Review of Kenya Moss-Dyme’s “Sick Xoxo” (2024)

Review posted on Goodreads, Amazon, and Author Website.

Kenya Moss-Dyme's Sick Xoxo is truly a sick sight to behold (and that's a compliment!). These varied stories center on themes of romance, relationships, sex, and human desire. What happens when we go too far in love? Bastardize intimacy? Moss-Dyme explores the concept here in juicy and terrifying ways.

Moss-Dyme begins the collection of horror stories with "Limbo." It is an alluring story of lust with a Mean Girls twist. Actually . . . it might be something closer to Heathers. "Limbo" is the perfect story to set the tone for the remainder of the collection. Amongst my favorite stories, including "Limbo," are "Bruce Loves Mary" and "Lovesick." As several stories deal with dysfunctional marriages or relationships, Sick Xoxo is just the thing for divorcees and those who may have a wild story about that one ex.

In the stories, the reader'll never see what's coming. Most of the time, it makes for a great twist. In a few though, I found myself re-reading to see if any hints were given as to the situation. Because of this, some of the twists felt rushed or a Diabolus ex Machina (the villainous version of a Deus ex Machina). Still, rushed twists do not take away from very entertaining stories and Moss-Dyme's digestible and descriptive writing.

I don't want to end this review without speaking on the Sick Xoxo book bundle! See my unboxing video on TikTok. All the goodies in the book box relate to the stories in the collection. The items also go beyond the typical swag (such as stickers or a bookmark). Moss-Dyme's thought-out bundle shows that she really cares about her readers and wants to create a SICK experience. With the book alone, that she already did. As I read along, I was able to connect each item to the stories, making them come to life. The physical items added a layer of weight and stake to the situations. I highly suggest investing in the curated book boxes for this reason.

Sick Xoxo is a collection for any lover of horror. It is easy to see why Moss-Dyme is solidified in indie horror as she is.

Visit Kenya Moss-Dyme's website!