Sour Candy

3.5/5

This was a fairly short but very creepy story. The descent into madness was really felt in the pages, and the whiplash of having everyone around you suddenly tell you that you’re the crazy one was horrifying. I really wish it was expanded more, there were rather quick jumps to conclusions and it really could have been spread out more evenly to really let it sink in.

Overall it was a quick read and a lot of fun to slowly lose your sanity along with Phil. And the final reveal of what was actually happening was rather revolting as well, I just wish it was slightly more fleshed out (hah!).

I really wanted to love this, but mostly found it very average. For me, there wasn't enough depth to the story to suck me in. It was one of those surface stories where you get just enough detail to move you through the events of the story but never really fully explore anything. It definitely lacked a sense of wtf-ery. Some creepy stories mess with you and make you wonder what is going on, leaving you in suspense until the final twist. This doesn't. You always know what was going on and there wasn't really anything in this that you haven't read before if you are a fan of horror. So, no surprises. It's also very short. I would hesitate to even call this a novella. It's around the length of a short story you'd find in an anthology or a creepypasta you'd read on the internet.

This was a quick and creepy read that will make you think twice about that quick trip to the WAL-MART or those shrieking kids in the aisles. Phil Pendelton was having a pretty good day up until he went to the store. He was planning nothing more than a day off spent with his girlfriend and couldn't wait to get back to her. That all changed in the candy aisle. All poor Phil wanted was to indulge his girlfriend's need for chocolate but that is not at all what he came home with. I personally wouldn't take candy from strangers but after reading this I may run away screaming if anyone offers me sour candy. However this is one delicious story.