Toasty Mocha Reads

Spoiler Review Ahead!

Cannibals, and werewolves, and hitchhikers, oh my!

I definitely enjoyed this one. When I first saw that Frieda McFadden was coming out with a “Pick Your Poison” book allowing the reader to decide the choices made in the story, I was excited. I immediately flashed back to when I was younger, reading R. L. Stine’s Choose Your Own Goosebumps books. Those were my favorite. A sense of nostalgia ran through me as I flipped through the pages of this one.

Let’s get into it.

Setting the scene: I am Sloan, a broke young woman on the brink of eviction when, conveniently, an opportunity falls into my lap. My best friend calls with a waitressing gig that would pay enough to cover my past-due rent. It’s tonight and the rent is due tomorrow. First choice: do I take the job or stay home? Well… we all know staying home leads to a very boring ending.

There are a few ways this story can go. If you make it to the mansion safely, you’ll quickly discover the “waitressing gig” is actually a setup—you’re being served as dinner for a group of cannibal billionaires. From there, things can can get a little chaotic. My personal favorite? The devastatingly handsome butler who warns me I’m in danger on arrival ends up saving me, reveals he’s a werewolf, we make love and live happily ever after.

Yes, it’s ridiculous—but somehow, it works. It feeds the fantasy. The Team Jacob girlies will understand.

And werewolves aren’t the only monsters you’ll run into. Between a cult of cannibals, an abominable snowman, and a very determined hitchhiker who desperately wants you dead, the story is wildly unpredictable and ridiculously fun.

I’ve read Frieda’s satirical novella, The Widow’s Husband’s Secret Lie, and really enjoyed it, so I had a feeling I’d like this one as well. I was right.

This is a quick, entertaining read that doesn’t take itself too seriously. I definitely recommend it, and I’m hoping Frieda gives us more satirical, chaotic stories like this in the future.