A short story that was weird to read. I liked it but I find myself wanting more, not just 7 chapters. Interesting idea and it would make a great series if the author wanted to do that. I just want more and more.

I received a free book and is voluntarily writing a review

S.C. Mendes delivers a chilling psychological horror experience with Breeding Ground, a tightly wound novelette that plunges readers into a nightmarish scenario where trust, memory, and reality blur beyond recognition. At just 12,000 words, this story is a compact, relentless ride that grips you from its deceptively mundane opening to its unnerving conclusion.

The story follows Lexi Macomber, a protagonist whose vulnerability is instantly relatable. Reeling from a recent medical diagnosis, she seeks solace and clarity during a weekend retreat at her ex-fiancée’s remote cabin. The setup teases reconciliation, offering the promise of rekindled affection amidst the isolation of nature. But Mendes wastes no time in letting things spiral into chaos, subverting expectations with every twist. The interpersonal tension between Lexi and her ex is raw and believable, slowly simmering until the veneer of civility shatters.

The horror in Breeding Ground is twofold: it is as much psychological as it is visceral. Mendes skillfully explores Lexi’s fragile state of mind, leaving readers questioning whether her perceptions are warped by stress, illness, or something far more sinister. At the same time, the physical danger she faces feels immediate and suffocating, escalating into scenes that are both grotesque and deeply disturbing. Mendes’ descriptions are vivid without being overindulgent, making the horror feel tactile and inescapable.

What sets Breeding Ground apart is its fever-dream quality. The narrative drips with paranoia, trapping readers in Lexi’s fractured perspective. Is her ex-fiancée plotting something malicious, or is Lexi unraveling under the weight of her own fears? This ambiguity drives the tension to its breaking point, making the novelette impossible to put down.

Despite its brevity, the story doesn’t feel rushed. Mendes balances the pacing with precision, using the confined setting of the cabin to amplify the claustrophobia and unease. The characters, though few, are fleshed out enough to make their actions and motivations feel authentic, even as the story dives into surreal territory.

Breeding Ground is a masterclass in minimalist horror, packing a potent punch in a small package. Fans of psychological horror, especially those who appreciate the interplay between human fragility and external threat, will find much to love here. Mendes leaves readers with a lingering sense of unease—and perhaps the urge to reconsider their own relationships.

In short, Breeding Ground is a gripping, unsettling read that’s perfect for a single sitting. If you’re looking for a story that toys with your mind and makes your skin crawl, S.C. Mendes delivers in spades. Highly recommended.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

Proof that you can grab someone's attention and roll out a icky fun, yet disturbing story in 44 pages. I really enjoyed every moment of the story and quite enjoyed being able to read a complete thriller before bed.

Brandon and Lexi are going away for the weekend to see if they can (possibly) give their relationship another go. Some resentment remains and all the stress for Lexi is manifesting itself into some sort of psychosis. Or at least it seems that way…

Mendes is serving a lot of Creepshow vibes in this story. It was short, fast-paced and pretty detailed considering its brevity. I caught onto the foreshadowing pretty quickly, but still enjoyed the twist toward the end. I was very satisfied with how everything unfolded.

I love quick reads like this, especially if I’m in a reading slump or experiencing a book hangover or need something in between a very long read.

Thank you NetGalley and Bloodbound Books for the opportunity to read this ARC!

A disturbing and gory little shot of domestic horror. This novelette is a short but compelling story of a couple that is trying to rekindle or at least see if they can get along after a traumatic incident by escaping to the family cabin. To put it mildly, things do not go well. It is hard to go into any detail without spoilers but this builds to a wallop of an ending that I absolutely loved.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #BloodBoundBooks for the book #BreedingGround by #SCMendes. This creepy short story was just what was needed and didn’t disappoint. Lexi and Brandon are giving their relationship a second chance after being broken up for five weeks. They are staying at his secluded cabin for the weekend. But things soon spiral out of control and Lexi can’t tell what is real and what isn’t. Is she imaging things or is Brandon trying to kill her?

Thank you for the opportunity to preview Breeding Ground. Fast horror tale that had me creeped out. It’s fast and furious. Pretty good! 3.5 stars

Stars: 2.75
Thank you net galley for providing me this chilling ARC. While I knew what direction this was going in, it was a quick and easy read. Breeding ground touches on some heavy subjects so if you have triggers, please look them up before you read. Lexi is going to her ex fiancés secluded cabin to get a nice weekend away, but when one thing leads to another, it might be to late to turn back. While I didn’t really like the story much, I was invested until the end, and actually utterly disgusted. This is one of those short stories that creep you out. A LOT. So if you are in need of a quick disturbing read, this is your story.

Sadly I thought this short story was underwhelming. It's only 40ish pages long, so I feel it could benefit from being longer. I just didn't care about the characters, who seemed basic, and I could tell where the story was going within the first 5 pages. I'm still going to read from this author, but this one didn't leave a lasting impression.

I opened Breeding Ground and browsed the first page expecting to get into it tomorrow, and suddenly I’m finished reading it. This was intense. Impeccable writing with an edge-of-your-seat plot to keep you immersed. I felt connected to Lexi and every page turned I kept having more questions (which get answered, don’t worry) and I loved the direction it went in. This felt claustrophobic at times and the eeriness of the atmosphere was the icing on the cake. I’ll keep my eye out for S.C. Mendes.

I feel like I've read this very same story a dozen times before. The "forced maternity" theme is not original at all, and the writing is just not strong enough to carry such a "cliche" plot. It's not badly written per se, nor is it a bad theme, it's just unoriginal. And the plot twist, if we can call it a plot twist, is predictable since the very first second.

It's enjoyable enough, I guess, if you haven't read this type of story before.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher Blood Bound Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And to be honest, I'm not exactly sure what I just read. Lol.

Lexi and Brandon are on a weekend getaway at his family cabin to try and salvage what's left of their relationship. What they found instead was not something you would want to experience. There was a bit of foreshadowing right from chapter 1, and it didn't take long to see where the story was headed. What I thought felt short was the building up of the body horror, I didn't have that sense of dread or anxiety I tend to get with horror stories. The writing has potential in the beginning, though it the end, it felt a bit flat for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and blood bound books for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Breeding ground follows Brandon and Lexi, a recently broken up couple as they try and rekindle their relationship in their cabin that they used to frequent. It is a mix of horror and psychological thriller though it doesn't really commit to either genre it plays both and doesn't have any pay off.

The entire twist of the short story is blatantly obvious within the first 5 pages. It could not have been more in your face about what exactly was going to happen. As a result, as a reader it just feels like I'm waiting for the characters to make the same conclusions I did at the beginning of the story and I really dislike stories like this.

The relationship between Brandon and Lexi was extremely toxic and hard to read at times. Brandon's blatant gaslighting and emotional abuse of Lexi was abundant. The story is too short to really get to know either character and I honestly did not care about either of them with the story we got.

The horror itself wasn't scary or even gross. I believe the author mostly writes splatterpunk so that is somewhat surprising. It didn't pull in a more eerie or atmospheric horror either. It just felt like a story I read.

I really liked the book, the only downside is its length. I would have enjoyed another page of 50-100

Thank you to NetGalley and Blood Bound Books for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

2.75 rounded up to a 3!!

Straight off the bat I knew what I was in for and how things would go a few pages in, and it didn't disappoint in that aspect. But, weirdly enough, I wanted it to be pushed further. I felt the body horror could have been more and more described along with the horror of what was happening. It feels like it would make one hell of an opening story to a main or longer story. Like introducing the reader to the horrors the people within the main story will come across and then us as the reader can then keep an eye out for any clues or hints to what was happening or if anything had happened to anyone.

Really intrigued with this story and glad to have read it, and honestly, can't wait to read more.

A little obvious about where it was going, but dang was it gross. This was a fun one sitting read. 3.75 stars rounded up.

I feel like this book was a movie that I kept hitting the skip button on. I was missing about 10 seconds between each skip. This felt like it could have been much better if it would have been drawn out a bit more with more detail. There was just too much missing from the story line.

This is very short but it's fun because it's a blend of psychological and monster horror. Or is it? I wasn't sure what was real or not because the narrator was unreliable, something I enjoy. Lexis is upset because she just found out she doesn't have eggs, and she goes to a cabin with her boyfriend. Getting away with him is interesting in itself, because she has betrayed him but he doesn't know, and it's too soon after getting the diagnosis for Lexi to really know what she wants. I was more sympathetic towards her because she was going through a lot, before things got really weird.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blood Bound Books For sending me an advanced reader copy. S.C. Mendes’ Breeding Ground is a masterful blend of psychological thriller and poignant relationship drama with a sinister edge. The story follows Lexi, a deeply relatable protagonist who navigates the turbulent waters of love, trust, and betrayal. Mendes captures the raw essence of human relationships with unflinching honesty, summed up perfectly by the quote, “This is what relationships really look like.” Through Lexi’s journey, the narrative explores the fragility of intimacy and the emotional toll of fractured connections, drawing readers into a world that feels both achingly familiar and unnervingly suspenseful.

Though short, the story is incredibly impactful, delivering its emotional punches with precision. As the plot takes a dark and unexpected turn, the thriller elements escalate, leaving readers on edge. Lexi’s whirlwind of complex emotions—ranging from hope to despair—makes her a sympathetic and multidimensional character. Mendes doesn’t just tell a story; he crafts an experience, one that transitions from heart-wrenching realism to jaw-dropping horror.

This short story right here was terrifying and made it so I need to read a fluffy romance before I could get any sleep. This short story only 7 chapters and about 60 pages I believe is wild and you don't know what is going on till the last couple of pages. This gave me the creepy crawls for sure I even told my wife about it and I was terrified, I think I will have to look up this author for other books such a great read my favorite short story of the year!!!