What do you think?
Rate this book
Daughters of Darkness: An All-Women Horror Anthology
46 horrific tales. All by women.
When you were little, you had a nanny. A nanny only you could see.
There are clumps of dark hair in the swimming pool. Curling around your toes, slowly tugging you down.
"The Love Simulator" shows your perfect life with 'The One'... which turns out to be your worst nightmare.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS brings you 46 tales of terror from the depths of the female mind. Pull up a chair and listen to the horrors of murderous femme fatales, fiercely protective mothers, and daughters who realize their childhood isn't quite what it seemed.
Hundreds of backers on Kickstarter brought this anthology to life, through a successful campaign that raised several thousand dollars. Our authors have won awards, written bestsellers, and gained international popularity on the 13 million subscriber forum NoSleep.
Daughters of Darkness is guaranteed give you nightmares you'll never forget. Read... if you dare!
When you were little, you had a nanny. A nanny only you could see.
There are clumps of dark hair in the swimming pool. Curling around your toes, slowly tugging you down.
"The Love Simulator" shows your perfect life with 'The One'... which turns out to be your worst nightmare.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS brings you 46 tales of terror from the depths of the female mind. Pull up a chair and listen to the horrors of murderous femme fatales, fiercely protective mothers, and daughters who realize their childhood isn't quite what it seemed.
Hundreds of backers on Kickstarter brought this anthology to life, through a successful campaign that raised several thousand dollars. Our authors have won awards, written bestsellers, and gained international popularity on the 13 million subscriber forum NoSleep.
Daughters of Darkness is guaranteed give you nightmares you'll never forget. Read... if you dare!
- GenresHorrorAnthologies
380 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2019
126 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 28, 2020
This was a really awesome anthology! All of the stories were enjoyable, I didn't skip any of them. Some were definitely more scary than others but that contrast created a really nice balance of different levels of horror.
November 7, 2019
A couple of good stories. I was a little iffy about reading this and just as I suspected politics and feminism were involved (to clarify-in a few stories, not all) and it soured the entire thing for me. If those kinds of things don't irritate you then you may enjoy it.
February 1, 2025
Some stories were better than others, some were more original than others, but I did enjoy them all. Most were very short and would make a great anthology on something like Netflix or Hulu. I did debate whether this book was a 4 or a 5, and finally decided 5 because it being all female authors.
January 2, 2020
Couldn't put it down. These stories are all incredible. I don't think I could pick a favorite. I cannot wait to check out the other anthologies
July 6, 2025
3.5/5
May 14, 2019
Good anthologies vary in their stories; there are far too many subgenres to explore within horror, but Daughters of Darkness takes a stab, pun intended, at a good number of them. This collection ranges from the vaguely unsettling to the deeply disturbing, from sudden surprises to slow builds of tensions. The especially unique note comes from the fact that the entire collection is built of stories written by women.
It is interesting to see horror from a distinctly female perspective, and the themes that seem the most prevalent because of that. The tropes that are used by the various authors never seem to verge on gratuitous gore, or the shock value of sexual violence, and it’s refreshing to see so many people be able to stretch their clear talents without resorting to any of that.
The perspectives of the characters vary in age and gender, and they often use those differing perspectives to tell stories that are subversive or extremely original. It’s fascinating that by supposedly limiting the telling of these stories to female authors this anthology managed to open up an extremely diverse cast of characters, more so than I’ve seen in the majority of horror anthologies I’ve tackled. Some are unreliable narrators, some are characters that easily invite the reader to root for them, and some are definitive villains of their respective pieces, whether they know it or not.
My standouts in the longer format stories were:
Weird Church by Jennifer Winters. A story that slowly builds discomfort with lovely and disturbing details and a touch of body horror, and the kind of existential terror that would affect anyone who struggles with religion,
The Woman Upstairs by R.R. Smith. A mystery of a haunting that follows a young protagonist trying to understand their family secrets.
Don’t Go Into the Treehouse by Jess Charle. A particularly dark story that questions the nature of monsters through the eyes of a young girl.
The shorter stories that manage to pack a punch in only a couple of pages, there is no shortage in this selection. My personal favorites were:
Sweet Tooth by Melody Grace. I won’t say much about this one so as not to give it away, but it definitely left me with a grin.
Hell is Living With Other People by J.H. Sullivan. A story about someone with a hellish neighbor. Even with the horror this one is relatable.
Reine by K.J. McDonald. A tale of a celebrity with a particularly sinister nature, and her fans.
All of these stories were particularly effective in saying a lot with very little, and it’s tough to give away anything about these ones without an important giveaway. But all of them manage to offer a lot to the anthology as a whole, and deliver endings that will leave any horror fan with a grin.
As a whole this is a fun anthology, at least if you would define horror as fun, and there are enough stories contained in it that have fresh things to offer to the genre that the few things that feel repetitive are easy to overlook. If you’re looking for some fresh takes that will still keep you up at night then look no further.
4/5 Stars
It is interesting to see horror from a distinctly female perspective, and the themes that seem the most prevalent because of that. The tropes that are used by the various authors never seem to verge on gratuitous gore, or the shock value of sexual violence, and it’s refreshing to see so many people be able to stretch their clear talents without resorting to any of that.
The perspectives of the characters vary in age and gender, and they often use those differing perspectives to tell stories that are subversive or extremely original. It’s fascinating that by supposedly limiting the telling of these stories to female authors this anthology managed to open up an extremely diverse cast of characters, more so than I’ve seen in the majority of horror anthologies I’ve tackled. Some are unreliable narrators, some are characters that easily invite the reader to root for them, and some are definitive villains of their respective pieces, whether they know it or not.
My standouts in the longer format stories were:
Weird Church by Jennifer Winters. A story that slowly builds discomfort with lovely and disturbing details and a touch of body horror, and the kind of existential terror that would affect anyone who struggles with religion,
The Woman Upstairs by R.R. Smith. A mystery of a haunting that follows a young protagonist trying to understand their family secrets.
Don’t Go Into the Treehouse by Jess Charle. A particularly dark story that questions the nature of monsters through the eyes of a young girl.
The shorter stories that manage to pack a punch in only a couple of pages, there is no shortage in this selection. My personal favorites were:
Sweet Tooth by Melody Grace. I won’t say much about this one so as not to give it away, but it definitely left me with a grin.
Hell is Living With Other People by J.H. Sullivan. A story about someone with a hellish neighbor. Even with the horror this one is relatable.
Reine by K.J. McDonald. A tale of a celebrity with a particularly sinister nature, and her fans.
All of these stories were particularly effective in saying a lot with very little, and it’s tough to give away anything about these ones without an important giveaway. But all of them manage to offer a lot to the anthology as a whole, and deliver endings that will leave any horror fan with a grin.
As a whole this is a fun anthology, at least if you would define horror as fun, and there are enough stories contained in it that have fresh things to offer to the genre that the few things that feel repetitive are easy to overlook. If you’re looking for some fresh takes that will still keep you up at night then look no further.
4/5 Stars
May 14, 2019
46 horrific tales. All by women.
When you were little, you had a nanny. A nanny only you could see.
There are clumps of dark hair in the swimming pool. Curling around your toes, slowly tugging you down.
"The Love Simulator" shows your perfect life with 'The One'... which turns out to be your worst nightmare.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS brings you 46 tales of terror from the depths of the female mind. Pull up a chair and listen to the horrors of murderous femme fatales, fiercely protective mothers, and daughters who realize their childhood isn't quite what it seemed.
Hundreds of backers on Kickstarter brought this anthology to life, through a successful campaign that raised several thousand dollars. Our authors have won awards, written bestsellers, and gained international popularity on the 13 million subscriber forum NoSleep.
Daughters of Darkness is guaranteed give you nightmares you'll never forget. Read... if you dare!
“Daughters of Darkness” is a horror anthology written by an amazing cast of all female authors.
These stories were just all so amazing.
The stories all varied in the type of scares they provided which I loved.
Story lengths all varied as well which is excellent if you didn't have a lot of time to read one.
These tales are guaranteed to leave you with many a sleepless night or day!
Highly Recommend Reading!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
When you were little, you had a nanny. A nanny only you could see.
There are clumps of dark hair in the swimming pool. Curling around your toes, slowly tugging you down.
"The Love Simulator" shows your perfect life with 'The One'... which turns out to be your worst nightmare.
DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS brings you 46 tales of terror from the depths of the female mind. Pull up a chair and listen to the horrors of murderous femme fatales, fiercely protective mothers, and daughters who realize their childhood isn't quite what it seemed.
Hundreds of backers on Kickstarter brought this anthology to life, through a successful campaign that raised several thousand dollars. Our authors have won awards, written bestsellers, and gained international popularity on the 13 million subscriber forum NoSleep.
Daughters of Darkness is guaranteed give you nightmares you'll never forget. Read... if you dare!
“Daughters of Darkness” is a horror anthology written by an amazing cast of all female authors.
These stories were just all so amazing.
The stories all varied in the type of scares they provided which I loved.
Story lengths all varied as well which is excellent if you didn't have a lot of time to read one.
These tales are guaranteed to leave you with many a sleepless night or day!
Highly Recommend Reading!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 16, 2019
Wow what an awesome collection of short stories to absolutely blow your mind with the unexpected twists and turns, scare you into oblivion and ensure you won't sleep for a while as you have to finish this collection. Had so much fun reading this as it kept me on the edge of my seat. A must read for lovers of horror and suspense. Very much in the same league as Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Willow Rose, Michael Campling. A must read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 30, 2019
Versatile
writing styles really helped stories flow. I like to read anthologies bc I like the ability to sample stories and styles. Sadly I've had to put on my waders to walk through those equivalent to fertilizers,and I've read some memorable good stories that intro new authors. Honestly in this volume there were no stinkers,they run the spectrum from cute,creepy,whimsical,etc this is a rarity(in my opinion)it is well worth to have this book. Maybe enough good ratings will inspire DoD pt II,I'd pre-order! 👀??
writing styles really helped stories flow. I like to read anthologies bc I like the ability to sample stories and styles. Sadly I've had to put on my waders to walk through those equivalent to fertilizers,and I've read some memorable good stories that intro new authors. Honestly in this volume there were no stinkers,they run the spectrum from cute,creepy,whimsical,etc this is a rarity(in my opinion)it is well worth to have this book. Maybe enough good ratings will inspire DoD pt II,I'd pre-order! 👀??
May 23, 2019
What an amazing collection of stories written by women, most of whom I have never read before and so this was a real treat and a great way to introduce new authors. The stories are of different standards but overall, they are wonderful. There is so much variety that there should be something for anyone and everyone who enjoys horror stories.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 14, 2019
A good read. Many different point of view scary stories. Creepy, scary, makes you wonder whats going to happen next kinds of stories. Some of the stories I liked some of the stories, some took a little more to get into reading. Overall good.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 15, 2019
This book has 46 horror tales included in it. They are all by women which was a really cool detail of the book. I found them well written. I love these books with multiple horror short stories and this one did not disappoint. I recommend reading this if you love horror!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 2, 2019
If you like creepy and scary, this is the book for you! This will scare the daylights out of you and give you nightmares! I loved every story in this anthology. Best read in a brightly lit room with a lot of safe people near you!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 23, 2019
This was a great collection of short horror stories with women in the lead. I enjoyed them all and the collection was worth reading over and over again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 9, 2019
Loved it. These ladies are very talented. I absolutely recommend this book to all horror/scary story fans out there. You'll love it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 12, 2019
Variety of Twisted Tales!
Loved being able to read different authors without commitment of spending the entire day immersed in a book, that I couldn't put down. Introduced to new authors, looking forward to reading more!
Loved being able to read different authors without commitment of spending the entire day immersed in a book, that I couldn't put down. Introduced to new authors, looking forward to reading more!
November 27, 2019
Each story packed a kick!
I enjoyed reading this very much. I love horror stories, and each and everyone of these scared me. And they’re so clever, based on things you wouldn’t think about, the regular kind of events. Perfect.
I enjoyed reading this very much. I love horror stories, and each and everyone of these scared me. And they’re so clever, based on things you wouldn’t think about, the regular kind of events. Perfect.
July 30, 2024
Loved these stories.
I loved these. The first one I chose to read absolutely blew me away at the end. And "Hush little baby" brought out so many emotions...This was fantastic. Well done, ladies.
I loved these. The first one I chose to read absolutely blew me away at the end. And "Hush little baby" brought out so many emotions...This was fantastic. Well done, ladies.
August 4, 2024
A wonderful collection of horrorstories of every kind, from unsettlingly creepy to straight up splattery stuff, it's all here and showcases the talent of the featured authors. Comes highly recommended for little doses of Horror every now and then :)
July 20, 2019
3.5
Some of the stories were very interesting, others were very predictable. My rating would've been 4 stars, if it wasn't for the spelling and grammar mistakes in some of the stories.
Some of the stories were very interesting, others were very predictable. My rating would've been 4 stars, if it wasn't for the spelling and grammar mistakes in some of the stories.
October 25, 2019
All-Women Horror Authors
Another great read of short stories! Which as usual, leaves me wanting more. I am hooked! Ready to buy the next anthology on my list.
Another great read of short stories! Which as usual, leaves me wanting more. I am hooked! Ready to buy the next anthology on my list.
January 28, 2020
Amazing
It was good to read stories by women. They were comfortable but not too scary. I wouldn’t read them alone in the house. Maybe have some cats around just in case.
It was good to read stories by women. They were comfortable but not too scary. I wouldn’t read them alone in the house. Maybe have some cats around just in case.
August 17, 2020
Some very creepy pieces in this collection, for sure! A few stories had errors, but for the most part, writing was clean. An enjoyable read.
April 30, 2023
Fav story was the crying child and the mother. Dunno how to explain it without giving it away.
January 8, 2025
the true horror were the stories with no paranormal, but the scary part was a man.
October 3, 2025
some of the stories were a bit weird tbh
June 2, 2019
Blair Daniels and the featured authors, hands down to all of you! You show the real deal of girl power when it comes to writings! Hoping for more of this!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 7, 2019
A solid horror anthology, with all-female contributors which gave the book a unique perspective. As with any anthology, it was a bit of a mixed bag in terms of what worked for me and what didn't, but I'd say overall I enjoyed the vast majority of the stories, which is rare for me, even in collections by a single writer I enjoy.
There are definitely a few stories that stood out: "The Woman Upstairs," "Weird Church," and "Lies I Tell" coming to mind. I'm definitely going to be following the writing careers of many of the collection's contributors, I think some very promising horror is in the future for many of them.
There are definitely a few stories that stood out: "The Woman Upstairs," "Weird Church," and "Lies I Tell" coming to mind. I'm definitely going to be following the writing careers of many of the collection's contributors, I think some very promising horror is in the future for many of them.
May 16, 2019
Daughters of Darkness is a set of 46 individual horror stories written by different women compiled in this compelling anthology. This is an excellent set of short stories that are perfect to read one at a time or in groups. One thing that every single story in this set have in common is that they are thought provoking, twisted, and chilling. I was so engrossed when reading almost every story in this set I loathed to put it down. If you love a good horror story, than I’m sure these horror stories will cause you to be disturbed, nauseated, and petrified in the best ways. You will love reading this anthology just as much as I did. Great horror stories you should read in broad daylight!
May 15, 2019
This book is a gem. The stories are all haunting and unsettling. I particularly loved the one by Jennifer Winters, "Weird Church." The rural setting is one of complete familiarity to me, and the creepy vibe of a church that goes a bit too far rings true. The author could have gone too far by explicitly laying out the ending and the details of this weird church, but chose wisely to leave it open ended and up to the reader's imagination.
Do yourself a favor, and get this book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Do yourself a favor, and get this book!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews