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Night & Day: Dreadful Dark: Tales of Nighttime Horror/Merciless Sun: Tales of Daylight Horror
A horror anthology edited by the genre’s greatest, Ellen Datlow, with one side featuring stories about what haunts the night while the other side showcases the terrors that can exist in the light of day in this new addition to the Saga Doubles series.
This anthology contains stories from some of the most evocative and bestselling writers of horror and speculative fiction.
Night— Dreadful Tales of Nighttime Horror
Table of Contents
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman
We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark by Eric LaRocca
The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones
At Night, My Dad by Dan Chaon
The Night House by Gemma Files
The Night-Mirrors by Pat Cadigan
Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy
The Picknicker by Josh Malerman
Secret Night by Nathan Ballingrud
Day—Merciless Tales of Daylight
Table of Contents
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma
Faire by Rachel Harrison
Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson
One Day by Jeffrey Ford
The Wanting by A.T. Greenblatt
Hold Us in the Light by A.C. Wise
Dismaying Creatures by Robert Shearman
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren
Cold Iron by Sophie White
This anthology contains stories from some of the most evocative and bestselling writers of horror and speculative fiction.
Night— Dreadful Tales of Nighttime Horror
Table of Contents
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman
We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark by Eric LaRocca
The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones
At Night, My Dad by Dan Chaon
The Night House by Gemma Files
The Night-Mirrors by Pat Cadigan
Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy
The Picknicker by Josh Malerman
Secret Night by Nathan Ballingrud
Day—Merciless Tales of Daylight
Table of Contents
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma
Faire by Rachel Harrison
Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson
One Day by Jeffrey Ford
The Wanting by A.T. Greenblatt
Hold Us in the Light by A.C. Wise
Dismaying Creatures by Robert Shearman
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren
Cold Iron by Sophie White
352 pages, Paperback
First published September 2, 2025
48 people are currently reading
414 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Datlow
274 books1,875 followersEllen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
November 23, 2025
It is a fun and playful motif for an anthology to take two opposing concepts, and find the horror in both, basically flattening their binarity. Add to it the excellent editorship of Ellen Datlow, and there you have Night & Day, a horror collection of 18 short stories, nine for daytime horrors and nine for the night. My highlights were,
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma, where we are presented a dystopic world in which advanced climate change caused the world to overheat, and a home invasion takes place in a time where being outside is deadly.
Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson - imagine being on a date with someone with a sinister baggage, a kind of monster that emerges at the same time every sunny day... Very creepy!
One Day by Jeffrey Ford - There's something very engrossing in Jeffrey Ford's short horror stories about weirdness creeping into the everyday lives of ordinary people living in the suburbs. Here, it's a baby snatcher who operates in broad daylight.
Trash Night is an awesome piece of writing by Clay McLeod Chapman following the night shift of a trash man who finds a baby's dead body in a plastic bag.
At Night, My Dad by Dan Shawn. When night time comes, MC is being visited by his demons during his heroin withdrawal. Luckily he has his father to take care of him.
and finally,
Mirrors by Pat Cadigan, in which an orphaned five year old girl lives with her grandmother, her roommate, and her roommate's girlfriend. As we all know though, two is company, but three is a coven. I definitely need to start reading Pat Cadigan because every time I read an anthology that features her writing, without doubt Cadigan makes it into my highlights. Does anyone have recommendations where to start reading her?
So, great concept, great authors, great anthology - don't miss this.
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma, where we are presented a dystopic world in which advanced climate change caused the world to overheat, and a home invasion takes place in a time where being outside is deadly.
Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson - imagine being on a date with someone with a sinister baggage, a kind of monster that emerges at the same time every sunny day... Very creepy!
One Day by Jeffrey Ford - There's something very engrossing in Jeffrey Ford's short horror stories about weirdness creeping into the everyday lives of ordinary people living in the suburbs. Here, it's a baby snatcher who operates in broad daylight.
Trash Night is an awesome piece of writing by Clay McLeod Chapman following the night shift of a trash man who finds a baby's dead body in a plastic bag.
At Night, My Dad by Dan Shawn. When night time comes, MC is being visited by his demons during his heroin withdrawal. Luckily he has his father to take care of him.
and finally,
Mirrors by Pat Cadigan, in which an orphaned five year old girl lives with her grandmother, her roommate, and her roommate's girlfriend. As we all know though, two is company, but three is a coven. I definitely need to start reading Pat Cadigan because every time I read an anthology that features her writing, without doubt Cadigan makes it into my highlights. Does anyone have recommendations where to start reading her?
So, great concept, great authors, great anthology - don't miss this.
May 27, 2025
ARC for review. To be published September 2, 2025.
2.5 stars
A collection of horror stories, some books some esteemed authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman and others, half involving the night, half set in the light of day, a concept that has always interested me, because if you can scare me during the day….well, that is scary! ((There’s a scene from the movie “Nope” that takes place at midday that I will never get over. Never.)
Sadly, though, though most of the stories weren’t bad, few really stood out to me. My favorite was “Faire” by the talented Rachel Harrison.
Horror Aficionados Summer Horror Challenge 2025 - horror under the stars
2.5 stars
A collection of horror stories, some books some esteemed authors like Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman and others, half involving the night, half set in the light of day, a concept that has always interested me, because if you can scare me during the day….well, that is scary! ((There’s a scene from the movie “Nope” that takes place at midday that I will never get over. Never.)
Sadly, though, though most of the stories weren’t bad, few really stood out to me. My favorite was “Faire” by the talented Rachel Harrison.
Horror Aficionados Summer Horror Challenge 2025 - horror under the stars
July 19, 2025
This collection packs a punch! Look, I went into this anthology with high expectations, because I have enjoyed every anthology edited by Ellen Datlow that I have read, and because I recognized more than half of the contributing authors, and I was not disappointed! This collection spans the horror genre, from psychological to dystopian to paranormal to the occult and more. Of the eighteen stories there was only one I was “meh” about, the majority of the others being either really good or great. The stories have a weight to them, which I appreciate. They don’t feel heavy, per se, but substantial. Across the collection there are a lot of different theme and ideas, from grief to fear of change to personal autonomy and equality co-dependence and self-worth, but never do the stories feel burdened by these ideas. The writing is really strong across the board, really exploiting the special magic of the short story format.
I will say, the theme of the collection is a little threadbare. Yes, all the stories took place (mostly) during night or day, respectively, in the dark or the light, and while a handful from each half did use that setting/idea as critical to the plot, for many of the others it was a little incidental. That said, I still enjoyed it. I think the difference that setting makes on the tone of a story is interesting, because different things scare you when there aren’t shadows to hide in, and across the stories the various authors manage to make the most of their surroundings, so to speak. The stories are curated and organized well, so reading them in order is a balanced and holistic experience, with the stories feeling varied and flowing well from one to the next.
Like I said I really enjoyed the vast majority of this collection, with Stephen Graham Jones’s The Door of Sleep standing out for playing with form (and expectations) in exciting ways. The stories by Dan Chaon, Gemma Files, Pat Cadigan, Priya Sharma, and Kaaron Warren were also really impactful, if I had to choose just a few. Without breaking down all of the individual stories I will say the collection feels fresh and exciting, it is an impulsive read that is hard to put down, and I had a really good time across the entire thing. If you are looking for a solid collection of short stories that will bring you on a journey across many of the subgenres of horror without ever overstaying its welcome or feeling repetitive then it is hard to do better than this.
I want to thank the editor & authors, the publisher Saga Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I will say, the theme of the collection is a little threadbare. Yes, all the stories took place (mostly) during night or day, respectively, in the dark or the light, and while a handful from each half did use that setting/idea as critical to the plot, for many of the others it was a little incidental. That said, I still enjoyed it. I think the difference that setting makes on the tone of a story is interesting, because different things scare you when there aren’t shadows to hide in, and across the stories the various authors manage to make the most of their surroundings, so to speak. The stories are curated and organized well, so reading them in order is a balanced and holistic experience, with the stories feeling varied and flowing well from one to the next.
Like I said I really enjoyed the vast majority of this collection, with Stephen Graham Jones’s The Door of Sleep standing out for playing with form (and expectations) in exciting ways. The stories by Dan Chaon, Gemma Files, Pat Cadigan, Priya Sharma, and Kaaron Warren were also really impactful, if I had to choose just a few. Without breaking down all of the individual stories I will say the collection feels fresh and exciting, it is an impulsive read that is hard to put down, and I had a really good time across the entire thing. If you are looking for a solid collection of short stories that will bring you on a journey across many of the subgenres of horror without ever overstaying its welcome or feeling repetitive then it is hard to do better than this.
I want to thank the editor & authors, the publisher Saga Press, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 10, 2025
The new Nathan Ballingrud story is a total banger. It deserves to be in all the Best Horror reprint anthologies.
June 24, 2025
Like all anthologies, there will be stories that work for you and some that might not, but Night & Day is a very strong collection of stories by some of the brightest (and darkest) voices in horror.
My standouts from Night were The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones, Secret Night by Nathan Ballingrud, Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy, and Clay McLeod Chapman’s Trash Night.
Standouts from Day: Faire by Rachel Harrison, One Day by Jeffrey Ford, Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson, Dismaying Creatures by Robert Shearman, and Cold Iron by Sophie White.
Night & Day is out on 9/2/25. Huge thanks to Saga Press for the ARC!
My standouts from Night were The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones, Secret Night by Nathan Ballingrud, Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy, and Clay McLeod Chapman’s Trash Night.
Standouts from Day: Faire by Rachel Harrison, One Day by Jeffrey Ford, Trick of the Light by Brian Evenson, Dismaying Creatures by Robert Shearman, and Cold Iron by Sophie White.
Night & Day is out on 9/2/25. Huge thanks to Saga Press for the ARC!
August 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review. 4.25 stars, rounding down to 4 for GoodReads. Overall, I really enjoyed this collection of stories, both on the night side and the day side. I think I enjoyed the Day stories more than the Night if I had to pick a side. I thought all of the authors stuck very well to their designated section and hit on the theme of night or day. I also appreciated the order of the stories, as it felt very purposeful on both sides of the book. There were some stories I loved more than others, and some stories that I found forgettable. Rachel Harrison's story Faire was probably my favorite of the whole collection. Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman was absolutely bonkers and a fantastic way to start off the night section. The Night House by Gemma Files and Cold Iron by Sophie White are other stories that I really loved. Definitely recommend this collection to anyone looking for some spooky stories that have a focus on how brightly the sun is (or isn't) shining outside.
September 1, 2025
I got early access to the upcoming "Day and Night" horror anthology by Ellen Datlow. Here are my individual "reviews" for each story
Day:
(The Bright Day- 4/5) I loved the setting of the world and how the story managed to establish so many interesting concepts with so few pages. The ending was a huge tone shift but still served the story as a (personally) humorous cap off to an interesting short. Would love even an expanded novella of this story and its world
(Faire- 5/5) Everything I love in a horror short. Great story beats that linger on the right things that keep the dread building, guilt ridden, and an extremely unnerving sense of overstimulation
(Trick of the Light- 3.5/5) A really cool concept and honestly would've benefited from just a few more pages to develop and build on the fear of something that only can reach you in limited hours of the day, almost as a mirror to the natural human instinct to fear the unseen in the night. Everything was good but I would've loved more.
(One Day- 0/5) An immediate and STEEP drop off for me. This read as campy 2011 creepypasta shlock for me personally. Did I laugh? Yes. But only because it was the wrong kind of fun to read. So maybe it gets a 3/5 in that department.
(The Wanting- 2/5) Will probably be one of the most forgettable stories in this anthology for me. Doesn't build up much of an atmosphere and doesn't leave much of an impact with anything.
(Hold Us In The Light- 5/5) Full. Novel. Now. I need a whole 250+ pages of this character development, bonding, adventure, further expansion of this cult, nightmare city, and everything surrounding the lore of this idol, and conclusion. I want all this 10x.
(Dismaying Creatures- 1/5) This book gives me whiplash in terms of quality and premise from story to story. I couldnt imagine that after the previous 5/5 story I could be then led to read this combination of words that composes a tale of musty, sad, inconsolable sexual ventures that is then followed by a rebound with the creature next door. With a lot of tongue
(Bitter Skin- 2.5) Not really anything I particularly liked or disliked about this story and i just don't have much to say in terms of what I think would do it well or worse. Maybe I gotta come back around to it eventually.
(Cold Iron- 3.5) This was a really good ghost story based on true events that occurred in Tipperary, Ireland in 1895. Im always interested when delving into folklore previously unknown to me. Though the story is still fictitious, it is saddening to think about how similarly some of the harsher elements likely did play out in reality, i.e the mental deterioration of a family plagued by loss and looking for any spiritual reason to blame. My only true complaint is I feel it didn't do much to lend itself to the "daytime theme" of this anthology.
Night:
(Trash Night- 1/5) My LEAST favorite read of this whole anthology as I write this, and its because it COULD have been so good. The setting and atmosphere were peak set up for something really fun, existential, and gritty. But the writing style and dialogue was an instant give away that this just wasnt going to be that for me.
(We Take our Skin off in the Dark- 1.5/5) Also forgettable. This one just didn't stand out to me and felt like it could've been a cool section in something much larger and "fleshed out." Haha yeah
(The Door of Sleep- 2/5) I saw a lot of people put this story as one of their favorites and after sitting on it, I can totally see why. This just wasn't my kind of story. Though it did succeed in making me uncomfortable, but thats just for subject matter. The style of writing was certainly not my favorite and did take me out but I can appreciate how it circled itself back in.
(At Night, My Dad- 4.5/5) Alright after a DEEP lull of stories this one brought me back. Its just sad and real and it just reads as a first hand account of someone's own struggle with grief, addiction, and loss. A very welcome and real reminder of real personal horror and suffering in an anthology that mostly covers the supernatural, unlikely, weird, and depraved
(The Night House- 5/5) This one is my favorite. Hands down. It just reads as a very fun camp side story but instead its told in the setting of a a recovery group of ex-cultists. This story has everything I love and is reminiscent of another one of my favorite horror shorts "The Showers." It is likely I will return to this one for subsequent rereads.
(The Night Mirrors-4/5) This one was ALSO phenomenal and genuinely had me glancing over to my own open windows as I read this in the dead of night. This story almost had it all and wouldve been another 5/5, but every so sadly didn't really stick the landing. Everything was so well paced until the end.
Like it was so good and there were some really great moments of suspense and these characters were very easy to become attached to despite how we aren't really familiar with them by name until near the end, which was just as an important element for the story and our understanding of the main character's perception of events and relationships. The ending just suddenly happened and the story was worse off for it. Its not even the worst ending, its just sudden and then over. So I dont hold it against the score to harshly because I really wanted more.
(Fear of the Dark- 3/5)- Another short and sudden ending for a story that I really think has something going for it. This story made me queasy and anxious with its creative execution of two natural human fears: the dark and death lurking, through the scope of adrenaline/death junkies facing something brought back with them. This could be a great campfire staple, but again, falls short.
(The Picknicker- 4/5) I made my mind up how I felt about this story by the first page. It was good. Whatever. Moving on. Ill think about this one later.
(Secret Night- 4.5/5) SOME APPALACHIAN HORROR. Ive been waiting for this one and it was of course the last I read of this anthology. This had fun creatures, concepts i know and love (loveeeee a "Lure" monster), and just the perfect length of story. This story got me tense and on edge as I finished reading this as im visiting my parents "middle of nowhere in the woods" home. Of course as I finished this story, my father waited until 10:30 pm to ask if I can run the trash can down the long driveway at the end of the woodline. Man.
Day:
(The Bright Day- 4/5) I loved the setting of the world and how the story managed to establish so many interesting concepts with so few pages. The ending was a huge tone shift but still served the story as a (personally) humorous cap off to an interesting short. Would love even an expanded novella of this story and its world
(Faire- 5/5) Everything I love in a horror short. Great story beats that linger on the right things that keep the dread building, guilt ridden, and an extremely unnerving sense of overstimulation
(Trick of the Light- 3.5/5) A really cool concept and honestly would've benefited from just a few more pages to develop and build on the fear of something that only can reach you in limited hours of the day, almost as a mirror to the natural human instinct to fear the unseen in the night. Everything was good but I would've loved more.
(One Day- 0/5) An immediate and STEEP drop off for me. This read as campy 2011 creepypasta shlock for me personally. Did I laugh? Yes. But only because it was the wrong kind of fun to read. So maybe it gets a 3/5 in that department.
(The Wanting- 2/5) Will probably be one of the most forgettable stories in this anthology for me. Doesn't build up much of an atmosphere and doesn't leave much of an impact with anything.
(Hold Us In The Light- 5/5) Full. Novel. Now. I need a whole 250+ pages of this character development, bonding, adventure, further expansion of this cult, nightmare city, and everything surrounding the lore of this idol, and conclusion. I want all this 10x.
(Dismaying Creatures- 1/5) This book gives me whiplash in terms of quality and premise from story to story. I couldnt imagine that after the previous 5/5 story I could be then led to read this combination of words that composes a tale of musty, sad, inconsolable sexual ventures that is then followed by a rebound with the creature next door. With a lot of tongue
(Bitter Skin- 2.5) Not really anything I particularly liked or disliked about this story and i just don't have much to say in terms of what I think would do it well or worse. Maybe I gotta come back around to it eventually.
(Cold Iron- 3.5) This was a really good ghost story based on true events that occurred in Tipperary, Ireland in 1895. Im always interested when delving into folklore previously unknown to me. Though the story is still fictitious, it is saddening to think about how similarly some of the harsher elements likely did play out in reality, i.e the mental deterioration of a family plagued by loss and looking for any spiritual reason to blame. My only true complaint is I feel it didn't do much to lend itself to the "daytime theme" of this anthology.
Night:
(Trash Night- 1/5) My LEAST favorite read of this whole anthology as I write this, and its because it COULD have been so good. The setting and atmosphere were peak set up for something really fun, existential, and gritty. But the writing style and dialogue was an instant give away that this just wasnt going to be that for me.
(We Take our Skin off in the Dark- 1.5/5) Also forgettable. This one just didn't stand out to me and felt like it could've been a cool section in something much larger and "fleshed out." Haha yeah
(The Door of Sleep- 2/5) I saw a lot of people put this story as one of their favorites and after sitting on it, I can totally see why. This just wasn't my kind of story. Though it did succeed in making me uncomfortable, but thats just for subject matter. The style of writing was certainly not my favorite and did take me out but I can appreciate how it circled itself back in.
(At Night, My Dad- 4.5/5) Alright after a DEEP lull of stories this one brought me back. Its just sad and real and it just reads as a first hand account of someone's own struggle with grief, addiction, and loss. A very welcome and real reminder of real personal horror and suffering in an anthology that mostly covers the supernatural, unlikely, weird, and depraved
(The Night House- 5/5) This one is my favorite. Hands down. It just reads as a very fun camp side story but instead its told in the setting of a a recovery group of ex-cultists. This story has everything I love and is reminiscent of another one of my favorite horror shorts "The Showers." It is likely I will return to this one for subsequent rereads.
(The Night Mirrors-4/5) This one was ALSO phenomenal and genuinely had me glancing over to my own open windows as I read this in the dead of night. This story almost had it all and wouldve been another 5/5, but every so sadly didn't really stick the landing. Everything was so well paced until the end.
Like it was so good and there were some really great moments of suspense and these characters were very easy to become attached to despite how we aren't really familiar with them by name until near the end, which was just as an important element for the story and our understanding of the main character's perception of events and relationships. The ending just suddenly happened and the story was worse off for it. Its not even the worst ending, its just sudden and then over. So I dont hold it against the score to harshly because I really wanted more.
(Fear of the Dark- 3/5)- Another short and sudden ending for a story that I really think has something going for it. This story made me queasy and anxious with its creative execution of two natural human fears: the dark and death lurking, through the scope of adrenaline/death junkies facing something brought back with them. This could be a great campfire staple, but again, falls short.
(The Picknicker- 4/5) I made my mind up how I felt about this story by the first page. It was good. Whatever. Moving on. Ill think about this one later.
(Secret Night- 4.5/5) SOME APPALACHIAN HORROR. Ive been waiting for this one and it was of course the last I read of this anthology. This had fun creatures, concepts i know and love (loveeeee a "Lure" monster), and just the perfect length of story. This story got me tense and on edge as I finished reading this as im visiting my parents "middle of nowhere in the woods" home. Of course as I finished this story, my father waited until 10:30 pm to ask if I can run the trash can down the long driveway at the end of the woodline. Man.
October 1, 2025
I really enjoyed Night/Day: A Horror Anthology, edited by Ellen Datlow. It has a great collection of authors providing some horrifying takes on what the daylight brings, and what the nighttime hold. I’ll just highlight a couple of my favorites from each collection.
Day:
The Bright Day-a couple hunkered down make the mistake of inviting a group inside their home. They must now face the sun.
If you have ever been sunburnt, think about that pain times 100, and what you would have to do to make sure the sun never touched you. This one was great, hard hitting, and had a nice twist at the end.
Trick of the Light-a woman recounts on a date her first experience with the shadow, and how it has haunted her to this day.
This one was eerie, and the stuff of nightmares. Literally. Imagine if your nightmare became real, you discovered it, and spent everyday after that hiding from it. That’s this story. It works well because we all remember the fear of things unseen as kids. And we get to experience it with the FMC.
Night:
Trash Night-a nightly trash collector makes an unfortunate discovery in the garbage one evening. He’s never the same afterwards.
Oh the fear of finding something in the trash you know should never be there. It sticks with you, haunts you, and then, in the case of our MMC, refuses to let him go. It’s creepy, unsettling, and has a solid twist at the end.
The Night House-a house is a place of refuge, a place to feel welcome, but this house is anything but for all the women who live there.
This one is terrifying because we have all read this story before, and know that it happens in real life. A man props himself up as a prophet and demands respect by any means. The brutality in this story hits hard, but so just the reckoning. It’s a great horror story. 4.5 stars
Thank you Saga Press for my gifted copy. My opinion is my own.
Day:
The Bright Day-a couple hunkered down make the mistake of inviting a group inside their home. They must now face the sun.
If you have ever been sunburnt, think about that pain times 100, and what you would have to do to make sure the sun never touched you. This one was great, hard hitting, and had a nice twist at the end.
Trick of the Light-a woman recounts on a date her first experience with the shadow, and how it has haunted her to this day.
This one was eerie, and the stuff of nightmares. Literally. Imagine if your nightmare became real, you discovered it, and spent everyday after that hiding from it. That’s this story. It works well because we all remember the fear of things unseen as kids. And we get to experience it with the FMC.
Night:
Trash Night-a nightly trash collector makes an unfortunate discovery in the garbage one evening. He’s never the same afterwards.
Oh the fear of finding something in the trash you know should never be there. It sticks with you, haunts you, and then, in the case of our MMC, refuses to let him go. It’s creepy, unsettling, and has a solid twist at the end.
The Night House-a house is a place of refuge, a place to feel welcome, but this house is anything but for all the women who live there.
This one is terrifying because we have all read this story before, and know that it happens in real life. A man props himself up as a prophet and demands respect by any means. The brutality in this story hits hard, but so just the reckoning. It’s a great horror story. 4.5 stars
Thank you Saga Press for my gifted copy. My opinion is my own.
December 9, 2025
Another solid collection from Ellen Datlow. These stories cover a vast range of topics all involving some sort of monster, whether of this world or from another. Subjects range from fairies and devils to addiction, trauma, loss, and cults. At the root of all of them is survival.
I had some favorites and I'll list them from each half of the book.
☀️ Day faves:
• Faire, Rachel Harrison
• One Day, Jeffrey Ford
• Cold Iron, Sophie White
🌙 Night faves:
• Trash Night, Clay McLeod Chapman
• The Door of Sleep, Stephen Graham Jones
• At Night, My Dad, Dan Chaon
• The Night House, Gemma Files
• Fear of the Dark, Benjamin Percy
• Secret Night, Nathan Ballingrud
I had some favorites and I'll list them from each half of the book.
☀️ Day faves:
• Faire, Rachel Harrison
• One Day, Jeffrey Ford
• Cold Iron, Sophie White
🌙 Night faves:
• Trash Night, Clay McLeod Chapman
• The Door of Sleep, Stephen Graham Jones
• At Night, My Dad, Dan Chaon
• The Night House, Gemma Files
• Fear of the Dark, Benjamin Percy
• Secret Night, Nathan Ballingrud
September 15, 2025
TL;DR: A very fun idea for an anthology and a great execution.
Source: NetGalley - Thank you to the publisher!!
Plot: Various plots, but almost all of these were well structured and thought out.
Characters: I liked a ton of these characters, I can’t think of one I didn’t enjoy to be honest.
Setting: There was a great variety in settings here.
Spooky/Horror: While the Day side only had one, maybe two spooky books the Night side had some really good ones.
Thoughts:
I haven’t had a ton of luck with anthologies in recent years so I don’t actually remember the last one I read. This one though called to me. I’ve enjoyed Ellen Datlow’s work before and seeing as she had curated this I wanted to give it a try. Plus the flipping style of the Saga Double with a Day side and a Night side? So clever! I had to try it.
The execution and entire structure of this worked great in my opinion. The different sides made for a fun experience, and while one side (the Night) was definitely stronger than the other, I enjoyed stories on both ends. The stories all had a good variety of ideas as well, from some mythology inspiration to creepy aliens, and everything in between.
My favorites were definitely the Stephen Graham Jones, Nathan Ballingrud, and Clay Macleod Chapman. In fact Chapman’s got under my skin and made me afraid of my own trashbag at one point. I think this is definitely worth the read and pickup for horror fans, or anyone who loves a cleverly executed book.
Source: NetGalley - Thank you to the publisher!!
Plot: Various plots, but almost all of these were well structured and thought out.
Characters: I liked a ton of these characters, I can’t think of one I didn’t enjoy to be honest.
Setting: There was a great variety in settings here.
Spooky/Horror: While the Day side only had one, maybe two spooky books the Night side had some really good ones.
Thoughts:
I haven’t had a ton of luck with anthologies in recent years so I don’t actually remember the last one I read. This one though called to me. I’ve enjoyed Ellen Datlow’s work before and seeing as she had curated this I wanted to give it a try. Plus the flipping style of the Saga Double with a Day side and a Night side? So clever! I had to try it.
The execution and entire structure of this worked great in my opinion. The different sides made for a fun experience, and while one side (the Night) was definitely stronger than the other, I enjoyed stories on both ends. The stories all had a good variety of ideas as well, from some mythology inspiration to creepy aliens, and everything in between.
My favorites were definitely the Stephen Graham Jones, Nathan Ballingrud, and Clay Macleod Chapman. In fact Chapman’s got under my skin and made me afraid of my own trashbag at one point. I think this is definitely worth the read and pickup for horror fans, or anyone who loves a cleverly executed book.
September 23, 2025
Thanks to Saga Press and Netgalley for the access to this ARC. Like any anthology, there will be stories you love and some that aren't your favourites. Personally, I adored' Faire', ' One Day', ' Dismaying Creatures', and' The Night House'. It's a solid collection that I am sure will attract many fans for the author.
September 26, 2025
Really good proof of concept for the Doubles format from Saga - 9 short horror stories in each section, all edited by Ellen Datlow, all around either a theme of horror set in the day or night. All the stories in each half make a point for how frightening each can be, and I got introduced to some new authors! Looking forward to maybe seeing more dual themed anthologies like this.
October 28, 2025
You can find reviews of each individual story below. But first, I'll review each half of the anthology on its own merits.
Day: This part of the anthology does not really use the theme of Daylight to the extent that it could and should’ve, but there are some very good stories here, but also, unfortunately, some duds. In fact, there’s truly the whole spectrum, including my favorite story of the anthology.
Favorites:
- Trick of the light by Brian Evenson (4.5/5)
- Hold us in the light by A.C. Wise (5/5)
Night: This part of the anthology has much more consistent stories, all of them at least enjoyable. Also, it is far less repetitive than the other half of this duo. However, it does not have the stand-outs the others have. They are all roughly about the same ‘good’ mark, lacking that final oomph.
Favorites:
- Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman (4.5/5)
- We take off our skin in the dark by Eric Larocca (4.5/5)
- The Picnicker by Josh Malerman (4/5)
Individual Reviews:
Day:
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma (2.5/5): I liked the apocalyptical setup, but the twist was executed badly, and the story lost itself in the action sequence, rather than doing anything actually interesting with the world or characters.
Faire by Rachsel Harrison (3.5/5): I liked the setup of this as well, setting a horror story in a Renaissance Faire really is a novel and cool idea. However, the story also quickly loses itself in a predictable reveal about the main character, and then is just about guilt. Also, the ending was comical, and it felt like a placeholder of an unfinished draft.
Trick of the light by Brian Evenson (4.5/5): I still remember being horrified by Brotherhood of Mutilation by the same author, and expected something similarly terrifying. This is not, but I enjoyed the clever play with the theme, even if the framing story wasn’t necessary imo. Still, it’s quick, tense, and has a cool concept.
One Day by Jeffrey Ford (2/5): Really did not care for this. Too much spectacle on fighting the monster, too few interesting ideas.
The Wanting by A.T. Greenblatt (4/5): A polyamorous woman tries to hold her family together as a zombie-esque disease takes ahold of everyone around her. Short, packs a punch, and nails the ending. Especially the last few lines, the main character hoping that she too, only did it because of the wanting, elevated the story.
Hold us in the light by A.C. Wise (5/5): The first real banger here, despite being a pretty standard cosmic horror story. Just executed very well, and also works greatly with the light theme of this half of the anthology. Besides, cults are just right up my alley. Also, it has this line, which is a total banger “Behind him, other figures knelt in rows of worship. Rings of them, like the god was a dropped stone and they were ripples echoing out from it.”
Dismaying Creatures by Robert Sherman (4/5): I really enjoyed the writing style and the first few scenes of this. Has one of the weirdest sex scenes I've ever read. The ending and the whole shtick with the character being charmed by this creature did not work for me at all. Really enjoyed the hints in the conversation between the hotelier and the main character. This culture seems to have a deeper history with these creatures. A fantastic story for the most part, though.
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren (3/5): A little while has passed between me reading the story and writing this, and I am kind of neutral toward this story in retrospect. I liked the seeing how violent someone is through the skin in their light, and that this layer is shed when someone acts violently, it’s a really, really cool idea, but I wished it had gone somewhere more unexpected.
Cold Iron by Sophie White (1.5/5): As much as I like/ am interested in Gaelic and irish Folklore, this story did not do the best job at picking me up well, and I didn’t really understand what was going on.
Night:
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman (4.5/5): Judging by the title and setup, I would’ve believed this story to be a schlocky horror story about trash bags coming to life. It is, however, a clever story about a man that has nothing but his job in life, because everyone else (even his wife and children) doesn’t really want him (mostly because of his job), and what happens when that part is taken up by horror. I liked the relevancy the main character finds in his job, despite being ostracized by society, I liked the dudebro relationship he has with his co-worker, and I liked the ending in that trash is something that humans produce and want to get rid of, but it ends up getting everywhere, even if we have trashmen, it just ends up somewhere else, perhaps beneath the ground (I am making an interpretation here, because I do not 100% enjoy what the text has given me). A great story to start this one off and already a better use of the theme than almost any of the stories in the complementary volume.
We take off our skin in the dark by Eric Larocca (4.5/5): Written in very purple prose, this story of obsession slowly reveals to you what it is about. It does not overstay its welcome, and it is genuinely a cool idea. However, the ending is a little foreseeable, and while you can interpret it as open, I would’ve liked it a little more indecisive. Still, a short but very enjoyable story.
The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones (4/5): This was the first one in there that was actually terrifying. Watching this child descend into madness was horrifying. I wasn’t too sure about the whole meta perspective the author (or perhaps just the storyteller) takes here. It sure makes the story unique, but it felt a little shoehorned in.
At night, my dad (4/5): Another cool idea to combine drug-induced psychosis with Groundhog Day. Plus, leaving the ending open like that makes it unsure if the main character really is just hallucinating or his father is keeping him infeeble or manipulating him. However, there weren’t a whole lot of implications about what could hide past said ambiguity.
The Night House by Gemma Files (4/5): I really enjoyed the cult setting of this story (the stories in this part of the anthology have a lot more variety than in its counterpart, I find). However, I found the ending particularly confusing. But another very nice idea to combine a classical cult with a haunted house, and what happens if the malevolent creature within said house claims the cult for itself. I liked the unreliable narrator perspective opened up at the end of the story, as it leaves up a plethora of possible interpretations.
The Night Mirrors by Pat Cadigan (4/5): What happens if a young child loses her parents in a crash, and gets taken in by her witch grandparents. However, the story then takes a very nice dark turn. It goes on for a little too long, but the story itself is very cool. Works a lot of its magic in the subtleties, though.
Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy (3/5): This story does not fit together. The idea of people trying to kill themselves and drawing ecstasy from that is one part, and something clinging to them when they do is also very cool. However, the whole setup just promised something entirely different. I think the story would’ve been more to my liking had it been set up from a different point.
The Picnicker by Josh Malerman (4/5): Malerman’s stories were my favorites in the past two collections by Ellen Datlow that I’ve read, so I had high expectations for this one. Given that it is relatively short, it does. It is also once again very different from the other stories. Essentially, two teenies know that they have to break up before college, and then witness utter obsession. I liked the openness at the end: do they break up, because they want what the picnicker has, or don’t they, because they are glad that they don’t have that. Not my favorite story in here, but it is a short and sweet one, and one that stands out from the rest of the collection, certainly.
Secret Night by Nathan Ballingurd (4/5): Another good one, and one that you can read in multiple different ways. I really enjoyed the parts about Vicks’ past, and the way the story slowly revealed what it had in store. It is very good at sneakily setting up mysteries, and then revealing them in unexpected ways.
Day: This part of the anthology does not really use the theme of Daylight to the extent that it could and should’ve, but there are some very good stories here, but also, unfortunately, some duds. In fact, there’s truly the whole spectrum, including my favorite story of the anthology.
Favorites:
- Trick of the light by Brian Evenson (4.5/5)
- Hold us in the light by A.C. Wise (5/5)
Night: This part of the anthology has much more consistent stories, all of them at least enjoyable. Also, it is far less repetitive than the other half of this duo. However, it does not have the stand-outs the others have. They are all roughly about the same ‘good’ mark, lacking that final oomph.
Favorites:
- Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman (4.5/5)
- We take off our skin in the dark by Eric Larocca (4.5/5)
- The Picnicker by Josh Malerman (4/5)
Individual Reviews:
Day:
The Bright Day by Priya Sharma (2.5/5): I liked the apocalyptical setup, but the twist was executed badly, and the story lost itself in the action sequence, rather than doing anything actually interesting with the world or characters.
Faire by Rachsel Harrison (3.5/5): I liked the setup of this as well, setting a horror story in a Renaissance Faire really is a novel and cool idea. However, the story also quickly loses itself in a predictable reveal about the main character, and then is just about guilt. Also, the ending was comical, and it felt like a placeholder of an unfinished draft.
Trick of the light by Brian Evenson (4.5/5): I still remember being horrified by Brotherhood of Mutilation by the same author, and expected something similarly terrifying. This is not, but I enjoyed the clever play with the theme, even if the framing story wasn’t necessary imo. Still, it’s quick, tense, and has a cool concept.
One Day by Jeffrey Ford (2/5): Really did not care for this. Too much spectacle on fighting the monster, too few interesting ideas.
The Wanting by A.T. Greenblatt (4/5): A polyamorous woman tries to hold her family together as a zombie-esque disease takes ahold of everyone around her. Short, packs a punch, and nails the ending. Especially the last few lines, the main character hoping that she too, only did it because of the wanting, elevated the story.
Hold us in the light by A.C. Wise (5/5): The first real banger here, despite being a pretty standard cosmic horror story. Just executed very well, and also works greatly with the light theme of this half of the anthology. Besides, cults are just right up my alley. Also, it has this line, which is a total banger “Behind him, other figures knelt in rows of worship. Rings of them, like the god was a dropped stone and they were ripples echoing out from it.”
Dismaying Creatures by Robert Sherman (4/5): I really enjoyed the writing style and the first few scenes of this. Has one of the weirdest sex scenes I've ever read. The ending and the whole shtick with the character being charmed by this creature did not work for me at all. Really enjoyed the hints in the conversation between the hotelier and the main character. This culture seems to have a deeper history with these creatures. A fantastic story for the most part, though.
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren (3/5): A little while has passed between me reading the story and writing this, and I am kind of neutral toward this story in retrospect. I liked the seeing how violent someone is through the skin in their light, and that this layer is shed when someone acts violently, it’s a really, really cool idea, but I wished it had gone somewhere more unexpected.
Cold Iron by Sophie White (1.5/5): As much as I like/ am interested in Gaelic and irish Folklore, this story did not do the best job at picking me up well, and I didn’t really understand what was going on.
Night:
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman (4.5/5): Judging by the title and setup, I would’ve believed this story to be a schlocky horror story about trash bags coming to life. It is, however, a clever story about a man that has nothing but his job in life, because everyone else (even his wife and children) doesn’t really want him (mostly because of his job), and what happens when that part is taken up by horror. I liked the relevancy the main character finds in his job, despite being ostracized by society, I liked the dudebro relationship he has with his co-worker, and I liked the ending in that trash is something that humans produce and want to get rid of, but it ends up getting everywhere, even if we have trashmen, it just ends up somewhere else, perhaps beneath the ground (I am making an interpretation here, because I do not 100% enjoy what the text has given me). A great story to start this one off and already a better use of the theme than almost any of the stories in the complementary volume.
We take off our skin in the dark by Eric Larocca (4.5/5): Written in very purple prose, this story of obsession slowly reveals to you what it is about. It does not overstay its welcome, and it is genuinely a cool idea. However, the ending is a little foreseeable, and while you can interpret it as open, I would’ve liked it a little more indecisive. Still, a short but very enjoyable story.
The Door of Sleep by Stephen Graham Jones (4/5): This was the first one in there that was actually terrifying. Watching this child descend into madness was horrifying. I wasn’t too sure about the whole meta perspective the author (or perhaps just the storyteller) takes here. It sure makes the story unique, but it felt a little shoehorned in.
At night, my dad (4/5): Another cool idea to combine drug-induced psychosis with Groundhog Day. Plus, leaving the ending open like that makes it unsure if the main character really is just hallucinating or his father is keeping him infeeble or manipulating him. However, there weren’t a whole lot of implications about what could hide past said ambiguity.
The Night House by Gemma Files (4/5): I really enjoyed the cult setting of this story (the stories in this part of the anthology have a lot more variety than in its counterpart, I find). However, I found the ending particularly confusing. But another very nice idea to combine a classical cult with a haunted house, and what happens if the malevolent creature within said house claims the cult for itself. I liked the unreliable narrator perspective opened up at the end of the story, as it leaves up a plethora of possible interpretations.
The Night Mirrors by Pat Cadigan (4/5): What happens if a young child loses her parents in a crash, and gets taken in by her witch grandparents. However, the story then takes a very nice dark turn. It goes on for a little too long, but the story itself is very cool. Works a lot of its magic in the subtleties, though.
Fear of the Dark by Benjamin Percy (3/5): This story does not fit together. The idea of people trying to kill themselves and drawing ecstasy from that is one part, and something clinging to them when they do is also very cool. However, the whole setup just promised something entirely different. I think the story would’ve been more to my liking had it been set up from a different point.
The Picnicker by Josh Malerman (4/5): Malerman’s stories were my favorites in the past two collections by Ellen Datlow that I’ve read, so I had high expectations for this one. Given that it is relatively short, it does. It is also once again very different from the other stories. Essentially, two teenies know that they have to break up before college, and then witness utter obsession. I liked the openness at the end: do they break up, because they want what the picnicker has, or don’t they, because they are glad that they don’t have that. Not my favorite story in here, but it is a short and sweet one, and one that stands out from the rest of the collection, certainly.
Secret Night by Nathan Ballingurd (4/5): Another good one, and one that you can read in multiple different ways. I really enjoyed the parts about Vicks’ past, and the way the story slowly revealed what it had in store. It is very good at sneakily setting up mysteries, and then revealing them in unexpected ways.
October 13, 2025
The Night & Day horror anthology was right up alley- I’m a huge horror fan and love a good short/medium story. However, a lot of stories in this missed the mark for me, unfortunately. The good stories were really good, but the bad outweighed them. Here’s a spoiler-y breakdown of my thoughts of each story:
December 20, 2025
2025 Book #29:
Night & Day (2025), edited by Ellen Datlow
An anthology of commissioned horror stories loosely united by the rather banal premise of daytime versus nighttime. Awful cover art and tête-bêche gimmick aside, this actually turned out to be a decent collection of tales. I began with the “day” half, which is probably less consistently good than the “night” half. The best story from “day” wasn’t even a horror story, but more weird fiction: Robert Shearman’s fantastical allegory of imperialism and marital strife. In “night,” I encountered some of my regular frustrations with contemporary horror. At one extreme, we have Eric LaRocca’s try-hard, precious prose, which comes off as an attempt to appear “serious” when the topic of the story is rather trite. At the other extreme, we have Stephen Graham Jones doing his usual wink-and-nod postmodern writing, breaking the fourth wall and telling the reader that he’s writing a fictional tale. At least he rescues his story right at the end with an effective twist. A particular standout from “night” was Gemma Files’s absorbing tale of a former cult member, a story that becomes a meditation on the human tendency (perhaps a flaw of human nature) to surrender autonomy for the sake of a feeling of community. All in all, a worthwhile collection. My star-ratings for each story are below:
***** Gemma Files, “The Night House”
***** Robert Shearman, “Dismaying Creatures”
***** Nathan Ballingrud, “Secret Night”
**** Sophie White, “Cold Iron”
**** A. C. Wise, “Hold Us in the Light”
**** Clay McLeod Chapman, “Trash Night”
**** Pat Cadigan, “The Night-Mirrors”
**** Brian Evenson, “Trick of the Light”
**** Benjamin Percy, “Fear of the Dark”
*** Stephen Graham Jones, “The Door of Sleep”
*** Rachel Harrison, “Faire”
*** Dan Chaon, “At Night, My Dad”
*** Kaaron Warren, “Bitter Skin”
*** Josh Malerman, “The Picnicker”
*** Jeffrey Ford, “One Day”
** Eric LaRocca, “We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark”
** A. T. Greenblatt, “The Wanting”
** Priya Sharma, “The Bright Day”
Night & Day (2025), edited by Ellen Datlow
An anthology of commissioned horror stories loosely united by the rather banal premise of daytime versus nighttime. Awful cover art and tête-bêche gimmick aside, this actually turned out to be a decent collection of tales. I began with the “day” half, which is probably less consistently good than the “night” half. The best story from “day” wasn’t even a horror story, but more weird fiction: Robert Shearman’s fantastical allegory of imperialism and marital strife. In “night,” I encountered some of my regular frustrations with contemporary horror. At one extreme, we have Eric LaRocca’s try-hard, precious prose, which comes off as an attempt to appear “serious” when the topic of the story is rather trite. At the other extreme, we have Stephen Graham Jones doing his usual wink-and-nod postmodern writing, breaking the fourth wall and telling the reader that he’s writing a fictional tale. At least he rescues his story right at the end with an effective twist. A particular standout from “night” was Gemma Files’s absorbing tale of a former cult member, a story that becomes a meditation on the human tendency (perhaps a flaw of human nature) to surrender autonomy for the sake of a feeling of community. All in all, a worthwhile collection. My star-ratings for each story are below:
***** Gemma Files, “The Night House”
***** Robert Shearman, “Dismaying Creatures”
***** Nathan Ballingrud, “Secret Night”
**** Sophie White, “Cold Iron”
**** A. C. Wise, “Hold Us in the Light”
**** Clay McLeod Chapman, “Trash Night”
**** Pat Cadigan, “The Night-Mirrors”
**** Brian Evenson, “Trick of the Light”
**** Benjamin Percy, “Fear of the Dark”
*** Stephen Graham Jones, “The Door of Sleep”
*** Rachel Harrison, “Faire”
*** Dan Chaon, “At Night, My Dad”
*** Kaaron Warren, “Bitter Skin”
*** Josh Malerman, “The Picnicker”
*** Jeffrey Ford, “One Day”
** Eric LaRocca, “We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark”
** A. T. Greenblatt, “The Wanting”
** Priya Sharma, “The Bright Day”
October 6, 2025
Actual Rating 3.5
I loved the premise of this anthology – a collection of horror short stories, nine of which are set in the dark, nine of which are set in the light. This creative approach was unique and was executed really well and made the anthology feel cohesive.
I had two stories that were five-stars for me, and it ended up being one from the night section and one from the day section. These are:
The Night Mirrors by Pat Cadigan – This tale was wonderfully creative and eerie with an engaging plot. The characters were so strong in this one and really well characterized.
Faire by Rachel Harrison – I liked not knowing why this story was going to go where it was at the same time being pretty sure where it was going. The characters were interesting, the setting of the Renaissance Fair was fun, and the ending was quite spooky.
And honorable mentions to The Night House by Gemma Files and Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren, which were both really excellent. I recommend checking this anthology out if you’re looking to read some creative and interesting horror stories. My thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
I loved the premise of this anthology – a collection of horror short stories, nine of which are set in the dark, nine of which are set in the light. This creative approach was unique and was executed really well and made the anthology feel cohesive.
I had two stories that were five-stars for me, and it ended up being one from the night section and one from the day section. These are:
The Night Mirrors by Pat Cadigan – This tale was wonderfully creative and eerie with an engaging plot. The characters were so strong in this one and really well characterized.
Faire by Rachel Harrison – I liked not knowing why this story was going to go where it was at the same time being pretty sure where it was going. The characters were interesting, the setting of the Renaissance Fair was fun, and the ending was quite spooky.
And honorable mentions to The Night House by Gemma Files and Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren, which were both really excellent. I recommend checking this anthology out if you’re looking to read some creative and interesting horror stories. My thanks to NetGalley and Saga Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
October 2, 2025
Are you afraid of the dark, or maybe the light? I am totally afraid of the dark, of not seeing the horrors before they attack you. But this anthology makes the light of day just as terrifying. Do you want to see you fears, or is it worse to not?
I listened to this book, and I totally recommend the audio. There are multiple narrators, multiple accents and genders needed for each tale. I felt like I was listening to a whole room of people telling stories, when it was only really five narrators. I think that Clay McLeod Chapman’s story, Trash Night, was made for audio. The narrator embodied the perfect New York accent, and added the emotion and panic needed for the story. Of all the story’s, this was my favorite. And I feel it was because of the audio.
There are some heavy hitting authors in this anthology. We have Stephen Graham Jones, Rachel Harrison and Gemma Files adding their own spin to night and day terror. I feel that Sophie White’s story, Cold Iron, is another standout in the group. Her story is about a changeling, a mother that keeps dying, and it is haunting.
I think Ellen Daltow picked the best of the bunch and pulled off a great anthology. The double sided, flip book really adds to the whole vibe of the book. Going from day to night, with the flip of a wrist is satisfying.
I listened to this book, and I totally recommend the audio. There are multiple narrators, multiple accents and genders needed for each tale. I felt like I was listening to a whole room of people telling stories, when it was only really five narrators. I think that Clay McLeod Chapman’s story, Trash Night, was made for audio. The narrator embodied the perfect New York accent, and added the emotion and panic needed for the story. Of all the story’s, this was my favorite. And I feel it was because of the audio.
There are some heavy hitting authors in this anthology. We have Stephen Graham Jones, Rachel Harrison and Gemma Files adding their own spin to night and day terror. I feel that Sophie White’s story, Cold Iron, is another standout in the group. Her story is about a changeling, a mother that keeps dying, and it is haunting.
I think Ellen Daltow picked the best of the bunch and pulled off a great anthology. The double sided, flip book really adds to the whole vibe of the book. Going from day to night, with the flip of a wrist is satisfying.
October 31, 2025
My ratings for this ended up harsher than I thought:
The Bright Day, Priya Sharma: B
Faire, Rachel Harrison: C+
Trick of the Light, Brian Evenson: B+
One Day, Jeffrey Ford: B
The Wanting, A. T. Greenblatt: C
Hold Us in the Light, A. C. Wise: C-
Dismaying Creatures, Robert Shearman: C
Bitter Skin, Kaaron Warren: C-
Cold Iron, Sophie White: B
Trash Night, Clay McLeod Chapman: C-
We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark, Eric LaRocca: C-
The Door of Sleep, Stephen Graham Jones: B
At Night, My Dad, Dan Chaon: B
The Night House, Gemma Files: B-
The Night-Mirrors, Pat Cadigan: B
Fear of the Dark, Benjamin Percy: D
The Picnicker, Josh Malerman: F
Secret Night, Nathan Ballingrud: B
But even with no A stories, the overwhelming number of quality fare in the B range makes me hesitant to give this three stars. This is fully thanks to masterful ideas, such as Sharma's and Chaon's, and great writing, like in the stories from Evenson and White. No credit whatsoever to the dreadfully cliche story from Percy and Malerman's schmaltzy tale, which I kept convincing myself fit the tone by virtue of its protagonists but it's just godawful, I'm sorry. It's a draft of a draft.
The Bright Day, Priya Sharma: B
Faire, Rachel Harrison: C+
Trick of the Light, Brian Evenson: B+
One Day, Jeffrey Ford: B
The Wanting, A. T. Greenblatt: C
Hold Us in the Light, A. C. Wise: C-
Dismaying Creatures, Robert Shearman: C
Bitter Skin, Kaaron Warren: C-
Cold Iron, Sophie White: B
Trash Night, Clay McLeod Chapman: C-
We Take Off Our Skin in the Dark, Eric LaRocca: C-
The Door of Sleep, Stephen Graham Jones: B
At Night, My Dad, Dan Chaon: B
The Night House, Gemma Files: B-
The Night-Mirrors, Pat Cadigan: B
Fear of the Dark, Benjamin Percy: D
The Picnicker, Josh Malerman: F
Secret Night, Nathan Ballingrud: B
But even with no A stories, the overwhelming number of quality fare in the B range makes me hesitant to give this three stars. This is fully thanks to masterful ideas, such as Sharma's and Chaon's, and great writing, like in the stories from Evenson and White. No credit whatsoever to the dreadfully cliche story from Percy and Malerman's schmaltzy tale, which I kept convincing myself fit the tone by virtue of its protagonists but it's just godawful, I'm sorry. It's a draft of a draft.
December 17, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and S&S for the e-ARC of this book.
As with any anthology, quality of stories varies throughout, but I've been hard pressed to see an Ellen Datlow-edited release that didn't excite me. Night is a place we are so accustomed to residing in horror stories, and it makes sense: there is an intrinsic paranoia of dark that pierces the diurnal mind. Conversely, horror set in the bright, stark daylight is that much more difficult to avoid, and as such, I was more excited (or curious?) for the entries on the back half of this collection. For the most part, it did not disappoint. You know--mostly--what you're getting into here. If you love horror short stories by from some of the best in our current Golden Age, this is an excellent sampler.
One day when I have a physical copy in my claws I will give a thorough each to each review, but for now, I'll just mention a few of my favorites. On the Night Side, "The Night House" by Gemma Files and "The Secret Night" by Nathan Ballingrud; on the Light Side, "The Bright Day" by Priya Sharma, "Trick of the Light" by Brian Evenson, and "Cold Iron" by Sophie White. Five stars all around!
As with any anthology, quality of stories varies throughout, but I've been hard pressed to see an Ellen Datlow-edited release that didn't excite me. Night is a place we are so accustomed to residing in horror stories, and it makes sense: there is an intrinsic paranoia of dark that pierces the diurnal mind. Conversely, horror set in the bright, stark daylight is that much more difficult to avoid, and as such, I was more excited (or curious?) for the entries on the back half of this collection. For the most part, it did not disappoint. You know--mostly--what you're getting into here. If you love horror short stories by from some of the best in our current Golden Age, this is an excellent sampler.
One day when I have a physical copy in my claws I will give a thorough each to each review, but for now, I'll just mention a few of my favorites. On the Night Side, "The Night House" by Gemma Files and "The Secret Night" by Nathan Ballingrud; on the Light Side, "The Bright Day" by Priya Sharma, "Trick of the Light" by Brian Evenson, and "Cold Iron" by Sophie White. Five stars all around!
October 14, 2025
Maybe I’m just noticing it now, but I’m seeing more and more of these front-back flippable duologies in novellas, short stories, or creative novels and I’m loving it! Day and Night uses this format to its benefit, creating a physical contrast that made me wish I had a physical copy to sneak under the covers at night or plop on a park bench during the day. The thematic choice also lends to a specific choice of reading experience whether starting with Day or Night or switching between for each story, which was fun to explore.
Ellen Datlow does an excellent job of curation, selecting stories that explore the boundaries of both themes. While not every story was my cup of tea, I see horror as a very personal genre, and I feel like even the stories that didn’t suit my were well written and likely be the nightmare for another reader.
If you’re looking for an anthology of horror that plays with our diurnal instincts, I highly recommend picking this up.
Thank you to Saga Press & NetGalley for the ARC!
Ellen Datlow does an excellent job of curation, selecting stories that explore the boundaries of both themes. While not every story was my cup of tea, I see horror as a very personal genre, and I feel like even the stories that didn’t suit my were well written and likely be the nightmare for another reader.
If you’re looking for an anthology of horror that plays with our diurnal instincts, I highly recommend picking this up.
Thank you to Saga Press & NetGalley for the ARC!
October 27, 2025
This book is perfect for spooky season! This anthology includes stories from @stephengrahamjones, @joshmalerman, @rachelharrisonsghost, and more!
I loved the stories during the night vs stories during the day theme! I kepf switching back and forth every story for fun! Mostly cause flipping the book was so entertaining to me. I was entertained by them all and I didn't get bored. I love short stories because I can slowly read through them when my attention isn't as great for reading for a long period!
As with all anthologies, some stories hit you and some don't! However, I felt like all the stories fit really well in the collection. My favorite from the night side was The Door of Sleep and my favorite from the day side was Faire!
If you are looking for a good book for this spooky Season, I highly recommend picking this one up as it's a lot of fun!
I loved the stories during the night vs stories during the day theme! I kepf switching back and forth every story for fun! Mostly cause flipping the book was so entertaining to me. I was entertained by them all and I didn't get bored. I love short stories because I can slowly read through them when my attention isn't as great for reading for a long period!
As with all anthologies, some stories hit you and some don't! However, I felt like all the stories fit really well in the collection. My favorite from the night side was The Door of Sleep and my favorite from the day side was Faire!
If you are looking for a good book for this spooky Season, I highly recommend picking this one up as it's a lot of fun!
October 18, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Night
Trash night - Clay McLeod Chapman ⭐️⭐️.5
We take off our skin in the dark - Eric LaRocca ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The door of sleep - Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
At night, my dad - Dan Chaon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The night house - Gemma Files ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The night-mirrors - Pat Cadigan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fear of the dark - Benjamin Percy ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Picknicker - Josh Malerman ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Secret Night - Nathan Ballingrud ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Day
The bright day - Priya Sharma ⭐️⭐️.5
Faire - Rachel Harrison ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Truck of the light - Brian Evenson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
One day - Jeffrey Ford ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The wanting - A. T. Greenblatt ⭐️⭐️
Hold us in the light - A. C. Wise ⭐️⭐️.5
Dismaying Creatures - Robert Shearman ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Butter Skin - Kaaron Warren ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Cold Iron - Sophie White ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Night
Trash night - Clay McLeod Chapman ⭐️⭐️.5
We take off our skin in the dark - Eric LaRocca ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The door of sleep - Stephen Graham Jones ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
At night, my dad - Dan Chaon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The night house - Gemma Files ⭐️⭐️⭐️
The night-mirrors - Pat Cadigan ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fear of the dark - Benjamin Percy ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
The Picknicker - Josh Malerman ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Secret Night - Nathan Ballingrud ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Day
The bright day - Priya Sharma ⭐️⭐️.5
Faire - Rachel Harrison ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Truck of the light - Brian Evenson ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
One day - Jeffrey Ford ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The wanting - A. T. Greenblatt ⭐️⭐️
Hold us in the light - A. C. Wise ⭐️⭐️.5
Dismaying Creatures - Robert Shearman ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Butter Skin - Kaaron Warren ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Cold Iron - Sophie White ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 15, 2025
"In darkness, bad things can hide. But sometimes in daylight, in the glare of certainty, we can be even more easily deceived."
This was a solid collection. The Day collection of stories didn't impress me as much (with the exception of Rachel Harrison's story, Faire, which I'm still thinking about) but almost all the Night stories were reallyyyyy good. Here's my list of favorites:
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman
The Night House by Gemma Files
The Night-Mirrors by Pat Cadigan* (this is my top fave I think)
Faire by Rachel Harrison
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren
The audio is also excellent as there are multiple narrators and the narrator for Trash Night really stole the show.
This was a solid collection. The Day collection of stories didn't impress me as much (with the exception of Rachel Harrison's story, Faire, which I'm still thinking about) but almost all the Night stories were reallyyyyy good. Here's my list of favorites:
Trash Night by Clay McLeod Chapman
The Night House by Gemma Files
The Night-Mirrors by Pat Cadigan* (this is my top fave I think)
Faire by Rachel Harrison
Bitter Skin by Kaaron Warren
The audio is also excellent as there are multiple narrators and the narrator for Trash Night really stole the show.
October 20, 2025
This is a highly engaging collection of short stories curated by Ellen Datlow. The concept was intriguing since half the stories took place in the day, half in the night. It was fun to flip back and forth between day and night enjoying the horrifying tales.
My favorites are the stories by Stephen Graham Jones, Gemma Files, Benjamin Percy, Priya Sharma, Rachel Harrison and Brian Evenson and there wasn't a story I didn't like. The stories are incredibly varied, well-written and thought provoking. Whether you are looking for Summerween or a Spooky Fall Vibe, this collection brings it!
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.
My favorites are the stories by Stephen Graham Jones, Gemma Files, Benjamin Percy, Priya Sharma, Rachel Harrison and Brian Evenson and there wasn't a story I didn't like. The stories are incredibly varied, well-written and thought provoking. Whether you are looking for Summerween or a Spooky Fall Vibe, this collection brings it!
Thank you to Saga Press, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, for the free copy for review.
October 28, 2025
More uneven than I'd expect from a Datlow anthology, I think because of the fostering-creativity challenge. Like, you know when they tell you to come up with 10 uses for an orange, say--your first few are obvious, so it's only by examples 8-10 that you're truly coming up with something new. My sense here, especially in the "Day" half, is that we're stuck on the first 2-4 ideas. Given the brief that your story is in the daylight-horror half of the book (which is, pleasingly, modeled on those old Ace Doubles), I guess your first thought would be, what if the DAY is the scary/awful part? Like, the things we think about happening at night, which are occluded and so on, all take place in bright sun! Scary@ So we get a couple of dystopias where the sun burns people alive, a pretty good Brian Evenson piece that's kind of also along those lines, a Jeffrey Ford monster story that needed something else, a more interesting twist or the unexpected, and one that's basically daylight Lovecraft. There's also Robert Shearman's stretching of the form into deeply strange colonial folklore and Rachel Harrison's worst Ren-faire experience ever. Kaaron Warren's presents a great conceit whose beach scenes are disturbing. But I left this part, which I read first, not sure why (which way does the majority opinion incline as to whether it's Night & Day or Day & Night, even if officially it's Night & Day?) feeling like I'd read a range of fairly-good variations on a theme.
Perhaps because options 1-25 have been extensively plumbed by generations of horror writers, the Night section has more good ones: Gemma Files's cult ghost story, Pat Cadigan's kinda heartwarming generations-of-witches family saga, Benjamin Percy's spooky something-came-back tale, Stephen Graham Jones's meta-reflection on writing a story about how kids go wrong and get it wrong, and Nathan Ballingrud's hallucinatory cop story, one whose indistinguishable reality and hallucination brings it near Evenson territory. I even liked Josh Malerman's (an author by whose work I've been less whelmed than I'd like) philosophical take on young love, which reads like an excellent campfire story.
Maybe it's just that there are more heavy hitters on what I persist in thinking of as side two, but overall a slightly lower hit rate than I expect from a Datlow anthology. Still, excited to read the announcement of her new Lovecraft anthology next summer, a sequel to the legendary Lovecraft's Monsters, which I'm pretty sure was my first exposure to Nadia Bulkin, Gemma Files, and Laird Barron. Will 100% be exploring the unspeakable there.
Perhaps because options 1-25 have been extensively plumbed by generations of horror writers, the Night section has more good ones: Gemma Files's cult ghost story, Pat Cadigan's kinda heartwarming generations-of-witches family saga, Benjamin Percy's spooky something-came-back tale, Stephen Graham Jones's meta-reflection on writing a story about how kids go wrong and get it wrong, and Nathan Ballingrud's hallucinatory cop story, one whose indistinguishable reality and hallucination brings it near Evenson territory. I even liked Josh Malerman's (an author by whose work I've been less whelmed than I'd like) philosophical take on young love, which reads like an excellent campfire story.
Maybe it's just that there are more heavy hitters on what I persist in thinking of as side two, but overall a slightly lower hit rate than I expect from a Datlow anthology. Still, excited to read the announcement of her new Lovecraft anthology next summer, a sequel to the legendary Lovecraft's Monsters, which I'm pretty sure was my first exposure to Nadia Bulkin, Gemma Files, and Laird Barron. Will 100% be exploring the unspeakable there.
November 2, 2025
I enjoyed some more than others, as is usually the case with anthologies, but this was a solid collection with some big horror names. My favorite by far was Rachel Harrison’s Faire but I’ll update with some other standouts.
October 13, 2025
Had a handful of stories that were super creepy that I really liked. Not all of them hit, but overall liked most of them. The theming was neat too
October 20, 2025
I read The Stephen Graham jones story only. It was disappointing 😞 I tried a couple more but just couldn't get invested in the stories. I'm DNF this
November 2, 2025
This anthology is chocked full of great stories. Trash Night was my favorite.
November 4, 2025
like all short story compilations there's good and mid, the good ones were really good and the mid ones were so unbelievably mid which made it tough to get through at points.
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