Moods and Megrims: A Collection of Hysterical Women

by Desiree Horton, Rikki Goodwin, Christy Aldridge

Women are uniquely qualified to be purveyors of horror. Women bear witness not only to the once-in-a-lifetime supernatural events that shake us to our core, but also to the mundane, ever-present terror that exists in normal people and everyday life yet frequently goes unnoticed. These collected stories showcase the many ways women confront horrors of all kinds, often behaving in ways that are unbecoming to society, and displaying their knack for not doing what they’re told along the way.



Moods and Megrims is a bundle of stories from 12 female authors that will shock and terrify you with each turn of the page! Featuring stories fraught with demonic possession, bloodthirsty revenge, nightmarish tribulations, and a cornucopia of everlasting scares. Join us for a new anthology of bitterness, heartbreak, splatter, and utter madness!



Featuring stories

Rikki Goodwin

Christy Aldridge

Kay Hanifen

Eve L. Fell

Sarah DeRosa

Chloe York

Kirsten Noelle Craig

R.J. Powell

Ashely Fox

Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar

Desiree Horton

Edited by Chisto Healy

Moods and Megrims is a bundle of stories from 12 female authors that will shock and terrify you with each turn of the page! Featuring stories fraught with demonic possession, bloodthirsty revenge, nightmarish tribulations, and a cornucopia of everlasting scares. Join us for a new anthology of bitterness, heartbreak, splatter, and utter madness!

Genres: Horror

144 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 12, 2025

About the author

Desiree Horton is a horror writer and enthusiast. She can be found at home in the PNW with her two dogs, two kids, and one husband. Her work can be found in other horror anthologies, and on the edges of papers she will lose almost immediately. More information on her works can be found at authordesireehorton.my.canva.site or on Amazon. Instagram and tiktok: @horrortonwritesabook

Reviews

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great collection of stories of feminine rage and revenge. All of the stories were great, but here were my favorites in the collection.

Skin Deep by Christy Aldridge
These Boots are Made for Stompin' by Sarah DeRosa
The Unmothering by Kirsten Noelle Craig
The Black Spot by Desiree Horton

Otherwise, this was a solid collection of stories that I suggest you head out to read today!

[S.E. Howard · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is a megrim, you might ask? Turns out, it has several meanings. The Oxford English Dictionary offers the following definitions: 1. depression; low spirits; 2. a whim or fancy; 3. old-fashioned term for migraine.

No matter how you define it, however, "Moods and Megrims: A Collection of Hysterical Women" is a wonderful assortment of wicked tales in a wide variety of horror subgenres. It opens with a bang: "Nina and Pumpkin Have An Exorcism" by Rikki Goodwin, a clever twist on the demon-possession trope. The collection also includes:

- "Skin Deep" by Christy Aldridge, a twisted little fable about the high cost of beauty.
- "The Preacherman" by Kay Hanifen, in which a cathouse madame in the Old West finds herself unexpectedly in a battle of good versus evil when a clergyman filled with threats of hellfire and brimstone rolls into town.
- "The Black Widow" by Eve L. Fell, about a woman on the prowl for the perfect date.
- "These Boots Are Made For Stompin'" by Sarah DeRosa, a love story about a vigilante and the thigh-high boots she adores.
- "Selective Sight" by Chloe York, which was my favorite of the collection. In it, a young woman's spontaneous one-night stand leads to a terrifying and inescapable fate.
- "The Unmothering" by Kirsten Noelle Craig, in which a woman in a controlling and abusive relationship feels wracked by guilt to feel no emotional attachment to her newborn child.
- "The Feast" by R.J. Powell, in which a gathering of women host an annual celebration to welcome new members to the fold with a gruesome -- but well-deserved -- menu.
- "A Dish Best Served Cold" by Ashley Fox, in which a desperate woman seeks the truth behind her sister's death at any cost.
- "Uninvited" by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar, about a neighborhood busybody who finds herself snubbed by one-time friends she has secretly scorned.
- "The Black Spot" by Desiree Horton who discovers the dirt in her backyard harbors certain, sinister appetites.

"Moods and Megrims" features striking cover artwork by Christy Aldridge, and while they say you can't judge a book by the cover, in this case, the reverse holds true. With plenty of blood, jump scares, and creeping dread, each of these stories showcases the wild imaginations and top-notch writing of some of today's best female authors in the indie horror biz. It's sure to snap you out of a megrim of depression, should you take a megrim, or fancy, to read it. Highly recommended!

[Joe Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mood is fear for the impending Megrims…

Moods and Megrims is, quite simply, one of the finest anthologies I’ve read this year. Desiree has assembled a brilliant collection of talent to unite around a theme that will fascinate all readers and strike fear into the hearts of male readers.

Some of my favorite stories include:
“Skin Deep” by Christy Aldridge
“These Boots are Made for Stompin’” by Sarah DeRosa
“Selective Sight” by Chloe York
“Uninvited” by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar
“The Black Spot” by Desiree Horton

And the cover! As usual, Christy Aldridge has outdone herself with this beauty. Though I read a digital ARC, I’m tempted to pick up a copy just to have this cover on my shelves!

Overall, it’s hard to find a weak spot in this lineup. Pick up a copy for yourself and see what I mean!

[William Becker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nina and pumpkin have an exorcism by Rikki Godwin completely shifts an exorcism into a buddy-comedy that has a deeper commentary about a failed marriage.

Skin Deep by Christy Aldridge is a story about beauty standards and eternal youth that turns into revenge horror. Really creative and reminiscent of the substance

The Preacherman by Kay Hanifen is a period piece about the juxtaposition between prostitution and preaching. It becomes an off the rails take on demons that reminds me of from dusk till dawn

The Black Widow by Eve L Fell is creative and gory. I don’t have to even say what that’s about

These Boots Were Made For Stompin’ by Sarah DeRosa is #goodforher horror about a vigilante . VERY extreme horror. Gross

Selective Sight by Chloe York is like a bad dream. Horrifyingly surreal and creative

The Unmothering by Kirsten Noelle Craig is about motherhood and being stuck with someone you shouldn’t be

The feast by RJ Powell reminds me of Midsommar having a baby with Tender is the Flesh. It’s ritualistic and awesome . The ending makes this one

A Dish Served Cold by Ashley Fox is cool because it’s a story about a man who def murdered his wife. His wife’s sister and his affair partner team up to hurt him. Awesome ending as well.

Uninvited by Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar is about a woman who.. well, doesn’t get invited somewhere because she’s the worst.

The Black Spot is the cap on the story. It’s by Desiree Horton and it’s also awesome

[Andrew Wilkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing collection of stories to read! Let's start with the supernatural/cosmic horror! "Nina And Pumpkin Have An Exorcism" by Rikki Goodwin was a great start! This made me walk away, not just thinking about a forbidden desire for a toxic man, but, the relationship between Nina, and Pumpkin and the possibility of their relationship being one of self preservation for Nina. "The Preacherman" by Kay Hanifen was a compelling story about heaven and hell, but really dives into the heart of the people who are considered sinners. "Selective Sight" by Chloe York was a wild cosmic horror that left the reader wondering about the relationship between the two main characters, and gives you that sense of doom that comes with feeling like you must depend on someone you barely know. I walked away questioning the power of codependency. And, my favorite of the cosmic horror stories in this collection had to be, "The Black Spot" by Desiree Horton! This encapsulated the feelings of loss, sadness, and revenge so beautifully, and also, reminds the reader that, sometimes something ugly must die, in order for something new and beautiful to bloom. There are also very good stories with gore, and revenge in this, so it checks all of the boxes, for me! "The Black Widow" by Eve L. Fell was a great story. The main character is ruthless, but knows what she wants, and there is a great sense of empowerment behind her actions. "These Boots Are Made For Stompin'" by Sara DeRosa is a nasty little piece of vigilante justice, and I loved it so much! "Uninvited" by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar was a social commentary on the need for acceptance, feelings of rejection, and the question of how far you will go for revenge. "A Dish Best Served Cold" by Ashley Fox was a bloody good tale of the power of sisterly love, following your instincts, torture, gore and revenge. "The Feast" by RJ Powell is a powerful story about sisterhood, revenge, and reminding men who treat women like meat, that they are made of meat, too. "The Unmothering" by Kirsten Noelle Craig was a stand out for me! The story delves deep into the psychological effects of post partum depression, and aggression all while being in a demanding and abusive relationship, and the mental strain it causes. Very important read. Last, but not least, my absolute favorite story of this collection was, and has to be, "SKIN DEEP" by Christy Aldridge! I absolutely loved this story! It was a body horror tale of the pain of beauty, unrealistic beauty standards, and the "secret to eternal beauty", with a nice, bloody, and gore soaked vengeful finale! I highly recommend this to everyone, not just the women, out there, as I feel this is an important read!

[CristoC · Rating 4 out of 5]

That's one cheeky story placement, especially of the last three...I see what you did there

[Megan Diedericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a feeling I was going to be obsessed with these stories directly after I finished the first piece, and I'm happy to report I was correct!

Moods and Megrims is a haunting collection, but unlike a lot of horror (written or otherwise), various haunts aren't weaponized against women—rather, the darkness becomes their hidden weapon.

Obviously that's something that kept me seated from start to finish. Even the stories where the characters suffered any sort of injustice, they still came out on top.

I think this collection excels in what a lot of popular media fails to do—which is not having the woman be a side character, or worse, a mockery, in her own story.

From cannibalism, to gore, to justice to the extreme, Moods and Megrims: A Collection of Hysterical Women has it all!

Ending this review with a quote from one of the pieces inside which I think, more or less, captures the book as a whole:

"I am not crazy. I am a monster," Agnes confesses to Nikolas's prone form. "That's what I am."
— The Unmothering, Kirsten Noelle Craig

Full review, with my thoughts on each story, here.

[Sandi Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imagine the desperate things someone might do to have a child or chase the promise of beauty and youth. If the word “mutilation” makes your skin crawl, well, brace yourself because someone’s about to pay, and it’s a price you won’t forget. Then there’s a reckoning for an unthinkable crime, and it’s not for the faint of heart; justice comes courtesy of one Special Victims Unit detective who metes out punishment that's gruesome enough to send shivers down your spine. There's a celebration happening, oh, but don't grab that late-night snack; you just might be sorry you did.

Turn the page on this collection, and you’ll find terrors and scares waiting in every story. Twelve female authors spin tales so vivid they just might feature in your nightmares. I genuinely enjoyed every story; each one stands out in its own way. If you’re even a little squeamish, you might want to skip this collection. Every author does a fantastic job pulling you in and painting the kind of setting that unsettles you long after the lights go out.

[Madame Strange · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Moods and Megrims” - Women have to put up with a lot of sh*t and these stories show you what happens when we are not longer putting up with it.

★★★★★

All these tales were unique and original in their way of telling stories about women taking back their power, dealing with their emotions and struggling with the consequences of being a woman in this world.

Some tales were more horrifying than others and I’d say this makes a great collection of voices that need to be heard.

Regardless of your gender, pick up a copy and find out what happens if you f*ck around with us.

- I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! -

[Dan Mckeithan · Rating 5 out of 5]

12 powerful short horror stories by women that gives insight and fear that woman witness and live through. Desiree has put together a phenomenal collection of stories that tell about revenge, bitterness, and heartbreak. Each one of these tales hold you fast and make you want to not let go. Everyone one of them is superb-- but some of the main ones that stood out were: "These Boots were made for Stompin" by Sara DeRosa, "Uninvited" by Cassandra O'Sullivan Sachar, "The Black Spot" by Desiree Horton, and "Skin Deep" by Christy Alderidge--couldn't ask for a better way to close out the book.

[Max Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride! As a massive fan of female revenge stories, this anthology did not disappoint. Each terror filled story has its own distinct appeal. Atmospheric, perfectly paced and well executed, these authors will draw you into their nightmarish worlds.

[Nikita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every story , every word ! this book was amazing , each story was completely different
this is the first horror anthology ive read and it won't be the last

[N.J. Gallegos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big big fan of feminine rage in all its forms. Women refusing to adhere to societal and patriarchal roles, vigilantes bent on correcting the evil in the world in their own way, literally how to get away with murder, turning those who wrong us into a delicious meal with our sisters, and more! All the authors in this collection came to play!