Mindi's Reviews > Something Borrowed, Something Blood-Soaked

This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

From the moment I saw the cover I just had this feeling I would love this collection, and I was so right. This is a fantastic book of deeply disturbing and thought provoking horror stories. Christa Carmen is definitely not afraid to take a story all the way.

The stories in this collection about addiction are truly haunting. Liquid Handcuffs in particular is fantastic. I went through an entire spectrum of feelings during that story. Wolves at the Door and Bears in the Forest is unflinching and hard to read. Stories about addiction are always hard to read, but when you add a child it's heartbreaking.

I absolutely adored Red Room. That one is so unsettling and realistic, it's easy to imagine it actually happening. I love stories that make technology creepy. We have become such slaves to our phones. Making them an insidious part of lives is something that touches you at your core. Lady of the Flies is another favorite that is so utterly disturbing. The image of Priscila in her mask, just wanting so much to be accepted and part of something is deeply unsettling. She's both terrifying and sympathetic all at once. Carmen's homage to A Christmas Carol All Souls of Eve is a fun twist on the classic. It also has a very satisfying ending.

While some of these stories resonated with me more than others, truly all of them are fantastic. This collection is one of my favorites of 2018, and I cannot wait to read more from Carmen.