Cursed

Nicholas and Cicely are a couple trying to build a life together when they discover they've been cursed. Each time they attempt to eat, their food transforms into inedible objects, leaving them slowly starving and desperate for answers. As their search for the curse's origin intensifies, they encounter others afflicted with bizarre curses of their own. The pair must navigate an underground network of cursed individuals while racing against time to find a way to break their own curse before it's too late. Their journey takes them through modern-day Los Angeles, revealing a hidden world where ancient magic and contemporary life intersect. The story blends elements of horror, dark fantasy, and relationship drama as Nicholas and Cicely's bond is tested by their increasingly dire circumstances. The novel explores themes of connection, sacrifice, and the price of survival in a reality where the supernatural intrudes on everyday life. Through its curse-driven narrative, it examines how people adapt when faced with impossible situations that defy logic and reason.

Readers describe this as a unique horror novel that blends comedy with disturbing elements. The reviews trend positive but not overwhelmingly so. Readers appreciated: - Fast-paced, short chapters - Unpredictable plot twists - Dark humor mixed with genuine scares - Creative and original concept Common criticisms: - Characters feel underdeveloped - Plot gets confusing in places - Some found the ending unsatisfying - Writing style too simplistic for some tastes Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.6/5 (400+ ratings) Amazon: 4/5 (100+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.5/5 (50+ ratings) Notable reader comments: "A quirky blend of horror and laughs that keeps you guessing" - Goodreads "The premise hooked me but the execution fell flat" - Amazon "Not your typical horror story, in both good and bad ways" - LibraryThing

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🔮 Jeremy C. Shipp wrote Cursed during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), completing the first draft in just 30 days. 🌙 The book explores the concept of "curses" through both psychological and supernatural lenses, blending horror with dark humor in a unique style that became Shipp's trademark. 📖 The protagonist Nicholas experiences repeated, inexplicable occurrences of the number 11, a phenomenon similar to real-world reports of number synchronicity that many people claim to experience. 🏆 Cursed was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel in 2009. 🎭 The novel incorporates elements of bizarro fiction, a genre that emerged in the 2000s combining surreal situations with horror and absurdist humor, of which Shipp is considered a notable contributor.