This was the most disgusting book I've ever read in my LIFE and I loved every second of it. Alison Rumfitt is doing something extremely unique with horror and I can't wait to see what's next.

Rating: 3.5/5

I have such conflicting feelings about this book because, for the first 80% of it, this was going to be a 5-star read. But that last little bit threw me off. It's like the twist was too different from the book—a whole different vibe.

I love anything that Allison writes and will always. This book was a tough read in terms of its macabre, genres and unsettling themes, but this is what you come to expect from this author will definitely recommend.

This book was extreme and disgusting in the best way. It addresses fetishes, transphobia, and trauma.

Thank you netgalley and titan books for both an ebook and physical copy of this book. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and sadly it just wasn't for me. The concept was great and I really wanted to love it but I found the authors style of writing confusing and often had to re read whole chapters as I felt as tho I was missing bits there was alot that just didn't make sense to me and the ending especially was such a disappointment I was just expecting more from how hyped up it was and the description but unfortunately found it lacking in plot ,gore and likable characters

Dark and disturbing! This one definitely gets under your skin. I loved the writing style and tone. It really adds to the overall dread of this story. I found it to be a really bizarre and unique read with important commentary thrown in.

What can I say about Alison Rumfitt's Brainwyrms? It's strange because, just like Tell Me I'm Worthless, I can't say that I ENJOYED reading it, or that it was in any way fun, but it was a good book. Very gross, but good.

This is a deep book. Unlike most extreme horror I've read, this one has more going on than meta the eye. It's intense, at times poetic or surreal, heartbreaking, and did I mention gross? Sometimes I think that Ms. Rumfitt enjoys tearing her reader's hearts out, lol. There were definitely moments that I cried, one in particular, I just begged for it not to happen the way I knew that it would.

Overall I think my big takeaway was that hatred, bigotry, and misinformation are worms that are contagious. They pass from one person to the next, causing untold damage until they destroy us. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time.

There are novels I read where I think to myself, “I really loved this experience, but I feel like I need to have an asterisk with a list of disclaimers if I recommend it,” and Brainwyrms fit that bill for me. I enjoyed Rumfitt’s debut Tell Me I’m Worthless, but Brainwyrms dialed the volume up to 11 on all fronts, from the splatterpunk grotesqueness to the incisive allegorical commentary on current anti-trans political rhetoric in the UK and elsewhere.

Main character Frankie’s life spirals downward after she survives a terrorist attack by a transphobic individual at her place of work, and while in her downward spiral, she meets Vanya at a sex club—who has a closet of dark secrets all their own. The novel follows their intensely problematic relationship while interspersing flashbacks of both characters, telling a story on multiple timelines.

This is extreme horror, so please seek out content warnings and proceed with caution. That being said, this is one of the most erotic yet disgusting novels I’ve ever read. It’s rare that words on a page will nauseate me, yet I found myself in that exact situation at several points throughout this book. I do feel sometimes the shocking sections derailed the political messaging of the novel, but I appreciate the intensity of them and others may feel differently.

Highly recommended, with the notes above. Brainwyrms isn’t for the faint of heart, but then again, neither is existing while trans in the current political climate; this novel was as cathartic as it was disturbing to read.

Thank you to Tor Nightfire and NetGalley for an advance review copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a really intense extreme horror novel with incredible writing, brilliant trans and queer themes, and a whole load of body horror!

Unfortunately, even my horror loving heart had to tap out because of how extreme the body horror got, however, I would recommend this in a heartbeat for those who can take it! Its quite brilliant and I wish I had the stomach fortitude to finish it

This book is definitely for extreme horror fans. If you are sensitive to such things I would avoid. An interesting and disturbing story that focuses on a handful of current struggles and events

Ew. Ew. Ew. I love Alison Rumfitt so much. This book was nauseating, exhausting, devastating, and I adored every minute of it. I cannot wait to see what she does next.

Absolutely horrific and unforgettable. I am enthralled by Rumfitts writing and social commentary that rips apart the underbelly with an extreme horror edge. An insane story that was an amazing read. Loved it!!

Alison layered this book in many horrors people face daily and some we hope never to experience. This book was wonderfully crafted with deep fear, detail, and dominating characters.

Oh my god. Reading this is an absolute rollercoaster of blood, viscera, and dread. This one took me a little while to finish, not only because I got overwhelmed by classes in the middle of it, but also because the dread I felt every time I opened the book was palpable. All that said, it's an absolute achievement of political satire, body horror, and trans literature. Absolutely speaks to the state of the world and how it feels as someone who's trans just trying to live day-to-day. Alison Rumfitt continues to blow me away with everything she releases, and I will absolutely be along for the ride on whatever comes next.

Thank you to Tor, the author, and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

If you're looking for queer horror in your life, this book is it. It's a wonderful, kind of gross but in the best horror way (like looking between your fingers at the screen), subversive book. It's rare to find queer horror that doesn't make being queer just a plot line or a punch line in a joke (looking at you, Silence of the Lambs). I will definitely look out for more books of Rumfitt's in the future.

I don’t even know where I should start with my feelings towards this book. I want to recommend it to everyone I can, however I also realized because of this book that I do indeed have a subject that I can barely get through reading.
Even with that, the story was well done and making a very strong and important point, but at the same time it was just a really well-written story that made me feel very uncomfortable at times for different reasons.
If you look at this cover and still don’t know what this book may be featuring, you probably don’t want to venture into it. Or maybe you do….?

I know others warned of how gross this book is, but it's worse. I regularly read stuff like Edward Lee, and this was too much. That's an impressive feat. Not bad.

What a gruesome read! This isn't my favorite Rumfitt title, but it is still outstanding political horror.

One the strangest, grossest, sexiest horror books I’ve read in a while

Brainwyrms by @alison.zone from @tornightfire is the perfect Halloween read. The closest you’ll ever get to a David Cronenberg-esque novel.

Bodies are a vehicle for euphoria, for pleasure, for rot, for parasites and Brainwyrms navigates it all through the horrifying reality of simply existing in the body you want too.

Boundary pushing horror that surely disgusts in the best way possible! More horror should be willing to be as unique as this 🖤


To Dive further, Alison is the new voice of extreme horror. Unrelentingly queer and vile during a sociopolitical climate that wants people like her and I to quite literally die. Oppression, hatred, bigotry is navigated in ways that's both fantastical and hyper realistic. Being able to switch flawlessly between both modes of storytelling is it's own feat. Disgusting tidbits of body horror mesh with some of the bravest writing about queerness I've had the pleasure of reading. I strongly urge Tor Nightfire to continue to let her voice be heard because she is exactly what we need in the horror space in literature.

Thanks to Tor Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC.

While I love queer horror, this was my first foray into extreme horror and admittedly it did take me a bit to get through it. I was both disgusted and enthralled by what was going on. The developing relationship between Frankie and Vanya was intense and culminates into a horrifying discovery.

While this book may not be for everyone, especially if they don't like body horror, I cannot recommend this enough to anyone looking for a good, EXTREME horror story.