Scan barcode
A review by almo
After Sundown by
4.0
Solid anthology of 20 horror stories. All kinds of subgenres are represented, so there's something in it for everyone. The average of all my individual ratings is 3.05 stars, but I'm adding half a bonus star because some of the stories in this collection will really stick with me. I love discovering new authors throughout anthologies. Catriona Ward, Elana Gomel and Robert Shearman are now high on my list of authors to try out.
My individual ratings and scribblings:
Butterfly Island by C.J. Tudor
3.5 stars. Good atmosphere/suspense. Curious about the rest of the story. Abrupt ending, but fitting. Genuine horror elements.
Research by Tim Lebbon
3 stars. Psychological horror. Weird and creepy people. Never fully trust your neighbours/aquantainces.
Swanskin by Alison Littlewood
3 stars. Like a creepy fairytale. Trigger warning: animal cruelty.
That's The Spirit by Sarah Lotz
2 stars. Wtf is up with the open ending? Could've just been a regular and boring story. Makes you guess but i don't like having to guess.
Gave by Michael Bailey
2 stars. An idea and something with counting things like an autistic rapstar. The concept of depopulation was interesting but not enough to make this one shine for me
Wherever you look by Ramsey Campbell
2 stars. Thought this was going to be a 1 Star rating. I couldn't get into the story due to the writing style of which the use of present tense was my main annoyance.. One bonus star for the ending.
Same Time Next Year by Angela Slatter
2.5 stars. Ghost story. Ended too quick to really leave an impression.
Mine Seven by Elana Gomel
4 stars. Nordic darkness combined with supernatural gore. Reminded me of 30 days Of Night, a movie I thoroughly enjoyed back in the day. This story makes me want to watch it again.
It Doesn't Feel Right by Michael Marshall Smith
3 stars. Kids from hell. Being a mother of a 3-year old with regular temper tantrums, I GET the horror of this story.
Creeping Ivy by Laura Purcell
3.5 stars. Madman or haunted? Loving the gothic atmosphere the manor brings. The first couple of pages were hard for me to get into, but it paid off nicely in the end.
Last Rights For The Fourth World by Rick Cross
1 star. I really could not connect with this story. The writing style, with all its technical and military terms, was a chore to get through. The use of 'foreign' language overdone. I didn't even understand the plot due to this white noise.
We All Come Home by Simon Bestwick
4 stars. Even though it's nothing new/lacks originality, I enjoyed this one.Creeptastic.
The Importance Of Oral Hygene by Robert Shearman
4 stars. The first 2 pages started out crappy with me thinking where the hell the editor had been at that point. After that, shit got awesome and wtf just happened?!
Bokeh by Thana Niveau
3 stars. Creepy girl story. Entertaining enough and will definitely make me look differently at Bokeh filters from now on.
Murder Board by Grady Hendrix
4 stars. At first, I got distracted by some typos. But this is an ARC, so I shouldn't complain too much. The story unfolded from a sigh to a whirlwind. Awesome.
Alice's Rebellion by John Langan
1.5/2 stars. The umpteenth reimagining of Alice in Wonderland. There's 'inspired by' and just copying shit and calling it your own. This was too much copying for me. Not a nice and fresh story. 0.5 bonus stars for the bloody parts.
The Mirror House by Jonathan Robbins Leon
3.5 stars. In the beginning, it gave me flashbacks to the first season of Stranger things and the Silent Hill movie. Rich storytelling that could've gone anywhere. But I meh-ed at how the ending turned out.
The Naughty Step by Stephen Volk
2.5 stars. Im not even entirely sure what happened here. The end made me feel like shit.
A Hotel In Germany by Catriona Ward
5 stars. I want more of this world. Totally unexpected pleasure treasure.
Branch Line by Paul Finch
3 stars. Good suspense. Open mystery which isnt bad but doesn't work well for me personally. There's already too much in life we dont know shit about. I like it when my stories are clean cut, leaving no guessing around. Still enjoyed it, though.
Thank you FLAME TREE PRESS for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley
My individual ratings and scribblings:
Butterfly Island by C.J. Tudor
3.5 stars. Good atmosphere/suspense. Curious about the rest of the story. Abrupt ending, but fitting. Genuine horror elements.
Research by Tim Lebbon
3 stars. Psychological horror. Weird and creepy people. Never fully trust your neighbours/aquantainces.
Swanskin by Alison Littlewood
3 stars. Like a creepy fairytale. Trigger warning: animal cruelty.
That's The Spirit by Sarah Lotz
2 stars. Wtf is up with the open ending? Could've just been a regular and boring story. Makes you guess but i don't like having to guess.
Gave by Michael Bailey
2 stars. An idea and something with counting things like an autistic rapstar. The concept of depopulation was interesting but not enough to make this one shine for me
Wherever you look by Ramsey Campbell
2 stars. Thought this was going to be a 1 Star rating. I couldn't get into the story due to the writing style of which the use of present tense was my main annoyance.. One bonus star for the ending.
Same Time Next Year by Angela Slatter
2.5 stars. Ghost story. Ended too quick to really leave an impression.
Mine Seven by Elana Gomel
4 stars. Nordic darkness combined with supernatural gore. Reminded me of 30 days Of Night, a movie I thoroughly enjoyed back in the day. This story makes me want to watch it again.
It Doesn't Feel Right by Michael Marshall Smith
3 stars. Kids from hell. Being a mother of a 3-year old with regular temper tantrums, I GET the horror of this story.
Creeping Ivy by Laura Purcell
3.5 stars. Madman or haunted? Loving the gothic atmosphere the manor brings. The first couple of pages were hard for me to get into, but it paid off nicely in the end.
Last Rights For The Fourth World by Rick Cross
1 star. I really could not connect with this story. The writing style, with all its technical and military terms, was a chore to get through. The use of 'foreign' language overdone. I didn't even understand the plot due to this white noise.
We All Come Home by Simon Bestwick
4 stars. Even though it's nothing new/lacks originality, I enjoyed this one.Creeptastic.
The Importance Of Oral Hygene by Robert Shearman
4 stars. The first 2 pages started out crappy with me thinking where the hell the editor had been at that point. After that, shit got awesome and wtf just happened?!
Bokeh by Thana Niveau
3 stars. Creepy girl story. Entertaining enough and will definitely make me look differently at Bokeh filters from now on.
Murder Board by Grady Hendrix
4 stars. At first, I got distracted by some typos. But this is an ARC, so I shouldn't complain too much. The story unfolded from a sigh to a whirlwind. Awesome.
Alice's Rebellion by John Langan
1.5/2 stars. The umpteenth reimagining of Alice in Wonderland. There's 'inspired by' and just copying shit and calling it your own. This was too much copying for me. Not a nice and fresh story. 0.5 bonus stars for the bloody parts.
The Mirror House by Jonathan Robbins Leon
3.5 stars. In the beginning, it gave me flashbacks to the first season of Stranger things and the Silent Hill movie. Rich storytelling that could've gone anywhere. But I meh-ed at how the ending turned out.
The Naughty Step by Stephen Volk
2.5 stars. Im not even entirely sure what happened here. The end made me feel like shit.
A Hotel In Germany by Catriona Ward
5 stars. I want more of this world. Totally unexpected pleasure treasure.
Branch Line by Paul Finch
3 stars. Good suspense. Open mystery which isnt bad but doesn't work well for me personally. There's already too much in life we dont know shit about. I like it when my stories are clean cut, leaving no guessing around. Still enjoyed it, though.
Thank you FLAME TREE PRESS for providing me with an ARC via Netgalley