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The Penny & Plot Collective: Volume 1, Issue 1
Five authors. Twelve months. Five thrilling novels.
The Penny & Plot Collective is a group of up and coming authors inspired by the penny dreadfuls of old, working together to bring serialized fiction back into popularity.
Each month for a year, readers will be drawn into five fantastical worlds, ending with a special collection of five novels ranging in genre from high-fantasy adventure to dark psychological thriller. Need more convincing? Check out the quotes below.
Witcher, Warrior, Scholar, Spy by Allora Lee
She was supposed to be sharp in the way of a blade but found herself sharp in the way of a shard of glass.
Broken.
Shattered.
Ruined.
Mr. Elsher by J.H. Sims
“You will face great changes and choices that will make you question your character.
All that matters is that you find yourself through the rubble.”
Court of Fiends by Tamsin Hawthorn
Her heart was a throbbing, bruised thing, bound in golden silk. Lines of embroidered rose vines trailed down her dress like bars.
Fractured Alliances by Twyla Menezes
Saskia tilted her head, something unreadable flickering in her gaze. “Do you honestly believe that unity is possible between us? After centuries of division? You are a dreamer, Sorin of the Hallowed Courts.”
“Perhaps,” I conceded, my heart pounding, “but every dream has its roots in a reality we can shape together.”
Saskia paused as if weighing the possibility of my words. Then, to my surprise, a smile played upon her light pink lips, softening the sharp edges of her features. For a moment, the walls between our worlds faded away, leaving only the promise of hope.
"You are bold to make such a claim."
"And you are wary, Saskia of the Obsidian Throne."
The Corpse Collectors by Caitlin Regencia
“I promise. I will be safe. I will return.”
The Penny & Plot Collective is a group of up and coming authors inspired by the penny dreadfuls of old, working together to bring serialized fiction back into popularity.
Each month for a year, readers will be drawn into five fantastical worlds, ending with a special collection of five novels ranging in genre from high-fantasy adventure to dark psychological thriller. Need more convincing? Check out the quotes below.
Witcher, Warrior, Scholar, Spy by Allora Lee
She was supposed to be sharp in the way of a blade but found herself sharp in the way of a shard of glass.
Broken.
Shattered.
Ruined.
Mr. Elsher by J.H. Sims
“You will face great changes and choices that will make you question your character.
All that matters is that you find yourself through the rubble.”
Court of Fiends by Tamsin Hawthorn
Her heart was a throbbing, bruised thing, bound in golden silk. Lines of embroidered rose vines trailed down her dress like bars.
Fractured Alliances by Twyla Menezes
Saskia tilted her head, something unreadable flickering in her gaze. “Do you honestly believe that unity is possible between us? After centuries of division? You are a dreamer, Sorin of the Hallowed Courts.”
“Perhaps,” I conceded, my heart pounding, “but every dream has its roots in a reality we can shape together.”
Saskia paused as if weighing the possibility of my words. Then, to my surprise, a smile played upon her light pink lips, softening the sharp edges of her features. For a moment, the walls between our worlds faded away, leaving only the promise of hope.
"You are bold to make such a claim."
"And you are wary, Saskia of the Obsidian Throne."
The Corpse Collectors by Caitlin Regencia
“I promise. I will be safe. I will return.”
204 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2025
1 person is currently reading
11 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 26, 2025
All in all, it took me too long to realize these weren't self contained short stories, but the beginnings of serial entries. That only changed my opinion about the first story, the rest are alright.
Court of Fiends: Probably by far the most fun, even if nothing really happens till the very end. But then again that's about the same for the others too sooooo. At least this one had some fun characters and development around Victorian era cattiness. It was the only one I really felt like I wanted to know what was going on.
Witcher, Warrior, Scholar, Spy: I had such high hopes for this one given the cool title but man is it a sledgehammer of info dumping. I felt like it was pulled from another series that I should've read before hand. I struggled to follow all the names of this huge land with magic but not magic but wells of magic, it's a lot and none of the characters really drew me in. They were all pretty supercilious.
Fractured Alliances: I dunno what it is about these stories where they're set in Fey places but have nothing to do with faeries. The characters are just human anyway. Or if they are fey, it's never outlined as to what makes them fey. The writing was boggy with flowery, unnecessary sentences that stressed the metaphor and really killed the momentum. Also the main female character suffers from Too Cool syndrome and I just can't read another one. I'm also really not clear what the plot is other than "go get the magical McGuffin and we need each other to do it for some reason".
The Corpse Collectors: Another one that had such a cool name but it's just about... Fey who aren't fey but witches maybe? And vampires. God save me from books looping in vampires for some reason. The characters act like what I would imagine Fey act like, playful, unserious, playfully sexual, but they aren't? And the whole thing is just everyone being like "Gasp! You're going to let someone drink your blood? Ok." Until we get a cliffhanger ending. Not a lot to it.
Mr Elsher: I'll give the author credit, the writing style is so inhuman I felt unsettled throughout. Like it feels like an AI gaining sentience and wanting to be an author, but struggling with the real aspects of daily activities like looking at someone or opening a door. I don't want to dog on the author too much, it might be the style they were going for, but it was so hard to read at times. And especially when it turns out the main character is an entitled, insufferable asshole, I checked out pretty quick after that.
All in all, I won't continue. If I see that I can get the whole of Court of Fiends somewhere, I would consider it. But the rest of them didn't catch my interest enough to get the rest of the series. Which sucks because it's such a cool concept for a book series. I'm all onboard for some Penny Dreadfuls! This just wasn't it though. I'd look to some of the classics to better understand how to hook an audience to by papers weekly, because I wasn't fooled by most of these cliffhangers.
Court of Fiends: Probably by far the most fun, even if nothing really happens till the very end. But then again that's about the same for the others too sooooo. At least this one had some fun characters and development around Victorian era cattiness. It was the only one I really felt like I wanted to know what was going on.
Witcher, Warrior, Scholar, Spy: I had such high hopes for this one given the cool title but man is it a sledgehammer of info dumping. I felt like it was pulled from another series that I should've read before hand. I struggled to follow all the names of this huge land with magic but not magic but wells of magic, it's a lot and none of the characters really drew me in. They were all pretty supercilious.
Fractured Alliances: I dunno what it is about these stories where they're set in Fey places but have nothing to do with faeries. The characters are just human anyway. Or if they are fey, it's never outlined as to what makes them fey. The writing was boggy with flowery, unnecessary sentences that stressed the metaphor and really killed the momentum. Also the main female character suffers from Too Cool syndrome and I just can't read another one. I'm also really not clear what the plot is other than "go get the magical McGuffin and we need each other to do it for some reason".
The Corpse Collectors: Another one that had such a cool name but it's just about... Fey who aren't fey but witches maybe? And vampires. God save me from books looping in vampires for some reason. The characters act like what I would imagine Fey act like, playful, unserious, playfully sexual, but they aren't? And the whole thing is just everyone being like "Gasp! You're going to let someone drink your blood? Ok." Until we get a cliffhanger ending. Not a lot to it.
Mr Elsher: I'll give the author credit, the writing style is so inhuman I felt unsettled throughout. Like it feels like an AI gaining sentience and wanting to be an author, but struggling with the real aspects of daily activities like looking at someone or opening a door. I don't want to dog on the author too much, it might be the style they were going for, but it was so hard to read at times. And especially when it turns out the main character is an entitled, insufferable asshole, I checked out pretty quick after that.
All in all, I won't continue. If I see that I can get the whole of Court of Fiends somewhere, I would consider it. But the rest of them didn't catch my interest enough to get the rest of the series. Which sucks because it's such a cool concept for a book series. I'm all onboard for some Penny Dreadfuls! This just wasn't it though. I'd look to some of the classics to better understand how to hook an audience to by papers weekly, because I wasn't fooled by most of these cliffhangers.
August 6, 2025
I'm really invested in Court of Fiends by Tamsin Hawthorn. I love the regency vibes and the mysterious fae? who comes to her aid. I love the writing style and the efficient but detailed world building.
September 12, 2025
bangers, all of em
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews