P.L. McMillan's Blog, page 6

The Disappearance of Tom Nero: Book Review

Howdy, dear reader!

I have another double review/interview combo for you this week!

Before that — Did you hear how my space horror tale, eyeofmoth.exe, is being featured as a part of a cryptid triple creature feature? That’s right! Coming June 1st, Confirmed Sightings, is one collection you don’t want to miss. Check it out here:

The truth is out there The Author

TJ Price's corporeal being is currently located in Raleigh, NC, with his handsome partner of many years, but his ghosts live in northeastern Connecticut, southern Maine, and north Brooklyn. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Nightmare Magazine, Pidgeonholes, The Bear Creek Gazette, The NoSleep Podcast, and various anthologies. He can be invoked at either tjpricewrites.com or via the blue bird @eerieyore. Failing that, one can make a circle of chalk on the floor, stand in the center, and burn a photograph of a loved one until all that remains is ashes. Then, listen for a murmuring from within the walls. Leave your message after the sound of the screb. — Price’s bio provided to me by the author himself

Find Price on his website or on Twitter.

The Book

The Disappearance of Tom Nero concerns a young man's investigation into the impossible disappearance of a friend. As he learns more about the circumstances and searches for answers, the re-emergence of a metatextual horror from legend puts not only him, but his new lover, in jeopardy.

The story explores themes of contagious and invasive thoughts, disappearances, as well as the relationship between reality and the written word. It is uniquely structured, with a variety of clues hidden in the text for the savvy reader-but beware, for the horror might not only affect the characters in the story...it may also affect the reader themselves. — description from Spooky House Press

Published through Spooky House Press and out May 16th, The Disappearance of Tom Nero is a metatextual horror novelette that follows the mysterious disappearance of Tom Nero, who has discovered the power of a strange s̴̳̻̏͛c̸̣̾ŗ̷̆̈ẻ̴̖̪͆b̷̲̑͌̕͜.

Is it madness or something supernatural? What kind of power can a word have?

The Review

Rich in eerie suspense and found footage glory, The Disappearance of Tom Nero is an addicting mystery wrapped in one-of-a-kind formatting. Told through found documents in varying formats, Price explores themes of intrusive thoughts, infectious discoveries, and the darkness that could be lying in wait in every corner.

I had such fun with this novelette! Price is a precise author, choosing his prose with care, to create an impactful tale that is unforgettable. I ended up reading this all in one sitting and am still thinking about it now.

If you haven’t read The House of Leaves and weren’t sure if you should, read The Disappearance of Tom Nero first. It’s way more approachable and will give you a good idea of HoL’s vibe. If you’re a fan of House of Leaves, then definitely read The Disappearance of Tom Nero.

As I mentioned just a bit ago, this novelette is told in the form of found documents, which makes it deliciously immersive. It takes a lot of skill to write this kind of tale in this way and Price aces it. Not only with the unique style, but also in his character development, and the way he waves in the insidious dread and influence of the s̴̳̻̏͛c̸̣̾ŗ̷̆̈ẻ̴̖̪͆b̷̲̑͌̕͜.

If you’re a fan of Blair Witch, House of Leaves, The Ring, you should definitely check this book out. It was a wild ride from start to finish!

10/10

x PLM

p.s. check back on Thursday for my PLM Talks with TJ Price!

Interview: Eric Raglin

Today I chat with Eric Raglin about his life as a writer, and editor, and a guy who likes owls. We also chat about his collection, Extinction Hymns. He frequently writes about queer issues, the terrors of capitalism, and body horror. His work has been published in Novel Noctule, Fever Dream, and Shiver: A Chilling Horror Anthology.

Extinction Hymns: Collection Review

Why howdy reader!

Have you been listening into The Dead Languages podcast where Carson Winter and I chat about the joys and sorrows and chaos of writing. New episodes drop every Wednesday!

Now onto the review and be sure to check back on Thursday for when my PLM Talks episode interviewing Eric Raglin drops.

The Author

Eric Raglin (he/him) is a Midwestern horror/Weird fiction writer and the editor for Cursed Morsels Press. He frequently writes about queerness, the terrors of capitalism, and body horror. His debut short story collection is Nightmare Yearnings and his second collection Extinction Hymns was published by Brigids Gate Press. He is the editor of Shredded: A Sports and Fitness Body Horror Anthology and Antifa Splatterpunk. — Raglin’s website

Fine Raglin on his website or follow him on Twitter. You can check out his press, Cursed Morsels, here.

The Collection

A vengeful owl haunts the man who poached her. A desperate entrepreneur holds a ghost hostage for profit. An addict finds hope and terror in an imprisoned angel. A father and son search their dying world for something to eat other than human flesh. Eric Raglin, author of Nightmare Yearnings, returns with his second collection of horror and weird fiction. Strange, terrifying, and tender, these eighteen stories explore what happens when extinction comes for us all. — Extinction Hymns Amazon description

Released in December 2022 from Brigid’s Gate Press and with a cover by Elizabeth Leggett, Extinction Hymns is a collection of eighteen stories spanning from body horror to post-apocalyptic horror to religious horror. You can grab it now on Amazon or from the press’s website.

The Review

I had a lot of fun with this collection! A lot of the stories had a religious horror theme to it, which I don’t think I’ve read a lot of prior but really enjoyed. For example “Transubstantiation” is a tale about a young child obsessively concerned with the purity of their own soul as a religious event approaches. Raglin handles the theme of religion well in his tales without anything feeling too heavy handed.

Many of the stories, like “Dead Rain” and “What to Do with Grandpa”, deal with a post-apocalyptic worlds and the people struggling within them. I really admired Raglin’s ability to create a world with a lot of depth without overburdening the plot with too much info dumping.

Let’s talk about my favourite stories (without spoilers!):

“Angel Teeth”: a eerie, heart-breaking tale of an addict who wants to get clean so she can meet her newborn nephew. Her dealer offers a miracle that seems too good to be true. I was not expecting how this tale as going to go and end. Loved it.

“Dead Rain”: the world is parched, the crops are withered, but the dead are helping. Still, it’s not enough for a father and son duo struggling to survive. This version of the end of the world was just so deliciously unsettlingly!

“A Creature Nailed Upon the Corridor of Time”: a newly discovered, nearly perfectly preserved prehistoric creature proves to be more than it seems. This was my favourite story of the bunch. I mean that title alone is stellar.

“The Last of Her Kind”: a man desperate to keep his failing business alive goes to extreme measures to save it. I loved how this story gave me Tales from the Crypt Keeper vibes.

I highly recommend this collection for those looking for some great horror centered around the end of the world or religion! Every single story was unique and dripped with suspense and horror. I honestly couldn’t put it down and read it all in one sitting!

9/10

x PLM

p.s. don’t forget to check back on Thursday for my PLM Talks interview with Eric Raglin!

Every Woman Knows This: Collection Review

Hey lovely reader, welcome back!

I saw Laurel Hightower at Authorcon 2 and managed to snag a signed copy of Every Woman Knows This! As always, Laurel was so lovely to talk to and I was so excited to read this collection that I read the whole thing on my way home from the con.

The Author

A paralegal during the day, Laurel Hightower is a Kentuckian (is that a term? or did I make that up?) horror author whose works include Crossroads, Whispers in the Dark, and Below. Her short fiction has also appeared in What One Wouldn’t Do, Terror in the Trench, and other anthologies.

[Hightower] definitely wants to see a picture of your dog, and often bonds with complete strangers over animal stories. A lifetime reader, she would raid her parents’ bookshelves from an early age, resulting in a number of awkward conversations about things like, “what does getting laid mean?” She loves discovering new favorite authors, and supporting the writing and reading community. — Hightower’s website

You can find Hightower on her website, Twitter, or Instagram.

The Collection

A never-ending storm rages, tossing a dark and bottomless sea. Tentacled beasts reach from every direction, a battle at every turn, but they've chosen the wrong target. Armed with teeth and sharp weapons of her own, she'll fight until there's nothing left, and then she'll pick herself up and fight again. For this is what we do.

Laurel Hightower, author of Below and Crossroads, delivers the blow that shatters the glass ceiling into twenty deadly shards-each reflecting horrors faced by women. Unwelcomed advances from dangerous men. The unbearable weight of motherhood. A goddess pushed to her limits. The inescapable responsibilities of being a caretaker, even beyond the grave.

Dive in for Hightower's most beloved short stories, all brought together in one collection which includes five brand new tales. Navigate the stormy waters of womanhood with caution as you are about to experience the horrors that every woman knows.

— Every Woman Knows This Amazon page

Released March 2023 through Death Knell Press, Every Woman Knows This contains deadly tales and art all around the horrors and realities of womanhood.

The Review

I love Hightower’s writing style and her prose. This collection was riveting. I loved every story in it, though “Every Woman Knows This”, “The Bride Wore Black”, “Distress Call”, and “The Starman” were my absolute favourites.

I also really appreciated that, along with the hauntingly beautiful stories, there are also really cool illustrations.

Let’s look at my absolute favourite stories. Don’t worry, no spoilers here:

“Every Woman Knows This”: I actually got the chance to hear Hightower read this out loud at an event and really enjoyed it then and I enjoyed re-reading it. The tale explores the fear all women have when approached by a pushy guy. How do you be not nice enough, not rude enough, not friendly enough, not whatever it is so that you don’t trigger an attack. Hightower does a great job illustrating this fear in a unique way.

“The Bride Wore Black”: is like a traditional fairy tale. Dark, grim, poetic. The main character is nervous about her upcoming wedding and goes home to look for a book that they once had a child. A book that showed her future. I loved the set-up, the Gothic atmosphere, the chilling end.

“Distress Call” is about a team keen on exploring a old submarine that has reappeared from the depths. How can you not love a classic deep water horror tale? This gave me cosmic horror vibes!

“The Starman” is about a young girl who has a very eerie watcher. An entity in a space suit whose visor only reflect darkness. Is it a protector or a spectre? Super heartwrenching and horrifying tale.

Absolutely stunning collection and I cannot recommend this book enough. Definitely buy and read it. Every story was a banger.

10/10

x PLM

p.s. An underwater haven, the end of the world, and a dark secret. Read my free short story, The Fall of Haven, now.

Linghun: Book Review

Hello dearest reader! Back here with another book review, from another Canadian author!

Before we get to that, don’t forget that I am now co-hosting a podcast about the writing craft with my friend and fellow author, Carson Winter. The Dead Languages podcast explores the science, the art, the chaos of writing in the horror genre. New episodes every Wednesday, come visit us, we don’t bite (hard.)

Listen now! The Author

The Queen of Adorable Pictures, Ai Jiang is a Chinese-Canadian author whose short fiction has appeared in F&SF, The Dark, Uncanny, The Masters Review, Prairie Fire, among others. She is a Nebula Award finalist and a member of HWA, SFWA, and Codex. She is the recipient of Odyssey Workshop’s 2022 Fresh Voices Scholarship and the author of Linghun and I AM AI.

Visit her website or check her out on Twitter.

The Book

Published April 2023 and with cover art by Mateus Roberts, Linghun is a literary horror novel exploring themes of grief, loss, and guilt. The novel centers on a family that moves to HOME in the hopes that their house can tempt a dead family member back to visit.

From acclaimed author Ai Jiang, follow Wenqi, Liam, and Mrs. to the mysterious town of HOME, a place where the dead live again as spirits, conjured by the grief-sick population that refuses to let go. This edition includes a foreword by Yi Izzy Yu, Translator of The Shadow Book of Ji Yun, the essay "A Ramble on Di Fu Ling & Death" by the author, and two bonus short stories from Jiang: "Yǒngshí" and "Teeter Totter." — Linghun Amazon page

The Review

In a way, Linghun is about hauntings but not in any sense I have ever seen before. Jiang’s prose is careful, deliberate, heartbreaking, and heavy with emotion.

The novel drips with pain. The family is hurting. The parents because they want to see their child again, Wenqi because she is a living ghost in her family. Other at HOME suffer as they hope to be able to get a house of their own. Does seeing your dead loved ones again actually help you move on or does it only trap you in a torturous limbo? Can love thrive in a neighbourhood haunted by the living and the dead? Jiang explores all this and more.

As a fellow writer, I really admired Jiang’s distinct voice in her writing. Her style is unique and poetic.

As a more literary tale, this novel doesn’t have horror in the traditional sense, instead it explores the horror of human failings and emotions. It’s really heavy stuff!

8/10

x PLM

Graveyard Keeper: Game Review

Howdy reader and welcome back for another PLM review! Before we go into it, just wanted to remind you that I have a merch shop! Cute merch, spooky merch, silly merch. Peep these designs:

Check out the merch! The Game

From the creators of Punch Club comes the most inaccurate medieval cemetery management sim of the year. Welcome to Graveyard Keeper. — Graveyard Keeper website

Released in 2018, Graveyard Keeper throws players right into the thick of things when the main character dies in the first 5 minutes. Waking in a medieval world, players find themselves in the new role of the "Graveyard Keeper", responsible for the dead of the village. In order to return home,you have to complete all kinds of quests, all while managing your graveyard. Think Stardew Valley but more goth.

Face ethical dilemmas. Do you really want to spend money on that proper hotdog meat for the festival when you have so many resources lying around?

Gather valuable resources & craft new items. Expand your Graveyard into a thriving business, go ahead and gather valuable resources scattered in the surrounding areas, and explore what this land has to offer.

Make business alliances. These dead bodies don't need all that blood, do they? Why not sell it to someone who can put it to good use. Same for body parts. Hey, it's being efficient with recycling!

Explore mysterious dungeons. No medieval game would be complete without these. Take a trip into the unknown and find useful new ingredients which may or may not poison a whole bunch of nearby villagers. Capitalism. — Graveyard Keeper wiki page

Currently available on PC, Nintendo Switch, PS4, and Xbox One.

The Review

This game is really relaxing considering the grim subject matter at times. Like I mentioned above, it’s pretty much goth Stardew Valley. Instead of a farm, you cultivate — well actually you can have a garden… Okay, but the main focus is maintaining your graveyard and church, while running the various quests.

You also get to perform autopsies and eventually sell the meat to the unsuspecting townsfolk for mad cash. There’s talking skulls and donkeys, ghosts and the Inquisition. And you are just trying to get home.

My attention span for games like these are hit and miss, I’ll play it for a few hours here, then forget about it for a couple weeks before getting back into it.

Upside about Graveyard Keeper is it’s easy to do that. I like the art style and the concept, there are some pretty humourous moments, and it has a wonderful musical score. Overall, it’s a relaxing game because it’s low stakes.

Obviously, if you’re a fan of games like Stardew Valley, this would be a great game for you.

8/10

x PLM

p.s. want to read something free? What happens when a live studio becomes a target for a live haunting? Read Lights, Camera, Haunt! today!

Six Rooms: Book Review

Hello dearest reader!

As I mentioned in my last post, I’ll be doing two reviews a week for a bit until I catch up on all the books I’ve read/movies I’ve watched.

Today’s book, I actually read ages ago! I met Gemma Amor at the Stoker pre-party event at the Stanley Hotel and we actually traded books there! I read Six Rooms right when I got home, before heading out to Stoker, and just neglected to write a review!

So here we are!

The Author

Gemma Amor is a UK horror writer whose works include Cruel Works of Nature, Dear Laura, White Pines, Girl on Fire, Six Rooms, Grief is a False God, and These Wounds We Make. Besides novels and shorts, she also writes regularly for the NoSleep Podcast, including a production that aired live at the Stanley event I was at!

Gemma also paints book covers, and is the co-creator, writer and voice actor for horror-comedy podcast Calling Darkness, starring Kate Siegel. Her stories feature in a number of horror anthologies in print and have been adapted many times over by the NoSleep Podcast, Shadows at the Door, Creepy, The Hidden Frequencies and the Grey Rooms podcast. — Amor’s website

Visit her website or find her on .

The Book

Welcome, all, to the Sunshire Chateau: Lestershire’s premier tourist attraction. It sits high on a hill overlooking town, shrouded by tall trees and rumors of murder, scandal and intrigue. Tickets are hard to come by, so hold yours close, else the Tour Guide may not let you in. And that would be a pity, for there are so many things to see within these walls–history, glamor, and riches beyond your wildest imagination. Just remember the following rules: don’t wander off alone, don’t be rude to the Guide, and don’t, whatever you do, touch the valuables.

Because the ghosts don’t like it when you touch their things. — Six Rooms Amazon description

Published in August 2021 and with a stunning cover by Chad Wehrle, Six Rooms is a story about a group of people hoping to tour a famous haunted house. Some of the guests are there because they are actually interested in the house’s sordid past, others are there because of rumours of treasure. Whatever their reasons, all the guests get more than they bargain for.

The Review

I love a good haunted house story and Six Rooms was no exception.

Immediately, I was drawn in: a house that only opens for tours occasionally, a strange Guide who is very strict. The reader is drawn along with the characters, learning about the history of the house one room at a time. Right away the tour goes off the rails when secret passageways are discovers and people start to go missing. Then the conclusion of the book is deliciously grim.

Rich in Gothic suspense and rich atmosphere, the events of Six Rooms are chilling. While learning about the house, you also learn about the guests, and even about the Guide himself. Six Rooms is a buffet of secrets and it’s all you can eat. And I was there for it.

My favourite part of Six Rooms is how I, as the reader, was carried on the tour along with the characters. I loved learning about the history of the house while also seeing the horror of the present unfold. Then, without spoilers, Amor caught me by surprise with the ending. Almost a year later and Amor’s haunted house tale is still vivid in my mind — I think that says a lot toward Amor’s strength of writing an powerful prose.

I would definitely recommend this to fans of haunted house tales and those who enjoy a beautifully decadent Gothic story.

10/10

x PLM

p.s. James from the Just James Horror Review Podcast dedicated his 13th episode to reviewing my debut collection, What Remains When The Stars Burn Out! Fair warning: he deep dives a handful of the stories, including discussing the endings.

Definitely check the episode out and support the podcast, it’s really fun!

Listen now

After Authorcon Update

Dearest reader, were you wondering where I was this past Monday?

I was honestly just feeling completely wrecked from attending Authorcon 2 in Williamsburg all weekend and needed a day — or two — off. But I am back, so let’s do a little update!

Authorcon

Authorcon was, as I said, in Williamsburg VA and was an all weekend event. I landed Friday and checked in with my friend, Bridget D. Brave. We hit up the vendors room and I had to try very hard not to buy everything in sight since I only had a carry-on bag.

I did grab Every Woman Knows This by Laurel Hightower, No Gods for Drowning and Even The Worm Will Turn by Hailey Piper, Fear The Reaper by David Simms, and Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare.

We checked out the Edgar Allen Poe live event and the next day hit a bunch of panels. I think, by far, my favourite was the screenwriting panel with my friend, Jamie Flanagan.

Also, super excited that I got to catch up with the talented Hailey Piper, Laurel Hightower, and Gemma Amor. I also got to meet Bitter Karella, the amazing author of The Midnight Pals series, as well as the cool Mr. Matt Blairstone, from Tenebrous Press.

Overall, it was great catching up with old friends and making new ones, meeting so many talented authors, artists, and creatives.

Conventions like these are just such a wonderful experience. It’s so inspiring to be surrounded by like-minded fans of horror and the macabre.

At the same time, my social battery only usually lasts a weekend so by Sunday, I was pretty exhausted. Still, looking forward to when Stokercon rolls around!

I also learned I need to take more photos, I am absolutely terrible at it.

Guest DMing

Tonight I’ll be appearing on the WanMonCast Twitch channel/podcast to guest DM my Call of Cthulhu one-shot, Horror on Epsilon IV. It starts at 7:30pm MT/8:30pm CT, so come check it out!

Check out the stream Podcast

Don’t forget that I am also a cohost of the relatively new podcast, The Dead Languages podcast. Come listen to Carson Winter and me chat about all things horror and the writing craft!

So far, we talked about werewolves, critiquing, the writing process, and writing habits (among other topics)! Episodes are available on most popular platforms!

Check out The Dead Languages podcast Merch

Did you know I design merch? From shirts to hoodies, mugs to bags, in all sizes and colours! For example, check out my booty cryptid series:

Visit my shop Happy One Year!

This past March 31st was my debut collection’s one year book birthday!

I remember when release day finally happened and my very first solo collection was born. It’s been quite the journey for me, I’ve had my debut novella come out, I’ve started a podcast and a friend and peer, and been so busy just being creative and artistic.

If you haven’t checked out What Remains When The Stars Burn Out, you should — especially if you’re a fan of cosmic horror:

From the lips of a dying woman to the ears of an overworked nurse, a word begins to haunt her and the city in which she lives. An office worker is convinced she has contracted something highly contagious, but no one believes her. Earth is on the brink of collapse, when scientists discover a new plane of reality. Could this be the salvation people are seeking? A company’s revolutionary method of travel promises instant teleportation across countless light years but at a price.

What Remains When The Stars Burn Out is a vivid collection of twelve stories ranging from the morbid to the macabre, the sinister to the supernatural, the unearthly to the uncanny, which are sure to send a shiver down your spine.

Grab your copy today

That’s it! That all the PLM updates I have! Except for the fact that I might need to start doing double reviews each week because I’ve been reading a ton and only a singular review per week doesn’t really keep up.

So maybe on weeks that I don’t have interviews lined up, I might do book reviews Monday/Thursday until I am caught up.

So, on that note, come back on Thursday for my next review!

Also don’t forget I’ll be on the WanMonCast show tonight! Check it out and let me know what you think of my DMing skills!

x PLM

p.s. don’t forget I have a ton of free-to-read stories on this website.

A fan of sci-fi horror? Check out Do The Broken Hearted Dream of Entropic Paradise?

Want liminal spaces? Read Curiosity Paid in Full

Possession? Visit Granny Mae, The Witch Bitch

Body horror? Look at the State of Me is the one for you.

Interview: Jolie Toomajan

Hey there cutie! This interview is spoiler-free for the upcoming horror anthology: Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic coming out May 21, 2023

Today I chat with editor, Jolie Toomajan, about the writing craft (hint, she is a monster that uses her phone to dictate drafts!?), editing experience, and about the anthology itself.

You can pre-order it here:

Pre-order!

Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic: Anthology Review

Hello dear reader!

I have a super fun anthology I am reviewing today for you and I also interviewed the editor (that video drops Thursday, as per usual.) I got a copy of this in advance so I am keeping this review spoiler-free.

The Editor

Jolie Toomajan is a PhD candidate, writer, editor, exhausted feminist, and all-around ghoul. Her dissertation in progress is focused on the women who wrote for Weird Tales and her work has appeared in Upon a Thrice Time, Black Static, Los Suelos, and Death in the Mouth (among other places). Despite all of this, her plan for the zombie apocalypse is to pour a bottle of hot sauce over her head. — Toomajan’s bio at the end of the anthology

You can visit her on her website or follow her on Twitter.

The Anthology

Coming May 21, 2023 and with a beautiful cover by Mary Esther Munoz, Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic is a stunning horror anthology themed around “hysteria.”

Check out the book’s description:

Are you sure something’s wrong? Or are you just hysterical?

Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic is rage-made-art, an unsettling meditation that also serves as a charitable platform to support abortion rights in the United States. Inside are twenty-six haunting speculative tales that explore the social, political, and personal dimensions of hysteria.

Women who are convicted of sexual transgressions are forced to become living seed mounds.

A lonely young man makes his perfect girl out of caulk and endeavors to teach her about the wonders of the world.

The poor barter for health insurance by serving as living batteries for the elite.

In this anthology of feminist dark fiction, presented by CHM, author and editor Jolie Toomajan has curated a collection of nightmares from both award-winning and emerging writers, including Hailey Piper, Christi Nogle, Joe Koch, Kelsea Yu, Laura Cranehill, and more.

Proceeds will benefit the Chicago Abortion Fund — Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic landing page

The table of contents includes this stellar line-up:

“The Girls of Channel 9” — Jennifer Lesh Fleck

“By Their Bones Ye Shall Know Them” — Joe Koch

“China Doll” — Kelsea Yu

“The Flock” — Marisca Pichette

“Exodus” — Dante O. Greene

“The Dark Mother’s Call” — Cheyenne Shaffe

“The First Mrs. Edward Rochester Would Like A Word” — Laura Blackwell

“Speak of the Hunger” — Tania Chen

“The Girls With Claws That Catch” — Hailey Piper

“Lakeglass Houses” — J. Z. Kelley

“Nectarine, Apple, Pear” — Laura Cranehill

“Light House” — K. Wallace King

“Oblong Objects In The Mirror (Are Closer Than They Appear) — Lillah Lawson

“The Heaviest Fall The Furthest” — Alex Laurel Lanz

“Mother Mansrot In The Glass Mountain” — Sarah Pulling

“Revenge Dress” — Susan L. Lin

“Semelparity” — Katherine Marzinsky

“Body Parts” — Sarah Zell

“Riveted By Bullets — Dee Engan

“Abaddon, 1861” — M. Regan

“Piece by Piece” — Erin Keating

“The Voice of Nothing” — Diane Callahan

“The Potter” — Aya Maguire

“Right to Life” — Ian Gabriel Loisel

“Bitter Makes The Sweet So Sweet” — Christi Nogle

“How To Make A Girl Love You (On A Budget)” — Kenzie Lappin

Special Pre-Order Bundle The Review

Is it cool if I start my review with the blurb I wrote for this anthology?

Powerful and poignant, Aseptic and Faintly Sadistic resonates with brutal imagery, themes, and characters. Packed with 26 gut-wrenching tales brimming with blood, tears, and screams—this is one anthology you’ll need smelling salts for.

This has to be one of my favourite anthologies of all time, not to mention this year.

I definitely have my favourites in this anthology but, this was a rare occasion that in an anthology, there was not a single story I did not enjoy.

I loved how very unique each story was from one another, ranging from weird fiction to body horror, from settings in a grim, terrifyingly possible future realities to unpleasant presents. Starting with a poignant and heartwrenching foreword from the editor herself, I couldn’t put this anthology down! Each story grabbed me by the throat and wouldn’t let go.

Let me call out my favourites (though, let me remind you again, that not a single story missed the mark, which is so rare to find in an anthology!):

“The Girls of Channel 9” by Jennifer Lesh Fleck opens the anthology with a super grim story set in some (maybe not so) distant future where women are punished for sexual “transgressions” are forced to live as living seed mounds. The imagery Fleck put in my mind will be living rent-free there for a while. This one gave me The Handmaid’s Tale vibes.

“By Their Bones Ye Shall Know Them” by Joe Koch is set in a different reality and spins the idea of forced birth on its head. Koch effectively builds a complex world and a cast of unique characters without interrupting the quick pacing of the tale. I can’t say too much more without spoiling anything so let me just say that Koch absolutely has a new fan.

“The Girls With Claws That Catch” by Hailey Piper takes a new spin on “The Jabberwocky”. This story felt like a modern fairy tale and Piper flavours it full of her skillful prose, ripe with imagery, and dripping with bitter-sweet themes. What if the Jabberwocky was real, what place would they have in our world and what repercussions?

“Lakeglass Houses” by J. Z. Kelley was so deliciously weird and vivid. A young woman is meeting her partner’s parents for the very first time. We all know what that is like, navigating the rocky politics, the awkward first impressions. Well, nothing compares to what she has to go through.

“Piece by Piece” by Erin Keating is another fairy tale-esque story along the same vibe as Bluebeard but with Keating’s unique flavour. The tale centers around a town called Lodestone, where a man named Desmond White lives and is a serial widower. I loved the gothic vibe to this story. So well paced and tense throughout, with a haunting end.

“The Potter” by Aya Maguire legitimately made me gasp at the end and then I immediately re-read it. Set on a spaceship, a mother and a daughter are heading to a new planet. I can’t say more, but this story was so well written. Short, straight to the point, and unforgettable.

Definitely check out this anthology. I cannot stress it enough, every story was a banger.

10/10

x PLM

p.s. remember to check back on Thursday when my interview with editor Jolie Toomajan drops.