Hey, I discovered this free to listen to a podcast(audiobook) somehow....either Tor emailed me an ad for it, or I came across it somehow. But that's beside the point. It's free to listen wherever you listen to podcasts. And they have some great authors in this short story collection. I wanted to make a note of my thoughts on this collection as I went through it, so this isn't really for the public....more for my own tracking. But I'm totally okay with anyone reading this. I may just comment on the story who it was by and how many stars I rated it.
1. No Matter Which Way We Turned by Brian Evanson- this very short story just struck me by how beautifully written it was. This is my first time ever haven read anything by this author, and I loved it. Freaky child...with no real explanation for it, but that didn't matter. 5 stars
2. Daddy by Victor Lavalle - This was a paranoid type story with a creepy payoff. I had read this author before but in a graphic novel. 4 stars.
3. This Guy by Chuck Wendig- A Groundhog Day horror story about a guy who kills "this guy" in many imaginative ways every day for no fucking reason but that he can. 5 stars
4. Flayed Ed by Richard Kadrey- An Alternative History tale about Ed Gein with a supernatural twist. 4 stars
5. The Pond by Paul Tremblay- This was another very short one and one that just did nothing for me. I found it to be boring and unmoving. 2 stars. \
6. My Body Herself by Carmen Maria Machado- 3 stars.
7. The Girls From the Horror Movie by Gwendolyn Kiste- an average tale of twin final girls. 3 stars
8. Those Deathless Bones by Cassandra Khaw- 5 stars
9. It Washed Up by Joe Lansdale- strange things happen in a seaside town. 3.5 stars.
10. Stemming the Tide by Simon Strantzas- State park that has an event closed to the public. Zombie short story 3,5 stars.
11. Midnight Caller by Stephen Graham Jones- Summer camp counselor being stalked by a crazed killer 4 stars.
12. Black Bark by Brian Evenson - strange cowboy fiction 3 stars.
13. The Anatomist's Mnemonic by Priya Sharma - Guy with a hand fetish seeks love and does not end how you think it would. 3 stars.
14. Rabbit Heart by Alyssa Wong - Weird fiction very short. 2 stars
15.The Beasts of the Earth, The Madness of Men by Brooke Bolander - Sea creature tale 3 stars
16. Cold, Silent, and Dark by Kary English - another tale of the sea 4 stars.
17. When the Zombies Win by Karina Sumner-Smith - Zombies 'nuff said 5 stars.
18. Harold the Spider Man by Paul Tremblay - Eccentric old man collects spiders after the death of his wife 3 stars.
19. Ponies by Kij Johnson - Ponies and Mean Girls 1 star.
20. Black Neurology by Richard Kadrey - death-themed 3 stars
21. Beware of Owner by Chuck Wendig - cruel father and son harbor a dark secret 5 stars.
22. The Vault of the Sky, The Face of the Deep by Robert Levy- A senior woman's final days. 2 stars.
23. Don't Turn on the Lights by Cassandra Khaw - 3 versions of a tale of a gruesome murder. 5 stars.
24. Wasp & Snake by Livia Llewellyn - Aesop's retelling 3 stars.
25. Greener Pastures by Michael Wehunt - Mysterious truck stop. 3 stars
26. And When She Was Bad by Nadia Bulkin - Winged creatures revenge 2 stars.
27. El Charro by John Langan - Mexican vampire story...creepy AF. 4 stars
28. Dream Home by Kat Howard - the title says it all and this was BAD 1 star,
29. Spawning Season by Nicholas Kaufman - Seaside Lovecraftian tale. 4 stars.
30. In Sheep's Clothing by Molly Tanzer - Weird apocalypse where things get primal. 4 stars
31. 57 Reasons for the Slate Quarry Suicides by Sam J. Miller - Boy with Mind Control gets his revenge 3 stars.
32. Was She Wicked? Was She Good? by M. Rickert - Faeries get their revenge on a wicked little girl 3 stars.
33.A Life That is Not Mine by Kristi DeMeester - swallowing darkness? Strange sickness? 3 stars
34. That Which Does Not Kill You by Lucy A. Snyder - Tale of heartbreak...told in a weird way. 3 stars
35. The Design by China Mieville - Historical horror fiction of a medical student who discovers strange designs on cadavers bones. 3 stars.
I compiled all of these ratings into an average for a final rating for this book. While there were some really great 4 and 5 stars rated stories overall I gave this an average 3-star rating. If you are a fan of horror it is worth checking out.
