Flowers from the Void

by Gianni Washington

In this debut story collection, Gianni Washington opens portals bridging the strange and the lonely to the gruesome and the intimate.

Thirteen dark tales are told through the lenses of Black, female, and queer narrators, among others, which burrow deep into the heart of the gothic to challenge the conventional nightmare. Flowers from the Void unburies a haunted labyrinth of chilling alternate realities eerily similar to our own.

A high school freshman is lured into a sinister pact with a classmate that will cost him more than he could ever imagine. A grieving African witch prepares for initiation into a 17th century Salem coven of white women. A girl with no shadow befriends one.

Empathy and horrors collide to create a grimy discomfort that will never quite wash off. Otherworldly creatures, malevolent acts, and devastation consume these pages as Gianni Washington resurrects the skeletons in our closets and commands them to run amuck with a new zest for the macabre.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy, Magic, Queer, Magical Realism

232 pages, Paperback

First published May 2, 2024

Reviews

[Jillian B · Rating 4 out of 5]

These were some of the most genuinely creepy stories I’ve read in a long time. I got that uneasy, chills-up-my-spine feeling and it was so fun. As with pretty much every collection, not every story was a banger, but I would say a solid 75% of them were great. What’s unique about this collection is that there’s an overarching frame narrative tying the diverse stories together that is revealed through an introduction, interlude and conclusion. Overall, this collection was outstanding and I look forward to reading more of the author’s work.

[Leo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got this for review from netgalley.
There where some stories that really griped me and I very much liked others didn't stick. But it was well written but as its easy with short story collections some where higher and some didn't hit as much. But the ones I really liked where 4 stars.

[Weneedtotalkaboutbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original, haunting, and gorgeously written collection of disturbing short stories, perfect for fans of “Eyes guts throat bones” by Moïra Fowley-Doyle and “Life ceremony” by Sayaka Murata. If that’s your vibe, you simply must add Flowers from the void to your TBR.

The characters in these stories felt very real and incredibly human, even when they weren’t. They explore themes of loss and loneliness, and the limits of empathy and intimacy, in this unsettling journey into the darkest aspects of human nature.

I’m quite sensitive to how a story is written, and Washington’s lyrical and evocative writing style worked perfectly for me, and will stay with me for a long time. I should have highlighted the best sentences, because there were many passages that made me stop to re-read them, such was their pull on my heart strings.

My absolute favourite stories from this collection are: “Under your skin” and “Take it from me”. I’ve also really enjoyed “In between” and “When I cry, it’s somebody else’s blood”.

As someone that doesn’t naturally gravitate towards short story collections, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed reading them. Safe to say: I can’t wait to read what Washington will write next! I will be recommending Flower from the void to every horror fan that will listen, particularly who prefers literary, weird and cosmic horror.

4.5/5 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 (rounded down on goodreads)

P.s. thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy, and thanks to the bookish friends that read it together with me

🌸💀🌸

[Queralt✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’re doing well out there. Better than I had hoped. Perhaps your own hurts have taught you something.

I didn't love this as much as I'd liked, but I struggle with short stories so keep that in mind. Flowers from the Void is a collection of dark short stories (some horror, some just dark) that I found to be very creative, gorgeously written, and (academically speaking) creepy as fuck.

The ending of Under Your Skin was hella creepy. My favorite stories were Hold Still (don't call me Ma lol yikes) and Barroom Blessings which made me feel a roller coaster of emotions in less than 15 pages. There's also a story about human orbs... with an eye-stealing maniac.

I'm hoping for a full-length novel by the author! 3.5 rounded up cuz it's a debut, I loved the writing (and how original the stories were!), and THE COVERRRRR.

[Rhea Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting collection, it certainly made me think.
I don’t know that I loved them all (but that is the risk with a short story collection), but I do feel better for having read them.
I feel like I’ve been exposed to new ideas, and challenged a bit while reading. Some stories I would start and be annoyed by, and all of a sudden there would be a change and I would be completely invested. Definitely worth reading for fans of sci-fi and horror.

[Kira · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark collection of short stories that transports you to absurd, suffocating and terrifying realms. From chilling immortality, to an eyeball collecting creature, to a shadowless child’s haunting, this collection expanded and continued to surprise until the very last page. A formidable debut that shows great talent for capturing the weird and wonderful.

[thevampireslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whilst this is a diverse collection with an array of different themes/tropes to appeal to many, each of these stories excels in creating a gothic atmopshere dripping in dread, its hard to miss the clear raw emotion crafted into each one, incredibly evocative and thought provoking these are stories that linger and fester long after the final page has turned

[Milt Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gianni Washington's collection of short stories are wide-ranging, well-written, and creepy enough to merit every horror fan's attention - and every lover of good fiction as well. What they are lacking is atmosphere and dialogue, but they more than make up for it with terrific imagery, good pacing, and interesting premises throughout. The collection is obviously brimming with talent and heart. I liked all the stories, they're original and crafted with an eye to detail which will please all intelligent, experienced readers who enjoy reading between the lines. There's body horror, supernatural elements galore, and wichcraft, though a lot of the stories may also be characterized as (very) dark fantasy. My favorites were "Under Your Skin," about a sort of friendship which takes a very dark and sick turn, revolving around violence and teen angst, with a really unexpected and hair-raising ending, "In Between," a really unsettling story about a girl and her (lack of) shadow, and "Take It From Me," an amazing body horror story unlike anything I've read before. If you're into horror and good, descriptive writing, this collection is a must-read!

[taylor ⛅️ ann wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, NetGalley for this advanced readers copy of Flowers From The Void by Gianni Washington!

This short story was INCREDIBLE. I can't say this enough, if you are a fan of Horror or want to dive more into the genre, you *need* to read this short story collection.
The two I loved most were: Go, It Is The Sending & Under Your Skin.
I grew to care so much for each world and character that I wished they had their own novel!
The writing was phenomenal!

Some of them were less impactful than others, but even those I feel will haunt me. This was a chilling and disturbing collection-- in the BEST way possible.

I look forward to reading my by Gianni Washington in the future!
4.75 ⭐️ (rounded up)

[Rich Rosell · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I love short story compilations often times I am underwhelmed, especially when it is from an author that I really like. There's an art to short stories, and it is obviously more difficult than it would appear.

In this instance Gianni Washington is new to me so I had no preconceptions, but holy crow this collection of bleak shorts is really fucking excellent. Washington nails the format for starters, but it is the content that is to be praised here. The tales show wonderful imagination and the ability to morph human fraility and feelings into such page-turning dark fiction.

Truly an unexpected gem that I would never have discovered had it not been for my monthly Night Worms subscription box. And now I look forward to more from Washington....

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Take It From Me', one of the strongest stories in Flowers From The Void, Gianni Washington's debut collection, is set in a world where emotional damage causes physical damage, so if, for example, you suffer a bad break-up, you might lose an arm or a strip of skin. This gives a fair idea of what Washington's stories are like. They tend to lean into the body horror, although not gruesomely enough to put me off - I'd compare the level of gore to Sayaka Murata's creepy stories in Life Ceremony.  Washington's ideas are great and, unlike some short story collections I've read, almost all the stories feel distinctive. The most successful ones, though, are where she gives herself enough space to explore the uncanny central focus, as she does in 'Hold Still', where a man finds that time keeps freezing for him after he awakes from a coma, 'Under Your Skin', where a lonely teenage boy finally makes a friend of his own age but doesn't clock that something is really wrong, and 'Go, It Is The Sending', about a Black African witch trying to get admitted to an exclusive white coven in Salem. Unfortunately, many of the other stories are cut short almost as soon as the premise is established. Washington's prose can be absolutely on point - 'her sobs eat every sound in the room' - but sometimes becomes a bit wordy, which adds to the sense that these stories pack in the filler before getting to the point. For this reason, I'd love to see her write a novel, as almost any of these tales could be fruitfully developed into something much longer. 3.5 stars.

I received a free proof copy of this collection from the publisher for review. 

[Chanel Chapters]

Seeing life through another’s eyes and leaving parts of yourself with those you loved.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prelude: The Glass Terminal - 5 stars
Redemption Express - Loved it, 5 stars
Go, it is the Sending - 3 stars
Under Your Skin - Disturbing, 4 stars
Hold Still - 3 stars
When I Cry, It's Somebody Else's Blood - 3.5 stars
Intermission - 4 stars
In Between - 4 stars
Homunculus - 4 stars
Take it From Me - very weird, 4 stars
Barroom Blessings - 3.5 stars
Mr. Hide - 3.5 stars
Epilogue: And Now, Back to Your Regularly Scheduled... - 3 stars

Average 3.8 stars
Very imaginative stories, some are pretty disturbing, some are just confusing. Overall I enjoyed reading this collection.

[LX · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review!

3 stars!

I sadly didn’t love this as much I had hoped but one story I really liked which was Under Your Skin. I got really invested into Phillip’s story and character and could easily read a full length story from that.

I loved how the collection was written, it was well done and had really great descriptions that created a fantastic atmosphere while reading, I just sadly didn’t get invested in all of the stories as I did with Under Your Skin.

[Greg S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice collection of creepy horror/adjacent short stories. They’re easily readable and varied. The star of the show here is the author’s imagination: there’s misunderstood alien monsters, a high grim reaper, and a coven of witches. My favourite was one of the subtler stories - Hold Still - where a man’s mother-in-law takes advantage of his stalling brain following a brain injury. It’s creepy and very effective.

[Rachel M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good collection of weird and wonderful horror. Some of these stories though did go a little over my head, there were a couple that dragged and I didn’t really know what the story was. But saying that there were also some great ones that I really enjoyed.

[Tracey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not exaggerating when I say about five stories into this collection, I reached out to the writer, Gianni Washington, on IG, and told her the stories in Flowers from the Void were “Stephen King-level great”. This is one collection worth getting excited about, my fellow short story lovers.

One of the many things I loved about this book is there is a prologue, providing a context to these dark tales. As a lifelong lover of the Twilight Zone, this terrifying intro quickly let me know that I was in safe, deft hands.

Redemption Express involves a stoned grim reaper, bringing explosive vengeance. Go, It Is the Sending is a long, lush tale of grief and community, that ends in unexpected triumph.

Under Your Skin is a story with strong Stephen King vibes. A boy makes a strange pact with his bully, and things take an incredibly weird turn. The quality of writing in this story is incredible; Washington perfectly captures the uncanniness of teenage relationships.

Hold Still is another beautifully unconventional story. A man returns to his family home in a wheelchair after spending months in a coma, where he finds his mother-in-law has taken up residence. The dynamic gets very strange, and that’s just the start of the weirdness…

When I Cry, It's Somebody Else's Blood features a creature overlooking a village, growing curious about the inhabitants therein. We also have a girl without a shadow in In Between. And people literally lose pieces of themselves through sadness in Take It From Me.

The quality and variety of these stories is outstanding. I am very excited about Gianni Washington.

[Emma Siemer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this evocative horror anthology. Each story is strong and could stand independently, which speaks to Washington’s writing talent. “Take It From Me” was the clear standout from this collection and is a piece I will revisit.
(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

[Bryony · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for sending it my way.

Unfortunately this one isn't for me, the short stories were just a bit boring, and even now having read the second half of the book in two days I just can't remember them. I'm sure it will appeal to other readers, just not one for me

[Huntly · Rating 2 out of 5]

the interludes were the scariest parts for me and otherwise found myself skimming/not getting invested

[Ailey | Bisexual Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This is out now in the US from CLASH Books.

Flowers from the Void, Gianni Washington’s debut short story collection, is a hauntingly immersive exploration of the macabre, rife with moments that will leave you unsettled long after you've finished reading. From puppet-masters to bodysnatchers, ghosts, and immortal teenagers, each story unfolds with an eerie sense of doom, often tinged with dark humor that offsets the creeping horror.

Washington excels at crafting deeply introspective, atmospheric narratives where characters are perpetually searching—be it for identity, belonging, autonomy, or simply a moment of peace. Yet, these searches rarely culminate in happy endings. Instead, Washington invites us into worlds where getting what we want doesn’t erase the past and transformation often comes at a harrowing cost.

One of the standout stories in the collection, “Under Your Skin,” follows biracial teen Phillip, who craves visibility in a world that overlooks him. When his strange white classmate Martin offers to beat him up to gain attention, Phillip finds himself in a dangerous arrangement that leads him to Martin’s peculiar family, headed by a mortician father searching for an embalming fluid that will prolong preservation. The tension is palpable, and Washington’s ability to blend horror with a deep exploration of identity makes this story both unsettling and thought-provoking.

Another favorite, “When I Cry, It’s Somebody Else’s Blood,” dives into the bizarre and grotesque, as an alien crash-lands on Earth and begins collecting human eyeballs out of curiosity. What begins as a grotesque fascination with human anatomy transforms into a philosophical musing on memory and identity when the alien places one of the collected eyes in its own head, unlocking the memories of the person it belonged to. The story is as chilling as it is poignant, showcasing Washington’s ability to balance absurdity with a quiet emotional weight.

The collection’s exploration of emotional and physical transformation continues in “Take It From Me,” where Imelda’s body physically falls apart due to the emotional toll of failed relationships. In this world, emotional pain has a visceral impact, and Imelda’s disintegration mirrors her fractured sense of self. However, through mysterious packages that deliver replacement body parts, Imelda begins to reclaim her agency, reminding readers of the resilience required to heal and rebuild after loss.

Washington’s writing is poetic and immersive, weaving between reality and the uncanny with a lyrical ease that makes each story feel deeply reflective. Her fragmented, introspective sentences, often brimming with metaphor, evoke the existential and philosophical questions that linger just beneath the surface of her tales. Themes of identity, loss, and transformation pervade this collection, with characters constantly grappling with the tension between loneliness and the desire for connection.

While some stories in Flowers from the Void may feel slow-paced, their cumulative effect is powerful. Washington’s deft hand at crafting atmospheres of creeping dread and poignant resolution makes this collection an ideal read for fans of horror that lingers in the mind long after the final page. If you loved the body horror of Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova, this collection is a must-read. Perfect for the Halloween season, Flowers from the Void will leave you both unnerved and introspective, wondering just how much of yourself you’re willing to lose in the search for belonging.

📖 Recommended For: Fans of atmospheric horror with a slow-burn, readers who appreciate introspective, poetic prose, anyone intrigued by existential questions and eerie transformations, lovers of macabre short stories, fans of Monstrilio by Gerardo Sámano Córdova.

🔑 Key Themes: Identity and Belonging, Mortality and Immortality, Loneliness and Intimacy, Emotional and Physical Transformation, Fate and Memory.

Content / Trigger Warnings: Drug Use (moderate), Mental Illness (minor), Gore (moderate), Animal Death (minor), Self-Harm (moderate), Fire/Fire Injury (moderate), Death of Parent (minor), Bullying (minor), Violence (minor), Abandonment (minor), Sexual Content (minor), Alcohol (minor), Blood (moderate), Injury/Injury Detail (moderate).

[Caitlin Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to love this. I wanted to be enthralled by each story but I wasn't. Some were good and there were a few real stand-outs but mostly they felt unfinished.

Another reviewer ranked each story and I think that's an interesting way for me to go about it also...reviewing each not ranking them:

1. Prelude: The Glass Terminal - effectively creepy and definitely set the stage for what I hoped would be equally eerie stories to follow. This left me with questions but not in a "this story is incomplete" way. The final line - "Tell me everything." - was so unsettling.

2. Redemption Express - The story collection proper kicked off with this one and I enjoyed it. I like stories about the afterlife - be it heaven or hell - and the society developed in it. I like the idea that there are still jobs for souls to do after they've shuffled off - or been divested of - the mortal coil. This was no exception. While I did want to know more, I wasn't left with a feeling of incompletion.

3. Go, It Is The Sending - This one was excellent. The concept and execution were nearly flawless IMO and I liked the introduction of queer characters early on in the collection.

4. Under Your Skin - This one was gross. I didn't care for the story or the characters. I was constantly asking WHY? Why would Martin doom someone else to the truly miserable existence he lives? All in all not the worst in the collection but not my fave.

5. Hold Still - This started off one way and ended another. It was, to me, jumbled and felt like the author couldn't decide between 2 stories to tell so combined them. Neither of them was satisfying and the ending was anti-climactic.

6. When I Cry, It's Somebody Else's Blood - I actively hated this one. Like really disliked it. It was too gross for me with the eyes. Hard pass.

7. Intermission - I feel like I did not understand this one at all. Either that or it just wasn't good. This definitely felt incomplete to me.

8. In Between - This was a good one. I really liked that there was never an explanation as to why Isley didn't have a shadow and where Avery came from. The concept of Avery occupying human bodies in order to have a physical relationship with Isley was clever as well as horrifying.

9. Homunculus - This was an interesting idea but, again, felt incomplete. Good premise but more could have been done with it.

10. Take It From Me - SUCH A WEIRD STORY. Very intriguing and original but left me with MANY questions though, unlike some of the other stories, this seemed intentional so it didn't bother me as much.

11. Barroom Blessings - I was invested in this one right away and then it just ended....completely unsatisfactorily so. Unfortunately, that ruined it for me.

12. Mr. Hide - Hands down my favorite one. This read more like social commentary and I was here for it. While many of the other stories could also be described as such, this one didn't (to me) lead as horror with a hidden message of social commentary. I read it as how society gives rise to horror for individuals and the lengths to which people will go to protect their hearts. Really well done.

13. Epilogue: And Now, Back To Your Regularly Scheduled... - I wish the author hadn't come full circle back to the prologue story. The unexplained prologue was creepy and weird and this kind of took away from that. Another great ending line, though, that almost saved it.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Each strike landed like a stone. Phillip only became soft afterward, when fluids rushed to inflate him until every bruise rested on a cushion of swollen tissue. The rest of him was smeared with blood. Martin seemed to revel in every hemorrhage, cupping puddles of it in his hands before wiping them onto his own shirt. Making art of Phillip's life force."

Flowers from the Void is an interesting little story collection that contains a lot of genuinely creepy and spine-chilling tales. Each of these stories comes packed with a heavy, thick, almost cloying sense of unease and a disturbing, almost quiet sort of violence simmers just below the surface of this novel. Each of these stories are just, so, so very sad, they're so unnerving and completely horrific. This is absolutely more of a muted, and silent sort of horror rather than one that screams right in your face, but, each story is so well written, so beautifully crafted and utterly impactful, that, no matter the kind of horror reader you are, there's something for you here. Flowers from the Void is intensely evocative, it's like staring into the blackest of nights when you have nowhere to go, it's like letting the waves drag you further and further from the shore.

These are strange, weird tales. They're vague, bizarre little vignette like stories that offer us a glimpse into the gaping maw of the macabre and depraved. It's incredibly rare to see such a diverse and wide-ranging story collection offered up by just one author, in Flowers from the Void, Gianni weaves so many stories with so much heart, that, it creates a brutal snarling beast of a novel. It's such a gut-wrenching reading experience, and it can't be stressed strongly enough how wonderful this collection really is - the love that Gianni has for the craft of storytelling is lavished across every single tale here, his prose is lyrical and captivating and utterly perfect for this kind of hazy, subtle horror.

"His victims' last moments will play on an endless loop inside his head, and the devastating grief of their loved ones will seep in, steadily filling all the cracks in his knowing, until it spills from everywhere and he is drowning in it. His transparent teeth will crack against one another, and he will beg for silence. He will try to tear the flesh from his non-existent bones and gouge out eyes that are already gone."

This is just so, so haunting, so consuming, so completely and utterly suffocating and intense and interesting. There's a lot going on here, and pretty much all of it is fantastic but, the body horror elements in particular were sublime, it's quite simply an outstanding collection. As with any collection of stories, there are always the stories that hit harder than the others - Redemption Express and Under Your Skin were the stars of the show here, though, I couldn't find a single bad story at all. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this novel is that it's a debut written like the work of an author who's been in the game for a long time.

"I could watch the smoke curl in front of me forever, but he won't let me. He's shuffling this way now, slow but steady. His progress is almost painful to watch, but part of me is rooting for him."

[Jesse · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. There are a couple of stories that feel complete, but a lot of them feel to me like they're missing some essential explanation, some narrative filling in the gaps I felt at the story's end. Obviously, you don't always need to explain everything, but I made it through a number of these unsure as to the fundamental conceit, which detracts from my enjoyment and makes them feel unfinished. The ideas are often fantastic, especially the one with the teenage Dr. Frankenstein, and the one where the main character, and another who's surprising, can stop time; and the one where the girl has no shadow (though also, why? is there a larger something?); and the one where people's body parts fall off semi-randomly (as far as I understood what was happening), which read as a powerful literalization of male possessiveness. But then the story seems to say that actually this just...happens, which muddles the force of the metaphor for me. Is it meant to attack only immigrants? Unclear, since the protagonist apparently suffers this malady before she moves anywhere. That story stands for me as a synecdoche for the whole collection: I admire and appreciate Washington's angle of vision, and she makes clear her characters' race in a way that leaves open the degree to which their Blackness is meant to be central or entirely peripheral to their stories. That part feels like the most understated, and therefore most interesting, aspect of the collection--she herself seems to take varying stances as to how much the reader is meant to intuit a particular import of this factor in each story. But there were just too many gaps for me, too many places where the essential logic of a story did not get sufficient explanation. I'd imagine this is the most crucial line to draw in any kind of speculative fiction, that space between not-enough and too-much worldbuilding, and for me not enough of this found its way to or near the right place.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really strong short story collection— a perfect blend of horror, fantasy, gothic tales. I loved this and can't believe it's a debut!
•
For me, there were some stories that felt stronger than others but there was still something to love about all of them equally. The theme of the stories in this collection is loneliness and loss which I think Washington expertly conveyed. I was addicted to the writing style right from the start; it's almost lyrical, like reading poetry. A few of my favourite stories in this collection that I can't stop thinking about are Redemption Express, Under Your Skin and When I Cry, It's Someone Else's Blood. I love how the writer manages to encapsulate such a real human emotion such as loneliness and puts it in the form of monsters and very unhuman beings; this is the case with When I Cry, It's Someone Else's Blood which is what made that one of my favourites.
•
Overall, for someone who doesn't tend to run to short story collections, I really enjoyed Flowers from the Void and would highly recommend this to horror fans but also people who read fantasy and scifi. I think there'll be at least one story in this that will resonate with everyone, while also creeping you out reading them.

Thank you Serpents Tail for my advanced copy.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strong collection of weird lit fantasy/horror stories. I didn't always understand the stories on a symbolic level, but I always vibed with them.

I think my favorite story was Take It From Me - where people quite literally lose pieces of themselves in relationships. And Redemption Express was weirdly fun - I liked the juxtaposition of the dark subject matter told from the POV of a stoner demon/grim reaper. I have no words for Under Your Skin - there's no way that I could coherently summarize that plot.

Otherwise there are stories of witches, people freezing and glitching, Black Mirror-esque humanoids, make believe monsters, ...eyeball collectors. Yeah, there's a lot going on here.

I'm really glad I got to learn about this book's existence. I got an arc from NetGalley, but life got in the way and I ended up checking it out from the library to finish it. Regardless, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for putting this on my radar.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addictively strange and disturbing, Flowers From the Void is a collection of delectably uncanny tales. A reaper readies herself for her next gruesome assignment and a bereaved African witch prepares for a showdown with a rigidly traditional white Salem coven while an outcast teenage boy is lured into a pact with a schoolfriend that will cost him far more than he ever imagined.

Hauntingly macabre and piercingly insightful about loss and loneliness, these gothic short stories lead us into a labyrinth of other possible worlds, each one darker than the last and yet all fearfully close to our own. Living dolls serve as imperfect replacements for the deceased, a girl without a shadow finds her soulmate and spurned lovers' bodies begin falling to pieces. In this scintillating debut collection Gianni Washington explores the limit of intimacy and empathy with the vivid intensity of your worst nightmare.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this set of short stories - each one is compelling and different. Washington plays on classic horror tropes, from ghost stories to a modern Frankenstein's monster, while still having a fresh, inventive tale to tell in each chapter. Her writing is beautiful, especially when she's able to lean into the prose, but she also doesn't let that get in the way of a good story. Absolutely obsessed, cannot wait to read more from her.


***Review of a digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC). The text of an advance edition may differ slightly from the final market version that is distributed for sale. Received via Edelweiss.

[Lark Drapper · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good collection, don't get me wrong. But I feel like the amount of stories I enjoyed were outweighed by ones that I couldn't really bring myself to care about. I love horror, don't get me wrong. And I do feel like these stories are great for all sorts of different people. Unfortunately I just wasn't one of the people that they were a majority for. But that by all means does not mean it's a bad collection and I do recommend checking it out because there is such a variety that you're surely going to find something you enjoy. My personal favorite was "When I cry, it's someone else's blood."

Many thanks to NetGalley for an ARC for an unbiased review!

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Washington's collection offers a myriad of different types of horror, and I loved the mixture of writing styles overall. In particular, I liked the framing device presented at the beginning, middle, and end of the work -- it brought me back to classic horror anthologies. I also appreciated the diversity in the characters; to see so many prominent Black, queer, and female characters, and each allowed to be unique, was a breath of fresh air.

I didn't love every story, which is true of most short story collections, but the majority I enjoyed a lot. I would recommend this collection to anyone looking for some good, spooky tales with solid writing and characters.