Lee Allen's Blog - Posts Tagged "bethany-russo"

Grizzly: A Charity Anthology by January Ember Press

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A collection of tales of survival and feminine rage.

'Grizzly: A Charity Anthology' is a limited release horror anthology, edited by S.C. Fisher and H. Everend, featuring twenty short stories, an opening essay, and a piece of poetry, by female and femme-identifying indie authors and survivors of sexual assault - inspired by the Man vs. Bear debate. It is sadly both illuminating and unsurprising that many women choose the bear – we need to do so much better.

Tragic, heartbreaking and often brutal – amongst these narratives are hauntings, curses, psychological horror, slashers, revenge thrillers, body horror, and even a touch of satire. Unflinching, yet always empathetic, these hard-hitting tales explore sexual, physical and psychological violence and abuse; not only stranger rape, but predominantly attacks by those whom victims know, love and trust - family members, authority figures, romantic/sexual partners, friends, and colleagues.

Screaming from the heart of each story is the trauma - exploring the turmoil and confusion brought on by feelings of dissociation and shame, conflicting feelings that may be felt towards attackers, and the lifelong struggle to not simply be a victim but a survivor. Horror provides a lens through which we can view the darkest aspects of our society - sometimes that will be unsettling, and so it should be.

Within this incredibly strong selection of stories, my personal favourites were:
"The Cannock Chase" by S.C. Fisher, for its resonating message of love being the light that conquers fear;
"Condemned" by. M. Edusa, for its haunting atmosphere as ghosts of the past are exorcised;
"The Dead Man" by Bethany Russo, for its dizzying psychological excavation;
"Jane" by Amber Hathaway, for its slasher qualities and satisfying twist;
"Song of the Rusalka" by Kay Hanifen, for its folkloric and karmic haunting narrative.

Available between 31st July and 10th September 2024, the anthology was released to support charity Take Back the Night. Since the 1970s, the organisation has been working to raise awareness of and end sexual and relationship violence through global events and initiatives. With staggering statistics that 1 in 3 women experience sexual violence, 2 in 3 transgender people, and 1 in 6 men, their mission is crucial and this collection helps contribute towards their vital work.

A fabulous selection of stories, 'Grizzly: A Charity Anthology' proves that, together, we can help shatter the silence.



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BLOODY HELL: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror by Sarah Jules

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A stunning showcase of British indie horror.

‘Bloody Hell’ is an anthology of short stories written by multiple authors and set in locations across the British Isles – England, Wales, Scotland, and a bonus story set in the Republic of Ireland. Edited by Sarah Jules, with beautiful illustrations by Rachael Rose, the collection features twenty-seven stories across the spectrum of the horror genre from a legion of indie horror talent, taking us on dark adventures featuring ghosts, stalkers, creatures, supernatural entities, aliens – an assortment of hauntings and folklore, magic and mayhem, slasher and splatter, natural and body horror, tales of vengeance and malign intent, twists of fate and misfortune, and even touches of comedy. Each story offers its own unique premise and style, each author’s signature woven tightly within the DNA of their work – some slow-burning, others fast-paced; some psychological, others visceral; some atmospheric and dripping in suspense, others brutal and bloodthirsty.

Difficult though they were to select, my personal favourites were:
“The God Botherers” by Ashley Lister, for its religious themes and pitch black comedy (I fear I am guilty of all three signs of being a dæmon);
“Pergyl” by C.S. Jones, for its Welsh wilderness and crawling, creeping dread;
“The Dark Heart” by Jim Ody, for toying with our perceptions so brilliantly all the way through;
“Sand” by David Watkins, for its beautiful setting and grotesque hopelessness;
“Brompton Road” by Elizabeth J. Brown, for its haunting atmosphere and delicious twist;
“Down T’Pit” by Sarah Jules, for its claustrophobic tension and jarringly spatial horror.

Overall, this is an incredibly high quality collection, featuring a wide variety that will appeal to all tastes, offering readers the chance to discover new stories from authors they may be familiar with and also discover new writers, all masterfully curated by Sarah Jules. My own story, “Cythraul”, is part of the assembled tales, and it is an incredible privilege to be included in such a strong collection amongst so many of my talented fellow indie authors. I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of the other writers’ stories and look forward to more from both the authors whose work I was familiar with and those whom I read for the first time in this book.

‘Bloody Hell: An Anthology of UK Indie Horror’ in a superb selection of horror stories, perfect for sampling on dark autumnal and wintry nights. Prepare yourself to embark on a journey, as we travel around the United Kingdom (and Ireland), facing mortal perils and dangerous foes, and unleash bloody hell!



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Fever Dreams: Spooky Stories by Bethany Russo

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A collection of horrors of the wild and the wonderful.

'Fever Dreams' is a horror collection by Bethany Russo, featuring two novelettes and two short stories, with thematic threads of mental health and grief and settings of wildlife attractions running throughout. Russo presents a collection of well-written, fast-paced tales with a dark, psychological edge, each driven by a distinct character who quickly draws you into their psyche and the fears they experience.

"The Zoo"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Inheriting an abandoned zoo from her grandad, Billie discovers that the past is never truly lost to us...
This was a beautiful story; my favourite of all Bethany's stories I've read so far. The concept of a haunted zoo is thrilling fun, entwined with the moving story of Billie's grief and self-discovery. Hugely entertaining and deeply emotional.

"The Aquarium"
⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tale of trauma, empowerment and vengeance...
Escaping a day at the aquarium with her family, Connie recalls the events that led to her leaving there with blood on her hands; a tortuous conflict of intrusive thoughts and dissociative identity, with bursts of brutal violence and descent into delusion. A great piece of psychological horror with an emotional stab of a denouement.

The two short stories - "Fright Night at the Wild Place" and "Birdland" - conclude the collection; both thrilling little forays into the spooky and weird that may or may not be haunting or hallucination.

Overall, this is a fantastic short collection. I found each of the four lead characters immediately relatable through the empathetic prose, each of them confronting personal demons, pain and trauma, arriving at moments of reflection and, perhaps, discovering themselves - a gripping and emotive selection of works. I'm very much looking forward to reading more of Russo's work, including her novel 'The Devil Inside' and novella 'The Lediar Monster'.



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