A review by destynnee
Hell Spring by Isaac Thorne

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 
You think you're the only man ever been loved by another man? That it? Or are you thinking you're the only white man who's ever been loved by a Black man? Huh?
-Sam

Hell Spring
By Isaac Thorne
335 pages
Publication date September 21, 2022
https://a.co/d/dJTGYEp

I received a copy of this book, and this is my review.
Please, watch out for possible spoilers, including but not limited to, TW/CN/Etc.

Possible TW, Tropes, and Genres
Mature, Graphic Sexuality, Brutal Acts of Violence, Gore, Horror, Domestic Abuse, Murder, Self Mutilation, Psychological Abuse, Gaslighting, Abusive Levels of Shaming, Homophobia, Gay Rep, Child Abuse (on page), Werewolf/Demon/Changeling, Massive Flooding , Death of a Parent (off page, spoken about), Stealing Money (more than once) Stealing from the Church, Religion/Spiritually, Goo Impregnation, and possibly more. 

I had to read this one more than once to absorb it all. The first chapter alone had me reading it out loud, at times with my open agape. I am unsure if I have heard so many ways to describe spunk, cum, and ejaculation. 

Like this wonderful diddy, “This spot lay outside the reach of the ever flowing fountain of acidic pre-cum streaming down the sides of the enormous crimson glans.”  Acidic pre-cum you say? Wink wink, tell me more. “...before it could erupt its thick, impregnating goo onto her back. If it ever struck her, the good would split her wide, divide her into new shadows like herself.”

When I tell you, I would read a whole book about this world. I am not joking. I want to know more about the wolf/dog/shadows. I want to know more about this enormous, bulbus, acid spitting crimson dick. I want to know why they are there, how they get the things they feed on, how there is a burnt forest surrounding this thunder dome of cum.

And again, this is just the first chapter. We see this world from the viewpoint of someone later called Marilyn. Give me more. How is she smarter than the others there? If she was to be split, would those other ones also gain her knowledge? Are we on the verge of an attack on wolf/dog/shadow/shifters who come from a cumder dome world?

If so, sign me up for reading that book. I am all in. 
:: insert gif of person tapping credit card on the counter ::

Now, I am not going to get into much that happens after this, because I think other than the TW/CN kinda of things, going into this one unaware might just help some.
The characters felt real, fleshed out, the overall issues outside of the whole flood/demon thing, were very real for that time in America, especially, rural America. Homophobia, domestic abuse, child abuse, poverty, were rampant, and in a lot of ways still are. In some ways, the abuse shown in this book is nothing compared to some of the things I have read in Dark Romance books. So, for me, even as a CSA and DAS, this in no way triggered me. But, if these things are an issue for you, PLEASE if you read this, check in with yourself from time to time to make sure you are handling it ok.

I am so glad that at the end of it all, two people got to be back with each other. Even if it's only for a short time. 

4 / 5 stars
-Destynnee