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Lady Bits
A troubled mother commits an unspeakable act to banish the demon that lurks in her root cellar. Ghosts from the past won’t release their hold on a young woman. A girl in search of a new job as a nanny finds herself in charge of a mysterious package that requires much more care than any child.
Lady Bits collects sixteen tales from Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson award nominated author Kate Jonez that explores the horror nestled in the female heart. Vividly realized protagonists engage with an often-hostile world to deliver justice, lower a vengeance hammer, or to simply revel in evil. Prepare to be unsettled, disturbed, and terrified.
Lady Bits collects sixteen tales from Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson award nominated author Kate Jonez that explores the horror nestled in the female heart. Vividly realized protagonists engage with an often-hostile world to deliver justice, lower a vengeance hammer, or to simply revel in evil. Prepare to be unsettled, disturbed, and terrified.
196 pages, Paperback
First published March 22, 2019
5 people are currently reading
1281 people want to read
About the author
Kate Jonez
35 books167 followersDark fantasy and horror author Kate Jonez has twice been nominated for the Bram Stoker Award ® and once for the Shirley Jackson.
She is also the chief editor at the Bram Stoker Award winning press Omnium Gatherum which is dedicated to publishing unique dark fantasy, weird fiction and horror.
Kate is a student of all things scary and when she isn’t writing she loves to collect objects for her cabinet of curiosities, research obscure and strange historical figures and photograph Southern California where she lives with a very nice man and two little dogs who are also very nice but could behave a little bit better.
She is also the chief editor at the Bram Stoker Award winning press Omnium Gatherum which is dedicated to publishing unique dark fantasy, weird fiction and horror.
Kate is a student of all things scary and when she isn’t writing she loves to collect objects for her cabinet of curiosities, research obscure and strange historical figures and photograph Southern California where she lives with a very nice man and two little dogs who are also very nice but could behave a little bit better.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 21, 2022
Look, I love horror with a female perspective. I love Shirley Jackson, I love The yellow wallpaper, The silent companions, and more. But for this book, I only love the title. The stories are bland, uninspiring and absolutely not at all scary or unsettling. Most of them seem like a setup for a much better story. Anything interesting seems to have happened either before or after the actual story.
I give it two stars for some good setup and characterisation. It's not insultingly bad. And the story set on the train platform involving the cat was kind of sweet.
I give it two stars for some good setup and characterisation. It's not insultingly bad. And the story set on the train platform involving the cat was kind of sweet.
January 20, 2021
Very disappointing. Didn’t like many of the stories unfortunately.
July 13, 2019
This is a nice collection of little short stories of curiosities. There are some about the abyss of the human psyche, some supernatural horrors, some you don't know what you have just read. All stories are interesting, there are a few that have the theme of deranged mothers and their children in common, but mostly all are different, except for the fact that they´re featuring a female MC. But you never know, will she be the victim or the culprit?
I also liked the shortness of them. Each story about 15-20 mins. Although I wished some would have been more in depth, they were long enough to get caught up.
I also liked the shortness of them. Each story about 15-20 mins. Although I wished some would have been more in depth, they were long enough to get caught up.
August 30, 2019
I love this Amazing collection of short stories!!! Each one took me to a dark place 🖤. I was unsettled and very disturbed. I love the fact that the main protagonist in each story is Female💪🏽. This was my first Kate Jonez book and will definitely not be my last. 👏🏽💪🏽🙌🏽 Highly recommend!
February 15, 2020
I'm not finished with this book yet but had to go ahead and say WOW. BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!!!
February 14, 2020
An amazing collection! Each story floored me. I highly recommend it.
June 12, 2020
Gwen attempts to get her life on track and may have found the answer to success but at what cost? La-La watches the trains go by, saying farewell to the living and the dead. Delaine slides in and out of the past to perfect her murder and learns the sticky truth about time slipping away.
The 2019 Bram Stoker Award nominated short story collection Lady Bits by Kate Jonez contains sixteen stories of the strange, twisted, and gruesome. The stories in this collection center around women who find themselves in terrifying and sometimes supernatural situations. The women in Lady Bits are of all ages, from various backgrounds, and are complex and unpredictable people. Women in horror media are often seen as one-note scream queens, but the characters in Lady Bits break that mold.
Jonez, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author, has a talent for creating characters who are authentic in their messy imperfections. The women in Lady Bits are not just heroes or villains or victims but rather a mix. They’re people. The characters have breadth; not all mothers make the best choices, not all old women are sweet grandmothers, and not all young ladies need to be saved. Women are not evil only as wicked queens and witches. Women are not good only as lovely princesses and innocent maidens. Jonez brings each character to life and gives realistic diversity to these characters. So, whether these women are well-meaning or downright devious, they are at their core human.
In the story “Poor Me—And Ted,” suspense rises as the reader witnesses bereaved mother Glory follow through with a terrible plan that is all at once horrendous and heartbreakingly clear. Jonez tells this story through Glory’s inner monologue, a proficient and engaging way to identify with a possible unreliable narrator.
In “Carnivores,” the reader watches Francine, a young woman on the edge of society, struggle with getting by. Tension builds as Francine becomes entangled in an unsavory situation. In this story, Jonez flips common conceptions on their head, making way for an unexpected shock.
For fans of dark fiction, supernatural tales, and bizarre happenings, the aptly titled Lady Bits is an eye-opening collection. These horror stories range from creepy to disturbing. There are monsters, there is magic, and there is death, but Jonez keeps the pain and sweetness of humanity in each of her stories by highlighting the different aspects of who women are and who they can be. Jonez’s superb ability to craft eerie and strange tales is matched by her ability to create unnerving, yet human characters. Lady Bits is filled with frights both tangible and visceral for readers looking for a fresh perspective.
The 2019 Bram Stoker Award nominated short story collection Lady Bits by Kate Jonez contains sixteen stories of the strange, twisted, and gruesome. The stories in this collection center around women who find themselves in terrifying and sometimes supernatural situations. The women in Lady Bits are of all ages, from various backgrounds, and are complex and unpredictable people. Women in horror media are often seen as one-note scream queens, but the characters in Lady Bits break that mold.
Jonez, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author, has a talent for creating characters who are authentic in their messy imperfections. The women in Lady Bits are not just heroes or villains or victims but rather a mix. They’re people. The characters have breadth; not all mothers make the best choices, not all old women are sweet grandmothers, and not all young ladies need to be saved. Women are not evil only as wicked queens and witches. Women are not good only as lovely princesses and innocent maidens. Jonez brings each character to life and gives realistic diversity to these characters. So, whether these women are well-meaning or downright devious, they are at their core human.
In the story “Poor Me—And Ted,” suspense rises as the reader witnesses bereaved mother Glory follow through with a terrible plan that is all at once horrendous and heartbreakingly clear. Jonez tells this story through Glory’s inner monologue, a proficient and engaging way to identify with a possible unreliable narrator.
In “Carnivores,” the reader watches Francine, a young woman on the edge of society, struggle with getting by. Tension builds as Francine becomes entangled in an unsavory situation. In this story, Jonez flips common conceptions on their head, making way for an unexpected shock.
For fans of dark fiction, supernatural tales, and bizarre happenings, the aptly titled Lady Bits is an eye-opening collection. These horror stories range from creepy to disturbing. There are monsters, there is magic, and there is death, but Jonez keeps the pain and sweetness of humanity in each of her stories by highlighting the different aspects of who women are and who they can be. Jonez’s superb ability to craft eerie and strange tales is matched by her ability to create unnerving, yet human characters. Lady Bits is filled with frights both tangible and visceral for readers looking for a fresh perspective.
January 20, 2021
I’m trying to read more short-story horror, I generally find the format works so, so we’ll for scary stories. This one had been sitting on my shelf for quite a while, and so I dove in.
First, Jonez is a great writer, mood and atmosphere run strongly through her stories. Hers is generally the quiet kind of horror — the kind that crawls into the back corners of your brain to whisper at you when you’re trying to sleep.
The stories are sad, appalling, frightening, and occasionally gross, but also absorbing. Highly recommended
First, Jonez is a great writer, mood and atmosphere run strongly through her stories. Hers is generally the quiet kind of horror — the kind that crawls into the back corners of your brain to whisper at you when you’re trying to sleep.
The stories are sad, appalling, frightening, and occasionally gross, but also absorbing. Highly recommended
May 7, 2020
I am not always a fan of the short story collection; however, this book of collected shorts by Kate Jonez is worth the price of admission. I didn't love all these stories, but the writing was fantastic in all of them, and there were several that really packed a punch to my psyche.
I think that most women would be able to relate to at least one of these women highlighted in these stories.
I highly recommend this collection.
I think that most women would be able to relate to at least one of these women highlighted in these stories.
I highly recommend this collection.
June 3, 2021
Just changed my rating from 3 stars to 4. Horror and short stories in general can be pretty hit or miss, but there are a few stories, in this collection, that made me pause at the end of them or in the middle of them. Pause and sit for a second with what had just happened, and I think that’s what good stories do. Make us pause and think.
Again, some of the stories are better than others, but the author writes well and they’re all fun to read. I’d pick up something else of theirs to check out, based on the strength of these stories.
Again, some of the stories are better than others, but the author writes well and they’re all fun to read. I’d pick up something else of theirs to check out, based on the strength of these stories.
July 16, 2019
Overall, I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Most of them were well timed with punchy endings and had just enough darkness to be eerie and unsettling. A couple of them I didn't really get or felt were too short to have the same impact as others, which is what kept me from giving it a full five stars.
I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy
I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy
August 25, 2019
I love this collection! There are some excellent standout stories in this. My favorites are All the Day You'll Have Good Luck, By the Book, and A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night. All of the stories had something I liked though. I recommend this for anyone who likes short stories centered around women.
April 29, 2020
Starting off with a couple doozy's of stories and not really letting up until the end this is a great collection. The stories all have their share of horror but there's more to them, often it felt like a distinct sadness that you can read between the lines. I found them very entertaining and finished reading this in two sittings. Definitely recommended.
March 20, 2020
The unexpected monster is the best monster. Hits and misses but written well.
October 20, 2020
Fitting stories for the Halloween season, but the edition I have is poorly edited.
June 4, 2021
The stories aren't scary and the characters are either unlikeable or boring or both.
December 30, 2020
I loved this. While some of the stories repeated themes or actions, most of the work collected here hit me like a gut punch. Excellent short horror fiction and I want to read more.
July 7, 2023
This book had some good stories, more “eh” stories.
Overall it gave me “Scary Story To Tell In The Dark” vibes, but with a grown up edge
Overall it gave me “Scary Story To Tell In The Dark” vibes, but with a grown up edge
February 26, 2022
I love a good horror collection, and I especially love ones that dip into southern gothic fiction. Lady Bits is a strong collection, full of stories about wandering tramps, devious children, eerie folklore, and dangerous women. The stories are dark, gritty, and incredibly atmospheric, every story was a surprise for me and I had a lot of fun reading each one. Despite falling under the category of horror, the stories lack scares but deliver grotesque people and never shies away from extreme topics.
The collection starts off incredibly strong with Carnivores and All the Day You’ll Have Good Luck, both stories center on cunning young girls hardened by the ugliness of society. I was completely engaged in these stories, and they were easily some of the strongest. By the Book in stark contrast was all black comedy that had me laughing out loud, I loved it so much I re-read it a second time to my husband. I also appreciated the stories that featured lesser-known folktales, such as the Kallikantzaros from Serbia and the Jenglot from Indonesia.
Short story collections are always a wild ride, it is a wonderful opportunity to see the range of an author but it can be tricky collecting a set of stories that work as a whole. The genres leap from southern gothic to black comedy to urban fantasy. There will certainly be something in here that would appeal to different readers, though the shifts in genres can also be disorienting. Overall I was very pleased with this collection and am interested in reading more stories by this author.
The collection starts off incredibly strong with Carnivores and All the Day You’ll Have Good Luck, both stories center on cunning young girls hardened by the ugliness of society. I was completely engaged in these stories, and they were easily some of the strongest. By the Book in stark contrast was all black comedy that had me laughing out loud, I loved it so much I re-read it a second time to my husband. I also appreciated the stories that featured lesser-known folktales, such as the Kallikantzaros from Serbia and the Jenglot from Indonesia.
Short story collections are always a wild ride, it is a wonderful opportunity to see the range of an author but it can be tricky collecting a set of stories that work as a whole. The genres leap from southern gothic to black comedy to urban fantasy. There will certainly be something in here that would appeal to different readers, though the shifts in genres can also be disorienting. Overall I was very pleased with this collection and am interested in reading more stories by this author.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews