Venom: A Sapphic Paranormal Anthology

by Lucy Ghoulie, Kinsley Kincaid, Ash Redd

A Sapphic Paranormal Shared World Anthology
14 authors
13 Ghosts
13 Stories
and one haunted mansion.

This is a charity anthology and all proceeds for this will be going to The Trevor Project.
the anthology stories will vary in genre, spice level and each will come with their own trigger warnings.

Participating authors
Kinsley Kincaid
Ash Redd
Kenna Bellrae
Tylor Paige
Tilly Ridge
NJ Weeks
AB Cynthe
PH Nix
Cori Zahara
Salem Sinclair
Moxie St Henry
Morgan Blackwell
Lo Gold
Ghoulie

We hope you enjoy your stay at The Venom Estate.

640 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2026

Reviews

[Kswag · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was so much variety in this anthology and each story was a great representation. Those who aimed to amuse I laughed (Martha/Ruth), the intermission narrative was a smooth touch I really enjoyed.

I got just the right amount... THIS sapphic paranormal anthology was steamy and super good time.

I saw some personal favorites in here and it was an enjoyable experience to have them collaborate on this book.

I will be getting a copy great job authors.

[Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bloodbath by LO Gold

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Sometimes you read a content warning list and just say “fuck yeah, let’s do this”.

We have -
best friends (frenemies?) to lovers under ghostly manipulation
Delicious domination
Obsession and fear
Consumption of (and bathing in) recently reaped blood

This modern update on the Countess Bathory tale is hot, bloody and sooo suspenseful. I could watch the Countess stalk and seduce Velra across continents. The way she manipulates Carey and Velra into giving her what she needs? Pristine. No notes, 5 stars of bloody, obsessive perfection.

****************


She Keeps Me Warm by Kenna Bellrae
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Oh my goodness, I LOVED this one!
Banshee ghost x human girl
Temperature play
Toys
Abusive man
Communication via sign language
Murder as foreplay
Cliffhanger ending that is sure to play out later

Look, anytime a girl wails out her pain and her pleasure, I’m here for it. Especially when we get to end the life of someone despicable and it leads to a sapphic spice fest. Delicious. I need Cait and Bree to keep having happy endings and also end more men.

**************

The Adventures of Ruth and Martha by Kinsley Kincaid
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Ok, ya’ll this one had me ROLLING with laughter. I want to be Martha when I grow up, webbed toes and all. You know that spooky mirror ghost with dead grey skin and black pooling eyes who crawls out of the mirror and into the real world? What if you’re high AF and just want to wash her and bring her home to your new cricket and your wife?

Amazing. No notes.

*****************

To Haunt a Heartbeat by NJ Weeks

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I knew this one was going to absolutely devastate me from the first page and I was not wrong. A grieving mother and her estranged husband take a trip to a remote lakeside home to reset their marriage and heal. But he’s got more planned than just healing, and she’s got a ghostly ally on her side who brings her pleasure and empathy that she’s never experienced.

Like all novellas, my only disappointment is that there’s not more. That’s truly the mark of a successful story here - I loved the characters, empathized with them, and I want to see them realize a vengeful spicy future.

****************

Yearn by Morgan Blackwell
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

* self harm
* ghostly love
* help from beyond
* zero spice, off the charts love

This is my first read by the author, and it was so excellent. Deeply emotional, packed with grief and love, full of hope for the future. It’s also the first ghost-based story in the anthology, told from the POV of a young woman who lost her life after the greatest loss OF her life and is now trapped in Venom Manor. I loved this expansion to the story. The world within these pages is expanded so much now that we see how the ghosts can be just as much victims as the people who are brought there from their own points of view.

******
Bound by Broken Memories
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Two young women, bound by love and a tragic past, start navigating their memories of each other and their plans for the future as we get some answers about what exactly is happening at Venom Manor (and how to maybe stop it).

I can’t tell you much about who these characters are without spoiling the story. What I can tell you is that these young women have loved each other for years.

There’s so much committed deep love here. And so much fear about accepting - and sharing - your identity with others. Plus, mirror loving and some answers about the manor (that of course lead to more questions!).

[Nini · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got an arc, but my rating/review are my own!

I am literally finishing but how do I pick a favourite story??? They were all so good!!!
There is so much spicy, some feminine rage, woman on woman of course🤭🤭 and gosh that mff👀👀

How do people pick favourite in anthologys??? They were all so damm good!!!

tropes:
☆🍁sapphic paranormal anthology
☆🍁14 authors
☆🍁13 ghosts
☆🍁one haunted mansion

[Gini Rex · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Adventures of Ruth & Martha by Kinsley Kincaid

I absolutely ADORED this short story, oh my god, dead from laughter. Martha is my spirt animal in another 30 years time.

Sapphic, quirky, messed up and wonderful.

I picked this anthology up to read Kinsley story and now I am about to dive into the rest of the world.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

[jas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going to be my first read of the year, just leaving five stars now because I know it’s going to be 5 stars 😝💜 SLAY ASF

[The Book Witch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sapphic Romance Meets Gothic Horror

As a queer woman who's been with her wife for nearly 20 years, I absolutely LOVED Venom. Pairing dark, paranormal, sapphic romance with gothic horror, this anthology featuring 14 strong, female indie authors truly delivers in all the right ways. Not only was this book written blending some of my favorite genres and tropes, it was also believablely queer and engaging.

All 14 authors voices are distinct, but blended together so well, weaving a unique, shared world of horror and feminine strength. One of my favorites amongst them; 'Bend the Rail: The Legend of Screaming Sylvie' by Ash Redd. Larkin and Salome are both easy to identify with. As addicts in, what appears from the get go as a tumultuous recovery, they were very real and relatable. Especially with me being an addict in recovery, myself. At times their experience felt like a shared delusion, rather than a real and shared paranormal encounter. Which honestly, at least for me, made the whole feel of the haunting even more real. Because let's face it, any one of us who has had an experience with the paranormal has questioned said experience at least once. Or chalked it up to a delusion or hallucination of some sort. I enjoyed the creepy vibe Ash delivered and the legend within the story that she created. I really want to hear Sylvie's story now. How and why did she end up on that train track? So, if you're reading this Ash... *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* Truthfully, there's a few stories, or more specifically certain ghosts, here that I'd love to see get their own full length stories.

If you enjoy feminine driven anthologies that include...

🌏 A Shared World
♀️ Dark, Sapphic Romance
👻 Ghosts
🏚️ A Creepy, Haunted Mansion
🩸 Themes of Horror

... and more, then I encourage you to give 'Venom' a read. Not only is it excellent storytelling, all around, all proceeds go to an AMAZING cause, The Trevor Project. Now, obviously there's some very dark content within these pages and I cannot express enough just how important it is to read trigger warning and content lists. Please protect yourself and your mental well-being, as no book is worth compromising yourselves.

Before I go... Rather than rate every individual tale, I'll be rating 'Bend the Rail', as I mentioned it specifically, and the book and all included stories, overall. Please understand there was not a single story in this anthology that I didn't like. I enjoyed them all, immensely! As far as 'BtR' is concerned, the creepy setting and vibes combined with the *is it real or is it in their heads* factor has me feeling like it deserves an overall 5 outta 5 ⭐'s, and just 1 outta 5 🌶️'s. Not that the spice isn't good or well written, because it is, there's just not much of it. Ash gives us a hint and leaves us wanting. 🥵 As far as the book itself goes, I'll also be awarding 5 outta 5 overall ⭐'s because the writing here is just superb, in my not so humble opinion. There is not a single entry that I would rate below 4 ⭐'s. As far as the overall horror/creepy/paranormal vibes of the book, I'll also be awarding 5 outta 5 👻's. And the final, overall spice rating is 2 outta 5 🌶️'s, for the same reason I gave 'BtR' only 1 🌶️. There is spice here, and it's VERY steamy and well written. Where it appears. But the spice wasn't the point here, within this tome, it was just a bonus. And it suited the nature of the book. This was one book where had there been anymore steam, it would have taken away from it.

I really hope that you decide to snag a copy of this book. Not only is it a great collection of ghost stories and dark, sapphic romance, but it supports an incredible cause that helps many. Please come back, should you read it, and drop a comment down ⬇️ below ⬇️ telling me what you thought of this wonderful collection of stories!

[MsAprilreadswhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a read!

The Anthropology of Venom presents a uniquely inventive fusion of sapphic paranormal romance and haunting folklore, leaving a lasting impression well beyond the final page. The story revolves around thirteen female spirits, each driven by complex emotions of love, loss, and a desire for revenge. This novel challenges conventional ghost stories by intertwining powerful themes of desire, personal identity, and the bittersweet pain of human connection.

From the very start, the narrative style is immersive and lyrical, weaving readers into a world where the supernatural is not distant or detached, but feels deeply personal and emotionally intense. Each of the thirteen spirits is crafted with vivid detail, transforming them from mere spectral entities into fully fleshed-out characters with their own desires, regrets, and stories of forbidden love that add profound depth. Remarkably, the novel features thirteen authors, each contributing a unique ghostly character, thereby providing diverse emotional perspectives while maintaining a cohesive, haunting atmosphere throughout.

The interactions among these spirits are imbued with a potent mix of tension, tenderness, and heartbreak. Their relationships reveal intricate layers of longing and emotional resonance, creating a rich tapestry of love and loss that explores the painful beauty of human and supernatural connection.

[Alyissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

All 13 short stories in this anthology were separate from each author. They still followed the Venom estate and why ghosts are stuck there; what happened to them, why they're still there, and even some who want to see them after rumor has it that Vemon estate is the manor to be if you want to be surrounded by ghosts. What they don't know is the truth behind Venom estate and how you can permanently stay yourself... should you wish your life isn't what you want. Sometimes even visitors are there to bring back their own pasts left at Venom estate.

This book was a solid 4 star for me. Every authors individual story in this anthology captivated me - sucked me in. There's absolutely plenty of smut along with plot. The main ghosts are females, along with the smut. I loved that each author incorporated this and supports LGBTQ+ . Not all the stories leave a HEA in one way or another... or even some feel open ended like its you who needs to figure out the true ending to their story & I loved that!

Although I walked into this book thinking it would be like the movie '13 Ghosts' (my own interpretation just reading the blur of the book) it wasn't exactly that, but some similarities for sure. Small little writing mistakes like no spacing between a word, but that seriously didn't bother me one bit! 100% recommend this book.

[Kata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing sapphic anthology filled with ghosts and other paranormal elements.

I loved how every story was clearly its own unique story that worked well on its own, but also how well the stories worked together. All the stories had a haunted feel to them and they centered around the same place, the Venom Estate.

The little intermissions between the stories were a nice addition and I loved how the prologue and epilogue tied everything together.

Most of the authors were familiar to me, but I also found a few whose stories I hadn’t read before. I always love finding new authors while reading anthologies.

I highly recommend checking this anthology out!

•Bloodbath by LO Gold
•She Keeps Me Warm by Kenna Bellrae
•The Adventures of Ruth & Martha by Kinsley Kincaid
•To Haunt a Heartbeat by N.J. Weeks
•Yearn by Morgan Blackwell
•Bound by Broken Memories by Cori Zahara
•Just Buried by Tylor Paige
•Bleed Bluebird by Moxie St. Henry
•Bend the Rail by Ash Redd
•A Locket of Luck & Horror by Ab. Cynthe
•Everfrost by Salem Sinclair
•Her Soul to Reap by P.H. Nix
•Pretty Deadly by Tilly Ridge
Little Ghoulie


I received an ARC of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review. Receiving ARC didn’t affect my opinion of the book.

[Christy Davisson · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Reviewing Kinsley Kincaid's Adventures of Ruth & Martha.

Omg this was hilarious and in true Kinsley Kincaid fashion she never disappoints with the inappropriate humor in this one.

Martha is amazing and her commentary is top-notch perfection. I laughed so hard reading this quick little story of two wild older married ladies and their crazy adventures in the haunted Venom Estate. I don't think I will ever look at a wooden brush the same after this one lol (IYKYK). Ruth is the slightly more level headed one in this relationship, but she loves her wife and seems to deal with her wife's spontaneous drug induced fun moments as best she can. These two have found themselves in a haunted estate where they get split up and have way different adventures to say the least.

These two are hilarious and nonstop fun with a little unexpected naughty mixed in. I hope the author brings more Ruth & Martha hijinks in the future because I really need more!! If you love a hilarious banter-filled quick read you definitely need to read this one. I can't wait to read the rest of this anthology that is filled with some amazing authors.

Overall: 5/☆☆☆☆☆
Spice: 🌶

[Brittany Torres · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading the pieces written by ab cynthe and ash redd and they were phenomenal:

Bend the Rail:

Kept me on my tors and second guessing what was going on when Larkin and Salome are staying at an air bnb with friends but something is always feeling off either with them their surroundings.

When they find a strange poem it all seems to start to make sense but can they really fight the ghosts that are desperate to keep them apart.

A Locket of Luck and Horror:

This follows Lucky who is on her way to an abandoned asylum with her brother Finn. Lucky has always been gifted with seeing and experiencing the paranormal.

She’s drawn to a woman that she keeps seeing in a portrait however that same woman resembles the monster haunting her dreams the duration of her stay.

So when they finally enter the asylum and she is putting the pieces together will she find out who the woman is or the monster or perhaps maybe she’ll find way more than she ever thought.

Both of these were not what I expected and I loved every second of it!

[Alimay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A HAUNTED TALE

VENOM is a Sapphic Paranormal Shared World Anthology featuring 14 authors, 13 ghosts, 13 stories and one haunted mansion. The anthology stories will vary in genre, spice level and each will come with their own trigger warnings. The authors hope you enjoy your stay at The Venom Estate.

This review is for Her Soul To Reap by P.H. Nix

Three chapters is all you will read from P.H. Nix in this beautifully written, dark tale of witches, trials, fated-mates and so much more. The descriptive detail in this story packs a punch and the writing is nothing short of amazing, engaging and haunting. Despite only three chapters, I so want more, the characters a strong, have depth and you feel their passion and pain. I loved this short story and I can only hope more comes because it left me with so many questions and only a few answers, the world being created is going to be hauntingly brilliant.

[Tabatha_Reads_Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This anthology is an EASY 10⭐️ read for me. The stories are all so captivating, making you feel so many emotions ranging from terror to heat warming to unsettled to rage… all over the spectrum!

There are stories of love and hate, spicy and steamy scenes, page turning intrigue and edge of your seat excitement. I couldn’t stop reading every story and have discovered some amazing new authors that I now HAVE to have all their books or new authors that I am absolutely anticipating them writing full length stories!

There are characters you will absolutely fall in love with and others you will despise with a feminine rage that you won’t believe is possible from a short story. This is a perfect start to your reading goals for 2026! If this is not your usual read, I challenge you to get it and give it a chance! Thank you to Lucy Ghoulie for the beautiful book and all of these amazing authors for my now favorite anthology!

[Kari Tidwell (karisbookstodevour) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Locket of Luck and Horror -
With creepy vibes, haunting beauty, and a love that has transcended the ages this is just a killer quick read! It brings the skin crawling, tugs your heart strings, and lights that fire of hatred for people who won’t accept that someone isn’t exactly what you want them to be and it does it with a richly detailed story about a ghost hunting trip to a manor turned B&B, an asylum, a paranormal obsessed brother who loves his sister to pieces, and a clairvoyant who feels like she’s being shredded to bits as a ghost she feels strangely drawn to relentlessly haunts her. It’s that feeling of decadence from a bygone era, an ominous dread that hangs over every second, the desperation of a race against time before the next horror can happen, and the need to save the love of your life, the person who is the other half of your soul, even when it means saying goodbye again, and it’s just crazy well done.

[kall.isreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐎𝐟 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 by AB Cynthe
-

rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
spice : Ø

This was the super quick read I desperately needed and I loved everything about this paranormal short story!

there were tons of horror elements - which I've come to expect and love with this author, but it had a sweetness to it also. the longing that developed between the FMC Lucky and her ghost Ophelia had me in its clutches and by the end I was praying for a happy ending for these two. But the twisty twist ripped an audible gasp from my lips! I'm always left in some sort of shock and/awe at the endings of her books, they are always unexpected !

I do hope for more of Lucky and Ophelia's story, as theres more to their story that I would love to know!

[Marley Ghostfern · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's something for everyone in this anthology. Everyone who loves spicy, sapphic stories and who want to support a good cause. This anthology was such a good time. I spotted a couple of my favourite authors in here, so obviously I had to read it.

Special mentions for
Kinsley Kincaid: That story made me laugh a couple of times. It was so messed up 😂
Tylor Paige: I just love her writing and this story hit the spot again. And a sapphic story by Tylor? Yes please! I liked how it ended.

All the stories were unique and I love how this was all put together.
If you love spicy, dark, sapphic stories that vary from chilling to hilarious, with a dash of(or 10) of spice: go read this!

[Brittney Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

review for Bend the Rail by Ash Redd

what a fun spooky little read! Salome and Larkin are our FMCs that both feel something is big wrong with the mansion they are staying in with friends. When things start happening that cannot be explained and their dreams start feeling like more than dreams, they know something is up. I enjoyed reading about Silvey and the ending tied it all together.

"The longer we're here, though, the more I feel like the 'insane deal' should have been a red fucking flag.

will absolutely be reading more of the sapphic stories in this anthology

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bend the Rail ARC review

Ash Redd continues to put out prime work. Ash is literally one of my top dark romance writers and I need more!

This was a thrills and chills packed novella with just enough romance to tease you. The main characters are loveable and the tension starts almost immediately. Ash is great at setting the mood for the book quickly and building it from there. This literally had me on the edge of my seat and I soared through the pages. Just read it! I honestly am now intrigued about the other stories.

[Holly Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t even know where to begin with this anthology. So many emotions, it was a ride. It explores human/ghost relationships in so many compelling ways. From possibly unreliable narrators, to female rage team ups, to a deep, soul wrenching yearning that I'm still thinking about. The common thread that binds these stories is the tenderness and sensitivity beneath it all- the kind of understanding only women can provide. Every piece felt intentional, intimate, and emotionally haunting. I genuinely enjoyed the short stories in this anthology.

[Roxana Dellamorte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bend the Rail by Ash Redd is part of Venom: A Sapphic Paranormal Anthology, a charity collection featuring 14 authors.
Bend the Rail is a short, spooky story with little spice, but it’s fast-paced, well written, and thrilling. It’s a perfect ghost tale with a touch of romance - ideal for enjoying in a single sitting.
I really liked it and can’t wait to read the other 12 stories in this anthology.

[Amber Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Bend The Rail by Ash Redd:
I absolutely loved this short spooky story with Salome and Larkin! Both girls are staying at a mansion that makes them question what’s reality and what’s just in their head. It also doesn’t help that they start having the same haunting dream…
I’m such a scaredy cat so I don’t normally read horror stories but this one was perfect and had had me on the edge of my seat till the very end!

[Leta Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this short story I can’t wait to read the rest of these short stories.

A Locket Of Luck And Horror was a bone chilling, short story. Lucky is a clairvoyant, headed to a supposed haunted asylum with her brother who enjoys ghost hunting. What started out as a fun ghost hunting adventure quickly turns into something more maleficent. Will they make it out of the asylum alive? Read to find out.

[Salsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Buried from Venom: A Sapphic Paranormal Anthology was a fantastic FFM novella. The writing in this totally hit the spot for me, it was a fast paced exciting to read. We got a haunted mansion, a murder conspiracy, and ghosts! It had a layer of humour that was just so good too. A dash of really good spice in there as well! I have a massive urge to rewatch So I married an axe murderer now, it’s been years!

I will definitely be checking out the rest of the stories in this anthology!

[Melissa Keifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am reviewing
Bend The Rail by Ash Redd

Y'all this story was amazing it's a short little thing but it sure does pack a punch. You get a little bitta spice, little bitta ghosty vibes, and some old hurt souls. Oh and did I mention the ghost train? Y'all seriously check this story out. Salome and Larkin bring this story to life and you feel all their emotions.

[Cedar Buero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Bend the Rail by Ash Redd

I loved this short, spooky story!

Salome and Larkin, our MCs, are staying at a manor with some of their friends. They both start to have odd dreams and bad feelings. It turns out that they are being haunted, and have to figure out how to save themselves.

This story was well written and pulled me in from the beginning.

[Kerrie Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Bend The Rail

This was a short and fast spooky read that I loved and devoured in one sitting and the plot was written very well and made you want to keep reading to find out what happens and the ending was not what I expected but definitely tied the story together. I can’t wait to read more of the stories from this anthology and see what happens next.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Adventures of Ruth & Martha by Kinsley Kincaid:

Ruth and Martha are kooky…maybe even a little batty 🤭🦇

This is a quick, fun, paranormal, romcom featuring two feisty old ladies that had me cackling with laughter.

Gummies and ghosts, what a combination 🤣

When I’m Martha & Ruth’s age, I hope I’m still having adventures like them.

[Cyndall Tolley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just Buried by Tylor Paige


Omg! This was such an amazing short story! It not only gives Corpse Bride and So I Married an Ax Murderer vibes but also has a touch of American Horror Story Hotel that just seemed to give it that little extra! I absolutely loved it! This just makes me wanna get my hands on the entire Anthology!

[Lisa Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kinsley Kincaid's Adventures of Ruth & Martha was so fun as these two older ladies end up in the haunted Venom Estate. Ruth being the wise one follows her wife on her drug induced adventures with all the love for her.
They both have a different adventure and is halirious, i loved it what a fun story.

[Jeyshaslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

this amazing anthology was filled to the BRIM with Sapphic deliciousness. I loved the authors creativity to write not only amazing stories but amazing characters. I am forever in awe with the authors minds, and their creative processs
this anthology’s proceeds support an amazing cause and i am so thankful to be a part of a group of creators that got to read this amazing piece of art early.