Arts & Crafts | Book Reviews

I had a feeling I was going to be obsessed with these stories directly after I finished the first piece, and I'm happy to report I was correct! Moods and Megrims is a haunting collection, but unlike a lot of horror (written or otherwise), various haunts aren't weaponized against women—rather, the darkness becomes their hidden weapon. Obviously that's something that kept me seated from start to finish. Even the stories where the characters suffered any sort of injustice, they

A Great Big Fuss is everything you could want in a short story collection: immersive and impeccable writing. I'm insanely fond of how the overall tone is rooted in humor and the bonds people form (which varies from story to story!) A lot of the stories are also, quite literally, out of this world but all manage to stay grounded. I like my clichés, so, A Great Big Fuss feels like home (nightmares occasionally included.) My favorites and thoughts on each: • Future in Flames Ser

Infernal Tramps by Alex Grass is filled with amazing prose and haunting imagery. As weird as the stories get, they often hunkered down and made me wonder: "Is this just reality with a beast shoved in its midst?" This book is a nightmarish read, and a living nightmare for its characters. I was struck by how creative each and every premise was, even if some wisp of the creature is familiar—Grass made it new. Grass also presented parallel images that were almost movie-like in th

"Everyone loves talking about the cold down here," said Mary. "It's always there," said Alex. "It becomes everything." (Chapter 1) Underneath by Robbie Dorman is a horror novel with an interesting blend of science fiction. The idea that human evolution stemmed from somewhere in the Antarctic ice is a concept I found incredibly intriguing. The particle-theory was described in a way that made it easy understand! It took me a little while to get really into it, there were a few

I read this book in one sitting! Tell Me How It Ends is such a delightful read, despite there being lots of blood and guts. There is a humorous quality to some of the stories in the form of inner monologue, the story titles, or just how the characters act. Who doesn't love a little perfect comedic timing with their horror? I adore the creativity of the stories: slugs, slapped-together creatures, humans being weird, and more! The cover is another thing I'm fond of; it's perfec

Tales from the Ruins from Black Beacon Books delves deeply and thoroughly into all things that can be expected after an apocalyptic event—and even some things one wouldn't consider (unless stranded in such a hellscape yourself!) A lot of these stories feel almost inevitable, and those are the ones which terrified me the most. Let's hope none of these authors have the gift of prophecy, because I will NOT survive the events they've written. Another common thread is a sense of e

" It was the equivalent of telling someone, "I can't find my wallet," when the longer version was, "I was robbed at gunpoint." " (Part 1) Afraid to Feel by Alex Tucker is truly a fever dream of a read! From the get-go, I was waiting for the other shoe to the drop. Tucker delivered slow-burn and suspense fully! A very deliberate separation of what we, and the main character (Cory), know as real and as fake exists in this horror novella. As can be expected, those lines blur an

"... the guts to speak of horror When the truth is faint." (Windstorm) Avel Renasia took her promise of occasional romanticization and delivered fully, but the author also vehemently refused to shy away from honesty. One piece can make you imagine sitting in a field of flowers with this book in your lap, and the next will be filled with visceral and sobering language. As such, If Freedom Had a Face is both utterly beautiful and utterly devastating. Throughout this collection

[Some typos and minor consistency issues, but not to the extent that it took away from the book as a whole.] I went in expecting horror more than anything else, but surprisingly, the tales that hooked me the most were the ones about finding (or rekindling old) love. The most common theme in To the Grave and Back is, in my opinion, rediscovering what was lost. I found it particularly cool how the stories had common imagery and names (maybe even a reference or two to previous s

What strikes me most (not just my excitement over a longer issue from Foofaraw Press) is how everything in Mindlessly Massive (2026) is transportational. You will get sucked in by each and every single piece of writing: fiction, review, or otherwise. This issue lives on a plane where the world is flipped on its head, yet everything ties in with the "normal" world we live in. Which is very on brand for Foofaraw! The fiction is incredible, so naturally, here's my list of (small

Vile Visions: Volume Two is dark to the point where I occasionally wished I could cover my eyes (but then how would I read?) Which is most likely something you would look for in a horror book! The stories that hit the hardest were the ones rooted (perhaps too) deeply in reality. They reminded me of Dean from Supernatural saying: "Demons, I get. People are crazy." My favorite story was "THE LEARNING PROCESS," which is a truly creative and unique look at zombies. Other favorite

I feel the need to swear, but I'll abbreviate it: JFC!!! I felt like the main character (Will) was way more driven by loneliness than obsession. He has this deep want to be loved; to be the centre of someone's universe. It also comes across as though he's lonely around the people who love him, as though they don't know him—he's more in tune with them, than they are with him. Of course with this mix of first- and second-person narration (which I loved!!!), it took me a while t

Hope Screams Eternal is an amazing book. There’s art, poetry, and fiction—everything you could want in a book all rolled into one! This book is creatively separated into three parts, each a word of the title, with the pieces perfectly matching the part it’s under! Here are some quick thoughts I had about each part: Part I: HOPE Hope comes in all shapes and sizes, some darker than others. Part II: SCREAMS Screaming implies something large, something that echoes. Yet the silenc

This novelette is futuristic, yet it doesn't feel far-fetched in the slightest. The characters are very much human in their motivations, but that doesn't stop them from taking it all a step (more like, steps) too far. I think that's what horrified me. I'm saying this very cliché phrase because it applies a hundred times over: Faceless literally holds a mirror up to society. As for the writing itself, it's fantastic! I could read a billion more pages by Ellie Montemayor.

[I do have a short story inside, but it's one amongst 43 (forty-three!!!) others, so I'd be remiss if I didn't gush about how amazing this book is just a little.] Of Beasts & Bones is absolutely fantastic! I can't tell how you many times I finished reading a story, only to realize I'd once again broken out in goosebumps. "Horrifying" isn't the only word you can use to describe this book though, as there's a lot of heart and love in some of these stories! This collection also

I don't think I've ever encountered a poetry collection that was as perfectly titled as Melancholic Muse is. From the get-go, May Garner's poetry wraps its ink-stained talons around your heart and doesn't let up. Even after you finish the final piece, those claws are still digging in deeper. I am a huge fan of Garner's writing, and after the experience that was her first collection (Withered Rising), I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. It didn't disappoint! She doesn

Bury Your Devoured is a twisted story told with beautiful prose. There's a sense of unease right from the very first chapter, and that skin-crawling feeling doesn't let up until the very end. Agnus perfectly allegorized the darkest and most complicated relationship that can exist between mother and daughter—the love, the hatred, and the understanding. This book is not for the faint of heart but that's what made me love it; there's honesty in the brutality.

"with still breath, we burn her. & what do we become in the end?" (SO WE BURN HER) This Witch really does awaken rage and heartbreak in the reader. Honesty and vulnerability are stripped bare in these poems! I have many favorites, but if I had to choose one, it would be THE SKELETON LEAVES. Right from the start ("the party & I are empty") the idea of something missing is palpable, and the following imagery of a person stripped down just to a skeleton, really stuck with me. I

Many interesting concepts and folklore are brought together in Chills & Thrills! Like hag stones and wraiths, mixed in with witches and classic hauntings—to name a few. There were some errors (characters being referred to by the wrong name, a third-person sentence in a first-person narrated story, things of that nature), which pulled me out of the tale itself whenever it happened. Other than that, I really enjoyed the overall horrific feel of this book.

Book 1: Before You Sleep These three horror stories are eerie, and the POVs are very rich—each felt like real and separate people. I love how they all have to do with houses where something just isn't right—it ties in well with the thought of insomnia, which kept coming up for me. Before You Sleep is creative, scary, and it contains some beautifully haunting phrases! Book 2: Before You Wake Before You Wake is a collection of three wonderfully executed horror stories, with my