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alittlemixofvix's review
2.0
There were fourteen short stories in this anthology and to be honest I felt a bit let down by it after such a promising description and a beautiful cover – hence the 2 star rating.
Let me begin by highlighting the stories that were actually really good; “Make a (Death) Wish” by Melissa Burkley, “Of Guys and Dolls” by Stella B. James, “Unfinished Business” by Joni Chng, and “My Lady Bathory” by Mandy Burkhead. These four were brilliant and I would love to read more by these authors. My star rating would have been very different if the book only contained these tales.
Personally I felt that the remaining ten stories ranged from just being ok to being quite boring frankly. A handful did start well but were then let down by the endings, then some others actually raised far more questions than I felt they answered with their ending. Unfortunately, apart from the four mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t say the remaining stories were scary or thrilling and that's what pulled my rating down.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Let me begin by highlighting the stories that were actually really good; “Make a (Death) Wish” by Melissa Burkley, “Of Guys and Dolls” by Stella B. James, “Unfinished Business” by Joni Chng, and “My Lady Bathory” by Mandy Burkhead. These four were brilliant and I would love to read more by these authors. My star rating would have been very different if the book only contained these tales.
Personally I felt that the remaining ten stories ranged from just being ok to being quite boring frankly. A handful did start well but were then let down by the endings, then some others actually raised far more questions than I felt they answered with their ending. Unfortunately, apart from the four mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t say the remaining stories were scary or thrilling and that's what pulled my rating down.
*I received a complimentary copy of the e-book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
pizzaghost's review
4.0
This was an excellent way to celebrate both Valentine’s Day and Women In Horror Month!
Like any anthology, Tainted Love was hit or miss, but this one was mostly hit. The interpretations of the prompts of love and horror were wide and varied. Not all stories were scary horror -- some were sad, some were social commentary, some were fantasy, and one was hard sci fi. This anthology explored a wide variety of settings, time periods, voices, and story lengths, as well. I loved seeing the broad range here.
Not every story portrayed romantic love, either. From obsessive romantic love to narcissism to familial compassion, this anthology explores the vast types of loves that exist. They may not always be healthy -- although some of them are, surprisingly! -- but they are always passionate.
There are 14 distinct stories in this anthology. I enjoyed most of them and especially liked Of Guys and Dolls. It is a quick dive into two types of love, romantic and sibling, with devastating results. The level of horror in that story was delicious. Vanitas and Prey are tied for second favorites; these longer titles have great levels of character development and explore very different aspects of horror.
CW: Although there is a broad trigger warning encompassing many potential triggers, it should also be mentioned that there are scenes of animal abuse. This book is definitely not for sensitive readers!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Like any anthology, Tainted Love was hit or miss, but this one was mostly hit. The interpretations of the prompts of love and horror were wide and varied. Not all stories were scary horror -- some were sad, some were social commentary, some were fantasy, and one was hard sci fi. This anthology explored a wide variety of settings, time periods, voices, and story lengths, as well. I loved seeing the broad range here.
Not every story portrayed romantic love, either. From obsessive romantic love to narcissism to familial compassion, this anthology explores the vast types of loves that exist. They may not always be healthy -- although some of them are, surprisingly! -- but they are always passionate.
There are 14 distinct stories in this anthology. I enjoyed most of them and especially liked Of Guys and Dolls. It is a quick dive into two types of love, romantic and sibling, with devastating results. The level of horror in that story was delicious. Vanitas and Prey are tied for second favorites; these longer titles have great levels of character development and explore very different aspects of horror.
CW: Although there is a broad trigger warning encompassing many potential triggers, it should also be mentioned that there are scenes of animal abuse. This book is definitely not for sensitive readers!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
readbydusk's review
4.0
A fitting collection to read during Women In Horror Month! This anthology features stories by women authors and it has a good mix of terrifying, charming, and shocking tales of relationships gone bad. My picks: My Lady Báthory by Mandy Burkhead is a beautifully written take on the real-life crimes of Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed, and it's about the survivors' fight not just to survive but to be who they really are. Vanitas by Azzurra Nox and Erica Ruhe is about seduction and secrets with a dash of creature feature. Hunter’s Moon by Marnie Azzarelli sees a woman experiencing strange things in her house as she starts to lose control of her life. Sleep by Marie Anderson shows the difficult decision a father must make for his son.
I did find a couple of stories to be just fine, even a little confusing. There are also a few errors that could have been cleaned up. But overall, I enjoyed this collection. I appreciate the portrayal of gay and trans characters, and I liked how the women are strong and compelling. I also thought the inclusion of a list of trigger warnings is a nice touch, and something more horror books should do.
CW: animal deaths, mental illness, cannibalism, rape, physical assault
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
I did find a couple of stories to be just fine, even a little confusing. There are also a few errors that could have been cleaned up. But overall, I enjoyed this collection. I appreciate the portrayal of gay and trans characters, and I liked how the women are strong and compelling. I also thought the inclusion of a list of trigger warnings is a nice touch, and something more horror books should do.
CW: animal deaths, mental illness, cannibalism, rape, physical assault
Thank you to the publisher for a review copy.
book blog | twitter | instagram
elles_shelves's review
3.0
Tainted Love: Women in Horror Anthology contain a collection of short stories selected by Azzurra Nox and Erica Ruhe. It contains 14 tales that somehow relate to the theme of love, but not always a romantic love. This was the perfect read for Valentine’s Day and I read it all in one rainy afternoon. Like most anthologies, there are some wonderful stories that you want more of and some less than stellar stories. The one 5 star story for me was Make a (Death) Wish by Melissa Burkley. There were several 4 star stories including The Wait by Kathleen Halecki, The Flagship by Phoebe Jane Johnson, Sleep by Marie Anderson, and My Lady Bathory by Mandy Burkhead.
All in all, I enjoyed this collection of short stories and thought it the perfect read for Ladies of Horror Fiction. My overall rating is a 3, but there are some truly delight tales in this anthology and I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good horror love story!
All in all, I enjoyed this collection of short stories and thought it the perfect read for Ladies of Horror Fiction. My overall rating is a 3, but there are some truly delight tales in this anthology and I definitely recommend this for anyone who enjoys a good horror love story!
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