Bullet Tooth, as a villain, is as iconic as Freddy or Jason (or Michael or Candyman).... But within a plot that's so smartly written, it kinda puts all the others' "lore" to shame.

Bullet Tooth creates chaos and anger and destruction and violence... and then feeds on that.

This is cursed media / analogue horror written from a fresh, intelligent perspective. Has a great building sense of dread and doom. Filled with gangs and guns, this book is tense.... with prose so elegant you forget about the brutality you're reading about.

(Parts of it brought to mind The Corroding by Ty Tracey, a criminally underrated novel)

Thanks to Netgalley, Broken River Books, and Grant Wamack for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book will be highly recommended by me.

4.25 / 5

I am torn about this book. On one hand, I really liked the premise; it's what made me request for the ARC. The titular character is a malevolent spirit summoned by watching a mysterious VHS tape, then proceeds to wreak havoc in a part of Chicago run over with rival gangs and guns. I was also introduced to the other characters: Caleb, a teenage artist who is reeling from the death of his best friend from a shootout; Jasmine, who uses her social-media clout to fund her gun-collection addiction; Fredo, an ex-boxer turned gangster. Their lives were already entangled before Bullet Tooth brought them all together.

I liked the urban setting and the diversity of the characters. I also liked that the story touched on the grief of losing someone to gun violence and the many questions it raises. I loved the suggestion of creating art as a way to express grief and to heal. I also liked the idea of this (supposedly) ancient entity that bears comparison to the God of War who thrives on bloodlust, violence and endless discord, and dropping him in the middle of this city is simply brilliant. The climactic scene before the end is - I've come to realize - typical Grant Wamack (bloody with a lot of body count).

Now, to the bad parts.. for starters, there were so many details about the backstories of the secondary characters. While I would've appreciated that for a longer novel, I felt like it took a lot of space that could've been used in the exploration of the origins of Bullet Tooth. I get that he was caught-and-released so many times in so many different ways, but how did he even end up in Chicago anyway, trapped in a VHS tape??? Why do people with no prior knowledge of him suddenly invoke his name?

And what is up with that ending? After all that build-up, the end was so abrupt - and I wasn't ready to give it up yet!

This is my second Grant Wamack book (the first one being God's Leftovers). Even if this book didn't quite hit the mark for me, I'm ready for a third one!

Thank you to NetGalley for once again feeding into this broke gal's bookish needs. I'm leaving my review voluntarily.

#netgalley #grantwamack #bullettooth #brokenriverbooks

Bullet Tooth by Grant Womack is a horror story unlike one you’ve ever read. I don’t even know where to start with this but just know this book is stupid, awesome, ridiculous foolish in the great read! High school sing your Caleb recently lost his best friend in the murder went unsolved he has been depressed and taking Percocet just to feel anything when a VCR bootlegger tries to sell Caleb tapes he just wants to get away and says I promise I will buy some from you next time only saying it because he wanted to be rid of the conversation but the next time did come in Caleb wanting to keep his word gave the guy $10 and received three VCR tapes. Before watching the VCR tape named baby tooth Caleb had been having bad dreams and had been haunted by a creature he couldn’t put his finger on. When the videotape started playing Caleb blurted out bullet tooth and the next thing he knew he had a big headed naked monstrosity in his house with bullets for teeth. There’s also a gun enthusiast and Instagrammer Jasmine who daydreams about shooting people mostly in self-defense while Caleb wants revenge for his best friend‘s murder. Jasmine who loves her Glock want’s to know what it’s like to kill someone. They both will be taught a lesson by bullet tooth they couldn’t have learned anywhere else. This is a crazy book there is so much more to this book it is not a long story but OMG it is so entertaining this is a book I highly recommend to any horror fan The ending seemed like we may see bullet toothed again and OMG I hope we do! I want to thank Grant Womack broken River books and NetGalley for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

I really enjoyed the premise of the novella. I’m a huge fan of analog horror, and was really excited by the combination of analog and supernatural horror. I wish we had seen more of Bullet Tooth, but what I did see of him I really liked; he’s creepy, he’s eldritch, and I really enjoyed his parasitic relationship with violence. I just wish he and the analog horror featured more. The analog horror in particular felt like a background idea, which felt weird since this is a horror novella.
The characters were alright, if a bit two-dimensional. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the pacing though. The plot itself was fine, but it felt like there were a lot of things that were rushed or weren’t given the appropriate narrative weight; not everything felt justified. The ending felt very rushed.
My biggest issue with this book is honestly the writing style. There are editing errors left and right: missing or unnecessary punctuation, fragmented sentences, incorrect words. The dialogue feels very stilted and unnatural at times; it just didn’t read like the way real people would speak. The prose, while sometimes very clever, usually feels awkward and clunky; entire scenes feel very overwritten. There’s a lot of unnecessary detail that bogs down the reader and makes chapters drag out, and it’s difficult to tell what’s important. It’s a shame, too, because I can tell that this is supposed to be a fast-paced story, but all the fluff and editing errors distracted me as a reader and made this move way slower than intended. It honestly felt like this book was in need of another round of edits.
There are moments that were legitimately hilarious, and there were some really interesting motifs or character moments that I was very intrigued by, but they were overshadowed by a series of shortcomings that made it difficult for me to be fully engaged with the story. Overall, I’d say that this was a book with great potential, but it ultimately fell very short in its execution.

In "Bullet Tooth" by Grant Wamack, readers are thrust into the heart of Chicago's gritty underworld, where violence and chaos reign supreme. Blending elements of analog horror, crime, and social commentary, Wamack delivers a high-octane narrative that explores the city's notorious landscape through the eyes of three disparate characters.

At the center of the story is a black teenage artist grappling with depression and the loss of his best friend to gang violence. When he unwittingly summons Bullet Tooth, a malevolent entity hungry for chaos, the stage is set for a battle of survival in the unforgiving streets of Chicago.

While "Bullet Tooth" promises a blend of horror and crime, the execution falls short of expectations. Despite its vivid portrayal of Chicago's gang culture and the abundance of details on weaponry, these elements fail to drive the narrative forward. The analog horror aspect, touted as a highlight, is disappointingly sparse, serving more as a gimmick than a substantial component of the story.

However, Wamack's depiction of the city's gangs feels authentic, immersing readers in a world where violence lurks around every corner. The dialogue reflects the raw, gritty reality of Chicago's streets, adding depth to the characters and their interactions.

Ultimately, "Bullet Tooth" struggles to live up to its promise, offering a mix of violence and social commentary without fully capitalizing on its potential for horror. While readers intrigued by Chicago's underworld may find elements of interest, those seeking a truly immersive analog horror experience may come away disappointed.

As far as thrillers go, first class. The characters are very believable if sometimes difficult to like. The story revolves around an ancient and seemingly unstoppable evil, a creature with the ability to take almost any form who feeds off the violence of other, especially gun related violence. The gritty alleyways and backstreets of Chicago are well captured in these pages where every moment could be your last and every one looks out for themselves. Well written scary read.

This has an interesting premise but I couldn't get into the writing or the story. The characters were impossible to connect with.

While I was a big fan of the titular creature of this book I found myself having a hard time connecting with the other characters of the story. But that being said I absolutely love the idea of Bullet Tooth itself that thing is absolutely terrifying.

This is my first time reading one of Grant Wamack's works and it won't be the last. He has a knack for drawing you into a story, making it feel like a lived experience, which is everything you want in a horror book.
Bullet Tooth is a living, breathing creature that feeds on violence, pain, and misery. Putting this type of creature in the middle of the hood of Chicago is nothing short of brilliance. I couldn't help but feel somewhat connected to these characters and found myself wanting more.

The three main characters are all different, yet woven together in the fabric of their environment. I do feel that some characters were written better than others, but they each had depth and strong development.

This book isn't for the faint or squeamish. Wamack deals out plenty of gore and blood. It's gritty, dark, bleak, and heavy; but so are the themes of the story. He does an exceptional job of expressing the realities of gun and gang violence and how that affects a community and the families of those who succumb to these evils.

I couldn't help but see the inspirations of horror movies such as Candyman, Tales from the Hood ("Hardcore Convert" segment), and Hellraiser. Bullet Tooth being this entity that is an extension of people and their inherent nature, is such an intriguing concept and I wanted a little more. There's only really one main chapter where we get a little bit of his backstory.

Ultimately, I found the main hindrance is the pacing. The first 50-60% is the strongest. After that, things seem to speed up and the story isn't given time to breathe. Some of the dialogue doesn't seem to fit the characters or the scene, or at times just feels flat and without any personality or emotion. And the ending- I found myself saying, "That's it?" It was rushed and didn't feel like a satisfying climax at all.

Overall, Bullet Tooth is an appreciable addition to the Black horror genre. The issues Wamack touches on (depression, suicide, anxiety, guns, etc) are intricately crafted into this story of an "otherwordly" being with characters that could very well be real.

While the ending didn't pack as much punch as I would've liked, the journey there is wild and worth taking.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Broken River Books in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are entirely my own. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read it.

Accurate Rating: 3.5

3.75 rounded up to 4/5 stars.

thanks netgalley and broken river books for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

bullet tooth is a fast, wild ride. it starts off by introducing you to these well crafted characters, that you can’t help in rooting for (especially jas and caleb for me), then brings in an intriguing, disgusting monster that only amps up your interest.

i loved the grittiness of the setting. it reminded me of candyman, which there is a reference of. chicago is its own living, breathing character here. black horror is beautiful and i want more stories like this.

unfortunately, while i enjoyed my time with these characters, i feel like the titular monster didn’t get nearly enough presence in his own story. it also started going at high speed around the 60% point and i feel like it wrapped up too quickly. i think the book could have done a lot more with some extra pages.

i really hope to see more for this author and i’d love to see more of bullet tooth specifically.

"Bullet Tooth" is like a rollercoaster ride through the twisted corridors of a horror lover's mind. From the get-go, Wamack delivers a visceral experience with insane visuals and a dose of body horror that's not for the faint of heart. If you're squeamish, you might want to buckle up because gore is on the menu right from the start.

"Bullet Tooth" is vulgar, bleak, and intentionally depressing. Wamack's word choices are intriguing. The folk horror elements add a unique flavor, and metaphors (that seem peculiar at first) are oddly well-fitting, helping make the indescribable suddenly tangible.

If you're a fan of Todd Keisling's "Scanlines," you might find a kindred spirit in "Bullet Tooth." Each character possesses distinctive qualities that make them easily distinguishable, leaving a memorable impression. The story has a gritty and brutal undertone, where the violence feels almost casual within the story's context. The calm intercuts make the violence jarring, turning the ordinary into the extraordinary in an unexpected way. It's like watching a limited series, with episodic elements that keep you hooked.

However, the dialogue in this story sometimes reads like pre-programmed NPC lines in a video game. The stiffness and the lack of emotional depth can be drawbacks, taking away from the vulnerability expected from characters in the horrific situations they unfortunately find themselves in.

There's a delicate dance between pacing and detail that occasionally stumbles. The book feels simultaneously too short and too long. Some chapters are dragged out, while others rush through scenes, and the brevity of certain moments, while contributing to a sense of urgency, left me with a desire for a more immersive experience.

Scattered typos and punctuation errors disrupted my reading flow every now and then, minor stumbling blocks in an otherwise visually captivating narrative.

The desire for more creepy tension and atmosphere lingers, but the visual and distinctive writing style compensates for some of the shortcomings. The story unfortunately never quite reaches the zenith of its potential, but the wild and gloriously gory ending, reminiscent of a B-movie, injects a dose of fun into the otherwise bleak atmosphere, making for a deliciously amusing conclusion. Although Chicago might not be on your travel list after reading this novella, "Bullet Tooth" is a ride worth taking.


Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Broken River Books in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are entirely my own, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have had an early look at this work.

Bullet Tooth was a fun and intriguing dark read. I hoped for more of an analog horror vibe from the description, but the story itself made up for it.

Bullet Tooth is a disturbing novel told through multiple perspectives. I enjoy stories where seemingly disconnected or tangentially connected character's stories converge, it makes me want to keep reading and find out what happens as soon as possible.

I found the ending to be a little anticlimactic and hurried. I was also hoping to see a bit more of the titular entity making it's presence and influence known. I think it's an idea worth expanding upon.

Overall it was a fun quick read. Fast paced, interesting plot, just a fell little flat toward the end. Perfect book to read in one sitting on a quiet night alone.

I had a really hard time reading this book and I read everything. ‘Nigga’ is a word constantly used in this book and every time it made me cringe (it’s used quite often). It’s why I wanted to dnf it so bad but I refuse to dnf any book.

This book gives me a lot of vibes from gangs, guns (I am not anti-guns at all), and drug addictions. You can tell someone a lot younger wrote this.

At no point of this book did I get scared. I will say that the end of the book it made it worth it to me to make it through the book because it did get better at the very end.

It was not my cup of tea (just hearing the word ‘nigga’ repeatedly making me cringe made me bias). So although I’m initially going to give it two stars I won’t post the review on anywhere except Netgalley. This may not be my cup of tea but it may be someone else’s so I don’t want to publicly give them a bad review starting out. This is my honest review. At no time was I paid for this review and it is my honest opinion.

This book possibly created a new monster creature to go down in history. It is a perfect book for fans of Jordan Peele. Bullet Tooth follows three specific characters living in Chicago; a grieving artist, a social media influencer fascinated by guns, and an ex-boxer/gang member. It's a quick read and it keeps you hanging on for more.

Hellraiser fans are going to LOVE THIS STORY!

Bullet Tooth gives a shocking and terrifying glimpse into an all too real landscape within our world. Who doesn't love exploring and investigating some old VHS tapes when they find them? That's exactly what one character in this story does, unknowingly unleashing a centuries old evil that's thirsty for fresh blood.

This story had me hooked and unable to look away from the very start. The way that Grant Wamack blends these storylines and characters together truly shows how much he loves horror and how great of a writer that he is. It's bloody, it's disgusting, it felt so real at times and through it all, I found myself really enjoying all of these components. I've enjoyed other stories that Grant has put out, but this one by far is my favorite. It's so nuanced and shows a love for classic horror while also giving a fresh take and a unique perspective!

Move over Pinhead and Candyman, Bullet Tooth is blowing a new hole in horror as we speak!! Check this out!!

This novella is a gritty look at inner city Chicago through the eyes of different characters and introduces us to the supernatural entity called Bullet Tooth.

This creature is terrifying to think about. It has a larger than normal head and bullets replacing teeth in it's mouth. It feasts on pain, violence, and suffering. And in this part of Chicago, there's plenty of that to go around.

Each character is realistically created. We have a young traumatized man who wants to be an artist, a young influencer woman whose online celebrity embraces guns, a gangster who's supplying weapons to various organisations on demand, and a rapper who has a lot of street cred as he works his way to stardom.

All of these characters are going to interact during this novella, leading the way to a massacre at the hands of Bullet Tooth. But it's these characters that make this book really shine. It's about violence and gangs in Chicago but it never feels overdone to make a point. When Bullet Tooth makes his presence felt, we already have a feeling that, with or without him, bad things were going to take place when these characters all got together.

I'm really looking forward to more from this creature and this is a book I highly recommend.