it always finds me

by Emily Perkovich (editor)

it always finds me is a horror anthology from Querencia Press with work featured across poetry, cnf, fiction, hybrid, and visual art from 39 contributors.




*Edited by Emily Perkovich

Genres: Poetry, Horror, Fiction

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 19, 2024

About the author

Emily Perkovich (she/her) is from the Chicago-land area. She is the Editor in Chief of Querencia Press, a poetry reader with Split Lip Mag, and on the Women in Leadership Advisory Board with Valparaiso University. Her work strives to erase the stigma surrounding trauma victims and their responses. She is a Pushcart & a Best of the Net nominee, a SAFTA scholarship recipient, and is previously published with Horror Sleaze Trash, Harness Magazine, Rogue Agent, Coffin Bell Journal, and Awakenings among others. Em is Otomí and learning ways to reconnect with her kin. You can find her on IG @undermeyou or Twitter @emily_perkovich or visit her website.

Reviews

[Kristiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully sinister, morbid and grotesque- a fantastic collection of stories, poetry and artwork exploring humanity and the fantastic at its darkest. One of Querencia Press’ best anthologies to date - the calibre of talent is unmatched.

[Shan( Shans_Shelves) 💜 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I think the publisher took a chance with this collection of mixed format horror. We’ve got visual art, poetry, and short stories. It was definitely an interesting read and one I would love to have as a coffee table book- because there’s something for everyone to enjoy .

If you like queer horror you’re bound to find something you enjoy within this expansive collection. Personally I found some of the work forgettable and I didn’t have many that truly spoke or stayed with me. I’ve been reading this for a number of weeks and out of 39 works I found it hard to pick a top five. I did enjoy the stories- The Legend of the Web-cam Killer, Deliver Edith, and Footsteps in the Mist.

The artwork was beautiful and I especially loved The Hidden Face. Something about it spoke to me. I liked that collection doesn’t just feature paint work but other forms of art like crocheting and photography included.

I do think including 39 works were a bit too much. The book is quite short- a little over 200 pages- and for so many works, some just overshadowed others. Personally I think less is more in story collections.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Publishers for an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

[Books Amongst Friends · Rating 4 out of 5]

This won’t be for everybody, and I’m glad. When it comes to collections like these I’m not looking for crowd pleasers, I’m looking for pieces to be evocative, diverse, thought provoking, and eerie. For me, this collection checked all those boxes. Utilizing multiple mediums also enhanced the reading experience contributing a visual aspect to its already macabre, dark, and eccentric stories and poems. I enjoyed the variety of prose and simple and complex poetry as well. Not every message needs to be written in a riddle to shock, startle, puzzle, or instill fear. Some of the scariest works are those that are chillingly real experiences that occur far too often. Fear could be motherhood, or a father that doesn’t leave you alone at night. Or it could just be a well told ghost story.

While there was definitely pieces that stuck with me more than others, every entry was one I spent time thinking about. I also enjoyed the Author bios included at the end.

Thanks Net Galley and Querencia Press for this arc.

[Emi · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book as a meal: The meal looked very good, but looks are decieving and it tasted like nothing
The book left me: Disappointed

Why did this call out to me?
I like horror and I am part of the LGBTQ+. I like short stories too. This felt right up my alley

Pick-up-able? Put-down-able?
Put-down-able. Didn't really have a driving force behind it. I dragged my feet and ready story after story after story without really liking any of them. Should have DNFed, but I was persistent. 

Issues:
Stories qualify more so as "creepypastas"
Not nearly LGBTQ+ enough for me
Not really scary

Good things:
The art was really cool

How did it feel to read?
It felt like I was being told a scary story by my seniors at school. Or like I am browsing for some creepypastas and read anything with the "bloody eyes" kind of cover

What mood would I read this in?
If I was younger, I would read this in the middle of the night and have nightmares for days to come. Then do it all over again

Where does this fall in my tier list ranking?
D or E. Not for me, but it wasn't badly written at all. 

[Elizabeth Sanders · Rating 3 out of 5]

This anthology is extremely ambitious in the number of artists it highlights as well as the different mediums used. The downside to any anthology like this one is that there will always be some that stand out more than others, for various reasons. In this case, though, we have an additional issue of there being so many entries, many of them short, so that they kind of blend together. There was also some of better quality than others.

The only story that I still remember, a week later, is Footsteps in the Mist. It was so haunting in its portray running from a past, or an abusive ex, or insert whatever else you want to escape.

On a purely vibes level, I think this collection will scratch an itch for queer horror. I can see someone else vibing with this one more than I did, and that's okay. Another reviewer mentioned it having a kind of Zine like feeling, which I also see. I think if there had been a stronger connecting theme between the works and maybe fewer, but stronger pieces, it would have been more successful.

[Adrian Elise · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Always Finds Me is another of Querencia’s thoughtful collections and the first of their horror anthologies. I enjoyed the opportunity to read this one in advance of release and I hope you get the chance to order it! The artwork, stories, and poetry featured explore body horror, the psychological journey of terror within ourselves, and chilling character narratives that gripped. Composition strategically weaves the varied works together in a way that feels cohesive. This anthology is filled with nagging haunts and page-turning suspense from familiar favorites & new voices alike.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read from April 17th, 2024 to May 12th, 2024. Written on May 13th, 2024.

~3.5~

Took longer than I originally planned but here's the review!

What a mix of stories, visual art, poetry and so much more, all packed in a book that will hook you from start to finish. With 39 contributors and Emily Perkovich's help to put them all together, this book will take you to all sorts of paths, from an old woman with a new smart fridge to a man haunted by his automations. You will feel chills, horror, amaze and much more in all these pages.

Signing off,
B.

(Free ARC from NetGalley and Querencia Press that I chose to review after reading)

[Elle Bazi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It always finds me is a wonderful book for those who enjoy gory queer literature. I thought it was written quite well, but I do wish that some of the stories were a bit shorter since some of them were very long for the engagement they offered, making the story seem dragged out, and tampering with the sense of suspense. I thought the inclusion of artwork was very nice as I haven't seen that in a prose compilation before. I also like that the authors were credited underneath each prose/art, as it makes it easier to navigate finding authors you enjoy in the compilation. All in all, I enjoyed the compilation, I again just wish some of the short stories were shorter.

[Key Esh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading anthologies however unfortunately in some cases some stories stand which is true for this book, however it also means that some stories fall flat in comparison, all the stories are lovely it’s just hard when your reading an anthology to not be comparing stories. The images also being included is also lovely and was a nice break between written stories to pause and look at the stories within images

[savi · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some very well-written short stories in this collection, many of which are terrifying and creepy in the best way. I thought many of the art pieces were impressive and chilling. However, I feel as though a few artworks and poems do not quite fit the theme of the collection and felt a bit out of place, disrupting the flow.

Thanks to NetGalley and Querencia Press for the ARC!

[Lisa Davidson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in these pieces was uneven, although I did really like a few of the short stories and I absolutely loved the amazing full color artwork. There were some nifty ideas, and it's probably best to read a little at a time because the pieces are so different.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

[Julie Bouchonville · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC !

I liked the sheer diversity of this anthology : a ton of poetry, short stories, visual pieces, essays, etc., if you can print it, it's in there.

I would have liked a stronger editorial line, however, i expected more common themes, and some pieces felt... out of place ? I wasnt sure how it all fitted together, to be honest.

[Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a few good shorts in here and some of the poems are okay but the real winner is the artwork that is included. At least for me that seemed to be the only thing really doing the heavy lifting.

[Haley Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mix of poems, short stories, and artwork. Very well written, terrifying, and creepy. I loved every piece of art that was scattered throughout. Some of the stories and poems I liked more than others but they were all amazing in their own way.

Thanks Netgalley!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories, poems, and illustrations in this anthology are all so beautiful, haunting and contain much heart. Some of the images described in this book will stay with me for the rest of my life. I bought this as an ebook but I love it so much that I will one day it in physical format.

[maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely little collection of horror with so much variety on top of being consistently solid throughout, which is no easy feat for an anthology. There were for sure some stand outs, Sophie Farthing especially, but overall there's so much to love about this from ex-girlfriend hedges to crocheted creatures. I enjoyed seeing how each creator interpreted the overall theme and despite their uniqueness, still come together as one body of work. There is certainly something for every horror lover in this one and I highly recommend! :)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🫶

[Alora Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a strange bunch. Some of the poems and stories in this anthology were quite good, but it was going in blind as there isn’t really a set upon theme of this bunch. But it was enjoyable.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. This will be out in the middle of April!