The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: Collected Stories

Eric LaRocca masterfully crafts short stories dripping with atmosphere. With the various stories either going for a slightly supernatural or very realistic feeling, this is truly a mixed bag. Colourful and at times explicit and graphic language make for a great reading experience, while you get to explore themes ranging from pyromancy to forbidden love. One of the most prominent themes is a kind of final destination. You as the reader know that there is an inescapable ending, a hurtful truth to come and while reading the story, you get enveloped into a literary road that leads you there straight, without telling you that it does. All of this brings about a fantastically dense atmosphere you cannot escape until you finished the story. For me, this short story collection is a great pick for an evening read, when the darkness comes out and you can enjoy some spine tingling horror.

This being my third book by LaRocca I knew what I was getting into. But despite that he still managed to surprise me with his masterfully crafted stories that creep under your skin and explore the darkest urges of humanity. One of the most unique voices in modern horror.