Black Thread
It started as a joke, a late-night online ritual Milan, Drew, and Lilah stumbled upon after too many drinks. Tie a black thread. Make a wish. Burn the rest. And above all, never take it off. They performed it, laughed it off, and promptly forgot.
Then their lives began to transform. Impossibly, eerily, their deepest desires materialized. Dreams became reality with uncanny precision. But the ritual wasn't granting wishes; it was making exchanges. Soon, a creeping dread settled in as unexplained consequences rippled through their perfectly altered lives.
When the original video vanished and whispers of similar stories surfaced, the friends faced a terrifying truth: their wishes were coming true at a cost. And the black thread wasn't just a symbol—it was a tether. The ritual wasn't finished, and the payment was far from complete.
- Milan - Fashion design intern
- Drew - Milan and Lilah’s friend
- Lilah - Lottie’s twin sister
- Lottie - Lilah’s twin sister
- Ava - Milan’s co-worker
- Brody - Guy Drew meets on a dating app
- Drew, Milan and Lilah see a video for a ritual where you tie a black thread around your wish, burn off the excess, make a wish and it will come true.
- Milan wishes for her internship to turn into a full-time job.
- Drew wishes to meet a decent boyfriend.
- Lilah wishes for a spot in The New York Ballet Company.
- The next morning, Milan gets a job offer from her company but finds out that Ava was fired.
- Drew starts getting messages on his dating app from a handsome guy named Brody.
- Drew’s mother calls and tells him she and his father are getting a divorce.
- Lilah gets a call offering her a spot at The New York Ballet Company.
- Lottie injures her ankle and is cut from The New York Ballet Company.
- Drew finds something online saying the ritual must be passed on within seven days to stop new consequences from continuing.
- Milan, Drew and Lilah each make a video explaining the ritual, how it makes wishes come true and their curses transfer onto other people.
- Months later: Milan is happy with her job.
- Drew is engaged to Brody.
- Lilah and Lottie are both happy with their separate ballet careers.
Black Thread drew me in with its eerie atmosphere and strong occult horror vibes, creating a sense of mystery around the choices the characters made and the forces they were dealing with.
I enjoyed how much tension and atmosphere Sara Lea packed into this quick read. The short chapters kept the story moving, and the idea behind the book reminded me of the saying “be careful what you wish for” as the characters faced the unexpected results of their actions.
While I liked the creepy elements and the overall concept, the ending felt a little different from the rest of the story for me. It was an interesting choice, but it didn’t quite have the same feeling as everything that came before it.
If you like occult horror, supernatural consequences, and eerie short stories, then you will enjoy this book.
- Supernatural elements
ASIN: B0H18SLJL8
Publication Date: July 10, 2026
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
