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19 reviews for:
Not All Monsters
S.M. Ketcham, Jessica McHugh, Leslie Wibberley, Joanna Roye, Annie Neugebauer, Kayleigh Barber, Sam Fleming, G.G. Silverman, Kristy Park Kulski, J.C. Raye, J.H. Moncrieff, Juliana Spink Mills, Angela Sylvaine, E.E. Florence, Amy Easton, Stacey Bell, Briana McGuckin, Joe Koch, Sara Tantlinger, Hailey Piper, Jennifer Loring, Christa Carmen
4.12 AVERAGE
19 reviews for:
Not All Monsters
S.M. Ketcham, Jessica McHugh, Leslie Wibberley, Joanna Roye, Annie Neugebauer, Kayleigh Barber, Sam Fleming, G.G. Silverman, Kristy Park Kulski, J.C. Raye, J.H. Moncrieff, Juliana Spink Mills, Angela Sylvaine, E.E. Florence, Amy Easton, Stacey Bell, Briana McGuckin, Joe Koch, Sara Tantlinger, Hailey Piper, Jennifer Loring, Christa Carmen
4.12 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this anthology with high expectations β I've enjoyed work from many of the contributing authors previously, and Sara Tantlinger's writing is awesome on its own β but was thoroughly blown away. The stories are diverse, intimate, and across the board fascinating. Though I enjoyed them all to varying degrees, a few plucked hard at my heartstrings β "Wasted," by Amy Easton; "The Good Will," by Briana McGuckin (this one had me in tears, "Without a Face," by Hailey Piper, "This Can Happen to You," by Jessica McHugh; and "The Sugar Cane Sea," by Juliana Spink Mills.
Is that a long list of "favorites?" Sure! But this anthology is loaded to the brim with storytelling, and well worth every horror reader's interest.
Is that a long list of "favorites?" Sure! But this anthology is loaded to the brim with storytelling, and well worth every horror reader's interest.
This was phenomenal. Short story collections can be hit or miss at times, but I was very impressed with how consistently good the stories in this book were. Phenomenal examples of horror, across a variety of subjects and sub genres. This book is a testament to the talent of these Women of Horror. I hope to see great things from them in the future!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
A fantastic collection of female-authored horror. Almost all were really good but my favorites include "The Miraculous Ones", "Leather", "Inked", "Pretty Little Vampires", and "Antifreeze and Sweet Peas" (less)
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
S-T-U-N-N-I-N-G!!! π
I had previously read the Chromophobia anthology and really enjoyed that so I knew I had to give this one a go. I will confess - there was one story in here that I skipped because I just wasn't feeling it. However, everything else was *chef's kiss* perfect! I cried here and there reading it which isn't new for me, but always makes me feel super connected to the stories.
I will list my favourites, and I encourage you all to check this collection out! My absolute favourite was probably The Sugar Cane Sea by Juliana Spink Mills (another dimension) or Pretty Little Vampires by Sam Fleming (fairies!). I also loved Parlor Tricks by Stacey Bell, The Good Will by Briana McGuckin*, Heart of a Lion by J.H. Moncrieff and And Sweetness in the Gale is Heard by Christa Carmen*.
* These two made me cry what felt like an excessive amount. π So beautiful and raw and intense. Everything I love in a short story.
I had previously read the Chromophobia anthology and really enjoyed that so I knew I had to give this one a go. I will confess - there was one story in here that I skipped because I just wasn't feeling it. However, everything else was *chef's kiss* perfect! I cried here and there reading it which isn't new for me, but always makes me feel super connected to the stories.
I will list my favourites, and I encourage you all to check this collection out! My absolute favourite was probably The Sugar Cane Sea by Juliana Spink Mills (another dimension) or Pretty Little Vampires by Sam Fleming (fairies!). I also loved Parlor Tricks by Stacey Bell, The Good Will by Briana McGuckin*, Heart of a Lion by J.H. Moncrieff and And Sweetness in the Gale is Heard by Christa Carmen*.
* These two made me cry what felt like an excessive amount. π So beautiful and raw and intense. Everything I love in a short story.
As is the case with all anthologies, there were a couple of stories that missed the mark for me. That aside, this was a fantastic collection with a few absolute gems. Among my favorites were Inked, And Sweetest in the Gale is Heard, Pretty Little Vampires, and Antifreeze and Sweet Peas. This would be a 4.5 out of 5 if we could do half stars.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
You can read my full review at: https://strangersights.com/not-all-monsters-edited-by-sara-tantlinger/
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads.
Overall, this is an incredibly strong collection of stories. Iβm really pleased that I sprung for the special edition hardcover. Itβs a beautiful addition to my shelves. It has some truly gorgeous artwork scattered throughout done by Don Noble.
4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for Goodreads.
Overall, this is an incredibly strong collection of stories. Iβm really pleased that I sprung for the special edition hardcover. Itβs a beautiful addition to my shelves. It has some truly gorgeous artwork scattered throughout done by Don Noble.