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Teenage Girls Can Be Demons
13 terrifying coming-of-rage stories from the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, perfect for fans of Clive Barker, Mariana Enriquez and Eric LaRocca
13 coming-of-rage stories the way only Bram Stoker Award-winning author Hailey Piper can tell them—wildly inventive, brilliantly imaginative, and completely and utterly enthralling.
A vicious group of college upperclassmen prey on the freshman girls in "Why We Keep Exploding;" an impossible world of sinister desire opens beneath a family basement in "A Living Piece of Time;" a girl on a night out realizes a bizarre cop is hunting her in "The Long Flesh of the Law;" and in the acclaimed novella "Benny Rose, the Cannibal King," a Halloween prank goes horribly wrong when a murderous ghost steps out of an urban legend and into the real world.
These stories take our most difficult years of transformation and twist them into new and terrifying shapes, where the monsters are real and you'll do whatever it takes to get away, or get even.
13 coming-of-rage stories the way only Bram Stoker Award-winning author Hailey Piper can tell them—wildly inventive, brilliantly imaginative, and completely and utterly enthralling.
A vicious group of college upperclassmen prey on the freshman girls in "Why We Keep Exploding;" an impossible world of sinister desire opens beneath a family basement in "A Living Piece of Time;" a girl on a night out realizes a bizarre cop is hunting her in "The Long Flesh of the Law;" and in the acclaimed novella "Benny Rose, the Cannibal King," a Halloween prank goes horribly wrong when a murderous ghost steps out of an urban legend and into the real world.
These stories take our most difficult years of transformation and twist them into new and terrifying shapes, where the monsters are real and you'll do whatever it takes to get away, or get even.
336 pages, Paperback
First published September 16, 2025
49 people are currently reading
3977 people want to read
About the author
Hailey Piper
106 books1,002 followersHailey Piper is the Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Queen of Teeth, A Game in Yellow, A Light Most Hateful, The Worm and His Kings, No Gods for Drowning, Cranberry Cove, and other books of dark fiction.
She is also the author of over 100 short stories appearing in Weird Tales, Pseudopod, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and various other publications, and of articles appearing in Writer's Digest, Tor Nightfire, CrimeReads, and Library Journal. Find her at www.haileypiper.com.
She is also the author of over 100 short stories appearing in Weird Tales, Pseudopod, Cosmic Horror Monthly, and various other publications, and of articles appearing in Writer's Digest, Tor Nightfire, CrimeReads, and Library Journal. Find her at www.haileypiper.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
January 4, 2026
I’m on BookTube now! =)
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Titan Books in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley!**
Now this was something different! I kinda went into “Teenage Girls Can Be Demons” with the expectation of reading 13 short horror stories that would give me the creeps, but actually took away so much more from this anthology than that. Were the stories scary? Well, some of them were but a lot of them caused me to think about what the author wanted to convey. No matter which story it was, they all held some deeper meaning and tackled topics of adolescence and the pains of growing up and growing apart.
I liked that those stories made me think so much, but even though I came out enjoying this journey immensely, I can also acknowledge that this collection of short stories might not be for everyone. Many of those tales are more thought provoking than creepy and if you’re looking for something that gives you a rush of adrenaline and jump scares then this might not be for you. However, I have to admit that the last 50% of the book certainly delivered on the horror front! “The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone” and “Benny Rose: The Cannibal King” were both suspenseful and creepy! They had me at the edge of my seat and I wanted to know what would happen next.
Most of those 13 horror tales were more food for thought than eerie, though, and I’ve to confess that I didn’t always get what the author wanted to tell. I might have gotten the gist of it, but some stories were a little bit confusing. Which was probably due to them being so short and the reader not always getting the full picture. But that’s typical for collections of short stories so it’s definitely not the books fault but mine. As for the topics that were tackled: From complex parent/children dynamics to superheroes, friendships, body horror, “growing pains” and adolescence right to grief and even a couple of LGBTQIA+ representations this anthology turned out to be very diverse and I was so here for it!
Conclusion:
All told, I gave “Teenage Girls Can Be Demons” a solid four stars and even though the book turned out to be different than I expected it to be, I really enjoyed it. I can already tell that some of those stories will haunt me for a very long time and if that’s not a good thing, then I don’t know. ;-)
A short summary of the 13 stories:
“Why We Keep Exploding” 3,5
And interesting and impactful take on misogyny and the imbalance of power between freshman girls and cruel upperclassmen featuring a trans MC.
“Unkindly Girls” 3,0
A story about a single father and his teenage daughter that go on a vacation and navigate the pain of growing up and growing apart. Quite literally & fatally. Did the story involve real mermaids? I’ll never know.
"The Long Flesh of the Law" 4,0
When a young girl is looking for her friends she makes a very unpleasant experience with the law. A fresh take about the strong bonds of friendships and a somewhat rogue police man who isn’t acting the way he should.
“Thagomizer” 3,0
The oppressive force of a mother’s guilt and grief. It was a unique approach for sure.
"Without A Face" 3,0
An unusual class reunion that blurred the lines between past and present.
"Last Leaf Of An Ursine Tree" 4,0
A story about a hungry girl that wants to escape her mother’s overBEARing influence. The struggles of adolescence were shown in a new way and the overall concept was very interesting and exceptional as well.
"Hopscotch For Keeps" 3,5
A children’s game turns into serious business during a heat wave. My take is that this story was about the dangers children don’t see and therefore can’t name.
"Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad" 3,0
A story about the power of music and the challenges young superheroes have to face told through the perspective of a trans MC. Music carries weight in this one, quite literally! ;-)
"Autotomy" 4,5
What do you do when your mother changes overnight and no one can SEE it? A blind girl is about to find out. An eerie feeling, goose bumps, weird smells and a small pinch of body horror made this a story to remember.
"The Turning" 4,00
A mysterious virus that turns teens into primeval creatures. Not just a new and creative way to bring a breath of fresh air into the body horror genre but also a nod to the weird body changes teens experience during adolescence.
"We Who Hold The Median" 3,0
Less spooky and more thought provoking. Can a street be a home? Can it be haunted? Told from the perspective of a homeless girl the reader will find out.
"The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone" 4,5
Cruel nuns taking care of orphans and something sinister in the attic? One of the longer short stories featuring a mysterious cheerful girl named Clara Greenstone. Who was Clara and was she gender-fluid? Lots of questions, no answers, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.
“Benny Rose: The Cannibal King" 5,0
Not just the longest story of the collection but also the best! When a Halloween prank turns deadly, a group of teenagers is trying to fight their way through the night. Suspenseful, eerie, gory and haunting, this urban legend turned into reality had it all. I was thoroughly creeped out … and I loved it!
________________________
That last story was quite something! O_o
Probably shouldn’t have read about cannibals before going to bed, yet here we are. *lol*
Anyway! I managed to finish this book in November! YAY!
I really enjoyed all the stories, but the last two were definitely my favourites! XD
Full RTC soon! Stay tuned! ;-)
_________________________
#Rainboween Read No.2!
I got this as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m sooo curious!
A queer horror story collection sounds amazing and I hope to be able to tick off many of my bingo board prompts! I have no idea what the stories will be about, but I’m ready for monsters, vampires, demons, ghosts, witches, zombies and everything else! *lol*
Give me 13 queer horror stories and I’ll be fine!
Fingers crossed this scaredy fox is going to survive the more creepy parts. XD
Find me on:
My Blog
Instagram
**I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Titan Books in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley!**
Now this was something different! I kinda went into “Teenage Girls Can Be Demons” with the expectation of reading 13 short horror stories that would give me the creeps, but actually took away so much more from this anthology than that. Were the stories scary? Well, some of them were but a lot of them caused me to think about what the author wanted to convey. No matter which story it was, they all held some deeper meaning and tackled topics of adolescence and the pains of growing up and growing apart.
I liked that those stories made me think so much, but even though I came out enjoying this journey immensely, I can also acknowledge that this collection of short stories might not be for everyone. Many of those tales are more thought provoking than creepy and if you’re looking for something that gives you a rush of adrenaline and jump scares then this might not be for you. However, I have to admit that the last 50% of the book certainly delivered on the horror front! “The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone” and “Benny Rose: The Cannibal King” were both suspenseful and creepy! They had me at the edge of my seat and I wanted to know what would happen next.
Most of those 13 horror tales were more food for thought than eerie, though, and I’ve to confess that I didn’t always get what the author wanted to tell. I might have gotten the gist of it, but some stories were a little bit confusing. Which was probably due to them being so short and the reader not always getting the full picture. But that’s typical for collections of short stories so it’s definitely not the books fault but mine. As for the topics that were tackled: From complex parent/children dynamics to superheroes, friendships, body horror, “growing pains” and adolescence right to grief and even a couple of LGBTQIA+ representations this anthology turned out to be very diverse and I was so here for it!
Conclusion:
All told, I gave “Teenage Girls Can Be Demons” a solid four stars and even though the book turned out to be different than I expected it to be, I really enjoyed it. I can already tell that some of those stories will haunt me for a very long time and if that’s not a good thing, then I don’t know. ;-)
A short summary of the 13 stories:
“Why We Keep Exploding” 3,5
And interesting and impactful take on misogyny and the imbalance of power between freshman girls and cruel upperclassmen featuring a trans MC.
“Unkindly Girls” 3,0
A story about a single father and his teenage daughter that go on a vacation and navigate the pain of growing up and growing apart. Quite literally & fatally. Did the story involve real mermaids? I’ll never know.
"The Long Flesh of the Law" 4,0
When a young girl is looking for her friends she makes a very unpleasant experience with the law. A fresh take about the strong bonds of friendships and a somewhat rogue police man who isn’t acting the way he should.
“Thagomizer” 3,0
The oppressive force of a mother’s guilt and grief. It was a unique approach for sure.
"Without A Face" 3,0
An unusual class reunion that blurred the lines between past and present.
"Last Leaf Of An Ursine Tree" 4,0
A story about a hungry girl that wants to escape her mother’s overBEARing influence. The struggles of adolescence were shown in a new way and the overall concept was very interesting and exceptional as well.
"Hopscotch For Keeps" 3,5
A children’s game turns into serious business during a heat wave. My take is that this story was about the dangers children don’t see and therefore can’t name.
"Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad" 3,0
A story about the power of music and the challenges young superheroes have to face told through the perspective of a trans MC. Music carries weight in this one, quite literally! ;-)
"Autotomy" 4,5
What do you do when your mother changes overnight and no one can SEE it? A blind girl is about to find out. An eerie feeling, goose bumps, weird smells and a small pinch of body horror made this a story to remember.
"The Turning" 4,00
A mysterious virus that turns teens into primeval creatures. Not just a new and creative way to bring a breath of fresh air into the body horror genre but also a nod to the weird body changes teens experience during adolescence.
"We Who Hold The Median" 3,0
Less spooky and more thought provoking. Can a street be a home? Can it be haunted? Told from the perspective of a homeless girl the reader will find out.
"The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone" 4,5
Cruel nuns taking care of orphans and something sinister in the attic? One of the longer short stories featuring a mysterious cheerful girl named Clara Greenstone. Who was Clara and was she gender-fluid? Lots of questions, no answers, but a satisfying ending nonetheless.
“Benny Rose: The Cannibal King" 5,0
Not just the longest story of the collection but also the best! When a Halloween prank turns deadly, a group of teenagers is trying to fight their way through the night. Suspenseful, eerie, gory and haunting, this urban legend turned into reality had it all. I was thoroughly creeped out … and I loved it!
________________________
That last story was quite something! O_o
Probably shouldn’t have read about cannibals before going to bed, yet here we are. *lol*
Anyway! I managed to finish this book in November! YAY!
I really enjoyed all the stories, but the last two were definitely my favourites! XD
Full RTC soon! Stay tuned! ;-)
_________________________
#Rainboween Read No.2!
I got this as an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher and I’m sooo curious!
A queer horror story collection sounds amazing and I hope to be able to tick off many of my bingo board prompts! I have no idea what the stories will be about, but I’m ready for monsters, vampires, demons, ghosts, witches, zombies and everything else! *lol*
Give me 13 queer horror stories and I’ll be fine!
Fingers crossed this scaredy fox is going to survive the more creepy parts. XD
Find me on:
My Blog
September 12, 2025
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is a collection of short stories that reminded me how much I used to enjoy reading these little bite-sized tales, especially when I don’t have enough mental and emotional energy to invest in fully fleshed-out novels.
Each story has a strange, unsettling, or eerie atmosphere creeping down your spine, with some teetering on being quite abstract. Some of the assumed symbolism went a bit over my head, leaving me slightly confused, but I honestly didn’t even mind.
Hailey Piper takes all kinds of horrible experiences that girls and women go through, with the perpetrators being men, parents, older people who refuse to understand, and more, and warps them through horror or fantastical lenses. And then she takes the girls and creates something a bit else out of the victims they usually are. Because sometimes, teenage girls can become demons and bite back when they’ve had quite enough.
The collection contains 13 stories, and twelve of those are truly short - and while I’ll probably forget most of them, there are some scenes I can already feel burrow under my skin. Thagomizer was an interesting outlier with an adult mother at its centre, who just buried her sociopathic son - and feeling an overwhelming mix of guilt and relief.
Many Sins of Clara Greenstone was my top favorite, with Spirit Bares Its Teeth by AJW vibes, moving me to tears. I would give my imaginary firstborn for this story to be expanded into a longer novella 😩
The thirteenth story took about 40 percent of this anthology, and I feel like all the previous stories gently prepped me for what’s about to come because this is where the horror genre truly came in swinging! Benny Rose the Cannibal King feels like a classic 80s Halloween slasher, urban legend come true, that had me on the edge of my seat, almost chewing through my lip, with a twist on the final girls trope that was heartbreaking and moving at the same time. I’ll definitely have to turn the lights on at night when going to the bathroom...😳 Perfect October read, I would say!
The execution of all the stories was brilliantly imaginative and quite original, with the prose being an interesting mix of straightforward and poetic. It’s safe to say I’ll be picking up more of the author’s work when I want to feel the shivers go down my spine 👻
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc. Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is out September 16!
Each story has a strange, unsettling, or eerie atmosphere creeping down your spine, with some teetering on being quite abstract. Some of the assumed symbolism went a bit over my head, leaving me slightly confused, but I honestly didn’t even mind.
Hailey Piper takes all kinds of horrible experiences that girls and women go through, with the perpetrators being men, parents, older people who refuse to understand, and more, and warps them through horror or fantastical lenses. And then she takes the girls and creates something a bit else out of the victims they usually are. Because sometimes, teenage girls can become demons and bite back when they’ve had quite enough.
The collection contains 13 stories, and twelve of those are truly short - and while I’ll probably forget most of them, there are some scenes I can already feel burrow under my skin. Thagomizer was an interesting outlier with an adult mother at its centre, who just buried her sociopathic son - and feeling an overwhelming mix of guilt and relief.
Many Sins of Clara Greenstone was my top favorite, with Spirit Bares Its Teeth by AJW vibes, moving me to tears. I would give my imaginary firstborn for this story to be expanded into a longer novella 😩
The thirteenth story took about 40 percent of this anthology, and I feel like all the previous stories gently prepped me for what’s about to come because this is where the horror genre truly came in swinging! Benny Rose the Cannibal King feels like a classic 80s Halloween slasher, urban legend come true, that had me on the edge of my seat, almost chewing through my lip, with a twist on the final girls trope that was heartbreaking and moving at the same time. I’ll definitely have to turn the lights on at night when going to the bathroom...😳 Perfect October read, I would say!
The execution of all the stories was brilliantly imaginative and quite original, with the prose being an interesting mix of straightforward and poetic. It’s safe to say I’ll be picking up more of the author’s work when I want to feel the shivers go down my spine 👻
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc. Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is out September 16!
October 8, 2025
3.5 Stars
I don't read a lot of short stories these days but when I heard that Hailey Piper was putting out a collection of horror stories centered around the female teenage experience, I had to check it out.
This is a topic of dark fiction that I never get tired of reading. I feel like being a teenage girl was already horrifying enough so it was easy to enjoy these stories.
With pretty much every short story collection, I enjoy some more than others. I was disappointed that I didn't have a 5-star experience in the collection. Nothing quite hit that personal experience that I normally need to complete a love story. However there were still several good stories that captures aspects of the female teenage experience while still having a horror twist.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
I don't read a lot of short stories these days but when I heard that Hailey Piper was putting out a collection of horror stories centered around the female teenage experience, I had to check it out.
This is a topic of dark fiction that I never get tired of reading. I feel like being a teenage girl was already horrifying enough so it was easy to enjoy these stories.
With pretty much every short story collection, I enjoy some more than others. I was disappointed that I didn't have a 5-star experience in the collection. Nothing quite hit that personal experience that I normally need to complete a love story. However there were still several good stories that captures aspects of the female teenage experience while still having a horror twist.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
September 9, 2025
"Different girls might self-destruct in different kinds of ways. Not an explosion, but a meltdown. How long until the sorcery kills me?"
WHY WE KEEP EXPLODING - 3.5✨
UNKINDLY GIRLS - 3.8✨
THE LONG FLESH OF THE LAW -4.2✨
THAGOMIZER- 3.5✨
WITHOUT A FACE -4.5✨
LAST LEAF OF AN URSINE TREE -5✨
HOPSCOTCH FOR KEEPS -2.8✨
MAGICAL GIRLS CHILD CRUSADER SQUAD-3✨
AUTOTOMY -5✨
THE TURNING -3✨
WE WHO HOLD THE MEDIAN - 2.5✨
THE MANY SINS OF CLARA GREENSTONE - 4✨
3.7✨
WHY WE KEEP EXPLODING - 3.5✨
UNKINDLY GIRLS - 3.8✨
THE LONG FLESH OF THE LAW -4.2✨
THAGOMIZER- 3.5✨
WITHOUT A FACE -4.5✨
LAST LEAF OF AN URSINE TREE -5✨
HOPSCOTCH FOR KEEPS -2.8✨
MAGICAL GIRLS CHILD CRUSADER SQUAD-3✨
AUTOTOMY -5✨
THE TURNING -3✨
WE WHO HOLD THE MEDIAN - 2.5✨
THE MANY SINS OF CLARA GREENSTONE - 4✨
3.7✨
January 9, 2026
Thirteen stories, a natural choice for a horror anthology. Each story features teenagers in some way. Most feature teenage girls fighting back for dignity, respect, bodily autonomy, and (in the case of our final story which is almost half the page count) their own survival against Benny Rose the Cannibal King. I don’t do cannibals usually, they are one of my nope out points usually. And I almost didn’t make it on this final story; but I wanted to know how it ended and I’m glad I made it there.
Each of these stories is worth a read. Some I liked more than others, a few were more polished (those previously published in other anthologies had a slightly different narrative voice perhaps because of editors or based on time of writing. Hailey Piper does what she does best here and creates mood, atmosphere, chills, and thrills that keep the pages turning.
I’m hoping to convince my husband to read the last story of Benny Rose as it is very well done. I could see it being a horror movie (albeit one that might be too much for me); but one that many would love to cheer on our teens and be horrified along with them as the backstory and realities come to the surface and are undone.
I myself was a menace and awful teen girl. I have often wondered if I had more supports or actual loyal friends if I could have weathered those rough years better. In the end though I’m glad for each moment as I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am today, without each pain staking teenage event playing out exactly as it did. I do agree with Piper on one more important thing: teenage girls are demons. Whether to one another, themselves, or other monsters they are not humans to be take lightly and we should try to offer them more supports as their bodies bleed and weep for the first of many times to come.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Each of these stories is worth a read. Some I liked more than others, a few were more polished (those previously published in other anthologies had a slightly different narrative voice perhaps because of editors or based on time of writing. Hailey Piper does what she does best here and creates mood, atmosphere, chills, and thrills that keep the pages turning.
I’m hoping to convince my husband to read the last story of Benny Rose as it is very well done. I could see it being a horror movie (albeit one that might be too much for me); but one that many would love to cheer on our teens and be horrified along with them as the backstory and realities come to the surface and are undone.
I myself was a menace and awful teen girl. I have often wondered if I had more supports or actual loyal friends if I could have weathered those rough years better. In the end though I’m glad for each moment as I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am today, without each pain staking teenage event playing out exactly as it did. I do agree with Piper on one more important thing: teenage girls are demons. Whether to one another, themselves, or other monsters they are not humans to be take lightly and we should try to offer them more supports as their bodies bleed and weep for the first of many times to come.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
Read
September 12, 2025ARC for review. To be published September 16, 2025.
DNF at 30%
I loved Hailey Piper’s THE GAME IN YELLOW and recommend it wholeheartedly. I was really looking forward to this book of thirteen of her short stories. The stories were eerie, in a way that made me a bit uncomfortable but I just wasn’t enjoying any of them.
However, I will still read Piper in the future; I enjoy her brand of horror, I’ll just stay away from the short stories. Or perhaps it was a case of wrong book/wrong time.
DNF at 30%
I loved Hailey Piper’s THE GAME IN YELLOW and recommend it wholeheartedly. I was really looking forward to this book of thirteen of her short stories. The stories were eerie, in a way that made me a bit uncomfortable but I just wasn’t enjoying any of them.
However, I will still read Piper in the future; I enjoy her brand of horror, I’ll just stay away from the short stories. Or perhaps it was a case of wrong book/wrong time.
September 19, 2025
I'm a sucker for Piper (and a cool cover helloooo?!)and the premise of this just sounded OOMPH coming of (r)age stories focused on teenage girls (being a 30 year old(ISH 👀)teenage girl myself I loved these) I really enjoyed revisiting short stories I forgot how much I love them, Benny Rose the Cannibal King was a fav! it was giving old school pulpy slasher horror(Felt like an entire horror novel, infact...can we get one Hailey 👀) if you looking for some female led creepy stories this is the one for you!
October 22, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Titan Books for the advanced copy.
I LOVE an anthology, let me tell you what, and when I read this was 13 horror stories from a Bram Stoker winner I hadn't heard of, I jumped on this.
I'll say it does take a while for the stories to pick up steam, and perhaps a reorganization would've benefited this collection because I feel like all the bangers were at the end.
I normally highlight my favorites but I really only had two favorites, and they make up half the novel:
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - wished this was longer, absolutely loved it. Creepy, unsettling, yet amusing and a little silly, it reminded me of a twisted fairy tale and I found it just beautiful.
Benny Rose: The Cannibal King - a novella that takes up the last 40% of the collection, this is the star. An absolutely wonderful 80s gory monster story with a scary monster, scared yet badass teens, and creep old people lol
I don't have much to say for the earlier stories - I didn't dislike any of them but I was mostly just bored or vaguely amused. I'm so glad this collection picked up near the end though! I zoomed through that last story, talk about a page-turner. I'd love for it to be made into a film!
An overall decent horror collection with stories that may resonate more strongly with a younger audience but still holds a few all-seasons all-ages bangers.
I LOVE an anthology, let me tell you what, and when I read this was 13 horror stories from a Bram Stoker winner I hadn't heard of, I jumped on this.
I'll say it does take a while for the stories to pick up steam, and perhaps a reorganization would've benefited this collection because I feel like all the bangers were at the end.
I normally highlight my favorites but I really only had two favorites, and they make up half the novel:
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - wished this was longer, absolutely loved it. Creepy, unsettling, yet amusing and a little silly, it reminded me of a twisted fairy tale and I found it just beautiful.
Benny Rose: The Cannibal King - a novella that takes up the last 40% of the collection, this is the star. An absolutely wonderful 80s gory monster story with a scary monster, scared yet badass teens, and creep old people lol
I don't have much to say for the earlier stories - I didn't dislike any of them but I was mostly just bored or vaguely amused. I'm so glad this collection picked up near the end though! I zoomed through that last story, talk about a page-turner. I'd love for it to be made into a film!
An overall decent horror collection with stories that may resonate more strongly with a younger audience but still holds a few all-seasons all-ages bangers.
January 1, 2026
I really enjoyed this for the most part. It was uncanny. It was weird. It had something to say.
I thought the stories were relatively well paced. Most were no longer than 15 minutes to read (at my reading pace anyway, this usually means no more than 15 pages).
I thought it stuck to the theme really well.
There were only two stories that stand out as not being favorites.
The story about the Music/Heroes of Ur. Super hero stuff is just never going to be my thing. 100% get why the author included it. I’m glad it’s there and that it exists for someone who might better relate to it.
Benny Rose, Cannibal King. This was like 1/3 of the book. I really liked the way it started, but then it just gets gross and action-oriented rather than psychological horror and I lost interest. It took me weeks to come back and read this. I don’t really love when a novella is thrown in with stories. If I’m in short story mode, I want to keep reading snippets/small bites of stories. Not a novella.
Stand outs for me: Why We Keep Exploding- I liked the weird. I liked the commentary.
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - Also loved this weird one. Loved the tormented teacher. Loved the trickster character. Fully expected to get bored/impatient because it was one of the longer stories but I was engaged the whole time.
Last Leaf of an ursine Tree - listen, I’d read a whole book set in this world. I loved the metaphor of this. It was literary-horror at its best. Kind of leaves it open ended. Just well done.
There are others I’m not thinking of, but I had a great time with this. I feel bad I haven’t read more by Piper and will continue to read from her in the future.
I thought the stories were relatively well paced. Most were no longer than 15 minutes to read (at my reading pace anyway, this usually means no more than 15 pages).
I thought it stuck to the theme really well.
There were only two stories that stand out as not being favorites.
The story about the Music/Heroes of Ur. Super hero stuff is just never going to be my thing. 100% get why the author included it. I’m glad it’s there and that it exists for someone who might better relate to it.
Benny Rose, Cannibal King. This was like 1/3 of the book. I really liked the way it started, but then it just gets gross and action-oriented rather than psychological horror and I lost interest. It took me weeks to come back and read this. I don’t really love when a novella is thrown in with stories. If I’m in short story mode, I want to keep reading snippets/small bites of stories. Not a novella.
Stand outs for me: Why We Keep Exploding- I liked the weird. I liked the commentary.
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - Also loved this weird one. Loved the tormented teacher. Loved the trickster character. Fully expected to get bored/impatient because it was one of the longer stories but I was engaged the whole time.
Last Leaf of an ursine Tree - listen, I’d read a whole book set in this world. I loved the metaphor of this. It was literary-horror at its best. Kind of leaves it open ended. Just well done.
There are others I’m not thinking of, but I had a great time with this. I feel bad I haven’t read more by Piper and will continue to read from her in the future.
October 10, 2025
it's true. there IS something dangerous about the boredom of teenage girls.
all these short stories were deliciously creepy and the perfect read for the spooky season. i felt a bit confused at times and wasn't quite sure what to make of all the dinosaur themes (so maybe i'm too stupid and am missing some symbolism here), but i had a good time. i especially loved seeing things come full circle on the very last story (iykyk).
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
all these short stories were deliciously creepy and the perfect read for the spooky season. i felt a bit confused at times and wasn't quite sure what to make of all the dinosaur themes (so maybe i'm too stupid and am missing some symbolism here), but i had a good time. i especially loved seeing things come full circle on the very last story (iykyk).
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review
September 16, 2025
4/5 stars
Now this COOKED. Hailey Piper writes 13 short stories, all about female rage and coming-of-age in various messed up ways. As usual with short story collections, there were some standouts:
- Unkindly Girls, featuring the complex relation between single father and daughter, with a nightmare twist.
- Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree, where a woman’s period is made obvious because a huge BEAR becomes her companion.
- Autonomy, about a blind girl who realises that something has taken her mother’s place in the house.
- The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone, where a truly evil convent is paid a visit by a mischievous little girl.
And, of course, the novella that finishes off the book: Benny Rose, the Cannibal King. This was my favourite, totally reminiscent of 80s slashers and the iconic imagery of the final girl! Benny Roes was just as terrifying as Michael or Jason (maybe even more so…), with an insatiable appetite for the live flesh of children. Sooooo fucked up. And sooooo good.
While not all the short stories worked for me, they were all full of stunning prose and I could at least see what the author was going for. Overall a really solid collection of short stories, topped off with an awesome novella!!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for an early copy! Releases 16th of September, 2025!
Now this COOKED. Hailey Piper writes 13 short stories, all about female rage and coming-of-age in various messed up ways. As usual with short story collections, there were some standouts:
- Unkindly Girls, featuring the complex relation between single father and daughter, with a nightmare twist.
- Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree, where a woman’s period is made obvious because a huge BEAR becomes her companion.
- Autonomy, about a blind girl who realises that something has taken her mother’s place in the house.
- The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone, where a truly evil convent is paid a visit by a mischievous little girl.
And, of course, the novella that finishes off the book: Benny Rose, the Cannibal King. This was my favourite, totally reminiscent of 80s slashers and the iconic imagery of the final girl! Benny Roes was just as terrifying as Michael or Jason (maybe even more so…), with an insatiable appetite for the live flesh of children. Sooooo fucked up. And sooooo good.
While not all the short stories worked for me, they were all full of stunning prose and I could at least see what the author was going for. Overall a really solid collection of short stories, topped off with an awesome novella!!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for an early copy! Releases 16th of September, 2025!
September 23, 2025
Thirteen stories, Thirteen nightmares. In Hailey Piper's Teenage Girls Can Be Demons, the messy rage of girlhood erupts into claws, mutations, and bloody revenge. These tales twist high school drama, first loves, and growing pains into grotesque and unforgettable horrors where coming of age means coming undone.
Hailey Piper has proven why she's one of horrors most daring voices. Teenage Girls Can Be Demons takes the volatility of adolescence, the anger, the confusion, the hunger to be seen, and mutates it into raw visceral horror. Each of the thirteen stories are both horrifying and strangely tender, exploring the violence and vulnerability of girlhood with razor sharp precision. Piper balances gore with emotional depth, turning body horror into a metaphor for survival and rage into empowerment. Some stories hit like gut punches, others linger, but all of them remind us that horror can be as cathartic as it is terrifying. This is truly a collection that's bloody, bold, and unapologetically fierce. Another worthy addition to your never-ending TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hailey Piper, and Titan Books for this eARC! Publication date was September 16th, 2025.
Hailey Piper has proven why she's one of horrors most daring voices. Teenage Girls Can Be Demons takes the volatility of adolescence, the anger, the confusion, the hunger to be seen, and mutates it into raw visceral horror. Each of the thirteen stories are both horrifying and strangely tender, exploring the violence and vulnerability of girlhood with razor sharp precision. Piper balances gore with emotional depth, turning body horror into a metaphor for survival and rage into empowerment. Some stories hit like gut punches, others linger, but all of them remind us that horror can be as cathartic as it is terrifying. This is truly a collection that's bloody, bold, and unapologetically fierce. Another worthy addition to your never-ending TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hailey Piper, and Titan Books for this eARC! Publication date was September 16th, 2025.
September 30, 2025
I have read a few of these before. The longer Novella, Benny Rose The Cannibal King is one of my favorite reads for the spooky season!
My favorites are:
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
I love some religious horror and anything dealing with abusive demented nuns. This story takes place at a home for girls and the title character is vengeful and a delight. Part religious horror part fairy story.
The Long Flesh of the Law
Cosmic horror is this author’s specialty and this has a shape shifting alien cop. The main character is searching for a sense of belonging and as a teenage girl, the pursuit is never ending. She just wants to find the club her friends are at, but meets a monster instead. I adored the ending.
My favorites are:
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
I love some religious horror and anything dealing with abusive demented nuns. This story takes place at a home for girls and the title character is vengeful and a delight. Part religious horror part fairy story.
The Long Flesh of the Law
Cosmic horror is this author’s specialty and this has a shape shifting alien cop. The main character is searching for a sense of belonging and as a teenage girl, the pursuit is never ending. She just wants to find the club her friends are at, but meets a monster instead. I adored the ending.
September 20, 2025
3.5/4
These 13 coming-of-rage stories are your best ally for this Halloween.
I've never been a big fan of short stories, but this collection has not left me indifferent. Also, I'm not a big fan of horror, but it has earned 4 stars.
It's true that for that very reason I found it a bit difficult to read and at times it felt heavy going, but that's also because I read them all in one go. I think the best way to read it is to do one or two stories a day.
The concept of coming-of-rage seems very appropriate here. Each story focuses on one or more female teenage protagonists and the everyday situations they have to deal with that would fill any of us with rage. And often that is precisely the utmost horror of the stories, what we have to endure simply because we are women.
Of all of them, my favourites have been the following (in order of appearance in the collection):
- Unkindly Girls
- Thagomizer
- Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree
- The Turning
- The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
- Benny Rose the Cannibal King
The last of these, and the longest in the collection, is one of my favourites because I felt most immersed in the story. The others, because they resonated with me so deeply.
This is definitely a must-read collection for Halloween season, I truly recommend it.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc!
These 13 coming-of-rage stories are your best ally for this Halloween.
I've never been a big fan of short stories, but this collection has not left me indifferent. Also, I'm not a big fan of horror, but it has earned 4 stars.
It's true that for that very reason I found it a bit difficult to read and at times it felt heavy going, but that's also because I read them all in one go. I think the best way to read it is to do one or two stories a day.
The concept of coming-of-rage seems very appropriate here. Each story focuses on one or more female teenage protagonists and the everyday situations they have to deal with that would fill any of us with rage. And often that is precisely the utmost horror of the stories, what we have to endure simply because we are women.
Of all of them, my favourites have been the following (in order of appearance in the collection):
- Unkindly Girls
- Thagomizer
- Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree
- The Turning
- The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
- Benny Rose the Cannibal King
The last of these, and the longest in the collection, is one of my favourites because I felt most immersed in the story. The others, because they resonated with me so deeply.
This is definitely a must-read collection for Halloween season, I truly recommend it.
Thank you to Titan Books and NetGalley for this e-arc!
August 31, 2025
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is a collection of short stories by horror author Hailey Piper, focused around teenage girls and coming of age. The first twelve stories are short, taking varied approaches to exploring adolescence with different levels of horror (there's some other genres too, like a story that is more around teenage vigilant heroes). The final story is a novella, 'Benny Rose the Cannibal King', which has a teen slasher vibe based around an urban legend.
There's a lot of great concepts in the stories and by writing horror stories about teenagers for an adult audience, Piper is able to delve into darker stuff than teen horror tends to (or at least a bit more gore at times). The novella that concludes the book was perhaps my favourite story, as it is an urban legend slasher story that explores the dynamics between teenage girls. It felt reminiscent of teen horror like Point Horror and Fear Street, which might not be for everyone, but as someone who read a lot of Point Horror as a young teenager, I enjoyed that element. Having read Piper's novel All the Hearts You Eat, I was expecting stories exploring queer and trans teen horror, and there's some good stories that do, but I also did want more, if I'm honest.
I think the thing that might put people off this collection is the fact that the writing style and the mostly teenage protagonists do make the collection feel like it is for young adult readers, even if there's gore and darker subject matter at times. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as I remember being a teenage who very quickly went from Point Horror to Stephen King by the time I was about fourteen and it is good to have horror that can straddle the boundary between YA and adult fiction.
This is a fun collection of short stories exploring teenage girls in horror, with some distinctive concepts (for example, there's quite a lot of dinosaurs coming up in some way or another). I think it works well as either something with a nostalgic edge for adults who read teen horror as teenagers, or a good stepping stone between young adult horror and adult books.
There's a lot of great concepts in the stories and by writing horror stories about teenagers for an adult audience, Piper is able to delve into darker stuff than teen horror tends to (or at least a bit more gore at times). The novella that concludes the book was perhaps my favourite story, as it is an urban legend slasher story that explores the dynamics between teenage girls. It felt reminiscent of teen horror like Point Horror and Fear Street, which might not be for everyone, but as someone who read a lot of Point Horror as a young teenager, I enjoyed that element. Having read Piper's novel All the Hearts You Eat, I was expecting stories exploring queer and trans teen horror, and there's some good stories that do, but I also did want more, if I'm honest.
I think the thing that might put people off this collection is the fact that the writing style and the mostly teenage protagonists do make the collection feel like it is for young adult readers, even if there's gore and darker subject matter at times. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as I remember being a teenage who very quickly went from Point Horror to Stephen King by the time I was about fourteen and it is good to have horror that can straddle the boundary between YA and adult fiction.
This is a fun collection of short stories exploring teenage girls in horror, with some distinctive concepts (for example, there's quite a lot of dinosaurs coming up in some way or another). I think it works well as either something with a nostalgic edge for adults who read teen horror as teenagers, or a good stepping stone between young adult horror and adult books.
June 23, 2025
A great collection of short horror stories - a couple were closer to 3* for me, but overall a really strong offering!
August 28, 2025
I knew I would inhale this one! I’m such a sucker for short horror collections. A couple of stories are already living rent-free in my head, and the others were just okay. Hands down, I recommend this one!
Thanks, NetGalley and Titan, for my ebook ARC for an honest review!
Thanks, NetGalley and Titan, for my ebook ARC for an honest review!
January 5, 2026
A stunningly good horror collection with huge variety, style and makes a lot of good points. Very strongly recommended!
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
Full review - https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/bl...
September 13, 2025
Los relatos son 3 estrellas; están bien, impactan pero me resultan muy repetitivos.
Al final se incluye Benny Rose, The Cannibal King y esa novelette sube la calidad del conjunto.
Halloween, tradiciones y adolescentes enfadadas de su rol en la sociedad.
Al final se incluye Benny Rose, The Cannibal King y esa novelette sube la calidad del conjunto.
Halloween, tradiciones y adolescentes enfadadas de su rol en la sociedad.
September 12, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from netgalley.
This collection of short stories and one novella by Hailey Piper features feminist horror stories focusing on the lives of teenage girls or in one case on the trauma that haunts one adult woman experienced during her teenage years and revived during a high school reunion as well as one story about a grieving mother. Some of the stories are republished here, others are new and despite already having read five in anthologies or when they were published (Why We Keep Exploding, Unkindly Girls, Autotomy, The Turning & Benny Rose, the Cannibal King), I enjoyed getting to revisit them and found that their addition to this themed collection added to my reading experience. My favorite stories were The Long Flesh of the Law, Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree, Magical Girl Child Crusader Squad, Autotomy, The Turning, The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone and Benny Rose, the Cannibal King.
Hailey Piper presents a multitude of horror genres here, from the horror of sexist fratboys to grieving magical girls, from period-based magic to a town haunted by the urban legend of a cannibal killer there is something here for any horror fan here. Two stories feature trans girls as main characters, another two follow the stories of gnc lesbians, which made me quite happy as a big fan of queer horror. All throughout these stories we have girl who fight back, girls who bite and scratch and kick ass for their survival, their autonomy, their lives. In one of the stories a character asks himself “They were only teenage girls. What could they do?” and in turn every story answers that question, showing us revenge and friendship, joy and grief and a few more of the many things that teenage girls can do.
If you like queer or feminist horror, enjoy Haily Piper’s writing, think teenage girls make great horror protagonists or just want to have a good, scary time, you should check this anthology out!
Why We Keep Exploding: On a college campus a freshman girl watches as another freshman explode in the dining hall after being heckled by upperclassman boys. Already used to being silent, worried her voice would give her away and make it impossible for her to be stealth, she finds herself giving a voice to all the girls who explode through other means. A really interesting and strange story about reclaiming language and fighting back against a sexist system.
TW: cutting, death, self-harm, transmisogyny
Unkindly Girls: A teenage girl, raised by a single father, who often complains about ‘Unkindly Girls’ referring to any girl or woman, who dares to look attractive to him, now knows why they always end their vacations the day after her father leaves the house for the night. She knows she has to find a way to stop him. Haunting and heartbreaking.
TW: drowning, drugs, incest (mention), misogyny, murder, suicide
*FAV* The Long Flesh of the Law: A young teenage girl is trying to get to the club to meet her friends, but a cop car is following her through the streets and something is very, very wrong. Incredibly tense atmosphere and very haunting with an interesting teenage protagonist, all in all a great horror story. The gore was really fun!
TW: body horror, murder, police brutality,
Thagomizer: A mother finds herself haunted by more than just memories on the drive home from her son’s funeral. I loved the atmosphere and the way horror arose here from seemingly mundane childhood memories.
Without a Face: A highschool reunion that troubles one girl more than the others in her group, soon leaves her questioning her past. Tense and very fun, I loved it, fencer’s masks are a really scary trope for horror and really well used in this short story.
TW: murder
*FAV* Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree: In a world where bears follow those who are on their periods, a little girl is terrified of her mother and her bear and unsure what she herself will do when her period starts. Very strange and heartbreaking, I loved this one a lot!
TW: child abuse, murder, poverty, starvation
Hopscotch for Keeps: A game of hopscotch on the playground soon finds the stakes raised far too high. Haunting in the way only stories about children encountering evil deal-making creatures can be. I loved the descriptions of the hot afternoon and the way it turned everything blurry, it was very evocative of the feeling and made the place feel incredibly real.
TW: death, murder, poison
*FAV* Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad: A girl from a magical girl band struggles with saving the world, while still grieving for a lost bandmate. Quite melancholic, but also fun to read, this is a short story for people who want more trans magical girls or storis about magical girls that dig into the weight of being burdened with saving the world at 16. I also liked that the main character of this story was a closeted trans girl and how societal expectations on her caused her additional stress.
TW: death, grief
*FAV* Autotomy: A girl notices her mom’s smell has changed and realizes she has been replaced. A haunting story about the horror of somebody you love being gone, while everybody else believes they are still here. (Plus, I had forgotten this before reading the acknowledgements, but apparently this one was published in the Monsters Out of the Closet podcast and if you like queer horror, you gotta check that one out, it is such a great podcast!)
TW: body horror, death, gore
*FAV* The Turning: A teenage girl finds her body changing in ways she couldn’t have predicted and facing rejection by the adults around her for it. While teenage girls don’t normally turn into birds in our reality, the feeling of growing up wrong, societal isolation and being made to feel ashamed by your family for a change you can’t control are certainly experiences that teenage girls do have in our reality. Haunting and heartbreaking, I felt incredibly sad for Krissy while reading, but I loved the ending.
TW: attempted poisoning, familial rejection, murder
We Who Hold the Median: Two girls have taken over the panhandling spot of a man, who was killed in a hit-and-run recently, but it’s said the man cursed this spot to ward off anyone from taking it from him. Caught between the need to get some money to survive and the fear of ghostly retribution, Lulu finds herself haunted. A bit short for my taste, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere.
TW: car accident, death
*FAV* The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone: Clara is one of the girls at St. Mary’s Home for Girls, a place where orphaned children are supposed to be taken care off. Instead, the nuns rule the place with unclear rules and harsh punishments. A newcomer, Clara, soon finds herself haunted by many rumors about her supposedly demonic nature, when she decides not to take the abuse lying down and instead begins to fight back, allowing the other girls to find joy and laughter despite their circumstances. I really loved this one a lot and see it as one of the stories that could easily be extended further.
TW: child abuse, child death, violence
*FAV* Benny Rose, the Cannibal King: Set in a small town haunted by stories of Benny Rose, the Cannibal King, who in the minds of the kids in town is responsible for all kinds of deaths, a group of teenagers decide to spend Halloween introducing the new girl to their legend. What starts as a prank to scare her soon turns horrifyingly real! A really fun urban legend inspired horror featuring a pining lesbian main character, her (unrequited) crush, a friend of their and the new girl and their struggle to survive the night. There are some twists in this story that I utterly adored and if you enjoy slasher movies, you will enjoy this story. I also loved the gory ending, it was delightful!
TW: bullying, cannibalism, child abuse (psychological, destruction of property), gore, murder
This collection of short stories and one novella by Hailey Piper features feminist horror stories focusing on the lives of teenage girls or in one case on the trauma that haunts one adult woman experienced during her teenage years and revived during a high school reunion as well as one story about a grieving mother. Some of the stories are republished here, others are new and despite already having read five in anthologies or when they were published (Why We Keep Exploding, Unkindly Girls, Autotomy, The Turning & Benny Rose, the Cannibal King), I enjoyed getting to revisit them and found that their addition to this themed collection added to my reading experience. My favorite stories were The Long Flesh of the Law, Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree, Magical Girl Child Crusader Squad, Autotomy, The Turning, The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone and Benny Rose, the Cannibal King.
Hailey Piper presents a multitude of horror genres here, from the horror of sexist fratboys to grieving magical girls, from period-based magic to a town haunted by the urban legend of a cannibal killer there is something here for any horror fan here. Two stories feature trans girls as main characters, another two follow the stories of gnc lesbians, which made me quite happy as a big fan of queer horror. All throughout these stories we have girl who fight back, girls who bite and scratch and kick ass for their survival, their autonomy, their lives. In one of the stories a character asks himself “They were only teenage girls. What could they do?” and in turn every story answers that question, showing us revenge and friendship, joy and grief and a few more of the many things that teenage girls can do.
If you like queer or feminist horror, enjoy Haily Piper’s writing, think teenage girls make great horror protagonists or just want to have a good, scary time, you should check this anthology out!
Why We Keep Exploding: On a college campus a freshman girl watches as another freshman explode in the dining hall after being heckled by upperclassman boys. Already used to being silent, worried her voice would give her away and make it impossible for her to be stealth, she finds herself giving a voice to all the girls who explode through other means. A really interesting and strange story about reclaiming language and fighting back against a sexist system.
TW: cutting, death, self-harm, transmisogyny
Unkindly Girls: A teenage girl, raised by a single father, who often complains about ‘Unkindly Girls’ referring to any girl or woman, who dares to look attractive to him, now knows why they always end their vacations the day after her father leaves the house for the night. She knows she has to find a way to stop him. Haunting and heartbreaking.
TW: drowning, drugs, incest (mention), misogyny, murder, suicide
*FAV* The Long Flesh of the Law: A young teenage girl is trying to get to the club to meet her friends, but a cop car is following her through the streets and something is very, very wrong. Incredibly tense atmosphere and very haunting with an interesting teenage protagonist, all in all a great horror story. The gore was really fun!
TW: body horror, murder, police brutality,
Thagomizer: A mother finds herself haunted by more than just memories on the drive home from her son’s funeral. I loved the atmosphere and the way horror arose here from seemingly mundane childhood memories.
Without a Face: A highschool reunion that troubles one girl more than the others in her group, soon leaves her questioning her past. Tense and very fun, I loved it, fencer’s masks are a really scary trope for horror and really well used in this short story.
TW: murder
*FAV* Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree: In a world where bears follow those who are on their periods, a little girl is terrified of her mother and her bear and unsure what she herself will do when her period starts. Very strange and heartbreaking, I loved this one a lot!
TW: child abuse, murder, poverty, starvation
Hopscotch for Keeps: A game of hopscotch on the playground soon finds the stakes raised far too high. Haunting in the way only stories about children encountering evil deal-making creatures can be. I loved the descriptions of the hot afternoon and the way it turned everything blurry, it was very evocative of the feeling and made the place feel incredibly real.
TW: death, murder, poison
*FAV* Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad: A girl from a magical girl band struggles with saving the world, while still grieving for a lost bandmate. Quite melancholic, but also fun to read, this is a short story for people who want more trans magical girls or storis about magical girls that dig into the weight of being burdened with saving the world at 16. I also liked that the main character of this story was a closeted trans girl and how societal expectations on her caused her additional stress.
TW: death, grief
*FAV* Autotomy: A girl notices her mom’s smell has changed and realizes she has been replaced. A haunting story about the horror of somebody you love being gone, while everybody else believes they are still here. (Plus, I had forgotten this before reading the acknowledgements, but apparently this one was published in the Monsters Out of the Closet podcast and if you like queer horror, you gotta check that one out, it is such a great podcast!)
TW: body horror, death, gore
*FAV* The Turning: A teenage girl finds her body changing in ways she couldn’t have predicted and facing rejection by the adults around her for it. While teenage girls don’t normally turn into birds in our reality, the feeling of growing up wrong, societal isolation and being made to feel ashamed by your family for a change you can’t control are certainly experiences that teenage girls do have in our reality. Haunting and heartbreaking, I felt incredibly sad for Krissy while reading, but I loved the ending.
TW: attempted poisoning, familial rejection, murder
We Who Hold the Median: Two girls have taken over the panhandling spot of a man, who was killed in a hit-and-run recently, but it’s said the man cursed this spot to ward off anyone from taking it from him. Caught between the need to get some money to survive and the fear of ghostly retribution, Lulu finds herself haunted. A bit short for my taste, but I really enjoyed the atmosphere.
TW: car accident, death
*FAV* The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone: Clara is one of the girls at St. Mary’s Home for Girls, a place where orphaned children are supposed to be taken care off. Instead, the nuns rule the place with unclear rules and harsh punishments. A newcomer, Clara, soon finds herself haunted by many rumors about her supposedly demonic nature, when she decides not to take the abuse lying down and instead begins to fight back, allowing the other girls to find joy and laughter despite their circumstances. I really loved this one a lot and see it as one of the stories that could easily be extended further.
TW: child abuse, child death, violence
*FAV* Benny Rose, the Cannibal King: Set in a small town haunted by stories of Benny Rose, the Cannibal King, who in the minds of the kids in town is responsible for all kinds of deaths, a group of teenagers decide to spend Halloween introducing the new girl to their legend. What starts as a prank to scare her soon turns horrifyingly real! A really fun urban legend inspired horror featuring a pining lesbian main character, her (unrequited) crush, a friend of their and the new girl and their struggle to survive the night. There are some twists in this story that I utterly adored and if you enjoy slasher movies, you will enjoy this story. I also loved the gory ending, it was delightful!
TW: bullying, cannibalism, child abuse (psychological, destruction of property), gore, murder
October 18, 2025
This is NOT your average Teenage Dream!
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is a thrilling and shocking collection of stories by Hailey Piper. These stories feature girls who are on the throes of the teenage years or focus on the impact of those years. And from deranged fencing, to a story that speeds by in miles per hour, or even to a power ranger inspired story, this collection has RANGE!
What follows are my immediate thoughts on each story:
Why We Keep Exploding
- This is a perfect story to start this collection with. Trans excellence and a solid revenge plot on hateful men who try to keep women down! Really enjoyed this and loved the Craft vibes that I felt from it.
Unkindly Girls
- A story that makes you think. That has haunted me since I finished it. Not only did this story really have a unique (and shocking) twist but I felt like I was treading water while reading it! The climax simply pushing me underwater for good!
The Long Flesh of the Law
- First of all, I’m not a big fan of law enforcement, so this story infuriated me at first. I was livid reading this. However, as it continued I felt my jaw hit the floor. It’s dark, disturbing, and with a twist that’s amazing!
Thagomizer
- Whoa, one cannot outrun grief easily and this is a story that showcases it. Told in a creative, odometer style that made this unlike any other grief story I’ve read, this one will make you think!
Without a Face
- THIS STORY WAS SO GREAT! Literal chills took over my body as I was reading it. It was unnerving, and like a fun mixture of Night of the Mannequins & Carrie. What a great story - oh and FENCING!
Last Leaf on the Ursine Tree
- A shapeshifting metaphor for life and coming of age? This was different and I should probably read the whole thing again to get the best understanding. This was good!
Hopscotch for Keeps
- I love a twisted childhood game with bite. That’s exactly what you’ll find in this story. It’s full of innocence turned sour with adult consequences and it blends into this collection so well!
Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad
- WOW WOW WOW! I loved this story and I’m genuinely clamoring for more. Can we get a duology or trilogy centered in this universe?! I’m quite honestly begging, because not only is this a fun Sumerian style Power Ranger epic, having this play out in a long format sounds amazing!
Autonomy
- Absolutely not! If you liked the movie The Visit then this is a story for you. Body switching and morphing and the sheer horror of trying to explain it as a young person?
The Turning
- Who didn’t love Animorphs growing up as a reader. It’s a fundamental reading experience almost and this was a fun reminder of those times reading. Just with way more adult feelings and terror.
We Who Hold the Median
- Never would I have thought that I would enjoy such a story about panhandlers in a median! This was a ghost story and with some body horror elements to pair.
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
- A girls home and a creepy closet that is bound to remind you of the Chokey from Matilda. Playful and delightful!
Benny Rose the Cannibal King
- This was my second time enjoying this story. This second read through was a wicked and even more despicably gory moment. I’ll always have nightmares about Benny Rose and his stark white, grossly pale body and his teeth sinking into flesh.
These stories and this collection is not one to miss. Hailey Piper is one of the most exceptional horror authors out there, with a writing style so unique, you’ll be haunted for months after finishing the stories!
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is a thrilling and shocking collection of stories by Hailey Piper. These stories feature girls who are on the throes of the teenage years or focus on the impact of those years. And from deranged fencing, to a story that speeds by in miles per hour, or even to a power ranger inspired story, this collection has RANGE!
What follows are my immediate thoughts on each story:
Why We Keep Exploding
- This is a perfect story to start this collection with. Trans excellence and a solid revenge plot on hateful men who try to keep women down! Really enjoyed this and loved the Craft vibes that I felt from it.
Unkindly Girls
- A story that makes you think. That has haunted me since I finished it. Not only did this story really have a unique (and shocking) twist but I felt like I was treading water while reading it! The climax simply pushing me underwater for good!
The Long Flesh of the Law
- First of all, I’m not a big fan of law enforcement, so this story infuriated me at first. I was livid reading this. However, as it continued I felt my jaw hit the floor. It’s dark, disturbing, and with a twist that’s amazing!
Thagomizer
- Whoa, one cannot outrun grief easily and this is a story that showcases it. Told in a creative, odometer style that made this unlike any other grief story I’ve read, this one will make you think!
Without a Face
- THIS STORY WAS SO GREAT! Literal chills took over my body as I was reading it. It was unnerving, and like a fun mixture of Night of the Mannequins & Carrie. What a great story - oh and FENCING!
Last Leaf on the Ursine Tree
- A shapeshifting metaphor for life and coming of age? This was different and I should probably read the whole thing again to get the best understanding. This was good!
Hopscotch for Keeps
- I love a twisted childhood game with bite. That’s exactly what you’ll find in this story. It’s full of innocence turned sour with adult consequences and it blends into this collection so well!
Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad
- WOW WOW WOW! I loved this story and I’m genuinely clamoring for more. Can we get a duology or trilogy centered in this universe?! I’m quite honestly begging, because not only is this a fun Sumerian style Power Ranger epic, having this play out in a long format sounds amazing!
Autonomy
- Absolutely not! If you liked the movie The Visit then this is a story for you. Body switching and morphing and the sheer horror of trying to explain it as a young person?
The Turning
- Who didn’t love Animorphs growing up as a reader. It’s a fundamental reading experience almost and this was a fun reminder of those times reading. Just with way more adult feelings and terror.
We Who Hold the Median
- Never would I have thought that I would enjoy such a story about panhandlers in a median! This was a ghost story and with some body horror elements to pair.
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone
- A girls home and a creepy closet that is bound to remind you of the Chokey from Matilda. Playful and delightful!
Benny Rose the Cannibal King
- This was my second time enjoying this story. This second read through was a wicked and even more despicably gory moment. I’ll always have nightmares about Benny Rose and his stark white, grossly pale body and his teeth sinking into flesh.
These stories and this collection is not one to miss. Hailey Piper is one of the most exceptional horror authors out there, with a writing style so unique, you’ll be haunted for months after finishing the stories!
November 12, 2025
4 stars for overall collection (technically a 3.88)
I have been a fan of Hailey Piper for some time. When I heard that she was releasing a short story collection this year, I was super excited because I have read some great stories from her in athologies previously. I love the concept that Piper talked about in the Books in the Freezer Podcast about how these are coming of rage stories in different aspects of coming of age. She discussed how coming of age doesn't just happen in your teenage years, and I agree with this assessment completely, especially after seeing different topics and stages of life addressed. There are young children, teenagers, women experiencing grief, and women ready for death explored in all different forms and stages of life. This is a solid collection, and I encourage so many people to pick it up because the famous Benny Rose the Cannibal King has been republished and is in print in this collection (WHOOP for slasher fans!). Seriously, if you haven't read Hailey Piper yet, please let this be the review that convinces you to do so. There are dinosaurs, magical girls, cannibal demons, and ghosts being explored throughout many stories. One of my favorite things about Piper is, not only does she write queer stories, but she writes stories about the people society rejects. Her story following a homeless teenager pandhandling on a haunted median is so timely with how our current society treats and views unhoused people. My favorite story was "Why We Keep Exploding" which is a fabulous way to start the collection, and one of my new favorite short stories that I've read this year.
Ratings for each story:
5 stars: "Why We Keep Exploding"
4.5 stars: "Hopscotch for Keeps," "Autotamy," Benny Rose, the Cannibal King
4 stars: "Unkindly Girls," "Thagomizer," "Last Leaf on an Ursine Tree," "Magical Girls Crusader Squad," "The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone"
3 stars: "The Long Flesh of the Law," "Without a Face"
2 stars: "We Who Hold the Median"
I have been a fan of Hailey Piper for some time. When I heard that she was releasing a short story collection this year, I was super excited because I have read some great stories from her in athologies previously. I love the concept that Piper talked about in the Books in the Freezer Podcast about how these are coming of rage stories in different aspects of coming of age. She discussed how coming of age doesn't just happen in your teenage years, and I agree with this assessment completely, especially after seeing different topics and stages of life addressed. There are young children, teenagers, women experiencing grief, and women ready for death explored in all different forms and stages of life. This is a solid collection, and I encourage so many people to pick it up because the famous Benny Rose the Cannibal King has been republished and is in print in this collection (WHOOP for slasher fans!). Seriously, if you haven't read Hailey Piper yet, please let this be the review that convinces you to do so. There are dinosaurs, magical girls, cannibal demons, and ghosts being explored throughout many stories. One of my favorite things about Piper is, not only does she write queer stories, but she writes stories about the people society rejects. Her story following a homeless teenager pandhandling on a haunted median is so timely with how our current society treats and views unhoused people. My favorite story was "Why We Keep Exploding" which is a fabulous way to start the collection, and one of my new favorite short stories that I've read this year.
Ratings for each story:
5 stars: "Why We Keep Exploding"
4.5 stars: "Hopscotch for Keeps," "Autotamy," Benny Rose, the Cannibal King
4 stars: "Unkindly Girls," "Thagomizer," "Last Leaf on an Ursine Tree," "Magical Girls Crusader Squad," "The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone"
3 stars: "The Long Flesh of the Law," "Without a Face"
2 stars: "We Who Hold the Median"
May 13, 2025
Thank you to Titan for the ARC!
Another exquisite collection from Hailey Piper! From the return of a certain cannibal king to brand new tales, every story offers up a fearless focus that Piper does so very well. One of the reasons I always enjoy a Hailey Piper story is because I can just feel the love she has for writing on every page.
Some of my favorite Piper pieces are reprinted in this collection, including “Unkindly Girls”, “Hopscotch for Keeps”, “Without a Face” (I might be biased on that one ;) ), and the absolutely wonderful “Why We Keep Exploding” – so good! And of course Benny Rose – what a great opportunity to get this collection for Benny Rose alone if you haven’t read that novella yet. Previous Benny Rose, the Cannibal King fans will easily love this entire collection, too.
“The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone” is an engaging tale that sheds light on how cruelty can come from the very sisterhood we may seek – the contemplation on inner hurt and how it can cause people to act in baffling ways in this tale is poignantly done.
Highly recommended!
Another exquisite collection from Hailey Piper! From the return of a certain cannibal king to brand new tales, every story offers up a fearless focus that Piper does so very well. One of the reasons I always enjoy a Hailey Piper story is because I can just feel the love she has for writing on every page.
Some of my favorite Piper pieces are reprinted in this collection, including “Unkindly Girls”, “Hopscotch for Keeps”, “Without a Face” (I might be biased on that one ;) ), and the absolutely wonderful “Why We Keep Exploding” – so good! And of course Benny Rose – what a great opportunity to get this collection for Benny Rose alone if you haven’t read that novella yet. Previous Benny Rose, the Cannibal King fans will easily love this entire collection, too.
“The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone” is an engaging tale that sheds light on how cruelty can come from the very sisterhood we may seek – the contemplation on inner hurt and how it can cause people to act in baffling ways in this tale is poignantly done.
Highly recommended!
August 29, 2025
This was such a cool little collection of horror stories. There’s 12 in total and they all play with the weird, creepy side of being a teenager. Some I liked more than others, but the whole vibe was unsettling in the best way.
The standout for me was Benny Rose, the Cannibal King. That story felt like its own full-on horror movie. Creepy small town, urban legend energy, and a Halloween slasher feel that really stuck with me. Benny honestly deserves his own novel! I’d read that in a heartbeat.
Even though some of the stories had been published before and some were new, it all flowed together really well. Piper’s voice ties it all in.
If you’re into female-led horror, folklore mixed with scares, and stories that stay in your head after you close the book, this is worth checking out.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
The standout for me was Benny Rose, the Cannibal King. That story felt like its own full-on horror movie. Creepy small town, urban legend energy, and a Halloween slasher feel that really stuck with me. Benny honestly deserves his own novel! I’d read that in a heartbeat.
Even though some of the stories had been published before and some were new, it all flowed together really well. Piper’s voice ties it all in.
If you’re into female-led horror, folklore mixed with scares, and stories that stay in your head after you close the book, this is worth checking out.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 14, 2025
Collecting the teenage-girl-centered short fiction of Hailey Piper, Teenage Girls Can Be Demons contains as much variety as the genre itself. Benny Rose more than covers the price of admission, and long-time fans will appreciate the novella getting released to a wider audience. "Why We Keep Exploding" and "Unkindly Girls" open the book with a brilliant 1-2 punch to give the audience the barest idea of what they're in for, followed by banger after banger, hissing and spitting through copious sub-genres, atmospheres, and messy characters that make it hard to look away. "The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone" marks one of my favorite story of the many, many, many I've read by Piper, full of mischief and joy, without forgetting what genre this book gets shelved in.
September 23, 2025
Haley Piper's Teenage Girls Can Be Demons is a horror anthology compiling thirteen short-stories. These stories can be quite strong if you are not used to the genre, but nonetheless, I believe it can be a fun and spooky read for fans of the genre.
Why We Keep Exploding - 3
Unkindly Girls - 4.5
The Long Flesh of the Law - 3
Thagomizer - 3
Without a Face - 4
Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree - 4.5
Hopscotch for Keeps - 3
Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad - 5
Autonomy - 3.5
The Turning - 5
We Who Hold the Median - 4.5
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - 3.5
Benny Rose and the Cannibal King - 3
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC.
Why We Keep Exploding - 3
Unkindly Girls - 4.5
The Long Flesh of the Law - 3
Thagomizer - 3
Without a Face - 4
Last Leaf of an Ursine Tree - 4.5
Hopscotch for Keeps - 3
Magical Girls Child Crusader Squad - 5
Autonomy - 3.5
The Turning - 5
We Who Hold the Median - 4.5
The Many Sins of Clara Greenstone - 3.5
Benny Rose and the Cannibal King - 3
Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for this ARC.
August 24, 2025
Teenage Girls Can Be Demons by Hailey Piper is a collection of horror and horror adjacent short stories that primarily focus on how strange adolescence can be.
I really enjoyed this collection. There were some stories that really stood out to me and I think anyone who is a fan of horror would enjoy reading this collection. Some of the stories have been published before and some were written specifically for this collection which surprised me because I thought the central themes flowed really well together.
This would be a great one to pick up and read one story a day in during October to feel all the spooky vibes. The last story which is the longest story would be a great read for Halloween night!
I really enjoyed this collection. There were some stories that really stood out to me and I think anyone who is a fan of horror would enjoy reading this collection. Some of the stories have been published before and some were written specifically for this collection which surprised me because I thought the central themes flowed really well together.
This would be a great one to pick up and read one story a day in during October to feel all the spooky vibes. The last story which is the longest story would be a great read for Halloween night!
December 19, 2025
Ok first few short stories were not really my speed but I’m so glad I kept reading, there are so many amazing short stories in this collection! And the novella at the end kept me on the edge of my seat until I finished it. I really enjoyed this collection.
November 12, 2025
It’s very rare where every single story in a collection is 4 stars and more. The theme was carried so well throughout, while still having a dark prose of their own.
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