Ugly Faces

Name: Ugly Faces
Price: 21.99 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9798985706727

✍️ Brian Lupo

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

$21.99

In stock — ready to ship Ships in 1–2 business days

📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A law student drives through a storm while her past and mental state unravel.

Lexi Peters faces a dual threat during her winter break. She must manage her fear of open spaces while driving across the country. A severe storm complicates her travel, but her internal demons pose a greater danger. Stalkers in a rusted truck pursue her through dangerous terrain. The narrative examines how trauma resurfaces when one is isolated. Lexi’s journey becomes a test of endurance against both physical obstacles and psychological collapse. The story does not offer easy resolutions for her condition.

Key Themes

traumatic secret fear of open spaces mental breakdown

Literary Context

The narrative is set within the context of American university life at Red Falls University. It utilizes the tradition of winter break travel to create isolation. The story reflects contemporary anxieties about mental health and regression under stress. It places a law student in a survival scenario against a historic storm.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Shirley Jackson · Thomas Ligotti · Peter Straub · Stephen King's 'The Shining'

🩸

Horror Fiction

🏛 Brian Lupo 📅 2022 🌐 English 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9798985706727

📝 Description: Ugly Faces

Brian Lupo’s Ugly Faces follows Lexi Peters, a law student at Red Falls University, who struggles with a traumatic secret that triggers a fear of open spaces. When her best friend Rachael leaves her behind during winter break, Lexi must drive 443 miles to her parents' house alone. This journey risks regressing her condition while she faces a historic storm. Her mental state deteriorates as past events return to haunt her. She encounters familiar faces in a rusted truck stalking her through desolate canyons and flooded roads. The narrative focuses on her internal battle against a shocking past and a looming mental breakdown. This work suits readers who enjoy psychological horror and stories about isolation under pressure. It appeals to those interested in the intersection of legal studies and supernatural dread. The book does not suit readers seeking lighthearted escapism or traditional jump scares without emotional depth. Lupo qualifies as an author by presenting a grueling game of life or death where the protagonist screams in the middle of nowhere. The story relies on Lexi's fragile psyche rather than external monsters alone.

💎 Our verdict on Ugly Faces

“

🩸

Horror Reads editorial team

Horror desk

Brian Lupo crafts a tense narrative where Lexi’s internal battle outweighs the external threat of a rusted truck and severe storm. The work excels in portraying the regression of mental state during isolation, avoiding easy resolutions for her condition. It appeals to fans of psychological horror who value emotional depth over traditional jump scares. The focus on a law student's unraveling offers a unique lens on supernatural dread. While not suitable for those seeking lighthearted escapism, it delivers a powerful study of trauma. The atmosphere is thick with dread, making the protagonist's screams in the middle of nowhere feel earned and terrifying.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who appreciate the intersection of legal precision and supernatural dread will find this novel compelling. It offers a grueling examination of how trauma resurfaces when one is isolated in desolate terrain. The book suits those interested in psychological collapse rather than external monsters alone. It provides a raw look at endurance against physical obstacles like storms and stalkers, while focusing on the protagonist's fragile psyche. Those who enjoy stories where the mind becomes the primary battleground will gain from this intense, atmospheric journey through fear and memory.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Horror Reads —

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Horror Reads editorial team

Brian Lupo crafts a tense narrative where Lexi’s internal battle outweighs the external threat of a rusted truck and severe storm. The work excels in portraying the regression of mental state during isolation, avoiding easy resolutions for her condition. It appeals to fans of psychological horror who value emotional depth over traditional jump scares. The focus on a law student's unraveling offers a unique lens on supernatural dread. While not suitable for those seeking lighthearted escapism, it delivers a powerful study of trauma. The atmosphere is thick with dread, making the protagonist's screams in the middle of nowhere feel earned and terrifying.