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Kill, My Darlings
Kill, My Darlings is a collection of short stories exploring many possible outlets and styles from horror and diving into a varying amounts of subjects, from monsters and demons to cannibalism and psychological terrors. From erotica to flash fiction, Aldridge explores multiple sub-genres and subjects within the 13 stories published in this collection.From a twisted, female serial killer with The Mistress. . .To a demonic playground for the lustful in Insatiable . . .Follow Aldridge as she takes you through clowns, boogeymen, talking radios, and infomercials in this collection of horror.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
435 pages, Paperback
Published February 14, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 11, 2019
“That’s where they live. They can’t eat in the light. They can’t have their Tommy-feast unless the lights are out.”
I’ve been reading so many classics lately for my 30 before 30 challenge and my horror itch hasn’t really been scratched for a while... so as soon as I received this copy of Kill, My Darlings from @christy_aldridge I pretty much started the minute I got it out of the package!
Aldridge covers quite a broad range of different horror stories - there’s cannibalism, a terrifying clown, erotica, boogeymen and demons, so there’s really something that appeals to every horror fan’s taste!
Favourites for me were Lizzy Clearly Had A Bad Day, Billy and The Tommy-Feast. Billy in particular was hilarious - it’s about a guy who’s hand becomes kinda jealous when he finally gets a girlfriend... I just love stories that are so off the wall and original. Especially when they’re delivered in such a humorous way. I also feel like I need to mention Insatiable here as well - I’m not a prude in the slightest but even this story had me blushing!
A minor complaint would be that sometimes things are over-explained, especially in the first story The Mistress, which is about a female serial killer. It’s told entirely from her point of view and some points are maybe hammered home a bit too much?
But otherwise this collection is quite fun! It’s funny at times, with plenty of gore and body fluids, yet there are also more psychological stories that are quite effective as well. All in all, a nice mixture of different horror stories and I would definitely read more from Alridge!
3.5 stars!
I’ve been reading so many classics lately for my 30 before 30 challenge and my horror itch hasn’t really been scratched for a while... so as soon as I received this copy of Kill, My Darlings from @christy_aldridge I pretty much started the minute I got it out of the package!
Aldridge covers quite a broad range of different horror stories - there’s cannibalism, a terrifying clown, erotica, boogeymen and demons, so there’s really something that appeals to every horror fan’s taste!
Favourites for me were Lizzy Clearly Had A Bad Day, Billy and The Tommy-Feast. Billy in particular was hilarious - it’s about a guy who’s hand becomes kinda jealous when he finally gets a girlfriend... I just love stories that are so off the wall and original. Especially when they’re delivered in such a humorous way. I also feel like I need to mention Insatiable here as well - I’m not a prude in the slightest but even this story had me blushing!
A minor complaint would be that sometimes things are over-explained, especially in the first story The Mistress, which is about a female serial killer. It’s told entirely from her point of view and some points are maybe hammered home a bit too much?
But otherwise this collection is quite fun! It’s funny at times, with plenty of gore and body fluids, yet there are also more psychological stories that are quite effective as well. All in all, a nice mixture of different horror stories and I would definitely read more from Alridge!
3.5 stars!
March 4, 2019
This horror story collection offers a range of different stories, from serial killers to cannibals, from real-life domestic horror to depictions of hell, from gory to psychological to black comedy, and many terrors in between.
My favorite stories were the briefer, more psychological ones. I enjoyed the tense atmosphere of “Lizzie Cleary Had a Bad Day” and the Twilight Zone–style of “I-65.”
While so many of the stories have promising and unique ideas at the center of them, I think that the collection could have benefited from a strong editorial eye. Besides errors throughout in punctuation and spelling, editing would have been useful to cut out unnecessary text and really get to the core of what made the stories chilling. (You have to kill your darlings, after all.)
I felt that most of the stories got bogged down with too much description and the narrators of the stories over-explaining their thoughts and actions. Less is often more, especially when you’re trying to scare someone’s pants off.
So many of the stories began well but couldn’t stick the landing. There was a kernel of an amazing idea, some tension built, but then the story seemed to get away, going on longer than I felt it should (as was the case with “The Mistress”), or losing the tension with an ending that didn’t seem cohesive with the rest of the story or just dropped off entirely.
I also can’t help but mention the typesetting for this book—I found it a bit difficult to read, as the tracking is way off what a normal book would be; there was way too much space between every word, and it makes it hard to focus on the page for easy reading.
I think this is an interesting effort, but I would like to see the stories in it really sharpened down to their core—then I think it could be stellar.
My favorite stories were the briefer, more psychological ones. I enjoyed the tense atmosphere of “Lizzie Cleary Had a Bad Day” and the Twilight Zone–style of “I-65.”
While so many of the stories have promising and unique ideas at the center of them, I think that the collection could have benefited from a strong editorial eye. Besides errors throughout in punctuation and spelling, editing would have been useful to cut out unnecessary text and really get to the core of what made the stories chilling. (You have to kill your darlings, after all.)
I felt that most of the stories got bogged down with too much description and the narrators of the stories over-explaining their thoughts and actions. Less is often more, especially when you’re trying to scare someone’s pants off.
So many of the stories began well but couldn’t stick the landing. There was a kernel of an amazing idea, some tension built, but then the story seemed to get away, going on longer than I felt it should (as was the case with “The Mistress”), or losing the tension with an ending that didn’t seem cohesive with the rest of the story or just dropped off entirely.
I also can’t help but mention the typesetting for this book—I found it a bit difficult to read, as the tracking is way off what a normal book would be; there was way too much space between every word, and it makes it hard to focus on the page for easy reading.
I think this is an interesting effort, but I would like to see the stories in it really sharpened down to their core—then I think it could be stellar.
March 4, 2019
"You'd rather be tasted by the darkness than blinded by the light."
Kill, My Darlings was my introduction to Christy Aldridge's work, and there were quite a few fun stories in this collection. There were many different types of stories here, and I enjoyed the variety.
My experiences with the stories were a little uneven. I loved some, and struggled with others. My top 3 stories in this collection are Lizzie Cleary Had a Bad Day, Curseling, and Final Girl. Christy is funny, and there are some horror comedy stories in here - I think I was most amused by Final Girl.
The collection opens with a novella called Mistress. While I liked the idea of this story, it was a difficult start to the collection. It's a long monologue, and I had hard time keeping my focus on it. All of the other stories are much shorter, which was a relief for me. I felt like the strongest stories were in the middle of the book, and I had a harder time with the ones at the beginning and end.
Some of the stories would be going really well, but then there would be a disconnect at the ending. For example, one story was wonderfully creepy, and then the way that it ended sort of took away the sinister factor. I think there's a lot of promising content here, but the endings just didn't always feel cohesive with the rest of the story.
Kill, My Darlings could have used a few more rounds of editing. I don't like adding this into my reviews because I know that this can be a difficult thing for indie authors. However, I feel that I have to mention it when it's to the point that it's a distraction from the stories. Some of them were research things, like Aileen Wuornos being called by the wrong name, and others were things missing or incorrect words, or grammatical errors. This was not an ARC, where it's sometimes to be expected; I purchased a final copy.
Although I had issues with this collection, it was still very entertaining, and I enjoyed multiple stories. I adore the cover of this book, and I also love that there is an illustration for the beginning of each story.
Kill, My Darlings was my introduction to Christy Aldridge's work, and there were quite a few fun stories in this collection. There were many different types of stories here, and I enjoyed the variety.
My experiences with the stories were a little uneven. I loved some, and struggled with others. My top 3 stories in this collection are Lizzie Cleary Had a Bad Day, Curseling, and Final Girl. Christy is funny, and there are some horror comedy stories in here - I think I was most amused by Final Girl.
The collection opens with a novella called Mistress. While I liked the idea of this story, it was a difficult start to the collection. It's a long monologue, and I had hard time keeping my focus on it. All of the other stories are much shorter, which was a relief for me. I felt like the strongest stories were in the middle of the book, and I had a harder time with the ones at the beginning and end.
Some of the stories would be going really well, but then there would be a disconnect at the ending. For example, one story was wonderfully creepy, and then the way that it ended sort of took away the sinister factor. I think there's a lot of promising content here, but the endings just didn't always feel cohesive with the rest of the story.
Kill, My Darlings could have used a few more rounds of editing. I don't like adding this into my reviews because I know that this can be a difficult thing for indie authors. However, I feel that I have to mention it when it's to the point that it's a distraction from the stories. Some of them were research things, like Aileen Wuornos being called by the wrong name, and others were things missing or incorrect words, or grammatical errors. This was not an ARC, where it's sometimes to be expected; I purchased a final copy.
Although I had issues with this collection, it was still very entertaining, and I enjoyed multiple stories. I adore the cover of this book, and I also love that there is an illustration for the beginning of each story.
February 18, 2019
A tour-de-force by the "Southern Belle of Horror"!
.
I had been eagerly waiting months for this latest release by @christy_aldridge, and it was well worth the wait. Having won me over with her incredible novels (Six Months, Rogues) and novella (The Mistress,also included here), she has also shown a special knack for throttling the reader with the short story. While some of these tales have a supernatural element, a good number of them are also a grim reminder that the greatest horror may lie inside humans themselves.
.
I've seen many posts recently about Women in Horror Month, and most have mentioned the classics (Shirley Jackson, Mary Shelley) and the reigning queen of the new generation of horror, Ania Ahlborn. Aldridge has, in a short period of time, earned herself a place among this list. Hell, she's earned a spot among the new greats, male or female. Her stories are always riveting, her characters are well developed and her writing style will keep the reader glued to the page. As a lifelong Stephen King fan, I've always enjoyed his collections of short stories, and Kill, My Darlings ranks right up there with Night Shift and Skeleton Crew (my personal faves).
.
Now it's time to settle in and wait for Aldridge's next masterpiece.
.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I know how many I put, but 5 stars isn't enough.
.
I had been eagerly waiting months for this latest release by @christy_aldridge, and it was well worth the wait. Having won me over with her incredible novels (Six Months, Rogues) and novella (The Mistress,also included here), she has also shown a special knack for throttling the reader with the short story. While some of these tales have a supernatural element, a good number of them are also a grim reminder that the greatest horror may lie inside humans themselves.
.
I've seen many posts recently about Women in Horror Month, and most have mentioned the classics (Shirley Jackson, Mary Shelley) and the reigning queen of the new generation of horror, Ania Ahlborn. Aldridge has, in a short period of time, earned herself a place among this list. Hell, she's earned a spot among the new greats, male or female. Her stories are always riveting, her characters are well developed and her writing style will keep the reader glued to the page. As a lifelong Stephen King fan, I've always enjoyed his collections of short stories, and Kill, My Darlings ranks right up there with Night Shift and Skeleton Crew (my personal faves).
.
Now it's time to settle in and wait for Aldridge's next masterpiece.
.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I know how many I put, but 5 stars isn't enough.
March 10, 2022
Dark and Lingering Horror
There's something for everyone in this collection of stories, which I read piecemeal over a series of nights. They are dark, disturbing, creative, and haunting, all of which I've come to expect from Aldridge. She has a way of describing a character's mood that resonates, and many of these stories linger.
This book is great way to get to know Aldridge as a writer, and recommended to those who enjoy variety in the horror they consume, especially those who like a little bit of spice.
There's something for everyone in this collection of stories, which I read piecemeal over a series of nights. They are dark, disturbing, creative, and haunting, all of which I've come to expect from Aldridge. She has a way of describing a character's mood that resonates, and many of these stories linger.
This book is great way to get to know Aldridge as a writer, and recommended to those who enjoy variety in the horror they consume, especially those who like a little bit of spice.
April 16, 2019
Definitely one of the better anthologies I’ve ever read! Every horror sub genre is here and all of them are scary. There were times I was on edge and these stories had legitimately good twists. I think any horror fan would love this since there’s something everyone can enjoy. Arlidge is a terrific writer and certainly knows how to make your skin crawl.
June 5, 2019
KILL, MY DARLINGS is the latest publication from the Southern Belle of Horror, the Rose of Alabama herself, Christy Aldridge. It’s an anthology of short horror stories that vary in length, subject matter and tenacity. I was lucky enough, witty enough, to snag a free copy in a contest from her Instagram. She was even kind enough to personalize and sign it. I was touched. And while the stories all stand on their own, separate any other chronology, there are more than a few savory tie-ins to Christy’s other works for the observant and mindful fan. And no. I won’t give them to you. You have to find them on your own. That’s half the fun.
Now. The presentation itself is very good, and I won’t spend a great deal of time on it. We come to expect this from Christy at this point. The work to be clean, clipped, neat, and organized. Each story gets its own illustration, which I assume comes from the author herself. It adds another layer of individuality for every story, giving a definite stop and start to each, and keeps your transitions between those stories clean and on schedule. None of them run together, which does get to be a challenge with some anthologies, especially one of this magnitude. I love the cover art for this book. Old school, like concrete, nearly as if done with chalk. The font is perfectly chosen as well. As far as self-published work goes, this thing is a Cadillac. Looks great, feels great. I love to see this trend in self-publishing, this level of dedication and pride in the product. Hopefully, at the last, leading to the death of the ‘self-published vs. traditional’ debate. The more of these books I see, and the cleaner they become, the more that line disappears. Authors proving that the keys to the kingdom need not run through any pretentious publishing house if you but take your work as seriously as you wish the reader to do. I digress.
The work as a whole is a very *fun* undertaking. Old school. If you were ever a fan of CREEPSHOW, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, or anything from EC COMICS, you’ll be at home here. There’s a very natural flow from work to work, which isn’t easy to pull off given how different some of them can be. And if you’ve read other works from Christy, it’s a real treat to see her push into new territory previously unchecked. Cannibals, erotic horror, chronic penile dismemberment, serial killers. And Christy sells out for these elements when they do appear, and for their presence, they are done very well. Every story feels like it required her entire attention, and had a significant place in the collective whole. That’s also dreadfully important in an anthology. Stories are allowed to be better than other stories, but you dare not give the reader time to click ‘NEXT.’ Or, if they do click it, click it for preference rather than boredom. And that feels like the case here. If you do prefer stories over others, it isn’t because any of them suffer from lack of dedication. No lack of dedication from the author, anyway. And if you’re dedication is lacking as a reader . . . Go away. There is no place for you here.
There is a great deal more violence in this book than Christy’s readers may be used to. Speaking personally, I was delighted. That I would be dancing about more blood and filthiness comes as a shock to no one, I assume. But, my tendencies for ultra-violence aside, that truth is still very valid. Several of these stories become very wet and bloody: THE MISTRESS, JARED’S MUSE, THE PIG ON MERCY LANE, BILLY, FINAL GIRL, and INSATIABLE in particular. So if that bothers you, handle with care. But, really, if that bothers you . . . What are you doing here? Seriously. The weaker shit is in the other room. Move along. We’ll wait.
Alright. Now that the weaker ones are gone, I admit that my quibbles are few. But, I will also admit, I do have a couple. Before I share them, I tell you that this is the point where I separate my personal preference from the author’s vision of the book; and whether or not they achieved it. When writing a review, I never feel like it’s fair to the author and their vision to knock it based on my preferences. A review is a grade, not how much I did or did not care for something. I’m rambling again, but you see my point. SO, based upon that . . . I will go with my initial rating and give it 5 out of 5 skulls. It’s fun, it’s very well done, the writing is very good; and while it’s at once entirely unique to Christy’s blossoming style, it is also very different in many places. Finally, to be honest, this book is rare. It’s really rare to see anthologies out of independent authors. Not a collective anthology from a bunch of writers who each submitted one story, but a bunch of short works from one author. That’s becoming rare in all forms but poetry. And I applaud her for what she has accomplished, because I know for a fact that it became exactly what she envisioned. And for that, she should be very proud. That deserves every one of those 5 skulls, and it always will.
That being said . . .
My personal quibbles . . . I mentioned just a bit ago that in this work Christy pushes her writing into undiscovered territories. Bloodier, more visceral, unsettling and depraved places. Primal and slaughter places. And, to my surprise, it was done very very well. The contrast between stories can be so great, in fact, that you may feel as if you’re reading two different authors. Two . . . Entirely separate people. One that seems a proper and comfortable horror author, and one that is much more ravenous. I’ve remarked in past reviews of her work that I’ve felt as if this other writer has always been there, just chained in a very personal and deeply hidden place—though its whispers have found the page from time to time. And in several of these stories, the ones I mentioned above, that other writer is given total and complete stage time. That other Christy writes with a very great power, a whole aching intensity . . . An absolute becoming. With no pardon and no quarter given in any measure. It comes to greatest fruition in INSATIABLE, perhaps. Which, to be honest, I think is the best piece of writing I have ever seen from Christy Aldridge. Both in tone and tambour, atmospherics and sentence structure. While it is nearly indescribably graphic and explicit, both sexually and violently, it is very beautifully written. And it also bears a great understanding of classical depictions of hell. It is not inexperienced or amateurish. Descriptives, characters and mechanics are entirely on point. INSATIABLE is Christy’s finest hour. Fight me on it if you want, but you’re wrong. I’m right about this and you WILL accept that.
The dark Christy is also present in several other stories. And for her presence, the more gruesome and visceral stories could have accomplished the same thing with half the content, but the darker author does not seem content until it has entirely annihilated the reader. With a power nearly unrivaled and unmatched by other authors . . . Nearly.
You may think my complaint is the entire book wasn’t written by that author, the darker and more intense, but that is not the fact. My complaint is that the two authors seem to be so entirely separate, taking the pen only when the other isn’t looking. I want those authors to write every story together. At once entwined and whole in the entirety of the whole person herself.
As a reader, an author, a fan and a person . . . I want everything Christy Aldridge has to offer: Light, dark, funny, brooding, joyous, painful, restrained and insatiable. All at the same time. I don’t want anything hidden at any time. I want everything in every word. Because, to put it plainly, she is very capable of it. And after reading KILL, MY DARLINGS . . . I believe we are on the verge of seeing it birth out true to form.
I will be waiting with interest. With great and, dare I say . . . insatiable . . . interest.
Now. The presentation itself is very good, and I won’t spend a great deal of time on it. We come to expect this from Christy at this point. The work to be clean, clipped, neat, and organized. Each story gets its own illustration, which I assume comes from the author herself. It adds another layer of individuality for every story, giving a definite stop and start to each, and keeps your transitions between those stories clean and on schedule. None of them run together, which does get to be a challenge with some anthologies, especially one of this magnitude. I love the cover art for this book. Old school, like concrete, nearly as if done with chalk. The font is perfectly chosen as well. As far as self-published work goes, this thing is a Cadillac. Looks great, feels great. I love to see this trend in self-publishing, this level of dedication and pride in the product. Hopefully, at the last, leading to the death of the ‘self-published vs. traditional’ debate. The more of these books I see, and the cleaner they become, the more that line disappears. Authors proving that the keys to the kingdom need not run through any pretentious publishing house if you but take your work as seriously as you wish the reader to do. I digress.
The work as a whole is a very *fun* undertaking. Old school. If you were ever a fan of CREEPSHOW, TALES FROM THE CRYPT, or anything from EC COMICS, you’ll be at home here. There’s a very natural flow from work to work, which isn’t easy to pull off given how different some of them can be. And if you’ve read other works from Christy, it’s a real treat to see her push into new territory previously unchecked. Cannibals, erotic horror, chronic penile dismemberment, serial killers. And Christy sells out for these elements when they do appear, and for their presence, they are done very well. Every story feels like it required her entire attention, and had a significant place in the collective whole. That’s also dreadfully important in an anthology. Stories are allowed to be better than other stories, but you dare not give the reader time to click ‘NEXT.’ Or, if they do click it, click it for preference rather than boredom. And that feels like the case here. If you do prefer stories over others, it isn’t because any of them suffer from lack of dedication. No lack of dedication from the author, anyway. And if you’re dedication is lacking as a reader . . . Go away. There is no place for you here.
There is a great deal more violence in this book than Christy’s readers may be used to. Speaking personally, I was delighted. That I would be dancing about more blood and filthiness comes as a shock to no one, I assume. But, my tendencies for ultra-violence aside, that truth is still very valid. Several of these stories become very wet and bloody: THE MISTRESS, JARED’S MUSE, THE PIG ON MERCY LANE, BILLY, FINAL GIRL, and INSATIABLE in particular. So if that bothers you, handle with care. But, really, if that bothers you . . . What are you doing here? Seriously. The weaker shit is in the other room. Move along. We’ll wait.
Alright. Now that the weaker ones are gone, I admit that my quibbles are few. But, I will also admit, I do have a couple. Before I share them, I tell you that this is the point where I separate my personal preference from the author’s vision of the book; and whether or not they achieved it. When writing a review, I never feel like it’s fair to the author and their vision to knock it based on my preferences. A review is a grade, not how much I did or did not care for something. I’m rambling again, but you see my point. SO, based upon that . . . I will go with my initial rating and give it 5 out of 5 skulls. It’s fun, it’s very well done, the writing is very good; and while it’s at once entirely unique to Christy’s blossoming style, it is also very different in many places. Finally, to be honest, this book is rare. It’s really rare to see anthologies out of independent authors. Not a collective anthology from a bunch of writers who each submitted one story, but a bunch of short works from one author. That’s becoming rare in all forms but poetry. And I applaud her for what she has accomplished, because I know for a fact that it became exactly what she envisioned. And for that, she should be very proud. That deserves every one of those 5 skulls, and it always will.
That being said . . .
My personal quibbles . . . I mentioned just a bit ago that in this work Christy pushes her writing into undiscovered territories. Bloodier, more visceral, unsettling and depraved places. Primal and slaughter places. And, to my surprise, it was done very very well. The contrast between stories can be so great, in fact, that you may feel as if you’re reading two different authors. Two . . . Entirely separate people. One that seems a proper and comfortable horror author, and one that is much more ravenous. I’ve remarked in past reviews of her work that I’ve felt as if this other writer has always been there, just chained in a very personal and deeply hidden place—though its whispers have found the page from time to time. And in several of these stories, the ones I mentioned above, that other writer is given total and complete stage time. That other Christy writes with a very great power, a whole aching intensity . . . An absolute becoming. With no pardon and no quarter given in any measure. It comes to greatest fruition in INSATIABLE, perhaps. Which, to be honest, I think is the best piece of writing I have ever seen from Christy Aldridge. Both in tone and tambour, atmospherics and sentence structure. While it is nearly indescribably graphic and explicit, both sexually and violently, it is very beautifully written. And it also bears a great understanding of classical depictions of hell. It is not inexperienced or amateurish. Descriptives, characters and mechanics are entirely on point. INSATIABLE is Christy’s finest hour. Fight me on it if you want, but you’re wrong. I’m right about this and you WILL accept that.
The dark Christy is also present in several other stories. And for her presence, the more gruesome and visceral stories could have accomplished the same thing with half the content, but the darker author does not seem content until it has entirely annihilated the reader. With a power nearly unrivaled and unmatched by other authors . . . Nearly.
You may think my complaint is the entire book wasn’t written by that author, the darker and more intense, but that is not the fact. My complaint is that the two authors seem to be so entirely separate, taking the pen only when the other isn’t looking. I want those authors to write every story together. At once entwined and whole in the entirety of the whole person herself.
As a reader, an author, a fan and a person . . . I want everything Christy Aldridge has to offer: Light, dark, funny, brooding, joyous, painful, restrained and insatiable. All at the same time. I don’t want anything hidden at any time. I want everything in every word. Because, to put it plainly, she is very capable of it. And after reading KILL, MY DARLINGS . . . I believe we are on the verge of seeing it birth out true to form.
I will be waiting with interest. With great and, dare I say . . . insatiable . . . interest.
April 15, 2019
"The Wrong always feels so good. Otherwise, why would people do it?"
-Kill, My Darlings, Christy Aldridge
About the book:
Kill, My Darlings is a collection of Short stories exploring many possible outlets and styles from horror and diving into varying amounts of subjects, from monsters and demons to cannibalism and psychological terrors. From erotica to flash-fiction, Aldridge explores multiple sub-genres and subjects within the 13 stories published in this collection. From a twisted, female serial killer with The mistress...to a demonic playground for the lustful in Insatiable...Follow Aldridge as she takes you through clowns, boogeymen, talking radios and infomercials in this collection of horror.
My Review:
As the name will drag you towards it, this book did the same to me when I found this was recently published and is a collection of horror stories. I am not a fan of short stories. I tried some books before but did not like it. This book is the exception in my list. Reading these short stories will give you a glimpse of horror and ends suddenly. That time I realized, there are stories of which I don't need any conclusion or specific ending. As I began reading, Stories got more horrifying at which I cringed.
My favorite stories were: I-65, The pig on mercy lane, Final girl and The Monroe meal plan.
All the stories have a novel idea. From the talking radio, 450 kg of women who was on the mercy of her husband, a psycho girl to the cannibalism. I really admire the writing skill, very descriptive as much as required. I really enjoyed the whole book, even I did not realize when I reached the last story. The book Cover is also too intriguing. All in all, if you are a horror lover, then you will definitely like this book. I have also highlighted some quotes from the first story (The Mistress).
There was not much to dislike about this book. I was okay with the detailed description. I will look forward to reading more stories from Christy Aldridge. The only thing that made me uneasy and I had a tough time accepting the last story.
Book Review: 5/5
-Kill, My Darlings, Christy Aldridge
About the book:
Kill, My Darlings is a collection of Short stories exploring many possible outlets and styles from horror and diving into varying amounts of subjects, from monsters and demons to cannibalism and psychological terrors. From erotica to flash-fiction, Aldridge explores multiple sub-genres and subjects within the 13 stories published in this collection. From a twisted, female serial killer with The mistress...to a demonic playground for the lustful in Insatiable...Follow Aldridge as she takes you through clowns, boogeymen, talking radios and infomercials in this collection of horror.
My Review:
As the name will drag you towards it, this book did the same to me when I found this was recently published and is a collection of horror stories. I am not a fan of short stories. I tried some books before but did not like it. This book is the exception in my list. Reading these short stories will give you a glimpse of horror and ends suddenly. That time I realized, there are stories of which I don't need any conclusion or specific ending. As I began reading, Stories got more horrifying at which I cringed.
My favorite stories were: I-65, The pig on mercy lane, Final girl and The Monroe meal plan.
All the stories have a novel idea. From the talking radio, 450 kg of women who was on the mercy of her husband, a psycho girl to the cannibalism. I really admire the writing skill, very descriptive as much as required. I really enjoyed the whole book, even I did not realize when I reached the last story. The book Cover is also too intriguing. All in all, if you are a horror lover, then you will definitely like this book. I have also highlighted some quotes from the first story (The Mistress).
There was not much to dislike about this book. I was okay with the detailed description. I will look forward to reading more stories from Christy Aldridge. The only thing that made me uneasy and I had a tough time accepting the last story.
Book Review: 5/5
February 14, 2019
I mean, I wrote the thing. I kinda like the thing. 💁
April 1, 2019
Over all it's a great and easily entertaining short stories ranging from a cannibal husband, a woman stuck in a time loop of bad decisions and killer cotton. Most of the stories left you wanting more, and your imagination trying to figure out what happens next.
There were a few that were a little hard to get through (the first story for me was just way to repetitive and over all a little too much for my taste it felt like it wouldn't ever end). My unexpected favorite was the very last short story, its COMPLETELY different from all the others. Probably the most graphic, and the one that I could of read more of. (you just have to read it for yourself)
There were a few that were a little hard to get through (the first story for me was just way to repetitive and over all a little too much for my taste it felt like it wouldn't ever end). My unexpected favorite was the very last short story, its COMPLETELY different from all the others. Probably the most graphic, and the one that I could of read more of. (you just have to read it for yourself)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2020
I honestly had a bit of a lopsided experience with this novel. I genuinely enjoyed the atmosphere of 'Billy' and 'Lizzy Clearly Had a Bad Day'. These reminded me of Stephen King short stories from the 80's. Aldridge was able to make me laugh, gross me out, and make me wonder where in the world did that idea come from.
However, the amount of cannibalism and torture porn elements were too much for me. At the end of the book, Insatiable left a disgusting taste in my mouth. I didn't find any redeeming qualities in that story and wished that it had been earlier in the book so that I was left with a better experience.
However, the amount of cannibalism and torture porn elements were too much for me. At the end of the book, Insatiable left a disgusting taste in my mouth. I didn't find any redeeming qualities in that story and wished that it had been earlier in the book so that I was left with a better experience.
March 27, 2024
3.5
"Most of us are not willing to admit the darkness inside ourselves so we hold mirrors to the faces of others and judge their darkness instead. We keep those mirrors faced away so we never have to see what lies inside ourselves."
This was a fun short story collection! Aldridge is a great writer, and I'm looking forward to read "These Ghosts Bleed" by her! I didn't expect some of the stories to be this dark, and I loved it.
The two that stood out the most to me were "Gabe Longbottom And The Frozen Pond" (it of course reminded me of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and I didn't think it was going to be that brutal! Loved the ending.) and "Insatiable" (it was depressing and very dark, and I like how Hell was depicted).
I like the fact that most of her stories have different themes and tones.
"We as humans obsess over the dark side of things, with murders, death, serial killers, not because we wonder about what possesses a person to do such crimes, but because we know, deep down, that we possess the same traits as they do, and that scares the hell out of us."
"Most of us are not willing to admit the darkness inside ourselves so we hold mirrors to the faces of others and judge their darkness instead. We keep those mirrors faced away so we never have to see what lies inside ourselves."
This was a fun short story collection! Aldridge is a great writer, and I'm looking forward to read "These Ghosts Bleed" by her! I didn't expect some of the stories to be this dark, and I loved it.
The two that stood out the most to me were "Gabe Longbottom And The Frozen Pond" (it of course reminded me of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, and I didn't think it was going to be that brutal! Loved the ending.) and "Insatiable" (it was depressing and very dark, and I like how Hell was depicted).
I like the fact that most of her stories have different themes and tones.
"We as humans obsess over the dark side of things, with murders, death, serial killers, not because we wonder about what possesses a person to do such crimes, but because we know, deep down, that we possess the same traits as they do, and that scares the hell out of us."
April 5, 2019
Kill, My Darlings is Aldridge's first collection of short stories and it's damn good.
The collection kicks off with the previously published novella, The Mistress - a novella that delves into the chilling confession of a psychopath. I'm a sucker for such stories, especially when they evoke the feel of listening to actual recordings of real serial killers, or Hopkins waxing lyrical in Silence of The Lambs.
I won't go into any detail for the following tales, as they are new to this collection, but every single one is written with Aldridge's flair and style, and each is a unique and fresh idea from a subtly twisted imagination.
It's not often you can find a collection where the stories move from cannibalism, murder, masturbation, and an erotic vision of Hell.
And that's barely scratching the surface.
If you like horror, you need to read this. Hell, you need to read Aldridge, full stop.
Her back catalogue is already full of wonderfully twisted novels, and this collection shows she can turn her talent to shorter tales too.
And if you're already a fan, within these pages you will find... not a sequel, but a continuation of the novel Rogues... Aldridge seems to be starting to weave a bigger picture with her work. I just hope that means with future work she will continue showing us the world that exists in her head, not only with new ideas, but possibly having old characters come back, or continuing stories is something that I can't wait to read.
Read this book. Read her novels. Get in on, what is hopefully the ground floor of whatever twisted and horrifying world Aldridge is beginning to build with each new book.
The collection kicks off with the previously published novella, The Mistress - a novella that delves into the chilling confession of a psychopath. I'm a sucker for such stories, especially when they evoke the feel of listening to actual recordings of real serial killers, or Hopkins waxing lyrical in Silence of The Lambs.
I won't go into any detail for the following tales, as they are new to this collection, but every single one is written with Aldridge's flair and style, and each is a unique and fresh idea from a subtly twisted imagination.
It's not often you can find a collection where the stories move from cannibalism, murder, masturbation, and an erotic vision of Hell.
And that's barely scratching the surface.
If you like horror, you need to read this. Hell, you need to read Aldridge, full stop.
Her back catalogue is already full of wonderfully twisted novels, and this collection shows she can turn her talent to shorter tales too.
And if you're already a fan, within these pages you will find... not a sequel, but a continuation of the novel Rogues... Aldridge seems to be starting to weave a bigger picture with her work. I just hope that means with future work she will continue showing us the world that exists in her head, not only with new ideas, but possibly having old characters come back, or continuing stories is something that I can't wait to read.
Read this book. Read her novels. Get in on, what is hopefully the ground floor of whatever twisted and horrifying world Aldridge is beginning to build with each new book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2024
First, the good. The opening novella held my attention more than I expected, and I was intrigued by The Mistress. The next few stories were also written in a way that was accessible and compelling.
However, as the collection went on, the concepts stayed mostly interesting but the execution got sloppy. The writing was just frankly not great and the stories consistently took wild turns towards their endings. Unfortunately, nothing about the last half of this collection worked for me at all, while the first half was fine but not terribly memorable.
However, as the collection went on, the concepts stayed mostly interesting but the execution got sloppy. The writing was just frankly not great and the stories consistently took wild turns towards their endings. Unfortunately, nothing about the last half of this collection worked for me at all, while the first half was fine but not terribly memorable.
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