February is here!

Can you believe that January is finally over?! Yikes. I mean, didn't January feel like it went on forever? One week felt like one month, and for a while there it felt like it would last the whole year. 😳

How are you? I hope you're still finding some happiness in this terrible world. I can't believe that this year has started in such an awful way, but I suppose that's what happens when people vote against their best interest. Or don't bother to really listen when someone tells them they're a fucking asshole. Or can't be bothered voting. Or maybe, just maybe, they let their hate and racism win over common-fucking-sense.

I could go on and on about this, but with every theory we'll all get angrier and depressed about the fact that our society is getting dumber by the moment.

So, let's move on.

Since I finished my latest WIP a few weeks ago, I've been catching up on a few things. I read and blurbed two very cool upcoming books. They were awesome, and I enjoyed the hell out of both. I also updated my domain name because having my own website is very important to me. And started sorting out several clustered areas around the apartment that are starting to weigh on me mentally.

Does that happen to you? I can usually function just fine with piles of small clutter, but eventually it starts to bug me. I'm nowhere near done, but the only way to do this is to tackle one bit at a time. I actually like sorting through stuff, but it's mentally exhausting.

I've also read a few books:

SHOCKAHOLIC by Carrie Fisher

CATS LIKE CREAM by Renee Miller: 

WITCHCRAFT FOR WAYWARD GIRLS by Grady Hendrix

And I'm halfway through BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley. I'm also totally addicted to HELLO KITTY HAPPINESS PARADE. My husband found this game on special the other day, and I've been playing it ever since. 😅

Oh, and the coolest thing that happened this week is that my debut short story collection was released on Tuesday!!! OMG. I'm SO excited.

I mean, look at this beautiful book:

I absolutely adore this cover because it captures the vibes of my tales perfectly. Luke Spooner/Carrion House did such a fantastic job! 😍

Here's the summary: A dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

These are horror stories that I've written and rewritten several times through the years until they became the best versions, which is what you'll find within these pages. 😊

There are already quite a few reviews on Goodreads and I love finding out which story each reader prefers. It makes me very happy.

If you're interested in grabbing a copy, it's available on Kindle, paperback and KU.

Asides from reading and celebrating a new release, I wrote a 2,400-word short story on my phone the other night. It's a slice of rage. A violent dystopian horror tale that came out of nowhere. I'd like to revise it sometime this week. I didn't plan to write anything because I'm supposed to be taking a mental break, but I don't question when the words strike. 😁

We also watched a few movies: NOSFERATU (aesthetically stunning, dark and Lily-Rose Depp was amazing, but it was just okay), SMILE 2 (cool horror story that makes you question everything that's happening), and THE LOST BOYS (to celebrate finishing another vampire first draft). And we started watching SEVERANCE, which is fantastic. Can't wait to see more.

Anyway, that's about it. Just thought I'd post a bit of an update.

Hope you have an awesome week! ☺️

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS is now available!!

 Happy Release Day to my debut short story collection!

Yay. ☺️🎉

I'd like to thank Cemetery Gates Media for taking a chance on my first collection. Also for publishing and putting together such a lovely book. The end result is amazing! I'm SO excited and proud of this book.

Also, check out the beautiful cover, made by Luke Spooner/Carrion House, which captures the essence and melancholy vibes packed into these pages.

A dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

1. ALL MY PRETTIES

2. LOST IN TIME

3. GOLDSMITH’S ODDITY 

4. CLARA’S PHONE

5. SOMEWHERE TO BELONG

6. OTHER SIDE OF ME 

7. THE GIRLS DEVOURED BY THE WOODS 

8. SHORELINE

9. THE MAN IN THE RED SUIT 

10. OF YOU, THE END 

11. A PORTRAIT OF DEATH 

12. FADE INTO NIGHTMARE 

13. LADY OF THE HOUSE 

14. SLIPPING INTO 

15. ALLURE

16. STALKING THE SHADOWS 

17. FINDING SURVIVAL 

You can grab a copy right now:

Kindle | Paperback

 Bookshop.org

ADD TO GOODREADS

This collection includes stories that have been with me for many years. Some were previously published, others are new to the world, but all of them have been through several evolutions.

I really hope you'll give these tales a go.

Thanks for reading!

My Debut Collection...

Hey!

How are you today?

If you follow me on Bluesky, then you might have caught a glimpse of the 17 daily posts I've been adding this month. That's one for each of the stories in my upcoming debut short story collection...

MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS.

If you missed them, these are the graphics that I created for each tale:

 

And here's the 

Table of Contents:

1. ALL MY PRETTIES

2. LOST IN TIME

3. GOLDSMITH’S ODDITY

4. CLARA’S PHONE

5. SOMEWHERE TO BELONG

6. OTHER SIDE OF ME

7. THE GIRLS DEVOURED BY THE WOODS

8. SHORELINE

9. THE MAN IN THE RED SUIT

10. OF YOU, THE END

11. A PORTRAIT OF DEATH

12. FADE INTO NIGHTMARE

13. LADY OF THE HOUSE

14. SLIPPING INTO

15. ALLURE

16. STALKING THE SHADOWS

17. FINDING SURVIVAL

Plus, here's the blurb:

A dark gathering of 17 melancholy horror tales where mothers, lovers, friends and monsters intersect with disastrous and tragic consequences.

This beautiful cover was made by Luke Spooner/Carrion House and it's absolutely perfect.

I mean, look at the full paperback cover:

You can now pre-order an eBook copy, and the paperback will be available on release day, which is January 28.

A few very cool reviews have been added on Goodreads already.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll check it out!!

☺️

Busy, busy...

Hey there! How are you today? As I mentioned in the title, this week was a busy one.

Last Saturday we got the latest Covid booster (finally available in Oz) and had to take it easy over the weekend because of the usual side effects: headache, sore arm, tired, sleepy. We had plenty of snacks, stayed hydrated, and took several naps. Almost a week later, I think that the hardest parts are over. Well, I did wake up with a killer headache this morning that eventually subsided, but sucked a lot of energy out of me. 🫤

Anyway, onto what I got up to this week.

The other day, Cemetery Gates Media revealed the fantastic cover for my upcoming debut short story collection! And it's beautiful. Hit the link if you'd like to see it, or scroll down a bit. Seriously, it's stunning and totally fits the dark vibes. Luke Spooner/Carrion House nailed it. I absolutely love it!

So, that means that I spent most of the week working on the final proofread of 17 short stories. Yikes. I'm SO excited, and very proud of this book. I can't wait to share it with the world. Actually, I've already seen a few ARCs in the wild, which is SO freaking cool!!

Not long to go now. The release date is: January 28!

Since I've been working on something else and my husband had an RDO on Thursday, I put my WIP aside for most of the week. But I still got a chance to add some words and have been taking a bunch of notes on my phone.

So, here's my progress for this week:

• Monday:  17,037 (+2,661w)
• Friday: 21,309 (+4,272w)

Not bad! I managed to cross the 20k mark, and that makes me happy. I'm having such a great time writing this story. The images, situations, dialogue and words are coming as fast and clear as the draft I finished writing last month. This character has a LOT to say and this POV is revealing heaps of stuff I didn't expect. Things that will affect both stories.

It's exciting. ☺️

To be honest, I don't think I'll finish the first draft of this story by the end of the year, but that's fine. I'm just going to keep going until I reach the end because I'm loving every minute of it.

I also had the pleasure of reading an amazing ARC. An upcoming novelette called Reap, Sow by S.H. Cooper that I thought was dark and awesome. Here's my review.

Well, that's it for today. Just thought I'd post an update because blogging again is something I'm really enjoying.

Have an awesome weekend!!

Cover Reveal!

The other day, Cemetery Gates Media revealed the cover for my debut short story collection, MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS, and I think it's time to post it here.

Take a look at this beauty:

 Isn't it AMAZING? I think it's fantastic!

This gorgeous piece of art captures the essence of my short story collection, which features different characters leading strange and dark lives. But all of them find themselves in weird/bizarre situations.

Luke Spooner/Carrion House did such an awesome job, and I can't stop looking at it!

Today, I finished the final proofread of the ARC and I loved spending time with these characters in their bleak and nightmarish worlds.

The release date is: January 28, 2025.

I can't wait for you to read my 17 dark and melancholy, horror short stories.

Have a great day!

Check it out!

 

I have some fantastic news to share today!

I'm VERY excited to announce that my first short story collection, MELANCHOLY DELUSIONS, has been contracted by Cemetery Gates Media and will be released early next year. Yay. 🥳

The collection contains 17 horror stories. Can't wait to share these characters and macabre tales of woe with you.

A HUGE THANK YOU to Cemetery Gates for giving my dark delusions a home. 

YOU LIKE IT DARKER by Stephen King

You Like It Darker by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love getting my hands on the latest Stephen King, and got stuck into this collection as soon as I could.

Here are my thoughts...

TWO TALENTED BASTIDS: I really like how King can present such a seemingly mundane situation featuring two very average men, and then straight-up reveal that things aren't as they first appear. Fascinating story about the bonds of friendship and the loyalty of a son to his father.

THE FIFTH STEP: Wow. Okay. Now that's how you tell an absolutely terrifying story that you don't realise is even remotely horror until you reach the shocking conclusion. 😳

WILLIE THE WEIRDO: So, I have to admit that for most of the story I was thinking: Okay, what's this really about? What's the catch? Then I hit that last sentence, and... there it was! All the clues peppered throughout suddenly flooded my brain. Great story.

DANNY COUGHLIN'S BAD DREAM: What an awesome novella! I felt so bad for Danny and that Jalbert was... Ugh. This tale takes the No good deed goes unpunished thing to a whole new level of WTFuckery. It also proves that some people are just kind-hearted, no matter what. While others love to grab their torches and pitchforks without asking questions. Fantastic story. Loved this one!

FINN: A peculiar and violent little tale about a very unlucky young chap called Finn, and the awful crap that happens to him. Also really liked that ending.

ON SLIDE INN ROAD: I really enjoyed this story about a family who goes on a road trip with the old man they all resent. Only to find out there's a lot more to Granpop! Very cool take on bravery.

RED SCREEN: This is a very short and creepy short that builds mostly via conversations and leads the reader down a confused path that becomes very clear at the end. Another good one.

THE TURBULENCE EXPERT: A short tale that reminded me of recent events about the dangers of flying. It wasn't my favourite, but interesting enough.

LAURIE: I've actually read this before but it's a nice little story about a widower and an adorable puppy, so I enjoyed it all over again.

RATTLESNAKES: Okay, so I was initially going to skip this story because I haven't read CUJO... but then thought, WTH? And when my husband reminded me, I got stuck into it. Really glad I did because this is an amazing novella about Vic Trenton. Very sad and creepy ghost story. Total nightmare fodder that I REALLY enjoyed. I also don't think it ruined CUJO for me.

THE DREAMERS: I REALLY enjoyed this trippy, scary story. Features a very interesting main character (really liked William), some bizarre and creepy experiments, plus a bit of cosmic horror. This one's a dark one and I enjoyed it a lot.

THE ANSWER MAN: This might not make much sense, because I found this story to be very well written and the concept was fascinating, but for some reason this is the only story that I didn't completely lose myself in. Could be Phil. Could be the time period. Maybe it was even the Answer Man himself. Not sure.

The funny thing about this collection is that I initially wanted to read a few stories at a time, between other books, but once I reached a certain point... I just couldn't stop.

I REALLY enjoyed this book! Stephen King is such a brilliant storyteller. Love his work.


View all my reviews

Short Stories, Volume 2

Hey! How are you? What's new? This turned out to be quite a week! Yikes.

I spent all week proofreading my second short story collection. 😳

If you remember, last week I completed the first volume, so it was time to get stuck into the next one!

This actually took a bit longer to complete than the first one because it contains several longer (3k+) stories. Still, I managed to finish the Paperwhite read and made all the changes on the Word doc before the weekend. Cool.

That's 17 stories of varying lengths. All featuring a whole bunch of characters who get caught up in a lot of weird/dangerous/bizarre situations. 😈

This collection once again features a combination of brand new stories and pubbed ones. But every single tale has been revised, and in a lot of cases, totally rewritten.

This time, I especially wanted to make sure everything was finalised tonight because we've got a long weekend coming up and I want to take a nice break with my husband. Plus, I really need a mental break after spending two weeks with all those psychos and monsters. 😅

The final word count is: 50,965.

Now I have to find a home. For both...

Anyway, after putting them aside for a few months to get a bunch of editing done, I'm SO happy that I've finally finished both of them. Phew.

Have an awesome weekend! 😁

Short Stories, Volume 1

Hey! How are you today? I can't believe it's the first day of June. Yikes. 😳

What have you been up to? I've been proofreading all week.

Back in March, I spoke about revising my two short story collections. I actually got as far as reaching the proofreading stage, but then got stuck into a bunch of editing and had to put them aside for a bit.

This week, I grabbed my Paperwhite and started reading. Made all the changes. Checked the changes. Made more changes to the Word doc. Until I got to the end on Friday night. Yay!

That's 17 stories of varying lengths. All creepy and bleak horror stories featuring different characters leading strange and dark lives. But all of them find themselves in weird/bizarre situations. 😈

I really enjoyed revisiting these tales. Some are new. A few are old stories that I completely rewrote. Several have been published. But every single one has been revised/rewritten! All of them.

The final word count is: 50,928.

Now I have to find a home for the collection...

I'm taking the next two days off. Then next week, I'll get stuck into the second volume.

Have an awesome weekend! ☺️

Stories, Stories, Everywhere!

Hey! How are you today? Hope March is treating you well because it's almost over. One more week to go! 😬

I'm looking forward to the four-day weekend. I always look forward to time off with my husband.

So, the last two weeks have been super busy for me. I've been working on edits, and they're pretty intense. Not to mention my short story collection. Yep, that's right. I'm finally putting together a short story collection.

Well, um, not exactly one...

Okay, let's start from the beginning.

Last year (in December) I started going through my short story files and made a list of the ones that I wanted to include in my first short story collection. I didn't put any pressure on myself, or set a date to have this done by, I just wanted to get an idea of how many I actually have... and ended up adding about twenty-three stories to a new Word doc. 

That's a lot, right? 😳 

Anyway, I didn't touch the doc until the beginning of this month, when I decided it was time to assess what I had. The only way to do that was to start revising these tales.

I spent that whole week revising, rewriting, and moving stories around. But there were still too many. The collection was just under 80k words, and I wanted it to be much shorter than that. So, what did I do? I decided to split it up into two volumes! 

Yep, that's right. Why not give myself more work? 😅

So, I transferred a bunch of these shorties to another new document, and added several more to even out the two volumes. Then spent another week revising the rest of the stories.

It was a lot of work but I really enjoyed the process. Revisiting these tales was also very cool. I got the chance to rewrite a bunch of them, and added new elements to enhance what was already there. Some of these stories were old, but I managed to revive quite a few, made them a lot better. Stronger than they were to begin with. I even renamed quite a few.

So, all of this means that I now have TWO SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS: 17 stories in each, just over 50k words. Yay!!

Last night, I finished revising the last story and added both volumes to my Paperwhite for one final proofread. I'll put them aside for a bit so I can get some distance, as well as put all my focus on the edit I'm currently working on.

Well, that's it for now. I'm all out of words, but wanted to post an update. I mean, it's been a bit quiet around here. I haven't even had time to read and post reviews for the last few weeks! 😫

Have an awesome week!!

HER HEART BEATS FOR ANCIENT BEASTS by Calvin Demmer

Ancient beings, merciless monsters, unearthly creatures, and other beasts roam these pages.

A short story collection.

When the author of this short story collection reached out, I was excited about reading his latest selection of short stories because I've enjoyed the other ones Calvin has released.

Here are my thoughts on each story...

HIGHWAY HUNGER: I really enjoyed this one. There's some great imagery and Dudley Ellington is a flawed but likeable main character.

NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: Reginald Barton is a retired cop facing a freaky case all over again. It's also my favourite story in this collection. LOVED how the creepy sense of dread is strong all the way through. Fantastic.

ANOTHER WARRIOR IN PARADISE: Senghor's story is all about blind faith and how sometimes it's best not to prove yourself.

HER HEART BEATS FOR ANCIENT BEASTS: Officer Rupert finds himself in the middle of a very strange situation that takes the reader into a bizarre mystery set in a vivid location. This is a great example of why I enjoy small-time horror so much.

THE RIVER RAN RED: Asani's story about rituals serves a purpose but doesn't hold many surprises. The descriptions were lovely, though.

KARMA: This is a clever cautionary tale about what we're doing to our precious planet told from Doctor Charles Carrington's POV after he crosses paths with a heavily injured woman. Some stunning imagery in this narrative. 

SHAPES IN THE WATER: A story about two brothers, a wormhole, a strange place, and a very freaky ending. Really liked that ending!

THE THRONE OF SPACE AND TIME: The format in this one is a little different. The tale unravels via a very interesting letter written by a historian called Phillip Murdoch.

FORBIDDEN FRUIT: All I'm going to say about Todd and Dan is that sometimes, you get what's coming to you. Lots of lovely imagery in this one too.

THE DESTROYER: A story of Egyptian mythology proportions.

Well, there you have it. This turned out to be quite an interesting collection of eclectic short stories and each tackles some kind of moral or commentary about our world and the way people relate, treat or act around their surroundings.

Every story featured many interesting characters. Some that I really liked, others not so much. I enjoyed some more than others, but every single story is well written.

You should definitely check out this short story collection with an awesome cover. Seriously, love that cover!

Her Heart Beats for Ancient Beings will be released in March 2024 for pre-order.

PRE-APPROVED FOR HAUNTING AND OTHER STORIES by Patrick Barb

 

Pre-Approved for Haunting: And Other Stories by Patrick Barb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'd like to thank the publisher for sending me an eARC of this short story collection.

The first thing I want to mention is the cover, which seems very simple at first glance, but perfectly sets the tone for the eighteen dark stories within.

PRE-APPROVED FOR HAUNTING AND OTHER STORIES is packed full of strange and weird tales featuring a cast of very different characters who lead their own personal haunted lives. No story is the same in theme or even format. But they're all an interesting variation of horror in its many forms, and each one stands out for its own eerie reason/s.

As is typical with collated tales, some grabbed me more than others. My personal favourites are: Lost Boy Found in His Bear Suit because of its subtle but strong horror, A Portrait of the Artist as an Angry God (in Landscape) because it's a fever dream of art and obsession, Rose from the Ashes because it's an intriguing revenge fantasy, Iggy Crane and the Headless Horse Girl because it's fascinating, and The Giallo Kid in the Cataclysm’s Campgrounds because it's slasher with a difference.

Another thing I really like are the actual story titles. There are some very clever and creative titles in this bunch.

Overall, I really enjoyed this collection.

 

View all my reviews

BAD DOLLS by Rachel Harrison

 

Bad Dolls by Rachel Harrison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to checking out this short story collection and read it over the weekend.

So, here are my thoughts...

REPLY HAZY, TRY AGAIN:

Jordan is friends with Maggie and she lives with Kenny. When a Magic 8 Ball enters her life, everything changes...

I found myself captivated by this tale about one woman's quest to have someone else—or in this case, something else—make the hard decisions for her. Deep down inside, she knows what she wants but has lived most of her life going with the flow. Until she met Maggie.

This was quirky and fun, a bit on the magical side.

BACHELORETTE:

When Natalie agrees to reluctantly attend her childhood friend's bachelorette party, she doesn't realise how much sacrifice the weekend event requires...

I really enjoyed this wicked little tale about a group of women who plan to spend a weekend together to celebrate their friend's upcoming wedding. Natalie's discomfort and paranoia really give this story a sense of impending doom that manifests as a weird ritual. Loved the ending, too.

GOBLIN:

Meg and Dani decide to download an app called Goblin so they can lose weight before a wedding they plan to attend...

Yikes! This was quite horrific and sad. Deals with some heavy and serious issues—eating disorders and body dysmorphia. But the personification of the app's ability to keep you on your weight-loss journey was really interesting. And that ending! 👀

BAD DOLLS:

When Mackenzie's younger sister dies, she moves back to the town she tried so hard to escape. And finds herself being haunted by a porcelain doll...

It's no secret that I love creepy doll stories, and this was eerie. It hit all the right notes. Mackenzie was paranoid enough and grieving enough to make the doll incident seem like something she was imagining due to the trauma and the alcohol. Or her disappointing life. Maybe even the collective darkness her family is suffering at their loss.

Either way, it was fantastic!


This is a very well-written collection, full of interesting and damaged characters suffering through their own separate issues as they struggle to deal with real life situations edging on the supernatural.

View all my reviews

BLOOD MOUNTAIN by Brenda S. Tolian

 

In this mosaic of Southwestern Gothic Horror, a primordial goddess awakens deep within the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The mountain hungers for revenge as invaders leave her emaciated with their greed and brutality. She cries out for blood, infusing the minds of those who do not belong—twisting them outwardly into the dark forms of their true intentions.

An Under Sheriff struggles to grasp brittle threads of hope within the valley and mountains, his soul tormented by the unanswered questions of crimes he can’t explain and the dead and missing he could not help. The demented Red Women fracture the meaning of being maiden, mother, and crone within the shadows of twisted belief systems. Men and women devolve into the grotesque, drowning in their greed and violence transmuting into creatures too hideous to name. Others find seduction on her rocky hips and release within the baptism of her blood. The valley steeped in cults and crime hides something dark, where mirage plays with the senses, disappearances go unexplained, UFOs and creatures await watching in hunger.

This composite novel of interwoven stories and brief vignettes invites the reader to hear the hypnotic call of the Blood Mountain. Will she ask you into her vortex or swallow you whole?

With such an awesome and atmospheric cover, of course I was interested in checking this out.

Deep in the Sangre de Cristo mountains in Colorado, something hungry awakens after an ancient being is fed up with the greedy invaders and trespassers that leave her feeling used and abused...

Well, this collection of interconnected stories sure was brutal.

Although there are twelve different stories with interwoven interludes featuring the struggling Under Sheriff, Dave Blackwood, as he contemplates the carnage he's seen, these tales all come together to complete one very violent and bloody novel. Within these pages, there are many characters living through a variety of situations that often focus on the cultish and selfish behaviour of humans. But the narrative always returns to the mountains. Or rather, the darkness haunting the mountains and how she takes payment in the form of possession and death. 

These stories don't hold back and dare to tread into very dark and claustrophobic trails to follow those who dare to enter, because of one form of depraved greed or another.

They're all horror stories to the core, and also provide plenty of social commentary from the beginning. Not just in the way that men take, take and take some more, but also in how easily women can be twisted as well. At the end of the day, even though the patriarchy tries hard to convince us otherwise, we're all human. Man or woman, we're all capable of unfathomable things. We all wear skin over our brittle bones and can conjure truly horrible things with our minds, especially when caught up in the claws of religion. But we're not the only ones living on this planet, and sometimes the Earth bites back with a vengeance.

One last thing, my favourite story was Seraphim because I loved the imagery, anger and mood. Plus, it captures the essence of this book and is the perfect conclusion.

Thank you Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Blood Mountain is now available from Raw Dog Screaming Press.

THE EYES BENEATH MY FATHER'S HOUSE by Tyler Bell

 

In the dusty agave fields of the Guadalajara countryside, a peasant girl cuts a deal with the insidious thing living beneath her father’s house. An industrial accident aboard a space station in humanity’s distant future forces an unappreciated laborer to survive an unpredictable alien menace. A young man recounts his last days as the caretaker of a reclusive elderly woman in her remote - and possibly haunted - mansion. Welcome to the Westside Fairytales, where nothing is as it seems and everything is connected. A universe of possibility, horror, and madness spanning humanity’s past, present, and future. If you think you’re brave enough, and clever enough, then we entreat you to discover the mysteries of The Eyes Beneath My Father’s House.

The author of this collection reached out to me, and I decided to check out what this book had to offer.

THE UMBRELLA MAN: Well, this was quite a creepy coming of age story about four friends who discover something very dangerous while checking out an abandoned house. Very creepy indeed. And so interesting I couldn't stop reading. Really enjoyed this one!

BEST ROSES, MANASSAS, WEST VIRGINIA: I couldn't get into this story, and wound up giving up because I wasn't feeling any of the characters or what was going on.

MUD OF THE HEART: This is a confessional tale told by a man who takes care of a peculiar, ill woman. While I liked the atmospheric feel of the location and the creepy nature of the manor, in the end I found it underwhelming. 

OH, HEAVEN: DNFd this one. 🫤

OJOS OSCUROS: I was enjoying this one until all that awkward sexual abuse stuff started and then I lost interest...

WITHIN AS WITHOUT : Another story that I found hard to focus on because it was a bit dull.

THE MOVE: DNF.

DOG STAR: I enjoyed this creepy psychological SF mind trip in space. It was interesting, tense and Mikosh goes through a lot. And I mean a LOT.

THE THREE FLIGHTS OF MATEO JEFFERSON: Another story I found hard to connect with.

CARRIER: Wow. What a messed-up tale this one was. It's as gross as it is wrong, and so intriguing I couldn't stop reading about Ollie's horrid ordeal. 😟

Well, this collection turned out to be a mixed bag. Although I couldn't get into quite a few of these stories, the ones I did enjoy were excellent. And the illustrations are super cool, too.

I appreciate the chance to read this. Thank you, Tyler.

AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE by Gwendolyn Kiste

 

And Her Smile Will Untether the Universe by Gwendolyn Kiste
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I've got several Gwendolyn Kiste books waiting in my TBR pile, so I decided to start with this lovely collection.

Here's what I thought of each story...

SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE: Wow. This certainly took me to places I never imagined. Combine the whimsical nature of what keeps happening to this poor woman, the horrid sense of desperation and sadness she feels, with my personal love for birds... Of course I was going to enjoy this.

TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE TEN QUESTIONS: A quirky and creepy tale about friendship during a time when more and more people vanish from existence without any real explanation.

THE CLAWFOOT REQUIEM: Yikes. That was definitely something very dark and quite sad. A woman can't let go of her sister after she kills herself and tumbles down a very murky path. 😳

ALL THE RED APPLES HAVE WITHERED TO GRAY: What a fantastic dark as hell fairy tale this little gem turned out to be. It was like reading a feminist Grimm story, and I enjoyed every single minute of it.

THE MAN IN THE AMBRY: Intense. Creepy. An entire horror story told through the one-sided letters of Molly Jane as she writes to someone no one else believes exist. Loved this! And that ending. 😳

FIND ME, MOMMY: OMGosh. So freaking creeeeeepy. Emma Jo's shadowy fate is damn spooky.

AUDREY AT NIGHT: The story of a guilty woman being haunted isn't what it seems, and as the events unravel leading to the shocking conclusion... everything starts to make sense. Fantastic!

THE FIVE-DAY SUMMER CAMP: This is quite a chilling dystopian horror story about two sisters determined to stay together in a world that wants to control their every thought and action. Outstanding.

SKIN LIKE HONEY AND LACE: I love skeletons and have written several stories about them myself, so I found this tale  REALLY appealing. Loved how at its very core it's a morbid love story about shedding false skin to expose who you really are.

BY NOW, I'LL PROBABLY BE GONE: I think this one's a lot of fun! Short but gets to the razor-sharp point right away.

THROUGH EARTH AND SKY: Lovely and sad, a story that's over too soon but covers so much.

THE TOWER PRINCESSES: OMG, this is such a strange and wondrous tale about the crap teenage girls have to put up with. It's presented in such a unique way, but doesn't shy away from the raw and ugly truth of what society keeps piling on. And unfortunately, also highlights how easy it is to lose who you love if you allow the negatives to fill you with anger and blind you from the most wonderful thing.

AND HER SMILE WILL UNTETHER THE UNIVERSE: A fascinating take on urban legends and forgotten actors.

THE LAZARUS BRIDE: Loved this bleak fairy tale that questions if love can truly overcome everything.

Well, this turned out to be such a moving and beautiful collection of twisted stories. I adored each and every one for different reasons, and love Gwedolyn's writing style because it sucks you in and doesn't let go. Every character, situation and world within these pages is vivid and everlasting.

 

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