As a lifelong member of the Claustrophobic Arachnophobes Club I both loved and hated this 😅. This capitalized on all my childhood fears around those gross gas station bathrooms. It was chilling and thought-provoking horror, but also fun with a little dark humour. I keep thinking about it, it 

said a lot with a little. 

 

Energy: Suffocating. Disturbed. Astute. 

 

🐩 Tail Wags How it effectively blends extreme horror and gore with emotional depth and raw humanity. Showing how those who endured monstrosities can grow to dismiss others’ fears as trivial, but how that can also have a protective effect. Sharp, dark humour. Terrifying setting and tension. Vivid see-hear-feel writing style. 

 

Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in a gas station along a deserted stretch of American highway. 

Perspective: Our main character is feeling down about their crush dating a bandmate and is driving late at night to get to visit their grandparent in hospital. They stop for a snack and a bathroom break along the way. 

Timeline: 2016. ☀️⭐️ Summer nights 

🔥 Fuel: Why is the gas station empty? Why won’t the bathroom door open? How are the creatures getting in? What do the ominous notes mean? Escalating stakes, what is happening out in the store? Will our main character survive and escape? 

📖 Cred: Plausible 

 

Mood Reading Match-Up: 

Yacht rock playlist. Summer breeze. Corn Nuts. Googly eyes. Candy wrappers. Tangy meat smell. Neon condoms. Blood everywhere. 

 

Content Heads-Up: Stroke (off page). War (off page brief mention). Racism (character, bullying; off page mention/recall). Bullying (antisemitic slurs). Creepy crawlies. Body horror (blood, desecration, guts, bodies). 

 

Rep: American. Jewish heritage. Cis. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones. 

 

📚 Format: Kobo Plus 

 

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