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Ravens & Roses: A Women's Gothic Anthology
A woman haunted by guilt. A man obsessed with the obscene. A vampire consumed by love.
Ravens & Roses is a unique collection of Gothic stories penned by a diverse group of women authors. Pulling inspiration from some of the greatest Gothic works of our time, these writers have created eleven poignantly beautiful tales of love, tragedy, and the woman's experience.
Featuring stories written by Kristin Cleaveland, Judith Crow, Carla Eliot, A.L. Garcia, Tara Jazdzewski, Rebecca Jones-Howe, Liz M. Kamp, Catherine McCarthy, Olivia Claire Louise Newman, Alexa Rose, and Helen Whistberry. Also featuring poetry by The Dark Poet Society of Quill & Crow Publishing House.
Edited by Cassandra L. Thompson.
Ravens & Roses is a unique collection of Gothic stories penned by a diverse group of women authors. Pulling inspiration from some of the greatest Gothic works of our time, these writers have created eleven poignantly beautiful tales of love, tragedy, and the woman's experience.
Featuring stories written by Kristin Cleaveland, Judith Crow, Carla Eliot, A.L. Garcia, Tara Jazdzewski, Rebecca Jones-Howe, Liz M. Kamp, Catherine McCarthy, Olivia Claire Louise Newman, Alexa Rose, and Helen Whistberry. Also featuring poetry by The Dark Poet Society of Quill & Crow Publishing House.
Edited by Cassandra L. Thompson.
217 pages, Paperback
Published June 25, 2021
3 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Cassandra L. Thompson
28 books299 followersGothic horror lover Cassandra L. Thompson has been creating stories since she got her grubby little hands around a pen. When she is not busy managing a house full of feral children (human and canine) with her beloved husband, you can find her wandering around cemeteries, taking pictures of abandoned things, or in the library researching her latest obsession. She has a B.A. in History and an MLIS, but she ignores her degrees to focus on writing and running Quill & Crow Publishing House, both of which require copious amounts of coffee and Crows.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 2, 2022
This collection of short gothic tales is beyond words. Each story will keep you on the edge of your seat, begging for more!
The Vigilante Witch by Jazdzewski felt like a piece of a larger tale. It was such excellent story-telling and while I wish for more, the story was still complete, satisfying, and brilliant.
The story of Lolita was another that was hard for me to put down. I could not get enough of this excellent story by Garcia, and loved how she pulled me in with her writing.
I could quickly review each story, but I’ll just say, once again, that this anthology is won’t you don’t want to miss. It is a superb collection of gothic tales but some truly amazing women authors. Pick up a copy for yourself today!
The Vigilante Witch by Jazdzewski felt like a piece of a larger tale. It was such excellent story-telling and while I wish for more, the story was still complete, satisfying, and brilliant.
The story of Lolita was another that was hard for me to put down. I could not get enough of this excellent story by Garcia, and loved how she pulled me in with her writing.
I could quickly review each story, but I’ll just say, once again, that this anthology is won’t you don’t want to miss. It is a superb collection of gothic tales but some truly amazing women authors. Pick up a copy for yourself today!
September 3, 2021
This collection? It's delicious.
.
I love, and I mean LOVE good Gothic fiction. Nothing in the world is better in my opinion and this collection, though written recently by modern writers, hits all those glorious Gothic notes that make you shiver in pleasurable fear.
.
Eleven stories, all by female writers, are headed by eleven short bits of poetry. To be honest, I could have done without the poetry. I love poetry but these selections were not really my style. However, that hardly takes away from the dark beauty of the stories in this book.
.
Step back to the gritty streets of Dickensian London, stalk the dark with Victorian women behaving badly, and breathe in that sooty fog as this feast of Gothic decadence spreads before you.
All the stories are good. ALL OF THEM.
.
Read about the wrath of a woman scorned in Catherine McCarthy's 'The Wig Maker', squirm at the steamy horror of Rebecca Jones-Howe's 'The Fruits of Wartime', seek out vigilante justice in Jack the Ripper's stomping grounds in Tara Jazdzwewski's 'The Vigilante Witch of East End'.
.
A few stories pay homage to the classics, like Judith Crow's 'The Devil's Servant' and Olivia Claire Louise Newman's 'It Will Come' which focus on the the madness of Percy Shelley, and 'Vera' by Helen Whistberry which mashes up Burke and Hare with Dorian Gray.
.
Add in sea creatures, menacing magpies, vampires, and ghosts run amok in an old infirmary, and you've got a collection of Gothic romantic horror sure to make any lady loosen her corset.
.
I love, and I mean LOVE good Gothic fiction. Nothing in the world is better in my opinion and this collection, though written recently by modern writers, hits all those glorious Gothic notes that make you shiver in pleasurable fear.
.
Eleven stories, all by female writers, are headed by eleven short bits of poetry. To be honest, I could have done without the poetry. I love poetry but these selections were not really my style. However, that hardly takes away from the dark beauty of the stories in this book.
.
Step back to the gritty streets of Dickensian London, stalk the dark with Victorian women behaving badly, and breathe in that sooty fog as this feast of Gothic decadence spreads before you.
All the stories are good. ALL OF THEM.
.
Read about the wrath of a woman scorned in Catherine McCarthy's 'The Wig Maker', squirm at the steamy horror of Rebecca Jones-Howe's 'The Fruits of Wartime', seek out vigilante justice in Jack the Ripper's stomping grounds in Tara Jazdzwewski's 'The Vigilante Witch of East End'.
.
A few stories pay homage to the classics, like Judith Crow's 'The Devil's Servant' and Olivia Claire Louise Newman's 'It Will Come' which focus on the the madness of Percy Shelley, and 'Vera' by Helen Whistberry which mashes up Burke and Hare with Dorian Gray.
.
Add in sea creatures, menacing magpies, vampires, and ghosts run amok in an old infirmary, and you've got a collection of Gothic romantic horror sure to make any lady loosen her corset.
July 24, 2021
Ravens & Roses: A Gothic Women's Anthology is a new book out by Quill & Crow Publishing House and edited by Cassandra L. Thompson. This is the first book out by Quill & Crow Publishing House that I have read and reviewed, and I am overwhelmed by it.
When I review anthologies, there are always a few stories that do not feel strong enough to be included in that anthology. This is not the case with Ravens & Roses. Every story has been meticulously chosen by Ms. Thompson so that the book seems to flow better than most anthologies in my opinion.
A lot of writers throw the term gothic horror around loosely, but few get it right. The stories in this anthology are truly gothic horror. There are eleven stories in this anthology, along with poems interspersed among them. There are stories of ghostly hauntings, revenge, tragic love stories, and murder.
While I loved every story in the anthology, which has never happened before, I especially love the stories “Lolita” by A.L. Garcia and “The Vigilante Witch” by Tara Jazdzewski. I feel that these stories could have been full novels with more work.
All in all, this is one of my favorite anthologies that I have ever read, and I look forward to reading more work from Quill & Crow Publishing House.
5/5 Stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
When I review anthologies, there are always a few stories that do not feel strong enough to be included in that anthology. This is not the case with Ravens & Roses. Every story has been meticulously chosen by Ms. Thompson so that the book seems to flow better than most anthologies in my opinion.
A lot of writers throw the term gothic horror around loosely, but few get it right. The stories in this anthology are truly gothic horror. There are eleven stories in this anthology, along with poems interspersed among them. There are stories of ghostly hauntings, revenge, tragic love stories, and murder.
While I loved every story in the anthology, which has never happened before, I especially love the stories “Lolita” by A.L. Garcia and “The Vigilante Witch” by Tara Jazdzewski. I feel that these stories could have been full novels with more work.
All in all, this is one of my favorite anthologies that I have ever read, and I look forward to reading more work from Quill & Crow Publishing House.
5/5 Stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 10, 2021
An awesome collection....
In any collection of short stories there is usually some better than others. In this collection one would be hard pressed to make that distinction. All of the stories, and the poems in between, are outstanding.
If pressed to pick a favorite, it would be "The Devil's Servant" by Judith Crow. This does not many any of the others are not excellent.
This is a must read for any fan of Gothic fiction and sets a high standard for short story collections of all types.
Definitely worth five stars.
In any collection of short stories there is usually some better than others. In this collection one would be hard pressed to make that distinction. All of the stories, and the poems in between, are outstanding.
If pressed to pick a favorite, it would be "The Devil's Servant" by Judith Crow. This does not many any of the others are not excellent.
This is a must read for any fan of Gothic fiction and sets a high standard for short story collections of all types.
Definitely worth five stars.
June 25, 2021
What a wonderfully entertaining collection of gothic short stories. Each story is so unique and gripping! Loved, every, single, one. Highly recommend!
July 7, 2021
I love the overall feel of this collection - dark with women kicking ass. Some of the stories were incredibly spooky and some made me uncomfortable, there was even one that had a cute ending that I wasn’t expecting. I loved that each story had a different monster (human or otherwise) and that they all felt like I should be reading them under candlelight. The authors have such talent bringing their stories to life in just a few pages. I hope that some of them write a part two, or even longer versions. The collection is perfect for fall and I plan to reread my favorites then!
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks Quill and Crow Publishing House for the ebook!
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks Quill and Crow Publishing House for the ebook!
June 20, 2021
The aesthetics of Raven and Roses, is remarkable. The cover is fantastic and the fonts, typesetting and chapter additions are perfect. This is a beautifully crafted book that rivals any house, large or small.
Know that the beauty of this book is surpassed by the written words found within. Eleven talented writers. Forget they are woman for a moment, the writing is dark, brooding and professional. Stories that call out to you and stay with you well after. Now, women, talented and oh so dark. Women, their time is now. Please, do write more. Entertain us, scare us and scar memories with your lovely prose.
Of note - Daughter of Salt and Sea. The entry story is by author Cleaveland is a fancy romp in a wonderfully woven historical setting. Tightly written around a developed plot that I found to be character driven. Upon reading, I wished for a longer tale to draw more of the author’s world out. Great pacing, well written and a wonderful way to begin.
Of note, as well is - Lolita. A walk through darkness with a wicked bite and salsa flair. Author Garcia spins a brooding tale in a wondrous world of well developed characters and a richly developed descriptive voice. Quite enjoyed this ride along the Santa Blanca River.
As you read you can see I’m not much of a detailed specific reviewer, which is on purpose. No spoilers, just a spot of interest and an urging for you have a look at this fantastic collection.
Know that the beauty of this book is surpassed by the written words found within. Eleven talented writers. Forget they are woman for a moment, the writing is dark, brooding and professional. Stories that call out to you and stay with you well after. Now, women, talented and oh so dark. Women, their time is now. Please, do write more. Entertain us, scare us and scar memories with your lovely prose.
Of note - Daughter of Salt and Sea. The entry story is by author Cleaveland is a fancy romp in a wonderfully woven historical setting. Tightly written around a developed plot that I found to be character driven. Upon reading, I wished for a longer tale to draw more of the author’s world out. Great pacing, well written and a wonderful way to begin.
Of note, as well is - Lolita. A walk through darkness with a wicked bite and salsa flair. Author Garcia spins a brooding tale in a wondrous world of well developed characters and a richly developed descriptive voice. Quite enjoyed this ride along the Santa Blanca River.
As you read you can see I’m not much of a detailed specific reviewer, which is on purpose. No spoilers, just a spot of interest and an urging for you have a look at this fantastic collection.
August 21, 2021
It’s always a pleasure to read some new gothic fiction, a genre that I personally love and that is becoming a rare treat. Editor Cassandra L Thompson has assembled a solid collection of eleven stories, the majority of which are indeed fine examples of gothic fiction, whereas a few, in my opinion, can hardly be defined “ gothic”. But never mind labels. What is important of course,is the quality of the stories. Another feature of this volume is that all authors are women, whose contribution to dark fiction is becoming increasingly extensive.
Among the various stories included in the book I will mention my own favorites.
“The Wig Maker” by the always dependable Catherine McCarthy is an excellent story describing the terrible vengeance of a wronged wife on his unfaithful husband, while “ Vera” by Helen Whistberry is an enticing piece about a body snatcher unearthing the corpse of a lovely woman and falling in love with her.
The delicate “ Red Eyes” by Liz M Kamp portrays the friendship between two boys in the setting of a hospital where Red Eyes ( i.e. Death itself) lurks, waiting for its next prey.
To me the best story is perhaps “ The Devil’s Servant” by Judith Crow, a very sinister tale in the classic gothic tradition about a man obsessed with his sister’s death.
Other contributors are: Kristin Cleaveland, Olivia Claire Louise Newman, Rebecca Jones-Howe, Alexa Rose, Carla Eliot, AL Garcia, Tara Jazdzewski.
Among the various stories included in the book I will mention my own favorites.
“The Wig Maker” by the always dependable Catherine McCarthy is an excellent story describing the terrible vengeance of a wronged wife on his unfaithful husband, while “ Vera” by Helen Whistberry is an enticing piece about a body snatcher unearthing the corpse of a lovely woman and falling in love with her.
The delicate “ Red Eyes” by Liz M Kamp portrays the friendship between two boys in the setting of a hospital where Red Eyes ( i.e. Death itself) lurks, waiting for its next prey.
To me the best story is perhaps “ The Devil’s Servant” by Judith Crow, a very sinister tale in the classic gothic tradition about a man obsessed with his sister’s death.
Other contributors are: Kristin Cleaveland, Olivia Claire Louise Newman, Rebecca Jones-Howe, Alexa Rose, Carla Eliot, AL Garcia, Tara Jazdzewski.
December 11, 2021
As a sister companion of sorts to Anomalies and Curiosities, the introduction to Ravens & Roses gives an insight to how this anthology came to be.
With their first anthology, A&C, they had gathered several submissions that were great but not in fitting with the themes and tone of it. And so they collected those stories rather than discarding them, and created Raves & Roses: A Woman's Gothic Anthology.
With that in mind, its easy to see Ravens & Roses as a sequel anthology. Many of the stories have a similar idea to A&C, focused and centering around medical mysteries. And yet, they hold their own. The stories seem sometimes darker, sometimes shifting fully in tone from one story to the next. Never outshining the one before it, but rather giving the next person in line a chance to tell their tale. In a way it feels as though a campfire story, each new author giving a new perspective and new way to lure the reader into the ambiance of their gothic nature.
Differing in another way is that Ravens & Roses now includes interludes between stories in the form of poems.
Much like in Crow Calls, they vary in style and length, but add rather than take away from the anthology.
It goes without saying that Quill & Crow is quickly becoming a favorite publication of mine and look forward to what they put out.
With their first anthology, A&C, they had gathered several submissions that were great but not in fitting with the themes and tone of it. And so they collected those stories rather than discarding them, and created Raves & Roses: A Woman's Gothic Anthology.
With that in mind, its easy to see Ravens & Roses as a sequel anthology. Many of the stories have a similar idea to A&C, focused and centering around medical mysteries. And yet, they hold their own. The stories seem sometimes darker, sometimes shifting fully in tone from one story to the next. Never outshining the one before it, but rather giving the next person in line a chance to tell their tale. In a way it feels as though a campfire story, each new author giving a new perspective and new way to lure the reader into the ambiance of their gothic nature.
Differing in another way is that Ravens & Roses now includes interludes between stories in the form of poems.
Much like in Crow Calls, they vary in style and length, but add rather than take away from the anthology.
It goes without saying that Quill & Crow is quickly becoming a favorite publication of mine and look forward to what they put out.
July 4, 2021
I received an e-Galley ARC of Ravens and Roses: A Women’s Gothic Anthology, edited by Cassandra L. Thompson, from the Quill and Crow Publishing House and BookSirens, for review consideration. Cover design by Liliana Marie Creative, cover art by Lauren Hellekson, interior formatting by Marie Casey. What follows below is my honest review, freely given.
I rated this anthology 4 stars. Each story is headed by a poem, written by one of the poetesses of the Dark Poet Society. I will have the poetess listed before each story, but some of the poems are only a few lines, so I will leave the details of those for the gentle reader to discover when reading this title themselves.
Poetess: Danielle Edwards
DAUGHTER OF SALT AND SEA by Kristin Cleaveland
Glorious opening for this anthology! Reminiscent of Ruthanna Emrys books, taking Lovecraftian creatures and making them just more than terrible things to fear and destroy. A favorite.
Poetess: Melanie Whitlock
THE DEVIL’S SERVANT by Judith Crow
Super fans have been around since forever, at least since gladiators for sure (bottled sweat anyone?), so I can fully understand if not respect his commitment to a complete collection. O’Connell is still a mystery to me, a separate entity from the other supernatural aspects of this story; I do not believe they are connected, even if they share proximity.
Poetess: JayLynn Watkins
THE WIG MAKER by Catherine McCarthy
This checked my historical fiction box and you get what you get and you don’t get upset box, the latter a family motto but I think it works here well. Obviously I mean Jonathan, because Alice can do whatever she wants, and she did. Proud of her.
Poetess: Ayshen Willow
IT WILL COME by Olivia Claire Louise Newman
I enjoyed this story, but in some ways I feel like it is two tales winding around each other; one is longer and the other shorter. When you focus on the shorter, which is imo the more tragic one, the longer one feels like fever dream, created to keep you from experiencing the loss so suddenly. Another favorite.
Poetess: Sheena Shah
THE FRUITS OF WARTIME by Rebecca Jones-Howe
This is a harsh read, one that curdles your guts. If Jacqueline had been quicker, she would have been long gone. Even though her intentions were similar, I still feel sorry for her.
Poetess: Ginger Lee
VERA by Helen Whistberry
I wonder what reality was around Martin, if it matched what the reader saw through his eyes, or if it was something hinted at by the painting changing when Martin would look away and then back to it? I feel that the neighbors’ attention has to mean that there was something off.
Poetess: K. R. Wieland
LUCIA AND TATIANA by Alexa Rose
With such a quick snapshot the author was able to give us glimpse of rich vampire lore, and I found it arresting and emotional.
Poetess: Erin Quill
DEATH CRY OF THE MAGPIE by Carla Eliot
The most unsettling in the anthology, dark corners are not my friend atm. The less said the better, just experience it yourself, no spoilers. Love this one. Obviously (I hope) another favorite!
Poetess: A. L. Garcia
LOLITA by A. L. Garcia
This read like a tragic origin story, one that you would tell over a fire. I couldn’t help but feel like she was failed by the people around her.
Poetess: Marie Casey
RED EYES by Liz M. Kamp
This one hits right in the feels. I am firmly in the camp that death is a friend, so this story ultimately gets all the hearts.
Poetess: Fizzy Twizler
THE VIGILANTE WITCH by Tara Jazdzewski
Really enjoyed this alternate history fantasy tale, it’s on a subject that will never fade from peoples interest.
I rated this anthology 4 stars. Each story is headed by a poem, written by one of the poetesses of the Dark Poet Society. I will have the poetess listed before each story, but some of the poems are only a few lines, so I will leave the details of those for the gentle reader to discover when reading this title themselves.
Poetess: Danielle Edwards
DAUGHTER OF SALT AND SEA by Kristin Cleaveland
Glorious opening for this anthology! Reminiscent of Ruthanna Emrys books, taking Lovecraftian creatures and making them just more than terrible things to fear and destroy. A favorite.
Poetess: Melanie Whitlock
THE DEVIL’S SERVANT by Judith Crow
Super fans have been around since forever, at least since gladiators for sure (bottled sweat anyone?), so I can fully understand if not respect his commitment to a complete collection. O’Connell is still a mystery to me, a separate entity from the other supernatural aspects of this story; I do not believe they are connected, even if they share proximity.
Poetess: JayLynn Watkins
THE WIG MAKER by Catherine McCarthy
This checked my historical fiction box and you get what you get and you don’t get upset box, the latter a family motto but I think it works here well. Obviously I mean Jonathan, because Alice can do whatever she wants, and she did. Proud of her.
Poetess: Ayshen Willow
IT WILL COME by Olivia Claire Louise Newman
I enjoyed this story, but in some ways I feel like it is two tales winding around each other; one is longer and the other shorter. When you focus on the shorter, which is imo the more tragic one, the longer one feels like fever dream, created to keep you from experiencing the loss so suddenly. Another favorite.
Poetess: Sheena Shah
THE FRUITS OF WARTIME by Rebecca Jones-Howe
This is a harsh read, one that curdles your guts. If Jacqueline had been quicker, she would have been long gone. Even though her intentions were similar, I still feel sorry for her.
Poetess: Ginger Lee
VERA by Helen Whistberry
I wonder what reality was around Martin, if it matched what the reader saw through his eyes, or if it was something hinted at by the painting changing when Martin would look away and then back to it? I feel that the neighbors’ attention has to mean that there was something off.
Poetess: K. R. Wieland
LUCIA AND TATIANA by Alexa Rose
With such a quick snapshot the author was able to give us glimpse of rich vampire lore, and I found it arresting and emotional.
Poetess: Erin Quill
DEATH CRY OF THE MAGPIE by Carla Eliot
The most unsettling in the anthology, dark corners are not my friend atm. The less said the better, just experience it yourself, no spoilers. Love this one. Obviously (I hope) another favorite!
Poetess: A. L. Garcia
LOLITA by A. L. Garcia
This read like a tragic origin story, one that you would tell over a fire. I couldn’t help but feel like she was failed by the people around her.
Poetess: Marie Casey
RED EYES by Liz M. Kamp
This one hits right in the feels. I am firmly in the camp that death is a friend, so this story ultimately gets all the hearts.
Poetess: Fizzy Twizler
THE VIGILANTE WITCH by Tara Jazdzewski
Really enjoyed this alternate history fantasy tale, it’s on a subject that will never fade from peoples interest.
July 13, 2021
A brilliantly written compilation of gothic stories. I also really love the fact that they were all written by women. I simply could not put it down. *Disclaimer*
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 10, 2021
A gorgeous, haunting collection! Ravens & Roses truly is Gothic fiction at its finest, with each story bringing its own unique vibe to the table.
I loved all the stories in this anthology, but my personal favourite is Daughter of Salt and Sea Kristen Cleaveland. The starting sentence drew me in immediately, I just had to know where this led and how it ended!
I adored reading Ravens & Roses, highly recommend!
I loved all the stories in this anthology, but my personal favourite is Daughter of Salt and Sea Kristen Cleaveland. The starting sentence drew me in immediately, I just had to know where this led and how it ended!
I adored reading Ravens & Roses, highly recommend!
July 10, 2021
What a fantastic collection of stories! I was privileged to receive an advanced reader copy, but I purchased a retail copy for my best friend because I loved it! My favorite stories were Lucia and Titania, Lolita, and The Vigilante Witch, but the entire collection was fabulous!
June 25, 2021
A truly hauntingly beautiful collection of short stories. Grave robbers, ghosts, vampires, revenge, and with just the right amount of psychological horror.
This is gothic fiction as it's meant to be written.
This is gothic fiction as it's meant to be written.
November 11, 2025
ravens & roses
such an amazing gathering of eleven gothic tales, this one features stories written by women authors only
my top 3 favorites are:
❥ the devils servant - judith crow
❥ the wig maker - catherine mccarthy
❥ vera - helen whistberry
i would really like longer versions of those 3 tales !!
vera, a man digging up a womans corpse & falling in love with her is a romance story i’ll love to read more of
in this anthology you get grave robbers, vampires, witches, spirits, you name it
every author contributed intense rawness & volume with classic vengeance on a woman’s tragic experience. they lured me into the ambiance of their gothic fictional stories in only a few short pages
i look forward to reading more collective & crafted work from quill & crow publishing house !!
i have to say the beauty & elegance of poems written by the dark poet society in between each chapter were truly euphoric, i’ll add two here
“come forth her dark power
hiding amongst the macabre
her ghastly treasures of torment
silk of a ravens wing
black petals on a rose
and the sting of its thorn
concoction combined
the swirl of smoke and blood
reflecting in her eyes
deathly rise of the goddess
bring the world to its knees.”
- sophie brookes
─── ⋆⋅ ❥ ⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅ ❥ ⋅⋆ ───
“like the weeping willow,
long, contorted limbs stroke the earth
of verdant fields
under storm-kissed silver skies
howl like the wolves at bay
beseech the moon above
to forgive your many decadent sins
ones of spectral pleasure
and sinister, impalpable love
be still, oh bleeding heart
lest you drown the foliage
in sanguine tears of blood.”
- weeping willow - ayshen irfan
such an amazing gathering of eleven gothic tales, this one features stories written by women authors only
my top 3 favorites are:
❥ the devils servant - judith crow
❥ the wig maker - catherine mccarthy
❥ vera - helen whistberry
i would really like longer versions of those 3 tales !!
vera, a man digging up a womans corpse & falling in love with her is a romance story i’ll love to read more of
in this anthology you get grave robbers, vampires, witches, spirits, you name it
every author contributed intense rawness & volume with classic vengeance on a woman’s tragic experience. they lured me into the ambiance of their gothic fictional stories in only a few short pages
i look forward to reading more collective & crafted work from quill & crow publishing house !!
i have to say the beauty & elegance of poems written by the dark poet society in between each chapter were truly euphoric, i’ll add two here
“come forth her dark power
hiding amongst the macabre
her ghastly treasures of torment
silk of a ravens wing
black petals on a rose
and the sting of its thorn
concoction combined
the swirl of smoke and blood
reflecting in her eyes
deathly rise of the goddess
bring the world to its knees.”
- sophie brookes
─── ⋆⋅ ❥ ⋅⋆ ──── ⋆⋅ ❥ ⋅⋆ ───
“like the weeping willow,
long, contorted limbs stroke the earth
of verdant fields
under storm-kissed silver skies
howl like the wolves at bay
beseech the moon above
to forgive your many decadent sins
ones of spectral pleasure
and sinister, impalpable love
be still, oh bleeding heart
lest you drown the foliage
in sanguine tears of blood.”
- weeping willow - ayshen irfan
July 13, 2021
ARC from.Crow publisher. Meant to post last night. It was good. I love ARCS. 💘
December 9, 2022
This is a breathtaking collection of short stories and poems that kept drawing me in and in, further along as I read. Each story gave a succinct piece of what felt like a much larger world, and left me hungry for more.
I would be very hard pressed to pick any as my favorite, and not a single one of them dragged along at all. Excellent collection!
I would be very hard pressed to pick any as my favorite, and not a single one of them dragged along at all. Excellent collection!
January 15, 2023
Hmm... odd would be the best way to describe this anthology. As of today, its been on my TBR for two years, and I had some Xmas gift cards to burn, so I figured why not? To be fair, there are only three stories I found too tedious to enjoy and all the others were interesting, if not enjoyable in their own macabre way. Quick, combo Q, though: the back blurb boasts of these stories "pulling inspiration from some of the greatest Gothic works of our time", so my question is... what stories/pieces are retelling adjacent/which ones are retellings? Would've liked seeing that bit prefacing each story (some I can see, but most... blind as a bat). Anyways... here's the coveted list (whoever you are):
*"Daughter of Salt & Sea"-Kristin Cleaveland
*"The Wig Maker"-Catherine McCarthy
*"It Will Come"-Oliva Claire Louise Newman
*"The Fruits of Wartime"-Rebecca Jones-Howe
*"Vera"-Helen Whistberry
*"Death Cry of the Magpie"-Carla Eliot
*"Lolita"-A.L. Garcia
*"Daughter of Salt & Sea"-Kristin Cleaveland
*"The Wig Maker"-Catherine McCarthy
*"It Will Come"-Oliva Claire Louise Newman
*"The Fruits of Wartime"-Rebecca Jones-Howe
*"Vera"-Helen Whistberry
*"Death Cry of the Magpie"-Carla Eliot
*"Lolita"-A.L. Garcia
February 17, 2025
Eloquent dark tales.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews