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Sacrificing Virgins
"Tales beyond the darkness!"
If you could bring your daughter back from the dead...should you? If you could forget the worst event in your life...would you?
In this collection of twenty-five dark tales from Bram Stoker Award-winning author John Everson, you ll meet a host of provocative characters. Learn the secrets of the man whose pumpkin carvings look strangely, disturbingly real. Visit a small town where the tavern game isn t about shots, but sharks. Meet the woman who finds an ancient sex toy and a salacious spirit entombed beneath her garden. From quiet tales of ghosts and cemeteries to extreme tales of erotic horror, "Sacrificing Virgins" will take you to the bleeding edge...and beyond."
If you could bring your daughter back from the dead...should you? If you could forget the worst event in your life...would you?
In this collection of twenty-five dark tales from Bram Stoker Award-winning author John Everson, you ll meet a host of provocative characters. Learn the secrets of the man whose pumpkin carvings look strangely, disturbingly real. Visit a small town where the tavern game isn t about shots, but sharks. Meet the woman who finds an ancient sex toy and a salacious spirit entombed beneath her garden. From quiet tales of ghosts and cemeteries to extreme tales of erotic horror, "Sacrificing Virgins" will take you to the bleeding edge...and beyond."
440 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
190 people want to read
About the author
John Everson
112 books535 followersJohn Everson is a former newspaper reporter who writes thrillers filled with erotic horror and supernatural suspense. He is the author of the Bram Stoker Award winner Covenant, and finalist NightWhere, which reviewers called "50 Shades Meets Hellraiser!" He is also the creator of the characters Danika and Mila Dubov, seen in the Netflix series V-Wars, based on the books created by Jonathan Maberry. Booklist said his recent New Orleans novel, Voodoo Heart, "is a solid blend of supernatural horror and hard-boiled detective fiction, and should appeal to horror devotees as well as mystery buffs” while Living Dead Magazine called him "the master of dark and sexy."
Follow John on the BookBub: John Everson page for information on book sales and new releases as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.com.
Follow John on the BookBub: John Everson page for information on book sales and new releases as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For information on his fiction, art and music, visit John Everson: Dark Arts at www.johneverson.com.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
December 7, 2015
Review copy
First let me say I am ashamed I have never read anything from John Everson before. Why didn't someone tell me about this guy. Wow.
Sacrificing Virgins is Everson's fourth collection and contains twenty-five of the darkest, most sexually perverse writing I've ever read and I mean that as a complement. While reading this book, a friend heard me talking about it and asked what she should read by him. I suggested vising his website at JohnEverson.com and just pick something that struck her fancy, but I also warned that I found his stories to be among the most disturbing I've ever read. I compared it to a dark amusement park where Stephen King was the kiddie rides and John Everson was the thrill rides for the more adventurous reader. Don't get me wrong, I love Stephen King, but Everson just takes horror to a whole new level.
As I looked over the list of stories in the collection, preparing to write this review, so many of the titles took me back to the heart of its tale and made me shiver. That's a job well done.
She Found Spring - The collection begins with a wonderfully charming ghost story just filled with melancholy.
In Memoryum - What if you wanted nothing more than to forget, but once you forgot, you wanted nothing more than to remember.
Bad Day - I hate bugs. This short has a new one that really creeped me out. One of the best horror shorts I've read in some time. Fires on all cylinders.
Nailed - Killer opening line. "Some people found their sex toys in the adult catalogues and others in seedy bookstores. But Natalie found hers...in her garden." I can promise it's not what your thinking.
The Eyes - Worse than bugs. Messing with my eyes. I won't even wear contacts because I have a hard time putting my own finger to my eye. This story really gave me the heebie jeebies.
Sacrificing Virgins - The title story for the collection and it certainly didn't disappoint. The tale of a rock star who made a deal with the devil. After each performance he must have sex with a virgin, before midnight, or the deal is done. What could possibly go wrong?
Whatever You Want - A story filled to overflowing with perverse pleasures. One of the most brutal and memorable in the collection.
Grandma Wanda's Jelly Belly - The title says it all. I will say this, John Everson is one sick puppy and I can't get my fill.
I love Her - A demented tale of a man and the love of his life. The story has several choice slaughterhouse similes which are to die for.
Eardrum Buzz - Wes is beyond excited at the prospect of joining the street team for his favorite band, Eardrum Buzz. Another story where bugs play a big part. What if that buzzing in your ears wasn't tinnitus. Creepy.
Field of Flesh - Visceral storytelling at its best. Not just sex and violence, but a great story with sex and violence. Set in the same world as the author's novel NightWhere.
Faux - A very short story that begins with a weekly lunch at the zoo and leads the reader to an unexpected end.
The Pumpkin Man - A really delightful Halloween story about the Pumpkin man who comes to town every year with carved pumpkins that are pure works of art, until some kids learn of the inspiration for the carvings.
The Tapping - Proof positive that drinking and graveyards don't mix.
The White House - A very twisted story of a white house with an appetite.
Star On the Beach - There are just so many great stories in this collection.. This one involves necrophilia and even though it's rather easy to see the end coming, the execution is just brilliant.
My Aim is True - Another of the shorter stories in the collection about what it comes down to for each of us in the end.
Fish Bait - A well-imagined story and brutally violent. A perfect title, too.
Camille Smiled - How far would you go to bring your dead child back to life?
Ligeia's Revenge on the Queen Anne's Resurrection - A wonderful short about the song of a siren.
Green Apples, Red Nails - Another Halloween tale of sorts. Sick and twisted, like so many of the stories in this collection.
To Earn His Love - More fun at Halloween. This one about a teacher and her special student and what she does to bring forth a demon. I've never seen a story where someone conjures a demon and it ends well. This is no exception.
Still, They Go - Another really good opening. "I loved her, but I wanted to kill her. Maybe that's what saved her life. Maybe that's what doomed mine." One of so many favorites in this book. A very good little ghost story.
Voyeur - A sneaky story that seems to be about a peeping Tom/murderer that turns about to be about a peeping Tom/murderer. If you read the story, that comment will make perfect sense.
The Hole to China - A bit of a fantasy story of a young boy digging his way to China.
In the end, Sacrificing Virgins was an exhilarating read which left me yearning for more.
The collection is available now in both paperback and e-book formats from Samhain horror.
Definitely recommended, if you think you can handle the hard stuff.
John Everson is an American author of contemporary horror, dark fantasy, science fiction and fantasy fiction. He is the author of eight novels and six short fiction collections, all focusing on horror and the supernatural. His novel Covenant, was originally released by Delirium Books in 2004 and won the Bram Stoker Award for a First Novel the following year.
First let me say I am ashamed I have never read anything from John Everson before. Why didn't someone tell me about this guy. Wow.
Sacrificing Virgins is Everson's fourth collection and contains twenty-five of the darkest, most sexually perverse writing I've ever read and I mean that as a complement. While reading this book, a friend heard me talking about it and asked what she should read by him. I suggested vising his website at JohnEverson.com and just pick something that struck her fancy, but I also warned that I found his stories to be among the most disturbing I've ever read. I compared it to a dark amusement park where Stephen King was the kiddie rides and John Everson was the thrill rides for the more adventurous reader. Don't get me wrong, I love Stephen King, but Everson just takes horror to a whole new level.
As I looked over the list of stories in the collection, preparing to write this review, so many of the titles took me back to the heart of its tale and made me shiver. That's a job well done.
She Found Spring - The collection begins with a wonderfully charming ghost story just filled with melancholy.
In Memoryum - What if you wanted nothing more than to forget, but once you forgot, you wanted nothing more than to remember.
Bad Day - I hate bugs. This short has a new one that really creeped me out. One of the best horror shorts I've read in some time. Fires on all cylinders.
Nailed - Killer opening line. "Some people found their sex toys in the adult catalogues and others in seedy bookstores. But Natalie found hers...in her garden." I can promise it's not what your thinking.
The Eyes - Worse than bugs. Messing with my eyes. I won't even wear contacts because I have a hard time putting my own finger to my eye. This story really gave me the heebie jeebies.
Sacrificing Virgins - The title story for the collection and it certainly didn't disappoint. The tale of a rock star who made a deal with the devil. After each performance he must have sex with a virgin, before midnight, or the deal is done. What could possibly go wrong?
Whatever You Want - A story filled to overflowing with perverse pleasures. One of the most brutal and memorable in the collection.
Grandma Wanda's Jelly Belly - The title says it all. I will say this, John Everson is one sick puppy and I can't get my fill.
I love Her - A demented tale of a man and the love of his life. The story has several choice slaughterhouse similes which are to die for.
Eardrum Buzz - Wes is beyond excited at the prospect of joining the street team for his favorite band, Eardrum Buzz. Another story where bugs play a big part. What if that buzzing in your ears wasn't tinnitus. Creepy.
Field of Flesh - Visceral storytelling at its best. Not just sex and violence, but a great story with sex and violence. Set in the same world as the author's novel NightWhere.
Faux - A very short story that begins with a weekly lunch at the zoo and leads the reader to an unexpected end.
The Pumpkin Man - A really delightful Halloween story about the Pumpkin man who comes to town every year with carved pumpkins that are pure works of art, until some kids learn of the inspiration for the carvings.
The Tapping - Proof positive that drinking and graveyards don't mix.
The White House - A very twisted story of a white house with an appetite.
Star On the Beach - There are just so many great stories in this collection.. This one involves necrophilia and even though it's rather easy to see the end coming, the execution is just brilliant.
My Aim is True - Another of the shorter stories in the collection about what it comes down to for each of us in the end.
Fish Bait - A well-imagined story and brutally violent. A perfect title, too.
Camille Smiled - How far would you go to bring your dead child back to life?
Ligeia's Revenge on the Queen Anne's Resurrection - A wonderful short about the song of a siren.
Green Apples, Red Nails - Another Halloween tale of sorts. Sick and twisted, like so many of the stories in this collection.
To Earn His Love - More fun at Halloween. This one about a teacher and her special student and what she does to bring forth a demon. I've never seen a story where someone conjures a demon and it ends well. This is no exception.
Still, They Go - Another really good opening. "I loved her, but I wanted to kill her. Maybe that's what saved her life. Maybe that's what doomed mine." One of so many favorites in this book. A very good little ghost story.
Voyeur - A sneaky story that seems to be about a peeping Tom/murderer that turns about to be about a peeping Tom/murderer. If you read the story, that comment will make perfect sense.
The Hole to China - A bit of a fantasy story of a young boy digging his way to China.
In the end, Sacrificing Virgins was an exhilarating read which left me yearning for more.
The collection is available now in both paperback and e-book formats from Samhain horror.
Definitely recommended, if you think you can handle the hard stuff.
John Everson is an American author of contemporary horror, dark fantasy, science fiction and fantasy fiction. He is the author of eight novels and six short fiction collections, all focusing on horror and the supernatural. His novel Covenant, was originally released by Delirium Books in 2004 and won the Bram Stoker Award for a First Novel the following year.
October 25, 2015
Awesome short stories! Everson fans will be pleased to find 25 great tales to curl up with - some exactly what you would expect and a couple of surprises. Hint: have tissues ready, John might just bring you to tears like he did me. And that alone is reason enough to buy this book.
John Everson shows he can write more than just sexy horror. This was a well written book full of thrills, chiills, gore and more. I highly recommend it.
I received my copy of SACRIFICING VIRGINS from Samhain.
John Everson shows he can write more than just sexy horror. This was a well written book full of thrills, chiills, gore and more. I highly recommend it.
I received my copy of SACRIFICING VIRGINS from Samhain.
November 30, 2015
It is always a pleasure to read work by John Everson. His ability to surprise, scare and chill never wanes and, in this collection of short stories he successfully manages to incorporate practically every sub-genre of horror imaginable. In 25 varied tales, he takes us from the ghostly and touching through to extreme violence and erotic terror. He introduces us to a wealth of characters – some of whom we are very glad never to meet and others whose plight resonates with our worst nightmares. It sounds clichéd to say there is something for everyone in this pages, but, in this case, it’s absolutely true. Each story is vivid, well told and memorable. Put together, the result is a collection of some of today’s best horror from one of its shining lights
December 26, 2019
Everson earns his own shelf for his fourth release, Sacrificing Virgins. Hopefully that's taken as the compliment it's meant to be. It means I plan on adding more of his works and all new releases will be one clicked faster then they pop up as available. :)
Whether you are a new reader or can't stay away Everson has you covered. For sometime fans you have Ligeia from Siren making an appearance. (Who doesn't love a femme fatale? Especially one so..twisted.) in Ligea's Revenge On The Queen Anne's Resurrection. Speaking of visiting deep, dark places you also get a little pit stop in the secretive world of Nightwhere. (An absolute must read if you haven't. I specifically remember finishing Nightwhere and hoping the author had plans to visit the world again soon.) In the short story Field Of Flesh.
The lead titled Sacrificing Virgins and Whatever You Want both feel like they belong in some sort of popular hard core horror anthology. Which one of you missed this guy? Come on!
In Memoryum was an absolute knife to the bone for me personally. Anything that has to do with losing your grip on reality is absolutely terrifying to me. Not being able to trust your own mind? Take all the zombies and mutant serial killers, the psychological stuff is what scares the hell out of me.
Voyeur was another personal favorite. If not for the sheer darkness of the story I could easily see it as a Twillight Zone episode.
Whether you are a new reader or can't stay away Everson has you covered. For sometime fans you have Ligeia from Siren making an appearance. (Who doesn't love a femme fatale? Especially one so..twisted.) in Ligea's Revenge On The Queen Anne's Resurrection. Speaking of visiting deep, dark places you also get a little pit stop in the secretive world of Nightwhere. (An absolute must read if you haven't. I specifically remember finishing Nightwhere and hoping the author had plans to visit the world again soon.) In the short story Field Of Flesh.
The lead titled Sacrificing Virgins and Whatever You Want both feel like they belong in some sort of popular hard core horror anthology. Which one of you missed this guy? Come on!
In Memoryum was an absolute knife to the bone for me personally. Anything that has to do with losing your grip on reality is absolutely terrifying to me. Not being able to trust your own mind? Take all the zombies and mutant serial killers, the psychological stuff is what scares the hell out of me.
Voyeur was another personal favorite. If not for the sheer darkness of the story I could easily see it as a Twillight Zone episode.
November 13, 2015
I've only read a couple of titles by John Everson, so I didn't know what to expect from his fourth collection of short stories. It turns out that there is no way I could have known what to expect!
Sacrificing Virgins is all over the place in terms of tone and subject matter. There are stories meant for all ages, extreme horror, erotica, ghost stories, creature features, zombies... John Everson can't be put in one box, that is for sure.
There is no real theme connecting these stories; in music terms, think of it not as an album but as a collection of odd songs that didn't fit elsewhere.
My favorites are on the extreme side of things, particularly "Whatever You Want" and "Field of Flesh", the latter of which is connected to the NightWhere novel. With such variation there are going to be stories that aren't for you, but neither are any of them subpar. What you like or don't out of this is just down to personal taste.
After exploring the many sides of John Everson I am excited to check out more of his novels. 4.5 stars, a collection to be proud of.
Sacrificing Virgins is all over the place in terms of tone and subject matter. There are stories meant for all ages, extreme horror, erotica, ghost stories, creature features, zombies... John Everson can't be put in one box, that is for sure.
There is no real theme connecting these stories; in music terms, think of it not as an album but as a collection of odd songs that didn't fit elsewhere.
My favorites are on the extreme side of things, particularly "Whatever You Want" and "Field of Flesh", the latter of which is connected to the NightWhere novel. With such variation there are going to be stories that aren't for you, but neither are any of them subpar. What you like or don't out of this is just down to personal taste.
After exploring the many sides of John Everson I am excited to check out more of his novels. 4.5 stars, a collection to be proud of.
February 6, 2017
I feel a bit guilty for giving this 3 stars simply because... some of the stories were just a bit much for me. I like my horror, but Everson paints such real, graphic pictures of certain things and I wasn't able to stomach some of the stories. That's actually a credit to him as a writer, but some of the stories just weren't my thing. That being said, the ones that I did enjoy were truly brilliant. He writes very vividly and some of the stories were so unique and surprising with their twists. I feel, with this collection of short stories, that I was about 50/50 on the stories I liked versus the ones I simply couldn't enjoy due to content.
January 14, 2016
John Everson is a force to be reckoned with in the horror fiction world. I’ve reviewed two of his books, and I put both in my Top 5 Best Books for each corresponding year. Everson has a terrifying and vivid imagination, and the tales he spins are gripping and enthralling. So, it’s no surprise to discover he is a master of the short story as well. SACRIFICING VIRGINS is a collection of twenty-five horrifying and visceral shorts that even the heartiest of horror fans will have a hard time putting down.
Probably the greatest aspect of this book for me is the diversity of subject matters in the stories. Everson covers everything from ghosts to witches to the Devil. If you’re a fan of any horror sub-genre, chances are you’ll find a story about it in this book.
Each story in SACRIFICING VIRGINS is written well. Everson’s prose is tight, and he conveys much in just a few words. This is another reason I love his work; he does not bog down the narrative with unnecessary exposition. Instead, his sentences flow and blend, creating a cohesion that allows the reader full immersion into each tale.
One of my favorite stories is the titular one. In this tale, a rock star makes a deal with the Devil for fame and fortune. But it comes at a horrible price. And when he fails to make a payment, the Devil collects. I love the shocking imagery that accompanies this story. It haunted me for quite a while after I finished it.
SACRIFICING VIRGINS is a major win for me, and I recommend it. If you’re a fan of short stories and horror, this is a Must Have collection for your library. It is available now in a variety of formats.
Probably the greatest aspect of this book for me is the diversity of subject matters in the stories. Everson covers everything from ghosts to witches to the Devil. If you’re a fan of any horror sub-genre, chances are you’ll find a story about it in this book.
Each story in SACRIFICING VIRGINS is written well. Everson’s prose is tight, and he conveys much in just a few words. This is another reason I love his work; he does not bog down the narrative with unnecessary exposition. Instead, his sentences flow and blend, creating a cohesion that allows the reader full immersion into each tale.
One of my favorite stories is the titular one. In this tale, a rock star makes a deal with the Devil for fame and fortune. But it comes at a horrible price. And when he fails to make a payment, the Devil collects. I love the shocking imagery that accompanies this story. It haunted me for quite a while after I finished it.
SACRIFICING VIRGINS is a major win for me, and I recommend it. If you’re a fan of short stories and horror, this is a Must Have collection for your library. It is available now in a variety of formats.
January 3, 2016
When I first picked up Sacrificing Virgins, I was a little concerned that a collection of short stories by a single author would become boring and repetitive. I was wrong. What really struck me about Everson's work was the lack of cookie-cutter protagonists. There are no "heroes" here. Each main character has a dark side that lands them in all sorts of grisly, ghastly, spine-tinglingly awesome trouble. I think my favorite title was Eardrum Buzz, but that's just one of many tales that will stick with me for years to come. There really is something for everyone in this twisted, funny, surprisingly touching compilation.
November 30, 2015
A very, very good short story collection
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/sacrif... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
For a full review, please go to http://www.examiner.com/review/sacrif... or http://areviewerdarkly.blogspot.com/2... and follow me on Twitter @josenher
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March 4, 2016A fantastic collection of short stories. Why has John Everson stayed under my radar for so long. A great writer with a dark, thorn bush of an imagination. You get caught as you are lead through this collection. Can't recommend enough.
September 3, 2022
Despite having purchased several of John Everson's novels, Sacrificing Virgins actually proved to be my first taste of his work. Having finished it last night, I must say that it left me with one very important question - what the hell I was waiting for?
This is a collection that absolutely sucked me in, devoured my soul, and left me an undead husk, eager to be used and abused some more. The short stories here are wildly imaginative, darkly atmospheric, and seriously depraved. Alternately erotic and sadistic, they are sometimes full of the blackest humor, and other times completely barren of hope.
“She Found Spring” is a beautiful, yet sadly haunting sort of tale, a classic ghost story centered around the turning of the seasons. "Bad Day” is a terrifying, apocalyptic sort of tale that starts out with a bit of morbid humor, but which descends into hopeless terror as the plague of Luna Roaches begin breeding inside human skulls.
“Nailed” marks the first appearance of erotic horror in the collection, introducing us to a lonely woman and the stone sex toy she steals from a long-dead corpse beneath her garden, while "The Eyes" marks the first appearance of extreme horror in the collection, with a sadistic serial killer who has a fetish for eyes . . .
“Sacrificing Virgins” is where Everson completely won me over, putting a necrophiliac twist on the classic 'deal with the devil' story. This is one of those stories that repeatedly seems to reach a new depth of disgust, only to keep finding even deeper levels of debauchery. Somehow, “Whatever You Want” actually manages to push the envelope even further, with a slow-burning tale of erotic mutilation that just keeps getting darker and more perverse.
“Eardrum Buzz” merges elements of earlier stories, mixing music and bug in a blackly humorous story about the 'buzz' of a new band, the 'buzz' of a concert the day after, and the 'buzz' of something else. “Field of Flesh” is a companion piece to his erotic horror novel NightWhere (which I need to read next), involving a supernaturally kinky sex club, an all-too-eager detective, and the very dangerous temptations of sexual voyeurism.
“The Pumpkin Man” and “The Tapping” are stories where you know what's going on, and can guess the ending from the start, but they're so well told that you're content to enjoy the read. Both are distinguished by the uniqueness of their narrators, the creepiness of the atmosphere, and the ghost-story chills of the plot. “The White House” is a similar sort of tale where you can guess at the ending from page one, but it's the slow build of the tension, and the gradual reveal of the house's sins that make it so powerful.
“Star on the Beach” is another darkly erotic tale of 'harmless' necrophilia on a beach, while “Fish Bait” is a darkly humorous tale of a night in a redneck bar, but both are brutal reminders of the power of seemingly superstitious rituals of appeasement. “To Earn His Love” is another piece of erotic horror that touches on familiar themes, this time involving inappropriate student-teacher relations, guilty voyeurism, and poorly considered deals with the devil.
"The Hole To China” is a perfect closer to the collection, as beautiful and sadly haunting as the story that opened it. A tale of escape from the all-too-real horrors of domestic abuse, it relates the simple story of a boy digging his way to China, and the kindly woman next door who offers him a special shovel, along with some increasingly unsettling observations.
Make no mistake, Sacrificing Virgins is not for everyone, but that's precisely why I enjoyed it so much. I have barely scratched at the surface here, but this is a book that had me covering my eyes, turning my head aside, and reading almost tentatively at times. Some of it is beautiful, and some of it is shocking, but it's all powerful.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
This is a collection that absolutely sucked me in, devoured my soul, and left me an undead husk, eager to be used and abused some more. The short stories here are wildly imaginative, darkly atmospheric, and seriously depraved. Alternately erotic and sadistic, they are sometimes full of the blackest humor, and other times completely barren of hope.
“She Found Spring” is a beautiful, yet sadly haunting sort of tale, a classic ghost story centered around the turning of the seasons. "Bad Day” is a terrifying, apocalyptic sort of tale that starts out with a bit of morbid humor, but which descends into hopeless terror as the plague of Luna Roaches begin breeding inside human skulls.
“Nailed” marks the first appearance of erotic horror in the collection, introducing us to a lonely woman and the stone sex toy she steals from a long-dead corpse beneath her garden, while "The Eyes" marks the first appearance of extreme horror in the collection, with a sadistic serial killer who has a fetish for eyes . . .
“Sacrificing Virgins” is where Everson completely won me over, putting a necrophiliac twist on the classic 'deal with the devil' story. This is one of those stories that repeatedly seems to reach a new depth of disgust, only to keep finding even deeper levels of debauchery. Somehow, “Whatever You Want” actually manages to push the envelope even further, with a slow-burning tale of erotic mutilation that just keeps getting darker and more perverse.
“Eardrum Buzz” merges elements of earlier stories, mixing music and bug in a blackly humorous story about the 'buzz' of a new band, the 'buzz' of a concert the day after, and the 'buzz' of something else. “Field of Flesh” is a companion piece to his erotic horror novel NightWhere (which I need to read next), involving a supernaturally kinky sex club, an all-too-eager detective, and the very dangerous temptations of sexual voyeurism.
“The Pumpkin Man” and “The Tapping” are stories where you know what's going on, and can guess the ending from the start, but they're so well told that you're content to enjoy the read. Both are distinguished by the uniqueness of their narrators, the creepiness of the atmosphere, and the ghost-story chills of the plot. “The White House” is a similar sort of tale where you can guess at the ending from page one, but it's the slow build of the tension, and the gradual reveal of the house's sins that make it so powerful.
“Star on the Beach” is another darkly erotic tale of 'harmless' necrophilia on a beach, while “Fish Bait” is a darkly humorous tale of a night in a redneck bar, but both are brutal reminders of the power of seemingly superstitious rituals of appeasement. “To Earn His Love” is another piece of erotic horror that touches on familiar themes, this time involving inappropriate student-teacher relations, guilty voyeurism, and poorly considered deals with the devil.
"The Hole To China” is a perfect closer to the collection, as beautiful and sadly haunting as the story that opened it. A tale of escape from the all-too-real horrors of domestic abuse, it relates the simple story of a boy digging his way to China, and the kindly woman next door who offers him a special shovel, along with some increasingly unsettling observations.
Make no mistake, Sacrificing Virgins is not for everyone, but that's precisely why I enjoyed it so much. I have barely scratched at the surface here, but this is a book that had me covering my eyes, turning my head aside, and reading almost tentatively at times. Some of it is beautiful, and some of it is shocking, but it's all powerful.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC of this title from the publisher in exchange for review consideration.This does not in any way affect the honesty or sincerity of my honest review.
June 3, 2020
I don't know if I just didn't read the synopsis or reviews well enough, but I was not expecting for half of this book to be S&M horror porn. Personally, not my thing... and probably would've been easier to swallow if there weren't what would seem like 3 of these stories in a row before they got broken up by your typical horror short story.
Also, this dude has a serious thing for describing labia, and for raven-haired ladies. Oh also, it felt like there was a lot of necrophilia in this book, but maybe that's again just cause I'm not used to reading that stuff.
Short blurbs about the stories (favorites are starred):
She Found Spring -- this story is hauntingly beautiful. Not much "horror" or scare here.
In Memoryum** -- loved the concept of this one. A man wakes up with no memory of his life and sets out to figure out why
Bad Day** -- creepy bugs. That's all that needs to be said here haha
Nailed -- the first "pornographic" / erotic story in the book. Good, but strange to read if you're not used to this stuff
The Eyes -- disgusting, but at least it's short
Sacrificing Virgins -- a deal with the devil gone awry (when doesn't it?) This is one that has necrophilia involved.
Whatever You Want -- EXTREMELY gory and pretty pornographic, with a bit of necrophilia at the end
Grandma Wanda's Belly Jelly** -- messsssed up haha but great concept
I Love Her -- a guy in love with his answering machine, weird but interesting
Eardrum Buzz -- another bug one, but not as creepy as the first
Field of Flesh -- probably the most S&M-y one in the book, VERY graphic
Faux** -- great, super short one about a lion
The Pumpkin Man** -- I love ones where a child is the narrator, makes it so much creepier!
The Tapping -- I mean, pretty predictable what the plot of this one is based off of the title
The White House** -- a house that's haunted by it's past and "forces" it's residents to all contribute something? Yes please.
Star on the Beach -- the ending was way too weird for me haha. Another necrophilia one
My Aim is True -- grim reaper
Fish Bait** -- I predicted the flow of this one based off of the title, but it was still well written and intriguing
Camille Smiled -- I mean, obviously this dude has never read Pet Sematary....
Ligeia's Revenge on the Queen Anne's Resurrection -- a siren gets revenge on the men on a ship
Green Apples, Red Nails** -- probably the only one in here where I loved it even though it had pornographic content. Also one of two stories with a legitimate twist
To Earn His Love -- a satanic witch who uses a student to summon a demon... also has a twist ending, which is most of what made the story worthwhile
Still, They Go -- ghost story
Voyeur -- a creepy man and a creepy machine
The Hole to China -- like the first story, this one is just kind of sad
Overall, a decent book with some really great short horror stories. I would definitely reread the starred ones, but have no interest in rereading the others.
Also, this dude has a serious thing for describing labia, and for raven-haired ladies. Oh also, it felt like there was a lot of necrophilia in this book, but maybe that's again just cause I'm not used to reading that stuff.
Short blurbs about the stories (favorites are starred):
She Found Spring -- this story is hauntingly beautiful. Not much "horror" or scare here.
In Memoryum** -- loved the concept of this one. A man wakes up with no memory of his life and sets out to figure out why
Bad Day** -- creepy bugs. That's all that needs to be said here haha
Nailed -- the first "pornographic" / erotic story in the book. Good, but strange to read if you're not used to this stuff
The Eyes -- disgusting, but at least it's short
Sacrificing Virgins -- a deal with the devil gone awry (when doesn't it?) This is one that has necrophilia involved.
Whatever You Want -- EXTREMELY gory and pretty pornographic, with a bit of necrophilia at the end
Grandma Wanda's Belly Jelly** -- messsssed up haha but great concept
I Love Her -- a guy in love with his answering machine, weird but interesting
Eardrum Buzz -- another bug one, but not as creepy as the first
Field of Flesh -- probably the most S&M-y one in the book, VERY graphic
Faux** -- great, super short one about a lion
The Pumpkin Man** -- I love ones where a child is the narrator, makes it so much creepier!
The Tapping -- I mean, pretty predictable what the plot of this one is based off of the title
The White House** -- a house that's haunted by it's past and "forces" it's residents to all contribute something? Yes please.
Star on the Beach -- the ending was way too weird for me haha. Another necrophilia one
My Aim is True -- grim reaper
Fish Bait** -- I predicted the flow of this one based off of the title, but it was still well written and intriguing
Camille Smiled -- I mean, obviously this dude has never read Pet Sematary....
Ligeia's Revenge on the Queen Anne's Resurrection -- a siren gets revenge on the men on a ship
Green Apples, Red Nails** -- probably the only one in here where I loved it even though it had pornographic content. Also one of two stories with a legitimate twist
To Earn His Love -- a satanic witch who uses a student to summon a demon... also has a twist ending, which is most of what made the story worthwhile
Still, They Go -- ghost story
Voyeur -- a creepy man and a creepy machine
The Hole to China -- like the first story, this one is just kind of sad
Overall, a decent book with some really great short horror stories. I would definitely reread the starred ones, but have no interest in rereading the others.
August 18, 2023
John Everson provides a nice mix of stories, a little of everything, making this a solid read for fans of erotic horror.
Having read a few of his books prior (I suggest checking out the NightWhere books and Violet Eyes), I felt confident that I'd enjoy this collection. Everson's way of matter-of-frankly describing horrific events followed by more ethereal erotic events makes for a unique voice in the genre. And, as such, there are some stories that provided exactly what I expected - vengeful, yet sexy tales with a supernatural twist but written in a more realistic fashion. These stories (Sacrificing Virgins is a solid example) provided the gruesome gallows humor that I was looking for.
What surprised me, however, was the stories that went into a different place. For example, the first story left me feeling a little emotional. It hit some notes that I did not expect - and it was not the only story that used a horror story template to take the reader into directions unexpected. With over 20 tales, it's important that we don't see too much repetition and I think John Everson was successful here.
No compilation of stories will be perfect, but this is about as good as it gets. For readers of the author's other works, there are tales that fit into the NightWhere universe (I skipped this one because I had read it as a separate novella "Fields of Flesh"), Siren, and The Pumpkin Man books. But you don't need to have read the prior books to enjoy these (though it may help). A solid 4.5, I'd say - rounded up to 5. Worth the read.
Having read a few of his books prior (I suggest checking out the NightWhere books and Violet Eyes), I felt confident that I'd enjoy this collection. Everson's way of matter-of-frankly describing horrific events followed by more ethereal erotic events makes for a unique voice in the genre. And, as such, there are some stories that provided exactly what I expected - vengeful, yet sexy tales with a supernatural twist but written in a more realistic fashion. These stories (Sacrificing Virgins is a solid example) provided the gruesome gallows humor that I was looking for.
What surprised me, however, was the stories that went into a different place. For example, the first story left me feeling a little emotional. It hit some notes that I did not expect - and it was not the only story that used a horror story template to take the reader into directions unexpected. With over 20 tales, it's important that we don't see too much repetition and I think John Everson was successful here.
No compilation of stories will be perfect, but this is about as good as it gets. For readers of the author's other works, there are tales that fit into the NightWhere universe (I skipped this one because I had read it as a separate novella "Fields of Flesh"), Siren, and The Pumpkin Man books. But you don't need to have read the prior books to enjoy these (though it may help). A solid 4.5, I'd say - rounded up to 5. Worth the read.
October 16, 2024
This was quite an entertaining set of 25 stories by the master of erotic horror himself. My highlights were She Found Spring, Bad Day, The Eyes and the title story. The eeriest story by far was The White House. The host was one of the most terrifying elderly ladies ever. The rooms were horrible. Can you imagine what the color "bone white" on the wall means? That story was stellar. Overall a very solid collection with some truly disturbing unforgettable scenes. Really recommended!
March 12, 2018
This is part of a trilogy story involving demons and witchcraft and otherworld crossings. This author has a way of pulling you into the story of horror that you can't stop reading. I highly recommend reading this if horror is your thing.
July 12, 2017
An eclectic collection of short stories from benign ghosts to debauched sadists. Enjoyable to read for hours at a time or for a quick 15 minute escape.
December 25, 2022
dnf: 40% in
yeah… i mean it was good but the writing just wasn’t for me
yeah… i mean it was good but the writing just wasn’t for me
June 18, 2016
It's hard to even know where to begin while talking about Sacrificing Virgins by John Everson. I could easily write 500 words analyzing each of the 25 stories here, but the best way to experience this book is by reading it. One thing that I will say though is that this book is a template for what great horror stories should be. Sacrificing Virgins has moments that are shocking, violent and downright disgusting. These are all things that horror fans want but for me what makes a great horror story is characters that you care about and can relate to. Then you have to put them in a bad situation where it looks like they can't escape.
For example in the story Bad Day we hear of strange exotic flying roaches that are latching on to people and causing them to go into a coma. After a short period the people awaken as zombies. We then get to know a family from the father's point of view. We know he loves his wife and young daughter, but he feels that maybe he was to old to start a family and he feels bad for his wife. As he gets to go off to work every day and escape fatherhood for a while and be around adults, his wife is at home with only their daughter to talk to. Hearing this information, you care about this family and the idea that they're facing the apocalypse is horrifying. This story isn't as violent as some of the others in this anthology but it is one of the scariest because you see this family that you grow to like facing the end of humanity. This is true horror.
The next example of a perfect horror story and my favorite one in this book is Camille Smiled. This story is told in a different way then the previous one, in the beginning you're not sure what's happening but as the tale moves along the blanks are filled in and you get into every parents worst nightmare. Camille was killed in a car accident at 8 years old and her grief-stricken father uses voodoo to bring her back from the dead. The problem is that she didn't come back the same. This story is a masterpiece and the best parts of it are so subtle. In one scene the father is talking about how much he misses his daughter and even with the state of decay she is in, he doesn't care, he just wants her back. Then you have the mother who shows how angry she is at her husband before he succeeds at bringing their daughter back from the dead, yet she never leaves him or turn him in for grave robbing. Then we have the description of Camille staring emotionless at her father and the father realizing that his daughter is dangerous. This is a love story that literally sent chills down my spine.
Another story I really liked here was Voyeur. I loved the originality here, it has to do with a man who went from being a voyeur to a murderer but little does he know he is being studied by something out of this world. This book also has a story about bondage and sexual torture called Field Of Flesh, which is tied into John Everson's novel NightWhere. This one has some disturbing imagery that I liked but the best part of it was the end when we find out how the room the protagonist is in works. Every story in this book is a lesson on how great horror literature can be and it's a can't miss book for real horror fans.
For example in the story Bad Day we hear of strange exotic flying roaches that are latching on to people and causing them to go into a coma. After a short period the people awaken as zombies. We then get to know a family from the father's point of view. We know he loves his wife and young daughter, but he feels that maybe he was to old to start a family and he feels bad for his wife. As he gets to go off to work every day and escape fatherhood for a while and be around adults, his wife is at home with only their daughter to talk to. Hearing this information, you care about this family and the idea that they're facing the apocalypse is horrifying. This story isn't as violent as some of the others in this anthology but it is one of the scariest because you see this family that you grow to like facing the end of humanity. This is true horror.
The next example of a perfect horror story and my favorite one in this book is Camille Smiled. This story is told in a different way then the previous one, in the beginning you're not sure what's happening but as the tale moves along the blanks are filled in and you get into every parents worst nightmare. Camille was killed in a car accident at 8 years old and her grief-stricken father uses voodoo to bring her back from the dead. The problem is that she didn't come back the same. This story is a masterpiece and the best parts of it are so subtle. In one scene the father is talking about how much he misses his daughter and even with the state of decay she is in, he doesn't care, he just wants her back. Then you have the mother who shows how angry she is at her husband before he succeeds at bringing their daughter back from the dead, yet she never leaves him or turn him in for grave robbing. Then we have the description of Camille staring emotionless at her father and the father realizing that his daughter is dangerous. This is a love story that literally sent chills down my spine.
Another story I really liked here was Voyeur. I loved the originality here, it has to do with a man who went from being a voyeur to a murderer but little does he know he is being studied by something out of this world. This book also has a story about bondage and sexual torture called Field Of Flesh, which is tied into John Everson's novel NightWhere. This one has some disturbing imagery that I liked but the best part of it was the end when we find out how the room the protagonist is in works. Every story in this book is a lesson on how great horror literature can be and it's a can't miss book for real horror fans.
June 15, 2016
This book of short stories is for adults only. Sex and violence are the main theme in most of them. The writing was concise and extremely descriptive. Some of the less violent stories I really enjoyed.
As a horror fan (Stephen King is my favorite author) this book was just too much for me. You have to be a fan of over the top gore (I'm not judging, lots of people don't mind) this book is for you. But keep it out of the hands of kids, teens and grandparents.
As a horror fan (Stephen King is my favorite author) this book was just too much for me. You have to be a fan of over the top gore (I'm not judging, lots of people don't mind) this book is for you. But keep it out of the hands of kids, teens and grandparents.
September 11, 2016
This was a mixed bag of horror.
I would recommend. If you have a favorite kind of horror read within the horror genre, I'm sure there is something in it for you.
My favorites were:
She Found Spring
Bad Day
Grandma Wanda's Belly Jelly
The Tapping
Fish Bait and,
Camille Smiled<------Reminiscent of The Monkeys Paw
3.5 stars
I would recommend. If you have a favorite kind of horror read within the horror genre, I'm sure there is something in it for you.
My favorites were:
She Found Spring
Bad Day
Grandma Wanda's Belly Jelly
The Tapping
Fish Bait and,
Camille Smiled<------Reminiscent of The Monkeys Paw
3.5 stars
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