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Listen: The Sound of Fear
A knocking. A ringing. A steady drip-drip-drip. These are the sounds that haunt us. Drive us mad. Draw us in like the songs of sirens, hypnotic and deadly. And we must either give in, or resist with everything we have…and hope it’s enough.
Listen: The Sound of Fear offers ten stories written exclusively by trans and nonbinary authors that explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.
Kill Your Darlings. When two shop workers in 1894 New York discover a haunted phonograph, they must race to solve the mystery of its tragic past before it’s too late to save their budding romance—and their lives.
Exhibition. A performance artist inspired by the inhumane treatment of refugees finds her gallery transformed into an equally inhospitable environment. Trapped inside the confines of her Plexiglas box, she struggles to piece together what is happening—and how to keep herself alive.
On the Other Side of Sound. A ringing in the ears; a coded message from beyond explanation. It will only ruin your life if you let it.
Her Little Joke. When Mave Kitten is asked to investigate a creepy phenomenon, little does she know to what depths the trail will lead: Ghosts, a haunted well, ignorance, a flapping bird. What of the woman in green?
M/other. I am alone. I do not know exactly how long I have been alone. My husband and child are…gone. Aren’t they? As a storm rages outside my decaying house, I begin to hear and see things that cannot possibly be there. Or can they?
Holy Water. Adolescence can be hell. Adolescence in an all-girl’s Catholic school as a trans teen surrounded by mean girls is a special kind of hell—especially when your school is haunted.
Snipper-Snapper. Cats make the best pets—loving, thoughtful, and loyal. Amour even brings home his own takeaway meals. Except for the stains, and damage to the shag pile, Mummy couldn’t be happier. Everyone needs a playmate.
The Knocking Bird. Knock three times to keep yourself safe. Follow your love across the sea. Obsession threads through nearly every aspect of Steffi’s life. But what happens when it drives her to do the unthinkable?
Bride of Brine. Sylvie hasn’t heard the song of the siren in years. But when she’s called home to help her estranged father find her brother, she’s faced with an impossible choice: save him, or save herself.
Haunt. When Kevin inherits his family home and decides to fix it up with his partner, he quickly discovers that the past can haunt you in more than one way—and he must choose, once and for all, exactly who he is.
Listen: The Sound of Fear offers ten stories written exclusively by trans and nonbinary authors that explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.
Kill Your Darlings. When two shop workers in 1894 New York discover a haunted phonograph, they must race to solve the mystery of its tragic past before it’s too late to save their budding romance—and their lives.
Exhibition. A performance artist inspired by the inhumane treatment of refugees finds her gallery transformed into an equally inhospitable environment. Trapped inside the confines of her Plexiglas box, she struggles to piece together what is happening—and how to keep herself alive.
On the Other Side of Sound. A ringing in the ears; a coded message from beyond explanation. It will only ruin your life if you let it.
Her Little Joke. When Mave Kitten is asked to investigate a creepy phenomenon, little does she know to what depths the trail will lead: Ghosts, a haunted well, ignorance, a flapping bird. What of the woman in green?
M/other. I am alone. I do not know exactly how long I have been alone. My husband and child are…gone. Aren’t they? As a storm rages outside my decaying house, I begin to hear and see things that cannot possibly be there. Or can they?
Holy Water. Adolescence can be hell. Adolescence in an all-girl’s Catholic school as a trans teen surrounded by mean girls is a special kind of hell—especially when your school is haunted.
Snipper-Snapper. Cats make the best pets—loving, thoughtful, and loyal. Amour even brings home his own takeaway meals. Except for the stains, and damage to the shag pile, Mummy couldn’t be happier. Everyone needs a playmate.
The Knocking Bird. Knock three times to keep yourself safe. Follow your love across the sea. Obsession threads through nearly every aspect of Steffi’s life. But what happens when it drives her to do the unthinkable?
Bride of Brine. Sylvie hasn’t heard the song of the siren in years. But when she’s called home to help her estranged father find her brother, she’s faced with an impossible choice: save him, or save herself.
Haunt. When Kevin inherits his family home and decides to fix it up with his partner, he quickly discovers that the past can haunt you in more than one way—and he must choose, once and for all, exactly who he is.
341 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 2, 2022
A collection of ten stories special for three reasons:
1. Each is written by a trans/non-binary author.
2. Each focusses on the impact fearful “sound” can have. As the blurb says, the stories “explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.”
3. Each supposedly belongs to the horror/thriller genre, thus making it a Halloween-suitable read.
The first two points impressed me. As a result of the authors’ orientation, it comes as no surprise that the stories are LGBTQ friendly and cover strong themes such as gender dysphoria.
Further, as the title indicates, each main character “listens” to “the sound of fear”. Every story involves some or the other sound, ranging from the mundane to the creepy to the outright eerie. I simply loved how sound is explored in this anthology, and how it isn’t forced into the content but is a natural part of the narrative. The “sounds” explored are also quite varied and go much beyond ghostly moans and howls.
The final point – the stories being “horror” or “thriller” ones – is where I was somewhat disappointed. I am no horror lover, and as a result, pick up this genre only when it comes in tiny instalments such as flash fiction or short stories or novellas. Regardless of the length, I still expect to be somewhat spooked if not scared out of my wits. When it comes to thrillers, I expect to be kept on tenterhooks while reading and to be blown away by the revelations at the end. None of this happened often in this anthology.
Horror/thriller means different things to different readers. To me, a good horror/thriller story is one that makes me go "What the heck!" at least once without grossing me out. (I don’t like unjustified gore. I am okay with it only when needed for the story.) I also enjoy it when I blaze through the story due to its sheer thrill/fear factor and am left hanging for more at the end. Only three stories matched up to these criteria. A couple of the stories were fabulous but they hardly met my definition of horror; they were more like dramatic fiction with a teeny sprinkling of fantastical elements that didn’t even scare.
On the positive side, there is a detailed list of content warnings at the start of the book. In addition, each story comes with its separate list of warnings. This approach is very helpful if you want to choose the tales to read based on your comfort factor.
As always, I rated the stories individually. These were my favourites:
• Kill Your Darlings - Ridley Harker – Chilling and thrilling! The only story in the anthology that had me at the edge of my seat throughout. Docked off half a star as it was a bit too sexually explicit for my liking. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
• Exhibition - Lauren Jane Barnett – Spooky to the core! Can't believe you left me dangling at the end like that, dear author! How could you? - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
• Holy Water - A.R. Vale – A well-developed story. A better, more complete ending would have made it a 5 star for me. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I want to make a special mention of:
• Her Little Joke - Eule Grey - Too long for this collection and not scary enough, but a fascinating story nonetheless. Stories that make me laugh automatically disqualify themselves as horror/thrillers in my eyes. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 as a light-hearted dramatic story, 🌟🌟 as a horror/thriller.
• Bride of Brine - E.E.W. Christman – A well-written slowburn drama, almost functions like a noir. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 as a dramatic fantasy, 🌟🌟 as a horror/thriller.
I only counted the horror/thriller stars for my average as that was the official intent of the anthology after all.
Allow me to repeat: horror/thriller means different things to different readers. So it is quite possible that this anthology might click better with you. It is an indie publication, and also an #OwnVoices work. It deserves support and readership. If you are looking for an unusual horror collection this Halloween, do give this a try.
3.2 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to the authors and BookSirens for the DRC of “Listen: The Sound of Fear”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
PS: Don’t you just love that cover? It’s mind-blowing in its details! Each element on the cover links to a specific story. Thus all the tales are represented there. Kudos to the cover designer!
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
1. Each is written by a trans/non-binary author.
2. Each focusses on the impact fearful “sound” can have. As the blurb says, the stories “explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.”
3. Each supposedly belongs to the horror/thriller genre, thus making it a Halloween-suitable read.
The first two points impressed me. As a result of the authors’ orientation, it comes as no surprise that the stories are LGBTQ friendly and cover strong themes such as gender dysphoria.
Further, as the title indicates, each main character “listens” to “the sound of fear”. Every story involves some or the other sound, ranging from the mundane to the creepy to the outright eerie. I simply loved how sound is explored in this anthology, and how it isn’t forced into the content but is a natural part of the narrative. The “sounds” explored are also quite varied and go much beyond ghostly moans and howls.
The final point – the stories being “horror” or “thriller” ones – is where I was somewhat disappointed. I am no horror lover, and as a result, pick up this genre only when it comes in tiny instalments such as flash fiction or short stories or novellas. Regardless of the length, I still expect to be somewhat spooked if not scared out of my wits. When it comes to thrillers, I expect to be kept on tenterhooks while reading and to be blown away by the revelations at the end. None of this happened often in this anthology.
Horror/thriller means different things to different readers. To me, a good horror/thriller story is one that makes me go "What the heck!" at least once without grossing me out. (I don’t like unjustified gore. I am okay with it only when needed for the story.) I also enjoy it when I blaze through the story due to its sheer thrill/fear factor and am left hanging for more at the end. Only three stories matched up to these criteria. A couple of the stories were fabulous but they hardly met my definition of horror; they were more like dramatic fiction with a teeny sprinkling of fantastical elements that didn’t even scare.
On the positive side, there is a detailed list of content warnings at the start of the book. In addition, each story comes with its separate list of warnings. This approach is very helpful if you want to choose the tales to read based on your comfort factor.
As always, I rated the stories individually. These were my favourites:
• Kill Your Darlings - Ridley Harker – Chilling and thrilling! The only story in the anthology that had me at the edge of my seat throughout. Docked off half a star as it was a bit too sexually explicit for my liking. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
• Exhibition - Lauren Jane Barnett – Spooky to the core! Can't believe you left me dangling at the end like that, dear author! How could you? - 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫
• Holy Water - A.R. Vale – A well-developed story. A better, more complete ending would have made it a 5 star for me. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
I want to make a special mention of:
• Her Little Joke - Eule Grey - Too long for this collection and not scary enough, but a fascinating story nonetheless. Stories that make me laugh automatically disqualify themselves as horror/thrillers in my eyes. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 as a light-hearted dramatic story, 🌟🌟 as a horror/thriller.
• Bride of Brine - E.E.W. Christman – A well-written slowburn drama, almost functions like a noir. - 🌟🌟🌟🌟 as a dramatic fantasy, 🌟🌟 as a horror/thriller.
I only counted the horror/thriller stars for my average as that was the official intent of the anthology after all.
Allow me to repeat: horror/thriller means different things to different readers. So it is quite possible that this anthology might click better with you. It is an indie publication, and also an #OwnVoices work. It deserves support and readership. If you are looking for an unusual horror collection this Halloween, do give this a try.
3.2 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to the authors and BookSirens for the DRC of “Listen: The Sound of Fear”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
PS: Don’t you just love that cover? It’s mind-blowing in its details! Each element on the cover links to a specific story. Thus all the tales are represented there. Kudos to the cover designer!
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
January 3, 2023
welcome to 202-Queer 🌈✨, the year where i only read queer books and finally have fun 🌈✨
i love the fact that every single short story was written by a trans or nonbinary author. i also found the idea of 'sounds of fear' very interesting, as there is nothing that brings fear and discomfort better across than sound or the idea of a sound.
overall i think some stories stayed on theme better than others. in some it was certainly a sound that was bringing a sense of dread across while in others any potential sound was definitely an afterthought
also, as usually happens in an anthology, i vibed with some stories more than with others. i also don't think that all of them belong in the horror genre. some were obviously horror while others had more of a gothic tragedy vibe going on
with that being said, i think it was a solid anthology and it introduced me to trans and nonbinary authors i hadn't previously heard of.
short reviews for each story below.
i received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Kill Your Darlings: creepy little phonograph playing creepy little messages. i loved the gay couple but found the conclusion of the story not as satisfactory. 3 stars
On The Other Side of Sound: felt like all sounds disappeared while i was reading it. very... disconcerting. could have been a TMA episode. i felt like we were slowly creeping towards disaster and i didn't like that. 5 stars
Exhibition: i am very confused. bottom line: don't go investigate strange noises. 3 stars
Her Little Joke: i hate the blog style format and the story was kinda meh. 1 star.
M/0ther: nothing's more scary than real life trauma i guess... 5 stars
Holy Water: i don't really have anything to say. i liked the characters and the story was alright. 3 stars
Snipper-Snapper: i'm a cat person so that cat did nothing wrong imo. 2 stars
The Knocking Bird: i loved the portrayal of ocd. it was more of a love story than horror though but i didn't mind. 4 stars
Bride of Brine: beautiful but very short (even for a short story). 3 stars
Haunt: very relatable trans rep. once again more sad than horror though. 4 stars.
i love the fact that every single short story was written by a trans or nonbinary author. i also found the idea of 'sounds of fear' very interesting, as there is nothing that brings fear and discomfort better across than sound or the idea of a sound.
overall i think some stories stayed on theme better than others. in some it was certainly a sound that was bringing a sense of dread across while in others any potential sound was definitely an afterthought
also, as usually happens in an anthology, i vibed with some stories more than with others. i also don't think that all of them belong in the horror genre. some were obviously horror while others had more of a gothic tragedy vibe going on
with that being said, i think it was a solid anthology and it introduced me to trans and nonbinary authors i hadn't previously heard of.
short reviews for each story below.
i received an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Kill Your Darlings: creepy little phonograph playing creepy little messages. i loved the gay couple but found the conclusion of the story not as satisfactory. 3 stars
On The Other Side of Sound: felt like all sounds disappeared while i was reading it. very... disconcerting. could have been a TMA episode. i felt like we were slowly creeping towards disaster and i didn't like that. 5 stars
Exhibition: i am very confused. bottom line: don't go investigate strange noises. 3 stars
Her Little Joke: i hate the blog style format and the story was kinda meh. 1 star.
M/0ther: nothing's more scary than real life trauma i guess... 5 stars
Holy Water: i don't really have anything to say. i liked the characters and the story was alright. 3 stars
Snipper-Snapper: i'm a cat person so that cat did nothing wrong imo. 2 stars
The Knocking Bird: i loved the portrayal of ocd. it was more of a love story than horror though but i didn't mind. 4 stars
Bride of Brine: beautiful but very short (even for a short story). 3 stars
Haunt: very relatable trans rep. once again more sad than horror though. 4 stars.
April 1, 2023
This is a captivating and diverse anthology of horror stories that explore the theme of sound from the perspectives of Transgender or non-binary authors.
I enjoyed reading this collection and found the stories to be well-written and original. Some of them really stood out for me, especially 'M/Other', which was a terrifying and claustrophobic nightmare that I won't forget anytime soon.
However, there were also a few stories that didn't appeal to me as much (just personal preference) and that lowered my rating from four stars to three. But I think this anthology has something for everyone who likes horror short stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed reading this collection and found the stories to be well-written and original. Some of them really stood out for me, especially 'M/Other', which was a terrifying and claustrophobic nightmare that I won't forget anytime soon.
However, there were also a few stories that didn't appeal to me as much (just personal preference) and that lowered my rating from four stars to three. But I think this anthology has something for everyone who likes horror short stories.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 18, 2022
An enjoyable anthology for the spooky Halloween season by non-binary and trans authors. To quote the blurb: "Ten stories written exclusively by trans and nonbinary authors that explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound."
https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Sound-F...
I'll admit, I mainly read it for my friend, Eule Grey's two stories, 'Her Little Joke' and 'Snipper-Snapper'.
'Her Little Joke' is a quirky mystery story, that was full and engaging, with two very interesting female characters who have an attraction to each other. It was great to see two ladies in their 50's be the mains for such a story. A mysterious sound is reverberating through town, perhaps coming from deep in the canals - but only some can hear it. There's much investigation, since our MC's work for a newspaper and our main is doing broadcasts to try and up engagement, regarding local mysteries that could be the cause of the noise.
I truly hope this isn't the last we see of our MC's here Mave Mauve and Lisa Blonde, who are two badass ladies, who I would love to adventure with into more mysteries.
'Snipper-Snapper' was a more gruesome, and shorter tale - of a lady and her pet cat and their shenanigans... Very intriguing and chilling!
I found myself truly impressed by all the other stories in the anthology, too.
"Kill Your Darlings" was a chilling read, with more mystery and violence, that is related to an old phonograph that may be cursed. But had two gentlemen at it's center, trying to find their ways in a harsh American climate, and their care for each other. It was touching and scary, in the best ways.
"Exhibition" was daunting and intriguing, a lot of creepy fear of the unknown we cannot see, but just hear, and excellent suspense.
"On The Other Side Of Sound" details a man going quite mad because of a sound only he can hear, but he may decipher something in it, and soon even more will hear it's chill.
"M/Other" seems like a classic horror tale, of grief, loss and pain, but with a non-binary perspective.
"Holy Water" really taps into school and teen issues of bullying and features a trans MC and classic horror elements.
"The Knocking Bird" was a chilling 'almost' love story, that feels very gothic - with haunting pain.
"Bride of Brine" was a sea themed story of depth and great description. A call to the sea, from a bride of brine.
Finally - "Haunt" - A trans man heads back to his childhood home and feels haunted and trapped by the past.
These were all impressive, descriptive and emotive reads, that I think fans of creepy pastas or the 'are you scared' youtube series, 'Creepy Catalogue' and other similar media sites and stories. Great for Halloween, or any time! Wonderfully queer and representative with the trans and non-binary identities and gay and lesbian relationships.
https://www.amazon.com/Listen-Sound-F...
I'll admit, I mainly read it for my friend, Eule Grey's two stories, 'Her Little Joke' and 'Snipper-Snapper'.
'Her Little Joke' is a quirky mystery story, that was full and engaging, with two very interesting female characters who have an attraction to each other. It was great to see two ladies in their 50's be the mains for such a story. A mysterious sound is reverberating through town, perhaps coming from deep in the canals - but only some can hear it. There's much investigation, since our MC's work for a newspaper and our main is doing broadcasts to try and up engagement, regarding local mysteries that could be the cause of the noise.
I truly hope this isn't the last we see of our MC's here Mave Mauve and Lisa Blonde, who are two badass ladies, who I would love to adventure with into more mysteries.
'Snipper-Snapper' was a more gruesome, and shorter tale - of a lady and her pet cat and their shenanigans... Very intriguing and chilling!
I found myself truly impressed by all the other stories in the anthology, too.
"Kill Your Darlings" was a chilling read, with more mystery and violence, that is related to an old phonograph that may be cursed. But had two gentlemen at it's center, trying to find their ways in a harsh American climate, and their care for each other. It was touching and scary, in the best ways.
"Exhibition" was daunting and intriguing, a lot of creepy fear of the unknown we cannot see, but just hear, and excellent suspense.
"On The Other Side Of Sound" details a man going quite mad because of a sound only he can hear, but he may decipher something in it, and soon even more will hear it's chill.
"M/Other" seems like a classic horror tale, of grief, loss and pain, but with a non-binary perspective.
"Holy Water" really taps into school and teen issues of bullying and features a trans MC and classic horror elements.
"The Knocking Bird" was a chilling 'almost' love story, that feels very gothic - with haunting pain.
"Bride of Brine" was a sea themed story of depth and great description. A call to the sea, from a bride of brine.
Finally - "Haunt" - A trans man heads back to his childhood home and feels haunted and trapped by the past.
These were all impressive, descriptive and emotive reads, that I think fans of creepy pastas or the 'are you scared' youtube series, 'Creepy Catalogue' and other similar media sites and stories. Great for Halloween, or any time! Wonderfully queer and representative with the trans and non-binary identities and gay and lesbian relationships.
September 22, 2022
I am oftentimes wary of anthologies because I can be an incredibly picky reader. I didn't need to worry about that one bit with this one, though. Each and every story was utterly captivating. The concept itself, the raw emotion of fear in regards to sound, is both visceral and intriguing. I found myself actively resisting the urge to skip ahead in these stories because I was too anxious to see what happened next.
The fact that this anthology is written solely by trans and non-binary authors is an even bigger plus. The stories are allowed to be unabashedly queer and span several decades, which I truly appreciated.
I devoured these stories and many still stick with me in the rare moments that all is quiet. If you are a horror buff, you know how important sound is when curating your fear; whether it's the total silence, ticking of a clock, or random rasp on the wall, sound can bring a chill down your spine or goosebumps on your skin. Each story taps into that innate fear of "what if," and does so with skill and finesse.
I definitely recommend this book for a spooky seasonal read or, if you're like me, a year-round read for that extra dose of fright. I am so happy I was able to know about this book and get a copy, because it is one I will definitely recommend year after year.
The fact that this anthology is written solely by trans and non-binary authors is an even bigger plus. The stories are allowed to be unabashedly queer and span several decades, which I truly appreciated.
I devoured these stories and many still stick with me in the rare moments that all is quiet. If you are a horror buff, you know how important sound is when curating your fear; whether it's the total silence, ticking of a clock, or random rasp on the wall, sound can bring a chill down your spine or goosebumps on your skin. Each story taps into that innate fear of "what if," and does so with skill and finesse.
I definitely recommend this book for a spooky seasonal read or, if you're like me, a year-round read for that extra dose of fright. I am so happy I was able to know about this book and get a copy, because it is one I will definitely recommend year after year.
September 13, 2022
I really enjoyed this horror anthology, it was what I was hoping for on the description. I enjoyed all of the stories in this collection and there really wasn't any weak stories in the collection. I hope there is more like this collection.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 26, 2022
I really enjoyed this smart horror anthology where the authors play with sound as a concept. We get tales of people tortured by a constant noise, the sound of the sea, a phonograph that tells us dark secrets and more. Very impressive and gives me plenty of new authors to watch out for
New Review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
New Review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
November 11, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
Listen: The Sound of Fear is a collection of ten stories from nine different authors. Each tale of horror and unease features themes of sound and portrays (to varying degrees) the lives of queer people. This collection has something for everyone! There are historical pieces (Kill Your Darlings), gay and lesbian MCs (Her Little Joke, The Knocking Bird, Haunt), transgender (maybe questioning) MCs (Holy Water), and more. This is a great collection to sample different authors’ works. The anthology’s format was also very good. Before each story, there were content warnings that sensitive readers should find helpful. Personally, I like knowing what’s coming in an abstract sense like this because it whets my appetite. The blurbs at the end gave a brief introduction to the authors. This was how I discovered that many (if not all) the stories are own-voices. I read all but two of the stories, so the rating is based on those I read.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
Listen: The Sound of Fear is a collection of ten stories from nine different authors. Each tale of horror and unease features themes of sound and portrays (to varying degrees) the lives of queer people. This collection has something for everyone! There are historical pieces (Kill Your Darlings), gay and lesbian MCs (Her Little Joke, The Knocking Bird, Haunt), transgender (maybe questioning) MCs (Holy Water), and more. This is a great collection to sample different authors’ works. The anthology’s format was also very good. Before each story, there were content warnings that sensitive readers should find helpful. Personally, I like knowing what’s coming in an abstract sense like this because it whets my appetite. The blurbs at the end gave a brief introduction to the authors. This was how I discovered that many (if not all) the stories are own-voices. I read all but two of the stories, so the rating is based on those I read.
Read Camille’s review in its entirety here.
September 27, 2022
Thank you to NineStar Press and BookSirens for an eARC of Listen: The Sound of Fear
I decided to review each short story separately, but my overall review is 4 stars.
This collection of short stories is perfect for horror newbies (such as myself) for so many reasons, some of them being incredibly diverse characters and plots, accurate trigger warnings for each story, and simply the fact that it's a great read that won't unnecessarily keep you up at night :D
Kill Your Darlings by Ridley Harker: 3/5 stars
It's a nice classic ghost story with some appropriate smutty paragraphs that read a lot like my favorite fanfiction. I loved the main characters - so adorable.
On The Other Side of Sound by Jon James: 4/5 stars
This one is pretty disturbing, the only one that actually unsettled me, very atmospheric.
Exhibition by Lauren Jane Barnett: 4/5 stars
Another great atmosphere, but I think it would thrive if it were a little longer. I would love to see slower progression and more detailed ending.
Her Little Joke by Eule Grey: 3.5/5 stars
I think it deserves 4 starts but I don't feel like it truly belongs in this book. Nevertheless, a great story, once again with the cutest main characters and nice little details that make it truly heartfelt.
M/Other by R. B. Thorne: 4/5 stars
The whole story feels as creative and flowy as the title. Atmosphere is truly gothic and terrifying, I also love the depiction of loneliness.
Holy Water by A. R. Vale: 4/5 stars
Another classic love story, with a disabled trans main character, I might be getting a little too excited about this but I loved to read it! I am so excited to read more stories by A. R. Vale. Despite it being another pretty classic ghost story, I felt really connected and engrossed in it.
Snipper-Snapper by Eule Grey: 5/5 stars
This one is my absolute favorite. I cannot say much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it's delicious, it's disturbing, it's manhating in the best possible way. I features a cat. For me, this is all I could ever want from a story. Please, make it a novel!
The Knocking Bird by T. S. Mitchell: 2/5 stars
The premise is good, but the whole story felt lukewarm and a little unfinished.
Bride of Brine by E. E. W. Christman: 5/5 stars
Another novel I'd love to read. The premise is incredible and the execution follows.
Haunt by Alex Silver: 4,5/5 stars
Another trans main character, this time in an increasingly claustrophobic and anxiety inducing situation. Thank you for giving him the ending he deserved.
I decided to review each short story separately, but my overall review is 4 stars.
This collection of short stories is perfect for horror newbies (such as myself) for so many reasons, some of them being incredibly diverse characters and plots, accurate trigger warnings for each story, and simply the fact that it's a great read that won't unnecessarily keep you up at night :D
Kill Your Darlings by Ridley Harker: 3/5 stars
It's a nice classic ghost story with some appropriate smutty paragraphs that read a lot like my favorite fanfiction. I loved the main characters - so adorable.
On The Other Side of Sound by Jon James: 4/5 stars
This one is pretty disturbing, the only one that actually unsettled me, very atmospheric.
Exhibition by Lauren Jane Barnett: 4/5 stars
Another great atmosphere, but I think it would thrive if it were a little longer. I would love to see slower progression and more detailed ending.
Her Little Joke by Eule Grey: 3.5/5 stars
I think it deserves 4 starts but I don't feel like it truly belongs in this book. Nevertheless, a great story, once again with the cutest main characters and nice little details that make it truly heartfelt.
M/Other by R. B. Thorne: 4/5 stars
The whole story feels as creative and flowy as the title. Atmosphere is truly gothic and terrifying, I also love the depiction of loneliness.
Holy Water by A. R. Vale: 4/5 stars
Another classic love story, with a disabled trans main character, I might be getting a little too excited about this but I loved to read it! I am so excited to read more stories by A. R. Vale. Despite it being another pretty classic ghost story, I felt really connected and engrossed in it.
Snipper-Snapper by Eule Grey: 5/5 stars
This one is my absolute favorite. I cannot say much because I don't want to spoil it for anyone but it's delicious, it's disturbing, it's manhating in the best possible way. I features a cat. For me, this is all I could ever want from a story. Please, make it a novel!
The Knocking Bird by T. S. Mitchell: 2/5 stars
The premise is good, but the whole story felt lukewarm and a little unfinished.
Bride of Brine by E. E. W. Christman: 5/5 stars
Another novel I'd love to read. The premise is incredible and the execution follows.
Haunt by Alex Silver: 4,5/5 stars
Another trans main character, this time in an increasingly claustrophobic and anxiety inducing situation. Thank you for giving him the ending he deserved.
September 19, 2022
I'm always looking for my queer media on my review list. So when one of the authors from this anthology reached out with a review copy, I was happy to accept!
This collection has a bit of tonal whiplash that I was unprepared for. A couple of the stories were more adorkable and maybe a bit strange. Then others were deeply dark and disturbed. I did appreciate the content warnings before every story, as the content itself ranged so wildly.
Admittedly, I've never been the best with surrealism. My brain tends more towards the literal, so a lot of the little nuances the stories were going for went over my head. I wrote "I got it... I think" in my review notes more than once. At some points, I just accepted that the words sounded cool together. I didn't take off a star for it, because I've long since accepted this as a thing my brain just doesn't vibe with. But it is something to keep in mind for others that have deep opinions on realism.
I'll give a mini-review for my three favorite stories. I loved Holy Water, for it's closeted trans perspective. The juxtaposition between the way T was portrayed in the narrative versus how he was treated by other characters was a great analogy for dysphoria. Her Little Joke was one of the more adorkable ones, and the unabashed crush the narrator had on her boss was sweet. Although I was confused by use of the word "blog" in respect to audio content. Lastly, I loved Haunt for the portrayal of grief in all it's many complications.
In general, it's definitely a horror anthology. Things get pretty dark and super trippy. But if horror with gays in love and cannibalism pizza is your bag, you'll love it.
This collection has a bit of tonal whiplash that I was unprepared for. A couple of the stories were more adorkable and maybe a bit strange. Then others were deeply dark and disturbed. I did appreciate the content warnings before every story, as the content itself ranged so wildly.
Admittedly, I've never been the best with surrealism. My brain tends more towards the literal, so a lot of the little nuances the stories were going for went over my head. I wrote "I got it... I think" in my review notes more than once. At some points, I just accepted that the words sounded cool together. I didn't take off a star for it, because I've long since accepted this as a thing my brain just doesn't vibe with. But it is something to keep in mind for others that have deep opinions on realism.
I'll give a mini-review for my three favorite stories. I loved Holy Water, for it's closeted trans perspective. The juxtaposition between the way T was portrayed in the narrative versus how he was treated by other characters was a great analogy for dysphoria. Her Little Joke was one of the more adorkable ones, and the unabashed crush the narrator had on her boss was sweet. Although I was confused by use of the word "blog" in respect to audio content. Lastly, I loved Haunt for the portrayal of grief in all it's many complications.
In general, it's definitely a horror anthology. Things get pretty dark and super trippy. But if horror with gays in love and cannibalism pizza is your bag, you'll love it.
September 21, 2022
These would be perfect to parcel out one per night in the days approaching Halloween, your own Halloween "advent" treat if you will. I couldn't resist and devoured them en masse. I enjoyed all of the stories, but as a cat lover, Snipper-Snapper by Eule Grey hit close to home, as one who would never go back and relive the horrors of high school again, A.R. Vale's Holy Water was a stunner and the character of Kevin in Haunt by Alex Silver was most memorable. The horrors here don't all come from the supernatural beings, humans can be quite horrific, too. I also have to say how much I love that cover. Reminds me of a phonograph record I had as a kid with delightfully scary sound effects on it and speaking of that, there's Kill Your Darlings by Ridley Harker in this anthology...
November 23, 2022
You know what I love about anthologies (besides meeting possible new-to-me authors)? It is that you can give authors the same prompt and you can get wildly different stories that still fit the theme. And this anthology delivers! The stories are varied and interesting, no two stories even used the same sound as the triggers for their stories. And all of the stories are good, there really is not a bad story in the batch. I admit that my favorite was Her Little Joke by Eule Grey, but mostly because I do adore “women of a certain age” in horror stories, especially when they are a bit cheeky.
February 10, 2023
4/5💜
Trigger warning : It has all the red flags . From mental health to cannibalism. Gory? Definitely.
Review :
Eventhough the e-book has 202 pages with 10 short stories, the stories freaked me out many times. Each story has its own level of gruesomness. There is one which made me puked (seriously)
One needs to be mentally prepared to devour each short story. Not for the faint-hearted which makes the whole book so interesting.
This horror/thriller short stories is all about ‘the sound’ written by trans & nonbinary authors.
How sounds can effect people to do horrible things. Like voices in the head , noises only certain people can hear and more.It is so frustrating when you can’t seem to detect the source.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Trigger warning : It has all the red flags . From mental health to cannibalism. Gory? Definitely.
Review :
Eventhough the e-book has 202 pages with 10 short stories, the stories freaked me out many times. Each story has its own level of gruesomness. There is one which made me puked (seriously)
One needs to be mentally prepared to devour each short story. Not for the faint-hearted which makes the whole book so interesting.
This horror/thriller short stories is all about ‘the sound’ written by trans & nonbinary authors.
How sounds can effect people to do horrible things. Like voices in the head , noises only certain people can hear and more.It is so frustrating when you can’t seem to detect the source.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 22, 2022
To see a full review check it out here.
How is Alex Silver so amazing of an author? Another amazing story, but this time in horror! The perfect haunted house story.
How is Alex Silver so amazing of an author? Another amazing story, but this time in horror! The perfect haunted house story.
October 9, 2022
good story and awesome writing.. good writing ..creepy in spots.. interesting and very well done. i enjoyed it
October 31, 2022
Listen
The Sound of Fear
Eule Grey told me about this book, and I loved it!
Let me start with this: “Listen: The Sound of Fear offers ten stories written exclusively by trans and nonbinary authors that explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.”
I enjoyed all of the stories. Each different and spectacular. The perfect “spooky” read. My top two favorites are Kill Your Darlings by Ridley Harker, loved the two main characters and the classic horror story feels. Snipper-Snapper by Eule Grey -Perfectly chilling and horrifying, a must read!
I gave this anthology 5 stars! Do not pass this one up!
The Sound of Fear
Eule Grey told me about this book, and I loved it!
Let me start with this: “Listen: The Sound of Fear offers ten stories written exclusively by trans and nonbinary authors that explore the chilling, perplexing, terrifying nature of sound.”
I enjoyed all of the stories. Each different and spectacular. The perfect “spooky” read. My top two favorites are Kill Your Darlings by Ridley Harker, loved the two main characters and the classic horror story feels. Snipper-Snapper by Eule Grey -Perfectly chilling and horrifying, a must read!
I gave this anthology 5 stars! Do not pass this one up!
September 24, 2022
This is the perfect anthology to get you into the mood for spooky season. I love that the authors are all trans and nonbinary. The characters you meet are just as diverse as the stories they appear in. "Kill Your Darlings" really stuck with me the most, with a cursed object and a bit of a mystery at its core. Honorable mention for "M/Other" for its classic horror vibe. Honestly, I enjoyed all the stories quite a bit, and it's easy to fly through one then take a breather before starting on the next one. A must-read for horror and spooky fans!
October 16, 2022
A nice anthology of interesting horror stories, thematically focused around the issue of sound: creepy sounds, inexplicable noises, haunted music, sounds only one person hears, and so on. It's also a strongly LGBTQ+-oriented anthology, something which needs to be cleared up beforehand, since quite a lot of times the horror is just an occasion for the author to explore transphobia, homophobia, gender dysphoria, and so on. In any case, each story is written by a trans/non-binary author, thus the reader should expect stories chock-full of issues about gender, sexual orientation and social injustices towards the non-binary characters. This is a good thing, of course, though after a while, the drama gets the upper hand and I felt I was reading the same story again and again.
As far as the horror is concerned, the choice of sound is brilliant; the execution, not so much. The detailed trigger warnings at the start of each tale was anticlimactic, since I knew what to expect in each tale; yes, trigger warnings are helpful if you select tales based on your comfort factor, but for true horror fans they worked like spoilers, limiting the enjoyment of the story. What's more, there's a rather irksome confusion of horror with dark fantasy, or drama, and occasionally romance (cf. the unnecessarily detailed sexual scenes in the first story). Three stories were particular stand-outs, as far as I'm concerned: "Exhibition" by Lauren Jane Barnett; simply brilliant, spooky, atmospheric, with the right kind of ending - "Holy Water" by A.R. Vale; a haunted school, an interesting use of pronouns, a bizarre ending - and 'Haunt' by Alex Silver; though it could be trimmed down to about half, it worked in tandem with the LGBTQ issues, and didn't allow them to overcrowd the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
As far as the horror is concerned, the choice of sound is brilliant; the execution, not so much. The detailed trigger warnings at the start of each tale was anticlimactic, since I knew what to expect in each tale; yes, trigger warnings are helpful if you select tales based on your comfort factor, but for true horror fans they worked like spoilers, limiting the enjoyment of the story. What's more, there's a rather irksome confusion of horror with dark fantasy, or drama, and occasionally romance (cf. the unnecessarily detailed sexual scenes in the first story). Three stories were particular stand-outs, as far as I'm concerned: "Exhibition" by Lauren Jane Barnett; simply brilliant, spooky, atmospheric, with the right kind of ending - "Holy Water" by A.R. Vale; a haunted school, an interesting use of pronouns, a bizarre ending - and 'Haunt' by Alex Silver; though it could be trimmed down to about half, it worked in tandem with the LGBTQ issues, and didn't allow them to overcrowd the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 13, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a mixed bag for me. The concept was really enticing, and some of these stories did really interesting things with it; but there are also a couple that.... hmm. Well, not so much.
I think that when you think of noises that induce terror, there are a few that are pretty commonplace, if not overused: footsteps, scratching, tapping on windows or doors (branches usually), voices or singing or vague music. Because those tropes are so familiar, what a writer does with them needs to have something special about it to keep a reader's attention (at least mine).
So for example, one of the stories has the sound of a cat-flap, which I thought was really creative and used very effectively. Some others have voices and footsteps but they aren't really used in a super impactful or original way, so it feels a bit flat.
I don't want to be overly hard on indie/boutique publishers, but to a certain point there's a lack of the polish you would see with a bigger publishing house. And that's completely understandable; it even sometimes is a good thing, because the writing is more raw and doesn't have to bend so much to sales numbers and constraints. In the case of the stories I didn't like in this book, I don't feel like that's the problem. It's more a question of it needing a bit more work - a bit more editing - a bit more practice. Tighten plots a bit, explain some things more and others less, flesh out the characters a bit more.
I do want to single out On The Other Side Of Sound, by Jon James, because it was very effective and creepy in that perfect sort of delightful, mostly horrifying way.
This was a mixed bag for me. The concept was really enticing, and some of these stories did really interesting things with it; but there are also a couple that.... hmm. Well, not so much.
I think that when you think of noises that induce terror, there are a few that are pretty commonplace, if not overused: footsteps, scratching, tapping on windows or doors (branches usually), voices or singing or vague music. Because those tropes are so familiar, what a writer does with them needs to have something special about it to keep a reader's attention (at least mine).
So for example, one of the stories has the sound of a cat-flap, which I thought was really creative and used very effectively. Some others have voices and footsteps but they aren't really used in a super impactful or original way, so it feels a bit flat.
I don't want to be overly hard on indie/boutique publishers, but to a certain point there's a lack of the polish you would see with a bigger publishing house. And that's completely understandable; it even sometimes is a good thing, because the writing is more raw and doesn't have to bend so much to sales numbers and constraints. In the case of the stories I didn't like in this book, I don't feel like that's the problem. It's more a question of it needing a bit more work - a bit more editing - a bit more practice. Tighten plots a bit, explain some things more and others less, flesh out the characters a bit more.
I do want to single out On The Other Side Of Sound, by Jon James, because it was very effective and creepy in that perfect sort of delightful, mostly horrifying way.
December 4, 2022
Listen: The Sound of Fear is a collection of dark fiction stories by Trans and Nonbinary authors all based on sound. This collection is amazing! Set in multiple time periods and settings all of these stories were a hit for me. As with all collections some hit harder than others, but there wasn't a single story that I felt missed completely. These stories were so good that after finishing each one I found the author's website, Insta or FB page and followed them all immediately. I also found the publishers because this was put together perfectly.
Most of these tales were very dark, haunting and atmospheric. However, there were a couple of more lighthearted (while still creepy) stories like Her Little Joke and Snipper-Snapper. Those were dark but had some really humorous moments that I appreciated.
A lot of these stories had a very gothic feel to them, The Knocking Bird and Bride of Brine were a couple of my favorites. Holy Water was like Mean Girls in a Catholic school but make it Queer and scary AF.
My absolute favorite was an extremely haunting tale called M/other. It was devastating and horrific but told beautifully. So good I found the author's email address and sent a message to make sure they knew how much I loved it. Yep, that good.
If you like dark fiction, especially dark fiction with strong, believable queer characters, you have to check this one out! Highly recommend!!
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC! I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.
Most of these tales were very dark, haunting and atmospheric. However, there were a couple of more lighthearted (while still creepy) stories like Her Little Joke and Snipper-Snapper. Those were dark but had some really humorous moments that I appreciated.
A lot of these stories had a very gothic feel to them, The Knocking Bird and Bride of Brine were a couple of my favorites. Holy Water was like Mean Girls in a Catholic school but make it Queer and scary AF.
My absolute favorite was an extremely haunting tale called M/other. It was devastating and horrific but told beautifully. So good I found the author's email address and sent a message to make sure they knew how much I loved it. Yep, that good.
If you like dark fiction, especially dark fiction with strong, believable queer characters, you have to check this one out! Highly recommend!!
Thanks to BookSirens for the ARC! I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.
November 4, 2022
Although this book is 10 short stories—this book, admittedly, took me longer than expected to read through. It took me a while to gather my thoughts on how to review this book, as my feelings were a bit all over the place after completing it.
Each story is LGBTQ+ friendly, as each author is trans/non-binary, which is something I enjoyed. I also appreciate the concept of this book in regards to the fear of sound, and how each author had such different interpretations of what that means to them.
With that being said, I feel like only half of the stories fall within the “horror” category. Some stories were very engaging and felt like a solid horror concept, while the others—although interesting—didn’t seem to fully fit the genre. Granted, I understand everyone has their own levels of what they would consider horror, so it’s possible that my expectations were just a bit too high. If you’re looking for a lighter Horror type read, this one is perfect for you.
Thank you to BookSirens and the authors for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Each story is LGBTQ+ friendly, as each author is trans/non-binary, which is something I enjoyed. I also appreciate the concept of this book in regards to the fear of sound, and how each author had such different interpretations of what that means to them.
With that being said, I feel like only half of the stories fall within the “horror” category. Some stories were very engaging and felt like a solid horror concept, while the others—although interesting—didn’t seem to fully fit the genre. Granted, I understand everyone has their own levels of what they would consider horror, so it’s possible that my expectations were just a bit too high. If you’re looking for a lighter Horror type read, this one is perfect for you.
Thank you to BookSirens and the authors for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2022
Off a rec from insta and boy am I glad I did each story goes further than queer being only a gender or sexuality but an overall term meaning a way of mind too and a way of living. Impressed stories all different and very strong writing. I got bored with the same type books in horror so its nice to find a one different. I best liked kill your darlings a perfect of tender with brutal and insight, and as well exhibition whichis a different sort of horror but creepy anyway. My other best is her littel joke because GRT characters which you never get so well done erle grey and the publishing and ill read all their books now fopr more.
do yourself a favour and buy this book.
do yourself a favour and buy this book.
October 5, 2022
This was exceptionally good, especially for an anthology.
I am so happy that not only is there great representation happening here with Trans, and Non-binary authors, but also the stories are fun and scary.
This is the perfect book to pick up this Halloween season.
I am not going to describe the stories or rank them because I want you to go into this with no expectations other than you are going to enjoy your time here.
Thank you so much to Elizabetta McKay, all of the authors, NineStar Press, and BookSirens for an advanced review copy.
I am so happy that not only is there great representation happening here with Trans, and Non-binary authors, but also the stories are fun and scary.
This is the perfect book to pick up this Halloween season.
I am not going to describe the stories or rank them because I want you to go into this with no expectations other than you are going to enjoy your time here.
Thank you so much to Elizabetta McKay, all of the authors, NineStar Press, and BookSirens for an advanced review copy.
October 20, 2022
So I thought this was a good book of short horror stories. It was an interesting concept to link the stories to sound. There were a few stories though that confused me or left me wondering what was actually going on. but overall most of the stories were interesting and u enjoyed them. Would recommend to someone looking for good short story book that doesn't mind horror.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 3, 2023
An inviting anthology of 10 tales based on sounds of fear. A bump in the night, footsteps in an empty hall, perhaps the creak of a door. Some are very prominent in the story and others more subtle. I have my favorites but all in all a very decent collection.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion of the tale.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion of the tale.
December 28, 2022
The stories were all well written. It was a good read all around. The stories kept me interested and they were all very unique.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 29, 2022
3
*Review to come*
*Review to come*
March 3, 2023
Books great. I plan to buy it so you should to. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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