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cobaltbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Reading this is a serious time investment, but if you want a broad overview of the genre that is also in-depth, this is the book for you.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this is a serious time investment, but if you want a broad overview of the genre that is also in-depth, this is the book for you.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
baybooks's review against another edition
4.0
Many of these were so realistic that they literally were a part of my nightmares. The social horror aspects were the scariest bits in my opinion.
The Attentionist by Caroline Kepnes was such a strong story about coming of age and stalking. This story evoked such emotion and creepiness.
All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones is a psychological horror that will bring back those quarantine terrors of 2020.
Overall these stories are an homage to horror which Were creepy, atmospheric and scary.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tornightfire for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.
The Attentionist by Caroline Kepnes was such a strong story about coming of age and stalking. This story evoked such emotion and creepiness.
All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones is a psychological horror that will bring back those quarantine terrors of 2020.
Overall these stories are an homage to horror which Were creepy, atmospheric and scary.
Thank you to Netgalley and Tornightfire for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.
jinxei's review
4.0
An anthology that starts out slow and quickly ramps up to the horrifying. As with all anthologies, there were some that jumped out to me more than others. Some of my favorites include:
A life in Nightmares by Ramsey Campbell
A disorienting fever dream within a dream leaving the reader unable to determine what is real and what is a dream. I loved where the ending led, though I do know this way of storytelling is not for everyone.
All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones
Quarantined together during the Covid outbreak, the wife of a scientist becomes the subject of her fear study. This one is incredibly haunting and I have thought about many times since.
The Familiar’s Assistant by Alma Katsu
Though I wish it were longer, a good vampire story always gets me. Focusing on fear, manipulation, insecurity, this one follows a man who looks for the monster, a vampire.
A life in Nightmares by Ramsey Campbell
A disorienting fever dream within a dream leaving the reader unable to determine what is real and what is a dream. I loved where the ending led, though I do know this way of storytelling is not for everyone.
All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones
Quarantined together during the Covid outbreak, the wife of a scientist becomes the subject of her fear study. This one is incredibly haunting and I have thought about many times since.
The Familiar’s Assistant by Alma Katsu
Though I wish it were longer, a good vampire story always gets me. Focusing on fear, manipulation, insecurity, this one follows a man who looks for the monster, a vampire.
amethystarchild's review
4.0
I’m new to modern horror and I decided to use this book as a fun sampling platter for the genre. It had a little bit of everything, and included so many diverse characters and monsters. More stories that I enjoyed, than disliked, and now I have some authors I can check out in future!
lmcguire's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
duchessofreadin's review against another edition
3.0
These stories were okay - some stood out above others, but some fell super flat. I don't know that any really classify as true horror, more on the creepy side.
Decent for those who are starting out in horror, looking for something that won't scare them senseless, but dipping their toes into the water a bit.
Decent for those who are starting out in horror, looking for something that won't scare them senseless, but dipping their toes into the water a bit.
twicomb's review
2.0
The first story was 5 stars. One of the better horror stories I’ve read recently. There were two separate places where a wave of cold dread washed over me.
The second story was 4 stars. It was original and clever in how it was crafted, and did a great job in evoking the experience it was intending to evoke (intentionally vague here to remain spoiler-free).
Unfortunately, after that the stories went downhill. They got more and more predictable and dull until finally I just couldn’t go on. I made it to 75% of the way through the book so I really tried. Ended up DNFing it. But that first story….that one got under my skin in a big way. Shuddersville.
The second story was 4 stars. It was original and clever in how it was crafted, and did a great job in evoking the experience it was intending to evoke (intentionally vague here to remain spoiler-free).
Unfortunately, after that the stories went downhill. They got more and more predictable and dull until finally I just couldn’t go on. I made it to 75% of the way through the book so I really tried. Ended up DNFing it. But that first story….that one got under my skin in a big way. Shuddersville.
kleonard's review
5.0
This is an outstanding collection of horror stories, ranging from body horror to psychological horror. With stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma, Usman T. Malik, Caroline Kepnes, and Alma Katsu, the collection has tales reminiscent of M. R. James and James Hynes as well as new takes on old lore, including vampires and wendigo. I loved the brilliance with which these stories have been crafted, never showing the reader too much until just the right moment, letting the reader understand what's going on before a protagonist does, or making breakneck--almost literally--twists that surprise, delight, and horrify.
deblyn's review against another edition
3.0
3.5
Thanks to #netgalley and #Nightfirepublishing for an ARC of this book. I am a big horror fan, but not such a big anthology fan. I am often left wanting with short stories. This was the case here. I enjoyed the stories, but for some, the endings didn’t satisfy me. Three and a half stars is not a bad rating, it just didn’t blow my mind.
One of my favorites was The Familiar’s Assistant. I have always loved vampire stories. The ending for this left me wanting so much more!! It seemed rather abrupt. This would’ve been a good novella. I want to know what happened!
PapaEye was also good. This had a folky horror vibe for me and I liked it. I found All the Things He Called Memories disturbing and creepy. Quarantined with someone you come to not trust….yikes! Like a pandemic isn’t stressful enough!
I liked The Attentionist but the ending fell flat.
A Life in Nightmares was very confusing and I had no idea what was going on.
Thanks to #netgalley and #Nightfirepublishing for an ARC of this book. I am a big horror fan, but not such a big anthology fan. I am often left wanting with short stories. This was the case here. I enjoyed the stories, but for some, the endings didn’t satisfy me. Three and a half stars is not a bad rating, it just didn’t blow my mind.
One of my favorites was The Familiar’s Assistant. I have always loved vampire stories. The ending for this left me wanting so much more!! It seemed rather abrupt. This would’ve been a good novella. I want to know what happened!
PapaEye was also good. This had a folky horror vibe for me and I liked it. I found All the Things He Called Memories disturbing and creepy. Quarantined with someone you come to not trust….yikes! Like a pandemic isn’t stressful enough!
I liked The Attentionist but the ending fell flat.
A Life in Nightmares was very confusing and I had no idea what was going on.
blatdriver's review against another edition
3.0
There were some great stories in the Anthology, which I would rate 4 out of 5, like ‘The Familiar’s Assistant’ by Alma Katsu and ‘Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate’ by John Langan
But some of the stories I found too slow moving for my taste, and more creepy that horror, these I’d give 2 out of 5.
The stories were well written, and not bad, just not what I was expecting.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*
But some of the stories I found too slow moving for my taste, and more creepy that horror, these I’d give 2 out of 5.
The stories were well written, and not bad, just not what I was expecting.
*Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.*