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fixatedonfiction's review
4.0
A fun horror anthology about women, with special appearances of a teethed vagina, a serial killer, the woman with a wish and the whisperers.
This anthology combined everything really well together, with myths and fairy tales retold with horror twists.
This anthology combined everything really well together, with myths and fairy tales retold with horror twists.
amandan_e's review
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This is astonishingly good. Unique, a big variety of short stories and author voices. If you don’t care for a particular story the next will draw you in strongly.
anna_may's review
4.0
This was a really well done compilation of feminist short stories and poems. I especially liked that after every story or poem, there was an exert from the author, explaining not only their inspiration and choices for the story/poem but also their feminist reading recommendations, so definitely read this with a notebook and pen so you can write them down!
The stories were a mixture of contemporary, fantasy, historical and sci-fi which was really interesting as each story was different and added a new layer to the book. I really enjoyed the majority of the stories which is really rare for me when its a collection of short stories, and I would love to see full novels from some of these stories because they left me wanting more.
- Vagina Dentata 4/5
- You Wake With Him Beside You 5/5
- The Weight of Iron 5/5
- What She Left Behind 5/5
- After The Foxes Have Their Say 3/5
- Shadows 3/5
- @Theguardian1792 4/5
- Gravity 3/5
- The Guardrail Disappears 2/5
- Good Sister, Bad Sister 3/5
- Vigilante Lane 4/5
- We Have But Lingered Here 3/5
- The Whispers 4/5
- Smile 4/5
- Potluck 3/5
- The Change 2/5
I will have detailed synopsis's with spoilers for each story/poem on my blog post, so as not to spoil it here.
I really do recommend this book, especially if you're in the angry feminist killjoy mood.
Trigger warnings for; sexual abuse, sexual assault, self harm, rape, emotional abuse, sexual harassment, gore, blood, and mutilation.
The stories were a mixture of contemporary, fantasy, historical and sci-fi which was really interesting as each story was different and added a new layer to the book. I really enjoyed the majority of the stories which is really rare for me when its a collection of short stories, and I would love to see full novels from some of these stories because they left me wanting more.
- Vagina Dentata 4/5
- You Wake With Him Beside You 5/5
- The Weight of Iron 5/5
- What She Left Behind 5/5
- After The Foxes Have Their Say 3/5
- Shadows 3/5
- @Theguardian1792 4/5
- Gravity 3/5
- The Guardrail Disappears 2/5
- Good Sister, Bad Sister 3/5
- Vigilante Lane 4/5
- We Have But Lingered Here 3/5
- The Whispers 4/5
- Smile 4/5
- Potluck 3/5
- The Change 2/5
I will have detailed synopsis's with spoilers for each story/poem on my blog post, so as not to spoil it here.
I really do recommend this book, especially if you're in the angry feminist killjoy mood.
Trigger warnings for; sexual abuse, sexual assault, self harm, rape, emotional abuse, sexual harassment, gore, blood, and mutilation.
annes's review
5.0
I have only read a few short story collections and I have never been a huge fan of those collections but that changed when I read this anthology.
This collection contains a lot of tough topics such as murder, rape, and so much more.
Although this did cover a lot of harsh topics I truly enjoyed this story and saw women fight back for their lives, for respect and for what they deserve.
Each of these authors have amazing and beautiful writing and I really want to check out more from all of these authors. Some ⁷of these stories were very short and others were super long, very detailed and horrific but I really liked how varied in length all the stories were.
In Betty Bites Back the women in these stories are just as bad villains as men can be in other stories which I really loved. Some win others lose in this collection which is very realistic but these women do not go out with a fight.
Throughout these stories there is a lot of diversity which I really appreciated and can not recommend this collection enough! FIVE STARS ALL ROUND.
This collection contains a lot of tough topics such as murder, rape, and so much more.
Although this did cover a lot of harsh topics I truly enjoyed this story and saw women fight back for their lives, for respect and for what they deserve.
Each of these authors have amazing and beautiful writing and I really want to check out more from all of these authors. Some ⁷of these stories were very short and others were super long, very detailed and horrific but I really liked how varied in length all the stories were.
In Betty Bites Back the women in these stories are just as bad villains as men can be in other stories which I really loved. Some win others lose in this collection which is very realistic but these women do not go out with a fight.
Throughout these stories there is a lot of diversity which I really appreciated and can not recommend this collection enough! FIVE STARS ALL ROUND.
morrib's review
4.0
This was a great read. First and foremost it was a really well compiled anthology with a good mix of length, tone, narrator voice, and poetry v. prose. The stories were both enjoyable and relevant, looking at modern issues from various lenses. The only thing I would have liked to see is a little more obvious diversity. While the shortness of the pieces means that there were definitely constraints on how much various characters could be shown to be non-white, non-cis, etc. it would have been nice to see that intersectional representation. Off the top.of my head I can only think of one poc main, one non-cis, and one queer main character
luftschlosseule's review
4.0
trigger warnings
sexual assault
gaslighting
emotional abuse
abusive relationship
self harm
mental illness
trauma
mutilaton
kidnapping
pedophilia
gore
transphobia
domestic violence
A teenager discovering her house is haunted, finding the diary of a girl murdered on the property fourty years ago. Another being attacked in the woods and feeling her body change. A woman asking for surgery to attach teeth to her vagina. A daughter having her DNA checked and finding out she has a biologial family she never knew about.
The short stories and poems in this anthology cover a wide range of topics, all centering on women and their problems. Yes, these are stories to scare the patriarchy by portraing women as complex human beings, but on the other hand, I'd say these stories are not only for feminists because they're simply about women being human and trying to survive, to learn.
We have a great mix of unique stories that capture the imagination of the reader and tales that speak to you if you have experienced some kind of gendered bullshit. They say we hear you. You are not alone.
I guess what I want to say that this book does two things:
- it's feminist
- but it's also a collection of gripping narratives. It's not something where you sit there and like the premise but wish it would have been executed better. It works. It makes you want more.
I wish I'd had this collection as a teenager instead of the sexist stuff I read because it was all I could get my hands on. It makes me realise that there might be a reason I usually feel left out and misfit, and that it's not to do with me, but the stories I am told.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
sexual assault
gaslighting
emotional abuse
abusive relationship
self harm
mental illness
trauma
mutilaton
kidnapping
pedophilia
gore
transphobia
domestic violence
A teenager discovering her house is haunted, finding the diary of a girl murdered on the property fourty years ago. Another being attacked in the woods and feeling her body change. A woman asking for surgery to attach teeth to her vagina. A daughter having her DNA checked and finding out she has a biologial family she never knew about.
The short stories and poems in this anthology cover a wide range of topics, all centering on women and their problems. Yes, these are stories to scare the patriarchy by portraing women as complex human beings, but on the other hand, I'd say these stories are not only for feminists because they're simply about women being human and trying to survive, to learn.
We have a great mix of unique stories that capture the imagination of the reader and tales that speak to you if you have experienced some kind of gendered bullshit. They say we hear you. You are not alone.
I guess what I want to say that this book does two things:
- it's feminist
- but it's also a collection of gripping narratives. It's not something where you sit there and like the premise but wish it would have been executed better. It works. It makes you want more.
I wish I'd had this collection as a teenager instead of the sexist stuff I read because it was all I could get my hands on. It makes me realise that there might be a reason I usually feel left out and misfit, and that it's not to do with me, but the stories I am told.
I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
christinareads's review
4.0
I wish men knew what it meant for a compliment to feel like a threat.
This may end up high up on my favorite releases of 2019.
Betty Bites Back is an anthology of feminist horror, and anyone that knows me knows that I’m a fan of all things horror, so when I saw ‘feminist’ and ‘horror’ in the same sentence, I clicked that request button faster than you would believe.
In these sixteen short stories there is quite literally something for everyone. Really short stories, longer stories, poetry, gore, ghosts, an all female tribe, etc. Some are stronger than others, as with all anthologies, but they all serve their purpose. The only thing that bothered me about this anthology was the lack of intersectionality. I can only remember one main character of color and one non-cis character.
I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away about any of these stories. I think everyone should experience this for themselves. I want everyone to go into this knowing very little. It’s more special that way, in my opinion.
My favorites include:
What She Left Behind by E.R. Griffin
Shadows by Demitria Lunetta
Gravity by Kyrie McCauley
Good Sister, Bad Sister by Azzurra Nox
The Whispers by Lindsey Klingele
The Change by Kate Karyus Quinn
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This may end up high up on my favorite releases of 2019.
Betty Bites Back is an anthology of feminist horror, and anyone that knows me knows that I’m a fan of all things horror, so when I saw ‘feminist’ and ‘horror’ in the same sentence, I clicked that request button faster than you would believe.
In these sixteen short stories there is quite literally something for everyone. Really short stories, longer stories, poetry, gore, ghosts, an all female tribe, etc. Some are stronger than others, as with all anthologies, but they all serve their purpose. The only thing that bothered me about this anthology was the lack of intersectionality. I can only remember one main character of color and one non-cis character.
I don’t want to say too much because I don’t want to give anything away about any of these stories. I think everyone should experience this for themselves. I want everyone to go into this knowing very little. It’s more special that way, in my opinion.
My favorites include:
What She Left Behind by E.R. Griffin
Shadows by Demitria Lunetta
Gravity by Kyrie McCauley
Good Sister, Bad Sister by Azzurra Nox
The Whispers by Lindsey Klingele
The Change by Kate Karyus Quinn
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
readswithdogs's review
5.0
The title of this book won me over right away and I had to request it! And I'm glad I did!
This was a really nice collection of short little feminist stories! I loved how they all stuck with the theme and really enjoyed the notes afterward where the authors talked about their influences and authors they liked.
I've got a bunch of new authors to follow now!
Also, the cover art is amazing!
This was a really nice collection of short little feminist stories! I loved how they all stuck with the theme and really enjoyed the notes afterward where the authors talked about their influences and authors they liked.
I've got a bunch of new authors to follow now!
Also, the cover art is amazing!
aftin148's review
4.0
The overall collection is definitely worth looking into. There wasn't a single story I disliked.
⦁ Vagina Dentata, By Mindy Mcginnis: 5 Stars, a perfect bite size piece to start off this collection.
⦁ You Wake With Him Beside You, By Cori McCarthy: 3 Stars
⦁ The Weight Of Iron, By Amanda Sun: 4 Stars, I really loved the mixture of space and sea
imagery.
⦁ What She Left Behind, By E.R. Griffin: 5 Stars
⦁ After The Foxes Have Their Say, By Tracie Martin: 4 Stars
⦁ Shadows, By Demitria Lunetta: 5 Stars. This story was unpredictable and felt raw. I was
completely immersed in it.
⦁ @Theguardians1792, By Jenna Lehne: 3 Stars
⦁ Gravity, By Kylie McCauley: 5 Stars. A really sweet and sincere piece filled with whimsy. Perfect
to break up some of these harder hitting stories.
⦁ The Guardrail Disappears, By Melody Simpson: 4 Stars
⦁ Good Sister, Bad Sister, By Azzura Nox: 4 Stars
⦁ Vigilante Lane, By S.E. Green: 4 Stars
⦁ We Have But Lingered Here, By Liz Coley: 3 Stars
⦁ The Whispers, By Lindsey Klingele: 4 Stars
⦁ Smile, By Emilee Martell: 4 Stars
⦁ Potluck, By Kamerhe Lane: 5 Stars. This story felt very real. These women were people I could
very easily meet in my day to day life.
⦁ The Change, By Kate Karyus Quinn: 5 Stars. I loved the descriptions and creativity in this one.
⦁ Vagina Dentata, By Mindy Mcginnis: 5 Stars, a perfect bite size piece to start off this collection.
⦁ You Wake With Him Beside You, By Cori McCarthy: 3 Stars
⦁ The Weight Of Iron, By Amanda Sun: 4 Stars, I really loved the mixture of space and sea
imagery.
⦁ What She Left Behind, By E.R. Griffin: 5 Stars
⦁ After The Foxes Have Their Say, By Tracie Martin: 4 Stars
⦁ Shadows, By Demitria Lunetta: 5 Stars. This story was unpredictable and felt raw. I was
completely immersed in it.
⦁ @Theguardians1792, By Jenna Lehne: 3 Stars
⦁ Gravity, By Kylie McCauley: 5 Stars. A really sweet and sincere piece filled with whimsy. Perfect
to break up some of these harder hitting stories.
⦁ The Guardrail Disappears, By Melody Simpson: 4 Stars
⦁ Good Sister, Bad Sister, By Azzura Nox: 4 Stars
⦁ Vigilante Lane, By S.E. Green: 4 Stars
⦁ We Have But Lingered Here, By Liz Coley: 3 Stars
⦁ The Whispers, By Lindsey Klingele: 4 Stars
⦁ Smile, By Emilee Martell: 4 Stars
⦁ Potluck, By Kamerhe Lane: 5 Stars. This story felt very real. These women were people I could
very easily meet in my day to day life.
⦁ The Change, By Kate Karyus Quinn: 5 Stars. I loved the descriptions and creativity in this one.
astoldbybex's review
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings: Rape
Like the next person, I love me a good ol’ feminist book. Especially one that rests in the horror genre. Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy tells tales of werewolves, ghosts & everything in between; all with a feminist twist. We get insight on different issues women have to deal with: being told to smile more, random creepy messages from men online, the fear of being raped — you get the jist.
I really enjoyed the direction Betty Bites Back took, however, a lot of the stories fell flat for me. In fact, a few of them I barely remember & if it wasn’t for taking notes, I’d be 100% screwed right now. The one story that really sticks out & is probably the shortest in the collection is called Smile by Emilee Martell. For being so short, it still lands with major impact & is easy to visually imagine.
Following each story, the author addresses their inspiration for that particular story, along with their own favorite feminist reads. This is probably my favorite portion of the collection, because I love being able to see inside the minds of authors.
I really wanted to enjoy this more — it wasn’t a horrible read, but it definitely wasn’t something that’s going to stick with me.
Content Warnings: Rape
Like the next person, I love me a good ol’ feminist book. Especially one that rests in the horror genre. Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy tells tales of werewolves, ghosts & everything in between; all with a feminist twist. We get insight on different issues women have to deal with: being told to smile more, random creepy messages from men online, the fear of being raped — you get the jist.
I really enjoyed the direction Betty Bites Back took, however, a lot of the stories fell flat for me. In fact, a few of them I barely remember & if it wasn’t for taking notes, I’d be 100% screwed right now. The one story that really sticks out & is probably the shortest in the collection is called Smile by Emilee Martell. For being so short, it still lands with major impact & is easy to visually imagine.
Following each story, the author addresses their inspiration for that particular story, along with their own favorite feminist reads. This is probably my favorite portion of the collection, because I love being able to see inside the minds of authors.
I really wanted to enjoy this more — it wasn’t a horrible read, but it definitely wasn’t something that’s going to stick with me.
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