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Dangerous Waters: Deadly Women of the Sea
Malevolent mermaids.
Sinister sirens.
Scary selkies.
And other dangerous women of the deep blue sea.
Dangerous waters takes us deep beneath the ocean waves and shows us once more why we need to be cautious about venturing out into the water.
Featuring stories, drabbles and poems by Sandra Ljubjanovic, John Higgins, Patrick Rutigliano, Candace Robinson, Emmanuel Williams, Desirée M. Niccoli, L. Marie Wood, Samantha Lokai, Christina Henneman, Gully Novaro, Christine Lukas, Alice Austin, Dawn Vogel, Victoria Nations, Mark Towse, Kristin Cleaveland, Ben Monroe, Kurt Newton, E.M. Linden, Eva Papasoulioti, Ann Wuehler, Rachel Dib, Amalie Fredericksen, Daniel Pyle, Megan Hart, Ef Deal, Katherine Traylor, Juliegh Howard-Hobson, Simon Kewin, Elana Gomel, Lauren Reynolds, Grace R. Reynolds, René Galván, Marshall J. Moore, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Roxie Vorhees, April Yates, Kaitlin Tremblay, T.K. Howell, Kayla Whittle, Emily Teng, Briana McGuckin, Tom Farr, Cassandra Taylor, Steve Altman, Paul M. Feeney, Lucy Collins, Marianne Halbert, Rosie Arcane, Antonia Rachel Ward, Steven Lord, and Jessica Peter.
Sinister sirens.
Scary selkies.
And other dangerous women of the deep blue sea.
Dangerous waters takes us deep beneath the ocean waves and shows us once more why we need to be cautious about venturing out into the water.
Featuring stories, drabbles and poems by Sandra Ljubjanovic, John Higgins, Patrick Rutigliano, Candace Robinson, Emmanuel Williams, Desirée M. Niccoli, L. Marie Wood, Samantha Lokai, Christina Henneman, Gully Novaro, Christine Lukas, Alice Austin, Dawn Vogel, Victoria Nations, Mark Towse, Kristin Cleaveland, Ben Monroe, Kurt Newton, E.M. Linden, Eva Papasoulioti, Ann Wuehler, Rachel Dib, Amalie Fredericksen, Daniel Pyle, Megan Hart, Ef Deal, Katherine Traylor, Juliegh Howard-Hobson, Simon Kewin, Elana Gomel, Lauren Reynolds, Grace R. Reynolds, René Galván, Marshall J. Moore, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Roxie Vorhees, April Yates, Kaitlin Tremblay, T.K. Howell, Kayla Whittle, Emily Teng, Briana McGuckin, Tom Farr, Cassandra Taylor, Steve Altman, Paul M. Feeney, Lucy Collins, Marianne Halbert, Rosie Arcane, Antonia Rachel Ward, Steven Lord, and Jessica Peter.
250 pages, ebook
First published January 5, 2023
4 people are currently reading
221 people want to read
About the author
Julia C. Lewis
18 books52 followersJulia C. Lewis is a book reviewer, editor, and writer. Her work has appeared in anthologies such as Blackberry Blood, From the Yonder III, and Slash-Her. She was born and raised in Germany, and also currently lives there after spending some time in the US. Her heart belongs to her husband, two kids, and three dogs. Her favorite book genre is horror with a particular taste in indie horror.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 26, 2025
ARC for review. Previously published January 29, 2023.
2 stars.
Shorts stories, poems and micro-stories, some just a couple of paragraphs long, all about mermaids, sirens and selkies. There were a lot of similarities after a while. “In the Never Go” was on of the most depressing stories I’ve ever read. Note this is not a new book, it was published two years ago, so you might have already read it.
2 stars.
Shorts stories, poems and micro-stories, some just a couple of paragraphs long, all about mermaids, sirens and selkies. There were a lot of similarities after a while. “In the Never Go” was on of the most depressing stories I’ve ever read. Note this is not a new book, it was published two years ago, so you might have already read it.
January 31, 2023
A truly superb anthology of prose (short stories) and poetry exploring (and indeed adding to) the lore of malevolent mermaids and sinister sirens.
From bewitching temptresses to monstrous aquatic creatures, 'Dangerous Waters' is a great journey through the darkness of the deep.
If you like horror and you like folklore and myth and legend, you will love this book!
From bewitching temptresses to monstrous aquatic creatures, 'Dangerous Waters' is a great journey through the darkness of the deep.
If you like horror and you like folklore and myth and legend, you will love this book!
February 7, 2023
Fantastic, cohesive anthology, which flows together nicely. Highly recommend a read.
January 13, 2023
A wonderful collection of sea-she lore, from poetry through flash and into excellent stories. The TOC is an impressive gathering of scores of authors, exploring every facet of she-serpents beneath the waves.
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January 25, 2023A treasure trove of deadly sea and waterfolk!
March 2, 2023
Absolutely loved this!!!!
October 16, 2023
I am slightly biased because I have a short story included in this collection! I loved reading through this and discovering several amazing, talented authors I've never had the chance to read before. This is a great collection to sink into; I loved reading 1 or 2 tales per day to keep them distinct. There are so many unique stories here, but with similar settings and vibes, this is the kind of anthology you want to take slow to better appreciate the authors' talents. With summer quickly approaching, this would be a great (spooky) beach read. You never know what's lurking in the water . . .
January 8, 2025
Dangerous Waters: Deadly Women of the Sea is a captivating collection that masterfully blends prose and poetry, weaving tales of mermaids, selkies, sirens, and the dangerous women lurking beneath the waves. Each piece feels both eerie and enchanting, pulling the reader into a world where beauty and peril are inseparable.
What I especially loved was the alternating structure between poetry and short stories. This format kept the pace lively, never allowing the narrative to drag. The quick transitions from verse to prose had me hooked, making it impossible to put the book down. It's the perfect read for lovers of horror and the macabre, but with a twist of mythological intrigue for those who appreciate sea creatures and folklore.
I read this anthology in just two days, not only because I was eager to review it, but because it held my attention from beginning to end. Though I breezed through it, I look forward to revisiting it at a slower pace, perhaps by the sea in the fall, to savor each story and poem more thoroughly.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Brigid Gate Press for the advance copy of this wonderfully eerie anthology. If you enjoy dark tales that still hold a sense of magic, Dangerous Waters is a must-read.
What I especially loved was the alternating structure between poetry and short stories. This format kept the pace lively, never allowing the narrative to drag. The quick transitions from verse to prose had me hooked, making it impossible to put the book down. It's the perfect read for lovers of horror and the macabre, but with a twist of mythological intrigue for those who appreciate sea creatures and folklore.
I read this anthology in just two days, not only because I was eager to review it, but because it held my attention from beginning to end. Though I breezed through it, I look forward to revisiting it at a slower pace, perhaps by the sea in the fall, to savor each story and poem more thoroughly.
A huge thanks to NetGalley and Brigid Gate Press for the advance copy of this wonderfully eerie anthology. If you enjoy dark tales that still hold a sense of magic, Dangerous Waters is a must-read.
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July 30, 2023I appreciated the many different takes on the theme in this anthology, especially also considering that poetry was included in addition to the short stories. Highly recommended for those who like morally grey protagonists and female villains!
February 26, 2025
I received a free ebook copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for a review.
There are definitely stories here I quite liked, though some of them were just kinda meh. Not bad, just not great. A good few stories slot neatly into either the "scary mermaid kills people" category or the "mermaid is wronged woman who gets revenge" category without much extra to make them more interesting. This isn't really a big problem, I do love Fish(Woman) Violence, however it is possible my love for spooky mermaids has overexposed me to the concept & I'm a bit more critical of the subgenre than others may be.
Something that did bother me though was the content warnings section. I appreciate its inclusion but its execution is flawed. Rather than listing warnings for each story, they're all lumped together, so if there was a specific trigger you wanted to avoid you have no easy way of just skipping/preparing yourself for the specific story that includes it, which is kinda the whole point of content warnings? It also doesn't mention pregnancy, which is a specific thing I avoid; I get that this is maybe not a common thing to warn for and I probably shouldn't expect warnings for it for but it was still really annoying to go into thinking I would be generally fine with the entire collection only to be caught off-guard by Jellies and Ona Dolzhna Yest.
Some standout stories:
Coral, Again by E.M. Linden was easily my favorite of the collection, and home to my favorite quote of the book. It's so good.
Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card by Christine Lucas is a fairly standard "trapped mermaid gets her return-to-the-ocean-item back and fucks up shitty husband" story but it was the first story in the anthology to really compel me. Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel also used this trope but it had an added level of intrigue with the tattoo magic, plus the ending was kinda cute.
The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler had a very interesting concept, as did The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor; while neither story was my favorite I do appreciate that they did something weird and different that I wasn't expecting.
I would love to see Into the Water by Megan E. Hart and Tomokazuki by Marshall J. Moore as movies. They both have this compelling cinematic quality to them.
I'm not sure why Effigy by Victoria Nations was included in this collection. It seemingly has nothing to do with mermaids or water? It's fine as a story; it just feels really out of place?
The anthology also includes poetry, if you're into that. If not, it's easy to skip. Most of the poems were fine.
Overall, this is absolutely worth your time, but it is a bit of a grab bag. That just kinda comes with the territory for anthologies though; it's impossible to please everyone.
There are definitely stories here I quite liked, though some of them were just kinda meh. Not bad, just not great. A good few stories slot neatly into either the "scary mermaid kills people" category or the "mermaid is wronged woman who gets revenge" category without much extra to make them more interesting. This isn't really a big problem, I do love Fish(Woman) Violence, however it is possible my love for spooky mermaids has overexposed me to the concept & I'm a bit more critical of the subgenre than others may be.
Something that did bother me though was the content warnings section. I appreciate its inclusion but its execution is flawed. Rather than listing warnings for each story, they're all lumped together, so if there was a specific trigger you wanted to avoid you have no easy way of just skipping/preparing yourself for the specific story that includes it, which is kinda the whole point of content warnings? It also doesn't mention pregnancy, which is a specific thing I avoid; I get that this is maybe not a common thing to warn for and I probably shouldn't expect warnings for it for but it was still really annoying to go into thinking I would be generally fine with the entire collection only to be caught off-guard by Jellies and Ona Dolzhna Yest.
Some standout stories:
Coral, Again by E.M. Linden was easily my favorite of the collection, and home to my favorite quote of the book. It's so good.
Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card by Christine Lucas is a fairly standard "trapped mermaid gets her return-to-the-ocean-item back and fucks up shitty husband" story but it was the first story in the anthology to really compel me. Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel also used this trope but it had an added level of intrigue with the tattoo magic, plus the ending was kinda cute.
The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler had a very interesting concept, as did The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor; while neither story was my favorite I do appreciate that they did something weird and different that I wasn't expecting.
I would love to see Into the Water by Megan E. Hart and Tomokazuki by Marshall J. Moore as movies. They both have this compelling cinematic quality to them.
I'm not sure why Effigy by Victoria Nations was included in this collection. It seemingly has nothing to do with mermaids or water? It's fine as a story; it just feels really out of place?
The anthology also includes poetry, if you're into that. If not, it's easy to skip. Most of the poems were fine.
Overall, this is absolutely worth your time, but it is a bit of a grab bag. That just kinda comes with the territory for anthologies though; it's impossible to please everyone.
May 6, 2025
I enjoyed learning legends about mermaids, sirens, selkies, qalupalik, and more.
" It ain't gods out there, it's goddesses. We forget most things in nature, it's the women do the work. An if you go back far enough in myths and pre-religion, it's mothers what started it all.
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧My favorites:˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧
🫧⋆｡˚Meat Cute
🫧⋆｡˚Moon Over El Cerro
🫧⋆｡˚Five Words Scribbled on a Giftcard
🫧⋆｡˚A Siren's Shanty
🫧⋆｡˚Best of Both Worlds
🫧⋆｡˚Mother Brine
🫧⋆｡˚The Price of Freedom
🫧⋆｡˚The Peark Weeper's Lament
🫧⋆｡˚Ondine's Curse
🫧⋆｡˚The Bittersweet Glimmer
" It ain't gods out there, it's goddesses. We forget most things in nature, it's the women do the work. An if you go back far enough in myths and pre-religion, it's mothers what started it all.
˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧My favorites:˖°𓇼🌊⋆🐚🫧
🫧⋆｡˚Meat Cute
🫧⋆｡˚Moon Over El Cerro
🫧⋆｡˚Five Words Scribbled on a Giftcard
🫧⋆｡˚A Siren's Shanty
🫧⋆｡˚Best of Both Worlds
🫧⋆｡˚Mother Brine
🫧⋆｡˚The Price of Freedom
🫧⋆｡˚The Peark Weeper's Lament
🫧⋆｡˚Ondine's Curse
🫧⋆｡˚The Bittersweet Glimmer
February 9, 2025
Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC from netgalley in exchange for a review.
A short story collection centered around the theme of “Deadly Women of the Sea”. Of course, many of these short stories and poems focus on various creatures quite familiar from folklore around the globe, sirens and mermaids and selkies, but there are also some more intriguing creatures included, which I enjoyed.
This anthology includes 52 different pieces (+ one extra short story from another anthology, included by the publisher as a freebie), from very short poems over flash fiction pieces to longer short stories on only 250 pages, so as you can imagine many are too short. They often focus on the darker aspects of the lore surrounding various oceanic creatures and hauntings, but sometimes adding newer or unexpected twists, which I enjoyed. However, due to the incredible amount of stories featured here, there are quite a few repetitions, particularly when it comes to the poems, which were often quite short and nothing particularly special, which was sad. In general, I think this collection could have been better if it had included fewer stories, focusing on the standout ones and the stories doing something new with creatures from the sea (such as Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli, which features a Leviathan or Jellies by Elana Gomel, which includes Jellyfish-pregnancy horror or The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor, which is an incredibly well written gothic haunting) instead of the more folklore focused stories of sailors and sirens and mermaids drowning men and selkies escaping from abusive men, of which there were many stories and so they felt a bit repetitive after a while. Especially the poetry had very few standout pieces, as many were incredibly short and focused on sirens only, which just added to the feeling of repetition.
I did however like that there are some lesbian/sapphic stories included in this anthology, which was a nice change of pace sometimes, since very many of the stories are focused on luring men to their death or abusive men.
I still enjoyed this anthology quite a bit and if you enjoy ocean-based horror as well as stories that are gothic/dark/haunting you will definitely find some short stories you can enjoy in here. My personal favorites were Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli, Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel, Coral, Again by E.M. Linden, The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler, Mother Raised You Well by A.R. Frederiksen, Jellies by Elana Gomel, The Woman Who Drowned in the Detroit River by Kaitlin Tremblay, Driftwood by Kayla Whittle, The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor, The Children of the Sea by Paul M. Feeney and The Pearl Weeper’s Lament by Marianne Halbert.
I also liked that the anthology included trigger warnings. All in all this was a fun read to me as someone who likes oceanic horror a lot, but unfortunately due to including too many pieces and relatively few standout pieces when measured against the 53 pieces included here, my rating is not as high as I hoped it would be.
As always, I included some short thoughts + specific trigger warnings for each piece underneath here. Beware, it’s long.
The End of the World by Sandra Ljubljanović: A poem about a mermaid-apocalypse, I liked it
TW: death
The Song Below by John Higgins: A story about three sailors adrift at sea after their boat was sunken by a whale when one of them hears a lovely voice begging him to feed her. Rather typical mermaid fare, but an interesting start for this collection.
TW: mentions of cannibalism, death, dehydration, drowning
Whitebait by Patrick Rutigliano: An interesting poem told from the perspective of a mermaid, very intriguing writing style
Enraptured by Candace Robinson: A woman caught between the man she loves on land and her fascination with the murdering sirens of the sea. I really liked the messiness of the MC of this story and the fact that she couldn’t help but be drawn towards these grisly murders, it was interesting to read.
TW: gore, murder, implied off-page suicide
Song of the Mermaid by Emmanuel Williams: A short poem about a man hearing a siren’s call. It’s… okay.
*FAV* Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli: I love the title and I love Lady Leviathan. An environmental horror revenge ensues when Lady Leviathan wakes from her long slumber and decides it is time to defend her ocean. It was lovely. Plus, the romance is sweet. Who doesn’t want an ancient horror to rescue them and then you get to destroy your enemies together?
TW: animal peril and death, environmental destruction, injury, murder, violence
What the Water Brings by L. Marie Wood: A short terrifying poem about returning as a monster. Intriguing writing style, but very, very short.
TW: drowning
Moon Over El Cerro by Samantha Lokai: A tale about a tragic end to a young love and the haunting that beckons the man when he returns to the beach his teenage girlfriend died on all these years ago. I liked the ending, that was a fun twist!
TW: drowning
Mermaid by Christina Hennemann: Another short poem from the perspective of a mermaid. Ok, but nothing particularly interesting.
Pet by Gully Novaro: A very short story about someone taking a swim with their newly adopted pet. Intriguing ending.
Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card by Christine Lucas: This story combines selkie lore with mermaid lore and features a woman’s desperate attempts to please her husband, hoping he will return her pearls to her. With a gift card her husband’s grandmother left her, there might be a way. Satisfying ending.
TW: domestic abuse, grief, miscarriage
A Siren’s Shanty by Alice Austin: A fun twist on the wellerman shanty, but told from the perspective of a siren.
*FAV* Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel: A selkie woman whose husband has used a magic tattoo to hide her key plans her escape. I really liked the focus on friendship in this story.
TW: kidnapping, sexual assault
Effigy by Victoria Nations: A woman sculpts a statue of her ex-girlfriend, who recently left her, with seagrass and marsh clay. Intriguing, but very short.
Tear Me Down by Mark Towse: A man finds himself bewitched by a creepy painting in an art gallery. Haunting and fun and I had a good laugh at the end.
The Temptress by Kristin Cleaveland: A short poem from the perspective of a siren.
Brine Mother by Ben Monroe: A fisherman pulls up a strange catch, kills it and finds himself pursued in revenge. Haunting and interesting, I really enjoyed this one!
TW: gore, murder
The Sea Hag by Kurt Newton: A poem retelling the story of how the Sea Hag came to haunt her part of the ocean. Interesting and despite its brevity manages to tell a full story.
*FAV* Coral, Again by E.M. Linden: A husband’s wife returns from her grave, but the longer she stays with him, the more she transforms into something else entirely. Heartbreaking and haunting and very, very beautifully written.
TW: grief
Sisterhood Rites by Eva Papasoulioti: A poem about joining sirens in their song.
*FAV* The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler: A heartbreaking story about a mother and a daughter, when the sea calls for the mother again. I enjoyed the body horror here a lot as well and the depictions of grief and loss were heartbreaking.
TW: body horror, gore, grief
The Price of Freedom by Rachel Dib: A very short story about a daughter, who found her mother’s seal skin.
TW: domestic abuse (implied), murder
*FAV* Mother Raised You Well by A.R. Frederiksen: A woman saves a mermaid child from the rocky shore and raises her, but one day her past as a fin-hunter comes to haunt her. I really liked this one, it is heartbreaking, but also beautiful.
Sunken Treasure by Daniel Pyle: A very short story about a mermaid hunter. It’s okay, but just a few lines long? Meh.
Into the Water by Megan E. Heart: A bachelorette party on a cruise ship takes a deadly turn when the bride-to-be is caught cheating by the sister of the groom-to-be. Interesting enough and I liked that it was a bit different from the other stories here, more modern.
TW: cheating, drowning
From the Bridge by Ef Deal: A man rescues a woman from jumping into the ocean, but she doesn’t take too kindly to it. Very short, but interesting concept.
TW: murder, suicide
Into the Nevergo by Katherine Traylor: A woman walks into the ocean to end her life, but finds another life waiting for her instead. But even that second life must end one day. Haunting and interesting.
TW: drowning, suicide
Sometimes I Am Jealous of Their Widows by Juleigh Howard-Hobson: A short poem about a mermaid, who collects the treasures that shipwrecks rain down on her.
TW: drowning
The Kelpie by Simon Kewin: A very short story about a Kelpie.
TW: child death, drowning
*FAV* Jellies by Elana Gomel: A woman with an unknown heritage has become pregnant and can’t fight the feeling that something unnatural is growing inside her. Haunting and messy and scary, I loved this one a lot!
TW: pregnancy
Rusalnaia Nedija by Lauren E. Reynolds: A short poem about a Rusalka. Interesting rhyming scheme, I liked this one.
Ona Dolzhna Yest by Grace R. Reynolds: A poor man refuses his wife’s please to find a better life for her and her unborn son. When she returns for him from the sea, he cannot expect to find any mercy. Haunting and creepy.
TW: child death, drowning, pregnancy, suicide
Naiads by Robert René Galván: A short poem about a theater. Okay.
Tomokazuki by Marshall J. Moore: Set on an island, this story follows a young girl whose mother drowned diving for pearls and food for their small community. Bound by grief a restless spirit begins to haunt their waters.
TW: death, drowning, grief
The Siren’s Call by Ngo Binh Anh Khoa: A very short story about a siren. Again, okay, but too short to be anything interesting.
Moonlight Motu by Roxie Voorhees: Two siblings find themselves stranded on an ocean after a shipwreck where the sister receives nighttime visits. Interesting and haunting, I liked reading this one.
TW: drowning, murder
Reflections on a Mermaid by April Yates: A young woman walks to the space her girlfriend drowned herself after her mother kicks her out for being queer.
TW: drowning, homelessness, homophobia, suicide
*FAV* The Woman Who Drowned in the Detroit River by Kaitlin Tremblay: A story told about a family and a river haunted by the past and the teenage girl, with whom it all comes to a close when she can’t resist the pull of the water any longer. Heartbreaking, but really well written.
TW. Drowning, eating disorder
Senara by T.K. Howell: A very short story about a woman running from an abusive house and encountering an excited mermaid, who wants to show her her world. It doesn’t end well.
TW: domestic abuse, drowning
*FAV* Driftwood by Kayla Whittle: A woman finds her sea-side town haunted after a storm. Really well written and incredibly interesting!
TW: drowning, murder
They Drowned Me on a Sunday by Emily Y. Teng: A woman is drowned as a witch, but the townfolk made one major mistake. She’s no witch at all. Very short, but interesting concept!
TW: drowning, murder
What You Know of Sirens, You Have Heard From Men by Briana Una McGuckin: A Siren, who can return to the water under the full moon if she so chooses too, uses her ability to punish men, who walk free despite their crimes, in a very interesting manner.
TW: murder
Qalupalik by Thomas Farr: A very, very short story about a child(stealing? rearing?) creature of the sea. Very atmospheric writing style, but only two paragraphs long and so much too short.
*FAV* The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor: A gothic tale of a haunted estate by the seaside. Really scary and incredibly atmospheric, I really liked this short story!
TW: child death, death in childbirth, grief, murder
Jurate by Steven-Elliot Altman: A short poem about a fisher, whose nets catch a siren.
TW: drowning
*FAV* The Children of the Sea by Paul M. Feeney: A haunting story about a fishing crew with a strange bounty and the sea’s revenge. Really atmospheric and well written and also a story that makes great use of the short story format.
TW: death, drowning
The Huntress by Lucy Collins: A short poem about a mermaid.
TW: death, drowning
*FAV* The Pearl Weeper’s Lament by Marianne Halbert: A really interesting story about a greedy fisherwoman luring a mermaid for the pearls she cries when tortured and the magical properties of her flesh and the curse that is inflicted in revenge. Really brutal and incredibly well written, I liked this one a lot!
TW: cannibalism, death, torture
Skin Deep by Rosie Arcane: Another short poem about mermaids.
Onedine’s Curse by Antonia Rachel Ward: A poet seeks out a muse living in a forest lake, hoping to find inspiration for his work. When he leaves to publish his poems, he promises to return. Interesting concept and I liked the ending.
TW: death, disease, drowning (not the usual kind)
The Siren’s Song by Steven Lord: Another short poem about mermaids.
The Bittersweet Glimmer by Jessica Peter: An interesting take on the lore of Lorelei, a german mermaid myth, following the life of an old woman in a nursing home dreaming of her youth. Really fun for me, because it is one of the myths I grew up with and I really liked this take on it.
TW: elder abuse, self-harm
When the Doves Die by Jennifer Soucy: A short extra piece added to this book, originally published in another anthology functioning as a coda. This is one of the longer pieces included in this anthology, which was interesting and allowed for a lot more world building. This story follows a woman working in a brothel, seeking to free one of her fellow workers, who was kidnapped by the widow of the man, who knocked her up. Interesting and well written.
TW: csa (one of the sex workers is 15), misogyny, murder, whorephobia
A short story collection centered around the theme of “Deadly Women of the Sea”. Of course, many of these short stories and poems focus on various creatures quite familiar from folklore around the globe, sirens and mermaids and selkies, but there are also some more intriguing creatures included, which I enjoyed.
This anthology includes 52 different pieces (+ one extra short story from another anthology, included by the publisher as a freebie), from very short poems over flash fiction pieces to longer short stories on only 250 pages, so as you can imagine many are too short. They often focus on the darker aspects of the lore surrounding various oceanic creatures and hauntings, but sometimes adding newer or unexpected twists, which I enjoyed. However, due to the incredible amount of stories featured here, there are quite a few repetitions, particularly when it comes to the poems, which were often quite short and nothing particularly special, which was sad. In general, I think this collection could have been better if it had included fewer stories, focusing on the standout ones and the stories doing something new with creatures from the sea (such as Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli, which features a Leviathan or Jellies by Elana Gomel, which includes Jellyfish-pregnancy horror or The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor, which is an incredibly well written gothic haunting) instead of the more folklore focused stories of sailors and sirens and mermaids drowning men and selkies escaping from abusive men, of which there were many stories and so they felt a bit repetitive after a while. Especially the poetry had very few standout pieces, as many were incredibly short and focused on sirens only, which just added to the feeling of repetition.
I did however like that there are some lesbian/sapphic stories included in this anthology, which was a nice change of pace sometimes, since very many of the stories are focused on luring men to their death or abusive men.
I still enjoyed this anthology quite a bit and if you enjoy ocean-based horror as well as stories that are gothic/dark/haunting you will definitely find some short stories you can enjoy in here. My personal favorites were Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli, Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel, Coral, Again by E.M. Linden, The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler, Mother Raised You Well by A.R. Frederiksen, Jellies by Elana Gomel, The Woman Who Drowned in the Detroit River by Kaitlin Tremblay, Driftwood by Kayla Whittle, The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor, The Children of the Sea by Paul M. Feeney and The Pearl Weeper’s Lament by Marianne Halbert.
I also liked that the anthology included trigger warnings. All in all this was a fun read to me as someone who likes oceanic horror a lot, but unfortunately due to including too many pieces and relatively few standout pieces when measured against the 53 pieces included here, my rating is not as high as I hoped it would be.
As always, I included some short thoughts + specific trigger warnings for each piece underneath here. Beware, it’s long.
The End of the World by Sandra Ljubljanović: A poem about a mermaid-apocalypse, I liked it
TW: death
The Song Below by John Higgins: A story about three sailors adrift at sea after their boat was sunken by a whale when one of them hears a lovely voice begging him to feed her. Rather typical mermaid fare, but an interesting start for this collection.
TW: mentions of cannibalism, death, dehydration, drowning
Whitebait by Patrick Rutigliano: An interesting poem told from the perspective of a mermaid, very intriguing writing style
Enraptured by Candace Robinson: A woman caught between the man she loves on land and her fascination with the murdering sirens of the sea. I really liked the messiness of the MC of this story and the fact that she couldn’t help but be drawn towards these grisly murders, it was interesting to read.
TW: gore, murder, implied off-page suicide
Song of the Mermaid by Emmanuel Williams: A short poem about a man hearing a siren’s call. It’s… okay.
*FAV* Meat Cute by Desirée Niccoli: I love the title and I love Lady Leviathan. An environmental horror revenge ensues when Lady Leviathan wakes from her long slumber and decides it is time to defend her ocean. It was lovely. Plus, the romance is sweet. Who doesn’t want an ancient horror to rescue them and then you get to destroy your enemies together?
TW: animal peril and death, environmental destruction, injury, murder, violence
What the Water Brings by L. Marie Wood: A short terrifying poem about returning as a monster. Intriguing writing style, but very, very short.
TW: drowning
Moon Over El Cerro by Samantha Lokai: A tale about a tragic end to a young love and the haunting that beckons the man when he returns to the beach his teenage girlfriend died on all these years ago. I liked the ending, that was a fun twist!
TW: drowning
Mermaid by Christina Hennemann: Another short poem from the perspective of a mermaid. Ok, but nothing particularly interesting.
Pet by Gully Novaro: A very short story about someone taking a swim with their newly adopted pet. Intriguing ending.
Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card by Christine Lucas: This story combines selkie lore with mermaid lore and features a woman’s desperate attempts to please her husband, hoping he will return her pearls to her. With a gift card her husband’s grandmother left her, there might be a way. Satisfying ending.
TW: domestic abuse, grief, miscarriage
A Siren’s Shanty by Alice Austin: A fun twist on the wellerman shanty, but told from the perspective of a siren.
*FAV* Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel: A selkie woman whose husband has used a magic tattoo to hide her key plans her escape. I really liked the focus on friendship in this story.
TW: kidnapping, sexual assault
Effigy by Victoria Nations: A woman sculpts a statue of her ex-girlfriend, who recently left her, with seagrass and marsh clay. Intriguing, but very short.
Tear Me Down by Mark Towse: A man finds himself bewitched by a creepy painting in an art gallery. Haunting and fun and I had a good laugh at the end.
The Temptress by Kristin Cleaveland: A short poem from the perspective of a siren.
Brine Mother by Ben Monroe: A fisherman pulls up a strange catch, kills it and finds himself pursued in revenge. Haunting and interesting, I really enjoyed this one!
TW: gore, murder
The Sea Hag by Kurt Newton: A poem retelling the story of how the Sea Hag came to haunt her part of the ocean. Interesting and despite its brevity manages to tell a full story.
*FAV* Coral, Again by E.M. Linden: A husband’s wife returns from her grave, but the longer she stays with him, the more she transforms into something else entirely. Heartbreaking and haunting and very, very beautifully written.
TW: grief
Sisterhood Rites by Eva Papasoulioti: A poem about joining sirens in their song.
*FAV* The Wall Women by Ann Wuehler: A heartbreaking story about a mother and a daughter, when the sea calls for the mother again. I enjoyed the body horror here a lot as well and the depictions of grief and loss were heartbreaking.
TW: body horror, gore, grief
The Price of Freedom by Rachel Dib: A very short story about a daughter, who found her mother’s seal skin.
TW: domestic abuse (implied), murder
*FAV* Mother Raised You Well by A.R. Frederiksen: A woman saves a mermaid child from the rocky shore and raises her, but one day her past as a fin-hunter comes to haunt her. I really liked this one, it is heartbreaking, but also beautiful.
Sunken Treasure by Daniel Pyle: A very short story about a mermaid hunter. It’s okay, but just a few lines long? Meh.
Into the Water by Megan E. Heart: A bachelorette party on a cruise ship takes a deadly turn when the bride-to-be is caught cheating by the sister of the groom-to-be. Interesting enough and I liked that it was a bit different from the other stories here, more modern.
TW: cheating, drowning
From the Bridge by Ef Deal: A man rescues a woman from jumping into the ocean, but she doesn’t take too kindly to it. Very short, but interesting concept.
TW: murder, suicide
Into the Nevergo by Katherine Traylor: A woman walks into the ocean to end her life, but finds another life waiting for her instead. But even that second life must end one day. Haunting and interesting.
TW: drowning, suicide
Sometimes I Am Jealous of Their Widows by Juleigh Howard-Hobson: A short poem about a mermaid, who collects the treasures that shipwrecks rain down on her.
TW: drowning
The Kelpie by Simon Kewin: A very short story about a Kelpie.
TW: child death, drowning
*FAV* Jellies by Elana Gomel: A woman with an unknown heritage has become pregnant and can’t fight the feeling that something unnatural is growing inside her. Haunting and messy and scary, I loved this one a lot!
TW: pregnancy
Rusalnaia Nedija by Lauren E. Reynolds: A short poem about a Rusalka. Interesting rhyming scheme, I liked this one.
Ona Dolzhna Yest by Grace R. Reynolds: A poor man refuses his wife’s please to find a better life for her and her unborn son. When she returns for him from the sea, he cannot expect to find any mercy. Haunting and creepy.
TW: child death, drowning, pregnancy, suicide
Naiads by Robert René Galván: A short poem about a theater. Okay.
Tomokazuki by Marshall J. Moore: Set on an island, this story follows a young girl whose mother drowned diving for pearls and food for their small community. Bound by grief a restless spirit begins to haunt their waters.
TW: death, drowning, grief
The Siren’s Call by Ngo Binh Anh Khoa: A very short story about a siren. Again, okay, but too short to be anything interesting.
Moonlight Motu by Roxie Voorhees: Two siblings find themselves stranded on an ocean after a shipwreck where the sister receives nighttime visits. Interesting and haunting, I liked reading this one.
TW: drowning, murder
Reflections on a Mermaid by April Yates: A young woman walks to the space her girlfriend drowned herself after her mother kicks her out for being queer.
TW: drowning, homelessness, homophobia, suicide
*FAV* The Woman Who Drowned in the Detroit River by Kaitlin Tremblay: A story told about a family and a river haunted by the past and the teenage girl, with whom it all comes to a close when she can’t resist the pull of the water any longer. Heartbreaking, but really well written.
TW. Drowning, eating disorder
Senara by T.K. Howell: A very short story about a woman running from an abusive house and encountering an excited mermaid, who wants to show her her world. It doesn’t end well.
TW: domestic abuse, drowning
*FAV* Driftwood by Kayla Whittle: A woman finds her sea-side town haunted after a storm. Really well written and incredibly interesting!
TW: drowning, murder
They Drowned Me on a Sunday by Emily Y. Teng: A woman is drowned as a witch, but the townfolk made one major mistake. She’s no witch at all. Very short, but interesting concept!
TW: drowning, murder
What You Know of Sirens, You Have Heard From Men by Briana Una McGuckin: A Siren, who can return to the water under the full moon if she so chooses too, uses her ability to punish men, who walk free despite their crimes, in a very interesting manner.
TW: murder
Qalupalik by Thomas Farr: A very, very short story about a child(stealing? rearing?) creature of the sea. Very atmospheric writing style, but only two paragraphs long and so much too short.
*FAV* The Specter of Pearlhall by Cassandra Taylor: A gothic tale of a haunted estate by the seaside. Really scary and incredibly atmospheric, I really liked this short story!
TW: child death, death in childbirth, grief, murder
Jurate by Steven-Elliot Altman: A short poem about a fisher, whose nets catch a siren.
TW: drowning
*FAV* The Children of the Sea by Paul M. Feeney: A haunting story about a fishing crew with a strange bounty and the sea’s revenge. Really atmospheric and well written and also a story that makes great use of the short story format.
TW: death, drowning
The Huntress by Lucy Collins: A short poem about a mermaid.
TW: death, drowning
*FAV* The Pearl Weeper’s Lament by Marianne Halbert: A really interesting story about a greedy fisherwoman luring a mermaid for the pearls she cries when tortured and the magical properties of her flesh and the curse that is inflicted in revenge. Really brutal and incredibly well written, I liked this one a lot!
TW: cannibalism, death, torture
Skin Deep by Rosie Arcane: Another short poem about mermaids.
Onedine’s Curse by Antonia Rachel Ward: A poet seeks out a muse living in a forest lake, hoping to find inspiration for his work. When he leaves to publish his poems, he promises to return. Interesting concept and I liked the ending.
TW: death, disease, drowning (not the usual kind)
The Siren’s Song by Steven Lord: Another short poem about mermaids.
The Bittersweet Glimmer by Jessica Peter: An interesting take on the lore of Lorelei, a german mermaid myth, following the life of an old woman in a nursing home dreaming of her youth. Really fun for me, because it is one of the myths I grew up with and I really liked this take on it.
TW: elder abuse, self-harm
When the Doves Die by Jennifer Soucy: A short extra piece added to this book, originally published in another anthology functioning as a coda. This is one of the longer pieces included in this anthology, which was interesting and allowed for a lot more world building. This story follows a woman working in a brothel, seeking to free one of her fellow workers, who was kidnapped by the widow of the man, who knocked her up. Interesting and well written.
TW: csa (one of the sex workers is 15), misogyny, murder, whorephobia
May 2, 2023
A huge range of poetry, drabbles and short stories each with their own menacing female from mysterious waters. With their scales, claws, tentacles and fins, this anthology dives into sea folklore, allowing the terrifying mermaids, seducing sirens, shapeshifting selkies, and other she-monsters of the deep, to terrify and allure. There's so many to choose from, but a few that stood out for me were Meat Cute by Desiree M. Niccoli, Pet by Gully Novaro, The Temptress by Kristin Cleaveland, Jellies by Elana Gomel and Tomokazuki by Marshall J. Moore.
You won't go swimming any time soon.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
You won't go swimming any time soon.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 11, 2025
Dangerous Waters was, without a doubt, the best short story collection I’ve ever read. Normally with short story collections you have some you like, and some that fall flat - but there was NOTHING I didn’t love about this book.
That being said, I am a long time lover of the vengeful creatures of the deep - be they nøkken, sirens/mermaids, nykr, kelpies, ji-merdiwa, or rusalka. This collection of stories and poetry not only gave us gory examples of how frightful they can be, but also gave us a myriad of reasons to sympathize with them and choose violence. Oh, and to stay away from the water… especially at night.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
That being said, I am a long time lover of the vengeful creatures of the deep - be they nøkken, sirens/mermaids, nykr, kelpies, ji-merdiwa, or rusalka. This collection of stories and poetry not only gave us gory examples of how frightful they can be, but also gave us a myriad of reasons to sympathize with them and choose violence. Oh, and to stay away from the water… especially at night.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
February 5, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to read this wonderful anthology! This beautiful collection took a concept that I adored as a young girl, and transformed it into something I could appreciate now as an adult.
Every short story and poem had its own unique take on mermaids and sirens. Each piece of this collection either taught me something new about a culture different from mine, entertained me with a riveting tale, or brought me to tears with its commentary on how we treat things we don’t understand.
When it comes to anthologies, it’s hard to criticize or comment on inconsistent writing or plot holes as all authors have their own way of telling a story. These stories, however, all drew me in one way or another. I found myself going back and rereading some of my favorites just to experience them once again. While some stories might have been lacking in one compositional element or another, they all had more pros to out-way the cons.
I appreciated that not every story followed the same theme or plot line. Some were told from the perspective of the mermaid/siren and some were told from the victims. There were some happier stories sprinkled in to equal out the darker tone of the overall book. All-in-all it felt like a very balanced collection that left me with a deeper appreciation for these fascinating mythical creatures.
Some of my favorite stories were:
-Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel
-Enraptured by Candace Robinson
-Meat Cute by Desirée M. Niccoli
Every short story and poem had its own unique take on mermaids and sirens. Each piece of this collection either taught me something new about a culture different from mine, entertained me with a riveting tale, or brought me to tears with its commentary on how we treat things we don’t understand.
When it comes to anthologies, it’s hard to criticize or comment on inconsistent writing or plot holes as all authors have their own way of telling a story. These stories, however, all drew me in one way or another. I found myself going back and rereading some of my favorites just to experience them once again. While some stories might have been lacking in one compositional element or another, they all had more pros to out-way the cons.
I appreciated that not every story followed the same theme or plot line. Some were told from the perspective of the mermaid/siren and some were told from the victims. There were some happier stories sprinkled in to equal out the darker tone of the overall book. All-in-all it felt like a very balanced collection that left me with a deeper appreciation for these fascinating mythical creatures.
Some of my favorite stories were:
-Best of Both Worlds by Dawn Vogel
-Enraptured by Candace Robinson
-Meat Cute by Desirée M. Niccoli
June 27, 2023
A decent collection od stories, drabbles and poems about dangerous water creatures.
May 21, 2023
DNF 28%
June 25, 2025
Dangerous Waters is a treasure trove of murderous mermaids, angry kelpies, and depressed rivers. Yes, I said depressed rivers. Not one of these stories and poems missed, not a single solitary one. There's also a bonus story at the end that was just as good as the rest of them!
While the main theme of this is clearly feminine rage, there are a few that stood out because they were *not*. Although the feminine rage in every story was absolutely amazing. Meat Cute was an exceptional story about how polluted our oceans were with Lady Leviathan rising from the depths after sleeping for centuries to a world that looks nothing like she left it. As she realizes how badly things have gotten her rage reaches titanic proportions. Best of Both Worlds was a wonderful story about women helping women with a kelpie whose pelt has been stolen as the MC, she befriends an older woman and a beautiful friendship is born. Finally, The Pearl Weeper's Lament is probably the saddest of the whole thing and there are some exceptionally sad stories in this. Now, I'm not saying hunt these down immediately but these are definitely my three favorites from the book.
I genuinely can't recommend this anthology enough, this was an eArc and I *immediately* purchased a copy when I finished reading it, that's how good it was!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Brigid's Gate Press for the eArc!
While the main theme of this is clearly feminine rage, there are a few that stood out because they were *not*. Although the feminine rage in every story was absolutely amazing. Meat Cute was an exceptional story about how polluted our oceans were with Lady Leviathan rising from the depths after sleeping for centuries to a world that looks nothing like she left it. As she realizes how badly things have gotten her rage reaches titanic proportions. Best of Both Worlds was a wonderful story about women helping women with a kelpie whose pelt has been stolen as the MC, she befriends an older woman and a beautiful friendship is born. Finally, The Pearl Weeper's Lament is probably the saddest of the whole thing and there are some exceptionally sad stories in this. Now, I'm not saying hunt these down immediately but these are definitely my three favorites from the book.
I genuinely can't recommend this anthology enough, this was an eArc and I *immediately* purchased a copy when I finished reading it, that's how good it was!
As always thanks to NetGalley and Brigid's Gate Press for the eArc!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2023
Would recommend this for anyone who loves mermaids or sea creatures but is a little bit more into horror, macabre, and morbid vibes. These aren’t your typical mermaids sitting on a rock combing their hair. There is quite a bit of gore and death in these stories at times but the editor did do a good job of including a pretty thorough content warning at the beginning which I appreciated. Thought the stories were great and the poetry was alright too but honestly could have done without it. I think the stories stand well on their own without the poems. The extra story at the end was a good read too but like the editor mentioned it doesn’t have anything to do with mermaids or sea creatures or myths. It just didn’t feel like it quite belonged and though I appreciate getting a bonus story like the poetry I don’t think it was really needed. Overall though I would recommend.
August 3, 2024
This is a wonderful little anthology filled with short stories and poetry mixed in. Dark and dangerous filled with oceanic nightmares and sea sirens making it to land. Picked up during the “terrify your tablet” event in 2023. Recommended - check to see if it’s available on Kindle Unlimited!
July 26, 2023
TW: Abuse, Suicide
This anthology is a collection of short stories and poems centered around mermaids and sirens. But not mermaids that sing and frolic – rather, the dangerous creatures who lurk unseen beneath the ocean waters, more than willing to take their revenge on those that wronged them. I quite enjoyed how well these stories explored the lore of the darker side of mermaids, but also added new and fascinating aspects to it as well. I normally rate stories individually in collections, but as there were more than 40 stories and poems, I’m not doing that this time.
My absolute favorite stories were “Enraptured,” “Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card,” “Coral, Again,” “Tomokazuki,” “Senara,” “Driftwood,” and “Specter of Pearlhall.” These were all five-star stores for me due to the authors’ creativity, and their ability to create such compelling worlds and characters with such a short number of pages. The vast majority of the remaining stories were three- and four-star reads. There were also quite a few poems included in this work. I’m going to be honest – I rarely come across poetry that I enjoy, and I didn’t care for the ones in this book. But I’m not saying the poetry in this work was bad, it’s just not for me!
While this work was rated as horror, the stories didn’t feel like they fit that genre well. They were certainly dark, and many were tense, but these stories were more magical realism or fantasy than horror. If you enjoy darker stories in those genres, especially ones that focus on the ocean and dangerous women, then you’ll likely find some real winners in this collection. My thanks to BookSirens and Brigids Gate Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This anthology is a collection of short stories and poems centered around mermaids and sirens. But not mermaids that sing and frolic – rather, the dangerous creatures who lurk unseen beneath the ocean waters, more than willing to take their revenge on those that wronged them. I quite enjoyed how well these stories explored the lore of the darker side of mermaids, but also added new and fascinating aspects to it as well. I normally rate stories individually in collections, but as there were more than 40 stories and poems, I’m not doing that this time.
My absolute favorite stories were “Enraptured,” “Five Words Scribbled on a Gift Card,” “Coral, Again,” “Tomokazuki,” “Senara,” “Driftwood,” and “Specter of Pearlhall.” These were all five-star stores for me due to the authors’ creativity, and their ability to create such compelling worlds and characters with such a short number of pages. The vast majority of the remaining stories were three- and four-star reads. There were also quite a few poems included in this work. I’m going to be honest – I rarely come across poetry that I enjoy, and I didn’t care for the ones in this book. But I’m not saying the poetry in this work was bad, it’s just not for me!
While this work was rated as horror, the stories didn’t feel like they fit that genre well. They were certainly dark, and many were tense, but these stories were more magical realism or fantasy than horror. If you enjoy darker stories in those genres, especially ones that focus on the ocean and dangerous women, then you’ll likely find some real winners in this collection. My thanks to BookSirens and Brigids Gate Press for allowing me to read this work. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
January 28, 2025
Dangerous Waters is a collection of poems, micro stories, and short stories around the themes of horror and sea creatures. You'll find stories about mermaids, selkies, and some invented creatures more or less resembling what we already know from folk stories.
Disclaimer : I only talk about the stories in my review and not the poems because I don't feel qualified to say anything about them.
Overall I thought this was a very expected collections. Only one story really jumped out to me : Effigy. I thought it really departed from the rest of the stories and tried to do something new.
Most of the story are enjoyable, the first one I even quite liked. But most of the stories also feel like a first draft or something I could have read before. I did not feel like a lot of work had been put into most of the works. Most of them left me feeling like "that's it?". I think what does a disservice to this collection is also the fact that the prompt is so restrictive. The title Deadly Women of the Sea says it all, it's female creatures killing humans (often men). So some of the stories did feel a bit repetitive, especially if you are reading the collection in only a few sittings. And sometimes also very look at how feminist, women killing men.
The most successful stories to me were the shortest ones.
All in all it's a forgettable but fine collection around an interesting theme. So if you love mermaids and sea creatures, go for it. If you're in it for the horror, I'd recommend something else.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
Disclaimer : I only talk about the stories in my review and not the poems because I don't feel qualified to say anything about them.
Overall I thought this was a very expected collections. Only one story really jumped out to me : Effigy. I thought it really departed from the rest of the stories and tried to do something new.
Most of the story are enjoyable, the first one I even quite liked. But most of the stories also feel like a first draft or something I could have read before. I did not feel like a lot of work had been put into most of the works. Most of them left me feeling like "that's it?". I think what does a disservice to this collection is also the fact that the prompt is so restrictive. The title Deadly Women of the Sea says it all, it's female creatures killing humans (often men). So some of the stories did feel a bit repetitive, especially if you are reading the collection in only a few sittings. And sometimes also very look at how feminist, women killing men.
The most successful stories to me were the shortest ones.
All in all it's a forgettable but fine collection around an interesting theme. So if you love mermaids and sea creatures, go for it. If you're in it for the horror, I'd recommend something else.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.
February 19, 2025
Dangerous Waters: Deadly Women of the Sea is the book I never knew I needed. Between mermaids, sirens, and the creepy deep sea in between, this one made me consider if I wanted to go into the ocean again.
This anthology is a mix of short stories, flash fiction, and poetry, told from the voices of many authors. I really enjoyed that there was such a wide range of styles and voices- it made me really excited to go and seek out other stories from a few of the authors. It's one of my favorite types of anthologies because there's so much here- so many stories, so many authors.
The entries vary in told, with some being terrifying, and others making me laugh. PET by Gully Novaro particularly gave me a chuckle, especially how quaint and short it was.
It's a quick read, but more than that, it's a fun read to have laying around and take in little by little. I found myself rushing through the entries because they were so short and I had to tell myself to slow down. It's an enjoyable read for anyone who wants a little mermaid in their life.
This anthology is a mix of short stories, flash fiction, and poetry, told from the voices of many authors. I really enjoyed that there was such a wide range of styles and voices- it made me really excited to go and seek out other stories from a few of the authors. It's one of my favorite types of anthologies because there's so much here- so many stories, so many authors.
The entries vary in told, with some being terrifying, and others making me laugh. PET by Gully Novaro particularly gave me a chuckle, especially how quaint and short it was.
It's a quick read, but more than that, it's a fun read to have laying around and take in little by little. I found myself rushing through the entries because they were so short and I had to tell myself to slow down. It's an enjoyable read for anyone who wants a little mermaid in their life.
January 9, 2025
Thank you so much to Brigids Gate Press and NetGalley for allowing me to access this collection in advance. This was a wonderful blend of stories and poems centered around a theme I particularly love: dangerous females from the depths.
I appreciated the eerie and dreadful atmosphere woven throughout the entire collection, and some of the most gruesome elements were executed beautifully. The high quality is maintained across all the stories; however, I did have a favorite in "Meat Cute" by Desirée M. Niccoli I adored the descriptions and setting, while my favorite poem was "The Huntress" by Lucy Collins due to its striking imagery and sentence construction. I couldn't get enough of the description of the creatures and of the sea.
Additionally, I think the cover is absolutely beautiful.
I appreciated the eerie and dreadful atmosphere woven throughout the entire collection, and some of the most gruesome elements were executed beautifully. The high quality is maintained across all the stories; however, I did have a favorite in "Meat Cute" by Desirée M. Niccoli I adored the descriptions and setting, while my favorite poem was "The Huntress" by Lucy Collins due to its striking imagery and sentence construction. I couldn't get enough of the description of the creatures and of the sea.
Additionally, I think the cover is absolutely beautiful.
January 7, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Brigids Gate Press. I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was one of the best anthologies I've ever read. There wasn't a single page that I didn't enjoy from start to finish.
It had a dark creepy tone that stayed the same across the whole book, and that tied all the stories and poetry together like a siren's wail during a storm at sea.
Absolutely wonderful in every way, and I'm sure the mermaids will be haunting my dreams for weeks to come.
This was one of the best anthologies I've ever read. There wasn't a single page that I didn't enjoy from start to finish.
It had a dark creepy tone that stayed the same across the whole book, and that tied all the stories and poetry together like a siren's wail during a storm at sea.
Absolutely wonderful in every way, and I'm sure the mermaids will be haunting my dreams for weeks to come.
February 9, 2025
Compilado de histórias e poesias interessantes sobre o tema sereias e selkies (focas do mar), esses seres sedutores e por vezes tão traiçoeiras, como também o papel da misoginia nesse mito com o passar dos anos.
Os diversos autores desenvolvem as diversas facetas do mito, sem cair no mais do mesmo, com pitadas de horror muito bem inseridas, com críticas singelas que são uma grata surpresa e assim como todo livro de contos e coletâneas de poesias nem todas mexem com a gente de forma parecida com a outra.
Agradeço ao netgally e a editora por essa cópia.
Os diversos autores desenvolvem as diversas facetas do mito, sem cair no mais do mesmo, com pitadas de horror muito bem inseridas, com críticas singelas que são uma grata surpresa e assim como todo livro de contos e coletâneas de poesias nem todas mexem com a gente de forma parecida com a outra.
Agradeço ao netgally e a editora por essa cópia.
January 6, 2025
Thanks to the publishers - Brigids Gate Press, LLC – for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This is an anthology of both poetry and short novellas all about dangerous women of the sea: mermaids, selkies, sirens amongst them. It being an anthology I’m sure you’d be able to find one piece you really enjoy. I didn’t have a clear favourite but it was a nice little read and it was nice to read shorter bits from many different authors.
This is an anthology of both poetry and short novellas all about dangerous women of the sea: mermaids, selkies, sirens amongst them. It being an anthology I’m sure you’d be able to find one piece you really enjoy. I didn’t have a clear favourite but it was a nice little read and it was nice to read shorter bits from many different authors.
June 2, 2023
This was superb! A wonderfully haunting collection of fabulistic/magical/creepy tales.
February 8, 2025
I've decided not to finish this book because none of the stories and poems here have been particularly memorable or impactful. Hopefully other readers will find something here I havent.
December 31, 2023
Deep and dark delivered
Over fifty stories, drabbles, and poems to make your skin crawl.
The author provides a content warning at the very beginning. Heed it…many a character did not and they suffered the consequences (and I mean suffered).
Fave line:
‘The siren’s call was deadly, but that did not make it any less beautiful.’
"Featuring stories, drabbles, and poems by Sandra Ljubjanović, John Higgins, Patrick Rutigliano, Candace Robinson, Emmanuel Williams, Desirée M. Niccoli, L. Marie Wood, Samantha Lokai, Christina Henneman, Gully Novaro, Christine Lukas, Alice Austin, Dawn Vogel, Victoria Nations, Mark Towse, Kristin Cleaveland, Ben Monroe, Kurt Newton, E.M. Linden, Eva Papasoulioti, Ann Wuehler, Rachel Dib, A.R. Fredericksen, Daniel Pyle, Megan Hart, Ef Deal, Katherine Traylor, Juliegh Howard-Hobson, Simon Kewin, Elana Gomel, Lauren E. Reynolds, Grace R. Reynolds, René Galván, Marshall J. Moore, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Roxie Vorhees, April Yates, Kaitlin Tremblay, T.K. Howell, Kayla Whittle, Emily Y. Teng, Briana McGuckin, Tom Farr, Cassandra Taylor, Steven-Elliot Altman, Paul M. Feeney, Lucy Collins, Marianne Halbert, Rosie Arcane, Antonia Rachel Ward, Steven Lord, and Jessica Peter."
Over fifty stories, drabbles, and poems to make your skin crawl.
The author provides a content warning at the very beginning. Heed it…many a character did not and they suffered the consequences (and I mean suffered).
Fave line:
‘The siren’s call was deadly, but that did not make it any less beautiful.’
"Featuring stories, drabbles, and poems by Sandra Ljubjanović, John Higgins, Patrick Rutigliano, Candace Robinson, Emmanuel Williams, Desirée M. Niccoli, L. Marie Wood, Samantha Lokai, Christina Henneman, Gully Novaro, Christine Lukas, Alice Austin, Dawn Vogel, Victoria Nations, Mark Towse, Kristin Cleaveland, Ben Monroe, Kurt Newton, E.M. Linden, Eva Papasoulioti, Ann Wuehler, Rachel Dib, A.R. Fredericksen, Daniel Pyle, Megan Hart, Ef Deal, Katherine Traylor, Juliegh Howard-Hobson, Simon Kewin, Elana Gomel, Lauren E. Reynolds, Grace R. Reynolds, René Galván, Marshall J. Moore, Ngo Binh Anh Khoa, Roxie Vorhees, April Yates, Kaitlin Tremblay, T.K. Howell, Kayla Whittle, Emily Y. Teng, Briana McGuckin, Tom Farr, Cassandra Taylor, Steven-Elliot Altman, Paul M. Feeney, Lucy Collins, Marianne Halbert, Rosie Arcane, Antonia Rachel Ward, Steven Lord, and Jessica Peter."
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