★★★★★
My City is Not Safe
Bro. This novella was traumatizing af. Let me tell you why. The Creep is a mixed-media story that includes news articles, transcribed TV interviews, police documents, a QR code to a YouTube video that will give you nightmares, and more. All of this focuses on a terrifying man labeled "The Creep" because he starts by trespassing and escalates quickly to home invasion and so much worse. He stalks a woman and leaves her notes, warning her to get rid of her boyfriend. When she doesn't, The Creep takes it 85 million steps too far. On its own, this is a disturbing plot because it feels like it could really happen (and it definitely has). The way the story unfolds makes it seem like these are real events. You're immersed in the investigation to a degree where I literally asked the author to tell me it wasn't real. Now, here's why the novella was traumatizing for ME. It takes place in the city where I live. The neighborhoods mentioned actually exist within a 20-30 minute radius OF MY HOUSE. (I messaged Jason and said I SWEAR TO GOD IF MY ADDRESS IS IN THIS BOOK - luckily, it wasn't.) Another city mentioned is where I've previously lived as well, and at this point I'm thinking Jason Harlow is out to get me. What are the literal odds? I could only read this book with natural sunlight coming through my windows, which is why it took me two separate sittings to read it. It was just TOO REAL. Which is a huge compliment to the author here. I am the literal target audience of this book. But regardless of location, it's creepy as hell, pun intended. I recommend this novella so hard to anyone who loves an immersive, goosebump-inducing read, no matter where you live. But if you live in the Charlotte area, it's gonna hit just a little bit more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to jump into my adult coloring books for awhile.
