In the Scrape is a 2019-Coming of Age Horror novella co-authored by James Newman and Mark Steensland.
James Newman is one of my faves, so when I was gifted an ARC-copy, I was super stoked. Then like a huge jerk, I never got around to it...

As I was considering what to pick up this past Halloween week, this gorgeous Autumnal cover popped into my mind. Now is the time. In hindsight, I'm irked I had this 5-star read sitting on my Kindle for years. How did I not pay this story the attention it deserves? Hopefully this review will be an impetus for some of you to pick it up. That would help my guilt.

In this story we follow two young brothers, Jake and Matthew. The boys live with their abusive father and dream of nothing but escape. Their plan is to make their way to California, where they can be reunited with the mother they miss terribly.

We are told the story by Jake, who is 13-years old at the time the events take place. He gives us the details of the family dynamic and takes us through the days leading up to their planned escape. The boys have been very strategic about it, saving money and waiting until the right time. Even during the worst of the abuse, they stay focused on their plan. They see an upcoming family hunting trip as the perfect opportunity.

Unfortunately, just prior to the trip, Jake has a bloody altercation with his arch-nemesis, which not only puts a damper on the funds he was hoping to save, but also brings local law enforcement sniffing around.
Nevertheless, their Dad is determined to make it out to their cabin for the first day of deer season, so off they go. Little does he know that first night is going to find him tied to a chair as his boys forge their escape.

Dad is a beast though, will the boys be able to subdue him enough to actually get away? What if he catches them? Who will survive the night?

This is such an incredible story. I loved it. I immediately could tell this was a Newman; I adore his writing. I've never read from Mark Steensland before, but I trust if Newman is working with him, he's nothing short of brilliant.

Coming of Age is a subgenre of Horror that I tend to vibe with really well. I know when some people think of Horror books, they think, 'scary books, things that scare me', and then if they don't get scared by a book, they say, 'this isn't Horror'. For me, Horror is a more nuanced genre than that and thinking only books that literally scare you can be classified as Horror is simplifying the genre unfairly.

I've mentioned this before in other reviews, but this story did such a great job of channeling all of the essential vibes of the subgenre, that I felt it was worth repeating here. This basically transported me into the lives of these two boys while they were living through what could arguably be the most pivotal year of their childhoods.

In addition to the superb writing, it made me feel so much. By the halfway point, I was commenting how it was breaking my heart. I could feel the pain and desperation of these boys.

The brother's relationship was beautifully done. I could feel the love between them and the push and pull that made that relationship as special as it was. Given their circumstances, it was clear that they were beyond lucky to have one another.

I also loved how the authors continued to build the tension throughout the story as the end approached. They pulled me in, made me 100% committed to the characters and then got my pulse racing with my sights set on the conclusion.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Coming of Age Horror, or to anyone who is looking to try the subgenre for the first time. I mean, Coming of Age Horror novellas really don't get much better than this. These authors knocked this out of the park. They made me love Jake and Matthew with my whole heart. In short, this filled my soul.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Silver Shamrock Publishing, for providing me with a copy to read and review. My only regret is that it took me so long to get to it.

Rating: 8.5/10

Thanks to the publisher and authors for a copy of In The Scrape for review consideration. This did not influence my thoughts or opinions.

In the Scrape, while small in page count, makes a big impact on your emotional health and well-being. It is a heartstring tugger of a novella; one that focuses not so much on the supernatural or unknown aspects of horror, but the horror some have in their very homes.

This review will be fairly short as the novella tops out at around 104 pages. This was my first stab at both Newman and Steensland and definitely won’t be my last. I am very interested to know if they co-wrote each chapter, split them evenly, or if each of them took a part. The first part itself felt fairly evenly paced, telling the story of the two boys, their abusive dad, and their plan to rid themselves of him; but the 2nd took off and never let off the gas. I feel there could’ve been a little more meat between the two as there was some more story to tell, at least IMO.

This is one of those coming-of-age stories with plenty of bumps and bruises along the way, leading to a nice payoff for the reader, even if it is at the expense of the kids’ mental stability for the rest of their lives. It is an ending I could see coming, but the authors did it in such a way as to still keep me on my toes and guessing.

I’d recommend In The Scrape if you enjoy coming-of-age tales that will emotionally grip you and never let go, even into the wee hours of the night.

A heartbreaking and immersive tale of two young brothers searching for a way to escape their abusive father. I was drawn in to the story from the first page and was fully engaged with the characters within a very short time, no mean feat with such a short novella. I kind of guessed how it was going to play out, but this didn't lessen my enjoyment at all, I was still rooting for those boys. 4 stars, many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for the Arc.

IN THE SCRAPE is an unrivaled novella that somehow manages to take an ugly subject like child abuse and ham up the harshness by providing a stirring and zany narrative.

The story focuses on two brothers (Jake and Matthew) growing up in a dysfunctional household with a malicious father in a 1980s SmallTown, North Carolina. Jake is the older of the two, and has always wanted to escape this relentless life, preferring to live with his mother who just happened to flee for California. He has no trouble convincing his sheepish brother to do the same, yet obstacles remain-backyard bullies, disorganized scheduling, and of course, finances.

There is beauty to all this disorder, and that’s where the title and cover come in. I won’t give anything away, but the ending caught me off guard, and the symbolism was powerful. Excellent collaborative effort.

Jake and his younger brother have a plan. They are walking the neighbors pets and doing everything they can to make it come true. What's the plan?
To get away from their abusive father and head to California to live with their mom. She left years ago to get away from butthole dad.

The boys also have to deal with a group of bullies.


There is a lot in this short book and it's done very well. There is one scene in which the dad ends up punishing the younger brother harder just because he knew it would hurt Jake more that hurted my heart. Dad's an ASSHOLE.
The story however is just a tad predictable but I'm still recommending it just because I liked it so dang much.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review

Synopsis/blurb......

Most kids dream about a new bike, a pair of top-dollar sneakers endorsed by their favorite athlete, or that totally awesome video game everyone’s raving about. But thirteen-year-old Jake and his little brother Matthew want nothing more than to escape from their abusive father. As soon as possible, they plan to run away to California, where they will reunite with their mother and live happily ever after. It won’t be easy, though. After a scuffle with a local bully puts Jake’s arch-nemesis in the hospital, Sheriff Theresa McLelland starts poking her nose into their feud. During a trip to the family cabin for the opening weekend of deer-hunting season, Jake and Matthew kick their plan into action, leaving Dad tied to a chair as they flee into the night. Meanwhile, the bully and his father have their own plans for revenge, and the events to follow will forever change the lives of everyone involved . . .
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My take....

Another one-sitting read which provided my first taste of co-author's James Newman and Mark Steensland. In the Scrape offers up a coming-of-age tale for two brothers, Matthew and Jake.

A difficult childhood, abandoned by their mother, raised by a volatile, unpredictable father, plagued by bullies at school, the boys only have each other and dreams of a better life, not quite buying into the narrative that their father spins about their mother. The plan is to raise some money and run to California to live with their mother.

Hungry stomachs, heavy drinking, beatings with a belt, school yard fights, brotherly love, attendance at church, theft, comic books, an altercation, a blow to hopes, a police visit, a hunting trip, doubts, uncertainty, a trial run, a commitment to the plan, chaos, death, answers,

I really liked this one. You would need a heart of stone not to empathise with the two brothers. You will them to succeed and you shudder at every setback along the road. Not a story with a totally happy ending, but maybe the best outcome in the circumstances.

Short, sharp, thought-provoking, sad, hopeful, a tale of love and determination with characters you root for.

4 from 5

Definitely a pair of authors I would be keen to read more from in the future, either collaboratively or on their own.

Read - September, 2019
Published - 2019
Page count - 105
Source - Net Galley
Format - ePub read on laptop

https://col2910.blogspot.com/2019/10/james-newman-and-mark-steensland-in.html

A coming of age tale. A tale of survival and the bond of brotherhood. This story intermingles hunting and and survival perfectly. The characters are sympathetic and real. In the case of the father, all too real. Another win for James Newman who continues to prove he is a force to reckon with in this or any genre. Kudos to the co-writer whose work I am unfamiliar with, but will remedy that situation soon enough.

This is an engrossing, heartbreaking novella about two brothers who yearns to escape their abusive father. I love the relationship between Jake and Matthew. Their love and care for each other shines in every page. Jake, as the older brother, tries his hardest to protect Matthew from their father and the local bully, Caleb. But odds are against them, and I found myself rooting for them to get away from their terrible situation. When their father takes them to a hunting trip and all hell breaks loose, it made for a frightful and shocking climax to the story.

I couldn't tell that two writers had a hand in this because of the seamless and concise writing. The chapters are brief and the story takes place over one week so it moves fast. If there's one thing I could pick on is that I wish the story doesn't allude to the fate of the characters early on. I think it would have made for a more suspenseful read if we have no idea what happens to them until the end. But I really enjoyed this great coming-of-age story about the horror of abuse and the strength in the brothers' relationship.

A heartbreaking coming-of-age story you won’t soon forget, IN THE SCRAPE – Highly Recommend!

Thank you, NetGalley and Silver Shamrock Publishing for providing me with an eBook in exchange for my honest feedback.

James Newman and Mark Steensland have knocked the ball out of the park with this collaboration. This heart wrenching coming of age tale hits you in the feels. With short chapters and perfect prose I kept reading until I finished, pulse pounding, in one sitting. Highly recommended.

- Danny

Two young brothers dream of escaping from their abusive father

I often pick up books which have reviewed positively by others in the horror community and was delighted to agree 1100% with the buzz generated by the excellent In the Scrape, co-authored by James Newman and Mark Streenland. Such was the natural eb and flow of the story I have no idea where the contribution of one author began and the other ended. Coming in at a lean 108 pages I devoured this novella over a solitary evening and almost a single sitting. This deceptively simple, but emotionally powerful, story details the struggles of two brothers who are abused, physically, verbally, and mentally, by their broken-down father. This type of very realistic human horror is built upon the atrocities that we inflict upon each other, often in the name of love and on those closest to them. It makes compulsive reading.

In the Scrape is narrated, in the first person, by thirteen-year-old Jake whom is reflecting back upon a particularly difficult and traumatic period of his childhood. It the early stages it is not exactly clear how old he is when looking back, but Jake is almost certainly an adult and the six days the story focuses upon is clearly a pivotal and tragic moment in his life. Jake spends much of the time watching out, defending, and caring for, his nine-year-old brother Matthew. Due to the volatile temper, and probable alcoholism, of their unpredictable father Jake is very protective of his little brother and would rather take a savage-double-beating than see his father turn his belt on Matthew. Probably due to emotional problems, the little boy still sucks his thumb and is repeatedly taunted by his father, such is their tempestuous relationship. The dynamics between the two brothers was exceptionally convincing and was the backbone of a story which was built upon the fractured dynamics of the Bradersen family.

Kurt Bradersen was an ogre of a man and is vividly drawn by the authors. He is by no means a caricature of the stereotypical small town drunk. Like many alcoholics he is a contradiction who can, on occasions, be very tender to his sons, but most of the time is just plain mean. He is particularly dangerous when he is on the bottle, which is frequently and his boys instinctively know how to read the tell-tales signs of what mood he is in. In the Scrape nails the alcoholic aspect of the story perfectly, they know when to walk on eggshells around their father, but even when he is in good form can snap without a moment’s notice. For example; one evening he takes them to a diner for burgers and due to a minor disagreement over tomatoes cancels the whole meal, takes them home and forces them to eat cornflakes as an alternative to dinner. Bradersen is an angry and unpleasant drunk and this oozes from the pages.

In the early stages of the story it is revealed that, instigated by Jake, the boys intend to run away to California where they believe their mother lives. When drunk (and sober) their father taunts them with the fact that their mother abandoned them five years earlier and probably has a new family in California. He makes it clear she did not want them and enjoys rubbing it in. Heartbreakingly, little Matthew barely remembers his mother and holds onto a huge red ball, as this was the last present he knows she gave him. They have very few things to remember their mother by, except for a few old polaroid photos. Jake has been sneaking (and stealing) money to use for the bus to California and when the story begins they are in the later stages of their plan to escape.

Such was the skill of the writing this was not a straight-forward coming of age story and it was also relatively easy to see things from the point of view of the father, with the final outcome shrouded until well into proceedings. Many men wasted on alcohol do what Braderson does and relive a failed relationship by listening to the same song over and over again. There was a powerful scene when Jake tiptoes into the living room to switch the blaring music off with the father passed out wasted. It is clear these are children who grew up much faster than they needed to, a fact which is reflected in the narration and the melancholic mood of the adult Jake reflecting back, a tone seamlessly threaded into the story.

In the Scrape has several other plot crucial strands including a feud with another local family which Bradersen violently calls out after recurring bullying incidents. This expansion of the story beyond the immediate family dynamics worked exceptionally well, showing how Bradersen interacted with others, including the police and teachers. There is an albino deer on the cover of the novella and on some level this signifies hope, or possibly escape, playing a key factor in the clever change of direction the second half of the story takes where the narration deviates from the first person.

At the moment the world of dark fiction is blessed with a new golden age of high-quality novellas and In the Scrape is another fine addition which deserves to be widely read beyond the horror community and could find an audience with thriller fans. It does not particularly break any new literary ground, nor does it have to, the small personal story of Jake and Matthew is enough and is ultimately a tale of compassion and survival which deserves to be heard. Even though this is dark subject matter with many of the boy’s brighter moments and aspirations being extinguished by their brutal father, it is not without hope. It also shows, that in reality, for many children the true monsters are very close to home and not in the cinemas or under the bed. Highly recommended.

All the stars!

It’s past midnight as I sit here, trying to gather my thoughts to write this review. Not because I don’t have anything to say, but because I was blown away by this story.

There’s something magical about coming of age stories — the well-executed ones, at least. They have such moving power, it’s quite hard to explain. If you get what I mean, then you know it.

What James and Mark did here is pure magic!

The writing is flawless, the story is as engaging as it gets, and it will haunt you (even when you’re not reading it).

Let me give you a taste:

“The sky is the color of concrete… gray as far as the eye can see, like the walls of a maximum-security prison or, worse yet, summer school. It is a sky that holds the threat of rain, maybe even the first snow of the season. The air is cold. The trees are bare and black, like the silhouettes of skeletal hands reaching toward the heavens. Fog swirls about on the forest floor, like ghosts gathered here to conspire about things only the dead can know.”

“In The Scrape” is a story about two young brothers, Matthew and Jake.

We witness the struggles and misadventures of the boys, as they go on about their lives while dealing with their abusive father.

They secretly plan to run away and go live with their mom. Which, according to their father, left the boys behind when she moved to California.

Not everything goes according to plan!

And that’s pretty much all I’ll be able to tell you.

This book packs such a punch in its 100 or so pages.

It was my first time reading both authors, need I say it won’t my last?

Go on, read this one as soon as you can!

Huge thanks to Silver Shamrock Publishing and NetGalley for sending me a copy of the book to review.

This was a heartbreaker of a story. I'm always intrigued by tales with kids. Jake, who loves and looks after his brother Matt. Raised with a mean and vicious father? Mom just up and left her beloved sons to go to California, and now the boys want to runaway and find mom.
The entire story and outcome were extremely predictable. That's the only problem I had with this story. The pure predictability of everything. Still, if you're a sucker "like me," for coming of age stories, then this might do. My thanks to Netgalley.

To be honest, I don't know why I chose to read this book. I don't typically read novellas, not that I don't like them I'm just not drawn to them. Normally a cover catches my eye or I know of the story from another review. The books cover was not that appealing to me but I have seen it floating around my social feed so maybe that's why. Well, I am so glad I did because it is an incredible read.

In The Scrape is suspenseful and heart-pounding. I just couldn't stop reading. The character development had me continuously flip-flop between father and son, who is right and who is wrong. It made the story more relatable and disguised the plot so you never knew what was coming until part two (about three-quarters of the way through). I also really liked the careful and deliberate storytelling. There was nothing in this story that didn't belong, nothing that didn't keep the momentum going. I will say the ending was a dud for me. The book was just so good but the ending hits you like a brick wall and just like that it's over. This book was a great read. I loved it all the way till the end (it was just over and that was it…)

The characters are very well written. I teeter-tottered between father and sons, antagonist and protagonist constantly. Obviously a dad myself, I could definitely see the father's side of things throughout the story. I'm not saying I condone the ruthless alcohol driven lickens with a switch. What I mean is, we as parents do a lot of stuff a child might perceive as unfair when really it's the lengths we take to shape them as human beings. So often I found myself thinking the narrator was being a brat. Then the father would get out the ol"leather strap and I would be back with the boys pleading for them to escape. It was truly a rollercoaster of emotions as the characters developed until part two when the shit hits the fan.

I think the one thing that made this book so good was the fact that the authors kept the stories momentum. There wasn't anything that I would consider filler or pointless. So many authors are guilty of stringing the reader along with a bunch of pointless narratives. This was not the case. I was glued to the pages and completely intertwined in the father-son feud that escalated to the point of no return. 

This book went zero to a hundred REAL FAST. The narrative held a fast pace full of suspense that kept me flipping the pages and then part two hit me with this:

This is the point in my story where there are parts that I can’t promise are a hundred percent accurate. A lot of it occurred somewhere else, while my brother and I were putting our plan into motion. I’m filling in the gaps the best I can, based on what I heard from the police and saw on the news afterward. Some of what was said between certain parties might have been slightly different from the way it really happened……so if I flub a few of the minor details, forgive me. Most of the folks who would argue with me died that day, out there in the woods, so you won’t hear them complain.

Boom! The story explodes from here on out and its as if your reading a whole new book. It's incredible what the authors did until the ending. I will not spill the beans and I hope this does not deter a person from reading this book. But the ending just kind of happens and it's done. This was disappointing considering the pace of the book. It was as if the author was just through with writing and called it quits. It's hard to say more without spoiling the book but I will say the authors could have done more for the reader.

I absolutely recommend this book especially for any other book dads out there. It will really make you think about parenthood and the inner workings of a child's mind. I definitely related to the book on a certain level that most parents will understand. If you are looking for a quick read that will keep you reeling until the end, then this is an excellent book for you.

Before reading In The Scrape, I’ve had the pleasure of reading quite a few stories by James Newman. Even though I didn’t know who Mark Steensland was, I was confident going into this story because I knew James Newman could write with anyone. He is a versatile writer, with a few notches in his book post, if you know what I mean. Within the first handful of pages, I quickly became a huge fan of Steensland. I couldn’t tell who wrote what, it just meshed so well together. Newman and Steensland bring that much needed grit to the story, that genuinely authentic feel that is needed to bring about nostalgia.

What’s unique about this book is the premise, this right of passage into manhood. In different parts of America, this idea of the growing up moment is different for everyone. Some people have to grow up quicker than planned. Things happen. Life happens. Innocence is lost forever. You can’t get it back once it’s gone. There’s no turning back. It’s like a vale has been lifted from your eyes, and the real world hits you in the teeth. You’re never prepared for what’s to come. In The Scrape encapsulates all of those things. Newman and Steensland deliver this beautifully fucked up package and you have to open it. Once you open the package, it pulls you in, but don’t struggle. Take a deep breath and let that nostalgia hit you. Let it settle in your bones. But don’t get complacent. No, heavens no. Newman and Steensland take turns punching you in the gut. When they get tired of doing that, they resort to sweeping the leg. It is brutal, but I think you can take it. Newman and Steensland probably drink their readers’ tears.

You have two brothers, Jake and Matthew, who live with their abusive father. Their mother ran out on them years ago. If they aren’t getting whooped by their father, they’re getting bullied by the kids from school. There’s only so much a kid can take. The brothers want to take off and find their mother, but they need money. Jake decides to sell off his rare comics to the local comic book shop. One day, the bully takes it too far. Jake ends up putting him in the hospital. The comic book scenes are gut-wrenching. I cried during those scenes. Those poor comics. They didn’t deserve it.

Jake and Matthew’s father takes them to the family cabin for the opening weekend of deer-hunting season. I’ve never understood the right of passage/becoming a man by shooting a majestic deer. While this hunting expedition is going on, the bully and his father have plans of their own. Revenge. And to top it off, Sheriff Theresa McLelland investigates the fight involving Jake, which leads to disturbing revelations that will change everything.

Everything comes to a head out in the woods near the family cabin. Heartache. Damaged pride. Revelations that weigh on a person’s soul for a lifetime. There’s so much pent up anger in this novella. It all comes to a fever pitch in the woods out by the family cabin. I love the title of this book, it’s like a double-entendre. There’s so much to unpack in this book. I won’t touch on it all here, so as not to spoil anything. But I will talk about the character development and the brilliant prose.

Whilst reading In The Scrape, you can’t help but revel in the story itself. It’s one hell of an accomplishment. It takes some authors 400 hundred pages to convey a strong story. It only took James Newman and Mark Steensland 108 pages to tell a powerful story. The story contains versatile characters. You get to see the character growth as the story progresses. I just wanted to hug Jake and Matthew, and to let them know I was rooting for them. And I wanted to punch their father in the throat.

James Newman and Mark Steensland can write as good as anyone. Their attention to detail is sublime. When the dread sets in, you can feel it way down deep in your bones. And the two authors never miss a beat. They crank it up a notch when they need to. You don’t have to wait around for something to happen. In The Scrape is a fast-paced read. It’s a great way to spend an hour or so. It’s one of the best books of 2019 thus far.

I'm not familiar with Steensland, but Newman tends to write intense stories that pack an emotional punch. In The Scrape fits that description. In The Scrape is not an easy read by any stretch of the imagination; child abuse, bullying, and murder are all packed into this novella. Newman has written about bullying very well in the past and that's true here. The relationship between Matthew and Jacob, the two brothers who want to escape an abusive father, is very realistic. They care for each other so much, and it really is the two brothers against the world. All of the main characters have depth, which is an impressive feat for such a short work. I can't describe the ending as 'happy', but I am happy with the way things turned out. Thanks to Netgalley for the book.

This was an absolutely gripping novella that first pulled on my heart strings and then got my blood pumping.

This story started out as a dark, slow burning, coming of age story. I immediately felt an emotional connection to the protagonist and his younger brother, who were both very likeable and well developed. Personally, I find stories of parental abuse particularly interesting and was pulled into this harrowing tale. However the focus of the story changed significantly in the second half when the boys finally attempted to escape their father. At this point, the narrative became much more fast paced and action packed, reading more like a thriller. While a bit predictable in places, I still enjoyed this later section, which got my heart racing.

This was my second time reading work by Newman and I was again very impressed by his knack for storytelling. I would love to read more by both authors in the future.

I would recommend this novella to fans of coming of age stories and dark suspense who want an emotional, yet exciting read.

Disclaimer: I received a digital copy of this novella for review via Netgalley.

Every time I read about child abuse or domestic violence, I'm thankful that my particular admittedly trying life didn't include whatever brand of abusive horror I'm reading. This is true of IN THE SCRAPE, a powerfully impacting novella of which Poetic Justice eventually overcomes. A generational study would be fascinating of both of these families, to discover in which generation the abuse commenced, and how life will play out in the future: will Jake and Matthew fall into that pattern, or will they overcome? We don't know, but we do have a story that will tear at your heart and leave you pondering most deeply.

This novella is highly recommended, it is heartbreaking from the moment you start it. The whole story drags you in and you want to know how it ends for those 2 boys. It will let you feel different emotions. The characters are well built. The authors did a great job on this novella and I will keep an eye out for them! So that is why this book gets a well deserved 5 points.

God damn...I just read this novella in one day. I give it 5 GIANT stars!
You know when you read so fast cause you have to know what’s going to happen that you miss some of the words and then feel bad and have to go back and get those words you miss? That was this book. Over and over!
This was as close to perfection as I’ve read in a while. Wow. Just genius.
Everyone needs to read this book.
Basic plot: Jake and Matthew are brothers (13 and 9, I think?) and live with their backwoods shitty dad cause their mom ran off. He beats them and generally treats them like shit and they’re secretly saving up to run away and go find their mom in California.
They plan to do it when they get to their hunting cabin with their dad.
Things happen. I can say no more.
READ IT.
James Newman never fails to impress me tremendously. I believe I’ve rated every book of his 5 stars. I have Dog Days ‘O Summer and I haven’t read it yet (two editions actually) I think I might just do that!