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One Bad Night & Other Stories
Horror lovers everywhere, get ready for... ONE BAD NIGHT.
In “Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island," an anthropologist and his wife travel to the remote Gannet Island to observe a mysterious yearly ritual.
In “My Lithopedia," a woman learns that she had an unborn twin sister, extracted as a stone baby during her late mother’s autopsy and decides to keep it.
In “Lady Jawbone," Lilou is trapped inside a nightmarish phosphorous match factory, when a strange new arrival offers her a way out.
In “A Necromancer’s Guide to Reconnecting with Your Ex," the ghost of Roxanne's rock-and-roll ex asks her to resurrect him, forcing her to confront what it means to truly let go.
In “Red Tide," a woman running from her past finds work at a small-town aquarium, where she encounters the "spectre fish," a carnivorous mer-creature of local lore.
In “47 Pineview Way," an anxious mother drops off her son at his first sleepover—but the next morning, the house where she left him has disappeared.
In “A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon)," Commander Janna Field is on a covert mission to the lunar south pole—or is she?
In “One Bad Night," Steck, an aging, lonely man becomes fixated on a sinister green parrot after it seems to predicts the death of his beloved dog.
In “Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island," an anthropologist and his wife travel to the remote Gannet Island to observe a mysterious yearly ritual.
In “My Lithopedia," a woman learns that she had an unborn twin sister, extracted as a stone baby during her late mother’s autopsy and decides to keep it.
In “Lady Jawbone," Lilou is trapped inside a nightmarish phosphorous match factory, when a strange new arrival offers her a way out.
In “A Necromancer’s Guide to Reconnecting with Your Ex," the ghost of Roxanne's rock-and-roll ex asks her to resurrect him, forcing her to confront what it means to truly let go.
In “Red Tide," a woman running from her past finds work at a small-town aquarium, where she encounters the "spectre fish," a carnivorous mer-creature of local lore.
In “47 Pineview Way," an anxious mother drops off her son at his first sleepover—but the next morning, the house where she left him has disappeared.
In “A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon)," Commander Janna Field is on a covert mission to the lunar south pole—or is she?
In “One Bad Night," Steck, an aging, lonely man becomes fixated on a sinister green parrot after it seems to predicts the death of his beloved dog.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2025
68 people are currently reading
3152 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 208 reviews
November 25, 2025
Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island (Kay Chronister) - 5 stars
Literally the perfect kickoff to the collection. Inviting and surprising.
My Lithopedia (Del Sandeen) - 3 stars
A little too chaotic.
Lady Jawbone (Kylie Lee Baker) - 3.5 stars
So odd. Just a little too vague, a little too long.
A Necromancer’s Guide to Reconnecting with Your Ex (Rachel Harrison) - 3.5 stars
Like most Rachel Harrison stories, it felt like it was building to a twist that never came.
Red Tide (CJ Leede) - 4 stars
Dark and weird, as expected.
47 Pineview Way (Jennifer Thorne) - 4 stars
Perfect concept, near perfect follow through.
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon) (S.A. Barnes) - 2 stars
Not my taste.
One Bad Night (Stephen Graham Jones) - 5 stars
Obviously my favourite author wrote the perfect final story about life's difficult choices.
Literally the perfect kickoff to the collection. Inviting and surprising.
My Lithopedia (Del Sandeen) - 3 stars
A little too chaotic.
Lady Jawbone (Kylie Lee Baker) - 3.5 stars
So odd. Just a little too vague, a little too long.
A Necromancer’s Guide to Reconnecting with Your Ex (Rachel Harrison) - 3.5 stars
Like most Rachel Harrison stories, it felt like it was building to a twist that never came.
Red Tide (CJ Leede) - 4 stars
Dark and weird, as expected.
47 Pineview Way (Jennifer Thorne) - 4 stars
Perfect concept, near perfect follow through.
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon) (S.A. Barnes) - 2 stars
Not my taste.
One Bad Night (Stephen Graham Jones) - 5 stars
Obviously my favourite author wrote the perfect final story about life's difficult choices.
October 18, 2025
I'm not typically fond of short stories, but I really enjoyed all of these. Most of them were unique and all of them were well-written. I struggle with short stories because they usually don't feel like enough, not enough character development, not enough conclusion, not enough understanding, but I felt satisfied at the end of all of these even if some endings were open-ended. I think my favorite was 47 Pineview Way. Jennifer Thorne is an amazing writer, and she's going on my must read list after this.
October 13, 2025
These short stories are absolutely fantastic. Like the editor’s note says, many of them explore one’s sense of self, but wow, the tension in these stories is unreal. Some are downright gruesome and several end with a gut-punch. The kind of endings you want in a short story, the ones that linger. We don’t always get clear answers and we’re left to draw our own conclusions about what really happened.
I definitely had some favorites, with the first five stories being the standouts for me. As an anthropology major, I especially loved the first story, Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island, which follows an anthropologist and his wife as they uncover a strange island custom. It took a direction I was not expecting it to go. Overall, this was a very entertaining collection of horror short stories and I hope Aardvark continues to release collections like this.
I definitely had some favorites, with the first five stories being the standouts for me. As an anthropology major, I especially loved the first story, Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island, which follows an anthropologist and his wife as they uncover a strange island custom. It took a direction I was not expecting it to go. Overall, this was a very entertaining collection of horror short stories and I hope Aardvark continues to release collections like this.
October 22, 2025
An absolutely phenomenal anthology of short stories from some of the best voices in horror right now!
Exclusive short story set to celebrate Aardvark's 3 year anniversary. Aardvark is a book subscription that gives 6 books to choose from each month. See details here: https://www.instagram.com/aardvarkboo...
And what a treat this set is! 8 short stories - but not too short - each one is anywhere from 20-40 pages and packed with surprise, horror, sharp humor and phenomenal originality. All of the stories were so good, there isn't one that stood out more than another - it's a full set of great ones!
Content Warning - the last story involves a dog.
Exclusive short story set to celebrate Aardvark's 3 year anniversary. Aardvark is a book subscription that gives 6 books to choose from each month. See details here: https://www.instagram.com/aardvarkboo...
And what a treat this set is! 8 short stories - but not too short - each one is anywhere from 20-40 pages and packed with surprise, horror, sharp humor and phenomenal originality. All of the stories were so good, there isn't one that stood out more than another - it's a full set of great ones!
Content Warning - the last story involves a dog.
December 5, 2025
One Bad Night & Other Stories, a Horror Anthology, is an Aardvark Original developed to celebrate Aardvark Book Club's 3-year anniversary in October.
I knew immediately upon seeing the cover that I had to have it, but then I read the list of authors and was doubly-sold. Those authors are Kay Chronister, Del Sandeen, Kylie Lee Baker, Rachel Harrison, CJ Leede, Jennifer Marie Thorne, S. A. Barnes, and Stephen Graham Jones, all of whom have had previous novels offered via Aardvark.
If you are unfamiliar with Aardvark, they are an online book subscription service offering new and varied releases each month. The quality that makes Aardvark my favorite service is the amount of new Horror they offer, my favorite genre.
This collection features 8-stories, and below are my brief thoughts/ratings on each story:
1. Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island by Kay Chronister -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- This story follows a husband and wife duo embarking on some cultural anthropological field research on a remote island. It was so bizarre and fun and I became completely invested in it.
2. My Lithopedia by Del Sandeen -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 -- This was fun and it definitely got under my skin. Anything involving dolls, or things resembling dolls, which I would categorize the feel of the stone baby from this story as, usually get under my skin. I felt like this had such a classic horror feel, but was also a creative concept, so it played on past tropes, but brought something completely new to the table!
3. Lady Jawbone by Kylie Lee Baker -- ⭐⭐⭐.5 -- I liked the feel of this as well, but was left a little dumbfounded by it. I feel like, having read other things from this author, this was very different from her other work. I like the description of the setting, being in nearly constant dark, it sort of took away the visual sense, so it made me feel like I was in the dark as well.
4. A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with an Ex by Rachel Harrison -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- I love Rachel Harrison's writing so much. Her MCs always feel so true to life. While this didn't pack quite the punch as her regular full-length novels, it was still very well-crafted.
5. Red Tide by C.J. Leede -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- This story was so interesting, including some sea-related horror, which I tend to enjoy. There were some super yucky descriptions, which I loved and also enjoyed how full-circle this felt.
6. 47 Pineview Way by Jennifer Marie Thorne -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 -- This was eerie. If it were a full-length novel and I was writing one of my regular reviews, it would be rounded up to a 4. This is a suburban-set story with the feel of the goblin market to it. It was def interesting and I cannot imagine being in the MCs position.
7. A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery by S.A. Barnes -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- This story was very S.A. Barnes! It almost felt like it contained a whole novel, it was so well-imagined. I don't know what to believe about the end, I have different theories, and I love that Barnes left it open to the Reader's interpretation.
8. One Bad Night by Stephen Graham Jones -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- I almost didn't make it through this story, NGL. The topics explored mirror pretty closely things going on in my own life at the moment, and I'll tell you, it's wasn't easy.
I pushed through, skimming certain sections, because a friend read it before me and I sort of knew ahead of time the direction it would ultimately take. I was gutted by this story. It's written with such raw detail and emotion. So, yeahhhh, SGJ, one of my favorite authors of all time tearing my heart out yet again. I love his writing so much. It's always so heartfelt and real. What an end to the collection. Wow.
Overall, this was such a fun and well-rounded collection, ending with that gut-wrenching story from one of my favorite authors of all time, SGJ, which spoke to my soul.
Aardvark did a phenomenal job with their selection of authors and works for this anthology. I hope they create more of these in the future. I'd definitely be buying and reading them!
I knew immediately upon seeing the cover that I had to have it, but then I read the list of authors and was doubly-sold. Those authors are Kay Chronister, Del Sandeen, Kylie Lee Baker, Rachel Harrison, CJ Leede, Jennifer Marie Thorne, S. A. Barnes, and Stephen Graham Jones, all of whom have had previous novels offered via Aardvark.
If you are unfamiliar with Aardvark, they are an online book subscription service offering new and varied releases each month. The quality that makes Aardvark my favorite service is the amount of new Horror they offer, my favorite genre.
This collection features 8-stories, and below are my brief thoughts/ratings on each story:
1. Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island by Kay Chronister -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- This story follows a husband and wife duo embarking on some cultural anthropological field research on a remote island. It was so bizarre and fun and I became completely invested in it.
2. My Lithopedia by Del Sandeen -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 -- This was fun and it definitely got under my skin. Anything involving dolls, or things resembling dolls, which I would categorize the feel of the stone baby from this story as, usually get under my skin. I felt like this had such a classic horror feel, but was also a creative concept, so it played on past tropes, but brought something completely new to the table!
3. Lady Jawbone by Kylie Lee Baker -- ⭐⭐⭐.5 -- I liked the feel of this as well, but was left a little dumbfounded by it. I feel like, having read other things from this author, this was very different from her other work. I like the description of the setting, being in nearly constant dark, it sort of took away the visual sense, so it made me feel like I was in the dark as well.
4. A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with an Ex by Rachel Harrison -- ⭐⭐⭐⭐ -- I love Rachel Harrison's writing so much. Her MCs always feel so true to life. While this didn't pack quite the punch as her regular full-length novels, it was still very well-crafted.
5. Red Tide by C.J. Leede -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- This story was so interesting, including some sea-related horror, which I tend to enjoy. There were some super yucky descriptions, which I loved and also enjoyed how full-circle this felt.
6. 47 Pineview Way by Jennifer Marie Thorne -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 -- This was eerie. If it were a full-length novel and I was writing one of my regular reviews, it would be rounded up to a 4. This is a suburban-set story with the feel of the goblin market to it. It was def interesting and I cannot imagine being in the MCs position.
7. A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery by S.A. Barnes -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- This story was very S.A. Barnes! It almost felt like it contained a whole novel, it was so well-imagined. I don't know what to believe about the end, I have different theories, and I love that Barnes left it open to the Reader's interpretation.
8. One Bad Night by Stephen Graham Jones -- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ -- I almost didn't make it through this story, NGL. The topics explored mirror pretty closely things going on in my own life at the moment, and I'll tell you, it's wasn't easy.
I pushed through, skimming certain sections, because a friend read it before me and I sort of knew ahead of time the direction it would ultimately take. I was gutted by this story. It's written with such raw detail and emotion. So, yeahhhh, SGJ, one of my favorite authors of all time tearing my heart out yet again. I love his writing so much. It's always so heartfelt and real. What an end to the collection. Wow.
Overall, this was such a fun and well-rounded collection, ending with that gut-wrenching story from one of my favorite authors of all time, SGJ, which spoke to my soul.
Aardvark did a phenomenal job with their selection of authors and works for this anthology. I hope they create more of these in the future. I'd definitely be buying and reading them!
October 14, 2025
This was really fun so I’m glad I gave it a shot. Maybe I do like short stories!
October 26, 2025
This is a CRAZY good collection. I love short horror and when I saw that the lineup for this book included several of my favorite authors - I knew I was in for a real treat. Aardvark truly knocked this one out of the park and this book definitely furthered my obsession with them. Not to be greedy but MORE PLEASE!!
The only new-to-me author in this collection was Kylie Lee Baker and her story Lady Jawbone was AMAZING. I will 100% be checking out more from her. Lady Jawbone was BLEAK and terrifying and the kind of horror I want more of this fall/winter.
I don’t think I can pick a “favorite” from this collection but I am definitely going to be thinking about My Lithopedia and 47 Pineview Way for awhile. If you haven’t read Jennifer Thorne before I highly recommend you check out Lute and Diavola as well!!
Rachel Harrison and C.J. Leede are in my top 10 horror authors of all time so my praise for them probably doesn’t need repeating BUT their stories were awesome as well. Kay Chronister’s story made me buy her collection Thin Places because DAMN what a f*vked up story. And Stephen Graham Jones - I have corgis so your book broke my heart and I read it late at night when the veil is thin so I just felt it very deeply.
I think a lot of people were on the same wavelength of reading this collection a story a night for 8 nights. Thank you to these authors for 8 terrible, no good, very bad nights!!
Check this one out if you love horror, incredible authors, short stories, space, corgis, fish, and creepy islands!!
The only new-to-me author in this collection was Kylie Lee Baker and her story Lady Jawbone was AMAZING. I will 100% be checking out more from her. Lady Jawbone was BLEAK and terrifying and the kind of horror I want more of this fall/winter.
I don’t think I can pick a “favorite” from this collection but I am definitely going to be thinking about My Lithopedia and 47 Pineview Way for awhile. If you haven’t read Jennifer Thorne before I highly recommend you check out Lute and Diavola as well!!
Rachel Harrison and C.J. Leede are in my top 10 horror authors of all time so my praise for them probably doesn’t need repeating BUT their stories were awesome as well. Kay Chronister’s story made me buy her collection Thin Places because DAMN what a f*vked up story. And Stephen Graham Jones - I have corgis so your book broke my heart and I read it late at night when the veil is thin so I just felt it very deeply.
I think a lot of people were on the same wavelength of reading this collection a story a night for 8 nights. Thank you to these authors for 8 terrible, no good, very bad nights!!
Check this one out if you love horror, incredible authors, short stories, space, corgis, fish, and creepy islands!!
October 29, 2025
This was a really good short story collection. There was only one short story I didn't like, and three of them nearly got a five (if it wasn't for some ambiguous endings, which I do not like in general). But all of the stories, even the one I didn't like ("My Lithopedia") had super unique concepts, and it was fun to see what each new author would throw at you. I love that Aardvark Book Club put this together for their subscribers, and it turns out they are pretty good at being publishers so far!
FYI Stephen Graham Jones's titular story was very upsetting, and very good, but please check content warnings.
(If anyone wants to subscribe to Aardvark and get this collection, feel free to use my code PIPPIN. It will get you the book for $4!)
FYI Stephen Graham Jones's titular story was very upsetting, and very good, but please check content warnings.
(If anyone wants to subscribe to Aardvark and get this collection, feel free to use my code PIPPIN. It will get you the book for $4!)
October 24, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up
Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island by Kay Chronister 4.5/5
My Lithopedia by Del Sandeen 4/5
Lady Jawbone - Kylie Lee Baker 3.5/5
A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with An Ex - Rachel Harrison 4.5/5
Red Tide - CJ Leede 4/5
47 Pineview Way - Jennifer Thorne 3.75/5
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There Is No Spoon) - S.A. Barnes 5/5
One Bad Night - Stephen Graham Jones 4/5
Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island by Kay Chronister 4.5/5
My Lithopedia by Del Sandeen 4/5
Lady Jawbone - Kylie Lee Baker 3.5/5
A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with An Ex - Rachel Harrison 4.5/5
Red Tide - CJ Leede 4/5
47 Pineview Way - Jennifer Thorne 3.75/5
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There Is No Spoon) - S.A. Barnes 5/5
One Bad Night - Stephen Graham Jones 4/5
October 9, 2025
This is a fantastic anthology; I loved every single story. Hitting multiple genres and moods of horror, this is a must-read for fans of scary stories. Aardvark Books nailed their first original anthology, and I desperately need them to keep publishing more. Is it too late to request some spooky Christmas ghost stories…? Yes? Ok, maybe next year. All that to say, all the stars for One Bad Night!
October 13, 2025
every single one of these stories hit
October 17, 2025
What a perfect spooky season read!! Each story is scary in its own way. I’ve read stories by 4 of the authors, so to get a taste of the 4 new to me authors, helped make it a perfect gateway to new stories and more books to add to my TBR.
WELL DONE TO THE AUTHORS AND AARDVARK. WHAT A TREAT!!
WELL DONE TO THE AUTHORS AND AARDVARK. WHAT A TREAT!!
November 1, 2025
Not a bad story in the bunch. “One Bad Night” wrecked me.
October 10, 2025
All the stories were very good. Some shone more than others, specifically My Lithopedia and Red Tide. A few made me think. I'll need to reread this to absorb more of the nuances.
October 21, 2025
Loved, loved, loved!
I’m notoriously bad with remembering all of the books I have read and I would finish one story in this collection look up the author and go “oh! Right! I loved that book!!”
Perfect for spooky season and getting a taste of popular Aardvark authors.
I’m notoriously bad with remembering all of the books I have read and I would finish one story in this collection look up the author and go “oh! Right! I loved that book!!”
Perfect for spooky season and getting a taste of popular Aardvark authors.
October 24, 2025
So so good and easy to get through quickly! I love short story anthologies and my favorite was 47 Pineview Way - I was tickled pink by the Easter eggs in this story, particularly the reference to “Das Erlkönig” by Goethe (and the subsequent Italian adaptation of “Figlio Perduto”, a frequent spooky listen in my family of origin). That story felt like it was written for me specifically
October 20, 2025
every story hit and the way they collapsed into one another was great. i think this is a guidebook on whos doing cool shit in horror
Want to read
September 29, 2025wtffffff??? YESSSSSS PLS!!!!
November 16, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
My favorites were “Lady Jawbone” and “47 Pineview Way.” This was a nice taste tester for a lot of new-to-me horror authors.
My favorites were “Lady Jawbone” and “47 Pineview Way.” This was a nice taste tester for a lot of new-to-me horror authors.
December 15, 2025
Phenomenal. More thoughts to come.
October 16, 2025
Woo, this was quite a compilation! I feel like it became more and more intense as I read. To give each story its own spotlight, I'm going to give a 1-2-sentence review for each one!
- "Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island" by Kay Chronister: I took an anthropology course in college and sometimes it took a sort of disassociation to understand certain cultural practices. This story takes it Midsommar-like levels!
- "My Lithopedia" by Del Sandeen - I didn't know what a lithopedion is until this story, and now I'm enthralled. It pulls a mix of haunted doll meets body horror meets paranormal horror into a horrifying short about twins.
- "Lady Jawbone" by Kylie Lee Baker - I learned about the effects of match factories from MrBallen (yes, jaws falling off is a thing!), so I saw where the story was going but didn't expect the almost cult-like side of this factory? What's beyond, and why is this factory here?
- "A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with an Ex" by Rachel Harrison: This was almost a lighthearted break in the middle of the compilation, which I needed! This story reminded me of the web comic "Boo", and I for sure cried at the end.
- "Red Tide" by CJ Leede: This is the first time I've read any aquarium horror, and I am READY. Mixed in with lore of sea spectre and bioluminescence, I loved this story!
- "47 Pineview Way" by Jennifer Thorne: This was the only short story that I actually tried to tell my partner about, and even he seemed uncomfortable about the premise! I would read a full-length novel about this, I LOVED IT and have to say that this one was my favorite.
- "A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon)" by S.A. Barnes: I still don't understand the title and how it relates to the story (makes me think of "The cake is a lie"), but I do enjoy some space horror! The ending was up to your imagination, which left me a little frustrated but I could see this expanded into a larger novel.
- "One Bad Night" by Stephen Graham Jones: I cried, and I cried, and I ugly cried. I almost wouldn't say this was horror, but it was definitely SGJ-style horror - an almost Grim Reaper-like bird, an almost impossible choice to make, and of course the raw writing from this brilliant author.
Overall, LOVED this compilation!
- "Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island" by Kay Chronister: I took an anthropology course in college and sometimes it took a sort of disassociation to understand certain cultural practices. This story takes it Midsommar-like levels!
- "My Lithopedia" by Del Sandeen - I didn't know what a lithopedion is until this story, and now I'm enthralled. It pulls a mix of haunted doll meets body horror meets paranormal horror into a horrifying short about twins.
- "Lady Jawbone" by Kylie Lee Baker - I learned about the effects of match factories from MrBallen (yes, jaws falling off is a thing!), so I saw where the story was going but didn't expect the almost cult-like side of this factory? What's beyond, and why is this factory here?
- "A Necromancer's Guide to Reconnecting with an Ex" by Rachel Harrison: This was almost a lighthearted break in the middle of the compilation, which I needed! This story reminded me of the web comic "Boo", and I for sure cried at the end.
- "Red Tide" by CJ Leede: This is the first time I've read any aquarium horror, and I am READY. Mixed in with lore of sea spectre and bioluminescence, I loved this story!
- "47 Pineview Way" by Jennifer Thorne: This was the only short story that I actually tried to tell my partner about, and even he seemed uncomfortable about the premise! I would read a full-length novel about this, I LOVED IT and have to say that this one was my favorite.
- "A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery (There is No Spoon)" by S.A. Barnes: I still don't understand the title and how it relates to the story (makes me think of "The cake is a lie"), but I do enjoy some space horror! The ending was up to your imagination, which left me a little frustrated but I could see this expanded into a larger novel.
- "One Bad Night" by Stephen Graham Jones: I cried, and I cried, and I ugly cried. I almost wouldn't say this was horror, but it was definitely SGJ-style horror - an almost Grim Reaper-like bird, an almost impossible choice to make, and of course the raw writing from this brilliant author.
Overall, LOVED this compilation!
October 15, 2025
So glad I decided to join Aardvark this month when a gaming sub decided to unrealistically up their price (you know who you are).
NO REGRETS!!
This is an Aardvark exclusive and I am so glad I picked it because this is, hands down, the BEST anthology I have personally read since Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark as a child. I did not dislike any of these stories and some will stick with me forever. There were themes of losing one's identity, male/female roles, family loss, hopelessness and even pet loss.
I hope Aardvark decides to do these again (yearly would be nice) and a Christmas-themed one would be exceptional. I cannot wait to see what else they roll out in the future.
NO REGRETS!!
This is an Aardvark exclusive and I am so glad I picked it because this is, hands down, the BEST anthology I have personally read since Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark as a child. I did not dislike any of these stories and some will stick with me forever. There were themes of losing one's identity, male/female roles, family loss, hopelessness and even pet loss.
I hope Aardvark decides to do these again (yearly would be nice) and a Christmas-themed one would be exceptional. I cannot wait to see what else they roll out in the future.
October 13, 2025
Two Observers- 4/5 stars
My Lithopedia- 5/5!
Lady Jawbone- 3.5/5
Necromancer’s Guide- 4.5/5
Red Tide- 3/5
47 Pineview Way- 5/5!
Certain Cutlery- 3.5/5
One Bad Night- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5
I’m not usually a short story gal but the best of these were wonderful and the weakest among them were still worth reading! Great collection from Aardvark, so happy I got it!
My Lithopedia- 5/5!
Lady Jawbone- 3.5/5
Necromancer’s Guide- 4.5/5
Red Tide- 3/5
47 Pineview Way- 5/5!
Certain Cutlery- 3.5/5
One Bad Night- 4.5/5
Overall- 4.5/5
I’m not usually a short story gal but the best of these were wonderful and the weakest among them were still worth reading! Great collection from Aardvark, so happy I got it!
October 21, 2025
Loved these short stories! Aardvark knocked it out of the park curating this book with some of the best horror writers of the time. I loved getting some more work from some of my favorite horror authors while also getting a taste of work from new to me horror authors. Some of my faves included A Necromancer’s Guide to Reconnecting With My Ex, Red Tide, and My Lithopedia. Each story was different but brought chills the same way!
October 15, 2025
I thought this was fabulous! I loved all of the stories and did not want to put this book down. Also, the book cover under the jacket is so so cool!
Read
October 20, 2025The S.A. Barnes story was my FAVORITE!
🤯❤🤯
🤯❤🤯
October 12, 2025
Aamazing.
October 13, 2025
I’m so sorry. I did not like this. It’s like.. 2.5 stars. And the Stephen Graham Jones story is carrying the whole collection for me. Spoilers abound. Read at your own risk.
I want to be clear, it’s entirely a me issue. The whole collection somehow just manages to hit on things I would never ever read if given a choice. And because it’s a collection it’s not like I expected to find them all in one place? Those things are: weird/dead/sick babies and children, there’s a story that is heavily inspired by the radium girls which is just much much too real life horror for me. Which yeah maybe sounds weird because I probably read some terrible shit but give me silly horror over serious horror every fucking day of the week, I’m so sorry.
I’m not even going to talk about the first three stories because it was weird and creepy / dead kids (and the radium girls one - but now that I think about it, ALSO EFFECTING KIDS). They made me extremely uncomfortable. It was 100% the point. 5 stars on that front. They did their job. This is why I say they are not bad and this is a me problem. I still didn’t like them. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
The Rachel Harrison story was fine but serving up a lot of meh. Kind of predictable but also like quits right when you get to where it starts to get good?
The CJ Leede story could have been good, kind of Our Wives Under the Sea-ish but like I didn’t really know what to make of it. I wasn’t really sure the girl minded what happened to her and therefore I wasn’t really sure I was horrified and therefore what was the point?
47 Pineview Way- absolutely a five star read (kid with meningitis aside, absolutely still bothered me but the kid at least survived that part) until the fucking ending which ends with literally “and then everything was cold.” bro wut. WTF THATS HOW IT ENDS. I HAVE SO MANY FUCKING COMPLAINTS. Love how the mom was just like fuck you zoe, I wish you could go back to being the daughter who hated me but oh well, my meningitis surviving son needs me so into the cold black place I go without a second thought. Oh okay. Sure Barbara.
The SA Barnes story- again, this was one of the stronger stories I thought. I was compelled. Don’t know why again we needed to mention there was a compulsive breeding program for the women back on earth, gross. Had nothing to do with anything else. wtf. But again ends with “and it was cold”. COME ON.
It makes me think there was an editor at Aardvark telling all these writers to drop the endings and be more vague. I fucking hate it. If that’s the case random aardvark editor who probably doesn’t exist, you suck. I hope you find a fly in your lemonade tomorrow. Sometimes ambiguity works. BUT THE WHOLE FUCKING COLLECTION? I don’t buy it. I don’t buy it that they all ended this way by chance. It’s weird. I smell a conspiracy.
The SGJ story One Bad Night is sad AF. But also happy AF. Because I could relate to Steck. I have an 18 year old chihuahua that I love to pieces. He is not at a point where I have to carry him inside and outside. But I took him for a walk in the woods Saturday and I carried him half the time and he walked half the time. He’s getting up there. The difference between me and Steck is I never would have done the first thing Steck did to discover the second thing. But I think Steck did the right thing in the end.
But again with the vagueness. Would it have killed them to put one more fucking line in there? Just confirm it for me. Please? That’s all I needed. Damn.
I’m so sad I feel this way because this book is so pretty with the blue foiling on the hardback but I’m listing it on Pango immediately because I will never fucking read this shit again.
Also, just to be clear. I love short stories. I read a lot of them. So as much as this is a “me issue” it’s not a me-not-liking-the-short-format-issue. Here are some collections of short stories I really love:
Never Whistle at Night edited by Shane Hawk
Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin
Out There by Kate Folk
We Won’t Be Here Tomorrow and Other Stories by Margaret Killjoy
Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due
I want to be clear, it’s entirely a me issue. The whole collection somehow just manages to hit on things I would never ever read if given a choice. And because it’s a collection it’s not like I expected to find them all in one place? Those things are: weird/dead/sick babies and children, there’s a story that is heavily inspired by the radium girls which is just much much too real life horror for me. Which yeah maybe sounds weird because I probably read some terrible shit but give me silly horror over serious horror every fucking day of the week, I’m so sorry.
I’m not even going to talk about the first three stories because it was weird and creepy / dead kids (and the radium girls one - but now that I think about it, ALSO EFFECTING KIDS). They made me extremely uncomfortable. It was 100% the point. 5 stars on that front. They did their job. This is why I say they are not bad and this is a me problem. I still didn’t like them. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
The Rachel Harrison story was fine but serving up a lot of meh. Kind of predictable but also like quits right when you get to where it starts to get good?
The CJ Leede story could have been good, kind of Our Wives Under the Sea-ish but like I didn’t really know what to make of it. I wasn’t really sure the girl minded what happened to her and therefore I wasn’t really sure I was horrified and therefore what was the point?
47 Pineview Way- absolutely a five star read (kid with meningitis aside, absolutely still bothered me but the kid at least survived that part) until the fucking ending which ends with literally “and then everything was cold.” bro wut. WTF THATS HOW IT ENDS. I HAVE SO MANY FUCKING COMPLAINTS. Love how the mom was just like fuck you zoe, I wish you could go back to being the daughter who hated me but oh well, my meningitis surviving son needs me so into the cold black place I go without a second thought. Oh okay. Sure Barbara.
The SA Barnes story- again, this was one of the stronger stories I thought. I was compelled. Don’t know why again we needed to mention there was a compulsive breeding program for the women back on earth, gross. Had nothing to do with anything else. wtf. But again ends with “and it was cold”. COME ON.
It makes me think there was an editor at Aardvark telling all these writers to drop the endings and be more vague. I fucking hate it. If that’s the case random aardvark editor who probably doesn’t exist, you suck. I hope you find a fly in your lemonade tomorrow. Sometimes ambiguity works. BUT THE WHOLE FUCKING COLLECTION? I don’t buy it. I don’t buy it that they all ended this way by chance. It’s weird. I smell a conspiracy.
The SGJ story One Bad Night is sad AF. But also happy AF. Because I could relate to Steck. I have an 18 year old chihuahua that I love to pieces. He is not at a point where I have to carry him inside and outside. But I took him for a walk in the woods Saturday and I carried him half the time and he walked half the time. He’s getting up there. The difference between me and Steck is I never would have done the first thing Steck did to discover the second thing. But I think Steck did the right thing in the end.
But again with the vagueness. Would it have killed them to put one more fucking line in there? Just confirm it for me. Please? That’s all I needed. Damn.
I’m so sad I feel this way because this book is so pretty with the blue foiling on the hardback but I’m listing it on Pango immediately because I will never fucking read this shit again.
Also, just to be clear. I love short stories. I read a lot of them. So as much as this is a “me issue” it’s not a me-not-liking-the-short-format-issue. Here are some collections of short stories I really love:
Never Whistle at Night edited by Shane Hawk
Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin
Out There by Kate Folk
We Won’t Be Here Tomorrow and Other Stories by Margaret Killjoy
Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due
October 16, 2025
One Bad Night is the ode to everything we love about Aardvark.
The introduction says these stories are “meant to be read quickly and continuously, without stopping for air, until you’ve reached the gruesome conclusion,” and that was exactly my experience. I made a point to sit and read through one story at a time, never stopping the next story at a random point. I wanted to stay true to this submersion. And it was a more special experience because of that. It really felt like breaking the surface after finishing each story.
I have previously proclaimed that I wasn’t into short stories, and I have been proven wrong by the great Stephen King, and even more wrong after One Bad Night. There wasn’t a bad story in the bunch. And they all had the same horrifying theme: a loss of sense of self. A spiral.
It’s evident that Aardvark knows horror. And the loyalty and adoration we feel for Aardvark is because they just get it. They get this new wave of horror with heart. They embrace diversity. They encourage us to explore outside of our comfort zones.
When Aardvark first started three years ago, I thought I’d try to financially swing a box here and there. But that turned into 2 years of continuous boxes, and a complete obsession with their authors, their brilliant social media team, their clever wit, the quality of their books, and the soft buttery covers we all love so much. Books connect us, and Aardvark’s team brings us even closer. I’ve met so many amazing people through conversations about hints, book selections, and the quality of this subscription that it feels *more than.* You know? It just feels special.
Cheers to three years, Aardy!!
The introduction says these stories are “meant to be read quickly and continuously, without stopping for air, until you’ve reached the gruesome conclusion,” and that was exactly my experience. I made a point to sit and read through one story at a time, never stopping the next story at a random point. I wanted to stay true to this submersion. And it was a more special experience because of that. It really felt like breaking the surface after finishing each story.
I have previously proclaimed that I wasn’t into short stories, and I have been proven wrong by the great Stephen King, and even more wrong after One Bad Night. There wasn’t a bad story in the bunch. And they all had the same horrifying theme: a loss of sense of self. A spiral.
It’s evident that Aardvark knows horror. And the loyalty and adoration we feel for Aardvark is because they just get it. They get this new wave of horror with heart. They embrace diversity. They encourage us to explore outside of our comfort zones.
When Aardvark first started three years ago, I thought I’d try to financially swing a box here and there. But that turned into 2 years of continuous boxes, and a complete obsession with their authors, their brilliant social media team, their clever wit, the quality of their books, and the soft buttery covers we all love so much. Books connect us, and Aardvark’s team brings us even closer. I’ve met so many amazing people through conversations about hints, book selections, and the quality of this subscription that it feels *more than.* You know? It just feels special.
Cheers to three years, Aardy!!
October 25, 2025
This was such a fun time and I’m so glad that Aardvark did this! I absolutely love a good horror story and it was really cool how each author had a different and unique style! I have read a book from each of these authors so it was very interesting to see a short story from them! Below is my ratings for each story:
Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island
4/5 ⭐️
My Lithipedia
5/5 ⭐️
Lady Jawbone
3.5/5 ⭐️
A Necromancers Guide to Recinnecting with an Ex
3.5/5 ⭐️
Red Tide
4/5 ⭐️
47 Pineview Way
4/5⭐️
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery
3.5/5 ⭐️
One Bad Night
1/5 ⭐️
Two Observers of the Slaughter Rites on Gannet Island
4/5 ⭐️
My Lithipedia
5/5 ⭐️
Lady Jawbone
3.5/5 ⭐️
A Necromancers Guide to Recinnecting with an Ex
3.5/5 ⭐️
Red Tide
4/5 ⭐️
47 Pineview Way
4/5⭐️
A Meditation on the Existence of Certain Cutlery
3.5/5 ⭐️
One Bad Night
1/5 ⭐️
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