As five friends travel through the isolated California desert towards a popular music festival, their trip is interrupted thanks to our modern world’s ever-evolving state of technology… Stranded and alone needing to recharge their electric vehicle. When the group of teenagers settle on a remote parking lot in the middle of nowhere, it isn’t only a charging station they find. They also uncover pure, unrelenting evil.

Hiding in the shadows is a maniac. Searching endlessly and without discrimination for victims to satisfy a hunger, viciously hunting down anyone that comes near.

As they fight for survival, the maniac works to outsmart and hunt them one by one, with a goal in mind that is so heinous and vile that the truth behind his actions will rattle the very foundation of the deepest caverns in hell.

As the heartfelt ties that bind the friends together unravel, they each will learn not only what it takes to love, but how to survive. While coping with past heartbreak, loss and abandonment, they must band together to get out alive. Or die one by one under the most excruciating circumstances imaginable.

One thing is certain, the desert is no place to hide.

Goodreads Synopsis

Overall Rating

4/5

Spooky Rating

4/5 (extreme horror)

Quick Take

This One’s Gonna Hurt by Cody J. Thompson is an extreme slasher that blends The Texas Chainsaw Massacre with The Hills Have Eyes in a story that is all its own. The book is disgusting and brutal but filled with a cast of characters that immediately draws you in. It is an essential read for lovers of the cannibal sub-genre.

Tell Me More

Cannibal horror is one of my most beloved sub-genres, and when I came across This One’s Gonna Hurt by Cody J. Thompson, I immediately took the chance to read it. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hills Have Eyes are some of my favorite works of horror, and I am always on the lookout for books that feature the same feel. This One’s Gonna Hurt completely filled my creepy cannibal void, and I am so thankful for that!

Thompson starts the novel off with a bang and I was not expecting the extreme horror to come out right off the bat. It took me by surprise and drew me in with unrelenting claws. After the second chapter I knew that I would not be putting the book down, or rather, it wouldn’t let me.

I often find that some extreme horror authors focus more on the shock value of their work rather than developing the story and creating a cast of characters who the reader cares about, but this was not the case with This One’s Gonna Hurt. Thompson put a lot of time in developing the setting and creating a group of characters who were funny and realistic. Even though I knew that they were doomed, I couldn’t help but feel connected to them, and I enjoyed being a part of their story as I read. The extreme horror elements correlated beautifully with the story and worked their way under my skin. There were moments where I had a hard time continuing reading because of how extreme the horror elements were, but I was completely satisfied at the same time. I felt like I was watching a classic slasher movie while reading, and I would love to see this book become a film.

The only reason that I didn’t give this book five stars was because the writing was a bit clunky at times, and some of the dialogue and descriptions felt forced or unrealistic. However, I got used to Thompson’s writing style as I continued reading, and it didn’t interfere very much with my enjoyment of the story.

I do have to mention that this book contains the graphic murder of a child, which may be triggering for some readers. So please proceed with caution.

This One’s Gonna Hurt by Cody J. Thompson is a welcome addition to the cannibal horror sub-genre, and readers are sure to find that this one is a new favorite. It is expertly developed and reads like a classic slasher movie. I can’t recommend it enough!