Feeding the Wheel

Name: Feeding the Wheel
Price: 15.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781639512089

✍️ Michael Boulerice

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$15.99

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A novella about two friends bound by a dark ritual in New Hampshire woods.

Boulerice explores the destructive power of codependency through supernatural horror. Caleb and Marley face consequences after accepting gifts from a grinding wheel deity. The story highlights how one friend cannot get enough while the other tries to leave. This dynamic mirrors the struggle of exiting a toxic relationship with a narcissist. The narrative does not offer easy escapes, instead focusing on the lingering damage of past bonds. It is a study in addiction and regret set against a backdrop of rural dread.

Key Themes

toxic relationships grinding wheel ritual childhood trauma

Literary Context

This debut novella by Michael Boulerice sits within contemporary horror fiction, drawing on themes of supernatural sacrifice and psychological abuse. It appeals to readers who enjoy dark narratives that blend the uncanny with real-world emotional struggles, offering a grim look at dependency and consequence.

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

T. Kingfisher · Grady Hendrix · Stephen King

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Horror Fiction

🏛 Death's Head Press 📅 2025 📖 140 pages 🌐 English 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781639512089

📝 Description: Feeding the Wheel

Michael Boulerice delivers a darkly inventive horror novella that laces his prose with scalpel-sharp nightmares. This debut work follows two friends, Caleb and Marley, who accidentally witness a gruesome sacrifice to the grinding wheel and its gods in the woodlands of New Hampshire. Their initial error leads them to accept the ritual's benefits, which ultimately fractures their bond as one character becomes addicted while the other struggles to escape. The narrative operates with horrifying realism, exploring the fallout of toxic relationships and narcissism. It examines the damage incurred by maintaining childhood connections long after they have run their course. The story centers on the grinding wheel waiting at the top of the hill, demanding a price for its gifts. Boulerice’s writing style creates a compelling narrative that resonates with readers who understand the complexities of surviving abusive dynamics. This novella suits fans of T. Kingfisher and Grady Hendrix who appreciate psychological horror grounded in human frailty. It appeals to those interested in supernatural fiction that mirrors real-world emotional trauma. Readers seeking lighthearted adventure or traditional ghost stories may find the intense focus on toxic relational dynamics less appealing. The book remains a focused examination of consequence and dependency, ending with the wheel still waiting for its next offering.

💎 Our verdict on Feeding the Wheel

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Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Michael Boulerice delivers a scalpel-sharp novella that laces prose with nightmares, exploring the fallout of toxic relational dynamics through supernatural horror. The story centers on Caleb and Marley, whose bond fractures after accepting gifts from a grinding wheel deity in New Hampshire woods. Boulerice excels at creating horrifying realism, examining how childhood connections can persist long after they have run their course. This work suits fans of psychological horror who appreciate nuanced portrayals of narcissism and dependency. It is less appealing to those seeking lighthearted adventure or traditional ghost stories, but remains a powerful examination of consequence for readers willing to engage with intense emotional trauma.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in psychological horror grounded in human frailty will find this novella compelling. It offers a darkly inventive exploration of codependency and the destructive power of toxic relationships, using supernatural elements to mirror real-world emotional trauma. Those who understand the complexities of surviving abusive dynamics or navigating narcissistic bonds will appreciate the nuanced study of addiction and regret. The narrative resonates with anyone seeking horror that focuses on lingering damage rather than easy escapes, providing a focused examination of consequence set against a backdrop of rural dread.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Michael Boulerice delivers a scalpel-sharp novella that laces prose with nightmares, exploring the fallout of toxic relational dynamics through supernatural horror. The story centers on Caleb and Marley, whose bond fractures after accepting gifts from a grinding wheel deity in New Hampshire woods. Boulerice excels at creating horrifying realism, examining how childhood connections can persist long after they have run their course. This work suits fans of psychological horror who appreciate nuanced portrayals of narcissism and dependency. It is less appealing to those seeking lighthearted adventure or traditional ghost stories, but remains a powerful examination of consequence for readers willing to engage with intense emotional trauma.