Review: Summertime Madness By Luna K. Wicked

Rating: 5 Stars

On KU: Yes

Publication Date: June 23rd, 2025

HEA: Um…Yes and No?

Version: E-Book

WARNING: This is an erotic horror with graphic depictions of erotic cannibalism, gore, violence, parasitic infestation, dubious content, sexual content, drug use, and more. The author provides an extensive trigger list in the front of their book via a QR Code—please make sure to check out the extensive listing prior to reading; your mental health always matters. 

Tell me darling, what lengths are you willing to go to prove a hypothesis? This erotic horror toes the line of summertime mindfuck—far worse than any mushroom trip in a Coachella porta-potty. 

When I tell you this novella was a wild ride, please believe me! It was outer-worldly, smutty, and I was on the edge of my seat until the last syllable. 

Summertime Madness by Luna K. Wicked is a erotic horror novella that follows characters Cordelia, Tate, and Chase. Cordelia is a scientist who is studying an undiscovered fungus, trying to understand its capability to produce and infect its host. Studying under an internship, Cordelia manipulated her Professor to get closer in her attempts to understand the fungi but not everything it what it seems. 

Tate, Cordelia’s stepbrother and fellow scientist—who both hates her and is utterly obsessed with Cordelia, concocts a larger scheme with Chase to trap Cordelia in their web. Childhood friend Chase works alongside Tate with a blackmail plan to force Cordelia to attend a local festival to rehash their history together, but the night doesn’t end the way any could’ve guessed. The night they spend at the festival gets wild to say the least. 

This story is a short read, yet it packs a punch of sinister evolution. We get a thrilling  suspense brought on by a nefarious scientific discovery, and get lost in their pursuits for knowledge. Their ambitions mirrored making a deal with the devil in the pursuit of gain—very Goethe’s Faust coded, but more sex and murder. Wicked creates an unforgettable psychedelic erotic horror by taking readers through the mind melding effects of a drug-fueled festival death orgy. Although that sounds like the theme of a banger heavy metal album, it apparently works as a novella too!

The entanglement of passion, love, and sex amongst the characters spurs an explosive experiment gone awry. Scenes in this horror ranged from sensual to absolutely horrific in such a trippy way. You see, the story builds with a slow attraction; we see these characters engage in a dance of wills and wit, almost like playing a betting game with scientific ethics and obsession. Then the story takes a dastardly turn, leading this character trio to a descent into carnage masked as connection.  Just the mental visuals alone from this book was amazing, but the experience is one you won’t forget. 

For many novellas, readers are left with yearning to see more of the background behind the characters and their evolution, but this story leaves you full of the desired understanding of these characters. Cordelia is a perfectly flawed; she’s a highly intelligent strategist and exhibits detached interpersonal behaviors that inevitably serve to drive her successes. Cordelia was perfectly methodical in ways that afforded her determination every reader can admire. I loved her character for how admirable her intelligence was despite the irredeemable nature. Cordelia was the perfect main character for a story like this and is a profile that leaves you enraptured.  

As for Tate, he too was a criminally intelligent character, but allowed his competitive nature to lead before rationale. He was selfish and fueled by the drive to win, even if it left him in compromising positions. Tate was like a mad scientist, detached from specific human social capability, yet still so utterly human. He had me on the ropes as the story unfolded because he truly was the personification of “so close, yet so far” demeanor of Icarus.  The heightened intelligence, stubbornness, and uniqueness of his character were not only things that attracted Chase and Cordelia, but me as a reader too!

Then comes in our silent strength, Chase. Chase was the light on Tate and Cordelia’s love, and proved them the foundation to express things outside of the lab rooms. Yet, in the same vein, was a force to reckon with too and shows his dark side masterfully. Chase was like the underdog who you’d never guess was coming—but you’ll have your mind blown by the end of the day. He was something that definitely attracts you until the bitter end. These characters thrived on attraction to each other’s bodies and minds to the point of pure madness, even willing to drag down others in their pursuit of connection. 

Wicked forges a plot that felt everchanging and consuming with every development. Just as you think you have a grasp on what’s happening with the characters, the author unveils crazy twists that leave you in awe. It was a slow ebb of deception and plotting amongst the characters that then lead into this wild ride of arousal fueled debauchery. Even after finishing, I’m still reeling and replaying specific scenes in my mind! The epilogue leaves you with a “what the fuck?” feeling—but in a good way. 

I’m telling you, this was a good ass read that I recommend you give a chance. This was the first book I’ve read from the author, but after this it definitely won’t be the last!

Tropes:

Taboo (Step-brother & Their Best Friend)

Why Choose

Blackmail

Body Horror

Sexy Nerds

“Erotic, Megadeath Coachella”

Fungi Experiments

They Share Her