Scan barcode
fellexya's review against another edition
4.0
I was wonderfully given this title from Netgalley and the publisher to give my honest opinion.
*******************************************************************************
I really enjoyed this book of short horror shorts. However there were only a few that I was not able to go to sleep after reading them since it creeped me out a bit to much, which kept me reading more of the book. There was one that I wished there was more to the story to understand it a little better. I would recommend this to anyone who is wanting to get into horror and needs a little stepping stone to get there. Overall I enjoyed this read.
*******************************************************************************
I really enjoyed this book of short horror shorts. However there were only a few that I was not able to go to sleep after reading them since it creeped me out a bit to much, which kept me reading more of the book. There was one that I wished there was more to the story to understand it a little better. I would recommend this to anyone who is wanting to get into horror and needs a little stepping stone to get there. Overall I enjoyed this read.
roxiethebookslayer's review against another edition
3.0
February is Women of Horror Month!
Overall some great stories in here, some enjoyable ones that needed more, and only a few that wasted my time.
24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt ⭐⭐⭐
-vampire
Sideshow by Jude Reid⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Remember boys, if a girl doesn't say YES she is saying no, even when she says nothing at all.
The Doll's House by Alyson Faye⭐⭐⭐
-crazy Franny running the house
Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell⭐⭐
-I feel this story is unfinished, might be better as a novella.
Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton⭐⭐⭐
-Adam trying way too hard. You. are. not. Joe.
Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns⭐
-Succubus, fucking awful
Friends with Benefits by E.F. Schraeder⭐⭐
-Witches
Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine⭐
-Ugh...
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Menstration Frustration
Leda and the Fly by Marrie Azzarelli⭐⭐⭐
-should have started with the fly
Jenny's Bobo by Hillary Lyon⭐⭐⭐
-I want a Bobo
Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland⭐⭐⭐⭐
-MEOW!
The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-**trigger warning** This story will haunt me for life
My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor⭐⭐⭐
-toxic relationship
Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Selkies
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivardy⭐⭐⭐
-Poor Mr. Cassidy
Cracked by Regan Moore⭐⭐⭐
-creepy doll creeped me out
Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Sci-Fi horror
Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar⭐⭐⭐⭐
-There is something special about this garden soil.
Revival by Madison Estes⭐⭐⭐
-The horror of grief
A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra⭐⭐ Vanian
-As the Mer-world Turns
Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Can't touch this.
Thank you to Twisted Wing Productions and NetGalley for a gifted e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
"I myself am strange and unusual."
Overall some great stories in here, some enjoyable ones that needed more, and only a few that wasted my time.
24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt ⭐⭐⭐
-vampire
Sideshow by Jude Reid⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Remember boys, if a girl doesn't say YES she is saying no, even when she says nothing at all.
The Doll's House by Alyson Faye⭐⭐⭐
-crazy Franny running the house
Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell⭐⭐
-I feel this story is unfinished, might be better as a novella.
Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton⭐⭐⭐
-Adam trying way too hard. You. are. not. Joe.
Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns⭐
-Succubus, fucking awful
Friends with Benefits by E.F. Schraeder⭐⭐
-Witches
Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine⭐
-Ugh...
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Menstration Frustration
Leda and the Fly by Marrie Azzarelli⭐⭐⭐
-should have started with the fly
Jenny's Bobo by Hillary Lyon⭐⭐⭐
-I want a Bobo
Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland⭐⭐⭐⭐
-MEOW!
The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-**trigger warning** This story will haunt me for life
My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor⭐⭐⭐
-toxic relationship
Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Selkies
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivardy⭐⭐⭐
-Poor Mr. Cassidy
Cracked by Regan Moore⭐⭐⭐
-creepy doll creeped me out
Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Sci-Fi horror
Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar⭐⭐⭐⭐
-There is something special about this garden soil.
Revival by Madison Estes⭐⭐⭐
-The horror of grief
A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra⭐⭐ Vanian
-As the Mer-world Turns
Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe⭐⭐⭐⭐
-Can't touch this.
Thank you to Twisted Wing Productions and NetGalley for a gifted e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
el_stevie's review against another edition
3.0
Strange Girls: Women in Horror Anthology, edited by Azzurra Nox is a collection of tales by female writers with, in theory, women as the main characters of the story. The genres spanned recognised horror tropes but also veered into fantasy and YA which might not suit all tastes. From the title, I was hoping for dark tales with strong, central female characters. Unfortunately, a number of them had the male as the lead character with the female very much as the supporting role, even if they did turn the tables in the end (or were ‘strange’ in some way). An example is Charlotte Platt’s 24 Hour Diner, which I did enjoy, being a recognisable horror, but the main character was male, even though the female vampire won out in the end. Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton did a good job portraying a needy, creepy stalker type but again the woman, his target, was very much a supporting role. A few stories also read very much as YA in tone – although I don’t mind that either as I read a lot of YA, especially for my day job – I just hadn’t expected it from the title of the collection.
I will add that I skim read The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey, which carried a trigger warning of rape and violence as I am not comfortable with stories with sexual violence – including necrophilia, as here - as its main theme, especially where, as in this case, the woman was the victim and remained so.
Whilst I have given this anthology a 3-star rating overall. There are some stories which I rate higher:
24 Hour Diner as mentioned above (despite viewpoint)
The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye – a creepy, gothic chiller from an author who is becoming a recognisable and reliable writer in this field
Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli with its claustrophobic feel, its focus on depression and possession.
Cracked by Regan Moore couldn’t really go wrong with its demonic doll.
I will add that I skim read The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey, which carried a trigger warning of rape and violence as I am not comfortable with stories with sexual violence – including necrophilia, as here - as its main theme, especially where, as in this case, the woman was the victim and remained so.
Whilst I have given this anthology a 3-star rating overall. There are some stories which I rate higher:
24 Hour Diner as mentioned above (despite viewpoint)
The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye – a creepy, gothic chiller from an author who is becoming a recognisable and reliable writer in this field
Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli with its claustrophobic feel, its focus on depression and possession.
Cracked by Regan Moore couldn’t really go wrong with its demonic doll.
whateveryoneelseisreading's review against another edition
4.0
I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Twisted Wing Productions in exchange for an honest review.
Anyone who knows me knows that I love horror, I really do. However, there's no denying I've had some bad luck with horror anthologies. There are very specific things I dislike and more often than not, they tend to crop up in anthologies. The idea of a horror anthology written entirely by women was so appealing to me because (sadly) a lot of the stuff I dislike tends to be written by male authors. Also, who doesn't want to support more female authors?
Amazingly, I was 100% correct in my assumptions. Almost all of these stories succeeded at being really intriguing tales of horror without any of the weird sexual elements, glorification of violence or other dodgy gender stuff I dislike. There is one exception to this-'The Eyes of the Dead' by Danielle R. Bailey is a particularly brutal tale about the aftermath of a rape. It wasn't a bad story by any means but it didn't really fit with the tone of the other stories and I felt like it was a bit too bleak for an anthology of this nature.
Having said that, there's a good mix of stories here in general. A fair few of them felt like they were too short and ended just as they were getting interesting which was a shame. Some of my favourites include 'Adam's Self-Portrait with Pears' by Rachel Bolton, 'Personal Demons' by Angelique Fawns, 'Cracked' by Regan Moore, 'Revival' by Madison Estes and 'A Song Only She Can Hear' by Wondra Vanian. There are some which are traditional horror but a lot of them had a dark fantasy side to them which was neat.
All in all, I'm very glad I read this collection and I would recommend it to anyone who has trouble finding a horror anthology that fits their tastes. I wouldn't say the tone is particularly feminist but it is a refreshing kind of horror and one I would love to see more of.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Anyone who knows me knows that I love horror, I really do. However, there's no denying I've had some bad luck with horror anthologies. There are very specific things I dislike and more often than not, they tend to crop up in anthologies. The idea of a horror anthology written entirely by women was so appealing to me because (sadly) a lot of the stuff I dislike tends to be written by male authors. Also, who doesn't want to support more female authors?
Amazingly, I was 100% correct in my assumptions. Almost all of these stories succeeded at being really intriguing tales of horror without any of the weird sexual elements, glorification of violence or other dodgy gender stuff I dislike. There is one exception to this-'The Eyes of the Dead' by Danielle R. Bailey is a particularly brutal tale about the aftermath of a rape. It wasn't a bad story by any means but it didn't really fit with the tone of the other stories and I felt like it was a bit too bleak for an anthology of this nature.
Having said that, there's a good mix of stories here in general. A fair few of them felt like they were too short and ended just as they were getting interesting which was a shame. Some of my favourites include 'Adam's Self-Portrait with Pears' by Rachel Bolton, 'Personal Demons' by Angelique Fawns, 'Cracked' by Regan Moore, 'Revival' by Madison Estes and 'A Song Only She Can Hear' by Wondra Vanian. There are some which are traditional horror but a lot of them had a dark fantasy side to them which was neat.
All in all, I'm very glad I read this collection and I would recommend it to anyone who has trouble finding a horror anthology that fits their tastes. I wouldn't say the tone is particularly feminist but it is a refreshing kind of horror and one I would love to see more of.
Overall Rating: 4/5
meganlouise815's review against another edition
3.0
24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt, 3 stars: Fairly strong idea; I enjoyed the twist and gotta love a strong independent woman. But the dialogue was very forced.
Sideshow by Jude Reid, 4 stars: A dark and unsettling story about revenge. Good commentary on rape culture inside relationships.
The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye, 5 stars: This was really eerie and probably my favourite story. It was very enjoyable and well written. I would happily read a full-length novel like this.
Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell, 2 stars: This was a bit too out-there for my liking and it felt like it went on for ages, and not in a good way.
Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton, 3 stars: Bit creepy, kinda unnerving.
Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns, 3 stars: This made me feel really weird which I guess is the point, but the writing was meh.
Friends with Benefits by EF Schraeder, 2 stars: Would have given this 1 star but I felt bad because there wasn’t anything bad about it.
Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine, 1 star: I just didn’t really gel with this one at all so 1 star it is
The Girl Wh Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren, 1 star: A bit too religious for my liking; I didn’t connect with any of the story.
Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli, 5 stars: Probably my second favourite after The Dollhouse. Very weird.
Jenny’s Bobo by Hillary Lyon, 3 stars: This one seemed kinda unfinished almost... I wanted more but it didn’t give me enough.
Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland, 3 stars: Unnerving story about a kitten and I liked it but didn’t think it was anything amazing.
The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R Bailey, 2 stars: This was kinda rough to read and I didn’t particularly enjoy it.
My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor, 3 stars: This was kinda just fine for me, I enjoyed the idea but I’m not sure the execution was all there.
Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox, 4 stars: I’m glad I enjoyed the story written by the person who collected this anthology.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivard, 4 stars: This was weird and creepy and I liked it quite a lot.
Cracked by Regan Moore, 5 stars: Maybe I just like stories surrounding creepy supernatural dolls?
Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson, 2 stars: Left a bad taste in my mouth and not in the way that horror should
Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar, 2 stars: I didn’t particularly gain anything from this story but it wasn’t bad per se.
Revival by Madison Estes, 5 stars: Ooh this was weird and wonderful – very entertaining.
A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian, 4 stars: This was a really strong story, I enjoyed it a lot. Loved the characters and atmosphere.
Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe, 1 star: Such a disappointing end to the anthology – I would have loved for one of my favourites to finish it so it ended on a high note.
Average Rating: 2.86 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
Sideshow by Jude Reid, 4 stars: A dark and unsettling story about revenge. Good commentary on rape culture inside relationships.
The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye, 5 stars: This was really eerie and probably my favourite story. It was very enjoyable and well written. I would happily read a full-length novel like this.
Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell, 2 stars: This was a bit too out-there for my liking and it felt like it went on for ages, and not in a good way.
Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton, 3 stars: Bit creepy, kinda unnerving.
Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns, 3 stars: This made me feel really weird which I guess is the point, but the writing was meh.
Friends with Benefits by EF Schraeder, 2 stars: Would have given this 1 star but I felt bad because there wasn’t anything bad about it.
Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine, 1 star: I just didn’t really gel with this one at all so 1 star it is
The Girl Wh Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren, 1 star: A bit too religious for my liking; I didn’t connect with any of the story.
Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli, 5 stars: Probably my second favourite after The Dollhouse. Very weird.
Jenny’s Bobo by Hillary Lyon, 3 stars: This one seemed kinda unfinished almost... I wanted more but it didn’t give me enough.
Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland, 3 stars: Unnerving story about a kitten and I liked it but didn’t think it was anything amazing.
The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R Bailey, 2 stars: This was kinda rough to read and I didn’t particularly enjoy it.
My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor, 3 stars: This was kinda just fine for me, I enjoyed the idea but I’m not sure the execution was all there.
Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox, 4 stars: I’m glad I enjoyed the story written by the person who collected this anthology.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivard, 4 stars: This was weird and creepy and I liked it quite a lot.
Cracked by Regan Moore, 5 stars: Maybe I just like stories surrounding creepy supernatural dolls?
Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson, 2 stars: Left a bad taste in my mouth and not in the way that horror should
Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar, 2 stars: I didn’t particularly gain anything from this story but it wasn’t bad per se.
Revival by Madison Estes, 5 stars: Ooh this was weird and wonderful – very entertaining.
A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian, 4 stars: This was a really strong story, I enjoyed it a lot. Loved the characters and atmosphere.
Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe, 1 star: Such a disappointing end to the anthology – I would have loved for one of my favourites to finish it so it ended on a high note.
Average Rating: 2.86 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review
sagek's review against another edition
3.0
I think I gave most of them around 3 stars, so that's what I am rating it entirely.
24 Hour Diner = 3.5 stars
This one involves a 24 hour diner, a barista hitting on a customer, a vampire (I think?), and a serial killer. In the first portion of the short story it mentions that all the people in the diner are killers, and I assumed that was a joke of sorts since they are always up so late. But nope. It was not a joke. I enjoyed it, seeing the male MC do his process was intriguing. But overall, I didn’t feel much for the characters or setting.
Sideshow = 2 stars
A teenage couple go to a fair or something with rides and such. The female MC recalls how her partner -in a way since she didn’t say no, as she knew he wouldn’t get off- forced himself on her and continues to do so. She pretends to be happy and follows him to a tent show of three beautiful women dancing. In the end, he gets what he deserved. This felt unrealistic to me because the end scene just did not bring out any emotion like it should have. It fell flat, as the whole narration felt disconnected.
The Doll’s House = 2 stars
This one is still very confusing for me. So there is this doll house, and apparently the dolls in it are alive. I constantly wondered why the dolls could be heard by a deaf child and how she could speak back to them, as well as the author hinted that it may actually be all in her head and the child is the one doing the bad things?? But then the dolls are back in action, having their own thoughts away from the child?? I had more questions than answers, honestly. It was confusing, and nothing really happened.
Blood = 2 stars
I was confused for most of this, until I got to the end and realized everything else was basically just a memory from years ago, that only served to explain one small detail. I really liked the hint at the end about the wings. It detailed the grandmother’s influence on the child during the one time she caught her grandma doing something strange, and then went to the present time for a small detail. But I feel like the beginning didn’t flow properly nor lead well to the last (and possibly only important) scene in the short story.
Self-Portrait with Pears = 3 stars
This was told in the view of a college male who decides he likes a girl because of her blue hair. He pursues her, basically stalks her, spams her with messages, and is overall a very disturbing being. I enjoyed being in his head and seeing how he thought he was doing the right thing, and how he tried to work out what he did wrong.
Personal Demons = 3.5 stars
Sam is non-binary and also bullied for it. A new student saves them (basically) and they become best friends. Turns out Sam’s new BFF is not human, but Sam doesn’t care. Not until something happens and they have a choice to make… I really liked the rep and friendship in this one. It caught my attention and kept it. The only reason I am not giving it more stars is because of the end. Sam’s decision just did not seem like the kind their character would make. Sam was in love, didn’t care about the secret of this person, and yet hurt them for a stranger they didn’t know? It felt like a different character made the choice.
Friends with Benefits = 0.5 stars
This made absolutely no sense to me at all. First of all, the title seems like a poor choice as it focuses more on the family drama than this ‘friends with benefits’ deal. Second of all, the MC is terrified of her weird injury that appeared out of nowhere and gets worse by the day, only to do a complete 180 and basically say ‘jokes on you, I knew all along!’? And to make matters worse, she turns on her dad? He goes to help her, and then out of nowhere her and her friend attack him? I don’t even know if they killed him or not because it was so confusing.
Night Terrors = 4 stars
I loved this one. Genetic humans tested in carefully made conditions to see how well they can pass as human. It was great, honestly. Our MC has night terrors after her accident and investigates, only to find out that she is not human, they are not night terrors (they are real), and her memories get wiped every time she figures it out. I was hooked until the very end.
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding = 1 star
I don’t really understand this one. It was less than two (ebook) pages and had very little information in it. I am still not sure what to make of it.
Leda and the Fly = 2.5 stars
This was a strange one for sure. Depression left Leda bedridden and uncaring, ready to die. But then she kills a fly, is energetic again, and we learn she has murderous thoughts daily. It was a bit dull for me personally, but it also wasn’t bad.
Jenny’s Bobo = 4 stars
I enjoyed this one a lot. So, Jenny has a pet (well, not according to her dad) that causes trouble (not that her parents know) and basically punishes her enemies at night so long as she lets him out. It is a good partnership and their connection was pretty cute.
Extinguishing Fireflies = 3.5 stars
It took me a bit to realize, but the end really cleared things up and I love it! I was a bit confused as to why one character was killed off when it seemed as if they were somewhat important to the killer/killer’s family. But otherwise it was enjoyable.
The Eyes of The Dead = 1 star
This one had a trigger warning. And wow do I ever wish I skipped this one! I was thoroughly disturbed and I don’t even want to think about what I read. Rape, murder, a soul trapped in a body so they can feel everything that is done to them after death. Yeah, I wanted to puke. That’s not to say it is badly written, just very, very disturbing for me personally. And I thought I would be fine because I read a lot of dark stuff. But I am not fine.
My Mirror Wife = 2 stars
This one confused me too. I get it, she bespells all men and they do as she wishes. But she seems to want to prove herself to her husband even though he is under her spell? Sure, he sent a hitman out on her, but after she got home he was back under her spell and no longer wanted to be rid of her. So what was the point of all this??
Patterns of Faerytales = 3 stars
I felt disconnected to this one. There was no emotion in the writing. I liked the aspect of hiding someone’s true nature from them, and then -when they inevitable find out- joining them in such conditions. But I feel it would have had more of an affect if there was more emotion to it.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings = 3 stars
This is basically a ghost story one would share at night around a fire. A tale based on a true occurrence from many years ago, with the threat of you being next. It would definitely be spooky in the setting!
Cracked = 4 stars
A thief steals a doll from an old woman (though she didn’t know the purse held the doll at the time), and thus starts the haunting. Yes, the doll haunts the thief and brings her to the brink of terror before devouring her. Very delightful short story!
Angel of Death = 4 stars
I love the idea behind this one, that a being from another planet can infiltrate ours and attempt to punish the bad. And when all fails, destroys the planet. Intriguing and well written!
Her Garden Grows = 3.5 stars
The beginning is misleading, which is wonderful because as soon as the twist comes, it makes you think about everything you just read to see where the change first started. Yes, the cat is the narrator and I love it!
Revival = 2 stars
Against his better judgment, our MC takes a dead body home and starts to think of her as his sister. He takes care of her. Sometimes she is animated and speaks to him, other times she is a corpse. Strange and not much actually happened
A Song Only She Can Hear = 3 stars
The beginning was great, introducing us to a mermaid or siren girl who has finally met another of her kind. But of course, she is not normal and ends up eating him… She never again returns to the water. I didn’t feel anything? I had no sadness for his death, and no sympathy for her guilt and terror.
Tribal Influence = 4 stars
I think maybe this one was my favourite. A young girl is taken by the military because of her powers, and a man is tasked with questioning her and getting to know her powers. Well, things take a turn for the worst. Many die and this time, I felt something! I felt sadness for the little girl who was trapped and just wanted her family. I felt sympathy for the man who just wanted to help her but died. And I felt anger towards those who hurt her. Very well written!
Overall, this collection of short stories were interesting, though not amazing for me personally.
24 Hour Diner = 3.5 stars
This one involves a 24 hour diner, a barista hitting on a customer, a vampire (I think?), and a serial killer. In the first portion of the short story it mentions that all the people in the diner are killers, and I assumed that was a joke of sorts since they are always up so late. But nope. It was not a joke. I enjoyed it, seeing the male MC do his process was intriguing. But overall, I didn’t feel much for the characters or setting.
Sideshow = 2 stars
A teenage couple go to a fair or something with rides and such. The female MC recalls how her partner -in a way since she didn’t say no, as she knew he wouldn’t get off- forced himself on her and continues to do so. She pretends to be happy and follows him to a tent show of three beautiful women dancing. In the end, he gets what he deserved. This felt unrealistic to me because the end scene just did not bring out any emotion like it should have. It fell flat, as the whole narration felt disconnected.
The Doll’s House = 2 stars
This one is still very confusing for me. So there is this doll house, and apparently the dolls in it are alive. I constantly wondered why the dolls could be heard by a deaf child and how she could speak back to them, as well as the author hinted that it may actually be all in her head and the child is the one doing the bad things?? But then the dolls are back in action, having their own thoughts away from the child?? I had more questions than answers, honestly. It was confusing, and nothing really happened.
Blood = 2 stars
I was confused for most of this, until I got to the end and realized everything else was basically just a memory from years ago, that only served to explain one small detail. I really liked the hint at the end about the wings. It detailed the grandmother’s influence on the child during the one time she caught her grandma doing something strange, and then went to the present time for a small detail. But I feel like the beginning didn’t flow properly nor lead well to the last (and possibly only important) scene in the short story.
Self-Portrait with Pears = 3 stars
This was told in the view of a college male who decides he likes a girl because of her blue hair. He pursues her, basically stalks her, spams her with messages, and is overall a very disturbing being. I enjoyed being in his head and seeing how he thought he was doing the right thing, and how he tried to work out what he did wrong.
Personal Demons = 3.5 stars
Sam is non-binary and also bullied for it. A new student saves them (basically) and they become best friends. Turns out Sam’s new BFF is not human, but Sam doesn’t care. Not until something happens and they have a choice to make… I really liked the rep and friendship in this one. It caught my attention and kept it. The only reason I am not giving it more stars is because of the end. Sam’s decision just did not seem like the kind their character would make. Sam was in love, didn’t care about the secret of this person, and yet hurt them for a stranger they didn’t know? It felt like a different character made the choice.
Friends with Benefits = 0.5 stars
This made absolutely no sense to me at all. First of all, the title seems like a poor choice as it focuses more on the family drama than this ‘friends with benefits’ deal. Second of all, the MC is terrified of her weird injury that appeared out of nowhere and gets worse by the day, only to do a complete 180 and basically say ‘jokes on you, I knew all along!’? And to make matters worse, she turns on her dad? He goes to help her, and then out of nowhere her and her friend attack him? I don’t even know if they killed him or not because it was so confusing.
Night Terrors = 4 stars
I loved this one. Genetic humans tested in carefully made conditions to see how well they can pass as human. It was great, honestly. Our MC has night terrors after her accident and investigates, only to find out that she is not human, they are not night terrors (they are real), and her memories get wiped every time she figures it out. I was hooked until the very end.
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding = 1 star
I don’t really understand this one. It was less than two (ebook) pages and had very little information in it. I am still not sure what to make of it.
Leda and the Fly = 2.5 stars
This was a strange one for sure. Depression left Leda bedridden and uncaring, ready to die. But then she kills a fly, is energetic again, and we learn she has murderous thoughts daily. It was a bit dull for me personally, but it also wasn’t bad.
Jenny’s Bobo = 4 stars
I enjoyed this one a lot. So, Jenny has a pet (well, not according to her dad) that causes trouble (not that her parents know) and basically punishes her enemies at night so long as she lets him out. It is a good partnership and their connection was pretty cute.
Extinguishing Fireflies = 3.5 stars
It took me a bit to realize, but the end really cleared things up and I love it! I was a bit confused as to why one character was killed off when it seemed as if they were somewhat important to the killer/killer’s family. But otherwise it was enjoyable.
The Eyes of The Dead = 1 star
This one had a trigger warning. And wow do I ever wish I skipped this one! I was thoroughly disturbed and I don’t even want to think about what I read. Rape, murder, a soul trapped in a body so they can feel everything that is done to them after death. Yeah, I wanted to puke. That’s not to say it is badly written, just very, very disturbing for me personally. And I thought I would be fine because I read a lot of dark stuff. But I am not fine.
My Mirror Wife = 2 stars
This one confused me too. I get it, she bespells all men and they do as she wishes. But she seems to want to prove herself to her husband even though he is under her spell? Sure, he sent a hitman out on her, but after she got home he was back under her spell and no longer wanted to be rid of her. So what was the point of all this??
Patterns of Faerytales = 3 stars
I felt disconnected to this one. There was no emotion in the writing. I liked the aspect of hiding someone’s true nature from them, and then -when they inevitable find out- joining them in such conditions. But I feel it would have had more of an affect if there was more emotion to it.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings = 3 stars
This is basically a ghost story one would share at night around a fire. A tale based on a true occurrence from many years ago, with the threat of you being next. It would definitely be spooky in the setting!
Cracked = 4 stars
A thief steals a doll from an old woman (though she didn’t know the purse held the doll at the time), and thus starts the haunting. Yes, the doll haunts the thief and brings her to the brink of terror before devouring her. Very delightful short story!
Angel of Death = 4 stars
I love the idea behind this one, that a being from another planet can infiltrate ours and attempt to punish the bad. And when all fails, destroys the planet. Intriguing and well written!
Her Garden Grows = 3.5 stars
The beginning is misleading, which is wonderful because as soon as the twist comes, it makes you think about everything you just read to see where the change first started. Yes, the cat is the narrator and I love it!
Revival = 2 stars
Against his better judgment, our MC takes a dead body home and starts to think of her as his sister. He takes care of her. Sometimes she is animated and speaks to him, other times she is a corpse. Strange and not much actually happened
A Song Only She Can Hear = 3 stars
The beginning was great, introducing us to a mermaid or siren girl who has finally met another of her kind. But of course, she is not normal and ends up eating him… She never again returns to the water. I didn’t feel anything? I had no sadness for his death, and no sympathy for her guilt and terror.
Tribal Influence = 4 stars
I think maybe this one was my favourite. A young girl is taken by the military because of her powers, and a man is tasked with questioning her and getting to know her powers. Well, things take a turn for the worst. Many die and this time, I felt something! I felt sadness for the little girl who was trapped and just wanted her family. I felt sympathy for the man who just wanted to help her but died. And I felt anger towards those who hurt her. Very well written!
Overall, this collection of short stories were interesting, though not amazing for me personally.
joulesreads's review
2.0
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book!
This anthology is a pretty mixed bag. Some of the stories are definitely creepy and atmospheric while others I could not understand what was supposed to be so horrifying. I can appreciate the variety of horror included. It was not just campfire ghost stories but also had some sci-fi and fantasy. The book was pretty inclusive with representation which was refreshing to see in the horror genre.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous!
My personal favorite was The Doll's House, which was eery and reminiscent of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
My least favorite was Blood, which was just too short to really get into and was confusingly written.
This anthology is a pretty mixed bag. Some of the stories are definitely creepy and atmospheric while others I could not understand what was supposed to be so horrifying. I can appreciate the variety of horror included. It was not just campfire ghost stories but also had some sci-fi and fantasy. The book was pretty inclusive with representation which was refreshing to see in the horror genre.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous!
My personal favorite was The Doll's House, which was eery and reminiscent of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
My least favorite was Blood, which was just too short to really get into and was confusingly written.
voidwhales's review
3.0
24 Hour Diner - 2 stars, awkward writing but fun premise
Sideshow - 4 Stars, a solid story that really fit the collection
The Doll's House - 4 Stars, another good one.
Blood - 2 Stars. A very short fantasy story that just sort of ... stops.
Self-Portrait with Pears - 3 Stars. Well-written but I didn't really get how this fit the collection's theme.
Personal Demons - 1 Star. Liked the non-binary character, but wow that writing was bad.
Friends with Benefits - 2 Stars. Very cheesy, not well-written.
Night Terrors - 3 Stars. A fun twisty story.
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding - 3 Stars, wish it was longer.
Leda and the Fly - 4 Stars, this was a fun weird little story.
Jenny's Bobo - 3 Stars, really liked this but I wanted more!
Extinguishing Fireflies - 4 Stars, silly but in a fun way.
The Eyes of the Dead - 4 Stars, this one was really messed up.
My Mirror Wife - 3 Stars, a little cheesy but okay writing
Patterns of Faerytales - 3 Stars, love a selkie story, but this wasn't written particularly well.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings - 5 stars, simple but effective.
Cracked - 3 Stars. It was fine.
Angel of Death - 5 Stars, really enjoyed this. I could read a whole novel about this.
Her Garden Grows - 4 Stars. This was a weird one that I didn't quite get but still enjoyed.
Revival - 3 Stars. Solid writing, but not a premise that really appealed to me.
A Song Only She Can Hear - 4 Stars. A really good mermaid story.
Tribal Influence - 4 Stars, fun story, felt like the opening of a video game.
So a pretty mixed bag overall. I received this arc from Netgalley.
Sideshow - 4 Stars, a solid story that really fit the collection
The Doll's House - 4 Stars, another good one.
Blood - 2 Stars. A very short fantasy story that just sort of ... stops.
Self-Portrait with Pears - 3 Stars. Well-written but I didn't really get how this fit the collection's theme.
Personal Demons - 1 Star. Liked the non-binary character, but wow that writing was bad.
Friends with Benefits - 2 Stars. Very cheesy, not well-written.
Night Terrors - 3 Stars. A fun twisty story.
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding - 3 Stars, wish it was longer.
Leda and the Fly - 4 Stars, this was a fun weird little story.
Jenny's Bobo - 3 Stars, really liked this but I wanted more!
Extinguishing Fireflies - 4 Stars, silly but in a fun way.
The Eyes of the Dead - 4 Stars, this one was really messed up.
My Mirror Wife - 3 Stars, a little cheesy but okay writing
Patterns of Faerytales - 3 Stars, love a selkie story, but this wasn't written particularly well.
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings - 5 stars, simple but effective.
Cracked - 3 Stars. It was fine.
Angel of Death - 5 Stars, really enjoyed this. I could read a whole novel about this.
Her Garden Grows - 4 Stars. This was a weird one that I didn't quite get but still enjoyed.
Revival - 3 Stars. Solid writing, but not a premise that really appealed to me.
A Song Only She Can Hear - 4 Stars. A really good mermaid story.
Tribal Influence - 4 Stars, fun story, felt like the opening of a video game.
So a pretty mixed bag overall. I received this arc from Netgalley.
kitkait's review
3.0
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to provide a review of this ARC.
Not gonna lie, when this first started out, I was feeling very uneasy about whether or not this was an anthology I would enjoy. After encountering a few duds early on, I finally began to enjoy myself. This anthology consists of 22 short stories, and I notated 12 as ones I particularly liked. In no particular order, these are the ones I found enjoyable:
Self-portrait with Pears
Night Terrors
Leda and the Fly
Jenny's Bobo
Extinguishing Fireflies
The Eyes of the Dead
My Mirror Wife
Patterns of Faerytales
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings
Cracked
Angel of Death
Tribal Influence
I know the importance of reading female authors in the horror genre, so am very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this.
Also...that cover is swoon-worthy.
Not gonna lie, when this first started out, I was feeling very uneasy about whether or not this was an anthology I would enjoy. After encountering a few duds early on, I finally began to enjoy myself. This anthology consists of 22 short stories, and I notated 12 as ones I particularly liked. In no particular order, these are the ones I found enjoyable:
Self-portrait with Pears
Night Terrors
Leda and the Fly
Jenny's Bobo
Extinguishing Fireflies
The Eyes of the Dead
My Mirror Wife
Patterns of Faerytales
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings
Cracked
Angel of Death
Tribal Influence
I know the importance of reading female authors in the horror genre, so am very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this.
Also...that cover is swoon-worthy.
ws_bookclub's review
1.0
https://wittyandsarcasticbookclub.home.blog/2020/01/01/strange-girls-women-in-horror-anthology-by-azzurra-nox-arc-review/
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available on February 18th.
There’s a reason I’m posting this review so far ahead of the book’s release date: it is really, really bad. I hate posting a negative review right before a release date, so I’m posting this earlier. My final feeling on this anthology is: YUCK.
I went into this book with excitement, looking forward to horror stories where women are the major focus. That’s a cool idea, and I stand by that. However, what was included in this book is not something I would ever knowingly choose to read.
One story had an incredibly nasty person who had a penchant for necrophilia. Another repeated the phrase “You didn’t say no” multiple times. What you infer from that is unfortunately correct. I don’t read these things in books. It bothers me enough that I mention it in my blog review policy. I will give a shout out to yet another story involving these problems: this one at least included a trigger warning at the beginning. I chose to skip that story.
Okay, you might be thinking, that’s just a few examples though, and you’re right. Other stories felt unfinished (and not in a good way). That doesn’t mean that these authors are bad: in fact, I’m sure some of them are very talented. It might have very well been a choice to leave these particular stories with an unfinished feeling, but it didn’t work for me.
I can’t choose a favorite story among the ones in this anthology because so many of them left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and not the fun sense of eeriness that I was hoping for. My takeaway from this anthology was disappointment. Hopefully, the next book I read will be more enjoyable.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available on February 18th.
There’s a reason I’m posting this review so far ahead of the book’s release date: it is really, really bad. I hate posting a negative review right before a release date, so I’m posting this earlier. My final feeling on this anthology is: YUCK.
I went into this book with excitement, looking forward to horror stories where women are the major focus. That’s a cool idea, and I stand by that. However, what was included in this book is not something I would ever knowingly choose to read.
One story had an incredibly nasty person who had a penchant for necrophilia. Another repeated the phrase “You didn’t say no” multiple times. What you infer from that is unfortunately correct. I don’t read these things in books. It bothers me enough that I mention it in my blog review policy. I will give a shout out to yet another story involving these problems: this one at least included a trigger warning at the beginning. I chose to skip that story.
Okay, you might be thinking, that’s just a few examples though, and you’re right. Other stories felt unfinished (and not in a good way). That doesn’t mean that these authors are bad: in fact, I’m sure some of them are very talented. It might have very well been a choice to leave these particular stories with an unfinished feeling, but it didn’t work for me.
I can’t choose a favorite story among the ones in this anthology because so many of them left a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and not the fun sense of eeriness that I was hoping for. My takeaway from this anthology was disappointment. Hopefully, the next book I read will be more enjoyable.