only known as Corpse Paint for the longest time. Suck-U-Bus do not play black metal but she shows up to gigs in a carefully applied corpse paint design anyway to warn each selected audience member of the risks inherent in going backstage with the band. Of course, nobody actually pays heed to her, but when things start to happen, they remember her offer to help and reach out. In some ways, the biggest success of this book is how Corpse Paint grows as a character.
I liked this a lot, but it's a short novel at a hundred and sixty pages, so it's there and gone roughly as quickly as a band breezing into town, lighting up the stage of the Steele Jar—presumably a nod to the Mason Jar, but that was before my time in Phoenix—and breezing on out again. However, it seems entirely possible that Mendes and Noir could spin up a sequel, given how the end this one, and I'd be very happy to get in line to buy tickets; whatever the reasons I might have for doing so.
Originally posted at the Nameless Zine in June 2024:
https://www.thenamelesszine.org/Books...
Index of all my Nameless Zine reviews:
https://books.apocalypselaterempire.com/
March 11, 2024
This is one HELL of a ride (literally) as a female heavy metal band unleashes a horrific sex demon upon three unlucky fans after every show.
While this might sound like just another over the top bloodfest of a book, the story is fantastic and dives into themes of sleep paralysis, the occult, and has some twists you won't see coming.
A brother and sister go to a Suck-U-Bus concert together because they've both grew up in the heavy metal scene. When the brother is one of three chosen fans to have an after party on the bus after the concert it seems like a dream come true.
The band has steeped itself in occult imagery and the rumors about what goes on in the bus are seen as a publicity stunt more than anything. But that's not the case as the brother starts acting strangely and soon after disappears.
As his sister tries to get answers she'll be exposed to occult teachings and theories that suggest something other than natural occurrences happened not only to her brother, but others as well.
I love heavy metal and demonic based horror so this one ticked off the boxes for me. It's creepy, disturbing, and has a great well paced narrative that ensures you'll want to keep reading to find out what's going on. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
While this might sound like just another over the top bloodfest of a book, the story is fantastic and dives into themes of sleep paralysis, the occult, and has some twists you won't see coming.
A brother and sister go to a Suck-U-Bus concert together because they've both grew up in the heavy metal scene. When the brother is one of three chosen fans to have an after party on the bus after the concert it seems like a dream come true.
The band has steeped itself in occult imagery and the rumors about what goes on in the bus are seen as a publicity stunt more than anything. But that's not the case as the brother starts acting strangely and soon after disappears.
As his sister tries to get answers she'll be exposed to occult teachings and theories that suggest something other than natural occurrences happened not only to her brother, but others as well.
I love heavy metal and demonic based horror so this one ticked off the boxes for me. It's creepy, disturbing, and has a great well paced narrative that ensures you'll want to keep reading to find out what's going on. I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley with no consideration. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
January 15, 2024
This dark and crazy heavy metal horror is the first co-written by two very good authors, SC Mendes and Nikki ‘Spleaze Queen’ Noir. The plot line is excellent, a nice tweaking of the classic ‘we sold our souls for rock n’ roll’ idea. How does it fare? Well…make no mistake, it’s good, it just never feels like the overdrive gear kicks and blows you away, which is what both authors tend to do. To be fair, this could be a case of unrealistic expectations on my part.
The band Suck-U-Bus (succubus) led by three females called the Mothers, promote their legend online at at shows. After each show, three lucky winners get a meet and greet on the tour bus…with a demon, and they must have, um, carnal relations with it. That’s the price for the band’s success. The demon makes them famous, but needs to indulge in his devilish desires after each show. Lisa Hummer and her brother Danny go to show, Danny gets chosen, next thing, he is falling the band everywhere, but NOT doing well. Alarmed, Lisa goes after him, learning as she goes about the misfortunes of prior backstage winners. In the process, she gets pulled into the dark legend-or reality-that is Suck-U-Bus.
That’s the basics. As far as writing, the two authors work well together. It’s a good blend of the darkness Mendes usually brings to his writing, with the over the top insanity of Noir, the book doesn’t veer too much one way or the other. The pacing is decent, it just never quite explodes all over the pages. There is some real cleverness to it, though. Lisa’s doubts about the reality of what is happening demonstrate this: is all the demon stuff true, or one of the best metal hoaxes ever, a gimmick to get money by using fake exorcisms and possessions? A very good angle, it could have used more placement in the story. More terror and craziness from the bus victims to install more urgency to Lisa’s quest would have been nice. Slimming down the astral plane connection with sleep paralysis might have also helped. That explanation seemed overly complicated, a simpler one would have played better. The book does put together a nice final section and a banger of an ending, the final demon confrontation felt like classic Nikki Noir all the way.
Bottom line: it’s a decent collaboration, but I suspect the authors can pull a better one out of their trick bag, let’s hope they do another. Fun error catch: the song in the book should have been ‘Necropedophile,’ not ‘Necropedilia,’ Like the authors, I also happen to be quite familiar with the Cannibal Corpse discography.
The band Suck-U-Bus (succubus) led by three females called the Mothers, promote their legend online at at shows. After each show, three lucky winners get a meet and greet on the tour bus…with a demon, and they must have, um, carnal relations with it. That’s the price for the band’s success. The demon makes them famous, but needs to indulge in his devilish desires after each show. Lisa Hummer and her brother Danny go to show, Danny gets chosen, next thing, he is falling the band everywhere, but NOT doing well. Alarmed, Lisa goes after him, learning as she goes about the misfortunes of prior backstage winners. In the process, she gets pulled into the dark legend-or reality-that is Suck-U-Bus.
That’s the basics. As far as writing, the two authors work well together. It’s a good blend of the darkness Mendes usually brings to his writing, with the over the top insanity of Noir, the book doesn’t veer too much one way or the other. The pacing is decent, it just never quite explodes all over the pages. There is some real cleverness to it, though. Lisa’s doubts about the reality of what is happening demonstrate this: is all the demon stuff true, or one of the best metal hoaxes ever, a gimmick to get money by using fake exorcisms and possessions? A very good angle, it could have used more placement in the story. More terror and craziness from the bus victims to install more urgency to Lisa’s quest would have been nice. Slimming down the astral plane connection with sleep paralysis might have also helped. That explanation seemed overly complicated, a simpler one would have played better. The book does put together a nice final section and a banger of an ending, the final demon confrontation felt like classic Nikki Noir all the way.
Bottom line: it’s a decent collaboration, but I suspect the authors can pull a better one out of their trick bag, let’s hope they do another. Fun error catch: the song in the book should have been ‘Necropedophile,’ not ‘Necropedilia,’ Like the authors, I also happen to be quite familiar with the Cannibal Corpse discography.
April 4, 2024
In the book Suck-U-Bus by S C Mendez and Nicky Noir, we meet Lisa and Danny hummer two siblings who lost their parents in the accident and have been all each others head for the past 10 years they are also diehard rockers and although Lisa since leaving her abusive boyfriend has tamed things down and now goes to school and lives in normal life her brother Danny is still all Lin to the rock scene. When her brother Danny makes an impromptu visit with tickets to the band Suck-U-Bus Lisa doesn’t really feel like going with Danny guilt her into it. At the concert when Danny is picked to go on the bus to meet the mothers which is the name of the three girls in the band he is super excited to do it, but when a redheaded corpse looking woman tries to warn them they both blow her off. When her brother Danny goes missing the next day Lisa tries to contact the tattoo artist that also went on the bus with her brother but when she is found dead by Lisa Lisa thinks her brother may just be in trouble Lisa follows the band to every concert in search of her brother but when she finally finds him he’s not the brothers she remembers. The more concerts they have the more people die and it’s always those who visits the bus that die in while at the show in Colorado Lisa gets picked to go on the bus.. This is one crazy piece of work OMG the ending is even crazier I do love horror stories but I am not big on explicit sex and although they didn’t have a lot of that in the book and most of it was just to get from point a to point B and not for nastiness sake I still don’t think I would’ve requested knowing that but now that I have it is a quirky well told story it is bizarre out the box with lots of OMG moments I want to thank Blood Bound books and Net Galley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review
April 24, 2024
A brother and sister, both lovers of heavy metal music, find themselves attending the concert of the rock band 'Suck-U-Bus,' which made a deal with a demon to achieve success. Danny and Lisa immerse themselves in the lore surrounding this band, but strange events begin to occur in their life.
The book comes with strong trigger warnings, and it is essential that every reader carefully considers the content before diving into the book. Trauma is not properly processed in the story, and there are several types of traumatic events that are not addressed adequately.
The thriller/police storyline is unbelievable; an actual investigation would never follow the path depicted, and the police would certainly not behave like the detective in this book. The gore included seems to be there merely for shock value and does not add to the narrative.
The plot is laughable at times, making it entertaining to read, but it lacks real substance to be a great book. The story could have taken unexpected turns to elevate it, but every opportunity was missed, and the final plot twists did not achieve much.
Overall, the beginning was fine, but from the middle onwards, the book becomes a laughable mess. If you can overlook the gratuitous violence and trauma, it's a mediocre book at best.
Not everyone is included in the target audience for this book; it should be considered adult material only due to the profanity included.
I’m grateful with NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity of letting me read this before its publication.
The book comes with strong trigger warnings, and it is essential that every reader carefully considers the content before diving into the book. Trauma is not properly processed in the story, and there are several types of traumatic events that are not addressed adequately.
The thriller/police storyline is unbelievable; an actual investigation would never follow the path depicted, and the police would certainly not behave like the detective in this book. The gore included seems to be there merely for shock value and does not add to the narrative.
The plot is laughable at times, making it entertaining to read, but it lacks real substance to be a great book. The story could have taken unexpected turns to elevate it, but every opportunity was missed, and the final plot twists did not achieve much.
Overall, the beginning was fine, but from the middle onwards, the book becomes a laughable mess. If you can overlook the gratuitous violence and trauma, it's a mediocre book at best.
Not everyone is included in the target audience for this book; it should be considered adult material only due to the profanity included.
I’m grateful with NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity of letting me read this before its publication.
April 21, 2024
A devilish ride into the hellish grip of the succubus to the soothing sounds of heavy metal.
If you love a perfect blend of heavy metal and horror, this one is for you. I need to find more authors who provide this unique blend of music and storytelling.
This was my first Nikki Noir, and I'm left wanting more. I'm only sorry that I didn't get to this book sooner. It's been staring at me from my bookshelf for a while.
Suck-U-Bus follows the metal doused adventure of Lisa when her knew straight and narrow lifestyle is turned upside down by the return of her brother, who thrusts her back into her booze and devil horned days.
She can't say no to him. Thinking it will simply be one night of fun, she soon finds herself chasing a trail of bodies and trying to find out what really happens on the mysterious bus of The Mothers after their live metal shows.
Are demons real? And is her brother being pulled along by a promise of an enticing encounter?
I loved this story. Every moment, every surprise, every interesting character.
As a metal head of several decades, I especially loved all the references that were beautifully woven into the characters and the story. The author had me at Peter Steele!
Heavy metal horror lovers, this one's for you!!
If you love a perfect blend of heavy metal and horror, this one is for you. I need to find more authors who provide this unique blend of music and storytelling.
This was my first Nikki Noir, and I'm left wanting more. I'm only sorry that I didn't get to this book sooner. It's been staring at me from my bookshelf for a while.
Suck-U-Bus follows the metal doused adventure of Lisa when her knew straight and narrow lifestyle is turned upside down by the return of her brother, who thrusts her back into her booze and devil horned days.
She can't say no to him. Thinking it will simply be one night of fun, she soon finds herself chasing a trail of bodies and trying to find out what really happens on the mysterious bus of The Mothers after their live metal shows.
Are demons real? And is her brother being pulled along by a promise of an enticing encounter?
I loved this story. Every moment, every surprise, every interesting character.
As a metal head of several decades, I especially loved all the references that were beautifully woven into the characters and the story. The author had me at Peter Steele!
Heavy metal horror lovers, this one's for you!!
April 25, 2024
As a metal head, I found this to be a fun book. I also suffer from sleep paralysis often, so that part had me intrigued. I thought the concept of the band Suck-u-bus and it's lore were original. I was hoping for more female empowerment. I think that this book maybe tried that, but missed the mark. I actually thought that the spicy scenes were well written, which I find to be a rare trait in books these days. My biggest complaint is that this book didn't feel complete. I assume that it's going to be part of a series based on the cliffhanger of an "ending." There was one kind of battle scene at the end but there was a lot left that was not clarified. I really hate when authors leave books on a cliffhanger, regardless if it's meant to be a series or not. I know that this is a gimmick to make you really want to get to the next one, but so many series at least make each book end at a logical point. I really don't like gimmicks and normally I'd take a whole point off for that, but Idk, the book was fun and original, so I won't take it off this time. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 (because that's how rounding works)
March 27, 2024
Copy provided via NetGalley.
A book that crawled inside my psyche well enough to give me a vivid nightmare where I was being chased through a house by a demonically possessed Emma Stone in a nun habit.
The idea of a band that uses it's mythos to serve a demon who makes them famous is hard not to get pulled in by - is it real, is it a gimmick, is it a mixture of both? Regardless, it's a horror story of obsession, violation, and destruction.
As someone who has occasionally experienced sleep paralysis, the description of some of the experiences felt very accurate, but the theory on what it was and the astral planes was very amusing to me. It might even make me entertained post-recovery from the next bout of it.
There's some emphasis on virginity that I found both an interesting take but also annoying; the ideas about sexuality and power didn't feel completely rounded out and ended up being insulting when I think they could've been really interesting with a little more page space.
This is graphic and sexual, surprisingly amusing, and it's going to eat your heart.
A book that crawled inside my psyche well enough to give me a vivid nightmare where I was being chased through a house by a demonically possessed Emma Stone in a nun habit.
The idea of a band that uses it's mythos to serve a demon who makes them famous is hard not to get pulled in by - is it real, is it a gimmick, is it a mixture of both? Regardless, it's a horror story of obsession, violation, and destruction.
As someone who has occasionally experienced sleep paralysis, the description of some of the experiences felt very accurate, but the theory on what it was and the astral planes was very amusing to me. It might even make me entertained post-recovery from the next bout of it.
There's some emphasis on virginity that I found both an interesting take but also annoying; the ideas about sexuality and power didn't feel completely rounded out and ended up being insulting when I think they could've been really interesting with a little more page space.
This is graphic and sexual, surprisingly amusing, and it's going to eat your heart.
March 31, 2025
A bloody mess I somehow have a soft spot for.
Okay, listen. Suck-U-Bus is splatterpunk through and through—gory, chaotic, and unapologetically wild. But it’s also written at, like, a fourth-grade reading level. There’s nothing poetic here, nothing like Wrath James White or the heavy hitters of the genre. The prose is simple, repetitive (seriously, how many times do we need to hear about Lisa’s life before the diary just repeats it all again?), and it definitely dragged in spots.
And yet… I kind of liked it?
There’s this goofy, Phoenix-centric charm to it that I couldn’t shake. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you can totally tell the authors were just having a blast writing it. The plot? Genuinely interesting. There are twists upon twists, and the ending hits with that classic dire, hopeless splatterpunk vibe that sticks with you. I just wish the writing had been tighter, more polished—it could’ve elevated everything.
So yeah, it’s messy. But it’s also kind of lovable in a trashy, blood-soaked, late-night horror movie kind of way.
Okay, listen. Suck-U-Bus is splatterpunk through and through—gory, chaotic, and unapologetically wild. But it’s also written at, like, a fourth-grade reading level. There’s nothing poetic here, nothing like Wrath James White or the heavy hitters of the genre. The prose is simple, repetitive (seriously, how many times do we need to hear about Lisa’s life before the diary just repeats it all again?), and it definitely dragged in spots.
And yet… I kind of liked it?
There’s this goofy, Phoenix-centric charm to it that I couldn’t shake. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and you can totally tell the authors were just having a blast writing it. The plot? Genuinely interesting. There are twists upon twists, and the ending hits with that classic dire, hopeless splatterpunk vibe that sticks with you. I just wish the writing had been tighter, more polished—it could’ve elevated everything.
So yeah, it’s messy. But it’s also kind of lovable in a trashy, blood-soaked, late-night horror movie kind of way.
July 30, 2025
This was my second SC Mendes/Nikki Noir book and it was *fantastic*! Exactly what I needed after binge a bunch of extreme horror. The mystery of The Mothers sucks you in (pun intended), and clear and engaging writing keeps you completely locked in place. Read the entire thing in one sitting, and I do not regret it.
Book Summary: Lisa has tried to leave her old life behind. The metal scene and the f**k boys that came with it were left behind after her breakup, but when her brother comes back around, Lisa's torn between two worlds. She agrees to follow him to a local show, but The Mothers and the ghostly bang bus are more than they seem. Something is seriously wrong with Danny, and it will take everything within Lisa to figure out what.
Overall, really fun book! I think it deals with the occult and all powerful cosmic energy in a really great way, and I adored seeing a Woman In Total Control of Herself by the end of the book. Totally worth the read!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Book Summary: Lisa has tried to leave her old life behind. The metal scene and the f**k boys that came with it were left behind after her breakup, but when her brother comes back around, Lisa's torn between two worlds. She agrees to follow him to a local show, but The Mothers and the ghostly bang bus are more than they seem. Something is seriously wrong with Danny, and it will take everything within Lisa to figure out what.
Overall, really fun book! I think it deals with the occult and all powerful cosmic energy in a really great way, and I adored seeing a Woman In Total Control of Herself by the end of the book. Totally worth the read!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 6, 2025
Wow, this novel gave me Jennifer’s Body energy, but way better👀🔥and thank you to bloodhoundbooks for this physical paperback!
From the moment I read about that 2006 pact with a succubus, I knew I was in for something deliciously dark and chaotic.
It’s got everything — demonic deals, gruesome murders, backstage drama, and that constant “is this really happening or is everyone just losing it?” vibe that keeps you turning pages.
Lisa’s determination to find her brother had me rooting for her the whole way through, and I loved how the story blurred the line between supernatural horror and psychological tension.
Lisa only wanted to keep her brother safe, and what i got was knee deep chaos, guys missing or dead, and drama involving demons, and i lived for it.
It’s got that perfect blend of “this can’t be real” energy mixed with “oh no, it’s definitely real” horror.
Every chapter felt like watching a horror-comedy unfold — messy, spooky, and kind of sexy in a should I be laughing or screaming? way.
Highly recommended 👌
From the moment I read about that 2006 pact with a succubus, I knew I was in for something deliciously dark and chaotic.
It’s got everything — demonic deals, gruesome murders, backstage drama, and that constant “is this really happening or is everyone just losing it?” vibe that keeps you turning pages.
Lisa’s determination to find her brother had me rooting for her the whole way through, and I loved how the story blurred the line between supernatural horror and psychological tension.
Lisa only wanted to keep her brother safe, and what i got was knee deep chaos, guys missing or dead, and drama involving demons, and i lived for it.
It’s got that perfect blend of “this can’t be real” energy mixed with “oh no, it’s definitely real” horror.
Every chapter felt like watching a horror-comedy unfold — messy, spooky, and kind of sexy in a should I be laughing or screaming? way.
Highly recommended 👌
March 7, 2024
The plot of this has kind of a Jennifer's Body vibe with the execution and sleep paralysis connections making it feel closer to Dead Awake. This was a fun and easy quick read. I felt like the mystery aspect played a bigger role in most of it than the horror. I was kind of surprised how little of a role some of the characters I was expecting to be more important were though. It was still interesting, but I think it would have been more interesting from a POV closer to what was going on rather than starting from more of an outside perspective that got pulled in eventually. Not being close to the action at the start did make it more mysterious and suspenseful though so I think it's better to go into the book looking for that rather than a character caught in the middle of the horror from the start. I did like the ending though and that it worked in the open-ended way horror movies end where there could be a sequel or it could work as an ending twist for a stand-alone too.
April 28, 2024
I managed to get 41% in before DNFing... Not a horror. I'm not sure that I would class this as a New Adult either... The "horrific" things that happen are added more out of shock value, they add little to the plot. There's a heavy emphasis on s*x, which I absolutely knew was coming, what I didn't realize was the heavy "spiritual" references... I knew that it was going to be occult, demonic, possibly references to witchcraft or satanism.
What I didn't expect was the "virgins are the most pure/powerful and they lose their power after s*x."
Anything "s*xual" mentioned up to 41% had a vaguely shocked and debauchery undertone.
Also, why is the main character suggesting that every metalhead who wears "corpse paint" is dangerous/in a cult?
Up to this point a woman has died in a s*xual situation, and it was literally forgotten about 3 pages later. And the MC has witnessed a baby be born and then sacrificed... Neither seem important to the story... Neither built tension or suspense.
What I didn't expect was the "virgins are the most pure/powerful and they lose their power after s*x."
Anything "s*xual" mentioned up to 41% had a vaguely shocked and debauchery undertone.
Also, why is the main character suggesting that every metalhead who wears "corpse paint" is dangerous/in a cult?
Up to this point a woman has died in a s*xual situation, and it was literally forgotten about 3 pages later. And the MC has witnessed a baby be born and then sacrificed... Neither seem important to the story... Neither built tension or suspense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2024
i didn’t care for the writing, the plot, and the characters. the dialogue is terrible. the way the main character is obsessed with her brother’s virginity is so weird. she brings it up soooo much in the beginning and middle of the book it’s like girl what is your point exactly?? the plot is all over the place and never felt like one cohesive thing. it felt like they were like “uhhh and then she decides to do THIS” the whole book. there was no gradualism to the information she uncovers about everything, it’s just pounds and pounds of info dumping that i didn’t even care about. all the deaths feel like “oh yeah btw this person died” and then nothing really comes of it or happens. the most gore in this book is a weirdly graphic birthing scene that felt more like an anatomy lesson than anything 😭
i like popcorn horror if it’s fun and actually kind of horror, but this is all just her talking to people and traveling. it wasn’t very fun.
i like popcorn horror if it’s fun and actually kind of horror, but this is all just her talking to people and traveling. it wasn’t very fun.
May 29, 2023
This book was absolutely fucking bizarre in the best way possible.
Suck-u-bus follows Lisa Hummer, a heavy metal, concert going partier turned nursing student searching for her brother, Danny who is still very much involved in the scene, disappears after dragging her to a Suc-U-Bus show, the hottest new upcoming act in the underground heavy metal scene.
I sat and stared at the wall for about fifteen minutes upon finishing this book, which I finished in one sitting because I absolutely could not put it down. Dives into the world of occults, bringing that 80s satanic panic to 2007, which is something I’ve always been interested in. This book was intense, some parts made me laugh because it was so ridiculous in the greatest way, and there’s some good body horror sprinkled in there. Probably one of my favorite reads of the year so far.
Suck-u-bus follows Lisa Hummer, a heavy metal, concert going partier turned nursing student searching for her brother, Danny who is still very much involved in the scene, disappears after dragging her to a Suc-U-Bus show, the hottest new upcoming act in the underground heavy metal scene.
I sat and stared at the wall for about fifteen minutes upon finishing this book, which I finished in one sitting because I absolutely could not put it down. Dives into the world of occults, bringing that 80s satanic panic to 2007, which is something I’ve always been interested in. This book was intense, some parts made me laugh because it was so ridiculous in the greatest way, and there’s some good body horror sprinkled in there. Probably one of my favorite reads of the year so far.
November 2, 2023
This was such a fun ride and I didn't expect anything that happened.
Lisa and Danny lost their parents at a young age and Danny took over custody of Lisa. He raised her on metal concerts and parties.
Now? Lisa still enjoys metal music but is getting her degree in nursing, hoping to help the world.
Danny invites her out for one last hurrah in the form of a band called Suck-U-Bus, who has a gimmick of taking 3 people after each concert to get on their bus and meet the sex demon that made them famous.
It's all a rouse to get more fan though, right? Lisa thinks so until Danny is chosen and suddenly starts acting weird.
Now she has to race against time to find her brother and figure out what these women did to him.
Lisa and Danny lost their parents at a young age and Danny took over custody of Lisa. He raised her on metal concerts and parties.
Now? Lisa still enjoys metal music but is getting her degree in nursing, hoping to help the world.
Danny invites her out for one last hurrah in the form of a band called Suck-U-Bus, who has a gimmick of taking 3 people after each concert to get on their bus and meet the sex demon that made them famous.
It's all a rouse to get more fan though, right? Lisa thinks so until Danny is chosen and suddenly starts acting weird.
Now she has to race against time to find her brother and figure out what these women did to him.
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