Beautiful Brutal Bodies - by Linda Cheng

About the Book

Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to Gorgeous Gruesome Faces follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Book Synopsis

"An addictive, all-consuming tale that's both gorgeous and monstrous." --CG Drews, New York Times Bestselling author of Don't Let The Forest In

"Beautiful Brutal Bodies is a phantasmagoric funhouse mirror of a book . . . this story kept me turning the pages until the bloody end." --Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

Full of skin-crawling folk horror and sapphic romance, this feral fairytale and standalone follow-up to Gorgeous Gruesome Faces follows a reclusive songstress and her bodyguard who must unravel the occult mysteries of their past to escape from a cursed island.

Tian is a singer-songwriter with a massive online following, known for her hypnotic vocals and ethereal looks. But behind the glamorous façade is a disturbing reality: raised in an isolated mansion, Tian is a prisoner in her own life.

Liya is Tian's childhood friend and her only close companion, tasked with protecting Tian at all costs. But hidden beneath Liya's beautiful human exterior is a beastly secret: her teeth are far too sharp, and her appetite much too ferocious.

When several fans mysteriously suffer fatal injuries while watching her livestream, Tian, along with Liya, are sent to a spiritual healing retreat on a remote island in the South China Seas. They are joined by Tian's musical collaborator Shenyu, a troubled idol whose recent brush with the law and string of bad boyfriends has him seeking his own new start. But the trio soon discovers that the island is no peaceful getaway. There is constant surveillance, bizarre rituals, and something terrifying lurking in the forest. Something not quite human.

In order to escape with her loved ones, Tian must uncover her connection to the island's blood-drenched legend--and the truth behind Liya's monstrous identity--before the island claims them all as its final sacrifice.

Review Quotes

★ "Hits all the marks . . . Intense and atmospheric; sure to live on in readers' minds long after they finish." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Fairy tale motifs thread through the narrative . . . The sapphic romance is charged throughout the novel, giving fans of the princess/bodyguard dynamic plenty of moving scenes to latch onto." --BCCB

"Beautiful Brutal Bodies is a phantasmagoric funhouse mirror of a book. Half contorted fairy tale and half exploration of inherited family trauma, this story kept me turning the pages until the bloody end." --Julie C. Dao, author of Forest of a Thousand Lanterns

"An addictive, all-consuming tale that's both gorgeous and monstrous, I'm obsessed with Tian and Liya's story. It's full of dark mythology, feral love, and clever storytelling, and each page will keep you captivated." --CG Drews, New York Times-bestselling author of Don't Let The Forest In

About the Author

Linda Cheng was born in Taiwan and spent her childhood moving between cultures and continents. She received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and worked as an art director across South Carolina and Georgia where she developed a deep love for sweet tea, grits, and Southern Gothic stories. She currently resides in Vancouver, Canada with her family.