Shane McKenzie ‘Pus Junkies’ Review

Written by: Sheri White

If you’ve read anything by Shane McKenzie before, you know what you’re in for. Shane is one of the reigning kings of gross-out stories. Maybe even THE king. He doesn’t hold back when he tells a story, which can be quite startling to the uninitiated.

Kip is a high school kid like any other, except he has terrible acne. Not your “pizza face” variety, but runny red pustules all over his body. When his cousin Zak comes to stay with them, he takes Kip under his wing, hoping to stop the merciless teasing Kip endures every day. He takes Kip to a popular kids party, but all hell breaks loose when Zak’s girlfriend kisses Kip to make Zak jealous. The pressure of her lips pops a huge zit on Kip’s lip, squirting pus into her mouth. Kip wants to leave, disappear into the floor, anything to get away, but the girl won’t let him. Kip’s pimples have a drug-like substance in them that give his schoolmates a high like no other, and it can’t be satiated.

At first, Kip loves the attention and willingly gives of himself to keep his new friends. But he soon realizes it’s not really him they want, just his secretions. And as is common to drug users, the next high is never as good as the first. And now, feeling used, Kip begins to hate his followers, and wants them to die.

I can handle pretty much anything when it comes to horror, but I have to admit this one rattled me. I mean, I’ve read stories that have made me grimace in disgust or murmur “Ew” to myself, but Pus Junkies is the first to make me feel sick to my stomach. But the story was so good, and the premise so new and interesting, that I couldn’t stop reading, no matter how gross it got.

Even if you’re weak-stomached, I highly recommend this book. Just don’t read while you’re eating, especially if you’re having pizza.

Order it here.

Rating: 5/5