Being a teenager is hard. Being a teenager and having your only real friend turn into a Japanese-style water spirit and your nemesis get her butt ripped out (???) and be suspected of her murder is harder. S.C. Mendes and Nikki Noir have written a great teen scream, so let’s dig into Cucumbers and Comforters!
I’ve been on a bit of a short horror kick lately! So when I got the chance to read more S.C. Mendes, I had to pick it up. This one is definitely more of a new adult spooky read, but it’s perfect if you’re looking for a bit of a change of pace. We follow Jen, a new girl in town who hasn’t been able to make many friends. Well, except Dale, a young boy with problems of his own. Dale’s been missing for days now, and after a run in with what she thinks is him at the lake, Jen has come to one conclusion. Dale has turned into a kappa, and now he’s going around town and tearing people from tits to taint.
The police are involved. She’s having weird dreams. People are going missing, and when no one will believe Jen, she’s left to solve the mystery on her own.
What I Liked
If you’ve been looking for a bit of a raunchy, bloody, teen horror read, this is such a great choice. The summer always makes me crave a good monster story, and with the weather finally warming up here, this was the perfect time to tackle this book. As a big J-horror fan, I loved seeing a new type of creature pop up. Cucumbers and Comforters features a kappa (or Japanese water spirit). And while I never really thought of these buggers as scary, the setting definitely made him creepy! The authors do a great job of giving anyone who’s unfamiliar a visual on the creature, and I’d love to see more unconventional monsters pop up this summer.
The teenage angst and difficulty in being a child worked really well with the book and the overall mystery. Being a teenager, Jen is innately unable to deal with these issues that are threatening her life. She’s just as worried about Dale and getting ripped to shreds as she is breaking curfew. While I’ve had a bit of a hard time reading novels with younger leads, I think it works so well in this story. Even when Jen’s determined to help her friend and figure out just what the hell is going on, she’s limited in what she can do— a familiar feeling for any horror reader. It’s realistic, and it creates a really unique chance for the reader to connect with the book.
What Could Have Been Better
My biggest gripe with the book is the steam. I adore steam in horror. Spooky and smut should go hand in hand, but it felt a little off here. There really wasn’t full-blown sex in the book, so if you’re looking for a steamy horror, Cucumbers and Comforters is not it. But it’s not like it was vanilla either. Spicy scenes are littered throughout the story, deaths taking place somewhat in the act, but nothing happens that’s full clutch-your-pearls worthy. It struck me as sort of odd, and at the end, I wish the authors would have just picked one direction to go in. If the steam had been completely lifted from the book, I’m not sure much would have been lost, which is maybe a sign that it was better left out entirely.
Final Thoughts
Overall, this was a really fun read. It was a great way to break up some heavier reads for me. If you’re looking for something that’s spooky and easier to get through, this is a great choice. There’s a little bit of spice for those who want it (though not enough to rival a true steamy horror), and a good amount of mystery for those who don’t.
Have you read Comforters and Cucumbers? Let me know your thoughts, and be sure to pick the book up on Amazon!