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Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror
New and exclusive short stories and poems inspired by bad mothers from some of today’ s fiercest women in horror. Featuring Rachel Harrison, Gwendolyn Kiste, Kristi DeMeester, and Kelsea Yu, edited by Lindy Ryan with a foreword by Sadie “ Mother Horror” Hartmann.
From mama trauma to smother mother, this all-new women in horror anthology features stories about the scariest monster of them all— our mothers.
From mama trauma to smother mother, this all-new women in horror anthology features stories about the scariest monster of them all— our mothers.
300 pages, Paperback
First published May 7, 2024
35 people are currently reading
1191 people want to read
About the author
Lindy Ryan
33 books542 followersLindy Ryan is an award-winning author, anthologist, and short-film director whose books and anthologies have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist and Library Journal. Several of her projects have been adapted for screen. Ryan is the current author-in-residence at Rue Morgue. Declared a “champion for women’s voices in horror” by Shelf Awareness, Ryan was named a Publishers Weekly Star Watch Honoree in 2020, and in 2022, was named one of horror's most masterful anthology curators. Born and raised in Southeast Texas, Ryan currently resides on the East Coast. She is a professor at Rutgers University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
November 29, 2025
“Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror” by various female authors, edited by Lindy Ryan and a foreword by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann, is one of the most unique horror anthologies I’ve ever read. It’s also perfect timing since Mother’s Day is approaching, and this should be a must-read every year around this time. If you’re looking for something that hits that Mother’s Day horror checkbox with mother/daughter angles, you will find it here.
Before I begin my review, I found a few trigger warnings while reading. They were…
- Animal cruelty and death (rats, cats, dogs, birds, and rabbits)
- Parental abuse (mental and physical)
- Self-harm
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, I loved how every author here was female to showcase their talents in writing nonstop mother/daughter horror. It’s one of the first of its kind I’ve ever read, and it was so much fun.
Of course, when it comes to anthologies, there are instances where some stories are excellent, some are okay, and some don’t click, depending on the reader. I experienced that, but let me tell you, there are more than enough horror gems in this anthology that make it all worth reading entirely.
I’m talking about some of the best horror short stories I’ve ever read. The kind that made me make weird faces while reading from some of the creepiest, weirdest, and most insane horror. I loved every moment in the following short stories…
- Almonds, Oh, What A Tangled Web
- Skeleton Bird Song
- Mother, Daemon, Ghost
- The Mom From Upstairs
- The Tired Mom Smoothie
I also loved that there was a Stephen King reference, which made me smile. I bet he would love the stories found here since they were that horrific. Now, the poems between stories I didn’t enjoy. I felt they were a bit out of place and threw me off, but if you enjoy reading poetry with a horror twist, you’ll love this anthology even more. They didn’t do anything for me.
Some stories were also a bit confusing and didn’t make much sense to me, but as a whole, this was still a solid reading experience. It was an excellent way to deliver horror, and this would be perfect for all you horror moms and daughters out there to read right around Mother’s Day. Best of all, these stories were short, making this anthology an easy read.
I give “Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror” by various female authors, edited by Lindy Ryan and a foreword by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann a 4/5 as this was an entertaining anthology filled to the brim with tons of mother/daughter horror. It’s a fun, horror-filled reading experience, and I greatly respect all these fantastic female authors bringing their astonishing horror talents to this anthology. Some stories I didn’t enjoy, and the poetry felt out of place to me, but aside from that, I would highly recommend this to horror fans everywhere.
Thank you to NetGalley, all these incredible authors, and Black Spot Books for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) for review consideration. This horror book review reflects my honest, personal opinion. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, and for those moms who are not with us anymore, your memory will last forever. Thank you for being you <3
Before I begin my review, I found a few trigger warnings while reading. They were…
- Animal cruelty and death (rats, cats, dogs, birds, and rabbits)
- Parental abuse (mental and physical)
- Self-harm
If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, I loved how every author here was female to showcase their talents in writing nonstop mother/daughter horror. It’s one of the first of its kind I’ve ever read, and it was so much fun.
Of course, when it comes to anthologies, there are instances where some stories are excellent, some are okay, and some don’t click, depending on the reader. I experienced that, but let me tell you, there are more than enough horror gems in this anthology that make it all worth reading entirely.
I’m talking about some of the best horror short stories I’ve ever read. The kind that made me make weird faces while reading from some of the creepiest, weirdest, and most insane horror. I loved every moment in the following short stories…
- Almonds, Oh, What A Tangled Web
- Skeleton Bird Song
- Mother, Daemon, Ghost
- The Mom From Upstairs
- The Tired Mom Smoothie
I also loved that there was a Stephen King reference, which made me smile. I bet he would love the stories found here since they were that horrific. Now, the poems between stories I didn’t enjoy. I felt they were a bit out of place and threw me off, but if you enjoy reading poetry with a horror twist, you’ll love this anthology even more. They didn’t do anything for me.
Some stories were also a bit confusing and didn’t make much sense to me, but as a whole, this was still a solid reading experience. It was an excellent way to deliver horror, and this would be perfect for all you horror moms and daughters out there to read right around Mother’s Day. Best of all, these stories were short, making this anthology an easy read.
I give “Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror” by various female authors, edited by Lindy Ryan and a foreword by Sadie “Mother Horror” Hartmann a 4/5 as this was an entertaining anthology filled to the brim with tons of mother/daughter horror. It’s a fun, horror-filled reading experience, and I greatly respect all these fantastic female authors bringing their astonishing horror talents to this anthology. Some stories I didn’t enjoy, and the poetry felt out of place to me, but aside from that, I would highly recommend this to horror fans everywhere.
Thank you to NetGalley, all these incredible authors, and Black Spot Books for providing me with an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) for review consideration. This horror book review reflects my honest, personal opinion. Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there, and for those moms who are not with us anymore, your memory will last forever. Thank you for being you <3
February 23, 2024
3,5*
A raw compilation of short horror stories and poems written by female authors about mothers and motherhood. But of course with a horror spin.
This is a great collection of stories about fears, doubts, traumas, disappointments and all the things we have felt especially as teenagers. A lot of the themes that have some horror or fantasy elements added to them, are things that we as females can relate to.
But also male readers will be able to enjoy these stories and poems since the main protagonist here is our mothers. That mother figure that we as children and teenagers consider immortal, wise and our mentor.
In these stories we will discover the types of relationships, experiences and traumas that can build around our mothers.
A raw compilation of short horror stories and poems written by female authors about mothers and motherhood. But of course with a horror spin.
This is a great collection of stories about fears, doubts, traumas, disappointments and all the things we have felt especially as teenagers. A lot of the themes that have some horror or fantasy elements added to them, are things that we as females can relate to.
But also male readers will be able to enjoy these stories and poems since the main protagonist here is our mothers. That mother figure that we as children and teenagers consider immortal, wise and our mentor.
In these stories we will discover the types of relationships, experiences and traumas that can build around our mothers.
May 7, 2024
I just expected more. I didn’t find most of the stories that good and some needed more time to explain things. I found the entire anthology uneven.
Full review: Oh child. So seriously I wanted these women to bring the horror, but mostly I just felt confused by the end of this anthology. I just thought a few people missed the landing, and or just missed the boat entirely. Per usual, the rating is for the overall anthology. Read below for reviews on each story.
"Preface" by Lindy Ryan (5 stars)-Honestly this had me gagging in a good way. Give me some Bab Yaga and I am a happy camper, too bad what followed wasn't as interesting. I did love the idea about mothers being made, and not born and how some daughters become their mothers, and why that's not a good thing.
"Foreword" by Sadie Hartmann (3 stars)-Honestly I just lost interest on page two of this.
"Mother Bear" by Jacqueline West (1 star)-It's a poem or something. I don't know. I didn't like it.
"So Lovely in the Dark" by Jessica McHugh (3 stars)-I was confused from beginning to end of this story. Was she a vampire? I don't know.
"Almonds" by Lisa Kroeger (4 stars)-I was intrigued by this one, but thought it needed some more explanation. A woman named Maddie returns home to help her mother after her cataract surgery. Memories resurface of how her mother treated her as a kid and wanted her gone. And then the night comes.
"Just Like Your Mother" by N. J. Ember (1 star)-Look, I don't like most poems and this one was so short I wondered at the point of it.
"Oh, What A Tangled Web" by Tanya Pell (5 stars)-This was very dark. A woman named Marnie dealing with her harridan of a mother. I loved the build up and the reveal.
"Skeleton Bird Song" by M. Halstead (3 stars)-I didn't get most of this story and the ending had me going, okay then, if that's the way you want to do things. It was just uneven.
"Grendelsong: A Merewif's Lament" by Carina Bissett (5 stars)-Another poem, but shocker readers, I liked this. I thought she did a great job with it and it's told from the point of view of Grendel's mother.
"Mother, Daemon, Ghost" by Stephanie M. Wytovich (4 stars)-Honestly this could have been perfect if there had been more backstory about Chloe's bringing up. There are too many things that you have to understand after the fact for most of this story. And I just needed more there. I loved the idea of a woman being haunted by her mother. I thought the ending was very good though.
"Mouthpiece" by Carol Edwards (2 stars)-Okay. Another poem. At this point I started to skim most of the poems.
"Cookie Baby" By Laura Cranehill (3.5 stars)-Weird. Won't talk about it too much to not give away spoilers, but I thought it was interesting, but just didn't quite pull things off in the end.
"There's No Place Like Home" by Roxie Vorhees (2.5 stars)-Another poem, pretty much taking the point of view of Dorothy Gale. It's just okay.
"The House Mother" by Kristi Demeester (2 stars)-I was confused through this whole story about a woman named Marion that returns to a sorority that rejected her as a house mother. Also, this and some other stories have me never wanting to eat food prepared by anyone else again.
"The Mom From Upstairs" by Teagan Olivia Sturmer (5 stars)-This one was pretty horrific, and I like it a lot. A woman named Valerie finally returns home after being partially estranged from her mother. What becomes of both of them will give you nightmares.
"Within the Pink Paisley Walls" by Kelsea Yu (2 stars)-I was just bored by this. A young girl named Miralyn is provided a picture of her long dead mother by her stepmother, Laura. And from there, Miralyn is given an opportunity to know her mother. I just felt bored throughout this one. I don't know if it was because it didn't really tap into horror like some of the other stories I gave 3 stars and above. I do know that it started to feel overly long after a while though.
"Little Mother" by Lee Murray (3 stars)-I think my initial thought was okay and moved on. Not a bad poem, just not an overly interesting one.
"Buttons" by Emily Holi (1 star)-A girl named Charlotte...here's the thing parts of this has French language sprinkled throughout. I don't speak French. I had to look up things after the fact and felt annoyed by it. I started reading about a movie and I don't think that is what the author meant and then had to text a friend who spoke French who was like what are you reading? Anyway, 1 star.
"Special Medicine" by Meg Hafdahl (5 stars)-A woman who is visiting her sick mother comes upon someone unexpected that is making her mother ill. And it causes her to finally accept what her mother did to her as a young girl. I thought this was cleverly done.
"A Broken Inheritance" by Renee Cronley (can't rate, skipped)-It was another poem and I didn't read it. Wanted to be honest.
"Dog Mom" by Rachel Harrison (2 stars)-I get the sentiment behind this story, but it wasn't really horror. Then again, I didn't like reading Rachel Harrison's books before, don't know why I thought I could like a short story written by her.
"Sometimes, It's Hard to Let Go" by Caitlin Marceau (can't rate skipped)-Another poem.
"Never Love, No Room for Monsters" by Jill Baguchinsky (4 stars)-A woman who has to deal with the monsters who have been hunting her, her whole life. And this includes her mother.
"Pretend" by Emma E. Murray (4.5 stars)-A sad story about an emotionally starved young girl. The ending was very sad. I didn't give it 5 stars though since it needed a bit more I think. It was just a bit too short.
"Mother Tide" by L.E. Daniels (can't rate, skipped)-Another poem.
"New Again" by Christi Nogle (5 stars)-I thought this was very well written and developed. A mother named Bonna who without realizing it, may have overly influenced her daughter Lorna to a point of no return. And the ending, though not said, you can guess what happens next.
"Mother Knows Best" by Crystal Sidell (can't rate, skipped)-Another poem.
"The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke Mackenzie (3 stars)-A mother wanting to consume her daughter. I don't know, this felt a bit off in some way. Just not as strongly written and developed in my eyes like the other stories.
"Your Mother's Love is an Apocalypse" by Gwendolyn Kiste (3 stars)-This could have worked if there had been more development behind the backstory. A woman named Selena having to return home again and again to her selfish mother so she doesn't destroy the world. It just doesn't quite work. This ends the anthology, and I get that it ends it on a note of hope I think for all women/daughters with terrible mothers. But it just felt a bit like things went out on a whimper.
Full review: Oh child. So seriously I wanted these women to bring the horror, but mostly I just felt confused by the end of this anthology. I just thought a few people missed the landing, and or just missed the boat entirely. Per usual, the rating is for the overall anthology. Read below for reviews on each story.
"Preface" by Lindy Ryan (5 stars)-Honestly this had me gagging in a good way. Give me some Bab Yaga and I am a happy camper, too bad what followed wasn't as interesting. I did love the idea about mothers being made, and not born and how some daughters become their mothers, and why that's not a good thing.
"Foreword" by Sadie Hartmann (3 stars)-Honestly I just lost interest on page two of this.
"Mother Bear" by Jacqueline West (1 star)-It's a poem or something. I don't know. I didn't like it.
"So Lovely in the Dark" by Jessica McHugh (3 stars)-I was confused from beginning to end of this story. Was she a vampire? I don't know.
"Almonds" by Lisa Kroeger (4 stars)-I was intrigued by this one, but thought it needed some more explanation. A woman named Maddie returns home to help her mother after her cataract surgery. Memories resurface of how her mother treated her as a kid and wanted her gone. And then the night comes.
"Just Like Your Mother" by N. J. Ember (1 star)-Look, I don't like most poems and this one was so short I wondered at the point of it.
"Oh, What A Tangled Web" by Tanya Pell (5 stars)-This was very dark. A woman named Marnie dealing with her harridan of a mother. I loved the build up and the reveal.
"Skeleton Bird Song" by M. Halstead (3 stars)-I didn't get most of this story and the ending had me going, okay then, if that's the way you want to do things. It was just uneven.
"Grendelsong: A Merewif's Lament" by Carina Bissett (5 stars)-Another poem, but shocker readers, I liked this. I thought she did a great job with it and it's told from the point of view of Grendel's mother.
"Mother, Daemon, Ghost" by Stephanie M. Wytovich (4 stars)-Honestly this could have been perfect if there had been more backstory about Chloe's bringing up. There are too many things that you have to understand after the fact for most of this story. And I just needed more there. I loved the idea of a woman being haunted by her mother. I thought the ending was very good though.
"Mouthpiece" by Carol Edwards (2 stars)-Okay. Another poem. At this point I started to skim most of the poems.
"Cookie Baby" By Laura Cranehill (3.5 stars)-Weird. Won't talk about it too much to not give away spoilers, but I thought it was interesting, but just didn't quite pull things off in the end.
"There's No Place Like Home" by Roxie Vorhees (2.5 stars)-Another poem, pretty much taking the point of view of Dorothy Gale. It's just okay.
"The House Mother" by Kristi Demeester (2 stars)-I was confused through this whole story about a woman named Marion that returns to a sorority that rejected her as a house mother. Also, this and some other stories have me never wanting to eat food prepared by anyone else again.
"The Mom From Upstairs" by Teagan Olivia Sturmer (5 stars)-This one was pretty horrific, and I like it a lot. A woman named Valerie finally returns home after being partially estranged from her mother. What becomes of both of them will give you nightmares.
"Within the Pink Paisley Walls" by Kelsea Yu (2 stars)-I was just bored by this. A young girl named Miralyn is provided a picture of her long dead mother by her stepmother, Laura. And from there, Miralyn is given an opportunity to know her mother. I just felt bored throughout this one. I don't know if it was because it didn't really tap into horror like some of the other stories I gave 3 stars and above. I do know that it started to feel overly long after a while though.
"Little Mother" by Lee Murray (3 stars)-I think my initial thought was okay and moved on. Not a bad poem, just not an overly interesting one.
"Buttons" by Emily Holi (1 star)-A girl named Charlotte...here's the thing parts of this has French language sprinkled throughout. I don't speak French. I had to look up things after the fact and felt annoyed by it. I started reading about a movie and I don't think that is what the author meant and then had to text a friend who spoke French who was like what are you reading? Anyway, 1 star.
"Special Medicine" by Meg Hafdahl (5 stars)-A woman who is visiting her sick mother comes upon someone unexpected that is making her mother ill. And it causes her to finally accept what her mother did to her as a young girl. I thought this was cleverly done.
"A Broken Inheritance" by Renee Cronley (can't rate, skipped)-It was another poem and I didn't read it. Wanted to be honest.
"Dog Mom" by Rachel Harrison (2 stars)-I get the sentiment behind this story, but it wasn't really horror. Then again, I didn't like reading Rachel Harrison's books before, don't know why I thought I could like a short story written by her.
"Sometimes, It's Hard to Let Go" by Caitlin Marceau (can't rate skipped)-Another poem.
"Never Love, No Room for Monsters" by Jill Baguchinsky (4 stars)-A woman who has to deal with the monsters who have been hunting her, her whole life. And this includes her mother.
"Pretend" by Emma E. Murray (4.5 stars)-A sad story about an emotionally starved young girl. The ending was very sad. I didn't give it 5 stars though since it needed a bit more I think. It was just a bit too short.
"Mother Tide" by L.E. Daniels (can't rate, skipped)-Another poem.
"New Again" by Christi Nogle (5 stars)-I thought this was very well written and developed. A mother named Bonna who without realizing it, may have overly influenced her daughter Lorna to a point of no return. And the ending, though not said, you can guess what happens next.
"Mother Knows Best" by Crystal Sidell (can't rate, skipped)-Another poem.
"The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke Mackenzie (3 stars)-A mother wanting to consume her daughter. I don't know, this felt a bit off in some way. Just not as strongly written and developed in my eyes like the other stories.
"Your Mother's Love is an Apocalypse" by Gwendolyn Kiste (3 stars)-This could have worked if there had been more development behind the backstory. A woman named Selena having to return home again and again to her selfish mother so she doesn't destroy the world. It just doesn't quite work. This ends the anthology, and I get that it ends it on a note of hope I think for all women/daughters with terrible mothers. But it just felt a bit like things went out on a whimper.
May 3, 2024
Just in time for Mother's Day comes a new collection of horror written by women, exploring the most macabre parts of motherhood. Mother Knows Best: Tales of Homemade Horror features short stories and poems about a vast spectrum of mommy monsters. Some stories are shocking and horrifying, some are satirical, others are almost unbearably sad; all of them are thought-provoking.
All of the entries explore, in ways great and small, the complicated relationships that daughters have with their mothers, delving into topics like generational trauma, expectations and disappointments, emotional abuse, neglect, smothering, and projection. Some stories are firmly placed in the real world, while others are more fantastical. Each work is entirely unique but shares a universal quality of raw, resonating emotion.
Quick one-sentence reviews of my favorites in the collection:
-"Oh, What a Tangled Web" by Tanya Pell: This story started so innocuously but morphed into something deliciously insidious and horrifying.
-"The Mom from Upstairs" by Teagan Olivia Sturmer: Creepy puppets are always a vibe.
-"Little Mother" by Lee Murray: The last line of this poem made me laugh so hard.
-"Special Medicine" by Meg Hafdahl: Quite possibly the ickiest take on Munchausen syndrome by proxy I've ever read.
-"Never Love, No Room for Monsters" by Jill Baguchinsky: A story that both scared me and made me feel bereft.
-"Pretend" by Emma E. Murray: This one made my heart feel as broken as the narrator's spirit.
-"The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke MacKenzie: Beware of TikTok trends, is all I'll say.
Thank you to Black Spot Books for the early reading opportunity.
All of the entries explore, in ways great and small, the complicated relationships that daughters have with their mothers, delving into topics like generational trauma, expectations and disappointments, emotional abuse, neglect, smothering, and projection. Some stories are firmly placed in the real world, while others are more fantastical. Each work is entirely unique but shares a universal quality of raw, resonating emotion.
Quick one-sentence reviews of my favorites in the collection:
-"Oh, What a Tangled Web" by Tanya Pell: This story started so innocuously but morphed into something deliciously insidious and horrifying.
-"The Mom from Upstairs" by Teagan Olivia Sturmer: Creepy puppets are always a vibe.
-"Little Mother" by Lee Murray: The last line of this poem made me laugh so hard.
-"Special Medicine" by Meg Hafdahl: Quite possibly the ickiest take on Munchausen syndrome by proxy I've ever read.
-"Never Love, No Room for Monsters" by Jill Baguchinsky: A story that both scared me and made me feel bereft.
-"Pretend" by Emma E. Murray: This one made my heart feel as broken as the narrator's spirit.
-"The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke MacKenzie: Beware of TikTok trends, is all I'll say.
Thank you to Black Spot Books for the early reading opportunity.
February 10, 2024
An absolutely wonderful horror anthology! Each short story fit well into the overall theme and were mostly enjoyable to read. There was a lot of raw emotion and some spots hit a bit close to home/were relatable to a degree. Each story had it's own unique voice and stood out from the others. Some were more "horrifying" or shocking than others that were a bit more repetitive. Overall a great read.
Would recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Black Spot Books and Lindy Ryan for a copy of the book. All opinions are of my own.
Would recommend.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Black Spot Books and Lindy Ryan for a copy of the book. All opinions are of my own.
May 8, 2024
“She has her mother’s teeth so she knows how to consume.”
Looking for something truly frightening to read before Mother’s Day? Better yet, looking for something to gift your own mother (should she be as fond of the dark side as you)?
Mother Know Best brings you 27 short stories and poems featuring some pretty scary moms! I’m talking mothers who love you to death, mothers who love dishing out that (s)motherly affection, mothers of flesh and blood, mothers not of this realm. And you, sweet children, can’t escape mother’s grasp. This collection has body horror, slow-building dread, psychological terror, plenty of ingredients needed to make an effective scary story about mommy dearest.
Some of my favorite stories include:
-Oh, What a Tangled Web
-Mother, Daemon, Ghost
-The House Mother
-The Mom From Upstairs
-Special Medicine
-Dog Mom
Dedicated to mothers and their daughters and featuring a fantastic foreword by our own spooky mom, Sadie Hartmann (aka @mother.horror on Instagram) this is an anthology worth adding to your bookshelves!
**TRIGGER WARNINGS: animal abuse, animal death, child abuse
Looking for something truly frightening to read before Mother’s Day? Better yet, looking for something to gift your own mother (should she be as fond of the dark side as you)?
Mother Know Best brings you 27 short stories and poems featuring some pretty scary moms! I’m talking mothers who love you to death, mothers who love dishing out that (s)motherly affection, mothers of flesh and blood, mothers not of this realm. And you, sweet children, can’t escape mother’s grasp. This collection has body horror, slow-building dread, psychological terror, plenty of ingredients needed to make an effective scary story about mommy dearest.
Some of my favorite stories include:
-Oh, What a Tangled Web
-Mother, Daemon, Ghost
-The House Mother
-The Mom From Upstairs
-Special Medicine
-Dog Mom
Dedicated to mothers and their daughters and featuring a fantastic foreword by our own spooky mom, Sadie Hartmann (aka @mother.horror on Instagram) this is an anthology worth adding to your bookshelves!
**TRIGGER WARNINGS: animal abuse, animal death, child abuse
November 26, 2023
This was the horror I've been craving... I don't think I've enjoyed every short story and poem inside an anthology as much as I did with this one! I love a complicated relationship with a mother or child.. this brought the gore, the creeps and I was obsessed with the fantastical elements in every story.
I need more of this in my life... I saw Sadie Hartmann and knew this was going to be a new favorite!
I need more of this in my life... I saw Sadie Hartmann and knew this was going to be a new favorite!
November 19, 2023
Mother Knows Best
was such a fun and creepy read!
While reading through this collection of stories I was hit with so many different forms of creeped out. There were stories that struck me as very sad, where the grief led to terrible things. Some induced literal crawling feelings on and under my skin. Others where just plain unhinged from the get go and I had no idea what was going to happen on the next page or even the next sentence.
Then the whole thing being centered around mothers who are usually a point of comfort and care taking on the twisted morbid roles that do in this books makes it all the more unsettling and enjoyable. There's something for everyone in this book, cursed lipstick, creepy dolls, guts and gore, and many other things to give you goosebumps!
All the stories flow nicely and held my attention through suspense, shock, and anticipation of what the hell was about to happen next. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick unsettling read to get your horror fix.
(I received and ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
While reading through this collection of stories I was hit with so many different forms of creeped out. There were stories that struck me as very sad, where the grief led to terrible things. Some induced literal crawling feelings on and under my skin. Others where just plain unhinged from the get go and I had no idea what was going to happen on the next page or even the next sentence.
Then the whole thing being centered around mothers who are usually a point of comfort and care taking on the twisted morbid roles that do in this books makes it all the more unsettling and enjoyable. There's something for everyone in this book, cursed lipstick, creepy dolls, guts and gore, and many other things to give you goosebumps!
All the stories flow nicely and held my attention through suspense, shock, and anticipation of what the hell was about to happen next. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick unsettling read to get your horror fix.
(I received and ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
November 11, 2023
Read this in a day!
Thrilling and at times gory: oh, the horror! This anthology is composed of poems and short stories centered around mothers.
They are so well-written, and the fantasy horror elements kept me at the edge of my seat, searching for resolve and trying to piece together foreshadowing bits leading to certain plot twists.
Would love to be able to discuss this in an English lit class because there’s so much to talk about!
I’m not sure if there was an underlying reason (if there was, it went over my head) but the majority of the characters’ names start with M: throughout that was an interesting detail.
(Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review— thank you!)
Thrilling and at times gory: oh, the horror! This anthology is composed of poems and short stories centered around mothers.
They are so well-written, and the fantasy horror elements kept me at the edge of my seat, searching for resolve and trying to piece together foreshadowing bits leading to certain plot twists.
Would love to be able to discuss this in an English lit class because there’s so much to talk about!
I’m not sure if there was an underlying reason (if there was, it went over my head) but the majority of the characters’ names start with M: throughout that was an interesting detail.
(Received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review— thank you!)
September 11, 2025
Very sad not to love this, or even like it overmuch.
Mother-daughter relationships are a staple in the horror genre for a reason; they're ripe for this kind of exploration, but Mother Knows Best is a real mixed bag, as my 2.5 star rating reflects. Many of the stories were conceptually interesting, but heavy-handed enough in their execution that they gave themselves away too early, and overwrought (and occasionally just plain bad: see "searching balls of slime") prose and silly reveals (a victim of Factitious disorder imposed on another being kept sick by... injections of actual feces?) often spoiled the fun.
I appreciated the inclusion of poetry in this anthology, but aside from Grendelsong: A Merewif's Lament by Carina Bissett, I wasn't a huge fan of the selection. The strongest entries by far, though not necessarily the scariest, were Dog Mom by Rachel Harrison - who, as far as I can tell, seems the most well-established author here, so this was no surprise - and Cookie Baby by Laura Cranehill, who I'll be keeping an eye out for in the horror space from now on.
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mother-daughter relationships are a staple in the horror genre for a reason; they're ripe for this kind of exploration, but Mother Knows Best is a real mixed bag, as my 2.5 star rating reflects. Many of the stories were conceptually interesting, but heavy-handed enough in their execution that they gave themselves away too early, and overwrought (and occasionally just plain bad: see "searching balls of slime") prose and silly reveals (a victim of Factitious disorder imposed on another being kept sick by... injections of actual feces?) often spoiled the fun.
I appreciated the inclusion of poetry in this anthology, but aside from Grendelsong: A Merewif's Lament by Carina Bissett, I wasn't a huge fan of the selection. The strongest entries by far, though not necessarily the scariest, were Dog Mom by Rachel Harrison - who, as far as I can tell, seems the most well-established author here, so this was no surprise - and Cookie Baby by Laura Cranehill, who I'll be keeping an eye out for in the horror space from now on.
Thanks to NetGalley and Black Spot Books for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2024
Thank you Black Spot Books & Netgalley for the ARC!
“Mother Knows Best” is a great anthology, right up my alley (I love horror and mommy issues). Some stories were either very interesting or managed to actually freak me out, namely ‘Mother, Daemon, Ghost’, ‘The House Mother’ and ‘Oh, What a Tangled Web’.
Some stories, though, either felt very repetitive or didn’t really hit the horror spot for me. Some symbols or storylines felt very “easy” or obvious to approach and I felt they weren’t interesting enough for a whole story.
But that’s usually how anthologies go, and this one is still a great book for those who enjoy a homage to the monstrous feminine.
“Mother Knows Best” is a great anthology, right up my alley (I love horror and mommy issues). Some stories were either very interesting or managed to actually freak me out, namely ‘Mother, Daemon, Ghost’, ‘The House Mother’ and ‘Oh, What a Tangled Web’.
Some stories, though, either felt very repetitive or didn’t really hit the horror spot for me. Some symbols or storylines felt very “easy” or obvious to approach and I felt they weren’t interesting enough for a whole story.
But that’s usually how anthologies go, and this one is still a great book for those who enjoy a homage to the monstrous feminine.
January 11, 2024
Awesome and creepy set of horror short stories and poems all tied together by antagonistic mother figures. Thanks for the arc
May 8, 2024
This is a horror collection of short stories and poems all about mother daughter relationships and bad mothers of all varieties.
the stories were hit or miss for me, I did enjoy many but some were so ambiguous, in a way that just felt too confusing.
a few of my favourite stories were:
- Oh What A Tangled Web, this was gross, fast paced, and I was a full book written out of this short story.
-So Lovely In The Dark, I'm not sure I fully get it but it was a good time.
-Skeleton Bird Song, I'm still thinking about this one.
-The Mom From Upstairs, this gave me Goosebumps vibes and I'm not mad about it.
-Special Medicine, WTF!! but felt cathartic.
-Your Mothers Love Is An Apocalypse, strange and reflective.
I knew this book had poetry going in, but for some reason I was expecting there to be a little more short stories over poems so this is on me. I'm not a big poetry reader, I struggle with them and I always feel like I'm just missing something. That was the case here, this is just a personal opinion but I did not care for most of them, the two poems I did enjoy were:
-Mother Bead
-Sometimes Its Hard To Let Go
Thank you to Netgalley and Black Spot books for sharing a digital copy, as always opinions are my own.
the stories were hit or miss for me, I did enjoy many but some were so ambiguous, in a way that just felt too confusing.
a few of my favourite stories were:
- Oh What A Tangled Web, this was gross, fast paced, and I was a full book written out of this short story.
-So Lovely In The Dark, I'm not sure I fully get it but it was a good time.
-Skeleton Bird Song, I'm still thinking about this one.
-The Mom From Upstairs, this gave me Goosebumps vibes and I'm not mad about it.
-Special Medicine, WTF!! but felt cathartic.
-Your Mothers Love Is An Apocalypse, strange and reflective.
I knew this book had poetry going in, but for some reason I was expecting there to be a little more short stories over poems so this is on me. I'm not a big poetry reader, I struggle with them and I always feel like I'm just missing something. That was the case here, this is just a personal opinion but I did not care for most of them, the two poems I did enjoy were:
-Mother Bead
-Sometimes Its Hard To Let Go
Thank you to Netgalley and Black Spot books for sharing a digital copy, as always opinions are my own.
April 16, 2024
What an incredible anthology of mom-related horror stories and poems! SERIOUSLY some fun, scary, and sad stories here ranging all the emotions. And this cover really speaks to me and gives me mother/grandmother vibes growing up. Each story had its own THING that made it a standout. And regardless of any emotion, I was creeped out or irked every time as well. These stories just have a vibe that makes me slightly uncomfortable, but in the way I hope as a reader. AND SOME GORE HERE, TOO! YES! We need more mother-related horror in the book world!
April 18, 2024
*I received an eARC in exchange for my honest review.”
A solid Short Horror Anthology by many different female authors.
Like all anthologies, there were stories that really worked for me and some that just didn’t quite land. However, I did enjoy many more than I didn’t. It’s also just a preference of what types of horror are preferred.
The standout five stars and my favorites were:
“Oh, What a Tangled Web” - classic, at least for me. Probably one of my tops for the whole collection.
“Skeleton Bird Song” - such a unique one that utterly horrified me.
“The Mom from Upstairs” - this one was just weird. Reminded me of Coraline in ways.
“Within the Pink Paisley Walls” - I read this one before bed and I actually had nightmares, something that never happens from books!
“Special Medicine” - disturbing
“The Tired Mom Smoothie” - this one made me chuckle more than anything from its disturbing nature.
The rest of the collection was still good, but those would be my standouts. I was surprised that of them all, I adore Rachel Harrison’s novels, but I was meh on her contribution. It felt far less horror and more bang you in the head commentary on what classifies motherhood. Weird story, but I wanted less obvious theme and more story.
I could have also done without the poems, but that’s a personal preference. I just would have rather had a few more authors of short stories than the poems.
Overall, I’m rather excited to have a couple new authors to watch out for and already ordered one book from one and this is definitely a great collection of Mother Horror.
A solid Short Horror Anthology by many different female authors.
Like all anthologies, there were stories that really worked for me and some that just didn’t quite land. However, I did enjoy many more than I didn’t. It’s also just a preference of what types of horror are preferred.
The standout five stars and my favorites were:
“Oh, What a Tangled Web” - classic, at least for me. Probably one of my tops for the whole collection.
“Skeleton Bird Song” - such a unique one that utterly horrified me.
“The Mom from Upstairs” - this one was just weird. Reminded me of Coraline in ways.
“Within the Pink Paisley Walls” - I read this one before bed and I actually had nightmares, something that never happens from books!
“Special Medicine” - disturbing
“The Tired Mom Smoothie” - this one made me chuckle more than anything from its disturbing nature.
The rest of the collection was still good, but those would be my standouts. I was surprised that of them all, I adore Rachel Harrison’s novels, but I was meh on her contribution. It felt far less horror and more bang you in the head commentary on what classifies motherhood. Weird story, but I wanted less obvious theme and more story.
I could have also done without the poems, but that’s a personal preference. I just would have rather had a few more authors of short stories than the poems.
Overall, I’m rather excited to have a couple new authors to watch out for and already ordered one book from one and this is definitely a great collection of Mother Horror.
August 2, 2024
This was fantastic! My favorite stories are 'Skeleton Bird Song', ' Oh, What A Tangled Web', 'Mother, Daemon, Ghost', and 'The Mom From Upstairs' but I enjoyed them all and they all are excellent and unique. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys horror. Special Thank You to all the authors, Black Spot Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 18, 2025
Once again I found myself enjoying the concept more than the actual short stories in this collection. There was couple really good ones but others were either very average or just not interesting. I'm also not the biggest poetry fan, but enjoyed couple of them as well.
Overall expected a lot more.
Overall expected a lot more.
May 9, 2025
3.5/5
Some stories were better than others - it was a bit uneven at places
Some stories were better than others - it was a bit uneven at places
May 6, 2024
I was very excited about this collection - brilliant theme and such an impressive array of contributors - but it turned out to be so terribly disappointing. We have 27 short stories and poems, I believe, and out of all these I only enjoyed (and really, really liked) TWO STORIES. I did skip the poems, because I simply had no interest in them and even skim reading some of them only confirmed that I don't want to read them. I'm not sure if I was actually aware there were many poems included in this before I bought the book.
Anyway, most stories were very forgettable, some were gory and disgusting but not in the way I normally like in my horror; they were just gruesome to add shock value which did nothing for their stories or to execute the theme well. Some were so abstract, they left me with 'what did I just read' impression. THEN, however, we have Rachel Harrison's "Dog Mom" which has the best writing in the entire collection. Fair, I've read everything by Harrison and I've thoroughly enjoyed her other short fiction, but this story was just fun, gripping, dark and full of empathy. Excellent! "Cookie Baby" by Laura Cranehill, an author unknown to me, was brilliant - again, it invoked the same emotions and was just so well executed. I also quite liked "The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke MacKenzie, but that's about it. I hope other readers will enjoy it more, because based on the premise alone this could have been be so fascinating to read.
Anyway, most stories were very forgettable, some were gory and disgusting but not in the way I normally like in my horror; they were just gruesome to add shock value which did nothing for their stories or to execute the theme well. Some were so abstract, they left me with 'what did I just read' impression. THEN, however, we have Rachel Harrison's "Dog Mom" which has the best writing in the entire collection. Fair, I've read everything by Harrison and I've thoroughly enjoyed her other short fiction, but this story was just fun, gripping, dark and full of empathy. Excellent! "Cookie Baby" by Laura Cranehill, an author unknown to me, was brilliant - again, it invoked the same emotions and was just so well executed. I also quite liked "The Tired Mom Smoothie" by Brooke MacKenzie, but that's about it. I hope other readers will enjoy it more, because based on the premise alone this could have been be so fascinating to read.
March 25, 2024
Mother Horror should be a sub genre. I find being a mother and having a mother can sometimes be horrific. These are tales about the complicated relationship between child and mother and how it can go morbidly wrong.
My favorites:
Oh What a Tangled Web by Tanya Pell
Marnie is her mother’s caregiver and things go wrong when she can’t find the milk her mother loves. Things get even more weird when the cops show up and Marnie invites them in.
The House Mother by Kristi DeMeester
Marion is the new house mother for a sorority and takes her pledge very seriously. Is it weird that she tried to get a bid to the same sorority and didn’t succeed? Maybe. Is it weird that she find a secret hole to spy on the sisters? Most definitely.
Never Love, No Room for Monsters by Jill Baguchinsky
A monster story with actual monsters under the bed. But the real monster is the mother who refused to help her daughter overcome the monsters, in order to make her strong. Love the ending!
Great stories! Perfect for Mother’s Day.
My favorites:
Oh What a Tangled Web by Tanya Pell
Marnie is her mother’s caregiver and things go wrong when she can’t find the milk her mother loves. Things get even more weird when the cops show up and Marnie invites them in.
The House Mother by Kristi DeMeester
Marion is the new house mother for a sorority and takes her pledge very seriously. Is it weird that she tried to get a bid to the same sorority and didn’t succeed? Maybe. Is it weird that she find a secret hole to spy on the sisters? Most definitely.
Never Love, No Room for Monsters by Jill Baguchinsky
A monster story with actual monsters under the bed. But the real monster is the mother who refused to help her daughter overcome the monsters, in order to make her strong. Love the ending!
Great stories! Perfect for Mother’s Day.
August 28, 2025
Overall I thought it was good - most of the stories were very strong but there were a couple that could have used clearer writing (the one with Stacie and Lorna comes to mind). I did think most of the poetry was pretty weak, but that might be a matter of preference. A few stories were triggering but cathartic which I think makes for the best horror! That said, I don’t think any particular story blew my socks off as something that has never been done before.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 16, 2024
I don’t know what I was expecting, but this collection was not it. I’m realizing now how right my professors were when they tried to hammer into our brains that the short story is an art, not just a long story that has a smaller word count.
So many of these pieces had the potential to be incredible, but fell short at the end or didn’t know what they wanted to be. There were also way too many “poems,” which—as I’ve made my feelings quite clear—are just two paragraphs that have weird page breaks and stunted rhythm to give the illusion of poetry.
And I know this is mean, but I’m going to give special hate to Buttons by Emily Holi. I’m not sure if she really likes Hercule Poirot or if she just completed her first French lesson in Duolingo, but what possessed her to include the randomest, stupidest phrases in French for absolutely no reason at all? I’m not going to spend ten minutes typing every single article + noun combination into Google translate. And you know what? It didn’t even make a difference. Because l’histoire was la plus stupide thing I’ve ever had la malheur of reading. It gave “Oh, I just spent two weeks in Par-ee!” and then proceeds to hack a loogie on you when pronouncing “baguette.” Also, was the whole grilled cheese thing supposed to be funny? The author’s bio says she’s a ~grilled cheese connoisseur~ and, believe it or not, my ability to understand context clues is honed enough to know that “du pain et du fromage” means bread and cheese. And what was up with the buttons and the letters indicating she was missing and sticking her in a hole? Whatever. It was just a stupid waste of time that pissed me off to no end because I know for a FACT that whatever dumb sentences she threw in there were some present-tense, Google translated BS that the author hehehe’d at while adding it to her stupid story.
I’ll keep this rest of this review short. Mother Knows Best would have been okay, but the aforementioned crap that bulked out this anthology literally dropped it to two stars. I hope you’re happy, Emily Holi!!!! So, if you don’t want to waste your time, skip all but these gems:
Oh, What a Tangled Web by Tanya Pell – this had me GAGGED
Mother, Daemon, Ghost by Stephanie M. Wytovich – creeped me out so bad that I had to turn my nightlight on LOL
The Mom from Upstairs by Teagan Olivia Sturmer – just read this. It gave major vibes.
Special Medicine by Meg Hafdahl – such a clever twist! I wasn’t in love with the ending, but the atmosphere was great.
Never Love, No Room for Monsters by Jill Baguchinsky – I liked the pacing a lot in this one, as well as the main character.
New Again by Christi Nogle. Ugghhhh so GOOD. I wish this could have been a full-length novel and YES I know that you can’t just make a short story into a novel, but it was so brilliant and creepy and heartbreaking. Loved loved loved it.
So many of these pieces had the potential to be incredible, but fell short at the end or didn’t know what they wanted to be. There were also way too many “poems,” which—as I’ve made my feelings quite clear—are just two paragraphs that have weird page breaks and stunted rhythm to give the illusion of poetry.
And I know this is mean, but I’m going to give special hate to Buttons by Emily Holi. I’m not sure if she really likes Hercule Poirot or if she just completed her first French lesson in Duolingo, but what possessed her to include the randomest, stupidest phrases in French for absolutely no reason at all? I’m not going to spend ten minutes typing every single article + noun combination into Google translate. And you know what? It didn’t even make a difference. Because l’histoire was la plus stupide thing I’ve ever had la malheur of reading. It gave “Oh, I just spent two weeks in Par-ee!” and then proceeds to hack a loogie on you when pronouncing “baguette.” Also, was the whole grilled cheese thing supposed to be funny? The author’s bio says she’s a ~grilled cheese connoisseur~ and, believe it or not, my ability to understand context clues is honed enough to know that “du pain et du fromage” means bread and cheese. And what was up with the buttons and the letters indicating she was missing and sticking her in a hole? Whatever. It was just a stupid waste of time that pissed me off to no end because I know for a FACT that whatever dumb sentences she threw in there were some present-tense, Google translated BS that the author hehehe’d at while adding it to her stupid story.
I’ll keep this rest of this review short. Mother Knows Best would have been okay, but the aforementioned crap that bulked out this anthology literally dropped it to two stars. I hope you’re happy, Emily Holi!!!! So, if you don’t want to waste your time, skip all but these gems:
Oh, What a Tangled Web by Tanya Pell – this had me GAGGED
Mother, Daemon, Ghost by Stephanie M. Wytovich – creeped me out so bad that I had to turn my nightlight on LOL
The Mom from Upstairs by Teagan Olivia Sturmer – just read this. It gave major vibes.
Special Medicine by Meg Hafdahl – such a clever twist! I wasn’t in love with the ending, but the atmosphere was great.
Never Love, No Room for Monsters by Jill Baguchinsky – I liked the pacing a lot in this one, as well as the main character.
New Again by Christi Nogle. Ugghhhh so GOOD. I wish this could have been a full-length novel and YES I know that you can’t just make a short story into a novel, but it was so brilliant and creepy and heartbreaking. Loved loved loved it.
May 27, 2024
Upon perusing this anthology of tales, I was struck by a plethora of unsettling emotions. The narratives evoked deep sorrow, where the weight of grief led to unspeakable horrors. Some provoked a visceral reaction, causing me to feel as though insects were crawling beneath my skin. Still others were simply deranged from the outset, leaving me in a state of constant unease, unsure of what would transpire on the next page or even within the next sentence.
The focal point of this collection, centered around mothers who typically embody comfort and nurturing, assuming twisted and macabre roles, only adds to the disturbing and enthralling nature of the book. With its diverse range of eerie themes, from cursed lipstick to sinister dolls, from visceral gore to spine-tingling frights, there is something to captivate every reader within these pages.
Each story flows seamlessly, captivating my attention and eliciting a rollercoaster of emotions - suspense, shock, and anxious anticipation of what horrors lie ahead. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a chilling and gripping read to satisfy their craving for horror.
(Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
The focal point of this collection, centered around mothers who typically embody comfort and nurturing, assuming twisted and macabre roles, only adds to the disturbing and enthralling nature of the book. With its diverse range of eerie themes, from cursed lipstick to sinister dolls, from visceral gore to spine-tingling frights, there is something to captivate every reader within these pages.
Each story flows seamlessly, captivating my attention and eliciting a rollercoaster of emotions - suspense, shock, and anxious anticipation of what horrors lie ahead. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone seeking a chilling and gripping read to satisfy their craving for horror.
(Disclaimer: I received an advanced reader copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)
October 30, 2024
This dark anthology explores the horrors of toxic maternal relationships through 27 diverse pieces spanning short stories, poems, and flash fiction. Its greatest strength lies in how it subverts the idealized mother figure, examining themes of control, identity, and generational trauma through a horror lens. Some pieces cover similar ground in terms of maternal control/abuse themes.
However, the stand-out pieces for me that offered fresh perspectives were a poem by Renee Cronley, A Broken Inheritance and the short story Dog Mom by Rachel Harrison. The publication is a great way to discover new talent.
However, the stand-out pieces for me that offered fresh perspectives were a poem by Renee Cronley, A Broken Inheritance and the short story Dog Mom by Rachel Harrison. The publication is a great way to discover new talent.
May 10, 2025
I’m bummed to say this anthology fell flat for me.
I was really excited to read work from new to me authors but the only stories I enjoyed were from some of my already favorite authors like Tanya Pell, Rachel Harrison and Jill Baguchinksy.
I love a good ambiguous story but a majority of these ones had no clear meaning, at all. I had no idea what the authors were attempting to portray. And when I pick up a book expecting horror stories about evil Mothers, I guess I just wanted more.
I will say I’m glad I got to check out work from authors I’ve never heard of before and all the writing styles were good so I will read their other work.
I was really excited to read work from new to me authors but the only stories I enjoyed were from some of my already favorite authors like Tanya Pell, Rachel Harrison and Jill Baguchinksy.
I love a good ambiguous story but a majority of these ones had no clear meaning, at all. I had no idea what the authors were attempting to portray. And when I pick up a book expecting horror stories about evil Mothers, I guess I just wanted more.
I will say I’m glad I got to check out work from authors I’ve never heard of before and all the writing styles were good so I will read their other work.
August 10, 2025
I’ve had the BEST luck with short story collections this year! Normally I’m iffy about them but the ones I’ve read this year, including this one, have just about convinced me. This collection is particular was absolutely freaking PERFECT. I sat down to read a story or two before bed and before I knew it, it was 3am and I had finished the whole damn book. Every story was just bloody brilliant, I loved each one more than the last and I can’t recommend this collection highly enough!
January 20, 2024
An interesting mix of shorts and poems to paint the picture of so many ways mothers can be a horror. Controlling, manipulating, devouring.
I was happy to see Caitlin Marceau and Rachel Harrison work included and enjoyed the stories by several other authors (tangled web, mom upstairs, special medicine).
I will admit I didn’t fully understand every story though - that might be just the reality of reading shorts or more likely I just didn’t “get it”. I think others will enjoy it though so worth the read and no doubt will find some new authors to follow.
I was happy to see Caitlin Marceau and Rachel Harrison work included and enjoyed the stories by several other authors (tangled web, mom upstairs, special medicine).
I will admit I didn’t fully understand every story though - that might be just the reality of reading shorts or more likely I just didn’t “get it”. I think others will enjoy it though so worth the read and no doubt will find some new authors to follow.
December 4, 2023
A fantastic anthology of creepy and gory mother horror.
Each story/poem is fast paced and keeps you hooked from start to finish! Loved how there were poems in between the short stories too.
Recommend for fans of: horror anthologies, mother horror, fast paced treads.
Each story/poem is fast paced and keeps you hooked from start to finish! Loved how there were poems in between the short stories too.
Recommend for fans of: horror anthologies, mother horror, fast paced treads.
May 19, 2025
Short story anthologies always tend to go middle of the road for me. I wasn't expecting so much poetry, which isn't really for me. Some hit, some didn't...
February 22, 2024
This was an absolute gem! The tales and poems of maternal horror, of shocking atrocities, had me hooked with every piece. Some were more entertaining than others, but overall this was an extremely enjoyable anthology!
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