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A review by ljcarey011
Carniepunk by Nicole D. Peeler, Jennifer Estep, Hillary Jacques, Seanan McGuire, Jaye Wells, Delilah S. Dawson, Kelly Meding, Rob Thurman, Jackie Kessler, Allison Pang, Kevin Hearne, Kelly Gay, Mark Henry, Rachel Caine
2.0
This anthology was overall a dud for me unfortunately. I gave it 2.5 stars out of 5 and rounded up because I feel anthologies always deserve a read. This collection is more horror than fantasy, just as a warning. I've read my share of horror and I think a good story is readable, no matter what the genre. This anthology fell flat for me, regardless of genre.
"Painted Love" by Rob Thurman is a dark and fun story. Rob Thurman fans will enjoy it, although it lacks the wit of many of her stories.
"The Three Lives of Lydia: A Blud Short Story" by Delilah S. Dawson. This book is a no go for me. Trigger warning
"The Demon Barker of Wheat Street: An Iron Druid Chronicles Short Story" by Kevin Hearne wasn't much to me. Unfortunately Kevin Hearne doesn't do much for me. He's very campy and like the NightSide stories (which used up my patience for campy.) the protagonist pulls saves out of his ass. I'm sure Iron Druid fans will enjoy it.
"The Sweeter the Juice" by Mark Henry is a zombie story. Typically I like zombie stories. This one was too gross and creepy for me and I'm a veterinarian. I deal with maggots and chop off diseased limbs from adorable animals for a living. I like horror. This was dark and twisted and frankly I didn't find anything to make me enjoy it. It was transphobic, gross and overall unreadable without any redeeming qualities for me.
"The Werewife" by Jaye Wells. I like my stories to have at least one character I like. Both/All main characters in this story are without redemption.
"The Cold Girl" by Rachel Caine. An attempt at YA paranormal romance. It has some good qualities, and possibly some lessons about not playing with bad boys, but why must all 16 year old girls meet the loves of their lives? Isn't that what college is for?
"A Duet with Darkness: An Abby Sinclair Short Story" by Allison Pang. The Devil Goes Down to Georgia as a fairy tale. It has promise but it's a shallow attempt.
"Recession of the Divine" by Hillary Jacques. A powerful being is slumming it around. Another story that could have really been something and somehow fell flat. I honestly think several good stories suffered in this anthology just because of how lackluster the collection was as a whole.
"Parlor Tricks: An Elemental Assassin Short Story" by Jennifer Estep. Maybe this will appeal to readers of the series. It did nothing for me and confirmed for me that stopping halfway through book 1 of the series was a good choice.
"Freak House: A Strays Short Story" by Kelly Meding. One of my favorites. The daughter of djinn works to free her father. It has it's flaws, but is very readable and overall I enjoyed it. More fantasy, than horror.
"The Inside Man: A Jane True Short Story" by Nicole Peeler. This story was silly to me. It's half road trip, half trippy circus attack. It is truly silly and too silly to be the horror/fantasy it's trying to me. Once again, maybe series regulars will like it, but it did not inspire me to start reading.
"A Chance in Hell" by Jackie Kessler. Probably one of the grossest stories for me. Trigger Warning: waking up to a demon eating you out, one that you don't like and keep saying you don't want in your bed, is not sexy, even if you orgasm. The MC is (I am assuming) supposed to be a fully realized sexual being and I like my MC's very self realized if they want to be having sex, but the body of the MC is basically chattel and more possessed by the male characters than it is by her. No thank you. If I wanted to read gross romance where no means yes I'd put my eyes out for that effect.
"Hell's Menagerie: A Charlie Madigan Short Story" by Kelly Gay. Full reveal - I read 2 pages of this and skipped the rest. Kelly Gay's writing is not for me. I will leave it at that. All respect to her as a writer but I can't read it.
"Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea" by Seanan McGuire. True Story - I bought this anthology for Seanan and Rob. Thank god, after all the terrible I got to start with a good Rob story and end on a fabulous Seanan story. If your a Seanan fan, this one's good, but oh man, I don't know that I would wade through the rest again.
I guess my greatest disappointment with this anthology is that I read anthologies hoping to find new authors and reunite with old favorites. While I enjoyed some of my old favorites, overall I walked away with nothing to show from this anthology. After doing a flip through, I have to switch this to a 2 star. I just can't give it 3. Readers of the authors/series featured here will find they are representative of the authors (from those I have read), so for better or for worse, choose wisely.
"Painted Love" by Rob Thurman is a dark and fun story. Rob Thurman fans will enjoy it, although it lacks the wit of many of her stories.
"The Three Lives of Lydia: A Blud Short Story" by Delilah S. Dawson. This book is a no go for me. Trigger warning
Spoiler
There is a pretty gruesome suicide scene at the end, all over a boy she's known in what is likely a dream."The Demon Barker of Wheat Street: An Iron Druid Chronicles Short Story" by Kevin Hearne wasn't much to me. Unfortunately Kevin Hearne doesn't do much for me. He's very campy and like the NightSide stories (which used up my patience for campy.) the protagonist pulls saves out of his ass. I'm sure Iron Druid fans will enjoy it.
"The Sweeter the Juice" by Mark Henry is a zombie story. Typically I like zombie stories. This one was too gross and creepy for me and I'm a veterinarian. I deal with maggots and chop off diseased limbs from adorable animals for a living. I like horror. This was dark and twisted and frankly I didn't find anything to make me enjoy it. It was transphobic, gross and overall unreadable without any redeeming qualities for me.
"The Werewife" by Jaye Wells. I like my stories to have at least one character I like. Both/All main characters in this story are without redemption.
"The Cold Girl" by Rachel Caine. An attempt at YA paranormal romance. It has some good qualities, and possibly some lessons about not playing with bad boys, but why must all 16 year old girls meet the loves of their lives? Isn't that what college is for?
"A Duet with Darkness: An Abby Sinclair Short Story" by Allison Pang. The Devil Goes Down to Georgia as a fairy tale. It has promise but it's a shallow attempt.
"Recession of the Divine" by Hillary Jacques. A powerful being is slumming it around. Another story that could have really been something and somehow fell flat. I honestly think several good stories suffered in this anthology just because of how lackluster the collection was as a whole.
"Parlor Tricks: An Elemental Assassin Short Story" by Jennifer Estep. Maybe this will appeal to readers of the series. It did nothing for me and confirmed for me that stopping halfway through book 1 of the series was a good choice.
"Freak House: A Strays Short Story" by Kelly Meding. One of my favorites. The daughter of djinn works to free her father. It has it's flaws, but is very readable and overall I enjoyed it. More fantasy, than horror.
"The Inside Man: A Jane True Short Story" by Nicole Peeler. This story was silly to me. It's half road trip, half trippy circus attack. It is truly silly and too silly to be the horror/fantasy it's trying to me. Once again, maybe series regulars will like it, but it did not inspire me to start reading.
"A Chance in Hell" by Jackie Kessler. Probably one of the grossest stories for me. Trigger Warning: waking up to a demon eating you out, one that you don't like and keep saying you don't want in your bed, is not sexy, even if you orgasm. The MC is (I am assuming) supposed to be a fully realized sexual being and I like my MC's very self realized if they want to be having sex, but the body of the MC is basically chattel and more possessed by the male characters than it is by her. No thank you. If I wanted to read gross romance where no means yes I'd put my eyes out for that effect.
"Hell's Menagerie: A Charlie Madigan Short Story" by Kelly Gay. Full reveal - I read 2 pages of this and skipped the rest. Kelly Gay's writing is not for me. I will leave it at that. All respect to her as a writer but I can't read it.
"Daughter of the Midway, the Mermaid, and the Open, Lonely Sea" by Seanan McGuire. True Story - I bought this anthology for Seanan and Rob. Thank god, after all the terrible I got to start with a good Rob story and end on a fabulous Seanan story. If your a Seanan fan, this one's good, but oh man, I don't know that I would wade through the rest again.
I guess my greatest disappointment with this anthology is that I read anthologies hoping to find new authors and reunite with old favorites. While I enjoyed some of my old favorites, overall I walked away with nothing to show from this anthology. After doing a flip through, I have to switch this to a 2 star. I just can't give it 3. Readers of the authors/series featured here will find they are representative of the authors (from those I have read), so for better or for worse, choose wisely.