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WE WATCH
Welcome to Fork-in-the-Road, Any State, USA.
A quiet place to live. A decent place to raise your family.
Life is good for the folks who reside there.
You can wave to your neighbors, knowing they’re solid, salt-of-the-land people.
And, when new people arrive, everyone welcomes them. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do.
Yup, life’s been pretty good for fifteen-year-old Aiden.
But things change. Subtly at first.
Holding hands. A first kiss. And the local bully making sure his father, Reverend Andrew Hampton, knows that there are sins taking place in his town.
Life has a funny way of changing before our eyes.
And when a strange boy appears in the woods, speaking only one word, “Up,” well… things are about to change… forever.
From 2X Splatterpunk-Nominated Author Steve Stred, comes a new small-town horror novella to make you question just how well you know your neighbors.
A quiet place to live. A decent place to raise your family.
Life is good for the folks who reside there.
You can wave to your neighbors, knowing they’re solid, salt-of-the-land people.
And, when new people arrive, everyone welcomes them. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do.
Yup, life’s been pretty good for fifteen-year-old Aiden.
But things change. Subtly at first.
Holding hands. A first kiss. And the local bully making sure his father, Reverend Andrew Hampton, knows that there are sins taking place in his town.
Life has a funny way of changing before our eyes.
And when a strange boy appears in the woods, speaking only one word, “Up,” well… things are about to change… forever.
From 2X Splatterpunk-Nominated Author Steve Stred, comes a new small-town horror novella to make you question just how well you know your neighbors.
- GenresHorror
83 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 13, 2023
8 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Steve Stred
88 books672 followersAn award-winning author, Steve Stred lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with his wife and son.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
Known for his novels, ‘Mastodon,’ ‘Churn the Soil,’ and his series ‘Father of Lies’ where he joined a cult on the dark web for four years, his work has been described as haunting, bleak and is frequently set in the woods near where he grew up. He’s been fortunate to appear in numerous anthologies with some truly amazing authors.
His novel ‘Mastodon’ will be translated into Czech and Italian over the next few years.
His novel 'Churn the Soil' won the Best Horror Novel award in the 2024 Indieverse Awards.
His novel 'Mastodon' and his novella' Sacrament' were both nominated for Splatterpunk Awards.
He is represented by Kodie Van Dusen at The Rights Factory and Alec Frankel at Independent Artist Group.
Outside of writing, Steve received his Bachelor Degree in Kinesiology from the University of the Fraser Valley in 2008, and became a Certified Canadian Pedorthist in 2013.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 6, 2025
This was ok for me. I enjoyed all of the commentary on Matt and Aiden, especially as it pertained to the town's very conversative views on homosexuality. These two kids care for one another and are just trying to exist and love one another, but it's all being bogged down. Then they meet the boy in the woods, which just adds to their predicament. Great lead characters, but the story was hard to follow at times as it jumped around without many prompts, and everything felt extremely abbreviated, which took away from the overall impact. This could have easily been double the length and better served on both a character and plot development levels. Still, for what we got, there are a lot of good concepts here, despite lacking a bit of necessary finesse to make it all come together.
October 13, 2023
Updated review
Great book! Seriously, it speaks volumes and has a great message! And I say that as someone who was raised within a Christian faith. This book sheds light on some very horrific and real problems found within the religious community. Nothing is more terrifying to me than the hatred and evil that can be found within humanity.
"We Watch" blends together perfectly the love story of our two young MCs, Matt and Aiden, with elements of the supernatural and real-life horrors like Homophobia, small town prejudices and religious cults.
What we are left with is a short story, that actually makes us stop and see just how utterly fucked the world we live in truly is. This is a book that for me personally stirred up a lot of reflection on current issues. And I have no doubt that it may ruffle plenty of feathers, as it should. This book should make you reevaluate yourself and the world we live in.
"Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn." If it came down to it, would you burn?
This particular quote hit me so fucking hard! Seriously the epitome of a mic drop!
“For now, we can only do one thing,” Jim said. “What’s that?” Amy asked. “We watch.”
Fantastic short story, you absolutely killed it Stred!! Can't recommend this one enough.
Great book! Seriously, it speaks volumes and has a great message! And I say that as someone who was raised within a Christian faith. This book sheds light on some very horrific and real problems found within the religious community. Nothing is more terrifying to me than the hatred and evil that can be found within humanity.
"We Watch" blends together perfectly the love story of our two young MCs, Matt and Aiden, with elements of the supernatural and real-life horrors like Homophobia, small town prejudices and religious cults.
What we are left with is a short story, that actually makes us stop and see just how utterly fucked the world we live in truly is. This is a book that for me personally stirred up a lot of reflection on current issues. And I have no doubt that it may ruffle plenty of feathers, as it should. This book should make you reevaluate yourself and the world we live in.
"Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn." If it came down to it, would you burn?
This particular quote hit me so fucking hard! Seriously the epitome of a mic drop!
“For now, we can only do one thing,” Jim said. “What’s that?” Amy asked. “We watch.”
Fantastic short story, you absolutely killed it Stred!! Can't recommend this one enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2023
“In the true eyes of God, we would never be forgiven.” -Misery Index
This novella by Steve Stred has a lot to say in a short period of time.
There are themes of bigotry, cultish Christianity, sinners and saints, revelations, coming out, etc. It’s heavy and it’s sad and it’s downright horrific at times.
A strange boy appears in the forest to a group of teenage friends. Only saying “Up”, their encounters with the boy become stranger and more disturbing.
I would have liked to see this story fleshed out a bit more, it felt like just the beginning of a novel length tale.
I’m also left with some questions- for example, why did Cassie get burned initially? Why did Matt start to do the mirage thing with his hands?
This novella by Steve Stred has a lot to say in a short period of time.
There are themes of bigotry, cultish Christianity, sinners and saints, revelations, coming out, etc. It’s heavy and it’s sad and it’s downright horrific at times.
A strange boy appears in the forest to a group of teenage friends. Only saying “Up”, their encounters with the boy become stranger and more disturbing.
I would have liked to see this story fleshed out a bit more, it felt like just the beginning of a novel length tale.
I’m also left with some questions- for example, why did Cassie get burned initially? Why did Matt start to do the mirage thing with his hands?
September 24, 2023
I have read a few of @Stevestred's books including Churn The Soil, Wagon Buddy, Scott and The Girl Who Hid In the Trees. All of them were amazing. So when I got the chance to read We Watch, I knew it was going to be good. You definitely feel the small town vibes with this one. Where everyone is in your business, in this case, Aiden and Matt were in the woods as told by Kyle even though he was beating them up because they're a gay couple. The townsfolk of For-in-the-Road aren't too keen on gay people it seems, especially the reverend. But even with all that occurring, I loved how accepting and loving both Amy (Aiden's mother) and Jim and Nancy (Matt's parents) were to them. They made them feel safe.
Now while all of this is going in, things start to get interesting with the boy the friends found in the woods. Aiden, Matt, Cassie and Jessica, all of them had seen the boy but weird things were happening to Cassie and Matt's bodies. Cassie with the radiation burns on her body and Matt's hand movement looked like a mirage. As for the ending, it was poetic justice.
Huge thanks to Steve Stred for sending me the ARC for this book. We Watch comes out on October 13th!
Now while all of this is going in, things start to get interesting with the boy the friends found in the woods. Aiden, Matt, Cassie and Jessica, all of them had seen the boy but weird things were happening to Cassie and Matt's bodies. Cassie with the radiation burns on her body and Matt's hand movement looked like a mirage. As for the ending, it was poetic justice.
Huge thanks to Steve Stred for sending me the ARC for this book. We Watch comes out on October 13th!
October 17, 2023
We Watch is fantastic! Steve is one of my favorite writers, and he just keeps getting better and better with each new release. This book has some heavy themes, and utterly disgusting antagonists. It's small town horror, and with that comes the bigotry and abuse usually found in a small town.
September 23, 2023
Aiden and Matt, two queer teens from Fork-of-the-Road, go out into the woods and meet a strange kid with unusual powers.
Steve Stred BLESSED me with a digital ARC and I am definitely going to look into grabbing a physical copy later.
I absolutely LOVE this book, once I got it I could not put it down and finished it in one night.
Prejudice small town, supportive parents, and a divine reconning the church was not expecting.
Remember;
“Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn”
Steve Stred BLESSED me with a digital ARC and I am definitely going to look into grabbing a physical copy later.
I absolutely LOVE this book, once I got it I could not put it down and finished it in one night.
Prejudice small town, supportive parents, and a divine reconning the church was not expecting.
Remember;
“Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn”
September 23, 2023
This was a very unique and different story than I was expecting. I loved every moment of it from beginning to end. Very fast paced and kept me wanting to see what happened next. Definitely need to read more work from Steve Stred!
January 31, 2024
Small-town bigotry, a religious clut people can hide their shitty behaviour behind all while pretending to be good people...... welcome to Folk-in-the-road! What a gut-wrenching story this is, it hits hard and pulls no punches as the story unfolds ....... a fantastic read!!
October 10, 2023
A fast read with a lot of heart and social commentary. I loved the group of four friends and their parents. It could have been a little longer to spend more time with them and explain a couple of things, like what happened to Cassie and why, but otherwise I enjoyed cheering for Aiden and Matt, and despising Kyle and his dad.
February 11, 2024
My new favorite of all Stred’s works. Fast-moving story that serves as an indictment of small-minded bigotry. Very well written. Definitely worth a read.
October 25, 2023
Wow. This story is relevant to today's social climate, is gut-wrenching in its emotional depth, and terrifying in its brutal reality. Our world is caving in on itself and we desperately need a cleansing. I loved this more than I can properly express.
June 28, 2024
📚 Book review 📚
"Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn."
Fork-in-the-Road, Any State is a quiet place to live, where families are raised and everyone is friendly. Life is good for 15 year old Aiden until the local bully catches him holding hands with another boy and ends up telling his father, Reverend Andrew, about the acts of sin. At the same time, a strange boy turns up in the forest saying only one word - "Up". Things are about to change for everyone.
For under 100 pages, this novella sure packed a punch. The relationship formed between Aiden and Matt was sweet, and I loved how much their families wanted to protect them in such a conservative and, ultimately savage (despite appeareances), town. So savage that the Reverend wanted nothing but bloodshed for sinners.
The forest adventures with the boys and their friends were fun up until they found the mysterious boy. Strange things started happening at the arrival of his presence. He was definitely ominous and creepy.
My only problem with this story was that it wasn't enough! I know it was meant to be a quick read, but I felt like the story could have been fleshed out more. A little more about the town, the boys and their relationships, but mainly more background to the Reverend because he was a right dick. However, I still enjoyed it!
3.5⭐️ rounded up.
"Those with more hate than love in their hearts will burn."
Fork-in-the-Road, Any State is a quiet place to live, where families are raised and everyone is friendly. Life is good for 15 year old Aiden until the local bully catches him holding hands with another boy and ends up telling his father, Reverend Andrew, about the acts of sin. At the same time, a strange boy turns up in the forest saying only one word - "Up". Things are about to change for everyone.
For under 100 pages, this novella sure packed a punch. The relationship formed between Aiden and Matt was sweet, and I loved how much their families wanted to protect them in such a conservative and, ultimately savage (despite appeareances), town. So savage that the Reverend wanted nothing but bloodshed for sinners.
The forest adventures with the boys and their friends were fun up until they found the mysterious boy. Strange things started happening at the arrival of his presence. He was definitely ominous and creepy.
My only problem with this story was that it wasn't enough! I know it was meant to be a quick read, but I felt like the story could have been fleshed out more. A little more about the town, the boys and their relationships, but mainly more background to the Reverend because he was a right dick. However, I still enjoyed it!
3.5⭐️ rounded up.
September 29, 2023
Steve Stred's forthcoming novella, 'We Watch,' is a chilling exploration of how the so-called "traditional American values" may threaten someone's life if that life is deemed unacceptable by the proponents of said values. In Stred's short novella, the threat comes from homophobia and originates in religious fanaticism; it is directed against a couple of queer boys, though there's violence, sexual and physical, against teenage girls as well. Much as in Michael Wehunt's novella "Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Bad Can Ever Happen Here," Stred employs several tropes of horror (mostly the weird kind) to make an urgent point, thankfully without turning everything into social commentary. Stred's typical settings and imagery appear here too (a small town, the woods, coming-of-age tensions, family issues, encounters with mysterious entities), conspiring to reveal the ugliness underneath the town, on the one hand, and the difficulties of intimacy, on the other, be it between parents and sons or among friends or between boyfriends discovering themselves for the first time as a couple. The story is told simply, the single complication the many flashbacks, a hurried back and forth that heightens the suspense and allows the story to be read in one sitting. The weirdness is uncovered little by little, and unlike the Wehunt novella, is entirely externally related to the characters: the young protagonists come upon a little boy while walking in the woods, the dread of the encounter combining with the terror of homophobic bullying to produce a rather oppressive atmosphere rather than outright horror. Stred manages to spin all this into a very unexpected ending (a nice surprise was the explanation of the novella's title!), perhaps a little bit rushed but not at all preachy.
Huge thanks to Steve Stred for gifting me with an ARC for an early read!
Huge thanks to Steve Stred for gifting me with an ARC for an early read!
September 26, 2023
This book was an ok read, there was a bunch of jumping back and forth between the past and present. The story seemed incomplete and felt a bit rushed.
September 28, 2023
What can I say? I love a quick horror read. We Watch is a novella that wears its themes on its sleeve. Anyone who's uber-concerned about the recent - and very public - rise of white Christian nationalist fascism masquerading as a battle for "traditional American values" should find this to be a very timely read. As someone who's deliberately tried to distance himself from the stark reminders that some people use religion as an excuse to do and say vile things, I'm still not 100% sure how I feel after reading this... but I do feel like Steve Stred and I have a lot of similar ideas when it comes to these topics.
In We Watch, we follow Matt and Aiden, two teens who discover they're romantically attracted to each other in a small town that's steeped in Christian extremism. Their parents (in a wonderful twist on typical coming-out stories, especially in horror) are accepting, but tell them to keep it secret. In a town like Fork-In-The-Road, being gay might as well be a death sentence.
Along with two other friends, Matt and Aiden come upon a kid in the woods who's inexplicably weird. The more they interact with the boy, they begin to realize he has supernatural abilities. But who is the mysterious boy and what is he doing in a town like theirs? The answer... is actually really satisfying.
I loved the interaction between the kids. This has a very similar vibe to the ongoing Chucky series in terms of the character interaction. The story goes to very weird places in delving into the mystery of the boy who says "Up", which constantly had me intrigued. Some of the story takes place via flashback, and I felt those flashbacks were very well placed and never dragged the pacing.
And I absolutely LOVE this type of brisk storytelling.
I'd say the only thing I didn't love was that there didn't seem to be any moral gray areas. You had your good people and your bad people, and the head of the church does something in the last third of the book that goes from cruel to just irredeemably evil. Am I put off by it because it seems one-dimensional, or because people like that exist? I don't know! And that's what makes religion in horror fiction fascinating.
I received an advance reader copy and am writing this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
In We Watch, we follow Matt and Aiden, two teens who discover they're romantically attracted to each other in a small town that's steeped in Christian extremism. Their parents (in a wonderful twist on typical coming-out stories, especially in horror) are accepting, but tell them to keep it secret. In a town like Fork-In-The-Road, being gay might as well be a death sentence.
Along with two other friends, Matt and Aiden come upon a kid in the woods who's inexplicably weird. The more they interact with the boy, they begin to realize he has supernatural abilities. But who is the mysterious boy and what is he doing in a town like theirs? The answer... is actually really satisfying.
I loved the interaction between the kids. This has a very similar vibe to the ongoing Chucky series in terms of the character interaction. The story goes to very weird places in delving into the mystery of the boy who says "Up", which constantly had me intrigued. Some of the story takes place via flashback, and I felt those flashbacks were very well placed and never dragged the pacing.
And I absolutely LOVE this type of brisk storytelling.
I'd say the only thing I didn't love was that there didn't seem to be any moral gray areas. You had your good people and your bad people, and the head of the church does something in the last third of the book that goes from cruel to just irredeemably evil. Am I put off by it because it seems one-dimensional, or because people like that exist? I don't know! And that's what makes religion in horror fiction fascinating.
I received an advance reader copy and am writing this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
October 11, 2023
Steve Stred returns with another mini-novella that explodes from the pages like a blast of terrifying, nuclear delight. He really has a knack of writing quick, fast-paced tales that kind of feel like novels with the amount he fits into such a short read.
In this small town with its very small town attitudes, two kids in school become more than best friends. Aiden and Matt have always been attracted to each other, even before they realised what attraction was. But this kind of behaviour is frowned upon (and more!) in this town.
The local preacher is certainly not keen on their presence in his God-fearing community. It is an age-old adage that someone who supposedly preaches such love, could surely not carry such hatred. Unfortunately we've all seen and heard about this far too many times in the real world.
When the preacher's son, Kyle hears and witnesses the boys' behaviour, he takes it upon himself to reek vengeance upon them. But not in any holy sense, of course. These two must be punished severely, here on earth. These religious crazies obviously don't trust their old man in the sky enough to do it properly, so they must intervene.
The trouble is, something supernatural is afoot in this town. They may be angels to some, yet demons to others (yes, I know I've stolen that).
I can't say too much here because of the length of this book, but I was immersed in this story from beginning to end. It flew by. I suppose I would have liked it to have been longer, with more backstory on the characters, but it doesn't feel like there's anything missing really, so perhaps I'm just being greedy.
This is another strong addition to the ever-increasing bibliography of one of the nicest and supportive guys in the indie horror community!
In this small town with its very small town attitudes, two kids in school become more than best friends. Aiden and Matt have always been attracted to each other, even before they realised what attraction was. But this kind of behaviour is frowned upon (and more!) in this town.
The local preacher is certainly not keen on their presence in his God-fearing community. It is an age-old adage that someone who supposedly preaches such love, could surely not carry such hatred. Unfortunately we've all seen and heard about this far too many times in the real world.
When the preacher's son, Kyle hears and witnesses the boys' behaviour, he takes it upon himself to reek vengeance upon them. But not in any holy sense, of course. These two must be punished severely, here on earth. These religious crazies obviously don't trust their old man in the sky enough to do it properly, so they must intervene.
The trouble is, something supernatural is afoot in this town. They may be angels to some, yet demons to others (yes, I know I've stolen that).
I can't say too much here because of the length of this book, but I was immersed in this story from beginning to end. It flew by. I suppose I would have liked it to have been longer, with more backstory on the characters, but it doesn't feel like there's anything missing really, so perhaps I'm just being greedy.
This is another strong addition to the ever-increasing bibliography of one of the nicest and supportive guys in the indie horror community!
February 10, 2024
We Watch by Steve Stred is a captivating novella that delves into the themes of small-town bigotry, religious extremism, and queer identity. Set in the town of Fork-of-the-Road, this horror narrative follows the struggles of Aidan and Matt as they navigate their sexuality in an environment dominated by rigid religious beliefs. Through its thought-provoking plot, We Watch sheds light on important social issues and challenges societal norms. The setting of Fork-of-the-Road plays a crucial role in amplifying discrimination against those who are different. The domination of a religious cult intensifies small-town bigotry, making it challenging for individuals like Aidan and Matt to embrace their true identities. By exploring this oppressive environment, Stred highlights the struggle faced by marginalized communities.
One intriguing twist in the story, however, is the introduction of the mysterious boy with supernatural abilities in the woods. At one point, his appearance made me question whether he was there as a savior for Matt and Aiden or as a punisher for the zealots running rampant through town. The ending, where his true purpose came to light, was a bittersweet moment with a touch of creepiness.
Overall, We Watch is 70-something pages of emotion-packed writing I enjoyed reading despite being horrified and disgusted majority of the time, mainly due to the actions of the "do-gooder" characters who claim to be doing the Lord's work only to commit the ultimate sin. I don't think I've ever hated anyone so much as I did with the villains of this story.
One intriguing twist in the story, however, is the introduction of the mysterious boy with supernatural abilities in the woods. At one point, his appearance made me question whether he was there as a savior for Matt and Aiden or as a punisher for the zealots running rampant through town. The ending, where his true purpose came to light, was a bittersweet moment with a touch of creepiness.
Overall, We Watch is 70-something pages of emotion-packed writing I enjoyed reading despite being horrified and disgusted majority of the time, mainly due to the actions of the "do-gooder" characters who claim to be doing the Lord's work only to commit the ultimate sin. I don't think I've ever hated anyone so much as I did with the villains of this story.
September 27, 2023
Steve Stred is just one of those authors with a talent for writing stories that draw you in right away. And this one was no different. I read this all in one sitting. While it's a short book, I didn't want to stop and had to know how it would end.
Ok, so it's horror. Not truly extreme horror but it has its vile moments, so please check your TWs.
Some parts will definitely infuriate groups of people that may be sensitive to things like religious scrutiny and the idea of punishment for "un-Christian like" behavior. Homophobic persecution and cult-like group mentality is also addressed. Not to mention rape and physical abuse of females. (Like I said, please check TWs and decide if they are something you can handle reading about).
Some things about this book are up to interpretation. And while Stred pushes some limits as an author, I never felt that his personal views were shoved down the reader's throat. This one is definitely going to stick with you though, and quite possibly (most importantly), make you think about your own views and interpretations.
This is a 4 ⭐️ read for me. I continue to be a fan of Stred's work and will continue to read more of his books in the future.
Ok, so it's horror. Not truly extreme horror but it has its vile moments, so please check your TWs.
Some parts will definitely infuriate groups of people that may be sensitive to things like religious scrutiny and the idea of punishment for "un-Christian like" behavior. Homophobic persecution and cult-like group mentality is also addressed. Not to mention rape and physical abuse of females. (Like I said, please check TWs and decide if they are something you can handle reading about).
Some things about this book are up to interpretation. And while Stred pushes some limits as an author, I never felt that his personal views were shoved down the reader's throat. This one is definitely going to stick with you though, and quite possibly (most importantly), make you think about your own views and interpretations.
This is a 4 ⭐️ read for me. I continue to be a fan of Stred's work and will continue to read more of his books in the future.
November 28, 2023
“Up”
That simple two letter word is more powerful than I ever imagined.
“Up”
Now, it’s time for me to stand “Up” and give Mr. Steve Stred a standing ovation for delivering a pointed, astute and timely social commentary wrapped in a horror blanket. This little novella raised the bar “Up” with its unwavering courage and distinct voice.
This tale is a vivid microcosm of modern small town America, replete with its blind hate vs young love, and twisted with a supernatural spin doling out a firestorm of justice.
This one will grab you by the throat and not let go until you crash into its brilliant ending.
The plot was razor sharp and fast paced.
The characters felt like people I’ve known my whole life, so much so that they jumped off the pages.
The ending. That ending. When I figured out what was happening, I was beyond words. I just sat there with a stupid smile on my face, wanting to talk about this tale to anyone that would listen.
If only that ending was reality; the world would be a much better place.
Until then, “We watch” …
That simple two letter word is more powerful than I ever imagined.
“Up”
Now, it’s time for me to stand “Up” and give Mr. Steve Stred a standing ovation for delivering a pointed, astute and timely social commentary wrapped in a horror blanket. This little novella raised the bar “Up” with its unwavering courage and distinct voice.
This tale is a vivid microcosm of modern small town America, replete with its blind hate vs young love, and twisted with a supernatural spin doling out a firestorm of justice.
This one will grab you by the throat and not let go until you crash into its brilliant ending.
The plot was razor sharp and fast paced.
The characters felt like people I’ve known my whole life, so much so that they jumped off the pages.
The ending. That ending. When I figured out what was happening, I was beyond words. I just sat there with a stupid smile on my face, wanting to talk about this tale to anyone that would listen.
If only that ending was reality; the world would be a much better place.
Until then, “We watch” …
December 23, 2023
Another quick read from Steve, “We Watch” is a beautifully written novella that I consumed in one sitting, taking maybe just over an hour or so to complete it.
“We Watch” looks at right-wing Christian extremism and Christian indoctrination, and none of the portrayals are particularly surprising if you pay attention to what is going on in North America. Everything feels far too real at times, which truly amplifies the horrors within this novella.
It also has, like many of Steve’s stories, young protagonists who are genuinely real feeling. These are teenagers who act and feel like teenagers, kids who I look at and wish I knew when I was that age.
I think I would actually have to put this in my top five of Steve Stred’s novellas, and it would honestly make an amazing film adaptation if a good director got their hands on it and the movie studio let them make the book as it is written into moving pictures.
“We Watch” looks at right-wing Christian extremism and Christian indoctrination, and none of the portrayals are particularly surprising if you pay attention to what is going on in North America. Everything feels far too real at times, which truly amplifies the horrors within this novella.
It also has, like many of Steve’s stories, young protagonists who are genuinely real feeling. These are teenagers who act and feel like teenagers, kids who I look at and wish I knew when I was that age.
I think I would actually have to put this in my top five of Steve Stred’s novellas, and it would honestly make an amazing film adaptation if a good director got their hands on it and the movie studio let them make the book as it is written into moving pictures.
October 2, 2023
This short novella flew by, and I loved every second of it. It's got some compelling (and awfully awful) characters and a really interesting story. It's also got a tender, sweet side that I actually enjoyed. I don't know if this is considered "coming of age" or not, but that's typically a subgenre I really don't care for. It's great here. The ending is maybe a little expected, but that doesn't lessen its impact. Steve is an awesome author and more awesome person, and he sent me this digitally before release. I mean, I was gonna get it anyway when it's out, but it was nice to read it a little early. If you want a good story about life in a small (very religious) town, and what happens when a strange small boy shows up, I highly suggest this one. Oh yeah, this cover is freaking killer too
October 11, 2023
4.5/5 I mean, Steve can really do no wrong. There hasn’t been anything I’ve read that I haven’t enjoyed. WE WATCH is no exception. One thing Steve does incredibly is create intricate characters that you become almost immediately invested in. I was instantly gripped by Aiden & Matt’s story.
This also gave me such ‘Stranger Things’ vibes with the boy who only uttered a handful of words and had powers beyond those of this earth. I think Steve really captured the essence of the state of the world right now. This us against them mentality of the far right leaning Christian voice that’s dominating our feeds & politics. I know you anticipate negative push back Steve but I applaud the voice in this story.
This also gave me such ‘Stranger Things’ vibes with the boy who only uttered a handful of words and had powers beyond those of this earth. I think Steve really captured the essence of the state of the world right now. This us against them mentality of the far right leaning Christian voice that’s dominating our feeds & politics. I know you anticipate negative push back Steve but I applaud the voice in this story.
October 24, 2023
Every time I finish reading anything Steve reads I find it always has me thinking about it for a while and despite being incredibly short this was no exception.
Another heartbreaking story full of people to love & absolute assholes but yet again I enjoyed every second of it.
Steve has such a good way of making you root for the people you should and hating the ones you should hate. He has such a good way of writing characters that are so easy to connect with.
I got through this one easily in a setting & was probably the happiest ending of any of his books I've read so far 😂
Definitely read this one if you have a spare hour & want a quick story.
Another heartbreaking story full of people to love & absolute assholes but yet again I enjoyed every second of it.
Steve has such a good way of making you root for the people you should and hating the ones you should hate. He has such a good way of writing characters that are so easy to connect with.
I got through this one easily in a setting & was probably the happiest ending of any of his books I've read so far 😂
Definitely read this one if you have a spare hour & want a quick story.
October 12, 2023
This is my third book by Steve Stred and it’s another winner! Steve writes characters like no other. He makes them incredibly real and easy to connect with. Right from the start I was super invested in Matt & Aiden’s story, and curious to see what direction Steve would take it. No shocker, he gives the reader a fast paced and totally original story to devour.
Oh baby does this story ooze power! It is a bold statement, but totally relevant to current state of affairs and I applaud you Steve. Well done, Bravo! Now give me more!! 😂
Oh baby does this story ooze power! It is a bold statement, but totally relevant to current state of affairs and I applaud you Steve. Well done, Bravo! Now give me more!! 😂
October 21, 2023
This was a very original story. Way to go on that! Sometimes it's hard to come up with something new and refreshing.
There's a 'new kid' in town. But he is not as he seems.
Nicely done on the descriptions, not too much or too little. Nice way to end things.
I really loved the dinner scene. I thought it was very nicely done for the topics at hand.
Overall, 4 big 💀 ☠️ 💀 ☠️ from me!
There's a 'new kid' in town. But he is not as he seems.
Nicely done on the descriptions, not too much or too little. Nice way to end things.
I really loved the dinner scene. I thought it was very nicely done for the topics at hand.
Overall, 4 big 💀 ☠️ 💀 ☠️ from me!
November 17, 2023
This started off intriguing, with the mystery of the boy and his powers, but when it came to the end… nothing was really explained. We still did not know who or what the boy was. That was frustrating. The “cleansing” might have been gratifying to read, but how that came about was just left blank, which made it less satisfying.
November 14, 2024
Short read but it packed such a punch. I thoroughly enjoyed it and demolished it in about an hour because I simply couldn’t put it down! I was very curious about the title and I didn’t get closure on it til the very end but my lord was it good. Riveting, righteous, and just downright enthralling. I can’t wait to read more of your books
October 2, 2023
The cover is AWESOME!!! The story had me so angry. . .I could see fiery flames!!! An excellent. . . excellent read. This is also the first time the "afterward" had me as engrossed as the story itself. My hat is off to you Mr. Stred. . .for burning the elephant in the room. . .so to speak.
February 11, 2024
A short, sharp novella that bursts from the page, with characters that burn bright (for better or worse!) and a plot that has something heartfelt to say as it races to its conclusion. And as for that Afterword: amen, Mr Stred!
February 20, 2024
Bigotry comes in many forms. Stred deals with it deftly here, and those who find themselves on the receiving end of the comeuppance in WE WATCH deserve everything that comes their way. I dug it. Go forth, seek out, purchase and enjoy. Tell ‘em another lover of retribution sent you.
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