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Dark Tide Horror Novellas #7
Little Mutilations: Three Body Horror Novellas
Three Body Horror novellas by three Powerhouses of Horror.
“The Night Belongs to Us” by Jess When Laura arrives in an unfamiliar city in search of her missing mother, Mary, the last thing she expects to find is trouble—but after countless trips to different places to bring her addict mother home, she should expect nothing less. After being attacked by a group of disfigured women, Laura discovers an unlikely saviour in Cee, a haunted woman that the residents of the city streets fear. Meeting Laura unlocks the softer side of Cee, and in Cee sparks a hope that she can escape her current arrangement—being the right-hand of a revered spectre who created a community of lost women called the Underground...a creature with the face of a woman lovingly referred to as Mother. As Laura and Cee come together to find Mary and get out of town, Mother catches wind of their plan and devises one of her own—to sway Laura in her favour. After Laura realizes that Mary is the Underground, and that Cee's been lying to her, it doesn't take long before the thought of becoming a resident of the Underground pulls Laura in. Can Cee save Laura before it's too late? Or does Mother already have her claws in too deep?
“Acid Bath” by Sofia Best friends Priya and Luca strike it lucky when they are both found eligible to be healthy human subjects in a high-paying clinical trial. It ain't their first time at the rodeo, and sure, while this study might be more dangerous and unpredictable than those they've done before—the bigger they are, the better they pay, and no dish is ever seasoned without the spice of risk. While Priya aspires to make enough money in the trial to pay her way into a prestigious filmmaking program, finances mean nothing to Luca who only hopes the study can be the seed of his creative inspiration.
But as the weeks pass, bizarre side effects begin to kick in, and the two friends find themselves unable to reach the trial doctors. Worse yet, gruesome and deranged deaths are cropping up on the news featuring participants they recognize from the same trial. As rivalries and resentments bubble up, Priya and Luca must discover if there is something sinister lurking within the medication they've been taking that will tear their friendship apart before it all spirals out of control.
“Your Next Best American Girl” by Nadia All Veronica’s ever wanted is to be crowned Miss Americana. When she wakes up with three strange sores on her arm, she thinks it’s a problem for her dermatologist. But when the sores keep getting worse—deeper, bigger, all over—she realizes she’s being sabotaged. Now Veronica needs to figure out who’s responsible before she misses her shot at the crown or her body falls apart completely—whichever happens first.
This anthology of body horror novellas is perfect for fans of Cronenberg, Kathe Koja, Eric LaRocca, Hailey Piper, Gwendolyn Kiste, SP Miskowski, Gemma Files, Nadia Bulkin, Megan Abbott, Mona Awad, and Alissa Nutting. And of course dark social satire, flawed protagonists, and of course, horror books.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
“The Night Belongs to Us” by Jess When Laura arrives in an unfamiliar city in search of her missing mother, Mary, the last thing she expects to find is trouble—but after countless trips to different places to bring her addict mother home, she should expect nothing less. After being attacked by a group of disfigured women, Laura discovers an unlikely saviour in Cee, a haunted woman that the residents of the city streets fear. Meeting Laura unlocks the softer side of Cee, and in Cee sparks a hope that she can escape her current arrangement—being the right-hand of a revered spectre who created a community of lost women called the Underground...a creature with the face of a woman lovingly referred to as Mother. As Laura and Cee come together to find Mary and get out of town, Mother catches wind of their plan and devises one of her own—to sway Laura in her favour. After Laura realizes that Mary is the Underground, and that Cee's been lying to her, it doesn't take long before the thought of becoming a resident of the Underground pulls Laura in. Can Cee save Laura before it's too late? Or does Mother already have her claws in too deep?
“Acid Bath” by Sofia Best friends Priya and Luca strike it lucky when they are both found eligible to be healthy human subjects in a high-paying clinical trial. It ain't their first time at the rodeo, and sure, while this study might be more dangerous and unpredictable than those they've done before—the bigger they are, the better they pay, and no dish is ever seasoned without the spice of risk. While Priya aspires to make enough money in the trial to pay her way into a prestigious filmmaking program, finances mean nothing to Luca who only hopes the study can be the seed of his creative inspiration.
But as the weeks pass, bizarre side effects begin to kick in, and the two friends find themselves unable to reach the trial doctors. Worse yet, gruesome and deranged deaths are cropping up on the news featuring participants they recognize from the same trial. As rivalries and resentments bubble up, Priya and Luca must discover if there is something sinister lurking within the medication they've been taking that will tear their friendship apart before it all spirals out of control.
“Your Next Best American Girl” by Nadia All Veronica’s ever wanted is to be crowned Miss Americana. When she wakes up with three strange sores on her arm, she thinks it’s a problem for her dermatologist. But when the sores keep getting worse—deeper, bigger, all over—she realizes she’s being sabotaged. Now Veronica needs to figure out who’s responsible before she misses her shot at the crown or her body falls apart completely—whichever happens first.
This anthology of body horror novellas is perfect for fans of Cronenberg, Kathe Koja, Eric LaRocca, Hailey Piper, Gwendolyn Kiste, SP Miskowski, Gemma Files, Nadia Bulkin, Megan Abbott, Mona Awad, and Alissa Nutting. And of course dark social satire, flawed protagonists, and of course, horror books.
Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.
- GenresHorrorAnthologies
178 pages, Paperback
Published April 25, 2023
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79 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 9, 2023
The seventh installment in the Dark Tide series is an anthology of very unique novellas, which provide a wide variety of the title theme.
The first story reminds of ancient stories, but put in a very modern garment - quite literally, you might say. At first I was puzzled where the story would go, but once I got the gist it was quite intense.
The second story - well, let's just say it was not my cup of tea.
The third story was my favorite of the trio, it was bizarre, comical, satirical, sad, horrific - every page removed a new repulsive layer from a superficial core, while at the same time it twisted the meaning of beauty right around and developed into something unexpectedly awesome.
I am impressed how the Dark Tide series still manages to present something fresh with each book, and while I struggled to wrap my mostly practical mind around the sheer bizarreness of this volume, I was fascinated - again - by the originality of the stories.
The first story reminds of ancient stories, but put in a very modern garment - quite literally, you might say. At first I was puzzled where the story would go, but once I got the gist it was quite intense.
The second story - well, let's just say it was not my cup of tea.
The third story was my favorite of the trio, it was bizarre, comical, satirical, sad, horrific - every page removed a new repulsive layer from a superficial core, while at the same time it twisted the meaning of beauty right around and developed into something unexpectedly awesome.
I am impressed how the Dark Tide series still manages to present something fresh with each book, and while I struggled to wrap my mostly practical mind around the sheer bizarreness of this volume, I was fascinated - again - by the originality of the stories.
May 23, 2023
Many of us have deeply complicated relationships with our bodies. They are us, and yet they don't always reflect who we are, who we want to be, or who society thinks we must be. At the same time, they are both resilient and deeply, deeply fragile. The three novellas in Little Mutations all occur at the moment where people, their bodies, and the pressures of society meet, with brutal effect.
In Jess Landry's "The Night Belongs to Us", a young woman named Laura roughs it to a struggling city in the dead of winter, seeking her distant mother, Mary, who has finally fallen off the edge of the society she has been teetering on for a long time. In the bus stations and crowded shelters, she meets a person who may know what happened to Mary, pulling her into a darker, older power preying off those who won't be missed. This somber take on a vampire tale takes the metaphor of predation and exploitation to a logical place in late-state capitalism America, and questions if even mothers can be trusted.
Sofia Ajram's "Acid Bath" follows a trans man named Luca who has been fighting with his privileged upbringing by seeking any experience, including a long series of clinical trials for pay. When his film-making partner, Priya, starts to have strange changes of mood, body, and appetite, Luca is forced to acknowledge how he treats others, and himself. Not everyone makes it out whole. This may be the most challenging story in the anthology as our unreliable narrator is confronted with how he exploits those around him and is himself exploited. It is also has the most transcendently bloody moment that made me quiver and keep reading like my life depended on it.
Finally, always fantastic Nadia Bulkin explores how beauty standards and internalized self-abuse transform a young woman in "Your Next Best American Girl". What happens to Veronica as she struggles to stand out in a regional beauty pageant is surreal, heartbreaking, and feels like the tip of the iceberg of something much bigger. How much of herself can she lose until there is nothing left but light?
All and all, this is a solid and thought provoking anthology. It was easy to find connecting themes of gender, class, and self-autonomy throughout, as our protagonists struggle to decide if they are going to come out the other side of their trial the same person as they entered.
Thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for an ARC via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program.
In Jess Landry's "The Night Belongs to Us", a young woman named Laura roughs it to a struggling city in the dead of winter, seeking her distant mother, Mary, who has finally fallen off the edge of the society she has been teetering on for a long time. In the bus stations and crowded shelters, she meets a person who may know what happened to Mary, pulling her into a darker, older power preying off those who won't be missed. This somber take on a vampire tale takes the metaphor of predation and exploitation to a logical place in late-state capitalism America, and questions if even mothers can be trusted.
Sofia Ajram's "Acid Bath" follows a trans man named Luca who has been fighting with his privileged upbringing by seeking any experience, including a long series of clinical trials for pay. When his film-making partner, Priya, starts to have strange changes of mood, body, and appetite, Luca is forced to acknowledge how he treats others, and himself. Not everyone makes it out whole. This may be the most challenging story in the anthology as our unreliable narrator is confronted with how he exploits those around him and is himself exploited. It is also has the most transcendently bloody moment that made me quiver and keep reading like my life depended on it.
Finally, always fantastic Nadia Bulkin explores how beauty standards and internalized self-abuse transform a young woman in "Your Next Best American Girl". What happens to Veronica as she struggles to stand out in a regional beauty pageant is surreal, heartbreaking, and feels like the tip of the iceberg of something much bigger. How much of herself can she lose until there is nothing left but light?
All and all, this is a solid and thought provoking anthology. It was easy to find connecting themes of gender, class, and self-autonomy throughout, as our protagonists struggle to decide if they are going to come out the other side of their trial the same person as they entered.
Thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing for an ARC via LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program.
April 7, 2023
4 stars! I really enjoyed this quick little read! It is the 7th instalment in the wonderful crystal lake publishing's Dark Tide Series (I haven't read the others but I probably will go back and do so now). This read is made up of three separate novellas by three highly talented women in horror. Essentially the three stories are connected by a prominent theme of body horror, and believe me it was very.. horrible. Whilst all three were good, "Acid Bath" by Sofia Airam was my personal favourite. It involves two friends (Priya and Luca) who enter into a paid clinical trial- with horrendous side effects!
Anyway, great read! This releases on the 28th of April and will be on kindle unlimited! NO EXCUSES :
Anyway, great read! This releases on the 28th of April and will be on kindle unlimited! NO EXCUSES :
April 28, 2023
Three novellas are by three women authors. Each novella is well written. There is a connecting theme that is about bodies. It is a rare pleasure to find all three novellas actually had me horrified by the stories. That though is the reason I like to read horror. It takes me out of my everyday life. If you are a fan of horror, don’t miss it. It’s that good!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the publisher. I wasn’t obligated to write a review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book from the publisher. I wasn’t obligated to write a review or any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
May 8, 2023
An absolutely amazing collection of three horror stories. A cult that serves an old Mother, a drug trial that goes horribly wrong, and a beauty pageant contestant that develops a skin condition.
I couldn't' put this anthology down! The stories are sick and beautiful at the same time. Body horror is a hard subject to read and damn this one was great! I loved every story, and the cover art is beautiful as well.
I couldn't' put this anthology down! The stories are sick and beautiful at the same time. Body horror is a hard subject to read and damn this one was great! I loved every story, and the cover art is beautiful as well.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews