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The Horror Zine's Book of Monster Stories
With an Introduction by Shirley Jackson Award-winner Gemma Files, this outstanding anthology of all things monstrous includes spine-chilling stories from Bentley Little, Simon Clark, Elizabeth Massie, Tim Waggoner, Sumiko Saulson, plus some of the best emerging horror writers working today.
“This anthology gives us a chilling glimpse at the dark and dangerous things prowling in the minds of some of today’s best horror writers.” – JG Faherty, author of Ragman and Songs in the Key of Death
“Throughout the pages are creepy tales by up-and-comers who you may have read, plus writers brand new to a horror reader’s discerning eye. Embark on a journey to the realm where monsters—familiar or unique—dwell. Highly recommended to horror aficionados obsessed with eldritch fiction—this one’s for you!” – Nancy Kilpatrick, author of Thrones of Blood Series and the Darker Passions series
“This anthology gives us a chilling glimpse at the dark and dangerous things prowling in the minds of some of today’s best horror writers.” – JG Faherty, author of Ragman and Songs in the Key of Death
“Throughout the pages are creepy tales by up-and-comers who you may have read, plus writers brand new to a horror reader’s discerning eye. Embark on a journey to the realm where monsters—familiar or unique—dwell. Highly recommended to horror aficionados obsessed with eldritch fiction—this one’s for you!” – Nancy Kilpatrick, author of Thrones of Blood Series and the Darker Passions series
389 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 26, 2024
24 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 13, 2024
**Free Copy from Hellbound Books Publishing in Exchange for an Honest Review.**
*CW/TW: Just be aware if you already have any fears, phobias, or are squeamish to basically everything this book WILL give you the creeps. To everyone without phobias… Good luck keeping it that way… Everything to be expected from a horrific monster novel.*
Known to me Authors included: Bentley Little, Tim Waggoner, Sumiko Saulson, etc.
New to me Authors Included: Tyler John Kasishke, Shawn Phelps, Elizabeth Masse, etc.
**Brief Review:**
In this Horror Zine there are multiple stories with many different monsters included to stick their claws and jaws into you… or your psyche!
Each story is its own little nightmare come to life. They all have the ability to get to you on a psychological level and leave you and your mind squirming.
I was amazed at how each author took on the same prompt of “monster” and created such unique stories that were each as unnerving as the monsters they tried to contain.
They were not just horrific for the sake of it, they had depth. Although the stories were short, you instantly cared about characters (or didn’t).
I love anthologies for the enjoyment of discovering new authors and cementing your love of others. Hopefully I’ll be a witness to more horrors from these authors soon.
*CW/TW: Just be aware if you already have any fears, phobias, or are squeamish to basically everything this book WILL give you the creeps. To everyone without phobias… Good luck keeping it that way… Everything to be expected from a horrific monster novel.*
Known to me Authors included: Bentley Little, Tim Waggoner, Sumiko Saulson, etc.
New to me Authors Included: Tyler John Kasishke, Shawn Phelps, Elizabeth Masse, etc.
**Brief Review:**
In this Horror Zine there are multiple stories with many different monsters included to stick their claws and jaws into you… or your psyche!
Each story is its own little nightmare come to life. They all have the ability to get to you on a psychological level and leave you and your mind squirming.
I was amazed at how each author took on the same prompt of “monster” and created such unique stories that were each as unnerving as the monsters they tried to contain.
They were not just horrific for the sake of it, they had depth. Although the stories were short, you instantly cared about characters (or didn’t).
I love anthologies for the enjoyment of discovering new authors and cementing your love of others. Hopefully I’ll be a witness to more horrors from these authors soon.
March 5, 2024
I have joined Black Tide Book Tours on a Book Tour for this collection of anthologies published by HellBound Books Publishing. Thank you for having me along!
What a large collection of stories! 31 stories in total, as a matter of fact. And I rated each one as I went along. 21 of these stories ended up being 4 stars or higher for me! 8 of those 21 being 5 stars.
If you like to be grossed out, feel like your skin is crawling, get hit by every trigger imaginable - especially insect and arachnid phobias, and witness some of the most bizarre monsters imaginable, then this anthology is for you. Seriously, there's some pretty creative monsters here, and some more recognizable cryptids.
I have an insect and arachnid phobia, and there were multiple stories revolving around them that left me screaming internally as I forced myself to finish reading them. (That's a good thing, by the way. I'm here for the scares.)
A couple of them also had me squirming in my seat and staring dubiously at my skin or common household objects.
I will warn you, there's some rather gruesome details in some of these stories. Including a pet death scene in detail that almost made me have to DNF the story and run to find my kitties to hold. I did end up finishing it and it landed as one of my 4 star reads, but it left a lasting impression on me because of that horrifying scene.
I would absolutely read a lot of these again and highly recommend this anthology to all you monster loving horror readers out there!
What a large collection of stories! 31 stories in total, as a matter of fact. And I rated each one as I went along. 21 of these stories ended up being 4 stars or higher for me! 8 of those 21 being 5 stars.
If you like to be grossed out, feel like your skin is crawling, get hit by every trigger imaginable - especially insect and arachnid phobias, and witness some of the most bizarre monsters imaginable, then this anthology is for you. Seriously, there's some pretty creative monsters here, and some more recognizable cryptids.
I have an insect and arachnid phobia, and there were multiple stories revolving around them that left me screaming internally as I forced myself to finish reading them. (That's a good thing, by the way. I'm here for the scares.)
A couple of them also had me squirming in my seat and staring dubiously at my skin or common household objects.
I will warn you, there's some rather gruesome details in some of these stories. Including a pet death scene in detail that almost made me have to DNF the story and run to find my kitties to hold. I did end up finishing it and it landed as one of my 4 star reads, but it left a lasting impression on me because of that horrifying scene.
I would absolutely read a lot of these again and highly recommend this anthology to all you monster loving horror readers out there!
March 1, 2024
Thank you to Hellbound Books and Henry Roi PR for providing me a digital copy for the book tour. All opinions remain 100% genuine.
This is a collection of eldritch horror short stories. I have been dipping my toes into weird, cosmic horror more recently and I've found that short stories have been really helpful in sampling a varied selection of author's works, without committing to a full length novel.
See Me by Terry Grimwood
An excellent entrance to this collection. A great metaphor for the fear of parenthood and fighting your own make believe monsters which has more substance when they are haunting you. I enjoyed the pacing of this and the action starting straight away didn't feel disjointed at all.
Night of the Crickets by Christopher Beck
Absolutely horrifying. The insect horror was done fantastically. I was worried about the direction of the cat (especially as it's the same breed as mine, which made it even more personal), but it thankfully skimmed over the more detailed parts of what was to come in that particular scene. This was absolutely disgusting and had me cringing and gaging. It reminded me in tone and description of Infested by Angel Luis Colon. If you loved this short story and are you're interested in a expansion on this sort of grim, big horror, then I'd recommend that.
That Summer by Bentley Little
This was an uncomfortable little tale of sea monsters, a strange child and a mother's love. It was over quite quickly and not the strongest tale we've had so far, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless.
Incident on the Road by Brian J. Smith
This story had high paced action. It was fun and easy to feel immersed in. It lacked any character depth, but it delivered what it was supposed to.
Opening day by Eddie Spohn
Oh this was terrifying and gory. The depths of the sea have always fascinated and terrified me so exploring that theme in the seemingly comfort of your own swimming pool took that fear to higher levels.
What Lurks Within by Tyler John Kasishke
Unfortunately, What Lurks Within fell flat for me. I appreciated the metaphor for mental health and facing your internal fears but it wasn't as solid a story as others have been so far.
J-78 by Simon Bleaken
I loved this story. A tale of jovial boyhood adventuring, turned terrifying when they stumble upon an abandoned underground lab. What initially seems like a fun discovery quickly sours as the state of the labs look as if terrible violence and horrors has happened... And the culprit may still be lurking in the shadows. The emphasis on being trapped underground in the dark was encapsulated so well in this short story. It made me scared to breathe and I was cringing at all the hurried and whispered talk between the brothers when they realised they were in danger, because I just knew any sound would alert what was waiting for them.
The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters by Tim Waggoner
What a great plot! The pacing was expectedly quick yet we got so much lore that felt fleshed out enough and not rushed at all. I would love a longer form version of this. I found it uncanny that 3 (unusual, I would say) names of my partner and his relatives were used in this short story and that really creeped me out!
All Hail The Queen by Sumiko Saulson
The story itself needed more plot and more engaging content for me, however the descriptions of body horror and the insects were fantastic!
The Invasion by Ken Foxe
This was absolutely disgusting and really well written. I felt so uncomfortable at the slimy descriptions of the slugs tormenting the protagonist and felt for them worrying if they were slipping back into poor mental health, especially when everyone was saying it's not real. I feel a little bit different about slugs now .... Nah, I still think they're cute! But I probably won't go anywhere near them with only sandals on.
Mouths by Shawn Phelps
What a great first line! It was a great inkling into what was to come, drawing me straight into the story. This one sort of reminded me of the smiling lady from scary stories to tell in the dark, with some of the descriptions of Milo's wife.
The Tournament by Jason Frederick Myers
The fear of a home invasion was made even more terrifying in this story, as it blended with ideas akin to the Predator franchise. It was so good! I felt the terror seeping from my pores.
Nom Nom by Elizabeth Massie
This really reminded me of a Junji Ito creation... when I say I feel like I could smell this story... Wow, it was disgusting and awful and I loved it. Will definitely be looking at other works by this author.
In The Middle Of Nowhere by Eliza Hyde
Stay clear if you have arachnophobia, but otherwise, a delightfully terrifying read! One of those stories you think 'yeah, he got what he deserved' but then realise how awful that punishment really is.
All Alone by J.A. Heath
This story gave me the creeps straight away! This Doctor Who's Christmas episode with the mannequins... Something that lives in all of our subconscious and probably started our irrational fear (or at least unease) to these human-like, lifeless models. This story was fantastic. It captured this eery and unsettling atmosphere perfectly! I liked that we had another immoral MC that got what was coming to them, which added a layer of satisfaction.
Breaking And Entering by Jared Spears
Breaking and Entering felt familiar in tone to the graphic novel series Something Is Killing The Children. Despite that, I founds this one a bit confusing to follow. I loved the idea of mimics but I just wasn't fully invested in the development.
Somewhere In The Swamps Of New Jersey by Shawn P. Madison
Gruesome, gory and very action packed! This story had my heart racing from the get go.
Purple Bloom by Simon Clark
This was amazing! Admittedly when animals are in danger in horror I really shy away, but this was done really well. The concept felt unique and I was engaged throughout the entirety of this short story.
The Cadence of Decay by Lee Andre Foreman and Elaine Pascale
A disturbing, macbre tale of female rage gone wrong. I enjoyed the escalation of this one!
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
This was a great, uncomfortable story about a creature living within a person. It made me feel itchy and gross and the descriptions were really immersive.
A Strange Occurrence At A Football Game by Gabriel White
Lots of fun that reminded me of the upside down and that pure primal human fear of being alone, but watched by some dark entity. This developed into more darkness than was expected, and I would have loved to have had an opportunity of an expansion of this story.
Red Spider by Chris Allen
This story was such a frightening reflection of how it might be living with arachnophobia. It was so scary how real all of this felt for our main character.
The Gruger by Christopher Sweet
The Gruger was such a fun middle grade feeling horror. The sibling teasing was realistic and the summers away at granddad's was great to read about! The monster felt unique and he story was a lot of fun, overal.
A Mother's Love by Chris McAuley
A gory, fantastic story akin to classic creature features (made me think of the Jeff Goldblum movie The Fly). Im realising that I quite enjoy the concept of a scientific study gone wrong or responsible gone slack, leading to an escape of something otherworldly and dangerous!
His Majesty's Revenge by Donna J. W. Munro
This was beautiful! I didn't know what to expect from the title alone but the nature magic and lore was fascinating. I would love a full story about this.
The Scarecrow by Keiran Meeks
Spooky vibes were executed perfectly in this short story. Very akin to the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Harold (?) tale.
Night Of The Spider by Dan Allen
The spider theme to this story was a lot of fun, but it's hard not to compare with the (so far) only other agoraphobia tale in this collection, which felt like it had more depth and a message of awareness to the phobia. Nevertheless, this was a lot of fun, with a short burst of heart pumping terror.
The Terror Of Swede Town by Trish Wilson
I need to read more troll stories because this was great! I've seen a few troll hunter movies that have been good fun, but it's strange I don't frequently stumble onto more stories in the written form. Trish's story had a nice sprinkling of mythology and action!
The Monster Who Bled Memories by Bruce Memblatt
First of all, what a fantastic title! That would have gripped straight away if it was it's own book - very eye catching title. I liked this version of purgatory but I wasn't as connected to the story as I was expecting to be.
Where The Water Flows by Dean H. Wild
This was an eery and sinister story, following very unlikeable characters. I think because I didn't enjoy the characters personalities, it distanced myself from the story as a whole.
The Golem by Jeani Rector
Suspicious were confirmed at how Frankenstein-esque this felt in tone, with the authored note mentioning about this. It was a slower build up of enjoyment for me, but once we began to battle with the rights and wrongs of fighting evil with evil, I was intrigued.
Overall, this collection had a lot of hits. There were a lot of stand out stories for me, and so many felt absolutely chilling and terrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading through this anthology and will be keeping an eye out on some of the authors included here.
Pick it up, give it a go & enjoy!
This is a collection of eldritch horror short stories. I have been dipping my toes into weird, cosmic horror more recently and I've found that short stories have been really helpful in sampling a varied selection of author's works, without committing to a full length novel.
See Me by Terry Grimwood
An excellent entrance to this collection. A great metaphor for the fear of parenthood and fighting your own make believe monsters which has more substance when they are haunting you. I enjoyed the pacing of this and the action starting straight away didn't feel disjointed at all.
Night of the Crickets by Christopher Beck
Absolutely horrifying. The insect horror was done fantastically. I was worried about the direction of the cat (especially as it's the same breed as mine, which made it even more personal), but it thankfully skimmed over the more detailed parts of what was to come in that particular scene. This was absolutely disgusting and had me cringing and gaging. It reminded me in tone and description of Infested by Angel Luis Colon. If you loved this short story and are you're interested in a expansion on this sort of grim, big horror, then I'd recommend that.
That Summer by Bentley Little
This was an uncomfortable little tale of sea monsters, a strange child and a mother's love. It was over quite quickly and not the strongest tale we've had so far, but I enjoyed the story nonetheless.
Incident on the Road by Brian J. Smith
This story had high paced action. It was fun and easy to feel immersed in. It lacked any character depth, but it delivered what it was supposed to.
Opening day by Eddie Spohn
Oh this was terrifying and gory. The depths of the sea have always fascinated and terrified me so exploring that theme in the seemingly comfort of your own swimming pool took that fear to higher levels.
What Lurks Within by Tyler John Kasishke
Unfortunately, What Lurks Within fell flat for me. I appreciated the metaphor for mental health and facing your internal fears but it wasn't as solid a story as others have been so far.
J-78 by Simon Bleaken
I loved this story. A tale of jovial boyhood adventuring, turned terrifying when they stumble upon an abandoned underground lab. What initially seems like a fun discovery quickly sours as the state of the labs look as if terrible violence and horrors has happened... And the culprit may still be lurking in the shadows. The emphasis on being trapped underground in the dark was encapsulated so well in this short story. It made me scared to breathe and I was cringing at all the hurried and whispered talk between the brothers when they realised they were in danger, because I just knew any sound would alert what was waiting for them.
The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters by Tim Waggoner
What a great plot! The pacing was expectedly quick yet we got so much lore that felt fleshed out enough and not rushed at all. I would love a longer form version of this. I found it uncanny that 3 (unusual, I would say) names of my partner and his relatives were used in this short story and that really creeped me out!
All Hail The Queen by Sumiko Saulson
The story itself needed more plot and more engaging content for me, however the descriptions of body horror and the insects were fantastic!
The Invasion by Ken Foxe
This was absolutely disgusting and really well written. I felt so uncomfortable at the slimy descriptions of the slugs tormenting the protagonist and felt for them worrying if they were slipping back into poor mental health, especially when everyone was saying it's not real. I feel a little bit different about slugs now .... Nah, I still think they're cute! But I probably won't go anywhere near them with only sandals on.
Mouths by Shawn Phelps
What a great first line! It was a great inkling into what was to come, drawing me straight into the story. This one sort of reminded me of the smiling lady from scary stories to tell in the dark, with some of the descriptions of Milo's wife.
The Tournament by Jason Frederick Myers
The fear of a home invasion was made even more terrifying in this story, as it blended with ideas akin to the Predator franchise. It was so good! I felt the terror seeping from my pores.
Nom Nom by Elizabeth Massie
This really reminded me of a Junji Ito creation... when I say I feel like I could smell this story... Wow, it was disgusting and awful and I loved it. Will definitely be looking at other works by this author.
In The Middle Of Nowhere by Eliza Hyde
Stay clear if you have arachnophobia, but otherwise, a delightfully terrifying read! One of those stories you think 'yeah, he got what he deserved' but then realise how awful that punishment really is.
All Alone by J.A. Heath
This story gave me the creeps straight away! This Doctor Who's Christmas episode with the mannequins... Something that lives in all of our subconscious and probably started our irrational fear (or at least unease) to these human-like, lifeless models. This story was fantastic. It captured this eery and unsettling atmosphere perfectly! I liked that we had another immoral MC that got what was coming to them, which added a layer of satisfaction.
Breaking And Entering by Jared Spears
Breaking and Entering felt familiar in tone to the graphic novel series Something Is Killing The Children. Despite that, I founds this one a bit confusing to follow. I loved the idea of mimics but I just wasn't fully invested in the development.
Somewhere In The Swamps Of New Jersey by Shawn P. Madison
Gruesome, gory and very action packed! This story had my heart racing from the get go.
Purple Bloom by Simon Clark
This was amazing! Admittedly when animals are in danger in horror I really shy away, but this was done really well. The concept felt unique and I was engaged throughout the entirety of this short story.
The Cadence of Decay by Lee Andre Foreman and Elaine Pascale
A disturbing, macbre tale of female rage gone wrong. I enjoyed the escalation of this one!
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
This was a great, uncomfortable story about a creature living within a person. It made me feel itchy and gross and the descriptions were really immersive.
A Strange Occurrence At A Football Game by Gabriel White
Lots of fun that reminded me of the upside down and that pure primal human fear of being alone, but watched by some dark entity. This developed into more darkness than was expected, and I would have loved to have had an opportunity of an expansion of this story.
Red Spider by Chris Allen
This story was such a frightening reflection of how it might be living with arachnophobia. It was so scary how real all of this felt for our main character.
The Gruger by Christopher Sweet
The Gruger was such a fun middle grade feeling horror. The sibling teasing was realistic and the summers away at granddad's was great to read about! The monster felt unique and he story was a lot of fun, overal.
A Mother's Love by Chris McAuley
A gory, fantastic story akin to classic creature features (made me think of the Jeff Goldblum movie The Fly). Im realising that I quite enjoy the concept of a scientific study gone wrong or responsible gone slack, leading to an escape of something otherworldly and dangerous!
His Majesty's Revenge by Donna J. W. Munro
This was beautiful! I didn't know what to expect from the title alone but the nature magic and lore was fascinating. I would love a full story about this.
The Scarecrow by Keiran Meeks
Spooky vibes were executed perfectly in this short story. Very akin to the Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark Harold (?) tale.
Night Of The Spider by Dan Allen
The spider theme to this story was a lot of fun, but it's hard not to compare with the (so far) only other agoraphobia tale in this collection, which felt like it had more depth and a message of awareness to the phobia. Nevertheless, this was a lot of fun, with a short burst of heart pumping terror.
The Terror Of Swede Town by Trish Wilson
I need to read more troll stories because this was great! I've seen a few troll hunter movies that have been good fun, but it's strange I don't frequently stumble onto more stories in the written form. Trish's story had a nice sprinkling of mythology and action!
The Monster Who Bled Memories by Bruce Memblatt
First of all, what a fantastic title! That would have gripped straight away if it was it's own book - very eye catching title. I liked this version of purgatory but I wasn't as connected to the story as I was expecting to be.
Where The Water Flows by Dean H. Wild
This was an eery and sinister story, following very unlikeable characters. I think because I didn't enjoy the characters personalities, it distanced myself from the story as a whole.
The Golem by Jeani Rector
Suspicious were confirmed at how Frankenstein-esque this felt in tone, with the authored note mentioning about this. It was a slower build up of enjoyment for me, but once we began to battle with the rights and wrongs of fighting evil with evil, I was intrigued.
Overall, this collection had a lot of hits. There were a lot of stand out stories for me, and so many felt absolutely chilling and terrifying. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading through this anthology and will be keeping an eye out on some of the authors included here.
Pick it up, give it a go & enjoy!
April 23, 2024
𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗼 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗲.
First of all, it took me a bit longer to get through this book of horror short stories. Why? Well, three of the stories had spiders in them. I'm highly arachnophobic, so each time I finished one of those stories, I needed a break.
This book has 31 short stories, and the authors really cover a lot of ground in the horror genre. We've got everything from aliens to body horror, monsters to revenge of the 'special kind'.
I liked almost all of them. Only two stories didn't quite hit the mark for me, scoring a 5.2/10 and 6.8/10 respectively. But about 95% of the stories were in the 8s and 9s, with my top pick scoring a 9.6/10.
Some of my favorites were 'INCIDENT ON THE ROAD', 'PURPLE BLOOM', 'THE CADENCE OF DECAY', 'OPENING DAY' & 'J-78'… just to name a few.
If you're into the gory and gross side of horror, you're gonna love this book. I guess, I will read this again in Autumn, one story for each day of October.
I'm giving the collection a 4.2 Rating.
Oh and just a heads up, here are some trigger warnings: pet deaths, spiders, and 'crawling things'.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆��𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔.
First of all, it took me a bit longer to get through this book of horror short stories. Why? Well, three of the stories had spiders in them. I'm highly arachnophobic, so each time I finished one of those stories, I needed a break.
This book has 31 short stories, and the authors really cover a lot of ground in the horror genre. We've got everything from aliens to body horror, monsters to revenge of the 'special kind'.
I liked almost all of them. Only two stories didn't quite hit the mark for me, scoring a 5.2/10 and 6.8/10 respectively. But about 95% of the stories were in the 8s and 9s, with my top pick scoring a 9.6/10.
Some of my favorites were 'INCIDENT ON THE ROAD', 'PURPLE BLOOM', 'THE CADENCE OF DECAY', 'OPENING DAY' & 'J-78'… just to name a few.
If you're into the gory and gross side of horror, you're gonna love this book. I guess, I will read this again in Autumn, one story for each day of October.
I'm giving the collection a 4.2 Rating.
Oh and just a heads up, here are some trigger warnings: pet deaths, spiders, and 'crawling things'.
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆��𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒂 𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔.
February 17, 2024
Awesome Good Time
5 Star Rating
4 Skull Dread Rating
This horror anthology features stories from various authors, both well known and others that are newly found, each exploring creepy monster stories that left me feeling alone and scared. The collection offers a diverse range of tales that will freak out and scare readers. I had an awesome good time reading this book and can not recommend it enough for lovers of horror.
5 Star Rating
4 Skull Dread Rating
This horror anthology features stories from various authors, both well known and others that are newly found, each exploring creepy monster stories that left me feeling alone and scared. The collection offers a diverse range of tales that will freak out and scare readers. I had an awesome good time reading this book and can not recommend it enough for lovers of horror.
March 8, 2024
This was an awesome collection of horror short stories that had a common theme of monsters. I didn’t know most of these authors in this collection, but I truly liked all the stories. This collection is full of monsters from your nightmares, your phobias, and your anxieties. This isn’t a HEA collection, so you never know if the main character is going to survive or not. I absolutely loved it!
Thank you to Henry Roi PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
Thank you to Henry Roi PR for the copy, all thoughts are my own.
June 30, 2024
One of the best collections of horror stories I have ever read! I am halfway through this monster book of monster stories and I wanted to take a moment to recommend it to my horror lovers and short fiction lovers out there. This is an expansive collection of talented authors and stories about monsters of every shape and form. There are 31 horror stories in this collection, among them are Bentley Little and Tim Waggoner (his story is one of my favorites!) I've been introduced to new authors and to be honest, this may be the first of Bentley Little I've ever read, I surely understand the hype!
💀💀💀💀💀/5 at the halfway point! 🥳
If you're looking for a great, spooky time or have some down time and can read a story here and there, these monster stories are for you. I'll be back when I'm finished with a more detailed review but so far --- AMAZING. 👏
💀💀💀💀💀/5 at the halfway point! 🥳
If you're looking for a great, spooky time or have some down time and can read a story here and there, these monster stories are for you. I'll be back when I'm finished with a more detailed review but so far --- AMAZING. 👏
July 17, 2024
Excellent collection of creepy & sime bloody horror stories featuring all manner of ghoulish creatures. . Recommended
March 5, 2024
‘a cornucopia in prose with stand-out dark stories by seasoned writers’
Gemma Files, Shirley Jackson Award & Bram Stoker Award winner - and nominated again for Blood from the Air (Grimscribe Press) in the Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection category - provides the foreword to this fantastic collection of monster/horror stories.
Associated with poor eyesight, the world she knew as a child existed mostly in shades and dark shadows. All these stories are not about monsters, but about ourselves. They scare the hell out of us. And they should. In fact, we have to become monsters ourselves in order to never be afraid of monsters again.
As with any anthology, there are stories that you forget immediately, and others that stay with you for a long time because of their haunting character.
In such an anthology I usually find a few good stories that resonate, but in this collection there were only one or two that I didn't really like, the rest are really fantastic; a collection I could reread over and over again.
In the first, an expectant father sees 'ghosts' everywhere, before realising that he needs to prepare himself for his child to enter this world, and that he will then support it when it's afraid of something that goes boo in the dark.
I found the second story really brilliant and almost Kafkaesque - a man and a woman are abandoned (and eventually eaten) by a swarm of crickets.
The third story, about a boy who carries his 'momma' around in a sack, I thought was more emotional, albeit scary. This story made a big impression on me. There are more such stories in this collection which deal with abusive parents and loneliness.
J-78 is about two boys who find a hatch in a private wasteland. They decide to investigate this secret 'underworld'. What happens next is anyone's guess. A scary and exciting read!
There are slimy monsters, gigantic spiders and crickets, and mothers with mouths all over their bodies galore in here; there is something for everyone: there is gore and slash horror, cosmic horror and body horror. Some stories take place on deserted highways, where 'something' attacks people or traps them in a giant web (and for those who don't already know: spiders drink their prey).
Space horror lovers will also get their money's worth here, there is a story that true Whovians will recognise immediately. I don't want to give away which story it is, but the real fans will know it as soon as they get to that story. Anyway, I loved it! It was ‘fantastic..'
For me, Purple Bloom was the best story in the collection. It is a mixture of H.G. Wells ("red weeds") and Wyndham (the crumbling of human civilisation). (also happens to be two of my favourite authors ever).
A comet leaves a strange purple substance in the water and people have to run (or rather swim for their lives).
Amazing and terrifying tales of giant spiders, subterranean monsters and people turning into snails and crickets are all in this fantastic collection of stories.
A really great collection and highly recommended, easiest 5+ star rating for me.
Gemma Files, Shirley Jackson Award & Bram Stoker Award winner - and nominated again for Blood from the Air (Grimscribe Press) in the Superior Achievement in a Fiction Collection category - provides the foreword to this fantastic collection of monster/horror stories.
Associated with poor eyesight, the world she knew as a child existed mostly in shades and dark shadows. All these stories are not about monsters, but about ourselves. They scare the hell out of us. And they should. In fact, we have to become monsters ourselves in order to never be afraid of monsters again.
As with any anthology, there are stories that you forget immediately, and others that stay with you for a long time because of their haunting character.
In such an anthology I usually find a few good stories that resonate, but in this collection there were only one or two that I didn't really like, the rest are really fantastic; a collection I could reread over and over again.
In the first, an expectant father sees 'ghosts' everywhere, before realising that he needs to prepare himself for his child to enter this world, and that he will then support it when it's afraid of something that goes boo in the dark.
I found the second story really brilliant and almost Kafkaesque - a man and a woman are abandoned (and eventually eaten) by a swarm of crickets.
The third story, about a boy who carries his 'momma' around in a sack, I thought was more emotional, albeit scary. This story made a big impression on me. There are more such stories in this collection which deal with abusive parents and loneliness.
J-78 is about two boys who find a hatch in a private wasteland. They decide to investigate this secret 'underworld'. What happens next is anyone's guess. A scary and exciting read!
There are slimy monsters, gigantic spiders and crickets, and mothers with mouths all over their bodies galore in here; there is something for everyone: there is gore and slash horror, cosmic horror and body horror. Some stories take place on deserted highways, where 'something' attacks people or traps them in a giant web (and for those who don't already know: spiders drink their prey).
Space horror lovers will also get their money's worth here, there is a story that true Whovians will recognise immediately. I don't want to give away which story it is, but the real fans will know it as soon as they get to that story. Anyway, I loved it! It was ‘fantastic..'
For me, Purple Bloom was the best story in the collection. It is a mixture of H.G. Wells ("red weeds") and Wyndham (the crumbling of human civilisation). (also happens to be two of my favourite authors ever).
A comet leaves a strange purple substance in the water and people have to run (or rather swim for their lives).
Amazing and terrifying tales of giant spiders, subterranean monsters and people turning into snails and crickets are all in this fantastic collection of stories.
A really great collection and highly recommended, easiest 5+ star rating for me.
March 5, 2024
I received a copy of this for free, to review as part of a book tour with Black Tide Book Tours.
This is a book of short horror stories, all featuring monsters of some description. I was quite interested in this, as I think the concept of a monster is very universal - I think that since childhood, we have all thought about monsters at one time or another, and formed our own ideas about how they might appear to us. As a child, I read horror stories like Goosebumps and Shivers. Many of those featured monsters, and I remember that as a child, reading stories about monsters was a source of entertainment, and it sparked joy. Of course, that joy can extend to adulthood, and I think of monster stories as a fun sort of horror, rather than something disturbing.
I know some readers who say that they don't enjoy short stories, but I think the advantage of short stories is that there will generally be something to suit everyone. I found all of these stories entertaining. There was something in each story that gave me chills, yet at the same time, I found myself reading with an odd fascination, trying to picture the monsters in my mind. In some cases, it was the idea of a monster that unnerved me more than the author's portrayal itself.
I did find this quite entertaining to read, and it's probably the type of book that I would choose for a light Halloween read, or perhaps if I was in the mood for horror, but wanted something lighter than a novel.
Thank you to Black Tide Book Tours, and the respective authors, for the opportunity to read and review this.
This is a book of short horror stories, all featuring monsters of some description. I was quite interested in this, as I think the concept of a monster is very universal - I think that since childhood, we have all thought about monsters at one time or another, and formed our own ideas about how they might appear to us. As a child, I read horror stories like Goosebumps and Shivers. Many of those featured monsters, and I remember that as a child, reading stories about monsters was a source of entertainment, and it sparked joy. Of course, that joy can extend to adulthood, and I think of monster stories as a fun sort of horror, rather than something disturbing.
I know some readers who say that they don't enjoy short stories, but I think the advantage of short stories is that there will generally be something to suit everyone. I found all of these stories entertaining. There was something in each story that gave me chills, yet at the same time, I found myself reading with an odd fascination, trying to picture the monsters in my mind. In some cases, it was the idea of a monster that unnerved me more than the author's portrayal itself.
I did find this quite entertaining to read, and it's probably the type of book that I would choose for a light Halloween read, or perhaps if I was in the mood for horror, but wanted something lighter than a novel.
Thank you to Black Tide Book Tours, and the respective authors, for the opportunity to read and review this.
July 21, 2024
The Book of Monster Stories is a diverse and entertaining collection of horror stories in which a literal monster of some sort is crucial to the story. Sometimes a character is haunted by past traumas or damaged relationships, and some characters are even monsters of a different kind, but all of these stories revolve around some monstrous figures or forces that intrude upon the normal world those characters had previously known. The result is the most engaging anthology I've read in recent months.
These stories are not predictable. Sometimes the protagonist prevails over the monster, and sometimes not. In some cases, a protagonist must become a monster in order to survive. But even in the cases of stories where the protagonist has always been a monster, that character is not presented as a throwaway figure, so that the reader can gloat over the character's "justly deserved comeuppance." (The latter is a trope I've encountered elsewhere, and would prefer not to encounter again.) Here, even the sleazy characters are struggling to survive in the face of overwhelming adversity, and if nothing else, the reader wants to see how it works out.
A few of my standouts would include "See Me," "That Summer," "J-78," "The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters," "Breaking and Entering," "Purple Bloom" and "The Cadence of Decay." Some of these stories take us into uncharted territory, while others draw upon familiar tropes in a way that feels fresh and new. I don't wish to be specific about which ones fall into which categories, because then I'd spoil some surprises.
These stories are not predictable. Sometimes the protagonist prevails over the monster, and sometimes not. In some cases, a protagonist must become a monster in order to survive. But even in the cases of stories where the protagonist has always been a monster, that character is not presented as a throwaway figure, so that the reader can gloat over the character's "justly deserved comeuppance." (The latter is a trope I've encountered elsewhere, and would prefer not to encounter again.) Here, even the sleazy characters are struggling to survive in the face of overwhelming adversity, and if nothing else, the reader wants to see how it works out.
A few of my standouts would include "See Me," "That Summer," "J-78," "The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters," "Breaking and Entering," "Purple Bloom" and "The Cadence of Decay." Some of these stories take us into uncharted territory, while others draw upon familiar tropes in a way that feels fresh and new. I don't wish to be specific about which ones fall into which categories, because then I'd spoil some surprises.
March 8, 2024
I love horror stories and this anthology by HellBound Publishing is full of crazy and weird stories I would probably have never picked up otherwise. There are 31 short stories to enjoy in this collection which range from the disturbing to the gross and the downright scary!
Some of my favourite stories within include:
All Alone by J.A Heath
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
The Scarecrow by Keiran Meeks
The Horror Zine's Book of Monster Stories is a collection of unusual short horror stories that completely subvert the genre. All of the stories are brilliantly written with very detailed descriptions that had me imagining the disgusting and horrific appearances of many different monsters that will certainly give me nightmares!
Each author perfectly encapsulates the meaning of monster while producing something completely different to every other author in the collection. There is such a varied selection, from crickets and spiders to things you could not even imagine and you feel the horror right through to your bones. I have never read any previous stories from these authors but there will certainly be some names I will now look out for!
This anthology of horror short stories is perfect for all fans of horror and you should definitely pick up a copy ASAP.
Some of my favourite stories within include:
All Alone by J.A Heath
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
The Scarecrow by Keiran Meeks
The Horror Zine's Book of Monster Stories is a collection of unusual short horror stories that completely subvert the genre. All of the stories are brilliantly written with very detailed descriptions that had me imagining the disgusting and horrific appearances of many different monsters that will certainly give me nightmares!
Each author perfectly encapsulates the meaning of monster while producing something completely different to every other author in the collection. There is such a varied selection, from crickets and spiders to things you could not even imagine and you feel the horror right through to your bones. I have never read any previous stories from these authors but there will certainly be some names I will now look out for!
This anthology of horror short stories is perfect for all fans of horror and you should definitely pick up a copy ASAP.
March 5, 2024
This collection of creature feature stories is incredibly creative and entertaining. It ticks all my boxes: monsters; folklore; satisfying stories where the bad guys get eaten by monsters; devastating stories where the good guys lose. There is so much variety in this collection, there's honestly something for everyone.
Here are some of my standouts:
'Night of the Crickets', Christopher Beck: A story about why a woman's fear of crickets is completely justified. Poor cat. Made my skin crawl.
'The Scarecrow', Kieran Meeks: A new twist on horror scarecrow stories. Amazingly visceral despite the lack of any actual gore.
'Nom Nom', Elizabeth Massie: Bizarre in the absolute best way.
'J-28', Simon Bleaken: Gave me the same vibes as Alien, but with kids. One of the most devastating stories, but really well-written.
'The Gruger', Christopher Sweet: An honestly heart-wrenching tale of sibling loyalty with a truly horrifying creature.
This collection is a must-read for anyone who loves monsters and folklore as much as I do.
I was sent a copy of this book and asked to provide my honest opinion.
Here are some of my standouts:
'Night of the Crickets', Christopher Beck: A story about why a woman's fear of crickets is completely justified. Poor cat. Made my skin crawl.
'The Scarecrow', Kieran Meeks: A new twist on horror scarecrow stories. Amazingly visceral despite the lack of any actual gore.
'Nom Nom', Elizabeth Massie: Bizarre in the absolute best way.
'J-28', Simon Bleaken: Gave me the same vibes as Alien, but with kids. One of the most devastating stories, but really well-written.
'The Gruger', Christopher Sweet: An honestly heart-wrenching tale of sibling loyalty with a truly horrifying creature.
This collection is a must-read for anyone who loves monsters and folklore as much as I do.
I was sent a copy of this book and asked to provide my honest opinion.
March 7, 2024
I received a free copy of this book from HellBound Books Publishing in exchange for a review. This was a really great anthology of monster stories!! I really enjoyed going through this collection! I had never read any of these authors before, so I had no idea what to expect. I also don’t usually read a lot of horror, so this was a nice change of pace from my usual reads. There were a lot of stories that I found creepy and gross, which was what I was hoping for! I was really impressed with the variety of stories this anthology contained. All the stories were very unique and distinct. I never quite knew what to expect. The problem I have with rating this is the fact that I definitely liked certain stories more than others. There were a couple that stood out to me, a lot that kept me engaged, and a good amount that I didn’t love. There were also a lot of typos, which bothered me a bit. Overall, this was a fun read, and I’m glad I gave something new a try!
👹3.5 stars
👹3.5 stars
March 10, 2024
The Horror Zine's Book of Monster Stories
Short story collections can be a mixed bag. Usually there are a few good stories, some middling stories, and a few that just don't fly. This collection turns that supposition on it's head. There are some great stories by the likes of Bentley Little, Simon Clark, and Tim Waggoner. All the stories confront monsters of different sizes, species, and persuasions. And not a clunker in the bunch!
Thinking of which stories to mention is a real task because they all are strong. The Golem by Jeani Rector is a fine historically based story and The Gruger by Christopher Sweet evokes childhood fairy tales while presenting grown up horror. I could go through the whole table of contents, all the stories really are strong but you should see for yourself. All the stories are around ten pages long, perfect for if you only have a few minutes, and if you can settle in for a while it's a great way to spend an evening!
Short story collections can be a mixed bag. Usually there are a few good stories, some middling stories, and a few that just don't fly. This collection turns that supposition on it's head. There are some great stories by the likes of Bentley Little, Simon Clark, and Tim Waggoner. All the stories confront monsters of different sizes, species, and persuasions. And not a clunker in the bunch!
Thinking of which stories to mention is a real task because they all are strong. The Golem by Jeani Rector is a fine historically based story and The Gruger by Christopher Sweet evokes childhood fairy tales while presenting grown up horror. I could go through the whole table of contents, all the stories really are strong but you should see for yourself. All the stories are around ten pages long, perfect for if you only have a few minutes, and if you can settle in for a while it's a great way to spend an evening!
March 28, 2024
This is a short story collection dedicated to all things that go bump in the night. From forest monsters to killer insects to things that live in pipes just waiting…waiting...waiting to strike, this collection has it all!
As is customary with short story collections like this, it’s always hit or miss. Very rarely are you going to find a collection where every single story is a hit for the same person. This one has plenty of stories to sink your teeth into so I genuinely do think there’s something for everyone. As for my favorites…well…I’m so glad you asked!
Night of the Crickets by Christopher Beck
That Summer by Bentley Little
The Man Who Could Talk to Monsters by Tim Waggoner
Nom Nom by Elizabeth Massie
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
The Golem by Jeani Rector
These were my top 6 standout stories. Yours might be different. Overall though, a fun collection for anyone who likes a good monster story!
As is customary with short story collections like this, it’s always hit or miss. Very rarely are you going to find a collection where every single story is a hit for the same person. This one has plenty of stories to sink your teeth into so I genuinely do think there’s something for everyone. As for my favorites…well…I’m so glad you asked!
Night of the Crickets by Christopher Beck
That Summer by Bentley Little
The Man Who Could Talk to Monsters by Tim Waggoner
Nom Nom by Elizabeth Massie
The Parasite by Theresa Jacobs
The Golem by Jeani Rector
These were my top 6 standout stories. Yours might be different. Overall though, a fun collection for anyone who likes a good monster story!
February 23, 2024
𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓 𝒁𝒊𝒏𝒆’𝒔 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒐𝒇 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔
ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ: Kindle
ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 0/5
ꜱᴛᴀʀ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All Hail The Queen - Sumiko Saulson. Never have I read a story that talked about my biggest fear. I stopped reading and was on guard😂 this story, out of the many within this book is the one that stayed with me. There are many short stories that I absolutely loved!
Whatever phobia or fear that you have, this collection of short stories may just trigger you. If you’re a fan of anthologies, short stories, horror, bringing phobias and fears to life, all that shit - read Horror Zine’s Book of Monster Stories! You will not be disappointed!
Thank you, HellBound Books😘
Stay frightfulˁ῁̮ˀ
S
ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ: Kindle
ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 0/5
ꜱᴛᴀʀ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ: I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All Hail The Queen - Sumiko Saulson. Never have I read a story that talked about my biggest fear. I stopped reading and was on guard😂 this story, out of the many within this book is the one that stayed with me. There are many short stories that I absolutely loved!
Whatever phobia or fear that you have, this collection of short stories may just trigger you. If you’re a fan of anthologies, short stories, horror, bringing phobias and fears to life, all that shit - read Horror Zine’s Book of Monster Stories! You will not be disappointed!
Thank you, HellBound Books😘
Stay frightfulˁ῁̮ˀ
S
March 8, 2024
This is such a fun collection of short stories. With just over 30 stories, it has a little bit of everything, which I think is great because there’s bound to be something for everyone! Each story gets right to the point and is packed with scares. The variety of stories and writing styles is great, because you have some that are more creepy, some are more gory, and some are more campy! There was one in particular about I really enjoyed reading this because it brought me back to a time when I’d watch Tales from the Crypt as a child. I will be revisiting these stories closer to Halloween to get into the spooky mood. Definitely check this anthology out to get your monster fix!
Thank you HellBound Books for the opportunity to read this amazing collection of short stories!
March 6, 2024
Overall I really enjoyed this collection of monster based stories. There were a handful that really stuck with me though. I loved the Tulpa hunter story, J-78, and Opening Day with it's jelly creature.
Some of the stories though were pretty mid, easy to guess events and effects, and tbh there was a ton of typos. Some stories had named changes in the middle (the mailbox one), some had the same paragraph repeated twice, some just didn't have words where they should've been. Definitely needs a second run through the editors
All that being said, the collection is definitely worth a read just to get some of the crazy monster descriptions and to see the fates of some of these MCs.
Some of the stories though were pretty mid, easy to guess events and effects, and tbh there was a ton of typos. Some stories had named changes in the middle (the mailbox one), some had the same paragraph repeated twice, some just didn't have words where they should've been. Definitely needs a second run through the editors
All that being said, the collection is definitely worth a read just to get some of the crazy monster descriptions and to see the fates of some of these MCs.
February 28, 2024
An absolutely spooky and fun read. Stories filled with monsters of all kinds that left me feeling chilled to the bone at times and absolutely disgusted at others. I had an amazing time reading this and as someone who struggles to find enjoyable horror, I'm so glad I had the chance to give this a try. There is truly a monster story in here for horror fans of all kinds, in my opinion, and it is definitely one of the best short story collection I've picked up in a long time. Spooky, creative, disturbing, and down right adventurous!
March 28, 2024
This was a nice little collection of short stories with a horror theme. There are 31 stories total. Some were definitely better than others. The ones that stood out to me included The Man Who Speaks to Monsters, The Invasion, and Mouths. Some seemed a bit unfinished but as the majority were good, these ones didn’t impact my enjoyment of the book. Some were a bit on the gross side, and there are some animal deaths which I never enjoy reading, but I appreciate that the authors didn’t linger/details those scenes.
March 23, 2024
** I received an ARC for an honest review **
The Horror Zine’s Book of Monster Stories was an interesting array of horror and dark fiction. Although the anthology shied away from classic monster stories of werewolves, vampires and other common horror tropes, there was often a repetition of forest, river or lake monsters and insects. A greater selection of interpretations of monster horror would be welcome but nonetheless, there are some truly terrifying and fascinating tales in this anthology.
Those stories that really stood apart from others in this anthology for me were “That Summer” by Bentley Little, “The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters” by Tim Waggoner, “See Me” by Terry Grimwood, “All Hail the Queen” by Sumiko Saulson, “Mouths” by Shawn Phelps, “Breaking and Entering” by Jared Spears, “Somewhere in the Swamps of New Jersey” by Shawn P. Maddison, “His Majesty’s Revenge” by Donna J.W. Munro and “The Scarecrow” by Keiran Meels.
Among this anthology are monsters of unusual forms spawned from nightmares or gelatinous eggs, a hive of insects taking over human form, the folk horror of the Jersey Devils and Scarecrows and monsters made of shadowy substances that leech into reality and formless monsters that possess humanity. These are strongly written tales but a stronger representation of female protagonists, queer or disabled and tales from different cultural heritage would have made a more representative anthology of monster tales. Despite this, there is a uniting essence of monsters stepping from nightmares into twilight worlds and these manifestations of the human mind made terrifying and real.
Conclusion
A recommended read for fans of monster tales, body horror, weird horror and folk horror. This anthology is well worth reading and represents a great addition to horror and dark fiction.
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
The Horror Zine’s Book of Monster Stories was an interesting array of horror and dark fiction. Although the anthology shied away from classic monster stories of werewolves, vampires and other common horror tropes, there was often a repetition of forest, river or lake monsters and insects. A greater selection of interpretations of monster horror would be welcome but nonetheless, there are some truly terrifying and fascinating tales in this anthology.
Those stories that really stood apart from others in this anthology for me were “That Summer” by Bentley Little, “The Man Who Could Talk To Monsters” by Tim Waggoner, “See Me” by Terry Grimwood, “All Hail the Queen” by Sumiko Saulson, “Mouths” by Shawn Phelps, “Breaking and Entering” by Jared Spears, “Somewhere in the Swamps of New Jersey” by Shawn P. Maddison, “His Majesty’s Revenge” by Donna J.W. Munro and “The Scarecrow” by Keiran Meels.
Among this anthology are monsters of unusual forms spawned from nightmares or gelatinous eggs, a hive of insects taking over human form, the folk horror of the Jersey Devils and Scarecrows and monsters made of shadowy substances that leech into reality and formless monsters that possess humanity. These are strongly written tales but a stronger representation of female protagonists, queer or disabled and tales from different cultural heritage would have made a more representative anthology of monster tales. Despite this, there is a uniting essence of monsters stepping from nightmares into twilight worlds and these manifestations of the human mind made terrifying and real.
Conclusion
A recommended read for fans of monster tales, body horror, weird horror and folk horror. This anthology is well worth reading and represents a great addition to horror and dark fiction.
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
April 1, 2024
A disappointing anthology. Gemma Files' introduction was the most entertaining read, but Waggoner, Phelps, and Rector each had memorable tales. As for the rest, fear can be quite personal and what frightens one does not another. So it was with the remainder of the tales—not so monstrous or so frightening.
Read
February 26, 2024Featuring monsters within and without
Full review at MonsterBookClub
Full review at MonsterBookClub
April 5, 2024
What does "monster" mean to you? For some, it's ghosts, others it's creepy crawlers, and even the real life monsters that live among us. This anthology of 31 horrifying stories has something for everyone who loves a good fright.
Each tale, from authors both known and new to me, absolutely grossed me out and gave me chills; some made me think a little deeper about the human race as a whole. The interpretations were all vivid and unnerving.
As with most collections such as this, not every story was a standout, but the majority certainly made an impression on me. If you like disturbing and spooky reads, this is for you.
Thank you Henry Roi PR, Black Coffee Tours, and Hellbound Books for the opportunity to be on this tour.
Each tale, from authors both known and new to me, absolutely grossed me out and gave me chills; some made me think a little deeper about the human race as a whole. The interpretations were all vivid and unnerving.
As with most collections such as this, not every story was a standout, but the majority certainly made an impression on me. If you like disturbing and spooky reads, this is for you.
Thank you Henry Roi PR, Black Coffee Tours, and Hellbound Books for the opportunity to be on this tour.
Currently reading
January 15, 2025"That Summer" by Bentley Little - Lee follows Dale to the lakeside where he pulls a canvas sack from the water containing a creature Dale refers to as his mother. Lee runs away and tries to avoid Dale but Dale pursues him and tells him that Lee's mother does not love him and that the creature wants to be his mom. When Lee realizes that Dale is right the creature kills Lee's mother and Lee returns to bed where he is kissed goodnight by his new mother.
"The Man Who Could Talk to Monsters" by Tim Waggoner - Ryan consults Edgar to get rid of a fish tulpa in his shed and Edgar discovers that forty years ago Ryan murdered a rival for the affection of a girl who would go on to become his wife.
"Nom Nom" by Elizabeth Massie - Garvey's hateful letters he puts into Bruce's mailbox turn the mailbox into a monster that bites off Garvey's head.
"His Majesty’s Revenge" by Donna J. W. Munro - The Guardian of the Forest tears apart a group of teenagers that harmed a buck in order to heal it.
"Night of the Spider" by Dan Allen - The protagonist battles a spider-like creature in his home.
"The Man Who Could Talk to Monsters" by Tim Waggoner - Ryan consults Edgar to get rid of a fish tulpa in his shed and Edgar discovers that forty years ago Ryan murdered a rival for the affection of a girl who would go on to become his wife.
"Nom Nom" by Elizabeth Massie - Garvey's hateful letters he puts into Bruce's mailbox turn the mailbox into a monster that bites off Garvey's head.
"His Majesty’s Revenge" by Donna J. W. Munro - The Guardian of the Forest tears apart a group of teenagers that harmed a buck in order to heal it.
"Night of the Spider" by Dan Allen - The protagonist battles a spider-like creature in his home.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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