Of Monsters and Menses

by Maisie Culver, Jamie Flanagan (Introduction)

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction

300 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 13, 2026

Reviews

[Stay Fetters · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Guess who’s in their Mental Breakdown Era⁠—”

I’m going to be honest with you, I’ve had the best conversations, gotten sage advice, and even made best friends who would have my back in an instant in the ladies restroom at a bar, club, etc. I’m not sure why that is but I’m not arguing because I don’t want to lose that vibe. This book brought that vibe plus some.

Nothing makes ladies, gays, and theys bond more over being harrassed by the same creep or talking about those experiences. Stories are ways of distraction and this is what these ladies do while waiting out a creep. The stories were beyond bizarre and some were downright creepy. They all packed that same hair-raising punch that we all need in our lives. This really wasn't what I was expecting but in the best way possible. Plus who in their right minds would have guessed that ending? I sure as hell didn't.

"Of Monsters and Menses" was pure adrenaline hooked right up to your veins. It was wild and bizarre as all hell with some laughs thrown in. Can't forget those on a gloomy day.

[Sonja · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a collection of individual short stories which all felt like they could have been written by different authors, like an anthology, which I love, with the good, the bad, and the standout stories. I enjoyed each story (the final one is the exception) with the gingerbread cookie recipe being one of my favorites.

Very feminist satire, campy, dark, and amusing as hell, I enjoyed this book immensely.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. 4.5⭐

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection was such a surprise. Tied together by a central theme, it felt like a very cohesive collection with something for everyone.

As with any collection, some stories were definitely stronger than others, but the only two I wasn’t particularly keen on were the Frankenstein and mummy tales. The rest I thought were so original and funny.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

[Maya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing | Shortwave for providing me with the ARC.
Pub Date 13 Oct 2026
The set-up of this book is campy and most of the stories were also camp, but I liked that a lot. Each story is a unique reimagining of a famous monster. I really enjoyed the humor. There are а lot of media and celebrity references, which works well with the themes. The story I enjoyed the most was The Walking Deadbeat and the one I disliked the most was Frankenface.
My individual rating are:
28 pills later – 3/5 I liked the way it was written
The Walking Deadbeat – 5/5 laughed all the way through
The Antichris – 4/5 This was so funny and I always enjoy an interview style narrative
The White Knight – 4/5 Great vibes, this was a ghost story with a solid ending and a story arc overall.
Frankenface – 3/5 it was okay, but very unbelievable, not like the others aren’t, just in here it was a bit too much
The best gosh darn gingerbread recipe that had nothing to do with all those missing kids - 5/5 Short and sweet, thank you for actually providing the recipe. I wish I could try this but I lack the skills to even boil an egg right
Mummies Mummies Mummies – 3/5 For a cat centered story this fell short for me
How to disappear – 4/5 The most complex story, it was thought provoking, solid story overall
Let me just also say that I was put off by the beginning of the acknowledgments – like, wishing bad on a person who expressed opinion speaks more about you that the other person. It just left a bad taste in my mouth, because it wasn’t even funny.

[Nicole Veldman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of short stories with a creepy twist. I liked how the different stories connected through the 5 woman who were stuck in the bathroom. Their short stories were nice to read and I liked how the woman had their own voices shine through in the ones they told. However, I was a bit confused with the 'extra' ones since they discussed that everyone would tell one story but a lot more stories where told. So did some tell more or where some just random? This didn't make a lot of sense to me. Still, it was fun to read and the creepy elements were nicely done. The ending was a bit random but also kind of funny so I appreciated that.
The writing style was nice and I flew through this book. If you are looking for a quick and funny horror book filled with perspectives from different woman, this might be your next read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Reading Xennial · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting short story collection about five women hanging out in a bathroom waiting for a creepy guy to leave and they are sharing stories while they kill time. This book has a lot of feminism and some of the common, draining things women go through. It does get speculative in some of the stories which I really appreciated. The writing is a bit simple, but that does make it easy to digest. I really liked the story 28 pills later, that one took an unexpected turn which I enjoyed. The last story tied things together, but it wasn’t the best story in the bunch. I recommend this book if you enjoy short story collections especially if it’s a little campy, and with some creepy monsters.

Thank you, NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

[Mouza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of Monsters and Menses was such a fun and unexpected collection. I loved the variety of stories and how each one brought something completely different, from creepy and disturbing to strange, funny, and completely unhinged.

Some stories definitely stood out more than others, which is always the case with collections, but overall I really enjoyed the mix of horror, dark humor, and female-centered themes. It kept things interesting because I never quite knew what kind of story I was getting next.

For a debut book, this was such a strong introduction to Maisie Culver’s writing. Creative, weird, dark, and entertaining. I’m definitely curious to see what she writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Of Monsters and Menses is a short story collection by Maisie Culver which delivers modern twists on classic monsters.

Linked together by a group of women hiding in the bathroom of a club, out of reach from a lecherous drunk, the strangers decide to pass the time telling horror stories.

The stories were varied in tone, which kept things fresh, with contemporary references throughout.

In collections such as these, as is always the way, some stories will always be better than others. While I did enjoy the humour throughout, particularly in "Walking Deadbeat," I felt that "How to Disappear" was the standout for how much substance it had considering its length.

Overall, a solid debut from Culver and a fun Halloween release.

With thanks to Shortwave for the ARC.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed every story in this collection which is a real rarity for me. I love the premise of how these stories are told, from different women all hiding in a bar bathroom to get away from a creep who won't stop hitting on them. For such short introductions to the characters, the author does a great job making you feel like you really know them. The stories all have elements of classic monsters but they are very relevant to current society issues that women deal with daily. I loved horror and gore along with the feminist vibe and humor. The ending was totally unexpected and thrilling. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and Shortwave Publishing for the copy for my honest review.

[Joana Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud, with proper belly laughs, which rarely happens when I'm reading.

I’m not usually a big fan of short story collections, but they work so well here, mostly because of the connecting thread that links them all together.

The stories take classic horror monsters, like vampires, werewolves, or even the Antichris(t), and turn them into something witty, hilarious, and refreshingly original. It's dark, funny, and wonderfully feminist.

If you're on the fence about it, just read it. It's completely worth it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[literaturecryptid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of Monsters and Menses showcases girlhood in all its gory deliciousness. This collection of stories, told by girls hiding in a bar bathroom, follows one rule: it has to involve a well-known monster. The retellings were disgustingly fun, Frankenface was my personal favorite.
This book was an absolute attention grabber. The pace was perfect, and it’s such a good Halloween read. Werewolves, frankenstein, ghosts… Everything you need for a feminist Halloween is included.
If you’ve had the experience of chatting with random girls in the bar bathroom, this is for you! It reminded me of all the drunken angels I’ve met. I would die for a second book continuing from where this one left off!

[Josh Escandon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Shortwave Publishing and Netgalley for an eARC of Of Monsters and Menses by Maisie Culver. I loved this short story collection, and I thought the overarching story connecting them together was genius. Every story had a unique feminist take on classic horror like possession (which was my favorite and so hilarious), werewolves, vampires, and zombies that had me completely hooked and laughing so hard. If you love brilliant weird horror that takes a strong position, Of Monsters and Menses is a must.

[Tiffany Preston · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

“Rumors are rumors in that they spread like a whore on Sundays.”

Such a unique way to lay out a collection of short horror stories. A group of women hide in a bathroom from a man and each tells one of the short stories. It discusses topics such as misogyny in a satirical way. Definitely recommend for those who love horror!

***Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for a honest review!

[Jessie-Punkersfictionreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of Monsters and Menses is campy horror at its finest. I loved how the short stories were all intertwined into one bigger story. I think the author had a lot to say in a very unique way. I would love to read more from Maisie Culver in the future.
3/5 Stars

Thank you to Shortwave and Netgalley for sending me an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Katie Paige · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of girls hiding in the bathroom from a creep decide to tell monster stories to pass the time til he’s gone.

This book was very campy and overall I enjoyed the stories that were told. My favorite of the stories was “The Best Gosh Darn Gingerbread Recipe That Had Nothing To Do With All Those Missing Kids”. It was funny and campy.

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! What a debut for this author. The way each story was told was so unique and fun and the over-arching story tied everything together well. It's pretty rare (at least for me) to love every short story in books like this, but I can confidently I thoroughly enjoyed each one of these! If you're a monster fan, don't sleep on this!!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN!!!!! (review to follow)

[alysbookclub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun. Loved how the stories tied together. Some real standouts in here!