Incantations of Blood
Celia Dickenson finds herself alone in the forest, searching for a missing woman. Minerva Penderghast performs a seance at the behest of a grieving family, only to reap disastrous consequences. Maeve Baudelaire is reeling from the unexpected loss of her mother.
For these three women, all roads lead to Shady Grove.
But ancient demonic forces are stirring deep in the forest surrounding the small town, clamoring for sacrificed souls to slake their thirst. Armed with a cursed book and knowledge of the occult, can an unlikely group of friends save Shady Grove from a threat that's been festering for centuries? Welcome to Shady Grove: a town where horrifying family secrets and coming of age just might be the end of you.
Published: September 27, 2024
Pages: 240
ISBN: 9798330332250
Reader Reviews
1 rating
S.
By: Savannah R. Fischer
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5/5)
Release Date: September 27, 2024
Length: 162 pages
Content Warnings: Graphic Death, Demonology, Curses, Occult Rituals
From the very first page, it’s clear Incantations of Blood doesn’t read like a debut. Fischer’s voice is passionate, confident, and professional, the kind of storytelling that grabs you with the urgency of a horror film.
The story opens with a chilling premise: a young girl lured into the dark woods under false promises meets a brutal end. Her grieving parents, desperate for answers, turn to a séance, and what follows unleashes chaos. That ripple effect carries us to Maeve Baudelaire, whose mother was murdered during a similar ritual. Every road leads Maeve to Shady Grove, Indiana, a town steeped in curses, demonology, and a sense of something rotten just beneath its surface.
Fischer balances a compact cast with sharp atmosphere, leaning into cinematic pacing that makes the book feel like a horror movie unfolding on the page. Abaddon, the demon at the center, is unhinged and terrifying in his sadistic joy; Ronald, unpredictable and wild; Mrs. Graham, unexpectedly heroic; and Maeve herself, bearing the weight of a centuries-old curse.
The novel succeeds in blending occult horror with folklore dread, while keeping the narrative moving quickly. It’s not just creepy, it’s visual, visceral, and relentless.
This debut proves Savannah R. Fischer is a horror author to watch. If this is how she starts, the future promises even darker, bloodier things.