Your cart (0)
Your cart is empty
Tax included and shipping calculated at checkout
Bitter Karella
About the book
"A bizarre and fiercely original splatterpunk phantasmagoria of queerness. Deranged and gleefully weird as f*ck, this is an impressive debut from a singular literary talent." —Eric LaRocca, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke
Annihilation meets Manhunt in three-time Hugo Award nominee Bitter Karalla's debut horror novel—a gloriously queer and irreverent psychedelic trip into the heart of an eldritch wood and the horrors of (cis)terhood.
I see something out there, in the woods. It does not have a face.
They call it the King’s Breakfast. One bite and you can understand the full scope of the universe; one bite and you can commune with forgotten gods beyond human comprehension. And it only grows deep in the Pamogo forest, where the trees crowd so tight that the forest floor is pitch black day and night, where rumors of disappearing hikers and strange cults that worship the divine feminine abound.
Sarah is a trans woman who makes her living growing mushrooms. When a bad harvest leaves her in a desperate fix, the lure of the King’s Breakfast has her journeying into those vast uncharted woods. But as she descends deeper, she realizes she's not alone. Something in the forest is waking up. It's hungry—and it wants her.
★ “As eldritch and grimy as the terrifying forest it’s set in. I loved this book!" —Trevor Henderson, author of Scarewaves
★ "Weird, wild, and oh-so-wretched, Moonflow is the trans botanical horror we need in the world right now." —Drew Huff, author of The Divine Flesh
★ “Is it legal to have this much fun reading a book? I’m in awe of Karella’s incredible gift for creating biting satire. I had a f*cking blast.” —Joe Koch, Shirley Jackson Award-nominated author of The Wingspan of Severed Hands
Published on by Run For It.
This book has 384 pages and is a Paperback.
Be Notified When This Piece Becomes Available
We sell both brand-new books and pre-loved treasures through our secondhand imprint, Second Chapter. Every book is clearly labelled with its condition:
- Newly Summoned — Brand new, untouched by mortal hands. Fresh from the publisher.
- Barely Haunted — Pre-loved but in lovely condition. Light shelf wear at most; any previous owner left barely a trace.
- Clearly Haunted — A book that's lived a little. Expect visible wear — creased spines, tanned pages or scuffed corners — but fully readable and full of character.
- Exorcism Needed — Heavily worn and priced accordingly. These books have stories beyond the one printed inside. Perfect for readers who love a battle-scarred companion (or crafters after materials).
No, we on offer shipping to the United Kingdom for now.
We offer complimentary shipping on all orders over £35.
Orders are dispatched via Royal Mail 48 Tracked, posted through our local Post Office. You'll receive tracking details once your order is on its way.
Royal Mail 48 typically arrives within 2–3 working days of dispatch, though it isn't a guaranteed service — occasionally the postal spirits take a little longer.
We aim to dispatch orders within 2 working days of purchase. Please note some new titles are fulfilled directly from our distributor, which can affect dispatch times — see Availability below.
Eligible items may be returned within 14 days of delivery, provided they are unharmed and in original condition.
The fastest way to exchange an item is to return it and place a new order.
In-stock items are held by us and dispatched directly.
New books may be fulfilled from our trusted UK book distributor. These usually dispatch within [X–X working days] — the product page will indicate estimated timings.
Second Chapter books are one of a kind. When it's gone, it's gone (that's rather the point). If you love it, don't leave it lingering in your basket — carts do not reserve stock, and another Spooky Reader may spirit it away.
If something's out of stock, sign up for a back-in-stock notification on the product page, or contact us — we're often able to order titles in.
Yes we do, however we need to do this manually. If you'd like to make a purchase with your tokens, please get in touch and we will put through a custom order for you.
Final Selection
- Product label: Sold out
- Product label: Sold out
- Product label: Sold out
