Arterial Bloom

by Mercedes M. Yardley (Editor), John Boden, Kelli Owen

Lush. Brutal.

Beautiful. Visceral.

Crystal Lake Publishing proudly presents Arterial Bloom, an artful juxtaposition of the magnificence and macabre that exist within mankind. Each tale in this collection is resplendent with beauty, teeth, and heart.

Edited by the Bram Stoker Award-winning writer Mercedes M. Yardley, Arterial Bloom is a literary experience featuring 16 stories from some of the most compelling dark authors writing today.

With a foreword by HWA Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Linda D. Addison, you are invited to step inside and let the grim flowers wind themselves comfortably around your bones.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction, Collections

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 22, 2020

About the author

Mercedes M. Yardley is a whimsical dark fantasist who wears red lipstick and poisonous flowers in her hair. She is the author of numerous works including Love is a Crematorium and Other Stories, Darling, the Stabby Award-winning Apocalyptic Montessa and Nuclear Lulu: A Tale of Atomic Love, Pretty Little Dead Girls, and Nameless. She won the Bram Stoker Award for Little Dead Red and “Fracture.” Mercedes lives and works in Las Vegas. You can find her at mercedesmyardley.com.

Reviews

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The stories in Arterial Bloom work in tandem, enticing the reader into rapturous melancholia. The end result is both comforting and unsettling, my favorite way to feel."--Sadie Hartmann, Cemetery Dance

__

Review coming for Cemetery Dance soon

[Kev Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the introduction by the ever-eloquent Linda D. Addison, the Stoker award-winning author and poet touches on the bravery in editor Mercedes M. Yardley’s decision to curate her first anthology without a theme. She goes on, though, to touch on a strand that ties these collected tales together, that being a sort of dark poetry. A beautiful darkness. Reading this assembled cast of tales, it’s difficult to think of a better way to describe what draws these disparate tales of monsters, apocalypses, cosmic beings and serial killers together. Addison also speaks of closing the book and allowing herself to ponder for a moment at each story’s end. It quickly becomes apparent that the emotional gravity of each of these stories almost demands such a response.

Full review of all stories available at This is Horror.

[Debbie Christiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arterial Bloom
Crystal Lake Publishing
Edited by Mercedes Yardley


In the midst of our very own strange reality and new (temporary) normal, I curled up with an *ARC of Arterial Bloom, which I received in exchange for an honest review. *

Most of us, especially those of us who love horror, concede that human beings are far more terrifying creatures than any demon, witch, or superstition. Many of the stories in this anthology showcase the evils of humanity. For me, that makes the horror more plausible and alarming.

The authors seemed to go deep into the dark recesses of their minds to find unique, imaginative, and macabre stories. None of the stories were predictable, which was refreshing, but not every story had a definitive conclusion. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn’t. I usually like a clear, precise reason for the things that happen in a story and in the ending. But for the most part, it worked here. Some of the stories left me wondering, but if done right, not knowing can leave you more unsettled. Most these were done right.

All the stories were well written and engaging. The editing allowed the author’s individual voices and writing styles to come alive in their characters and plots.

I’m not one to critique each story because reading is subjective and personal. I enjoyed them all but a few stood out for to me.

“Blue Was Her Favorite Color” by Dino Parenti – a somber tale of loss with a grim and startling twist.

“In The Loop” by Ken Liu – The reality of this one made it incredibly chilling.

“The Darker Side of Grief” by Naching T. Kassa – A young boy, simultaneously haunted by and grieving for his dead mother, gets help from an surprising place.

“Dog (Does Not) Eat Dog” by Grant Longstaff – an apocalyptic tale that pushes two friends to the brink.

Staying home and catching up on your reading? For fans of horror and dark fiction, Arterial Bloom is a great addition to your TBR pile.

[Michael J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I want to read an above average anthology of short stories, Crystal Lake Publishing rarely disappoints. ARTERIAL BLOOM is no exception.
I was equally pleased to see that ARTERIAL BLOOM is edited by Mercedes M. Yardley, an impressive author I've made a mental note to read more of. However, I was a little apprehensive to read in Linda D. Addison's forward that this was Yardley's first attempt at editing and also the book has no defined theme. Very brave to make that choice on your first attempt at putting an anthology together, but also a bit risky.
Despite that, I do sense a theme here. These stories deal with real life horrors rather than monsters, demons or supernatural beings - - with the exception of one story that is also the weakest of the collection.
Ten of these sixteen stories are above average. Five of them are well above average (by Boden, Parenti, Keisling, Owens, and Barzak) and Ken Liu's "In The Loop" deserves nomination for inclusion in a Best Of The Year collection.
I'll be writing short reviews of each story and rating them on a five-point scale. Five = exceptional, superior story-telling. Four = well above average. Three = Meets expectations, very acceptable. Two = Below Average. One = Don't Bother Reading It. The better anthologies that I have read begin with a strong entry, hold to those standards throughout, and finish even stronger with the very best stories near the end. I'm listing my comments in order of preference.

A young girl watches as her Army father, suffering from PTSD, turns into a monster and becomes abusive before killing himself as "In The Loop" by Ken Liu quickly flashes forward in time. During her senior year of college, she interviews with a military contractor using robotic technology and her life changes. She works on a project to create robotic systems to replace human controlled drones with advanced and quicker decision-making functions. However, both sides adapt in modern warfare and machines may not be so fool proof. A moving and powerful story. Five Stars.

An abused and introverted girl grows up to be a fire-obsessed arsonist in "Doodlebug" by John Boden, a disturbing story that caused shivers as I read it. An incredible character study, with some very fine writing. My favorite line occurs after an adult shy Marta meets an equally awkward Roy and they attempt to strike up a conversation: "The silence was pregnant but would need a cesarean section." 4.5 Stars

What I assumed to be a ghost story takes a twisty turn that changed my impression of "Blue Was Her Favorite Color" by Dino Parenti. I was engaged in the mystery and curiosity of the story. Tragedy has targeted the family of 10-year old Abbey and her father, the narrator of the story. Her mother died while birthing her younger brother, who apparently dies at 18 months after wandering outdoors during a dangerous storm. This may be the most disturbing story in the anthology. 4.5 Stars.

I was fascinated by the transformation scene in "Happy Pills" by Todd Keisling. Marcus suffers from a mix of melancholia and depression that he calls The Absence. His apathy and listlessness results in his wife leaving him and being put on notice at work. In desperation he visits a new psychiatrist and agrees to participate in a clinical trial. The ending is satisfactory, but was too abrupt for me. I thought there should be more. 4 Stars.

"Still Life" by Kelli Owen is extremely unsettling and creepy. An artist with a preference for dark and morbid subjects and settings to sketch sets up her easel near a riverbank where a dead body was discovered as the waters of the dam receded. She's been to this particular landscape before and knows of its past. Owen's writing is poetic in places. Four Stars.

"Dead Letters" by Christopher Barzak deals with the eternal duration of good friendships and the power of imagination made real. Dead Alice, suddenly reincarnated, writes to her dead childhood friend Sarah and recalls their former times together. Very moving and unsettling. Four Stars.

" A window was open" is the opening sentence for all four vignettes in "Kudzu Stories" by Linda J Marshall; the other linking device being the overabundance and spread of kudzu throughout rural Arkansas. The other common factor is the clever ways that fed up women dispose of their spouses. 3.5 Stars.

An interview with the wife of a kidnapped painting of autumn scenes reveals a deeper meaning and purpose in "Welcome To Autumn" by Daniel Crow, very symbolic and sufficiently vague. 3.5 Stars.

"Three Masks" by Armand Rosamilia would serve nicely as a teleplay, like a classic episode of the original Twilight Zone. Lenny likes the women and likes to play around, especially when he can mix some mask-wearing into the excitement. All of the women he sees have one thing in common, a similar name: Sammie, Samantha, and Sam. Don't you always anticipate a twist at the ending of a Twilight Zone episode? 3.5 Stars.

"What Remained Of Her" by Jennifer Loring is an interesting story with a vague, uninteresting ending. While I believe Loring is making a valid feminist point in this symbolic story, I believe including more of a resolution at the end would make for a stronger story. Young Jamie leaves home on a quest to track down the killer of her older sister, who may have suffered from Cotards delusion, described as a feeling that your body is slowly disappearing. Jamie spends her time in sleazy motels, greasy diners and truck stops in the company of prostitutes and has some unsettling encounters that are only briefly referred to. There's enough substance in this story to expand to a novel or novelette, and perhaps make a stronger story and a stronger point. 3.5 Stars.

"Dog (Does Not) Eat Dog" by Grant Longstaff is a disturbing reflection on human nature against the backdrop of a scramble for survival following an apocalyptic global bombing. Two old friends band together, one aggressive and dangerous, the other passive and empathetic, until they can no longer see eye to eye. Three Stars.

A young (10 years old) George lost his mother three months ago in "The Darker Side Of Grief" by Naching T. Kassa and watches with his 4 year old sister as both his father and the family relationship falls apart. George is haunted by the now-threatening shadow of his mother until a feisty baby-sitter steps into his life. Three Stars.

"Rotten" by Carina Bissett is a coming-of-age tale of a young woman that manages to use it's images and scenes to reference three classic fairy tales: Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty. Three Stars.

The Greek goddess Gaia walks the Earth as Ruth in "The Making Of Mary" by Steven Pirie, and returns frequently in order to be with Mary, her human lover. There's discussions of babies and global warming and Gaia visits the planets as well as Earth to assess the damage before making Mary an offer. There's a message here about climate change and there's a bit of wish fulfillment but the story was unsatisfying. Two Stars.

"Mouths Filled With Seawater" by Jonathan Cosgrove is a rambling narrative from a woman or man (no clues provided) who is a stalker, on probation and counseling, and has a fixation on water and swimming. To tell more would spoil it entirely. Two Stars.

The first story here, "The Stone Door" by Jimmy Bernard, is an odd choice for an opener. It's not very strong, despite an interesting premise. However, a wooden bicycle that has to be ridden in shifts by three young girls in order to keep a monster shut behind a door does need some sort of explanation to make it believable. Why doesn't one of the girls go to the nearest town to get help? One Star.

[Kris Kinsella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can horror be beautiful? Based on the stories featured in this anthology, that is a resounding yes! The stories are unconnected in theme but each one presents horror in a way that feels almost like a dream or fairy tale. KUDZU STORIES by Linda J. Marshall gives us one dreamy southern fried night of horror, THREE MASKS by Armand Rosamilia feels like poem with a a Twilight Zone ending, and THE DARKER SIDE OF GRIEF by Natching T. Kassa is exactly the kind of monster story that sticks with you, playing with well-worn tropes in unique ways while also telling a story that resonates deeply. IN THE LOOP by Ken Liu’s story, though, may be my favorite. I don’t even want to explain anything about it as going into it blind will let the story, steeped in our current world, hit you hard.

I’d highly recommend checking out Arterial Bloom, one of the better anthologies I’ve read this year.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review of ARTERIAL BLOOM can be found at High Fever Books.

It took me a little while to find my footing and come around to Crystal Lake Publishing's latest anthology, Arterial Bloom, edited by Mercedes M. Yardley. Once I did, though, I found myself pretty well rewarded by the stories and authors gathered here.

A number of the writers included in Arterial Bloom were new to me, but others, like Kelli Owen, Armand Rosamilia, John Boden, Todd Keisling, and Jennifer Loring were known quantities that I fully expected to deliver and I was certainly not disappointed. The anthology gets off to a solid start with Jimmy Bernard's "The Stone Door," a mysterious little number about three sisters forced to spend their days controlling the mechanisms that keep the titular stone door sealed shut to prevent the monstrosity living behind it from entering our world. Grant Longstaff's "Dog (Does Not) Eat Dog" is a post-apocalyptic meditation on the nature of friendship versus survival, and how the end of the world and the collapse of society allows an individual's true nature to take hold. "The Darker Side of Grief," by Nanching T. Kassa, focuses on the plight of a haunted boy grieving the passing of his mother, and the burden of caring for his sister. This one drew me right in, and it's a really touching story that's incredible well written.

Kelli Owen's "Still Life" revolves around a girl's fascination with death and the charcoal sketches she begins making near a dried riverbed where a corpse was discovered. In terms of premise, it's a simple story, but Owen still manages to deliver a few jolts along the way. Having read and loved several of her short works across various other anthologies, I wasn't the least bit surprised by this, of course, and "Still Life" was yet another reminder that I really need to find a way to squeeze in more of her longer works.

"Happy Pills" found my happy place in pretty short order, and I found this Todd Keisling story to be the high watermark for the anthology as a whole. I simply loved this story! In it, a depressed man enrolls in a clinical trial for a new antidepressant that promises to make him a whole new man. Needless to say, that's only the half of it!

Jennifer Loring serves up a really interesting piece about a woman's search for her sister's killer in "What Remained of Her," and goes into some really unique and unexpected directions. John Boden's "Doodlebug" is a really affecting and strangely romantic story about an arsonist -- leave it to Boden to pull this one off! I don't believe I've read Dino Parenti previously, but "Blue Was Her Favorite Color" suggests I need to correct this oversight, given how compelling this portrait of a widower and his daughter was, with the story set in the aftermath of his son's disappearance. Ken Liu's "In The Loop" is a great story about a daughter attempting to make drone warfare less traumatic after being scarred for life by her father's PTSD-related suicide. Liu's focus on America's war in the Middle East is a real-life reminder about the horrors of our military-industrial complex and the decade's worth of pointlessness we've been engaged in, churning out multiple generations of broken families and shattered soldiers. It's deeply affecting and touching, and provides some sly commentary on the disposability of our soldiers in the eyes of Washington elites.

"The Making of Mary," by Steven Pirie also provides some welcome commentary on our current state of affairs, turning an eye toward environmentalism in a story set around President* Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. This one's a really sweet love story between Ruth and her partner, Mary, revolving around the secret Ruth has been keeping from her, and protecting what's most dear to us.

Yardley's put together a really strong, non-themed anthology with Arterial Bloom, collecting a diverse array of stories and authors, and it's another win in Crystal Lake Publishing's long line of anthologies.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arterial Bloom, the Mercedes M. Yardley edited anthology out now from Crystal Lake Publishing, is something of an anomaly as modern anthologies go, as it doesn’t adhere to any particular theme or sub-genre, and has no real glue to hold these stories together other than Yardley herself. This could have resulted in anything from a creative triumph of conflicting styles and voices that work as a cohesive whole, to a disjointed mess that feels jarring and disorganised. I’m happy to note that Arterial Bloom steers far closer to the former than the latter.

This is due in part to the fantastic line-up of authors that have contributed. There are some big horror names present, with Todd Keisling, Kelli Owen, John Boden and Armand Rosemilia all providing the usual strong work that their fans have come to expect. Arterial Bloom also features a lot of new and up-and-coming writers and there is a nice balance here of the excitement of reading something new from an author you know, and the thrill of discovering somebody new.

A lot of the credit for the success of the anthology must go to Yardley herself, as what really makes Arterial Bloom work is how well all the stories complement each other. It must have been an incredible amount of work to edit a collection of disparate shorts from different authors and still leaving the overall piece flow so well together. I often dip in and out of anthologies, reading a few stories at a time, but Arterial Bloom worked so much better when read in as few sittings as possible.

The shorts on offer lean towards the literary, with many of them being very poetic and lyrical in their delivery. Arterial Bloom is not necessarily an easy read and many of the stories demand your full attention, lest you miss important meanings or subtexts hidden within the prose, but it is rewarding to read stories that don’t necessarily offer up an easy explanation.

There are a lot of great stories on offer, but some of my personal highlights included;

‘In the Loop’ by Ken Liu – A melancholy short about a young girl who loses her troubled father whose time as a drone pilot for the U.S. Army left him with severe PTSD. Her desire to help people like her father leads to some uncomfortable truths and hard life lessons.

‘The Darker Side of Grief’ by Naching T. Cassa – The title says as much as it needs to without giving away spoilers, but the lead characters made this story for me. Equal parts haunting and hopeful with a strong premise.

‘The Making of Mary’ by Steven Price – Setting aside the social issues this story addresses, this short surprised me by being more of a high concept fantasy love story than the expected horror short, but it was so unique and so beautifully written that it was one that stuck with me after I put the book down

A strong collection featuring some talented writers. Yardley is the real MVP of Arterial Bloom however, managing to pull together a beautifully interconnected anthology that delivers as a unified whole.


You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror

[Big Red · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read on my Kindle. I was very excited to read this collection of weird fiction/horror short stories, and the book ended up falling a little flat for me. Overall, I thought most of the stories were just ok, not necessarily bad, but nothing that would stick with me. I rated each story individually and averaged the scores to get my rating for the whole book - this resulted in a perfect 3 stars, no rounding required!

A few standouts:

- Kudzu Stories was dark, gritty, and filled with pain. Pain both in the physical sense and as part of one's memory. I loved the involvement of Kudzu as the invasive species it is, but also a metaphor of the invasive nature of the results of certain human actions.
- Dead Letters was a fun story. I can't say a lot with spoiling it, but it was definitely a favorite of the bunch for me, as I found myself quickly turning pages to find out what was going on.
- Happy Pills was possibly the best in the collection, 5 stars. While I have not personally dealt with depression, the description of how The Absence lives inside of a person really stuck with me. I didn't really see the ending coming, and I fully appreciated some of the dark imagery that came with it.
- In the Loop was the only other story I gave 5 stars to. I related to the protagonist in that I am also a programmer, and at one point in my career I worked for a defense contractor. Tackling issues related to the war, and soldiers coming home from the war, is not easy, but I think Liu does a great job of illustrating the burden that killing puts on a person.

[Catherine McCarthy]

Great anthology, with not a single weak story.
Personal faves were...
Dog (Does Not) Eat Dog by Grant Longstaff (Post-apocalyptic, violent but atmospheric and thought-provoking)
Doodlebug by John Boden
Rotten, by Carina Bissett (an outstanding modern version of Snow White)

[Jonathan Cosgrove · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is zero bias in this five star review.

[Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

i’m sorry to the decent stories in this collection (‘in the loop’ was a standout for me) but some were so awful i can’t give more than a 2 overall. how three masks got past the editing process as it is, i will never understand

[Ewreck82 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing, disturbing, eye opening. This collection of short stories by incredibly talented authors makes you think and will make you look at the normal, mundane parts of life in a way that makes you question things you thought were true. Is something innocent really sinister? Do good intentions balance out horrific results? If you could wake up tomorrow not worrying about anything in life but no longer being in control of it either, would you?

All of these stories were well written and compelling. A few stood out though. Three Masks by Armand Rosamilia. Still Life by Kelli Owen. Happy Pills by Todd Keisling. In the Loop by Ken Liu. What Remained of Her by Jennifer Loring. I won't say more about them because they should all be experienced without any expectations or preconceived ideas of what they are about.

[Gene Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arterial Bloom Dazzles

A Review of
Arterial Bloom, edited by
Mercedes Murdock Yardley

Here is a book of sixteen distinct tales each of which splashes the reader to the widened eyes. A mixed garden of wild, even feral flowerings.

Have your expectations and tastes surprised by these quirky, dsrk blossoms of arterial blooming.

Chosen for quality of voice, tone, and originality of approach, these stories are linked by Miss Murder’s discerning, unflinching gaze, her command of dark beauty, and a heart fearless of shock. There’s no flinch in this editor’s regard.

When blood swells to flower crimson and warm a surprise jolts us and while not every story may reach far enough to touch, all will scramble for that thorn’s first bite

Anthologies of good stories well told are a rarity to be savored in these days of theme-park mousetraps and Procrustean rewrites spliced to make a sale. Arterial Bloom stands bright and strong as a celebration of good writing over the tricks of old dogs.

Ravishing shadows, as Linda D. Addison calls these stories in her introduction, await all who dare stroll this garden. I’d advise a good pair of Birkies or Doc Martens, too. As long as you can run in them.

Strongly recommended.

/ Gene Stewart

[Joseph VanBuren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another fantastic Crystal Lake Publishing anthology! This collection of dark fiction short stories is in the same vein as Gutted. All of the tales within have either beautiful writing, an interesting twist, or something to say about our shared humanity - many of the stories contain all three. Every story is well-written, and a few are quite creepy and/or disturbing. My only single complaint is that a few stories pile on the emotional descriptions a little too heavily for my tastes. I'd rather have one effective gut-punch sentence than several pages to describe someone's pain. However, I also see this as a generational thing. I think it is the younger authors that tend toward the emotional overload, which I believe reflects the times we live in, in which everything has to be exaggerated in order to even be noticed. In horror, it's the modern version of overdosing on gothic melancholia, and in that light I respect it. Either way, this book in totality was an extreme pleasure to read. Highly recommended for anyone who digs the dark side of poetic prose.

[Hernan Salvarezza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories, wonderful authors. Crystal Lake Publishing has done it again. Great work!

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting anthology and I wasn't even sure about anthologies in general but this one really caught my attention (not gonna lie, the cover and title are captivating). It wasn't exactly what I thought it would be but everyone seems to really have worked for this book, from the cover and artwork, to the stories included and notes. Get ready for some cliffhangers though and probably to find a few stories boring. I don't regret buying it whatsoever!
P.S. I want to add that the cover in person has a mat feeling, as if touching something leathery even and I'm not sure if I have ever gotten my hands on such book before but it surely makes me want to keep touching it!

[Alex Wolfgang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Anthologies are hard to rate. There are stories in this book that blew me away (Happy Pills, In the Loop) and stories that did absolutely nothing for me (The Stone Door, Mouths Filled With Sea Water). Most were somewhere in the middle.

Overall, its a competent collection with plenty of skilled writers, but I found that many of the stories started off strong and then collapsed in on themselves by the end. Even in the stories I didn't end up caring for, though, there were moments of excellence.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

For this and other reviews, check out my blog!

Arterial Bloom is nothing if not ambitious, and offers something to fit all tastes—which is its greatest weakness. There are wonderful, stand-out stories in this collection, including “Kudzu Stories” by Linda J. Marshall, “Welcome to Autumn” by Daniel Crow, and “In the Loop” by Ken Liu, but I found that the primary reason I enjoyed them was usually the atmosphere they created, and upon finishing the anthology I don’t know how I would feel about them were they to appear in a collection of high-quality work.

Other stories fall short for various reasons. The opener, “The Stone Door” by Jimmy Bernard, has an interesting premise but that’s all it is—the premise doesn’t end up making much sense and doesn’t hold water, which detracts from the story as a whole. “Doodlebug” by John Boden feels like it’s been done many a time before, and “The Making of Mary” by Steven Pirie feels preachy.

My average rating across all stories ended up being a 2.8, which I rounded down to two due to what I feel was poor editing choices. Yardley did herself a disservice choosing not to have a themed anthology; there is no linking thread tying these stories together, and without consistent quality it feels less like an anthology and more like a mere compilation. My favorite story of the bunch was “Blue Was Her Favorite Color” by Dino Parenti.

[Genesee Rickel]

"Foreward" by Linda D. Addison
- There is no theme to this anthology.
- "I don't know how Yardley did it, but there is such poetry and unease in these stories. Even though each one is different in voice, story concept, characters, their openings put me on the edge of my seat, pulling to the next page."

5) "The Darker Side of Grief" by Naching T. Kassa (local) - 3 stars
Grief has created the precocious 10-year-old protagonist, George. He mother died 3 months ago and ever since he has been haunted by her shade, trying to balance defending his family and giving her enough of what she wants that she won't do even more harm. Carla, the town badass, is a local teen baby sitter and has recently been hired to care for George and his little sister, Mindy. Carla is the first person who has been frank with George about grief and George finds her very comforting. In the end she turned her judo skills against the shade, defending George and Mindy and becoming the first "adult" who really cares for him since his mother's passing. This is a touching story!

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful melancholia, is that a thing? It definitely is with this collection of short horror stories. Each author writes a tale of horror and the macabre, but they are also inflected with a dark gothic beauty to them. I really enjoyed this one. If it sounds like the kind of thing you might enjoy, I highly recommend it.

[Molly Ison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointingly mediocre. Most of the stories were well-written, though several tended toward purple prose and cliches, but I rarely felt like I was reading anything I hadn't basically seen before.

[Kathryn Grace Loves Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come.