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These Wounds We Make
Bram Stoker Award nominated author Gemma Amor brings you this brand new edition of her latest collection of illustrated short stories about revenge, retribution and redemption, and the ways in which we hurt each other.
Previously published as Till The Score Is Paid, this second revised edition entitled These Wounds We Make now includes two new tales with accompanying illustrations. In this follow-up collection to her debut Cruel Works of Nature, Amor once again brings you thirteen stories about the supernatural, strange, and downright hellish, and her signature emotional style will leave you wondering: What is down in Lee’s basement? When will the war be over? Who does that mysterious dog belong to? What is that thing under the bed? Why is Justine so angry? Why is there a crack in that wall?
And how exactly does one get rid of a body?
Previously published as Till The Score Is Paid, this second revised edition entitled These Wounds We Make now includes two new tales with accompanying illustrations. In this follow-up collection to her debut Cruel Works of Nature, Amor once again brings you thirteen stories about the supernatural, strange, and downright hellish, and her signature emotional style will leave you wondering: What is down in Lee’s basement? When will the war be over? Who does that mysterious dog belong to? What is that thing under the bed? Why is Justine so angry? Why is there a crack in that wall?
And how exactly does one get rid of a body?
241 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 10, 2019
24 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Amor
44 books812 followersI'm a horror fiction author, podcaster, artist and voice actor from Bristol, in the U.K.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.
Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.
Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.
I write for the wildly popular NoSleep Podcast and various other horror fiction audio dramas. My traditionally published debut FULL IMMERSION is out from Angry Robot in September 2022.
Find me at @manylittlewords on Twitter and Insta.
Repped by Mark Falkin at Falkin Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
November 14, 2021
Unsurprisingly, Gemma Amor has done it again and has completely amazed me with how much terror and emotion she can fit into such short, tidy little stories! I first was introduced to Gemma's work through The NoSleep Podcast, and thoroughly enjoyed an earlier collection of hers (Cruel Works of Nature), so I went into Till the Score is Paid with high hopes and was not let down in the slightest.
With many short story collections all from the same author, I whittle my review down only to my favorites, but that's tough to do when you have 11 stories and you've given each and every one of them either 4.5 or 5 stars! Instead, I'm going to indulge myself a bit and talk about each one (without spoilers, of course):
→ Have You Seen My Dog?
An unsuspecting doctor is caught in a nightmare when a sick and violent man becomes convinced she has something to do with his dog's disappearance. I wasn't quite sure where this one was going, but it was equal parts tragic and disturbing, and kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish.
→ Pure Water
A hike goes downhill after a taste of the local freshwater sources. I like to take review notes when I read, especially for short story collections so I can keep up with my immediate reactions, and my note for this story is literally just, in all caps, "SO FUCKING GROSS!" I think that covers it pretty well. 😂
→ Justine
Justine's abuser thinks he's found an easy way out of punishment, but she'll go through hell and back to make him pay. Oh, my heart — this one's a bit tough to read at times (check the content warnings at the bottom if you're concerned, no spoilers), but it is absolutely splendid and cathartic. It also features one of the most intriguing depictions of any sort of afterlife I've ever read, and made me totally want more!
→ I Am Ghost
Every Halloween, one young man becomes a prisoner in his own mind as Ghost comes out to play. This one took a premise I thought I was familiar with, and gave it a fresh new twist that I just thought was so much fun.
→ Rat Girl
Timmy just wants to make friends in his new town, but how can he befriend someone who has such a dark secret living in their basement? I think the idea of finding out that your new friend is hiding something terrible is a fear a lot of us dealt with as kids (regardless of whether it ever came true or not!), and Rat Girl does a great job of putting you back there through Timmy's frightened, morbidly curious little brain. This one hurt my soul in the same way Ketchum's Girl Next Door did (though on a much less gut-wrenching level, thank the gods); something about the cruelty of bullies really never stops making me ache. That said, the descriptions in this one are well worth the sorrow and the ending? Perfect.
→ My Best Friend
I tried to come up with a snappy one-liner synopsis for this one without spoiling it and just... couldn't do it! It's such a short installment that packs quite the punch, and it's really, truly delightful.
→ Heart of Stone
It's hard being a single father who's being pushed out of the picture, so when a special occasion rolls around, you've really got to make sure you pick the perfect gift, right? I remember hearing this one on the NoSleep Podcast a while back and loving it so much that, when I recognized it in the collection, I even reread it just to enjoy it all over again. If you've got the time, I highly recommend finding S12E15 of the podcast (the free edition of the episode includes this story, and you can even find it on Spotify!) and listening while you read, because the narration adds even more to the absolutely twisted turn of events unfolding in this one.
→ Cell Block B
Imagine waking up in prison without a clue of who you are, how you got there, or why your cellmates are so terrified of the Warden. Don't get me wrong, I loved every story in this collection, but this was absolutely one of my favorites! It's just so warped and offers this strange sense of karmic justice to top it all off.
→ A Birthday Cake for Brian
She just wanted her son to have a happy birthday, for once... This was another NoSleep story (from the 7th anniversary episode if you're interested) that, again, I recognized and still had to read again because you just can't skip past any of the stories in this collection! I feel like this story would make a fantastic horror short (such as those 5-minute short films on social media) — it's a terribly unnerving little slasher film all wrapped up in just a few pages.
→ The Strangler
They say depression is a monster. Sometimes, they mean it literally. First of all, this story is not going to go easy on you if you're a parent — especially if you've struggled with mental illness weighing down your abilities to be the parent you want to be — but it is so worth it (and, small spoiler: ). The first-person narrative offers a brutally honest commentary on how quick we are to dismiss the pains of new mothers, and how much we minimize the fact that loving your child doesn't mean you're incapable of having bad days. It functions as a harrowing metaphor for how smothering those bad days can become, but offers a bit of hope and optimism, too. There's a turning point in this story that made me instantly burst into tears because I related so strongly to it, and it was an aspect of motherhood I hadn't realized I needed to see depicted in a story until now — so, thank you, Gemma, for spilling your own heart out on the pages like this.
→ Caleb
When a refugee child arrives in the middle of the war, one woman becomes convinced that her household has been cursed by dark forces. This is one of the most developed stories in the collection, and frankly could have been a full novella on its own without hearing a word of complaint from me, because I loved the premise and characters so much. The setting already carries an immense, melancholy weight about it, but when you go adding in factors like this poor refugee child, the terrible circumstances befalling this woman's home, and her uncertainty if she'll ever see the man she loves again — it really becomes such a thick, sorrowful story. That said, the horror elements are never buried and the descriptions are downright disturbing, but the ending brings everything together in a way I never would have foreseen but could not have possibly loved any more than I already do.
As you can gather from my thoughts on these stories, this is one of the easiest 5-star reviews I've ever written for any short story collection. I was blown away and am so grateful to have kicked off my year with this release that I even immediately went online and ordered a copy of another title of Gemma's (Dear Laura) just so I can submerge myself back into her twisted, perturbing, wonderful imagination as soon as possible. I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to any horror readers, whether you are a long-time lover of the genre or brand new and looking for recommendations on where to begin.
Thank you so much to Giles Press for providing me with this finished copy in exchange for an honest review!
Content warnings for:
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April 14, 2020
Full review originally posted at Cemetery Dance:
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Some authors have a storytelling voice that feels familiar to the reader. I often say that these authors’ books are like coming home after wearing formal clothes all day, and then putting on your favorite pajamas; the definition of comfort.
Gemma Amor’s writing style “fits me.” We are a perfect reader/author match. The minute I start reading one of her short stories I am immediately drawn in and compelled to finish. It’s difficult for me to put any story of her’s down until I’m done.
Her first collection, Cruel Works of Nature, blew my mind. Each story so remarkably unique; the author’s very own illustrations introducing the next tale with the title. When I discovered she was releasing another short story collection, I was beside myself with excitement but also experiencing some hesitancy — what if it doesn’t measure up to the standard set by that first book? What if she decides not to include those illustrations! Perish the thought.
I’m thrilled to report that Till the Score is Paid is a worthy follow up to that high bar Gemma Amor set and, dare I say, she might have even outdone herself. I’m pleased Gemma stuck with her illustrations for this collection, I believe that when an author ventures forth with something unique like that, and it goes over so well with readers, it’s safe to assume they would miss it if it wasn’t there the second time around. We readers are a spoiled lot and we want what we love from our favorites. I loved the beautiful title pages as well, an additional treat.
All of the visual components aside, what about the stories? I must highlight some of my favorites:
“Justine” — Perhaps the standout story for its provocative subject material. A woman finds that she can use an unconventional method to make sure her victimizer pays for what he did to her. Obviously, triggersome (did I just make up a word?) but well worth the cringes and flinches to see Justine get her chance in hell.
“Rat Girl” — Timmy’s new friend is hiding something in his basement. The illustration for this one was so good, I just kept turning back to it while I read the story.
Here’s where I mention that Gemma often submits her short stories to be acted out old-school-radio-style on The No Sleep Podcast, including two of my favorites included in this collection:
“Heart of Stone” — A father would do anything for his daughter, Jenny. He only gets to see her every other weekend, so his time with her is precious. He gives her a special gift for her birthday which is the catalyst for some supernatural events. This one was unexpected and I loved the reading on No Sleep!
“A Birthday Cake for Brian” — Brian’s mother decides to make a special cake for her son on his birthday as a surprise. But it’s Brian who has a nasty surprise for his mother. I loved the way this one reads like a Creepshow episode — it’s brutal, short and sweet. Like the icing on the cake.
Do yourself a favor and grab both of Gemma Amor’s collections. She’s making big waves in the horror industry, nominated for a Bram Stoker and you don’t want to miss out on the conversation or her brilliant stories.
https://www.cemeterydance.com/extras/...
Some authors have a storytelling voice that feels familiar to the reader. I often say that these authors’ books are like coming home after wearing formal clothes all day, and then putting on your favorite pajamas; the definition of comfort.
Gemma Amor’s writing style “fits me.” We are a perfect reader/author match. The minute I start reading one of her short stories I am immediately drawn in and compelled to finish. It’s difficult for me to put any story of her’s down until I’m done.
Her first collection, Cruel Works of Nature, blew my mind. Each story so remarkably unique; the author’s very own illustrations introducing the next tale with the title. When I discovered she was releasing another short story collection, I was beside myself with excitement but also experiencing some hesitancy — what if it doesn’t measure up to the standard set by that first book? What if she decides not to include those illustrations! Perish the thought.
I’m thrilled to report that Till the Score is Paid is a worthy follow up to that high bar Gemma Amor set and, dare I say, she might have even outdone herself. I’m pleased Gemma stuck with her illustrations for this collection, I believe that when an author ventures forth with something unique like that, and it goes over so well with readers, it’s safe to assume they would miss it if it wasn’t there the second time around. We readers are a spoiled lot and we want what we love from our favorites. I loved the beautiful title pages as well, an additional treat.
All of the visual components aside, what about the stories? I must highlight some of my favorites:
“Justine” — Perhaps the standout story for its provocative subject material. A woman finds that she can use an unconventional method to make sure her victimizer pays for what he did to her. Obviously, triggersome (did I just make up a word?) but well worth the cringes and flinches to see Justine get her chance in hell.
“Rat Girl” — Timmy’s new friend is hiding something in his basement. The illustration for this one was so good, I just kept turning back to it while I read the story.
Here’s where I mention that Gemma often submits her short stories to be acted out old-school-radio-style on The No Sleep Podcast, including two of my favorites included in this collection:
“Heart of Stone” — A father would do anything for his daughter, Jenny. He only gets to see her every other weekend, so his time with her is precious. He gives her a special gift for her birthday which is the catalyst for some supernatural events. This one was unexpected and I loved the reading on No Sleep!
“A Birthday Cake for Brian” — Brian’s mother decides to make a special cake for her son on his birthday as a surprise. But it’s Brian who has a nasty surprise for his mother. I loved the way this one reads like a Creepshow episode — it’s brutal, short and sweet. Like the icing on the cake.
Do yourself a favor and grab both of Gemma Amor’s collections. She’s making big waves in the horror industry, nominated for a Bram Stoker and you don’t want to miss out on the conversation or her brilliant stories.
June 2, 2021
This review was initially written as part of my 'Rick's Read-Along' series for www.horroroasis.com and has not been edited from its initial format for Goodreads.
Welcome to Rick’s Read-Along. A new series presented by Horror Oasis where I visit an author’s entire back catalogue and encourage you, the reader, to read along with me. I will publish my thoughts on each book every two weeks, while also announcing the next book I’ll be reading. Every author selected will be someone whose back catalogue is readily available and is somebody we feel our readers will enjoy discovering along with us. I hope that you’ll all join me in sharing your thoughts.
The first author in the series will be Gemma Amor. Gemma is a Bram Stoker Award-nominated writer whose books include Dear Laura, Cruel Works of Nature, White Pines, Girl on Fire and These Wounds We Make, all of which Gemma has self-published, as well as producing her own unique and beautiful cover art. Not content with conquering the world of indie horror, Gemma is also a successful podcast writer, contributing to the No Sleep and Shadows at the Door Podcast as well as co-creating the female-centric comedy-horror audio drama, Calling Darkness. Visit her website at gemmaamorauthor.com
Next up on our read-along series is Gemma’s second short story collection, These Wounds We Make (an updated and expanded version of 2019’s ‘Till The Score Is Paid’). Much like I did with her debut collection, Cruel Works of Nature, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on each of the book’s thirteen short stories individually. As these articles are intended to encourage people to read these books along with me there will obviously be spoilers ahead, although I will strive to keep them minor and avoid spoiling major reveals or twists along the way for those who haven’t read it yet.
Have You Seen My Dog?
A terrifying tale to kick off the collection, and one that really helps set the tone for what’s to come. There is an overbearing sense of helplessness and vulnerability around this story of a doctor who is assaulted by, what she first assumes, is a patient suffering from dementia, but soon finds that it is something altogether more sinister. As a straight ghost story, this is incredibly effective stuff, but as a commentary of the all-too-real horrors of mental health issues, it’s a tough but memorable read.
Pure Water
One of the things I think Amor does really well is body horror, and this is a great example. Like Cruel Works of Nature’s ‘Foliage’, this short is a simple but effective story, with an absolutely killer body horror sequence that makes it stick in the mind long after you’ve finished reading.
Justine
This proved to be one of my favourite shorts of the collection, and even by this books’ standards, was a bit of a difficult read at times, tackling some big themes and despicable subjects. Amor starts the story near the end and we’re filled in on backstory as we go, giving these flashbacks a gut-wrenching sense of finality. Things get a little dream-like and surreal as the story progresses and it works really well alongside the unflinchingly real core story. A challenging but very rewarding story.
I am Ghost
This tale of a teenage trick or treater letting his ‘real’ side out every Halloween was an interesting deep dive into the psyche of a troubled young man. I had certain preconceived notions about where this story might go, and I could not have been more wrong. The ending took me by surprise and was an unexpected change of pace from the slow build-up and creeping foreboding of the early pages.
Rat Girl
Probably my favourite story of the bunch (as well as the star of the awesome cover). Rat Girl is equal parts coming of age horror and creature feature but, like a lot of this book’s stories, there is more going on when you read between the lines. Strangely, I got some ‘Girl Next Door’ (horrible Ketchum book, not 2004 rowdy teen rom-com movie) vibes from Rat Girl and while it doesn’t take things quite as far as Ketchum, there is still the same underlying foreboding and dread throughout, and the ending is delightfully weird and unexpectedly bleak.
My Best Friend
I thought this story might have been the authors' own take on 127 Hours to begin with, but the reality was oh so much better than that! A young woman has gone hiking with her best friend and an accident has left one dead and the other trapped and, after days with no rescue in sight, she is starting to get hungry… This was a very bleak, but darkly humorous story, told in the first person to really get inside the head of someone in a truly dire situation.
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone is probably the most melancholic stories of the collection, focusing on a father enjoying rare visits with his young daughter. The story slowly reveals why these visits are so infrequent and, as time passes and his daughter grows older, drifting apart from her largely absent dad, some supernatural hints and clues become more overt until the ending which… well, I won’t spoil it but, suffice to say, this is not the collection for fans of happy endings!
Cell Block B
This one builds up a lot of tension by clueing in the reader from the start that this is no ordinary prisoner and they are not in any ordinary prison, but the truth behind both is revealed slowly and the final revelation makes this one of those rare stories that fundamentally changes the story you have just read. I highly recommend re-reading this one after your first readthrough, it makes for a very different experience.
Birthday Cake For Brian
A short but fun (well, fun by comparison to what’s come before) little story of a young boy celebrating his birthday with his father, where everything is not quite as it seems. This one is lean and mean and one of the collections most purely entertaining entries.
The Strangler
I had to put the book down after reading ‘The Strangler’ to let the story sink in. I kept expecting a twist, or a supernatural angle to manifest but none did, and the story is all the stronger for it. I imagine this being the books most polarising story because it very bluntly and unwaveringly delves into some difficult subjects (namely Postpartum Depression) and what you see is what you get. There is no subtext or use of creatures or paranormal goings-on to serve as a metaphor. It is a story about a new mother, airing her feelings, and it is easily the books most devastating and upsetting story.
The Crack In The Wall
Funny story. I moved into my new house around a year ago and, in the bedroom, there was a crack down the wall, just like the one in this story. It’s still there (hidden with some filler and behind some wallpaper), a fact I was all too conscious of when trying to go to sleep after reading this short!
How Not To Get Rid of a Body
Of all the stories in this collection, this one stood out to me for leaning most heavily into the black comedy. It almost reads like a farce, complete with broad physical humour and outlandish scenario, but a farce set in the grizzly world of Saw, or Hostel. Another example of the author’s underrated talent for memorable and unique body horror, and one of the collections rare comedic offerings.
Caleb
The longest story in the collection proves to be a particularly strong story to close the book with. A very British tale of a broken family struggling to manage their farm during the outset of the Second World War, and how their lives change when they take in a young evacuee from the city. The time period is so vividly realised and the characters so real, I really connected with this one. It was an interesting juxtaposition between the stark real-world realities of life during the war, coupled with a satanic panic/folk horror vibe. A great ending to a great book.
These Wounds We Make is a very different collection to ‘Cruel Works of Nature’. The stories lean darker, more introspective. Gone are the fun stories of man-eating cows and spider apocalypses and while there are plenty of fantastical offerings here, they tend to serve the story, rather than be the story. This is a far more serious, grounded book than Cruel Works, and while I did miss the fun factor of some of that books’ more outlandish entries, I can honestly say that the stories on offer here are the ones that will no doubt stay with me.
Please join me back here in 2 weeks, when we will be reading Gemma’s latest novel, Girl on Fire. Hope to see you all then!
Welcome to Rick’s Read-Along. A new series presented by Horror Oasis where I visit an author’s entire back catalogue and encourage you, the reader, to read along with me. I will publish my thoughts on each book every two weeks, while also announcing the next book I’ll be reading. Every author selected will be someone whose back catalogue is readily available and is somebody we feel our readers will enjoy discovering along with us. I hope that you’ll all join me in sharing your thoughts.
The first author in the series will be Gemma Amor. Gemma is a Bram Stoker Award-nominated writer whose books include Dear Laura, Cruel Works of Nature, White Pines, Girl on Fire and These Wounds We Make, all of which Gemma has self-published, as well as producing her own unique and beautiful cover art. Not content with conquering the world of indie horror, Gemma is also a successful podcast writer, contributing to the No Sleep and Shadows at the Door Podcast as well as co-creating the female-centric comedy-horror audio drama, Calling Darkness. Visit her website at gemmaamorauthor.com
Next up on our read-along series is Gemma’s second short story collection, These Wounds We Make (an updated and expanded version of 2019’s ‘Till The Score Is Paid’). Much like I did with her debut collection, Cruel Works of Nature, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on each of the book’s thirteen short stories individually. As these articles are intended to encourage people to read these books along with me there will obviously be spoilers ahead, although I will strive to keep them minor and avoid spoiling major reveals or twists along the way for those who haven’t read it yet.
Have You Seen My Dog?
A terrifying tale to kick off the collection, and one that really helps set the tone for what’s to come. There is an overbearing sense of helplessness and vulnerability around this story of a doctor who is assaulted by, what she first assumes, is a patient suffering from dementia, but soon finds that it is something altogether more sinister. As a straight ghost story, this is incredibly effective stuff, but as a commentary of the all-too-real horrors of mental health issues, it’s a tough but memorable read.
Pure Water
One of the things I think Amor does really well is body horror, and this is a great example. Like Cruel Works of Nature’s ‘Foliage’, this short is a simple but effective story, with an absolutely killer body horror sequence that makes it stick in the mind long after you’ve finished reading.
Justine
This proved to be one of my favourite shorts of the collection, and even by this books’ standards, was a bit of a difficult read at times, tackling some big themes and despicable subjects. Amor starts the story near the end and we’re filled in on backstory as we go, giving these flashbacks a gut-wrenching sense of finality. Things get a little dream-like and surreal as the story progresses and it works really well alongside the unflinchingly real core story. A challenging but very rewarding story.
I am Ghost
This tale of a teenage trick or treater letting his ‘real’ side out every Halloween was an interesting deep dive into the psyche of a troubled young man. I had certain preconceived notions about where this story might go, and I could not have been more wrong. The ending took me by surprise and was an unexpected change of pace from the slow build-up and creeping foreboding of the early pages.
Rat Girl
Probably my favourite story of the bunch (as well as the star of the awesome cover). Rat Girl is equal parts coming of age horror and creature feature but, like a lot of this book’s stories, there is more going on when you read between the lines. Strangely, I got some ‘Girl Next Door’ (horrible Ketchum book, not 2004 rowdy teen rom-com movie) vibes from Rat Girl and while it doesn’t take things quite as far as Ketchum, there is still the same underlying foreboding and dread throughout, and the ending is delightfully weird and unexpectedly bleak.
My Best Friend
I thought this story might have been the authors' own take on 127 Hours to begin with, but the reality was oh so much better than that! A young woman has gone hiking with her best friend and an accident has left one dead and the other trapped and, after days with no rescue in sight, she is starting to get hungry… This was a very bleak, but darkly humorous story, told in the first person to really get inside the head of someone in a truly dire situation.
Heart of Stone
Heart of Stone is probably the most melancholic stories of the collection, focusing on a father enjoying rare visits with his young daughter. The story slowly reveals why these visits are so infrequent and, as time passes and his daughter grows older, drifting apart from her largely absent dad, some supernatural hints and clues become more overt until the ending which… well, I won’t spoil it but, suffice to say, this is not the collection for fans of happy endings!
Cell Block B
This one builds up a lot of tension by clueing in the reader from the start that this is no ordinary prisoner and they are not in any ordinary prison, but the truth behind both is revealed slowly and the final revelation makes this one of those rare stories that fundamentally changes the story you have just read. I highly recommend re-reading this one after your first readthrough, it makes for a very different experience.
Birthday Cake For Brian
A short but fun (well, fun by comparison to what’s come before) little story of a young boy celebrating his birthday with his father, where everything is not quite as it seems. This one is lean and mean and one of the collections most purely entertaining entries.
The Strangler
I had to put the book down after reading ‘The Strangler’ to let the story sink in. I kept expecting a twist, or a supernatural angle to manifest but none did, and the story is all the stronger for it. I imagine this being the books most polarising story because it very bluntly and unwaveringly delves into some difficult subjects (namely Postpartum Depression) and what you see is what you get. There is no subtext or use of creatures or paranormal goings-on to serve as a metaphor. It is a story about a new mother, airing her feelings, and it is easily the books most devastating and upsetting story.
The Crack In The Wall
Funny story. I moved into my new house around a year ago and, in the bedroom, there was a crack down the wall, just like the one in this story. It’s still there (hidden with some filler and behind some wallpaper), a fact I was all too conscious of when trying to go to sleep after reading this short!
How Not To Get Rid of a Body
Of all the stories in this collection, this one stood out to me for leaning most heavily into the black comedy. It almost reads like a farce, complete with broad physical humour and outlandish scenario, but a farce set in the grizzly world of Saw, or Hostel. Another example of the author’s underrated talent for memorable and unique body horror, and one of the collections rare comedic offerings.
Caleb
The longest story in the collection proves to be a particularly strong story to close the book with. A very British tale of a broken family struggling to manage their farm during the outset of the Second World War, and how their lives change when they take in a young evacuee from the city. The time period is so vividly realised and the characters so real, I really connected with this one. It was an interesting juxtaposition between the stark real-world realities of life during the war, coupled with a satanic panic/folk horror vibe. A great ending to a great book.
These Wounds We Make is a very different collection to ‘Cruel Works of Nature’. The stories lean darker, more introspective. Gone are the fun stories of man-eating cows and spider apocalypses and while there are plenty of fantastical offerings here, they tend to serve the story, rather than be the story. This is a far more serious, grounded book than Cruel Works, and while I did miss the fun factor of some of that books’ more outlandish entries, I can honestly say that the stories on offer here are the ones that will no doubt stay with me.
Please join me back here in 2 weeks, when we will be reading Gemma’s latest novel, Girl on Fire. Hope to see you all then!
December 13, 2019
4.5 / 5.0
ATTENTION: We have yet another release from Gemma Amor, and that is cause for celebration. This year, I have read three of her books ("Grief Is a False God" set to be my fourth before the New Year), and it was time well spent. Now, just as 2019 is closing, we have a new collection, one that proves once more that Gemma has no problem digging deep into your psyche with her stories.
I will start by saying, admittedly, I wasn't feeling the instant awe as I did with "Cruel Works of Nature" when starting "Till the Score is Paid"; however, the collection gradually becomes more memorable and thought-provoking as it moves along. Though "Cruel Works of Nature" certainly hit those moments of personal, emotional turmoil - don't get me started on that Jack in the Box story - "Till the Score is Paid" is more on the level of "Dear Laura" in regards to its inner turmoil. The pressure, the emotional scarring...
"Pure Water" reminds us (gruesomely) not to drink dirty water ... "Justine" takes us on an unexpected and satisfying trip that is apt to bring upon an excitable squirm ... "The Strangler" dives deep into the personal and horrific strain of postpartum depression ... and "Caleb" displays Gemma's ability to blend genres seemlessly and still surprise us in the end of it all.
Where "Cruel Works of Nature" shined in its bloody bizarness, "Till the Score is Paid" excels in its use of psychological horror. Again, Gemma has writing chops.
In conclusion, 2019 was the year of Amor for me. Both "Cruel Works of Nature" and "Dear Laura" made my Top 10 Reads, and now I have "Till the Score is Paid" trying to wedge itself in at the last minute. Even if it doesn't end up making the final cut, it will still have come damned close.
And as usual, if you haven't read Amor yet, get on it already.
(Expanded, in-depth review available on www.aidenmerchant.com)
ATTENTION: We have yet another release from Gemma Amor, and that is cause for celebration. This year, I have read three of her books ("Grief Is a False God" set to be my fourth before the New Year), and it was time well spent. Now, just as 2019 is closing, we have a new collection, one that proves once more that Gemma has no problem digging deep into your psyche with her stories.
I will start by saying, admittedly, I wasn't feeling the instant awe as I did with "Cruel Works of Nature" when starting "Till the Score is Paid"; however, the collection gradually becomes more memorable and thought-provoking as it moves along. Though "Cruel Works of Nature" certainly hit those moments of personal, emotional turmoil - don't get me started on that Jack in the Box story - "Till the Score is Paid" is more on the level of "Dear Laura" in regards to its inner turmoil. The pressure, the emotional scarring...
"Pure Water" reminds us (gruesomely) not to drink dirty water ... "Justine" takes us on an unexpected and satisfying trip that is apt to bring upon an excitable squirm ... "The Strangler" dives deep into the personal and horrific strain of postpartum depression ... and "Caleb" displays Gemma's ability to blend genres seemlessly and still surprise us in the end of it all.
Where "Cruel Works of Nature" shined in its bloody bizarness, "Till the Score is Paid" excels in its use of psychological horror. Again, Gemma has writing chops.
In conclusion, 2019 was the year of Amor for me. Both "Cruel Works of Nature" and "Dear Laura" made my Top 10 Reads, and now I have "Till the Score is Paid" trying to wedge itself in at the last minute. Even if it doesn't end up making the final cut, it will still have come damned close.
And as usual, if you haven't read Amor yet, get on it already.
(Expanded, in-depth review available on www.aidenmerchant.com)
January 4, 2020
Gemma Amor has hit it out of the park again with this collection of stories. The stories in this book deal with a variety of subjects. There are lost dogs, creeks in the woods, seeking justice, crazy kids, monsters under the bed, cults, and more. These stories are hard-hitting and emotional often dealing with deeply emotional subjects. It's clear to me that Gemma Amor writes with her heart on her sleeve and blood in her ink. Stories that I particularly enjoyed here were: Have You Seen My Dog, Pure Water, Justine, The Strangler, and Caleb.
Have You Seen My Dog is about a woman terrorized by an old man that's lost his dog. It's wonderfully creepy.
Pure Water follows friends hiking in the woods finding out why you shouldn't drink tainted water. The descriptions in this one are incredibly horrifying.
Justine is a woman dealing with the aftermath of being kidnapped and raped. She's hell-bent to make sure the man that violated her gets the justice he deserves.
The Strangler dives into postpartum depression and reveals it as a hideous monster under the bed waiting for your weakest moment to pounce.
Caleb revolves around an English farm during WWIIs that takes in a refugee child. I really loved this story and its deep weirdness.
Gemma Amor is the real deal and one of my favorite authors writing today. I will read anything she writes.
Have You Seen My Dog is about a woman terrorized by an old man that's lost his dog. It's wonderfully creepy.
Pure Water follows friends hiking in the woods finding out why you shouldn't drink tainted water. The descriptions in this one are incredibly horrifying.
Justine is a woman dealing with the aftermath of being kidnapped and raped. She's hell-bent to make sure the man that violated her gets the justice he deserves.
The Strangler dives into postpartum depression and reveals it as a hideous monster under the bed waiting for your weakest moment to pounce.
Caleb revolves around an English farm during WWIIs that takes in a refugee child. I really loved this story and its deep weirdness.
Gemma Amor is the real deal and one of my favorite authors writing today. I will read anything she writes.
May 30, 2021
These Wounds We Make by Gemma Amor is a killer collection of tales that range from the spooky and bizarre, to deeply unsettling and heartbreaking.
Shout out to Richard Martin and Horror Oasis for hosting #RicksReadAlong and choosing to include this collection!
Per usual with Gemma’s work, I have to say that this is a collection of tales that horror fans won’t want to miss! I loved each of these tales, many of which made me feel unsettled and made me pause between each rather than reading straight through. I rarely have that happen, so that’s a major testament to this authors brilliant work!
More here:https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
Shout out to Richard Martin and Horror Oasis for hosting #RicksReadAlong and choosing to include this collection!
Per usual with Gemma’s work, I have to say that this is a collection of tales that horror fans won’t want to miss! I loved each of these tales, many of which made me feel unsettled and made me pause between each rather than reading straight through. I rarely have that happen, so that’s a major testament to this authors brilliant work!
More here:https://www.ericarobynreads.com/book-...
January 27, 2020
By now I would read anything that Gemma Amor comes out with. Just like Cruel Works of Nature before, this collection is amazing. The stories are so well-written, creepy and haunting, but really beautiful. I enjoyed every single one of them and I think the very best was saved for last. Caleb was perfection.
All the stars.
All the stars.
January 1, 2020
review to come
May 1, 2022
This is one of the best short story collections I've ever had the pleasure of reading in my life. That is not an exaggeration...and I implore you to read it and see for yourself.
A few favorites:
Have you seen my Dog? A ghost story that absolutely burns with dread. You feel the despair...
Rat Girl- Tragic, strange, very unsettling
The Strangler- I'll never forget this story. I don't have children, but there's such a raw and honest portrayal of what it means to struggle in the parental role. Living up to the maternal instinct while your own mental health is in a really bad place, and how that can manifest in the darkest of ways. There's an opportunistic predator that feeds on all that pain...and there's hope too.
A few favorites:
Have you seen my Dog? A ghost story that absolutely burns with dread. You feel the despair...
Rat Girl- Tragic, strange, very unsettling
The Strangler- I'll never forget this story. I don't have children, but there's such a raw and honest portrayal of what it means to struggle in the parental role. Living up to the maternal instinct while your own mental health is in a really bad place, and how that can manifest in the darkest of ways. There's an opportunistic predator that feeds on all that pain...and there's hope too.
January 26, 2020
Excellent collection. Each story seemed to get better and better as I moved along.
Favorites included I am a Ghost, Heart of Stone, Birthday Cake, and the Strangler.
The Strangler had a unique storytelling voice that was awkward for me at first, but it didn't take long for me to settle in as the narrator told her story--also I nearly cried...all the very real feels of being a broken, new mother.
Looking forward to reading more by Gemma Amor.
Favorites included I am a Ghost, Heart of Stone, Birthday Cake, and the Strangler.
The Strangler had a unique storytelling voice that was awkward for me at first, but it didn't take long for me to settle in as the narrator told her story--also I nearly cried...all the very real feels of being a broken, new mother.
Looking forward to reading more by Gemma Amor.
December 29, 2019
Wow. So, there comes a book from time to time that forces you to redefine your definition of a "5-star" book. This is one of those books.
I am not one to read a short story collection straight through. I tend to feel overwhelm at all of the settings and characters and resolutions and not resolutions and feelings and everything. It tires me. TILL THE SCORE IS PAID is arranged so beautifully, however, that you will not grow weary reading it. Each story pushes you through to the next, until that last of the lovelies, "Caleb" -- the story that caused me to feel hope and wonder and delight and some tears, as well. I finished this in just a few days, which meant I didn't read anything else while going through it. This never happens.
What are the stories? TILL THE SCORE IS PAID is a terrifying look at many themes, including postpartum depression, divorce, shame, desire, and the most intense of personal conflicts. The characters could be any of us, even the most terrible ones. She makes you feel like you can relate to the vilest and has created probably the only collection of first-person narratives that I really, really enjoyed. The details in her stories are rich, real, and curious, too. I never see the same words used over and over, which is difficult to do -- especially in horror. I have abandoned many brilliant books because of word fatigue, but not this one. She speaks in a new, familiar language, like something I heard long ago and forget I ever understood.
I can't say which stories are my favorite. They all do such different things. But, I can say, that just when things feel really heavy, serious, and life-altering, she throws in some shorter, stabby (almost tongue-in-cheek) stories to mix it up. The one about the brithday cake, for example, came out of nowhere and helped break up some really difficult themes.
Gemma Amor is my new favorite writer. She will sit on the shelf with Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Roald Dahl, and the other masters of the short story. Her stories are weird but never attempt to win shock points. Those who love gore will find it to be spun into the stories but not the main event. Those who hate gore will understand its role in these stories. (How can you describe hell without a depiction of the worst of human sufferings?) She somehow addresses some of the darkest things in the world and out of the world without making me feel dirty or a voyeur. She brings understand and acceptance to some of the things we have all thought and felt but dare never to speak to others. Gemma Amor is a force. I can no longer define 5-star books in the same way again. And that's a brilliant and beautiful thing.
I am not one to read a short story collection straight through. I tend to feel overwhelm at all of the settings and characters and resolutions and not resolutions and feelings and everything. It tires me. TILL THE SCORE IS PAID is arranged so beautifully, however, that you will not grow weary reading it. Each story pushes you through to the next, until that last of the lovelies, "Caleb" -- the story that caused me to feel hope and wonder and delight and some tears, as well. I finished this in just a few days, which meant I didn't read anything else while going through it. This never happens.
What are the stories? TILL THE SCORE IS PAID is a terrifying look at many themes, including postpartum depression, divorce, shame, desire, and the most intense of personal conflicts. The characters could be any of us, even the most terrible ones. She makes you feel like you can relate to the vilest and has created probably the only collection of first-person narratives that I really, really enjoyed. The details in her stories are rich, real, and curious, too. I never see the same words used over and over, which is difficult to do -- especially in horror. I have abandoned many brilliant books because of word fatigue, but not this one. She speaks in a new, familiar language, like something I heard long ago and forget I ever understood.
I can't say which stories are my favorite. They all do such different things. But, I can say, that just when things feel really heavy, serious, and life-altering, she throws in some shorter, stabby (almost tongue-in-cheek) stories to mix it up. The one about the brithday cake, for example, came out of nowhere and helped break up some really difficult themes.
Gemma Amor is my new favorite writer. She will sit on the shelf with Bradbury, Shirley Jackson, Roald Dahl, and the other masters of the short story. Her stories are weird but never attempt to win shock points. Those who love gore will find it to be spun into the stories but not the main event. Those who hate gore will understand its role in these stories. (How can you describe hell without a depiction of the worst of human sufferings?) She somehow addresses some of the darkest things in the world and out of the world without making me feel dirty or a voyeur. She brings understand and acceptance to some of the things we have all thought and felt but dare never to speak to others. Gemma Amor is a force. I can no longer define 5-star books in the same way again. And that's a brilliant and beautiful thing.
February 28, 2020
Just realized I never reviewed this fantastic collection!!
Till The Score is Paid is a very good read! I didn't skip a single story and honestly, loved each one! The multiple hiking stories have made me question my desire to ever go on a hike again! There was also a creeeeepy cannibal story with a twist that I loved and plenty of other human monster tales!
I'll continue to read what Gemma Amor writes because she's got that dark and delicious part down!
Till The Score is Paid is a very good read! I didn't skip a single story and honestly, loved each one! The multiple hiking stories have made me question my desire to ever go on a hike again! There was also a creeeeepy cannibal story with a twist that I loved and plenty of other human monster tales!
I'll continue to read what Gemma Amor writes because she's got that dark and delicious part down!
April 11, 2020
3.5/5 rounded up for Goodreads
July 2, 2020
Gemma Amor strikes again - such a fabulously crafted collection (it’s had a bit of a facelift from Til The Score Is Paid) and I don’t know much about that as it pretty much became out of print when it was released. But what I do know is that this book has more stories and illustrations - the perfect treat for all you Amor fans.
What I love about Gemma’s work is that it is the monsters of men and women that I find she does her best work, her portrayal of these lives, these characters the intricacies of their lives and situations are where the true horror lies in wait, ready to snatch an ankle, to bite you from the dark, to pummel you with an axe or a bat.
Her stories are always fully realised and always a joy to read, there’s not a bad one in this collection, each one pulls the reader under and smothers them with her brilliance - you can’t escape and I think that’s what Amor wants, she wants to hold you captive, she wants to tell you these stories and that’s the mark of a masterful writer, because as much as you want to flee you can - her horror is beguiling as it is horrific, insane as it is eloquent - and always delivered with prose that is poetic and full of power!
Buy this book and support and indie writers who is on her way to become a true name in the field of horror writing!
Outstanding!
What I love about Gemma’s work is that it is the monsters of men and women that I find she does her best work, her portrayal of these lives, these characters the intricacies of their lives and situations are where the true horror lies in wait, ready to snatch an ankle, to bite you from the dark, to pummel you with an axe or a bat.
Her stories are always fully realised and always a joy to read, there’s not a bad one in this collection, each one pulls the reader under and smothers them with her brilliance - you can’t escape and I think that’s what Amor wants, she wants to hold you captive, she wants to tell you these stories and that’s the mark of a masterful writer, because as much as you want to flee you can - her horror is beguiling as it is horrific, insane as it is eloquent - and always delivered with prose that is poetic and full of power!
Buy this book and support and indie writers who is on her way to become a true name in the field of horror writing!
Outstanding!
July 7, 2020
(4.5 rounded up for GR) These Wounds We Make is a reissue of Till the Score is Paid, whose publisher went out of business. This meant Till the Score is Paid only existed for purchase very briefly at the end of last year. With a new title and face lift, the collection has also received text revisions, new interior art, and two new stories to enhance its return to the public.
Though not as strong throughout as Cruel Works of Nature, this collection is thought-provoking and gritty. It also features several of Gemma’s best stories yet, like “The Strangler,” “Caleb,” and “Justine.” As for the two new stories - “The Crack in the Wall” and “How Not To Get Rid of a Body” - both are good additions, although lacking in that unique Gemma spark. “The Crack in the Wall” is weird and cool, and “How Not To Get Rid of a Body” had me thinking of Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness; I found it quite humorous and fitting for Halloween.
For the most part, These Wounds We Make focuses on psychological horror (whereas Cruel Works of Nature featured more monsters and Stephen King-esque premises). I actually find this kind of horror far more disturbing and emotional, and Gemma knocks the subgenre out of the park.
Though not as strong throughout as Cruel Works of Nature, this collection is thought-provoking and gritty. It also features several of Gemma’s best stories yet, like “The Strangler,” “Caleb,” and “Justine.” As for the two new stories - “The Crack in the Wall” and “How Not To Get Rid of a Body” - both are good additions, although lacking in that unique Gemma spark. “The Crack in the Wall” is weird and cool, and “How Not To Get Rid of a Body” had me thinking of Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness; I found it quite humorous and fitting for Halloween.
For the most part, These Wounds We Make focuses on psychological horror (whereas Cruel Works of Nature featured more monsters and Stephen King-esque premises). I actually find this kind of horror far more disturbing and emotional, and Gemma knocks the subgenre out of the park.
December 30, 2019
Up front: Giles Press was nice enough to furnish me with a review copy.
I don't read a lot of horror--I listen to it. In fact that's how I became aware of Gemma's work, from her contributions to the NoSleepPodcast. Other than that, the only other horror writer I've read, is Stephen King. I think maybe it's because, it's hard to be scared when the distractions of reading are so easily conjured--daylight, noise, children, work, kitchens that need cleaning, etc. That said--Till the Score is Paid genuinely thrilled and scared me. And more--dare I say it--it touched me.
I tweeted this as well, so I'm repeating myself, but Amor captures fundamentally the reason horror is so endemic to our tastes. Her stories aren't just two-dimensional hack and slash--though there is a good deal of hack and slash, they touch upon the deep horror that is living. From her story of a mummy who just can't deal--familiar to EVERY parent, to her story about a schizophrenic young lad, each one of these stories touched me deeply. I had to stop and take a deep breath after each.
I honestly didn't know that horror could do this. I've always been a fantasy reader--I like the struggle of good and evil, the character growth, and the endless of work of being ethical. But I struggled with why I came--late in life to horror. I still have trouble explaining it to my family. It's not that I'm macabre--it's that life is FILLED with horror, real horror. From losing a child, to rape, to murder, and the fancy, glowing patina of lust, beauty, genius and order we drape over it is mere distraction from the fact that as Hobbes said, "life is nasty, brutish, and short." Amor lifts that veil, and shows us in poetic, beautiful writing, that the ordinary is in fact extraordinary. And that we live with extreme danger--in every breath we take.
One last point, Gemma Amor is a good writer. I mean--not just a writer who knows how to put a story together, but a writer whose writing inspires. I think her work with the NoSleep cast has probably assisted this endeavor, because if you were to read her tales aloud, you would be stunned by the lilting cadence, and beautiful metaphor she employs. I think in one story, she went a tad over, but the rest of the story, and what it meant, and what it meant to me, more than made up for it.
Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy are realms that are ripe with cliches. Those cliches are important, they inform, and provide background lighting so that an economy of words can move the story forward. Amor's use of cliche's is spare at best, her stories are very original. I don't think I've ever read a story about a half-rat half-girl, or a horror story taking place during the Blitzkrieg, but those cliches she does use are used artfully and originally.
Last, I'll say that I don't generally like stories where everyone dies--what's the point? At the end of the bloodbath, who cares? That doesn't mean that the good guy has to win. In the game of life, winning is surviving, and honestly that is enough. If you've survived this long, read Till the Score is Paid.
I don't read a lot of horror--I listen to it. In fact that's how I became aware of Gemma's work, from her contributions to the NoSleepPodcast. Other than that, the only other horror writer I've read, is Stephen King. I think maybe it's because, it's hard to be scared when the distractions of reading are so easily conjured--daylight, noise, children, work, kitchens that need cleaning, etc. That said--Till the Score is Paid genuinely thrilled and scared me. And more--dare I say it--it touched me.
I tweeted this as well, so I'm repeating myself, but Amor captures fundamentally the reason horror is so endemic to our tastes. Her stories aren't just two-dimensional hack and slash--though there is a good deal of hack and slash, they touch upon the deep horror that is living. From her story of a mummy who just can't deal--familiar to EVERY parent, to her story about a schizophrenic young lad, each one of these stories touched me deeply. I had to stop and take a deep breath after each.
I honestly didn't know that horror could do this. I've always been a fantasy reader--I like the struggle of good and evil, the character growth, and the endless of work of being ethical. But I struggled with why I came--late in life to horror. I still have trouble explaining it to my family. It's not that I'm macabre--it's that life is FILLED with horror, real horror. From losing a child, to rape, to murder, and the fancy, glowing patina of lust, beauty, genius and order we drape over it is mere distraction from the fact that as Hobbes said, "life is nasty, brutish, and short." Amor lifts that veil, and shows us in poetic, beautiful writing, that the ordinary is in fact extraordinary. And that we live with extreme danger--in every breath we take.
One last point, Gemma Amor is a good writer. I mean--not just a writer who knows how to put a story together, but a writer whose writing inspires. I think her work with the NoSleep cast has probably assisted this endeavor, because if you were to read her tales aloud, you would be stunned by the lilting cadence, and beautiful metaphor she employs. I think in one story, she went a tad over, but the rest of the story, and what it meant, and what it meant to me, more than made up for it.
Horror, Sci-Fi and Fantasy are realms that are ripe with cliches. Those cliches are important, they inform, and provide background lighting so that an economy of words can move the story forward. Amor's use of cliche's is spare at best, her stories are very original. I don't think I've ever read a story about a half-rat half-girl, or a horror story taking place during the Blitzkrieg, but those cliches she does use are used artfully and originally.
Last, I'll say that I don't generally like stories where everyone dies--what's the point? At the end of the bloodbath, who cares? That doesn't mean that the good guy has to win. In the game of life, winning is surviving, and honestly that is enough. If you've survived this long, read Till the Score is Paid.
January 4, 2020
4.5 out of 5
ATTENTION: We have yet another release from Gemma Amor, and that is cause for celebration. This year, I have read three of her books (Grief Is a False God set to be my fourth before the New Year), and it was time well spent. Now, just as 2019 is closing, we have a new collection, one that proves once more that Gemma has no problem digging deep into your psyche with her stories.
I will start by saying, admittedly, I wasn’t feeling the instant awe as I did with Cruel Works of Nature when starting Till the Score is Paid (“Foliage” being a hard opening act to follow); however, the collection gradually becomes more memorable and thought-provoking as it moves along. While Cruel Works of Nature certainly hit those moments of personal, emotional turmoil – don’t get me started on that Jack in the Box story – Till the Score is Paid is more on the level of Dear Laura in regards to its inner turmoil. The pressure, the emotional scarring…
THE STORIES:
HAVE YOU SEEN MY DOG? – This story had plenty going for it, but the weak explanation as to the why of things hurt my overall enjoyment. Don’t worry, though; the collection picks up from here.
PURE WATER – This one reminds us (gruesomely) not to drink dirty water. It’s short and to the point, with a slight vibe of The Troop (Nick Cutter). I wish it had been extended a bit further, but it works well at this length as well.
I AM GHOST – This crazy kid has issues. I would love a backstory telling us of the heinous acts he did prior to this particular Halloween night.
JUSTINE – Gemma takes us on an unexpected and satisfying trip during “Justine,” one that is apt to bring upon an excitable squirm. I loved the direction she took it, and am pretty sure this is my favorite in the collection. This, or “Caleb.”
RAT GIRL – Aside from an expected conclusion, this story set up the creeps well. The interaction between the two kids stood out. I could have read a full story about their odd friendship.
MY BEST FRIEND – This was gross, twisted, and fun.
HEART OF STONE – You’ve got to feel bad for this father. His ex-wife is a real shithead. I would have liked to see her removed from the equation, but the way Gemma has things play out is more haunting.
CELL BLOCK B – I got Clive Barker vibes from this story. Dark and bloody and nightmarish.
A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR BRIAN – Remind me never to go to this kid’s house. Yeesh!
THE STRANGLER – Remember how I said this collection burrows deep into your mind and mental state? “The Strangler” is probably the most personal and horrific story (aside from Dear Laura and the aforementioned Jack in a Box tale) I’ve read by Gemma. It visualizes postpartum depression as a sick monster, one that defiles you as it sees fit.
CALEB – This closing story proves Gemma’s ability to blend genres seamlessly and still surprise us in the end of it all. “Caleb” is a darkly hypnotic mix of historical fiction, witchcraft horror, drama, and fantasy.
IN CONCLUSION:
Where Cruel Works of Nature shined in its bloody and bizarre monsters and sets, Till the Score is Paid excels in its use of psychological horror. And though it isn’t without its flaws, the complaints are minimal and vastly overshadowed by Gemma’s ability to write.
Both Cruel Works of Nature and Dear Laura made my Top 10 Reads of 2019, and now I have Till the Score is Paid trying to wedge itself in at the last minute. Even if it doesn’t end up making the final cut, it will still have come damned close.
And as usual, if you haven’t read Amor yet, get on it already.
ATTENTION: We have yet another release from Gemma Amor, and that is cause for celebration. This year, I have read three of her books (Grief Is a False God set to be my fourth before the New Year), and it was time well spent. Now, just as 2019 is closing, we have a new collection, one that proves once more that Gemma has no problem digging deep into your psyche with her stories.
I will start by saying, admittedly, I wasn’t feeling the instant awe as I did with Cruel Works of Nature when starting Till the Score is Paid (“Foliage” being a hard opening act to follow); however, the collection gradually becomes more memorable and thought-provoking as it moves along. While Cruel Works of Nature certainly hit those moments of personal, emotional turmoil – don’t get me started on that Jack in the Box story – Till the Score is Paid is more on the level of Dear Laura in regards to its inner turmoil. The pressure, the emotional scarring…
THE STORIES:
HAVE YOU SEEN MY DOG? – This story had plenty going for it, but the weak explanation as to the why of things hurt my overall enjoyment. Don’t worry, though; the collection picks up from here.
PURE WATER – This one reminds us (gruesomely) not to drink dirty water. It’s short and to the point, with a slight vibe of The Troop (Nick Cutter). I wish it had been extended a bit further, but it works well at this length as well.
I AM GHOST – This crazy kid has issues. I would love a backstory telling us of the heinous acts he did prior to this particular Halloween night.
JUSTINE – Gemma takes us on an unexpected and satisfying trip during “Justine,” one that is apt to bring upon an excitable squirm. I loved the direction she took it, and am pretty sure this is my favorite in the collection. This, or “Caleb.”
RAT GIRL – Aside from an expected conclusion, this story set up the creeps well. The interaction between the two kids stood out. I could have read a full story about their odd friendship.
MY BEST FRIEND – This was gross, twisted, and fun.
HEART OF STONE – You’ve got to feel bad for this father. His ex-wife is a real shithead. I would have liked to see her removed from the equation, but the way Gemma has things play out is more haunting.
CELL BLOCK B – I got Clive Barker vibes from this story. Dark and bloody and nightmarish.
A BIRTHDAY CAKE FOR BRIAN – Remind me never to go to this kid’s house. Yeesh!
THE STRANGLER – Remember how I said this collection burrows deep into your mind and mental state? “The Strangler” is probably the most personal and horrific story (aside from Dear Laura and the aforementioned Jack in a Box tale) I’ve read by Gemma. It visualizes postpartum depression as a sick monster, one that defiles you as it sees fit.
CALEB – This closing story proves Gemma’s ability to blend genres seamlessly and still surprise us in the end of it all. “Caleb” is a darkly hypnotic mix of historical fiction, witchcraft horror, drama, and fantasy.
IN CONCLUSION:
Where Cruel Works of Nature shined in its bloody and bizarre monsters and sets, Till the Score is Paid excels in its use of psychological horror. And though it isn’t without its flaws, the complaints are minimal and vastly overshadowed by Gemma’s ability to write.
Both Cruel Works of Nature and Dear Laura made my Top 10 Reads of 2019, and now I have Till the Score is Paid trying to wedge itself in at the last minute. Even if it doesn’t end up making the final cut, it will still have come damned close.
And as usual, if you haven’t read Amor yet, get on it already.
February 29, 2020
Gemma Amor is hands down, in this reader's opinion, one of the best short story writers I have ever read - and that's not being hyperbolic - that's being honest.
Amor writes stories that can make you cringe one minute and break your heart the next, which isn't always easy to do when writing shorts.
My favorites in Till The Score is Paid are the following:
‘Have You Seen My Dog?’ - Loved it!
‘I Am Ghost’
‘Justine’
‘Rat Girl’ - Loved it!
‘My Best Friend’
‘Heart of Stone’ - Loved it!
‘Cell Block B’
‘The Strangler’
‘Caleb’ – Loved it!
Whether you have yet to read Amor's writing or you are already a fan, I highly recommend reading TILL THE SCORE IS PAID (eleven short stories) and CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE (eleven novellas), with illustrations created by the author.
Next up, Amor’s novella, DEAR LAURA, and I, for one, can't wait to dive in!
Thank you, Publisher, Josh Demarest from Giles Press and author Gemma Amor, for providing me with an advance eBook of TILL THE SCORE IS PAID in exchange for an honest review.
(Note: Amor writes in the Foreword that this collection touches on difficult themes of rape, abuse, and postnatal depression, that may be triggering for some readers.)
Amor writes stories that can make you cringe one minute and break your heart the next, which isn't always easy to do when writing shorts.
My favorites in Till The Score is Paid are the following:
‘Have You Seen My Dog?’ - Loved it!
‘I Am Ghost’
‘Justine’
‘Rat Girl’ - Loved it!
‘My Best Friend’
‘Heart of Stone’ - Loved it!
‘Cell Block B’
‘The Strangler’
‘Caleb’ – Loved it!
Whether you have yet to read Amor's writing or you are already a fan, I highly recommend reading TILL THE SCORE IS PAID (eleven short stories) and CRUEL WORKS OF NATURE (eleven novellas), with illustrations created by the author.
Next up, Amor’s novella, DEAR LAURA, and I, for one, can't wait to dive in!
Thank you, Publisher, Josh Demarest from Giles Press and author Gemma Amor, for providing me with an advance eBook of TILL THE SCORE IS PAID in exchange for an honest review.
(Note: Amor writes in the Foreword that this collection touches on difficult themes of rape, abuse, and postnatal depression, that may be triggering for some readers.)
December 17, 2019
Till the Score is Paid takes readers through 11 very different and unique tales of terror. She takes us through contact with (and through) the other side, eco-horror, and folklore giving each story her special mark. The emotion and passion she infused into each story is amazing, hooking the reader from word one and carrying us through until the end. While all of the stories are excellent, one in particular really stood out to me: Justine. Wow. Just, wow. I know that doesn’t say much, but this story is going to stay with me for a while. I don’t want to give anything away, but it’s a tale of a woman searching for something lost, something she felt was taken from her too soon. What she finds may not be what she wants, but what she needs. The emotion that Gemma pours into the character made it clear to me that she left everything on the page.
Till the Score is Paid collects some of her best work in my opinion and you cannot go wrong picking this up. You won’t put it down.
Till the Score is Paid collects some of her best work in my opinion and you cannot go wrong picking this up. You won’t put it down.
January 26, 2020
Oh man. From the very first story she grabs a hold of you and doesn’t let go until you’ve finished the last.
Each story is brilliant in its own way. I adore her depictions of the afterlife. Her take on familiar concepts. Her depiction of mental illness. It’s incredible.
The worlds, characters and stories she creates are stunning. Even the shorter stories are just as gripping as the longer ones.
My favorites have to be Rat Girl and Caleb.
However, I have to mention Justine and The Strangler. One story features topics of kidnapping and rape and the other talks about postnatal depression. Not once in either of those stories did it come across as exploitive. These topics weren’t used as mere plot devices to fill space in a book of scary/creepy stories. They felt meaningful. They felt raw and powerful.
This is definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read and is something that I can see myself rereading time and again.
5/5⭐️
Each story is brilliant in its own way. I adore her depictions of the afterlife. Her take on familiar concepts. Her depiction of mental illness. It’s incredible.
The worlds, characters and stories she creates are stunning. Even the shorter stories are just as gripping as the longer ones.
My favorites have to be Rat Girl and Caleb.
However, I have to mention Justine and The Strangler. One story features topics of kidnapping and rape and the other talks about postnatal depression. Not once in either of those stories did it come across as exploitive. These topics weren’t used as mere plot devices to fill space in a book of scary/creepy stories. They felt meaningful. They felt raw and powerful.
This is definitely one of my favorite books I’ve read and is something that I can see myself rereading time and again.
5/5⭐️
February 12, 2020
As good as her last collection.
Another excellent collection of short stories from Gemma Amor.
Like her previous collection, I favoured some more than others.
But I can't fault her writing...and her imagination, for that matter. There's a lot of layers within these stories.
Solid four stars
Another excellent collection of short stories from Gemma Amor.
Like her previous collection, I favoured some more than others.
But I can't fault her writing...and her imagination, for that matter. There's a lot of layers within these stories.
Solid four stars
September 18, 2024
3.5 stars - The first couple stories were a little difficult for me to get into, but gradually got better further in.
December 19, 2019
Have You Seen My Dog? is an unusual ghost story with a very non-stereotypical beginning, end, and middle. There’s a dog who does impossible things, and a poor doctor who’s having a very bad time of things. She keeps running into a possibly-demented old man who accuses her of having his missing dog. And he gets violent when he gets angry.
Pure Water is a short-but-quite-creepy story about why not every stream you run across while hiking is necessarily all pure and healthy to drink from.
Justine introduces us to a young woman who was raped by a man she used to work with, and how she’s handling the aftermath. He’s about to go to trial, and she wants him to face that, but she’s just gotten a call saying he committed suicide. She isn’t about to let him get off that easy. This is a very poignant story about a woman coming to terms with some very dark things that happened to her.
I Am Ghost introduces us to a quiet man named Max, and the Ghost that takes him over once a year on Halloween. He runs into an all-too-knowing Devil Kid as he stalks his prey, and his night takes a sudden turn. This is one of my favorite stories in this volume. It’s chilling and unusual.
Rat Girl features army brat Timmy, who semi-sorta makes friends with the spoiled rich kid Lee at his new school. But he finds that Lee has a secret–he’s keeping a rat-like girl in his basement, who has a tail and furred, shell-like ears. When a tragedy occurs, Timmy is desperate to figure out how to help the girl. Even the children in these stories have a lot of personality to them–including punks like Lee.
My Best Friend is a creepy story about what happens when two best friends get lost in the woods and fall into a mine shaft. Short but clever!
Heart of Stone is another one of my favorites in this volume. The main character is father to a nine-year-old girl named Jenny who’s the light of his life. He likes nothing more than to take her for monster hot chocolates before sending her back to her mother. All he wants is to delight in her love forever, but Julie, his ex-wife, introduces a lot of bitterness into the equation. And well, this guy is not quite… normal. I don’t want to give anything away; I’ll just say that I really loved this man as a point-of-view character, and that this is a lovely juxtaposition between the supernatural and an all-too-human story. Absolutely riveting.
Cell Block B features McCready, who keeps waking up in Cell Block B with no real memory of who he is or what he did to get there. But one of these days, the Warden is going to come for him–and then things are gonna get real ugly.
A Birthday Cake for Brian is short, bloody, and, well, it’s actually kind of funny.
The Strangler delves into a rather monstrous incarnation of the specter of post-natal depression. The narrator has a fascinating run-on voice that really brings the whole thing to life and keeps this story from being too oppressive.
Caleb is my other favorite story in this book. It’s 1940 and there’s a war on. The narrator’s farm is down one person who got sent to war, and they’re taking in an evacuee. That’s when a rash of misfortunes hits the farm, and Johnny, who helps out around the farm, starts acting very suspiciously. This is told in the form of a journal, and it’s very intriguing. The sense of time and place is excellent, and the ending is powerful.
I should include a content note; the various issues are handled with sensitivity, but there are themes of rape, abuse, suicidal ideation, postnatal depression, gore, and animal harm.
This is a wonderful book of short stories, and I heartily recommend it to any horror fans out there.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/12/r...
Pure Water is a short-but-quite-creepy story about why not every stream you run across while hiking is necessarily all pure and healthy to drink from.
Justine introduces us to a young woman who was raped by a man she used to work with, and how she’s handling the aftermath. He’s about to go to trial, and she wants him to face that, but she’s just gotten a call saying he committed suicide. She isn’t about to let him get off that easy. This is a very poignant story about a woman coming to terms with some very dark things that happened to her.
I Am Ghost introduces us to a quiet man named Max, and the Ghost that takes him over once a year on Halloween. He runs into an all-too-knowing Devil Kid as he stalks his prey, and his night takes a sudden turn. This is one of my favorite stories in this volume. It’s chilling and unusual.
Rat Girl features army brat Timmy, who semi-sorta makes friends with the spoiled rich kid Lee at his new school. But he finds that Lee has a secret–he’s keeping a rat-like girl in his basement, who has a tail and furred, shell-like ears. When a tragedy occurs, Timmy is desperate to figure out how to help the girl. Even the children in these stories have a lot of personality to them–including punks like Lee.
My Best Friend is a creepy story about what happens when two best friends get lost in the woods and fall into a mine shaft. Short but clever!
Heart of Stone is another one of my favorites in this volume. The main character is father to a nine-year-old girl named Jenny who’s the light of his life. He likes nothing more than to take her for monster hot chocolates before sending her back to her mother. All he wants is to delight in her love forever, but Julie, his ex-wife, introduces a lot of bitterness into the equation. And well, this guy is not quite… normal. I don’t want to give anything away; I’ll just say that I really loved this man as a point-of-view character, and that this is a lovely juxtaposition between the supernatural and an all-too-human story. Absolutely riveting.
Cell Block B features McCready, who keeps waking up in Cell Block B with no real memory of who he is or what he did to get there. But one of these days, the Warden is going to come for him–and then things are gonna get real ugly.
A Birthday Cake for Brian is short, bloody, and, well, it’s actually kind of funny.
The Strangler delves into a rather monstrous incarnation of the specter of post-natal depression. The narrator has a fascinating run-on voice that really brings the whole thing to life and keeps this story from being too oppressive.
Caleb is my other favorite story in this book. It’s 1940 and there’s a war on. The narrator’s farm is down one person who got sent to war, and they’re taking in an evacuee. That’s when a rash of misfortunes hits the farm, and Johnny, who helps out around the farm, starts acting very suspiciously. This is told in the form of a journal, and it’s very intriguing. The sense of time and place is excellent, and the ending is powerful.
I should include a content note; the various issues are handled with sensitivity, but there are themes of rape, abuse, suicidal ideation, postnatal depression, gore, and animal harm.
This is a wonderful book of short stories, and I heartily recommend it to any horror fans out there.
Original review posted on my blog: http://www.errantdreams.com/2019/12/r...
January 13, 2020
There has been a lot of discussion in the horror community lately about trigger warnings contained in books labelled as horror. Whatever side of the fence you may fall on, Gemma Amor’s introduction serves as an establishment of theme, as well as notifying readers that potentially troubling subjects will be covered in the stories they are about to read. Amor gives us enough warning that any reader who find themselves wanting to avoid spoilers can get out before they arrive and skip right to the stories.
Personally, I loved the introduction. It caused me to think a little bit deeper about everything I was reading as I went through the collection. There are supernatural elements in some and hints sprinkled here and there in others, but the stories as a whole are very down-to-earth, and very human. Gemma Amor’s illustrations accompanying each story also add a very much appreciated personal touch, and give every entry their own unique character.
“Have You Seen My Dog?” is a strong opening story which makes us think: if we have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, are they restored when they pass? On the surface it’s a frightening story, inducing paranoia in the reader who waits for a surprise around every bend.
“Justine” was my favorite story in the collection. This is one of the prime reasons for the introduction Amor wrote, and although I’ve never personally experienced the events the titular character goes through, it’s all too easy to empathize with her plight. The vivid imagery contained on the character’s trip through hell was exceptionally well-detailed and conceived.
“The Strangler” was another favorite. Again, I can only relate from an outsider’s perspective, but having known women who experience postnatal depression, reading about a tangible vision of this depression and anxiety is difficult. Amor reaches into our chest with this one, grabs our heart, and shakes it around a bit for good measure. This is a great example of what I meant earlier when I wrote about causing me to think deeper. This piece brought out some serious feelings in me. I can only imagine how it might affect someone who had experienced it first-hand.
I could write a discourse on every story in this bunch. There’s not a bad one in here, and when a story collection doesn’t have any skips, it’s pretty much an automatic 5 star for me. It’s a rare occurrence. I will highlight some other favorites before I leave you to order it from Amazon or straight from Giles Press, though. “Pure Water” is a quick fun read that reminded me of something from an early Stephen King story collection. “Rat Girl” is a poignant story that gets more empathy out of the reader than the reader might expect to give up. “Heart of Stone” covers a lot of potential themes, and I found myself examining the events of the story in a multitude of ways.
Maybe someday I’ll read something by Gemma Amor and find it worthy of less than 5 stars, but it’s not today.
I was given an e-book by the publisher for review consideration
Personally, I loved the introduction. It caused me to think a little bit deeper about everything I was reading as I went through the collection. There are supernatural elements in some and hints sprinkled here and there in others, but the stories as a whole are very down-to-earth, and very human. Gemma Amor’s illustrations accompanying each story also add a very much appreciated personal touch, and give every entry their own unique character.
“Have You Seen My Dog?” is a strong opening story which makes us think: if we have a loved one suffering from Alzheimer’s, are they restored when they pass? On the surface it’s a frightening story, inducing paranoia in the reader who waits for a surprise around every bend.
“Justine” was my favorite story in the collection. This is one of the prime reasons for the introduction Amor wrote, and although I’ve never personally experienced the events the titular character goes through, it’s all too easy to empathize with her plight. The vivid imagery contained on the character’s trip through hell was exceptionally well-detailed and conceived.
“The Strangler” was another favorite. Again, I can only relate from an outsider’s perspective, but having known women who experience postnatal depression, reading about a tangible vision of this depression and anxiety is difficult. Amor reaches into our chest with this one, grabs our heart, and shakes it around a bit for good measure. This is a great example of what I meant earlier when I wrote about causing me to think deeper. This piece brought out some serious feelings in me. I can only imagine how it might affect someone who had experienced it first-hand.
I could write a discourse on every story in this bunch. There’s not a bad one in here, and when a story collection doesn’t have any skips, it’s pretty much an automatic 5 star for me. It’s a rare occurrence. I will highlight some other favorites before I leave you to order it from Amazon or straight from Giles Press, though. “Pure Water” is a quick fun read that reminded me of something from an early Stephen King story collection. “Rat Girl” is a poignant story that gets more empathy out of the reader than the reader might expect to give up. “Heart of Stone” covers a lot of potential themes, and I found myself examining the events of the story in a multitude of ways.
Maybe someday I’ll read something by Gemma Amor and find it worthy of less than 5 stars, but it’s not today.
I was given an e-book by the publisher for review consideration
March 7, 2021
Gemma Amor's collection was a hell of an experience to read. Of the 13 short stories featured in this collection, 12 of these made for very solid reading experiences for myself which is frickin amazing. Every time I had to put this collection down, I would be thinking about the last story I had just read and be looking forward to the next bout of available time I would get to read. The following are my ratings for each story
"Have You Seen My Dog?": This one was a pretty good opening for the collection. Utterly brutal what happens to our protagonist and the ending while a downer, is a haunting reminder that not everyone gets a happy ending. 4/5
"Pure Water": While the piece is a beautiful example of body horror, the pacing for this one was way to fast for my liking and I found myself not given any time to connect to these characters. 2/5
Justine: Downright the best in the whole collection right here. This was a sickening read and a solid story which handled the underlying subject matter with a lot of class. Loved this one 5/5
I Am Ghost: This was a really cool one with a dash of Lovecraft sprinkled in for good measure as well as some really good imagery that was both freaky and strange. 5/5
Rat Girl: This one did a great job tackling the subject matter of the struggles of moving from town to town. The ending was ok, though I wish that it would have resolved the protagonist's desire for companionship. 4/5
My Best Friend: A story with an unpredictable ending and Gemma's descriptions of the main character's thought processes made me feel icky inside. 5/5.
Heart of Stone: Beautifully written and reading the breakdown of the protagonist was somber yet wonderful. 5/5.
Cell Block B: Horror plus a prison story? This story was a really interesting allegory for hell, with a puzzling ending that left me thinking. 5/5.
Birthday Cake For Brian: The most sickening 3 minutes of reading in my life. 5/5
The Strangler: A beautiful allegory yet horrifying allegory for Post Partum Depression. I would say this was the second-best story of the collection. 5/5
The Crack in The Wall: 4/5
How Not to Get Rid of a Body: Probably the most humorous of the collection but the ending was a scenario that I don't think anyone would actually have happen to them. That said though, the setting of this one was wonderfully disgusting: 4/5
Caleb: This one was a banger that left me thinking one word. Why? This was a beautiful story with a beautiful message of how the universe rewards those for their hardship: 5/5.
If you are looking for horror with stellar writing. This collection has got it.
"Have You Seen My Dog?": This one was a pretty good opening for the collection. Utterly brutal what happens to our protagonist and the ending while a downer, is a haunting reminder that not everyone gets a happy ending. 4/5
"Pure Water": While the piece is a beautiful example of body horror, the pacing for this one was way to fast for my liking and I found myself not given any time to connect to these characters. 2/5
Justine: Downright the best in the whole collection right here. This was a sickening read and a solid story which handled the underlying subject matter with a lot of class. Loved this one 5/5
I Am Ghost: This was a really cool one with a dash of Lovecraft sprinkled in for good measure as well as some really good imagery that was both freaky and strange. 5/5
Rat Girl: This one did a great job tackling the subject matter of the struggles of moving from town to town. The ending was ok, though I wish that it would have resolved the protagonist's desire for companionship. 4/5
My Best Friend: A story with an unpredictable ending and Gemma's descriptions of the main character's thought processes made me feel icky inside. 5/5.
Heart of Stone: Beautifully written and reading the breakdown of the protagonist was somber yet wonderful. 5/5.
Cell Block B: Horror plus a prison story? This story was a really interesting allegory for hell, with a puzzling ending that left me thinking. 5/5.
Birthday Cake For Brian: The most sickening 3 minutes of reading in my life. 5/5
The Strangler: A beautiful allegory yet horrifying allegory for Post Partum Depression. I would say this was the second-best story of the collection. 5/5
The Crack in The Wall: 4/5
How Not to Get Rid of a Body: Probably the most humorous of the collection but the ending was a scenario that I don't think anyone would actually have happen to them. That said though, the setting of this one was wonderfully disgusting: 4/5
Caleb: This one was a banger that left me thinking one word. Why? This was a beautiful story with a beautiful message of how the universe rewards those for their hardship: 5/5.
If you are looking for horror with stellar writing. This collection has got it.
January 10, 2020
I keep hearing about Gemma Amor all over social media and have acquired a few of her books but since I review ARCs all the time, I never really got around to reading her work until I got this surprise copy in the mail (thank you Josh!).
I LOVE horror anthologies and have read quite a few. These horror stories are beautifully written and gripping and have excellent illustrations for each story. One fun thing I noticed is that you really don't know how these stories will end until you get there and that kept me reading as fast as I could. Not many writers have the ability to do this in short stories.
My favorite of this collection was Birthday Cake. It reminded me of "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and I just really enjoy killer birthday parties.
Gemma Amor is going places and writing a lot of books so you need to catch on now to keep up.
I LOVE horror anthologies and have read quite a few. These horror stories are beautifully written and gripping and have excellent illustrations for each story. One fun thing I noticed is that you really don't know how these stories will end until you get there and that kept me reading as fast as I could. Not many writers have the ability to do this in short stories.
My favorite of this collection was Birthday Cake. It reminded me of "We Need to Talk About Kevin" and I just really enjoy killer birthday parties.
Gemma Amor is going places and writing a lot of books so you need to catch on now to keep up.
February 27, 2022
Picked up "These Wounds We Make" immediately after reading Gemma's first collection "Cruel Works of Nature". Pleased to see the tone of voice continue. I am quite a fan of her style or writing and now quite look up to her as a successful short story horror author, especially in that she incorporates bits of her personal art to these projects as well.
I think I enjoyed the first anthology a little more simply on the bias that it was so focus on creature horrors, and I love that. "Rat Girl" or "The Strangler" are my favourites from this one. There were more instances of extra words that didn't get cut out in the editing in this collection (and extra "the" here and there) but that didn't deter from my enjoyment or pull me out of it because her style was already so immersive. 4.5/5 Stars! I'll be reading so much more from Gemma Amor in the near future!
I think I enjoyed the first anthology a little more simply on the bias that it was so focus on creature horrors, and I love that. "Rat Girl" or "The Strangler" are my favourites from this one. There were more instances of extra words that didn't get cut out in the editing in this collection (and extra "the" here and there) but that didn't deter from my enjoyment or pull me out of it because her style was already so immersive. 4.5/5 Stars! I'll be reading so much more from Gemma Amor in the near future!
August 13, 2021
This is the first book by Gemma Amor that I have read and I will definitely be reading more.
It's a collection of short stories, all horror themed but containing a diverse array of settings, periods and voices. I loved loved loved the opening 'shaggy dog story' even though I knew what was coming. GA's writing is clear, punchy, emotive and humorous in places.
The story about post natal depression I found particularly heartfelt having suffered terribly after both of my children were born. Thank you Gemma for speaking up and giving a name to the horrendous beast that visits during a time which we are told should be only rainbows and buttercups (it definitely isn't/wasn't).
Highly recommend this book to fans of horror and short stories.
It's a collection of short stories, all horror themed but containing a diverse array of settings, periods and voices. I loved loved loved the opening 'shaggy dog story' even though I knew what was coming. GA's writing is clear, punchy, emotive and humorous in places.
The story about post natal depression I found particularly heartfelt having suffered terribly after both of my children were born. Thank you Gemma for speaking up and giving a name to the horrendous beast that visits during a time which we are told should be only rainbows and buttercups (it definitely isn't/wasn't).
Highly recommend this book to fans of horror and short stories.
February 18, 2020
This collection of short stories covers some hard ground. The forward contains trigger warnings, including: rape, abuse, suicidal ideation, and postnatal depression. As bleak and dark as the some of the stories are, they are equally stunning.
My favorite story in this book was Justine, a tale of revenge that will take you on an emotional roller-coaster to hell and back. I also loved Caleb, a somber and beautiful story that takes place in WWII. Through her diary, a woman details the events in her life that lead her to believe her farm is cursed, including the arrival of a young boy named Caleb, who is a strange, silent refugee.
There's a few fun stories in this collection, too. I Am Ghost is the perfect Halloween story. My Best Friend has the best, most satisfying ending. Reading A Birthday Cake For Brian was a blast!
I also really loved the black and white illustrations accompanying each story.
Thank you for the review copy, Giles Press!
My favorite story in this book was Justine, a tale of revenge that will take you on an emotional roller-coaster to hell and back. I also loved Caleb, a somber and beautiful story that takes place in WWII. Through her diary, a woman details the events in her life that lead her to believe her farm is cursed, including the arrival of a young boy named Caleb, who is a strange, silent refugee.
There's a few fun stories in this collection, too. I Am Ghost is the perfect Halloween story. My Best Friend has the best, most satisfying ending. Reading A Birthday Cake For Brian was a blast!
I also really loved the black and white illustrations accompanying each story.
Thank you for the review copy, Giles Press!
March 12, 2025
A decent, if unremarkable collection of horror stories: 'Rat Girl' has the tang of urban legend, and 'The Crack in the Wall' is a decent bit of Lovecraftian horror, otherwise there's little in the way of prose style, almost nothing of innovation or surprise, too many told in unconfident first person, and a couple with over-egged endings when subtlety might have worked wonders.
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