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Don't Break the Oath: Women of Horror Anthology, Volume 4
The circle of women is meeting again for the fourth time. Twenty-three authors from around the world have joined together to tell their stories of pacts with the devil, blood sacrifice, demonic encounters, torment and obsession. Horrors of the body, mind, and soul. Don't break the chain of hands as we speak our Dark Oath.
With foreword by Meghan Arcuri (Bram Stoker Award Nominee, Vice President Horror Writers Association), edited by Jill Girardi and Janine Pipe.
With foreword by Meghan Arcuri (Bram Stoker Award Nominee, Vice President Horror Writers Association), edited by Jill Girardi and Janine Pipe.
- GenresHorror
269 pages, Paperback
Published October 31, 2021
9 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Jill Girardi
30 books94 followersJill Girardi is the internationally best-selling, award-nominated author of Hantu Macabre and the founder of Kandisha Press, a company dedicated to women horror authors from around the world. She loves writing darkly humorous creature features and still believes in twist endings. Find her on Instagram or Twitter @jill_girardi
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 3, 2021
I was given a copy of this for free in exchange for an honest review.
This was honestly one of the best anthologies I’ve ever read every story was different and every story was truly interesting. I found a lot of new authors from this collection. I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the women in horror anthologies.
This was honestly one of the best anthologies I’ve ever read every story was different and every story was truly interesting. I found a lot of new authors from this collection. I definitely want to go back and read the rest of the women in horror anthologies.
December 1, 2021
I enjoyed this a great deal. There were some familiar names in this anthology and some brand new ones. I enjoyed every single tale because they were crafted so very well and were utterly unique. This is an excellent book and great horror you do not want to miss out on.
I took my time reading this because it became my little nightly treat. A big cup of tea and a great horror story. Bliss
I took my time reading this because it became my little nightly treat. A big cup of tea and a great horror story. Bliss
March 5, 2022
DON’T BREAK THE OATH WOMEN OF HORROR ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 4 – Highly Recommend!
‘Twenty-three authors from around the world have joined together to tell their stories of pacts with the devil, blood sacrifice, demonic encounters, torment and obsession. Horrors of the body, mind, and soul. Don't break the chain of hands as we speak our Dark Oath.’
The following are my favorites, my immediate thought after reading each, and a snippet I hope will entice you:
‘What The Sea Gives’ – by K.P. Kulski – Love It!
‘I do my best to push the memories of my life before the island away. My world before here breathes in perpetual gray. The memory of color would be maddening if I allowed it space in my thoughts.’
‘Black-Eyed Susan’ – by Ariel Dodson – My Heart!
‘She drank it to forget, of course; as if it were possible to forget something like that. As though it were possible to wipe her away, as though she had never been.’
Susan.
‘The Silver Horn’ – by Alyson Faye – Creepy Good!
‘The planned buddy’s camping trip had not gone to plan. Not from the moment Jay’s car had broken down on the deserted stretch of unclassified road curving around the tops of the moor…’
‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’ – by Caryn Larrinaga – Hehehe, I’m not gonna lie, this one gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.
‘“Go away, Nathan.” Jessie’s thin fingers curl around the edge of her front door as she blocks the narrow opening with her body…“I told you. We’re through.”’
‘I’m standing on her stupid “Wipe Your Paws” welcome mat and gripping her doorframe with both hands, partly to stop myself from swaying but mostly to give myself something to squeeze that isn’t her throat.’
‘Shoot Your Shot’ – by Charlotte Platt – Creepy Good!
‘“I’m not afraid to die,” he said, blinking sweat out of his eyes…Athletic, he’d shaped his body through hard work and venom. Smelled like he’d had years to marinate in his own hate and righteousness, letting it slowly boil up.’
‘The Groom Of Lorelei’ – by Holley Cornetto
‘As the years passed, Liam found himself dreaming more and more often of the maiden of the rock. Some nights she sat staring out to sea, as if she saw more than the turquoise waves pressing in around her. Other nights she sang, and the sea stilled to listen to her melancholy song.
‘The Coachman’s Cottage’ – by Anna Taborska – Creepy Good!
The vast guesthouse that had been hired on account of the matriarch’s upcoming birthday had enough bedrooms to house all of them bar one…[T]he prospect of not being woken by hordes of screaming brats at the crack of dawn rather appealed to him. But how welcome the screaming brats would have been now.’
‘Capable Of Loving’ – by Sonora Taylor – That Was Good!
‘The set had to look exactly like it did on television, or else the children would sense that something was amiss, and they wouldn’t trust their meeting. It was important that the children never lost their trust in Desmond. For many of them, Desmond was the only person they thought they could trust.’
‘Perfect Girlfriend’ – by Angela Yuriko Smith – That Was Good!
‘I have no knowledge of how I came to be standing on a corner next to a row of low budget Scroo-Boos in the rain. I only know that I am here with an activated directive and the wet weather is counter-productive. I don’t mind. I am impervious up to -50° Celsius and waterproof to a depth of 552 feet. But my target consumer isn’t.’
‘Misneach’ – by Roxie Voorhees – That. Was. Awesome!
’If I could bring him back to life, I’d f*ucking kill him.I adjust the blanket, and the glowing pain of heartbreak grows in my chest. Once again, I’m hit with the stark realization that he is gone for good.’
‘The Kinda True Story Of Bloody Mary’ – by Tracy Cross – A Blast From The Past - Love It!
‘Taneisha sat in the taxicab, angry her mother had planned her Halloween night. She was finally invited to the double feature at the drive-in by one of the hottest jocks in school…Now, while her friends and the hot jock sat at the drive-in watching Friday the 13th and He Knows You’re Alone, she would be babysitting.’
‘Close To You’ – by Cassie Daley – That Ending, My Heart!
‘Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the scent of lavender and rosemary from the bushes planted just below the window, the combination of pine and floral scents an intoxicating blend that would always remind her of this place and these mornings. They’d been her wife’s idea shortly after buying the house, a small personal touch that Nora didn’t realize would end up impacting her so much later on. So much of being with Sam was like that; small things turned into bigger, better ones along the line.’
‘Agreement’ – by Sheela Kean – That Was Good, Love The Ending!
‘Joey couldn’t believe his luck. It had been ten years since his father died. That meant ten years of entering his name into the state elk hunt drawing and coming up empty-handed. Until now.
‘Lady Killer’ – by Melissa Ashley Hernandez – Love This!
‘About fifteen minutes later, John was highlighting a route on a paper map he found in the glove box, scarfing down an old granola bar he’d scrounged from his briefcase, and swearing he would only fly commercial for the rest of his life. With a new understanding of the road, and his belly somewhat sated, he turned the key to start the truck again, only to be met with a gut-wrenching grinding sound.’
‘Subscribe For More!’ – by Jessica Burgess – Hey now, I feel attacked! ;) It was my Mom spiel, too, back in the good ol’ days. Creepy Good - Love This One!
‘‘I was your typical teenager, always with a phone glued to my face, countless hours spent lost in a rabbit hole of God knows what. I’d roll my eyes anytime my dad made those ‘back in my day remarks.’ The ones about the good ol’ days. ‘We didn't have cell phones and computers, back in my day we communicated like everyone should—face to face, having real conversations…Meeting up with your friends on a Friday night and hanging out was never ‘virtual’. More eye rolls in three...two...one. Blah, blah, blah, the usual dad spiel.’’
‘The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue’ – by C.C. Winchester – That Was Good!
‘“Jehenne de Brigue, you stand before this court accused of witchcraft. How do you plead?" Tapestries decorated the stone walls of the large, cold room. A group of men sat up high against one wall, garbed in the colorful robes of religious leaders. A man in a plain black robe sat at the center of a small stone desk below them...He approached the woman who stood before them, her hands bound by rope. The man spoke to her. "What say you, madam?"’
‘Seeds’ – by Marie McWilliams – Dark And All Kinds Of Creepy, Love!
‘Plant a seed and something grows. That's what my grandfather always taught me.’
‘Fluid’ – by R.A. Busby – That Was Good!
‘One evening browsing YouTube to find new Photoshop techniques (“High-End Skin Retouching! Click the red button to subscribe!”) I fell into an Internet rabbit hole and ended up on this video.’
Thank you, Janine Pipe and Kandisha Press, for providing me with an eBook of DON’T BREAK THE OATH WOMEN OF HORROR ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 4 at the request of an honest review. #WIHM
‘Twenty-three authors from around the world have joined together to tell their stories of pacts with the devil, blood sacrifice, demonic encounters, torment and obsession. Horrors of the body, mind, and soul. Don't break the chain of hands as we speak our Dark Oath.’
The following are my favorites, my immediate thought after reading each, and a snippet I hope will entice you:
‘What The Sea Gives’ – by K.P. Kulski – Love It!
‘I do my best to push the memories of my life before the island away. My world before here breathes in perpetual gray. The memory of color would be maddening if I allowed it space in my thoughts.’
‘Black-Eyed Susan’ – by Ariel Dodson – My Heart!
‘She drank it to forget, of course; as if it were possible to forget something like that. As though it were possible to wipe her away, as though she had never been.’
Susan.
‘The Silver Horn’ – by Alyson Faye – Creepy Good!
‘The planned buddy’s camping trip had not gone to plan. Not from the moment Jay’s car had broken down on the deserted stretch of unclassified road curving around the tops of the moor…’
‘Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’ – by Caryn Larrinaga – Hehehe, I’m not gonna lie, this one gave me a warm fuzzy feeling.
‘“Go away, Nathan.” Jessie’s thin fingers curl around the edge of her front door as she blocks the narrow opening with her body…“I told you. We’re through.”’
‘I’m standing on her stupid “Wipe Your Paws” welcome mat and gripping her doorframe with both hands, partly to stop myself from swaying but mostly to give myself something to squeeze that isn’t her throat.’
‘Shoot Your Shot’ – by Charlotte Platt – Creepy Good!
‘“I’m not afraid to die,” he said, blinking sweat out of his eyes…Athletic, he’d shaped his body through hard work and venom. Smelled like he’d had years to marinate in his own hate and righteousness, letting it slowly boil up.’
‘The Groom Of Lorelei’ – by Holley Cornetto
‘As the years passed, Liam found himself dreaming more and more often of the maiden of the rock. Some nights she sat staring out to sea, as if she saw more than the turquoise waves pressing in around her. Other nights she sang, and the sea stilled to listen to her melancholy song.
‘The Coachman’s Cottage’ – by Anna Taborska – Creepy Good!
The vast guesthouse that had been hired on account of the matriarch’s upcoming birthday had enough bedrooms to house all of them bar one…[T]he prospect of not being woken by hordes of screaming brats at the crack of dawn rather appealed to him. But how welcome the screaming brats would have been now.’
‘Capable Of Loving’ – by Sonora Taylor – That Was Good!
‘The set had to look exactly like it did on television, or else the children would sense that something was amiss, and they wouldn’t trust their meeting. It was important that the children never lost their trust in Desmond. For many of them, Desmond was the only person they thought they could trust.’
‘Perfect Girlfriend’ – by Angela Yuriko Smith – That Was Good!
‘I have no knowledge of how I came to be standing on a corner next to a row of low budget Scroo-Boos in the rain. I only know that I am here with an activated directive and the wet weather is counter-productive. I don’t mind. I am impervious up to -50° Celsius and waterproof to a depth of 552 feet. But my target consumer isn’t.’
‘Misneach’ – by Roxie Voorhees – That. Was. Awesome!
’If I could bring him back to life, I’d f*ucking kill him.I adjust the blanket, and the glowing pain of heartbreak grows in my chest. Once again, I’m hit with the stark realization that he is gone for good.’
‘The Kinda True Story Of Bloody Mary’ – by Tracy Cross – A Blast From The Past - Love It!
‘Taneisha sat in the taxicab, angry her mother had planned her Halloween night. She was finally invited to the double feature at the drive-in by one of the hottest jocks in school…Now, while her friends and the hot jock sat at the drive-in watching Friday the 13th and He Knows You’re Alone, she would be babysitting.’
‘Close To You’ – by Cassie Daley – That Ending, My Heart!
‘Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the scent of lavender and rosemary from the bushes planted just below the window, the combination of pine and floral scents an intoxicating blend that would always remind her of this place and these mornings. They’d been her wife’s idea shortly after buying the house, a small personal touch that Nora didn’t realize would end up impacting her so much later on. So much of being with Sam was like that; small things turned into bigger, better ones along the line.’
‘Agreement’ – by Sheela Kean – That Was Good, Love The Ending!
‘Joey couldn’t believe his luck. It had been ten years since his father died. That meant ten years of entering his name into the state elk hunt drawing and coming up empty-handed. Until now.
‘Lady Killer’ – by Melissa Ashley Hernandez – Love This!
‘About fifteen minutes later, John was highlighting a route on a paper map he found in the glove box, scarfing down an old granola bar he’d scrounged from his briefcase, and swearing he would only fly commercial for the rest of his life. With a new understanding of the road, and his belly somewhat sated, he turned the key to start the truck again, only to be met with a gut-wrenching grinding sound.’
‘Subscribe For More!’ – by Jessica Burgess – Hey now, I feel attacked! ;) It was my Mom spiel, too, back in the good ol’ days. Creepy Good - Love This One!
‘‘I was your typical teenager, always with a phone glued to my face, countless hours spent lost in a rabbit hole of God knows what. I’d roll my eyes anytime my dad made those ‘back in my day remarks.’ The ones about the good ol’ days. ‘We didn't have cell phones and computers, back in my day we communicated like everyone should—face to face, having real conversations…Meeting up with your friends on a Friday night and hanging out was never ‘virtual’. More eye rolls in three...two...one. Blah, blah, blah, the usual dad spiel.’’
‘The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue’ – by C.C. Winchester – That Was Good!
‘“Jehenne de Brigue, you stand before this court accused of witchcraft. How do you plead?" Tapestries decorated the stone walls of the large, cold room. A group of men sat up high against one wall, garbed in the colorful robes of religious leaders. A man in a plain black robe sat at the center of a small stone desk below them...He approached the woman who stood before them, her hands bound by rope. The man spoke to her. "What say you, madam?"’
‘Seeds’ – by Marie McWilliams – Dark And All Kinds Of Creepy, Love!
‘Plant a seed and something grows. That's what my grandfather always taught me.’
‘Fluid’ – by R.A. Busby – That Was Good!
‘One evening browsing YouTube to find new Photoshop techniques (“High-End Skin Retouching! Click the red button to subscribe!”) I fell into an Internet rabbit hole and ended up on this video.’
Thank you, Janine Pipe and Kandisha Press, for providing me with an eBook of DON’T BREAK THE OATH WOMEN OF HORROR ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 4 at the request of an honest review. #WIHM
October 20, 2022
The fourth collection of the Women of Horror anthologies, Quite a few new names for me as well as some that I've read work by before
What The Sea Gives - K.P Kulski - Lost on an island waiting for the sea to bring her back her daughter. I liked the prose style, but this one wasn't for me 3/5
Black Eyed Susan - Ariel Dodson - An author grieves for her daughter, until the night she comes back. 4/5
The Silver Horn - Alyson Faye - Breaking down on the yorkshire moor leads to a tense cat and mouse chase with a monster 4/5
Breaking Up Is hard To Do - Caryn Larrinaga - An ex-boyfriend finds out how protective his girlfriends cat can be 4/5
Shoot Your Shot - Charlotte Platt - Incel shoots up a library, may have made a terrible mistake 4/5
Follow you into The Dark - Jennifer Soucy - A man goes to hell to rescue his true love. This was awesome and incredibly dark 5/5
The Groom Of Lorelei - Holley Cornetto - A man dreams of a strange figure at sea 3/5
The Coachman's Cottage - Anna Taborska - A dreadful past comes back to haunt a guest at a family celebration 4/5
Capable of Loving - Sonora Taylor - A puppeteer and an odd girl meet and have a conversation, years later it comes back to haunt him. Super dark psychological horror 5/5
Little Pig - Lydia Prime - Strange occurrences plague a woman and her cat 3/5
Perfect Girlfriend - Angela Yuriko Smith - A pleasure robot reprogrammed to con people rebels against its master 5/5
Misneach - Roxie Vorhees - What would a mother do to protect her child 4/5
The Kinda True Story of Bloody Mary - Tracy Cross - A group of children on a sleepover tell spooky stories, with unexpected results 4/5
Close to You - Cassie Daley - A happy couple, breakfast, weirdness. A strangely sweet story with a beautiful ending 5/5
Sharp Spaces - Samantha Ortiz - two teenage girls go on a date with tragic consequences 5/5
An Agreement - Sheela Kean - A man hunting Elk gets on the wrong side of an agreement his sister has with what dwells in the forest 3/5
Four Corners - Kirby Kellogg - A new employee at a remote petrol station demands to see the reclusive manager 4/5
Lady Killer - Melissa Ashley Hernandez - A broken down car and a mysterious rest stop 4/5
Subscribe for More - Jessica Burgess - a new laptop, a budding writer and a new website all collide in a horrific manner 5/5
The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue - CC Winchester - the Trial of a witch with a nice little twist 3/5
Seeds - Marie McWilliams - Sent to live in a home, a boy become obsessed with the woods surrounding it, the woods that hold a terrible secret 4/5
Soul Grinder - Cecilia Kennedy - An annual county fair where people might be being fed to a tractor. I'd probably pick this one as my favourite from the book 5/5
Fluid - R. A. Busby - Photoshop, but in real life. All the body horror 4/5/
A good solid collection
What The Sea Gives - K.P Kulski - Lost on an island waiting for the sea to bring her back her daughter. I liked the prose style, but this one wasn't for me 3/5
Black Eyed Susan - Ariel Dodson - An author grieves for her daughter, until the night she comes back. 4/5
The Silver Horn - Alyson Faye - Breaking down on the yorkshire moor leads to a tense cat and mouse chase with a monster 4/5
Breaking Up Is hard To Do - Caryn Larrinaga - An ex-boyfriend finds out how protective his girlfriends cat can be 4/5
Shoot Your Shot - Charlotte Platt - Incel shoots up a library, may have made a terrible mistake 4/5
Follow you into The Dark - Jennifer Soucy - A man goes to hell to rescue his true love. This was awesome and incredibly dark 5/5
The Groom Of Lorelei - Holley Cornetto - A man dreams of a strange figure at sea 3/5
The Coachman's Cottage - Anna Taborska - A dreadful past comes back to haunt a guest at a family celebration 4/5
Capable of Loving - Sonora Taylor - A puppeteer and an odd girl meet and have a conversation, years later it comes back to haunt him. Super dark psychological horror 5/5
Little Pig - Lydia Prime - Strange occurrences plague a woman and her cat 3/5
Perfect Girlfriend - Angela Yuriko Smith - A pleasure robot reprogrammed to con people rebels against its master 5/5
Misneach - Roxie Vorhees - What would a mother do to protect her child 4/5
The Kinda True Story of Bloody Mary - Tracy Cross - A group of children on a sleepover tell spooky stories, with unexpected results 4/5
Close to You - Cassie Daley - A happy couple, breakfast, weirdness. A strangely sweet story with a beautiful ending 5/5
Sharp Spaces - Samantha Ortiz - two teenage girls go on a date with tragic consequences 5/5
An Agreement - Sheela Kean - A man hunting Elk gets on the wrong side of an agreement his sister has with what dwells in the forest 3/5
Four Corners - Kirby Kellogg - A new employee at a remote petrol station demands to see the reclusive manager 4/5
Lady Killer - Melissa Ashley Hernandez - A broken down car and a mysterious rest stop 4/5
Subscribe for More - Jessica Burgess - a new laptop, a budding writer and a new website all collide in a horrific manner 5/5
The Trial of Jehenne de Brigue - CC Winchester - the Trial of a witch with a nice little twist 3/5
Seeds - Marie McWilliams - Sent to live in a home, a boy become obsessed with the woods surrounding it, the woods that hold a terrible secret 4/5
Soul Grinder - Cecilia Kennedy - An annual county fair where people might be being fed to a tractor. I'd probably pick this one as my favourite from the book 5/5
Fluid - R. A. Busby - Photoshop, but in real life. All the body horror 4/5/
A good solid collection
November 5, 2021
Still reading, but the quality of horror here deserves 5 stars before I'm done. Literary pieces, bold themes, exceptional crafting.
December 10, 2021
I received this book from the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
I was totally hyped when I was offered a review copy for this book! I still need to read Volumes 2 and 3, but I really enjoyed 1 so I was excited to read more horror stuff~
Like any anthology this was a collection with good stories, an epic story (Bloody Mary YAS), and some stories I just didn’t like. I even DNF one because the topic + how gross it was the first pages. At the moment my mental health isn’t too good so reading about body image just didn’t work out for me. Some of the stories could be more expanded and get a better ending because it just felt a bit abrupt ending-wise. Like with the Coachman’s Cottage, it was creepy and scary but the ending came out of nowhere and I just would have like a bit more. Some stories were quite gross. But there were also enough stories that had me on the edge of my seat and surprised me with twists and turns. Like the man who went to hell for his girl, well I didn’t see that one coming. Or the surprise in Shoot Your Shot. There was a portion of karma doled out in some of the stories. There are stories about hell and monsters about love and loss. About revenge and kicking some serious ass when you need to. I am very happy I had the chance to read this book! There were some very great stories and that Bloody Mary one I won’t forget any time soon, or the Black-eyed Susan. Oh my!
That cover is also just pure epicness! So scary!
I rated each story, plus gave three feelings/thoughts I had reading:
What the Sea Gives: Star rating, 4 stars – Bittersweet, beautiful, strange
Black-Eyed Susan: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Scary, WTF, NOPE
The Silver Horn: Star rating, 5 stars – TERRIFYING, nomnoms, run
Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Cats, Disturbing, OMG
Shoot Your Shot: Star rating, 0.5 stars – NOPE, EWW, Twist!
Follow You Into the Dark: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Karma, revenge, scary
The Groom of Lorelei: Star rating, 2 stars – Boring, Too Long, Predictable
The Coachman’s Cottage: Star rating, 3 stars – Too short, Scary, NOPE
Capable of Loving: Star rating, 2 stars – Disturbing, Not my cup of tea, Boring
Little Pig: Star rating, 4.5 stars – OMG OMG OMG, Cats again, WTF NOPE
Perfect Girlfriend: Star rating, 2.5 stars – Interesting POV, Weird, Confused
Misneach: Star rating, 4 stars – Not what I expected, weird, too short
The Kinda True Story of Bloody Mary: – YASSSSSSSS, Bloody, THAT ENDING
Close to You: Star rating, 2.5 stars – What happened?, Confusing, Bittersweet
Sharp Spaces: Star rating, 1.5 stars – This is good, Wait what?, NO….
An Agreement: Star rating, 4 stars – Creepy, Obsessed much?, Karma
Four Corners: Star rating, 3 stars – Hell??, Don’t go to the office, OMG OMG OMG/Confused
Lady Killer: Star rating, 4 stars – Creepy, Scary, OMG THAT ENDINGGGGGGGGG
Subscribe for More: Star rating, 3.5 stars – Didn’t expect that, Welcome to hell????, NOPITY NOPE WTF?
The Trial of…: Star rating, 4 stars – Witch Trials, Unexpected and didn’t see that coming, WOAH RIP
Seeds: Star rating, 3.5 stars – Messed Up, What am I reading?, Run run run away
Soul Grinder: Star rating, 4 stars – Original Idea, WELP/EWW, GO GO GIRL!
Fluid: DNF. – Not in the right mind for this one. Plus, EWWW.
I would give this anthology….. Star rating, 4 stars stars!!!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I was totally hyped when I was offered a review copy for this book! I still need to read Volumes 2 and 3, but I really enjoyed 1 so I was excited to read more horror stuff~
Like any anthology this was a collection with good stories, an epic story (Bloody Mary YAS), and some stories I just didn’t like. I even DNF one because the topic + how gross it was the first pages. At the moment my mental health isn’t too good so reading about body image just didn’t work out for me. Some of the stories could be more expanded and get a better ending because it just felt a bit abrupt ending-wise. Like with the Coachman’s Cottage, it was creepy and scary but the ending came out of nowhere and I just would have like a bit more. Some stories were quite gross. But there were also enough stories that had me on the edge of my seat and surprised me with twists and turns. Like the man who went to hell for his girl, well I didn’t see that one coming. Or the surprise in Shoot Your Shot. There was a portion of karma doled out in some of the stories. There are stories about hell and monsters about love and loss. About revenge and kicking some serious ass when you need to. I am very happy I had the chance to read this book! There were some very great stories and that Bloody Mary one I won’t forget any time soon, or the Black-eyed Susan. Oh my!
That cover is also just pure epicness! So scary!
I rated each story, plus gave three feelings/thoughts I had reading:
What the Sea Gives: Star rating, 4 stars – Bittersweet, beautiful, strange
Black-Eyed Susan: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Scary, WTF, NOPE
The Silver Horn: Star rating, 5 stars – TERRIFYING, nomnoms, run
Breaking Up is Hard to Do: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Cats, Disturbing, OMG
Shoot Your Shot: Star rating, 0.5 stars – NOPE, EWW, Twist!
Follow You Into the Dark: Star rating, 4.5 stars – Karma, revenge, scary
The Groom of Lorelei: Star rating, 2 stars – Boring, Too Long, Predictable
The Coachman’s Cottage: Star rating, 3 stars – Too short, Scary, NOPE
Capable of Loving: Star rating, 2 stars – Disturbing, Not my cup of tea, Boring
Little Pig: Star rating, 4.5 stars – OMG OMG OMG, Cats again, WTF NOPE
Perfect Girlfriend: Star rating, 2.5 stars – Interesting POV, Weird, Confused
Misneach: Star rating, 4 stars – Not what I expected, weird, too short
The Kinda True Story of Bloody Mary: – YASSSSSSSS, Bloody, THAT ENDING
Close to You: Star rating, 2.5 stars – What happened?, Confusing, Bittersweet
Sharp Spaces: Star rating, 1.5 stars – This is good, Wait what?, NO….
An Agreement: Star rating, 4 stars – Creepy, Obsessed much?, Karma
Four Corners: Star rating, 3 stars – Hell??, Don’t go to the office, OMG OMG OMG/Confused
Lady Killer: Star rating, 4 stars – Creepy, Scary, OMG THAT ENDINGGGGGGGGG
Subscribe for More: Star rating, 3.5 stars – Didn’t expect that, Welcome to hell????, NOPITY NOPE WTF?
The Trial of…: Star rating, 4 stars – Witch Trials, Unexpected and didn’t see that coming, WOAH RIP
Seeds: Star rating, 3.5 stars – Messed Up, What am I reading?, Run run run away
Soul Grinder: Star rating, 4 stars – Original Idea, WELP/EWW, GO GO GIRL!
Fluid: DNF. – Not in the right mind for this one. Plus, EWWW.
I would give this anthology….. Star rating, 4 stars stars!!!
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 30, 2021
I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this anthology, and I'm glad I did! Between whale babies, very large housecats, and a story that will make you never want to hear the word "membrane" again, this collection features a LOT of interesting horror. There are several names here that I'll be keeping my ear to the ground for, but there were absolutely a few standouts.
The first story in the collection, What the Sea Gives by K.P. Kulski, sets the stage beautifully with a heartbreaking story that is almost more like a dark fairytale than anything else. (Disclaimer: I may have actually teared up.) By far my favorite in the collection.
There is some amazing creature feature/monstrosity horror between Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (Caryn Larrinaga), Shoot Your Shot (Charlotte Platt), and Misneach (Roxie Voorhees). I have requested a Beanie the Cat webcomic because the world would be better for it.
The final story in the collection, Fluid by R.A. Busby was another standout for me, and a great way to close out the anthology. A body horror that speaks to the unique body image horror that women face, it was both poignant AND super creepy.
The horror lit scene is absolutely thriving right now, and it's thrilling to see how much of it is coming from feminine voices. This collection is going to be a valuable addition!
The first story in the collection, What the Sea Gives by K.P. Kulski, sets the stage beautifully with a heartbreaking story that is almost more like a dark fairytale than anything else. (Disclaimer: I may have actually teared up.) By far my favorite in the collection.
There is some amazing creature feature/monstrosity horror between Breaking Up Is Hard to Do (Caryn Larrinaga), Shoot Your Shot (Charlotte Platt), and Misneach (Roxie Voorhees). I have requested a Beanie the Cat webcomic because the world would be better for it.
The final story in the collection, Fluid by R.A. Busby was another standout for me, and a great way to close out the anthology. A body horror that speaks to the unique body image horror that women face, it was both poignant AND super creepy.
The horror lit scene is absolutely thriving right now, and it's thrilling to see how much of it is coming from feminine voices. This collection is going to be a valuable addition!
March 29, 2022
I received an ARC of this anthology in return for an honest review from Jill, I believe it was through Sadie Hartmann if memory serves? – and want to thank both for the opportunity.
This is a Women of Horror Anthology, and I was a little behind in reading it (it came out in September I think), so made sure I could fit it into women of horror month. There are some names I know from the horror community, some of whom I’d read already, some of which were new to me.
To cut to the chase – I liked this anthology, but that’s all. The stories in it were generally well written, a couple were stand out - Fluid, by R.A.Busby – a wonderful idea, and the concept was well realized in both presentation and voice – Seeds by Marie McWilliams –The Silver Horn by Alyson Faye (a fantasy-based tale from its feel) – and the opener – What the sea gives from K.P.Kulski, which was sad, poetic, stylized.
There were a couple of stories I didn’t like, they missed the mark with me, turned bizarre, or I found implausible, but that’s the nature of Horror – what one person finds horrific is another person’s daily grind – not everything is going to land when you throw things into the air. Some fly.
The editing was great, I know Jill from Slash-her and social media, and know how much writers rave about their experiences working with her. That’s evident here, my inner nerd editor had very little to say, it’s a pleasure to just read, and not find things.
I do have to say that, for me, most of the stories, though good, didn’t rise above that categorization. I liked the stories. I liked them in this anthology. It was great reading new authors (to me). But that spark was missing – I didn’t connect as much as I would have liked.
This gets a 3 out of 5 ⭐'s from me.
This is a Women of Horror Anthology, and I was a little behind in reading it (it came out in September I think), so made sure I could fit it into women of horror month. There are some names I know from the horror community, some of whom I’d read already, some of which were new to me.
To cut to the chase – I liked this anthology, but that’s all. The stories in it were generally well written, a couple were stand out - Fluid, by R.A.Busby – a wonderful idea, and the concept was well realized in both presentation and voice – Seeds by Marie McWilliams –The Silver Horn by Alyson Faye (a fantasy-based tale from its feel) – and the opener – What the sea gives from K.P.Kulski, which was sad, poetic, stylized.
There were a couple of stories I didn’t like, they missed the mark with me, turned bizarre, or I found implausible, but that’s the nature of Horror – what one person finds horrific is another person’s daily grind – not everything is going to land when you throw things into the air. Some fly.
The editing was great, I know Jill from Slash-her and social media, and know how much writers rave about their experiences working with her. That’s evident here, my inner nerd editor had very little to say, it’s a pleasure to just read, and not find things.
I do have to say that, for me, most of the stories, though good, didn’t rise above that categorization. I liked the stories. I liked them in this anthology. It was great reading new authors (to me). But that spark was missing – I didn’t connect as much as I would have liked.
This gets a 3 out of 5 ⭐'s from me.
November 19, 2021
This was incredible! A top-notch (and lengthy) collection of horror shorts that runs the gamut from eerie to gory, spine-tingling to gothic. More realistic than not, but some very fun/chilling historical and folklore entries. A good portion of leave-the-lights-on terror, but on the balance, I'd say the majority sit in the eerie-and-alarming range. LOVED it all, 5/5, will have to go back and reread a few to properly appreciate the craft. <3
January 2, 2022
Don’t Break the Oath: Women of Horror Anthology #4, edited by Jill Girardi and Janine Pipe
Compensation for this review: a review copy of the ebook. No other consideration, and no solicitation of a favorable review.
Content Warnings: “WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER… This book contains adult situations and is not suitable for children.”
I don’t review books I don’t like, so if you’re just looking for a thumbs up/thumbs down, you can stop here. I like this book.
This anthology is unusual in that there was no call for submissions. This is the overflow from Volume 3, 23 stories they wanted to include but didn’t have space for. I haven’t read that volume, but this is not a “didn’t quite make the cut” collection. These are top-notch tales. The one slightly negative comment I have is that it’s hard sometimes to see a connection between the story and the anthology’s title, but that could be the result of having the stories first and looking for a commonality among them. Loss is a prominent theme.
Of course, not every story connected with me, but there are no clunkers. All are well-written, and any might be some discriminating reader’s favorite. I won’t summarize each, but highlight a few that stand out for me, while trying to avoid spoilers.
The anthology opens with “What the Sea Gives” by K.P. Kulsi. This might be more a narrative prose poem than a story (if that distinction means anything), about an island castaway seemingly doomed to a solitary immortality.
The protagonist of Ariel Dodson’s “Black-Eyed Susan” is haunted by her loss, and her own guilt, in a very literal way.
Alyson Faye’s “The Silver Horn” is set in the modern day (including lockdown), but it has the feeling of a macabre old ballad or one of the creepier corners of Arthurian romance.
About “Shoot Your Shot” by Charlotte Platt, I’ll only say that an incel chooses the wrong library to shoot up.
“Capable of Loving,” by Sonora Taylor, is a chilling, thoughtful, and deep bit of psychological horror, in which the horror isn’t the whole point. I’ll be looking for more of Taylor’s fiction.
It’s cliche to say that robot stories are about exploring humanness, but that’s true, in a good way, of Angela Yuriko Smith’s “Perfect Girlfriend.” It has an interesting point of view and an economical narrative that trusts the reader’s intelligence.
“Sharp Spaces,” by Samantha Ortiz, is another entry in the psychological horror category, with a poetically apt title.
Cosmic horror is represented by Kirby Kellogg’s “Four Corners.” It’s a little reminiscent of Welcome to Night Vale, a bit of Twilight Zone, but completely original.
What can I say about Cecilia Kennedy’s “Soul Grinder” without giving too much away? You may never want to go to a county fair again. (Assuming you ever did.)
The anthology closes strong with R.A. Busby’s body horror parable “Fluid.” The story reminds me of Junji Ito, and it contains some beautiful sentences.
Compensation for this review: a review copy of the ebook. No other consideration, and no solicitation of a favorable review.
Content Warnings: “WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTER… This book contains adult situations and is not suitable for children.”
I don’t review books I don’t like, so if you’re just looking for a thumbs up/thumbs down, you can stop here. I like this book.
This anthology is unusual in that there was no call for submissions. This is the overflow from Volume 3, 23 stories they wanted to include but didn’t have space for. I haven’t read that volume, but this is not a “didn’t quite make the cut” collection. These are top-notch tales. The one slightly negative comment I have is that it’s hard sometimes to see a connection between the story and the anthology’s title, but that could be the result of having the stories first and looking for a commonality among them. Loss is a prominent theme.
Of course, not every story connected with me, but there are no clunkers. All are well-written, and any might be some discriminating reader’s favorite. I won’t summarize each, but highlight a few that stand out for me, while trying to avoid spoilers.
The anthology opens with “What the Sea Gives” by K.P. Kulsi. This might be more a narrative prose poem than a story (if that distinction means anything), about an island castaway seemingly doomed to a solitary immortality.
The protagonist of Ariel Dodson’s “Black-Eyed Susan” is haunted by her loss, and her own guilt, in a very literal way.
Alyson Faye’s “The Silver Horn” is set in the modern day (including lockdown), but it has the feeling of a macabre old ballad or one of the creepier corners of Arthurian romance.
About “Shoot Your Shot” by Charlotte Platt, I’ll only say that an incel chooses the wrong library to shoot up.
“Capable of Loving,” by Sonora Taylor, is a chilling, thoughtful, and deep bit of psychological horror, in which the horror isn’t the whole point. I’ll be looking for more of Taylor’s fiction.
It’s cliche to say that robot stories are about exploring humanness, but that’s true, in a good way, of Angela Yuriko Smith’s “Perfect Girlfriend.” It has an interesting point of view and an economical narrative that trusts the reader’s intelligence.
“Sharp Spaces,” by Samantha Ortiz, is another entry in the psychological horror category, with a poetically apt title.
Cosmic horror is represented by Kirby Kellogg’s “Four Corners.” It’s a little reminiscent of Welcome to Night Vale, a bit of Twilight Zone, but completely original.
What can I say about Cecilia Kennedy’s “Soul Grinder” without giving too much away? You may never want to go to a county fair again. (Assuming you ever did.)
The anthology closes strong with R.A. Busby’s body horror parable “Fluid.” The story reminds me of Junji Ito, and it contains some beautiful sentences.
January 16, 2022
Don’t Break The Oath is the fourth volume in a series of themed anthologies written and edited by a group truly talented female writers. This is one of the best horror anthologies that I have read, each story grappling with the consequences of pacts made with demons, family, and technology.
The stories are as unique as the individuals who wrote them, but they are all quality readings. As with any collection, some of the stories connected to me more deeply than others, but at least 11 of the 23 stories contained within this volume are 5 star stories on their own. It is a wonderfully diverse and quality collection.
A word about female authors in horror. So many of us grew up reading King, Koontz, Barker, and Straub, and they are wonderful writers. But the female author brings a voice that is terror and tenderness, horror and humanity, love and loss, passion and pain. I believe that female writers bring a depth and understanding of the soul that allows these stories to seep just a little deeper than many of their counterparts. Trust me when I say that the stories in this volume will scare the hell out of you, and they might just choke you up too.
If you want to dip your toes in a pool of dark water, this is a great anthology to begin with. Like me, you may just decide to dive on in.
The stories are as unique as the individuals who wrote them, but they are all quality readings. As with any collection, some of the stories connected to me more deeply than others, but at least 11 of the 23 stories contained within this volume are 5 star stories on their own. It is a wonderfully diverse and quality collection.
A word about female authors in horror. So many of us grew up reading King, Koontz, Barker, and Straub, and they are wonderful writers. But the female author brings a voice that is terror and tenderness, horror and humanity, love and loss, passion and pain. I believe that female writers bring a depth and understanding of the soul that allows these stories to seep just a little deeper than many of their counterparts. Trust me when I say that the stories in this volume will scare the hell out of you, and they might just choke you up too.
If you want to dip your toes in a pool of dark water, this is a great anthology to begin with. Like me, you may just decide to dive on in.
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June 12, 2022Featuring my creature feature, "Misneach"
An ode to single moms that just want to eat their food while it is still warm.
An ode to single moms that just want to eat their food while it is still warm.
July 10, 2023
It really wasn’t my favorite. The first 3 books I loved every single story I read. The stories in this one just got boring for me quickly. I found one maybe two stories I enjoyed but everything else just felt like it dragged on.
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