ash.reads.horror | Morsel

Morsel

Carter Keane

Save to Your Books

100% of affiliate revenue supports ash.reads.horror

Carter Keane's Morsel is a delicious folk horror debut about learning to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive.

Lou did what the children of parents with backbreaking, poorly paying jobs are supposed to do: pulled up her bootstraps, went to college, and got an office gig with coworkers who won’t stop talking about their multilevel marketing scheme disguised as self-betterment.

When Lou accepts a property appraisal assignment in the rural hills of Ohio, she knows it's her last chance to save her job and keep making rent. But she quickly finds herself stranded in the middle of nowhere with a sabotaged truck, her dog, and someone— or something— stalking her through the ancient Appalachian woods.

If she can’t escape the woods in time, she’ll see firsthand that her job isn’t the only thing that wants to eat her alive.

Morsel is The Blair Witch Project meets The Ritual, with a generous helping of The Menu, perfect for fans of T. Kingfisher, Cassandra Khaw, and Paul Tremblay.

Get the Bindery app

Posts about this title from ash.reads.horror

ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Mar 21

\ \ Welcome back to my Director's Cut Reviews! Today I'm diving into Morsel by Carter Keane.\ \ \ \ Book: Morsel\ \ Author: Carter Keane\ \ Page Count: 208\ \ Setting: Ohio\ \ Genre: Horror\ \ Subgenre/Themes: Folk, Woods, Workplace, Cults, Survival, Eco, Bugs, Appalachian\ \ Comps: The Blair Witch, The Ritual, The Twisted Ones, Run On Red\ \ Rating: 4 stars\ \ Release Date: 04-14-26\ \ Brief Summary: Lou dedicated her time to her job. But when her mom fell ill, she took a step back in order to take care of her. Now that she's at risk of being fired, she greedily takes the offer her boss gives her: go take some pictures of a property in rural, Appalachian Ohio. When she gets there, a terrifying encounter leads to a sabotaged car. Stranded with her dog Ripley in the woods, Lou must fight to survive both humans and monsters alike.\ \ My Thoughts: I FLEW through this one so fast. IN less than 24 hours I was able to finish this delicious book. Is it perfect? No. But did I have a fantastic, fun time reading it? Absolutely I did. I loved how fast-paced this one was. I was never bored. The plot was always moving. It felt like a true survival horror with twists and turns around each corner.\ \ While I wish there was a little more time in the woods, I loved the setting. The tense atmosphere was definitely conveyed across the page. I also loved that the author tells us that the dog makes it right at the start of the book. Ripley was the bestest girl and while she went through hell, I was glad to know she would come out on top. The culty aspect and jabs at capitalism were also really well done.\ \ Lou was a very complex character. I loved how she adored her dog and would fight tooth and nail to ensure her safety. Both her and her dog are put through the ringer in this book. Lou has a lot of intrusive thoughts that she attributes to her inner goblin. These thoughts progressivly get darker as the novel goes on. We also see that Lou is not scared to defend herself against her attackers, with some pretty gnarly descriptions of body horror and the actions that cause it.\ \ Overall, I loved this book and definitely think it's worth your time.](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/EszZKEfRg1j3sJH7LCZB/)

DIRECTOR'S CUT: MORSEL

4 books

ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Mar 8

\ \ I thought it would be fun to showcase all the Arcs I've received both digitally and physically! This is always changing, with more constantly being added because I can't say no haha!\ \ Starting with Digital. These book have either been recieved via netgalley or directly from the author/publisher.\ \ Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher--In 1899, a woman accepts the job of illustrating a scientists collection of insects. Something strange is happening in the small South Carolina town, and Sonia must figure out what before she's the one under the knife. Releasing March 24th.\ \ Morsel by Carter Keane-- A property appraisal in the rural hills of Ohio gets Lou stuck in the throws of Appalachian Horror. Releases April 14th.\ \ Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker-- A house in Japan hold ghosts and deadly secrets. Told between two different timelines. Releases April 14th\ \ Molka by Monika Kim-- A woman seeks revenge as a hidden camera scandal destroys her life. Releases April 28th\ \ The Blood Year Daughter by GG Silverman-- A collection of dark fairytales. Releases April 28th\ \ Dark is When The Devil Comes by Daisy Pearce-- A missing sister and a secretive small town with deadly woods. Releases April 28th\ \ Not Your Final Girl by Mikalya Randolph-- Seven years after a prom night massacre, a group of friends/survivors host a reunion at a lakeside cabin. But when a masked murderer shows up and kills one of the group, they must fight to survive the night. Releases May 5th\ \ I Know a Place by Nat Cassidy-- A collection of short horror stories (including Rest Stop) by the amazing Nat Cassidy. Releases May 5th\ \ Dead Weight by Hildur Knutsdottir-- An unlikely friendship takes a dark turn. Releases May 26th\ \ Dopefoot by Joshua Millican-- A job on a cannibas farm isn't as chill as "Harmless" thought it would be. Tensions rise as both human and supernatural forces descend on the farm. Releases June 16th.\ \ Corpse de Ballet by Megan Kearny-- A ballet boarding school turns deadly in this Graphic novel similar to Suspiria and Black Swan. Releases July 7th\ \ Home Sick by Rhiannon Grist-- I have both the physcial and e-arc of this one. A woman's fresh start to a small remote cottage takes a sinister turn when her neighbor begins acting off. Releases July 14th.\ \ Meat Bees by Dane Erbach-- A trip to the Smoky Mountains to care for her dad turns deadly when Wasps begin eating people. Releases August 4th.\ \ She's A Doll by Barbara Truelove-- A murdered woman possesses a antique porcelain doll to see revenge. Releases October 6th\ \ What Feeds Below by Tatiana Schlote-Bonne-- When her best friend goes missing, Petra must plunge deep into the chasm at the edge of the city. But she's unaware the true horrors beneath. Releases October 6th.\ \ Physical Arcs\ \ Bitter Bloom by Teagan Olivia King-- A woman must brave the dark wood in hopes to bring her mother back from the dead. Accompanying her is a Lord and ghost. Betrayal and love lurks within. Releases March 1oth\ \ Monumental by Adam Nevill-- A kayak trip goes wrong for a group of friends who quickly find themselves having to survive nature and supernatural forces. Releases April 2nd.\ \ Carrion Crow by Heather Parry-- Strange, intense, and darkly beautiful, this haunting gothic novel from award-winning author Heather Parry is a story of mothers and daughters, and the dual capacity for both great kindness and unfathomable cruelty. Releases July 3rd.\ \ Partially Devoured by Daniel Kraus-- Partially Devoured uses a frame-by-frame deep dive into Night of the Living Dead to produce a kaleidoscopic cultural investigation of the film's importance and to examine the author's early life of rural isolation and local violence. Releases March 13th\ \ Do we have any Arcs in common?](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/Sdg1x0GnDrlpJVnljRTD/)

Arcs On My Shelf

19 books

ash.reads.horror\ \ ash\ \ • Oct 26 2025

\ \ I'll be making an instagram post soon enough on 2026 Horror Books I'm looking forward to. But one of the perks of following me on Bindery is getting early access to posts like these! \ \ This will not be a full list of all 2026 Horror Books! I'm sure there are still so many to be announced. This list will just be ones that have popped up on my radar and have piqued my interest.\ \ Comment below what 2026 Horror Books you're looking forward to. Now, let's dive in!\ \ Meat Bees by Dane Erbach\ \ Expected August 4th, 2026\ \ By the time Scarlett Sutton arrives at her dad’s cabin in the Smoky Mountains, two locals have already been eaten alive by wasps.\ \ Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker\ \ Expected April 21st, 2026\ \ In this lyrical, wildly inventive horror novel interwoven with Japanese mythology, two people living centuries apart discover a door between their worlds.\ \ Molka by Monika Kim\ \ Expected April 28th, 2026\ \ From the author of The Eyes Are the Best Part, praised by The New York Times Book Review as “violent, smart, gruesome and wildly original,” a provocative exposé into the hidden world of spy cameras, sexual shaming, and vengeance pursued with a very sharp kitchen knife.\ \ Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward\ \ Expected February 24th, 2026\ \ Set in the unforgiving maw of the Rocky Mountains, Nowhere Burning is the latest harrowing novel from bestselling author Catriona Ward, perfect for fans of Riley Sager and the hit series Yellowjackets.\ \ The Caretaker by Markus Kliewer\ \ Expected April 21st, 2026\ \ From Marcus Kliewer, a new “titan of the macabre and unsettling” (Erin A. Craig, #1 New York Times bestselling author), comes a supernatural horror about a young woman who accepts a caretaking job from Craigslist only to discover the position has consequences far greater—and more dangerous—than she ever could have imagined.\ \ Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher\ \ Expected March 24th, 2026\ \ Something darker than the devil stalks the North Carolina woods in Wolf Worm, a new gothic masterpiece from New York Times bestselling author T. Kingfisher\ \ Morsel by Carter Keane\ \ Expected April 14th, 2026\ \ Carter Keane's Morsel is a delicious folk horror debut about learning to bite back when the world is determined to eat you alive.\ \ Small Town Slasher by Stephanie Rose\ \ Expected March 3rd, 2026\ \ Jenna is a spunky, disabled, horror fanatic who comes to rural Montana for a stay at a horror themed rental cabin. Jenna has struggled with severe anxiety for years, hardly ever leaving her house. This vacation will test her limits and, she hopes, open her back up to the world. But her dream vacation is built on a nightmare.\ \ I'm sure more will catch my eye the closer we get to 2026! So stay tuned for more!](https://ashreadshorror.binderybooks.com/item/WOSi3EKgCkkVwrH9aH1R/)

2026 Horror Books on my Radar

8 books

Posts about this book from across Bindery

Judging By The Cover\ \ judgingby_thecover\ \ • Apr 14

Join for free

New Release Recap: What to Read & What to Skip

3 books

Two Stories Bookshop\ \ Queer-Owned Shelves🌈\ \ • Apr 14

Join for free

[I wanted to highlight some April 14 releases we're excited for!\ \

THE KILLING SPELL by Shay Kauwe\ \
JAPANESE GOTHIC by Kylie Lee Baker\ \
WIFE SHAPED BODIES by Lauren Cranehill\ \
THESE FAMILIAR WALLS by C. J. Dotson\ \
MORSEL by Carter Keane\ \ \ Pick these up by clicking the links in this update or by searching through our Bookshop.org page yourself! You can also pick up the audiobooks on our Libro.fm storefront (use code CHOOSEINDIE for a new membership and get a free audiobook!). \ \ Happy reading!](https://twostoriesbookshop.binderybooks.com/item/wBMbHlEdFK0p1DBcPfie/)

April 14 Releases!

5 books

Death by TBR Books\ \ Stephanie\ \ • Apr 11

Join for free

I've read almost 50 books this year so far. A few on my list I had been looking forward to since early 2025. Some left me disappointed and others just weren't very memorable or were challenging for me to follow. As an author I know now how challenging it is to write a book and put a piece of yourself into the world. And with that I won't negatively review any book. I am just not the reader for certain books.\ \ So let's break down my top 5 reads of 2026 (so far) in no particular order. Headlights by CJ Leede was a recent read and really shows how much Leede cares about the environment and animals. I love how she focuses on a part of the country with every book. Maeve Fly will always be my favorite of hers. American Rapture wasn't my favorite so I was a bit nervous about reading Headlights. It broke my heart and while CJ did put it back together it was done so in a messy way. It was haunting, heartbreaking, and sad. I'm not sure if I'll reread it as right now I am enjoying reading lighter horror or cozy horror.\ \ Now some may not consider Morsel, Nothing Tastes as Good, and Trad Wife lighter but I do because they have parts in them that are so off the wall. Parts I did not see coming AT ALL and I loved that. I laughed at parts and thought "good for them" numerous times. This is my new favorite genre of horror. Not sure what to call it but for me all of these are in it.\ \ The Caretaker grabbed me from the beginning and I was led through a wild ride. I'd say most of the decisions the MC make are ones I would have made too because money troubles are very relatable. I'm definitely going to read more fantasy and sci-fi this year too. I'm not sure where to start but I'm excited to dive into other genres.\ \ What are your favorite reads of 2026 (so far)?\ \ Join for free or login