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fatimareadsbooks's review
4.0
I've only ever read one anthology, and, frankly, it was mediocre at best. However, Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is a completely different story. There was only one story I didn't like, but the rest were very, very amazing. This has such a strong collection of stories!
The Birds of Azalea Street by Ren Suma
4 stars
- Strong start to the anthology. Loved the poetic writing style, it gave it a creepy feel. Story moves along flawlessly.
"Teenage girls know more than we’re given credit for."
In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan
5 stars
- I love Alice in Wonderland stories, they always have that perfect blend of creepy and enjoyable.
"They wanted the safe answer. The one that reassured them that all monsters are filled with darkness."
Emmeline by Cat Winters
4 stars
- This story wasn't very scary or creepy, just kind of sad.
“Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain.”
Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo
3 stars
- Not my favorite short story by Leigh. Still, her writing's detailed descriptiveness really contributes to the creepy factor. Also, I'm not sure if I really "get" the ending.
“They say you’re crazy, I’m crazy too. Made crooked just like you. Lost my mind, lost my way. Found my crooked path to you”
Hide-and-Seek by Megan Shepherd
4 stars
- Excellent and fast-paced. I love how everything played out quickly; it made my heart race.
“...the only way to win back your life is to challenge death to a game. But be warned, death has never lost . . .”
The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Paige
2 stars
- This story had a more chick-flick-y feel to it, which really didn't appeal to me compared to the other stories. The main character was an annoying teenager. I mean, look at this: “What are you doing tonight?” he asked unblinkingly.
“Homework,” I said, not sure where this was going.
“No, you’re not.”
“I’m not?”
“No, you’re going out with me.”
“Why?” I almost whispered.
“Because I don’t think anyone here is nearly as interesting as you.”
Was he serious? Damien had said maybe five words to me in the seven years I’d known him. It didn’t make any sense. But my heart began double-timing in my chest. Damien Thorne was asking me out.”
The Flicker, the Finger, the Beat, the Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke
4 stars
- This story wasn't lyrical or poetic or anything, but something about it just drew me in from the start and made my heart race.
“Did I imagine it? The flicker? The fingers? The beat? The sigh? Did I?”
Fat Girl with a Knife by Jonathan Maberry
4 stars
- Very zombie-esque story. It's very different from the other stories which had more creepy atmospheres, but the soft-core gore was pretty good too.
“Fat girl with crazy hair and bloodstains on her clothes. Fat girl with wild eyes.
Fat girl with a knife.”
Sleepless by Jay Kristoff
5 stars
- I knew Jay would come up with a wonderfully crafted story. I was so excited to start reading his story and it did not did disappoint. This is full of plot twists, psychotics, and gore.
“The online courting waltz, pieces of us shared in the cricket-song dark.”
M by Stefan Bachmann
4 stars
- Although I've never heard of him, Stefan's story and writing holds a lot of promises for awesome books. I loved the blind MC, it gave the whole story a kind of mysterious aura.
“Eyes were tricks in bone boxes, but everyone believed them.”
The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu
5 stars
- Marie Lu definitely did not disappoint; another of my favorite stories! Even though she doesn't normally write these kinds of stories, it was great seeing how Marie experimented with this genre and what she added to it.
“Inside the closet crouched the pale-haired girl without a face, her wrists and arms slashed with dozens of lines, blood smearing the wall behind her. She reached her scarlet hands out to him.”
A Girl who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman
4 stars
- This story kind of left me aching, but happy at the same time. Something about it was mysterious, but the world building was just superb. Another author I've never heard of before who managed to blow me away in just a few pages!
“The earth held many secrets, some of them too terrible to tell.”
Stitches by A.G. Howard
4 stars
- This story was cute in a messed up way. A bit gore-filled, too, but I enjoyed it. I think what makes the story really appealing are the "metaphors" (if you could call them that); they contribute to that chilling creep-factor.
“Saw in hand, I was no longer Sage Adams, looming over the prone form of my wretched, troubled pa. I was a French baker in Paris, slicing up a gingerbread man.”
On the I-5 by Kendare Blake
5 stars
- A banging end to the anthology, this story'll spook the pants right off of you. The way it progresses was very nicely written and the characterization was mysterious and creepy. Never read a book by this author, but I think that's definitely going to change in the future as I've always wanted to read her other book, Anna Dressed in Blood.
“I am grown-up. As grown-up as I’m ever gonna get.”
Overall, I'd like to say that this was a pretty solid collection of scary stories. You notice that some of them borrow from urban legends, myths, and stories & part of what made this such an exciting read was figuring out the stories and how the authors made everything play out differently or similarly.
My favorite would have to be Carrie Ryan's story "In the Forest Dark and Deep" simply because I've always thought Alice in Wonderland provided a perfect backdrop for a retelling.
If you don't usually read horror books, I'd definitely recommend starting with these stories as they're a bit softer-edged than other scary books out there!
The Birds of Azalea Street by Ren Suma
4 stars
- Strong start to the anthology. Loved the poetic writing style, it gave it a creepy feel. Story moves along flawlessly.
"Teenage girls know more than we’re given credit for."
In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan
5 stars
- I love Alice in Wonderland stories, they always have that perfect blend of creepy and enjoyable.
"They wanted the safe answer. The one that reassured them that all monsters are filled with darkness."
Emmeline by Cat Winters
4 stars
- This story wasn't very scary or creepy, just kind of sad.
“Now more than ever seems it rich to die,
To cease upon the midnight with no pain.”
Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo
3 stars
- Not my favorite short story by Leigh. Still, her writing's detailed descriptiveness really contributes to the creepy factor. Also, I'm not sure if I really "get" the ending.
“They say you’re crazy, I’m crazy too. Made crooked just like you. Lost my mind, lost my way. Found my crooked path to you”
Hide-and-Seek by Megan Shepherd
4 stars
- Excellent and fast-paced. I love how everything played out quickly; it made my heart race.
“...the only way to win back your life is to challenge death to a game. But be warned, death has never lost . . .”
The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Paige
2 stars
- This story had a more chick-flick-y feel to it, which really didn't appeal to me compared to the other stories. The main character was an annoying teenager. I mean, look at this: “What are you doing tonight?” he asked unblinkingly.
“Homework,” I said, not sure where this was going.
“No, you’re not.”
“I’m not?”
“No, you’re going out with me.”
“Why?” I almost whispered.
“Because I don’t think anyone here is nearly as interesting as you.”
Was he serious? Damien had said maybe five words to me in the seven years I’d known him. It didn’t make any sense. But my heart began double-timing in my chest. Damien Thorne was asking me out.”
The Flicker, the Finger, the Beat, the Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke
4 stars
- This story wasn't lyrical or poetic or anything, but something about it just drew me in from the start and made my heart race.
“Did I imagine it? The flicker? The fingers? The beat? The sigh? Did I?”
Fat Girl with a Knife by Jonathan Maberry
4 stars
- Very zombie-esque story. It's very different from the other stories which had more creepy atmospheres, but the soft-core gore was pretty good too.
“Fat girl with crazy hair and bloodstains on her clothes. Fat girl with wild eyes.
Fat girl with a knife.”
Sleepless by Jay Kristoff
5 stars
- I knew Jay would come up with a wonderfully crafted story. I was so excited to start reading his story and it did not did disappoint. This is full of plot twists, psychotics, and gore.
“The online courting waltz, pieces of us shared in the cricket-song dark.”
M by Stefan Bachmann
4 stars
- Although I've never heard of him, Stefan's story and writing holds a lot of promises for awesome books. I loved the blind MC, it gave the whole story a kind of mysterious aura.
“Eyes were tricks in bone boxes, but everyone believed them.”
The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu
5 stars
- Marie Lu definitely did not disappoint; another of my favorite stories! Even though she doesn't normally write these kinds of stories, it was great seeing how Marie experimented with this genre and what she added to it.
“Inside the closet crouched the pale-haired girl without a face, her wrists and arms slashed with dozens of lines, blood smearing the wall behind her. She reached her scarlet hands out to him.”
A Girl who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman
4 stars
- This story kind of left me aching, but happy at the same time. Something about it was mysterious, but the world building was just superb. Another author I've never heard of before who managed to blow me away in just a few pages!
“The earth held many secrets, some of them too terrible to tell.”
Stitches by A.G. Howard
4 stars
- This story was cute in a messed up way. A bit gore-filled, too, but I enjoyed it. I think what makes the story really appealing are the "metaphors" (if you could call them that); they contribute to that chilling creep-factor.
“Saw in hand, I was no longer Sage Adams, looming over the prone form of my wretched, troubled pa. I was a French baker in Paris, slicing up a gingerbread man.”
On the I-5 by Kendare Blake
5 stars
- A banging end to the anthology, this story'll spook the pants right off of you. The way it progresses was very nicely written and the characterization was mysterious and creepy. Never read a book by this author, but I think that's definitely going to change in the future as I've always wanted to read her other book, Anna Dressed in Blood.
“I am grown-up. As grown-up as I’m ever gonna get.”
Overall, I'd like to say that this was a pretty solid collection of scary stories. You notice that some of them borrow from urban legends, myths, and stories & part of what made this such an exciting read was figuring out the stories and how the authors made everything play out differently or similarly.
My favorite would have to be Carrie Ryan's story "In the Forest Dark and Deep" simply because I've always thought Alice in Wonderland provided a perfect backdrop for a retelling.
If you don't usually read horror books, I'd definitely recommend starting with these stories as they're a bit softer-edged than other scary books out there!
amethystarchild's review
4.0
The short story collection “Slasher Girls & Monster Boys” with stories selected by April Genevieve Tucholke is a journey through the wide range of horror themes. These 14 Successful and talented Young-Adult writers all present stories that stand out from the others, with their own style, humor, and horror. The stories all are based off of ideas and themes from other movies and books, and they echo classic and new horror to the young-adult. Readers in search of a collection that includes a variety of monsters, mythology, murderers, and malicious ghosts need look no further.
Content Warnings:
• Occasional swearing
• Some underage smoking and drug use
• References to sexual encounters
• Violence can at times be VERY graphic
• Possible Triggering subjects include: suicide, rape, accidental death, witchcraft, murder, kidnapping, amputation
My reaction of the short story collection was pretty positive, I’ve been trying to explore genres I’m not as familiar with and this collection was a nice introduction. There were some stories I didn’t really engage me as much as others (“Verse Chorus Verse”, “Fat Girl with a Knife”, and “A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow”) but they still had some charm to them. I remember being very invested in “Sleepless” especially after the double plot twist that the author creates. I could give all my reactions to each story, but I’ll just say that the majority of the collection was very engaging and thrilling. It has succeeded in garnering my interest in the genre and introducing me to new authors I’d like to read more of.
Content Warnings:
• Occasional swearing
• Some underage smoking and drug use
• References to sexual encounters
• Violence can at times be VERY graphic
• Possible Triggering subjects include: suicide, rape, accidental death, witchcraft, murder, kidnapping, amputation
My reaction of the short story collection was pretty positive, I’ve been trying to explore genres I’m not as familiar with and this collection was a nice introduction. There were some stories I didn’t really engage me as much as others (“Verse Chorus Verse”, “Fat Girl with a Knife”, and “A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow”) but they still had some charm to them. I remember being very invested in “Sleepless” especially after the double plot twist that the author creates. I could give all my reactions to each story, but I’ll just say that the majority of the collection was very engaging and thrilling. It has succeeded in garnering my interest in the genre and introducing me to new authors I’d like to read more of.
rballenger's review against another edition
3.0
Type of read: Lunch/Weekend Read.
What made me pick it up: I picked this one up at McKay's one time and it seemed like a great season of my life to read it. Between Halloween, some vacations that needed a little light reading, and just wanting something good 'Slasher Girls & Monster Boys' seemed like a good fit.
Overall rating: 'Slasher Girls & Monster Boys' is a collection of short stories that all come together with one purpose, give the reader a bit of the macabre, maybe a scare or two, and leave them wondering if what they saw out of the corner of their eye was real or just their imagination. I personally love books like this. I don't have to have a huge attention span, there's a little bit of something for everyone, and some of the stories relate to or lean in to lore that we may already be familiar with.
What made me pick it up: I picked this one up at McKay's one time and it seemed like a great season of my life to read it. Between Halloween, some vacations that needed a little light reading, and just wanting something good 'Slasher Girls & Monster Boys' seemed like a good fit.
Overall rating: 'Slasher Girls & Monster Boys' is a collection of short stories that all come together with one purpose, give the reader a bit of the macabre, maybe a scare or two, and leave them wondering if what they saw out of the corner of their eye was real or just their imagination. I personally love books like this. I don't have to have a huge attention span, there's a little bit of something for everyone, and some of the stories relate to or lean in to lore that we may already be familiar with.
rainbowbookworm's review
5.0
This was a great collection of short stories where some beloved YA authors draw inspiration from movies, books, and stories and create their own little masterpieces. As a result, I have added a bunch of new authors to my TBR.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this collection of short stories, but some were not as good as others. If you like horror stories or thrillers I highly recommend it because of the variety of authors displayed in this gives diversity in the stories.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars. Great book, though the first part was better than the latter parts.
anxiouslyreading33's review
5.0
this was by far the best collection of short stories I have ever read creepy and not over done
laurenkara's review
4.0
Trigger warning: This is a horror book so there are a lot of dark themes discussed including sexual assault
I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book!! I read about 4 stories every night in the dark and it was so good!! I definitely want to keep reading horrors at night because it really helps add to the atmosphere. My favourite story in this was definitely Carrie Ryan's. I love everything involving Alice in Wonderland and I especially love darker takes on that story. I really enjoyed Jay Kristoff's story too as well as Marie Lu's and April Genevieve Tucholke's. I was not a fan of Danielle Paige's or Jonathan Mayberry's. They were the only really low point of the collection though and if you're a fan of horrors I definitely recommend this! Each story is inspired by previous horror books and films too which was really fun. I loved trying to guess what it was before looking at the footnotes!
Here are my ratings for each individual story:
• The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma - ★★★★
• In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan - ★★★★★
• Emmeline by Cat Winters - ★★★★
• Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo - ★★★
• Hide-And-Seek by Megan Shepherd - ★★★
• The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Page - ★ (extremely poor mental health rep)
• The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke - ★★★★
• Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry - ★★
• Sleepless by Jay Kristoff - ★★★★★
• M by Stefan Bachmann - ★★★
• The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu - ★★★★
• Stiches by A.G. Howard - ★★★
• A Girl who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman - ★★
• On the I-5 by Kendare Blake - ★★★★
I had SO MUCH FUN reading this book!! I read about 4 stories every night in the dark and it was so good!! I definitely want to keep reading horrors at night because it really helps add to the atmosphere. My favourite story in this was definitely Carrie Ryan's. I love everything involving Alice in Wonderland and I especially love darker takes on that story. I really enjoyed Jay Kristoff's story too as well as Marie Lu's and April Genevieve Tucholke's. I was not a fan of Danielle Paige's or Jonathan Mayberry's. They were the only really low point of the collection though and if you're a fan of horrors I definitely recommend this! Each story is inspired by previous horror books and films too which was really fun. I loved trying to guess what it was before looking at the footnotes!
Here are my ratings for each individual story:
• The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma - ★★★★
• In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan - ★★★★★
• Emmeline by Cat Winters - ★★★★
• Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo - ★★★
• Hide-And-Seek by Megan Shepherd - ★★★
• The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Page - ★ (extremely poor mental health rep)
• The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke - ★★★★
• Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry - ★★
• Sleepless by Jay Kristoff - ★★★★★
• M by Stefan Bachmann - ★★★
• The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu - ★★★★
• Stiches by A.G. Howard - ★★★
• A Girl who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman - ★★
• On the I-5 by Kendare Blake - ★★★★
el_wheel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The Birds of Azalea Street: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Very well written. Creepy more so than thriller or horror, but well done. I like the twist added to the inspirations. I also see this as worse than other types of the same stories simply because it hinges on something real and something awful that could happen to anyone. This one may be the one that sticks with me for a bit, leaving me more unsettled than other things I've read.
In the Forest Dark and Deep: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked the writing and I liked the premise. I will say I want to understand the Hare more. What is he? What exactly is his deal? Where did he come from? I like the switch in how Cassidy refers to him partway through because I really wasn't expecting it given the information we get at the beginning. I also enjoyed the foreshadowing we're given: "That he was a master at making one thing look like another..." All in all, it was a well-done horror story.
Emmeline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was creepy for sure. Well written. I guess it just hit kind of a midpoint for me. Wasn't bad, but wasn't raving good either.
Verse Chorus Verse: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was good, but it was too short. I was left with too many questions and not enough answers. What was Lousie? What was going on there? What trade? What happened to Jaycee? I just had so many questions, and the whole thing was really vague. The ending was also too abrupt. I'm also not sure I liked the implications against Jaycee for something that was obviously not her fault.
Hide-And-Seek: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was fun. I enjoyed the premise, and the ending got me - it was clever. I liked our main character. All in all, it's a good story.
The Dark Scary Parts and All: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolute chills. This is super well written, and I like the twists and turns we go down as Marnie figures out what's happening. It's well done, and I actually found the ending really fitting.
The Flicker, the Fingers, the Beat, the Sigh: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed the horror story mixed with star-crossed lovers. This was super well written. It gave me chills. I enjoyed our main character, and I really felt pity for him honestly - stuck with Scout, obviously in love with Canary, put in this impossible situation. I love the ambiguity of the ending. It's just very well done.
Fat Girl With a Knife: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The writing is pretty good. I'm not sure how I feel about Dahlia. Her characterization seems a tad underdone. I get that being fat is a big part of her story, but at the same time, after a few pages of it, it just kind of got on my nerves. Part of this is likely the shortness of the story, it doesn't leave time for anything the author doesn't decide is vital to the story, but even understanding that I felt it did her character injustice. That and I feel like I can't even give props for diversity because the weight of the character is just so poorly handled. The author could've done a lot to combat fatphobia here, but even the character's own description of herself and her weight is just so offensive. Overall, the story was interesting. It had a different sort of feel than a good portion of other zombie media, which was cool. All things considered, it's better than average but still sort of mid, hence the 3 star rating.
Sleepless: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That was good. I didn't see the ending coming, and I loved that. This was a nice twist from its source material. You think you see the twist coming, and then when the real one comes, you're left wondering how you missed it. It's really well done. This is probably my overall favorite.
M: ⭐️⭐️1/2
As with a few others, it's not bad. It's just a sort of mid-point for me. It's definitely an interesting premise, and I liked the idea of a blind main character solving a murder. But I also think it was an odd choice that she could see him? Like she's blind, why does she need the ability to see anything? That felt like one of those "magic gives them the ability to do things even with their disability" sort of cop-out, I don't know. It also wasn't particularly scary. It only really fits here because it's a murder mystery.
The Girl Without a Face: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That one gave me chills. It's truly scary, though I can't find any pity for our main character. It seems to me that he got what he deserved. I did enjoy the twists and the way the inspirations were twisted into their own new story. This one strikes me the same way a 2000's horror movie would. Well done.
A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow: ⭐️⭐️1/2
This one was confusing throughout. I never felt like I got a solid hold of the story or its universe. Due to this, it was really hard to ever feel invested in the story. It wasn't really scary at all, either.
Stitches: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. Gutting. So well-written. I loved Sage. I loved the Collector. I saw the twist coming, but it made me so sad regardless. The story is gruesome and beautiful. This is definitely tied for my favorite story.
On the I-5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was really good. Good writing. I loved EmmaRae. The story was interesting, and the premise was new and fresh to me. It'll stick with me a while because it's one of those stories about real horror - the horror people create, not monsters.
Very well written. Creepy more so than thriller or horror, but well done. I like the twist added to the inspirations. I also see this as worse than other types of the same stories simply because it hinges on something real and something awful that could happen to anyone. This one may be the one that sticks with me for a bit, leaving me more unsettled than other things I've read.
In the Forest Dark and Deep: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I liked the writing and I liked the premise. I will say I want to understand the Hare more. What is he? What exactly is his deal? Where did he come from? I like the switch in how Cassidy refers to him partway through because I really wasn't expecting it given the information we get at the beginning. I also enjoyed the foreshadowing we're given: "That he was a master at making one thing look like another..." All in all, it was a well-done horror story.
Emmeline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
It was creepy for sure. Well written. I guess it just hit kind of a midpoint for me. Wasn't bad, but wasn't raving good either.
Verse Chorus Verse: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
This was good, but it was too short. I was left with too many questions and not enough answers. What was Lousie? What was going on there? What trade? What happened to Jaycee? I just had so many questions, and the whole thing was really vague. The ending was also too abrupt. I'm also not sure I liked the implications against Jaycee for something that was obviously not her fault.
Hide-And-Seek: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was fun. I enjoyed the premise, and the ending got me - it was clever. I liked our main character. All in all, it's a good story.
The Dark Scary Parts and All: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Absolute chills. This is super well written, and I like the twists and turns we go down as Marnie figures out what's happening. It's well done, and I actually found the ending really fitting.
The Flicker, the Fingers, the Beat, the Sigh: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed the horror story mixed with star-crossed lovers. This was super well written. It gave me chills. I enjoyed our main character, and I really felt pity for him honestly - stuck with Scout, obviously in love with Canary, put in this impossible situation. I love the ambiguity of the ending. It's just very well done.
Fat Girl With a Knife: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The writing is pretty good. I'm not sure how I feel about Dahlia. Her characterization seems a tad underdone. I get that being fat is a big part of her story, but at the same time, after a few pages of it, it just kind of got on my nerves. Part of this is likely the shortness of the story, it doesn't leave time for anything the author doesn't decide is vital to the story, but even understanding that I felt it did her character injustice. That and I feel like I can't even give props for diversity because the weight of the character is just so poorly handled. The author could've done a lot to combat fatphobia here, but even the character's own description of herself and her weight is just so offensive. Overall, the story was interesting. It had a different sort of feel than a good portion of other zombie media, which was cool. All things considered, it's better than average but still sort of mid, hence the 3 star rating.
Sleepless: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That was good. I didn't see the ending coming, and I loved that. This was a nice twist from its source material. You think you see the twist coming, and then when the real one comes, you're left wondering how you missed it. It's really well done. This is probably my overall favorite.
M: ⭐️⭐️1/2
As with a few others, it's not bad. It's just a sort of mid-point for me. It's definitely an interesting premise, and I liked the idea of a blind main character solving a murder. But I also think it was an odd choice that she could see him? Like she's blind, why does she need the ability to see anything? That felt like one of those "magic gives them the ability to do things even with their disability" sort of cop-out, I don't know. It also wasn't particularly scary. It only really fits here because it's a murder mystery.
The Girl Without a Face: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
That one gave me chills. It's truly scary, though I can't find any pity for our main character. It seems to me that he got what he deserved. I did enjoy the twists and the way the inspirations were twisted into their own new story. This one strikes me the same way a 2000's horror movie would. Well done.
A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow: ⭐️⭐️1/2
This one was confusing throughout. I never felt like I got a solid hold of the story or its universe. Due to this, it was really hard to ever feel invested in the story. It wasn't really scary at all, either.
Stitches: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow. Gutting. So well-written. I loved Sage. I loved the Collector. I saw the twist coming, but it made me so sad regardless. The story is gruesome and beautiful. This is definitely tied for my favorite story.
On the I-5: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was really good. Good writing. I loved EmmaRae. The story was interesting, and the premise was new and fresh to me. It'll stick with me a while because it's one of those stories about real horror - the horror people create, not monsters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual assault, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Drug use, Addiction, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Gore, Pedophilia, and Murder
cara_ready's review
5.0
One of the best horror anthologies I have ever read! Every story was entertaining and unique.