horrific and squeamish and yes, itchy story that will make you afraid of ants, even if you love the little critters. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

Title: ITCH!
Author: Gemma Amor
Genre: Horror, Thriller
FFO: Gross horror and serial killer thrillers
Rating: 5/5 (started out good and kept getting better and better)

Trigger warnings: bugs, self-harm

Equal parts gross bug horror, serial killer thriller, and folk horror. I would add this to my list of top-tier thrillers (Silence of the Lambs and Chestnut Man are my usual examples). It's got the opportunity to be VERY run-of-the-mill but avoids that throughout. Can't say I was exactly "guessing" throughout, but I was eager to unravel the mystery while also figuring out what the hell is going on with our main character. Some truly disturbing parts and overall a good horror ride.

Gemma Amor blends body horror with psychological unease in a way that literally gets under your skin. The ants aren’t the only thing crawling; guilt, grief, and something almost mythic burrow their way through every page. Disturbing, hallucinatory, and fiercely feminist! Itch lingers long after the last line.

Weird and skin-crawly in a fun way. Not for the squeamish, but Amor knows how to keep things gross and gripping. Body horror with teeth.

This may come as a surprise to a lot of people but this is my first experience with a book written by Gemma and it was a f**king doozy. I was itchy, gagged a few times, and even felt creeped out by this and I loved every single second of it. Think 'To Be Devoured' meets Ants in a story that'll make you think twice about going into the woods.

Itch! came right out of the gate swinging and never let up. It was a non-stop roller coaster ride straight from the underground and holy s**t was it intense. My little eyes couldn't keep up with my brain. The creepy uneasy feeling was on every page and I still felt that way after completing this book. It was a wild time and one I would love to revisit soon.

Horrifying and disturbing in the best way. This was such a visceral horror to read, the description of the ants and rotting flesh made me feel queasy. I loved the writing style, it was so detailed and full of suspense. The story itself was original, with clever links between small town history and real life horror. Although I predicted the reveal of the murderer (no spoilers), I still loved the reveal to the characters and their responses. This was a really fantastic story with clever imagery, strong writing and a real gut punch of body horror.

Dnf 30% the ongoing description of the ants really bugged me and I found myself itching to put it down. Not for me too many bugs.

"Coming home to Ellwood was supposed to have helped Josie."

This book has been on my most anticipated list since I've seen Gemma Amor post about it. It did not disappoint.

Josie's story broke my heart since the first few pages (no spoilers here, so you need to read it to learn about it). The story focuses on Josie and how her being back in Ellwood is going. Itchy might be the right word for it.

If you can read this book and not scratch yourself, please let me know. This read felt eerie. It has all the horror recipes (vibe, bodies, crawling things, folklore, and "old ways"), but at the same time, it felt very ancient, in a folktale kind of way. The book gives this vibe that you need to respect how things are supposed to be, and if you don't, well...do you really want to find out?

Pick it up if you like:
- Horror folklore
- Feminine rage
- Insects (but more precisely ants...loads of ants)
- Mysteries and murder

A note: My missing star is more based on vibes and my whole reading experience. Some chapters felt a bit long for me. However, Gemma Amor's writing is a must-read.

Thanks to the publisher for allowing access to this book. This is a gross, disturbing read in all good ways, and the sister to The Lamb by Lucy Rose. Could have done without so many mentions of 'mind-movies' but I otherwise fell for this combination of dark folkloric tales in modern day settings, and bad people doing bad things.

I loved the Wickerman vibes of this book, especially as someone who's from one of those weird English villages that feels stuck in the past. The story was really engrossing and I didn't see the final reveal coming. The only things that took me out of it a bit was the later subplot with Elena felt a bit like filler, and while the ant/bug theme was cool at first it did get a bit repetitive and sometimes felt like the shocking imagery was just for the sake of being shocking. Nevertheless I thought it was really original and I enjoyed it a lot.

I was looking forward to reading this book, but after seeing the trigger warnings for rape and sexual assault, I have decided to abstain. I wish I had realized that these themes were present in the book before requesting it, and I apologize for not reading it. It looks to be a truly weird and wonderful horror novel and I hope people enjoy it!

From the very first page, Amor crafts a chilling tale that blends body horror, psychological terror, and rural folklore into a narrative that is as disturbing as it is deeply compelling.

Amor weaves multiple narrative threads—Josie’s trauma, the town’s eerie Devil’s March ritual, and the mystery of the dead woman—into a seamless, nightmarish tapestry. The horror here isn’t just supernatural; it’s deeply human, exploring themes of abuse, survival, and the monstrous side of small-town secrets.

The prose is sharp, evocative, and relentless, pulling the reader into Josie’s unraveling world with every sentence. It’s brutal, unsettling, and deeply immersive. But for those who love horror that lingers long after the last page, Gemma Amor has delivered one of the most original and gripping novels of 2025

I couldn’t connect with this book and I really wanted to, read 150 pages before o gave up. The book just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

A deep, dark and hypnotic piece of horror writing, and a powerful examination of body politics and ancient folklore. An author to watch!

I requested this title after Neil Mcrobert mentioned it on his Talking Scared pod. Compelling female characters (in the protagonist Josie, the pub landlady, the detective, the bereaved girl's mother) gross-out body horror (I couldn't stop scratching!), interesting folk horror/ritual elements, and beautiful descriptions of the Forest of Dean area. A great read, thanks!