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bookboop's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
awesomeallie's review against another edition
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
thewordapothecary's review
dark
emotional
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? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
I come from a lineage where folk stories are passed down as the main form of teaching and entertainment. I’m finding it hard to establish how this anthology is considered “folk” and not just scary campfire stories? Is the setting the main part of what classifies them as “folk”? I’m just not sure. I appreciate the queer representation and I think it’s important we see that in our folk stories. I just wasn’t impressed by the majority of these. The cover is dope though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Drug use, Body horror, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Murder, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, Dementia, Gore, Grief, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, and Violence
naomidanae's review
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I like quite a few of these stories. Some of them I’m not sure I would consider folk horror, but they’re still a nice collection. There’s one story that was difficult to read as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, so be careful of that if needed.
There were a few stories that were kind of forgettable, and a few felt like they were episodes from a modern horror TV series (derogatory). Overall, worth the read for the good ones, though!
A few quotes:
“Don’t you owe more to the living than to the dead?”
“There’re worse things than not being part of a family.”
“I didn’t know why it hurt so much, why I was still so angry. It could have been worse, it could’ve been far worse, it’d been nothing I hadn’t done to myself, so why was it so hard to just let it go?”
There were a few stories that were kind of forgettable, and a few felt like they were episodes from a modern horror TV series (derogatory). Overall, worth the read for the good ones, though!
A few quotes:
“Don’t you owe more to the living than to the dead?”
“There’re worse things than not being part of a family.”
“I didn’t know why it hurt so much, why I was still so angry. It could have been worse, it could’ve been far worse, it’d been nothing I hadn’t done to myself, so why was it so hard to just let it go?”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Blood, Child death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Body horror, Death, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Violence
macknz_p's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
robert_schreiner's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- 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
2.5
GORGEOUS COVER
katie1031's review against another edition
4.0
Stay by Erika Waters.
4 stars.
I loved this story, the characters felt alive and real to me. I felt connected to Melissa and invested in her wellbeing. This story was compelling, well written, and a great first story in the anthology.
The Tallest Poppy by Chloe Gong.
3.75 stars
While I didn't feel as connected to these characters as I did in Stay I loved this story. The imagery was exciting, it had me turning each page wondering what would happen next. I also loved the wording at the end, the imagery of the ocean and how it ties back in wonderful to the first line of the short story
Loved by All Saved by One by Tori Bovalino.
3 stars
This book was sweet. I really loved the characters and their friendship. I really enjoyed The back and forth between the present moment and the story of the woman who was killed in the home. However, this story gets three stars because I didn't feel as connected to the writing/pros, I almost felt like this story would have been more fun for me as a reader if it were its own novella. I would have liked to see these characters expanded on and their relationships to each other expanded on as I believe that was the strongest part of this story for me.
One-Lane Bridge by Hannah Whitten
4 stars.
I really enjoyed this story, it was just long enough for me to feel connected to each character and like I understood them. The story was spooky, however what made this story 4 stars was the ending, I really enjoyed understanding where the thing on the bridge came from and what that meant for our protagonist. I wasn't expecting it which bumped up my overall enjoyment
Ghost on the Shore by Allison Saft
3 stars
I enjoyed this story. Not as much as some of the others but it was a solid story about loss and desperation
Petrified by Octavia Chadha
4 stars
I really enjoyed this story. The imagery was fantastic and I love a good revenge plot. While the twist wasn't surprising this was one of my favorite stories in this collection
Third Burn by Courtney Gould
2.75
This story was good but not great, I enjoyed reading it but not nearly as much as some of the others. I knew how it would go for most of the book and didn't feel super connected to any of the characters. However I did enjoy our main character and Elle. I just didn't feel there was much pay off here
It Stays With You by Aden Polydoros
4 stars
I really enjoyed the start of this story, I wasn't sure where it would go at first but I ended up loving it. I loved watching our characters overcome their trauma through this horror lens
Truth or Dare by Alex Brown
4.75 stars
The storytelling here was fantastic. The relationship between the main character and Dillon was painfully relatable and beautifully written as well as the tunnels. I was invested in every second
The Burning One by Shakira Toussaint
5 stars
This one was my favorite. The story was not at all what I expected, emotionally very intense and so well structured. I felt genuine shock, this may be the only story I couldn't have predicted fully. I absolutely loved the writing, this was phenomenal storytelling
4 stars.
I loved this story, the characters felt alive and real to me. I felt connected to Melissa and invested in her wellbeing. This story was compelling, well written, and a great first story in the anthology.
The Tallest Poppy by Chloe Gong.
3.75 stars
While I didn't feel as connected to these characters as I did in Stay I loved this story. The imagery was exciting, it had me turning each page wondering what would happen next. I also loved the wording at the end, the imagery of the ocean and how it ties back in wonderful to the first line of the short story
Loved by All Saved by One by Tori Bovalino.
3 stars
This book was sweet. I really loved the characters and their friendship. I really enjoyed The back and forth between the present moment and the story of the woman who was killed in the home. However, this story gets three stars because I didn't feel as connected to the writing/pros, I almost felt like this story would have been more fun for me as a reader if it were its own novella. I would have liked to see these characters expanded on and their relationships to each other expanded on as I believe that was the strongest part of this story for me.
One-Lane Bridge by Hannah Whitten
4 stars.
I really enjoyed this story, it was just long enough for me to feel connected to each character and like I understood them. The story was spooky, however what made this story 4 stars was the ending, I really enjoyed understanding where the thing on the bridge came from and what that meant for our protagonist. I wasn't expecting it which bumped up my overall enjoyment
Ghost on the Shore by Allison Saft
3 stars
I enjoyed this story. Not as much as some of the others but it was a solid story about loss and desperation
Petrified by Octavia Chadha
4 stars
I really enjoyed this story. The imagery was fantastic and I love a good revenge plot. While the twist wasn't surprising this was one of my favorite stories in this collection
Third Burn by Courtney Gould
2.75
This story was good but not great, I enjoyed reading it but not nearly as much as some of the others. I knew how it would go for most of the book and didn't feel super connected to any of the characters. However I did enjoy our main character and Elle. I just didn't feel there was much pay off here
It Stays With You by Aden Polydoros
4 stars
I really enjoyed the start of this story, I wasn't sure where it would go at first but I ended up loving it. I loved watching our characters overcome their trauma through this horror lens
Truth or Dare by Alex Brown
4.75 stars
The storytelling here was fantastic. The relationship between the main character and Dillon was painfully relatable and beautifully written as well as the tunnels. I was invested in every second
The Burning One by Shakira Toussaint
5 stars
This one was my favorite. The story was not at all what I expected, emotionally very intense and so well structured. I felt genuine shock, this may be the only story I couldn't have predicted fully. I absolutely loved the writing, this was phenomenal storytelling
kpthelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Great collection of short stories, there were two that I wasn’t so keen on but the rest were every bit as spooky as I hoped!
aubreyw08's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5