aesantana's review
5.0
Gwen attempts to get her life on track and may have found the answer to success but at what cost? La-La watches the trains go by, saying farewell to the living and the dead. Delaine slides in and out of the past to perfect her murder and learns the sticky truth about time slipping away.
The 2019 Bram Stoker Award nominated short story collection Lady Bits by Kate Jonez contains sixteen stories of the strange, twisted, and gruesome. The stories in this collection center around women who find themselves in terrifying and sometimes supernatural situations. The women in Lady Bits are of all ages, from various backgrounds, and are complex and unpredictable people. Women in horror media are often seen as one-note scream queens, but the characters in Lady Bits break that mold.
Jonez, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author, has a talent for creating characters who are authentic in their messy imperfections. The women in Lady Bits are not just heroes or villains or victims but rather a mix. They’re people. The characters have breadth; not all mothers make the best choices, not all old women are sweet grandmothers, and not all young ladies need to be saved. Women are not evil only as wicked queens and witches. Women are not good only as lovely princesses and innocent maidens. Jonez brings each character to life and gives realistic diversity to these characters. So, whether these women are well-meaning or downright devious, they are at their core human.
In the story “Poor Me—And Ted,” suspense rises as the reader witnesses bereaved mother Glory follow through with a terrible plan that is all at once horrendous and heartbreakingly clear. Jonez tells this story through Glory’s inner monologue, a proficient and engaging way to identify with a possible unreliable narrator.
In “Carnivores,” the reader watches Francine, a young woman on the edge of society, struggle with getting by. Tension builds as Francine becomes entangled in an unsavory situation. In this story, Jonez flips common conceptions on their head, making way for an unexpected shock.
For fans of dark fiction, supernatural tales, and bizarre happenings, the aptly titled Lady Bits is an eye-opening collection. These horror stories range from creepy to disturbing. There are monsters, there is magic, and there is death, but Jonez keeps the pain and sweetness of humanity in each of her stories by highlighting the different aspects of who women are and who they can be. Jonez’s superb ability to craft eerie and strange tales is matched by her ability to create unnerving, yet human characters. Lady Bits is filled with frights both tangible and visceral for readers looking for a fresh perspective.
The 2019 Bram Stoker Award nominated short story collection Lady Bits by Kate Jonez contains sixteen stories of the strange, twisted, and gruesome. The stories in this collection center around women who find themselves in terrifying and sometimes supernatural situations. The women in Lady Bits are of all ages, from various backgrounds, and are complex and unpredictable people. Women in horror media are often seen as one-note scream queens, but the characters in Lady Bits break that mold.
Jonez, a Bram Stoker and Shirley Jackson Award nominated author, has a talent for creating characters who are authentic in their messy imperfections. The women in Lady Bits are not just heroes or villains or victims but rather a mix. They’re people. The characters have breadth; not all mothers make the best choices, not all old women are sweet grandmothers, and not all young ladies need to be saved. Women are not evil only as wicked queens and witches. Women are not good only as lovely princesses and innocent maidens. Jonez brings each character to life and gives realistic diversity to these characters. So, whether these women are well-meaning or downright devious, they are at their core human.
In the story “Poor Me—And Ted,” suspense rises as the reader witnesses bereaved mother Glory follow through with a terrible plan that is all at once horrendous and heartbreakingly clear. Jonez tells this story through Glory’s inner monologue, a proficient and engaging way to identify with a possible unreliable narrator.
In “Carnivores,” the reader watches Francine, a young woman on the edge of society, struggle with getting by. Tension builds as Francine becomes entangled in an unsavory situation. In this story, Jonez flips common conceptions on their head, making way for an unexpected shock.
For fans of dark fiction, supernatural tales, and bizarre happenings, the aptly titled Lady Bits is an eye-opening collection. These horror stories range from creepy to disturbing. There are monsters, there is magic, and there is death, but Jonez keeps the pain and sweetness of humanity in each of her stories by highlighting the different aspects of who women are and who they can be. Jonez’s superb ability to craft eerie and strange tales is matched by her ability to create unnerving, yet human characters. Lady Bits is filled with frights both tangible and visceral for readers looking for a fresh perspective.
mojoreault's review
4.0
The unexpected monster is the best monster. Hits and misses but written well.
optimus_mo's review against another edition
4.0
Just changed my rating from 3 stars to 4. Horror and short stories in general can be pretty hit or miss, but there are a few stories, in this collection, that made me pause at the end of them or in the middle of them. Pause and sit for a second with what had just happened, and I think that’s what good stories do. Make us pause and think.
Again, some of the stories are better than others, but the author writes well and they’re all fun to read. I’d pick up something else of theirs to check out, based on the strength of these stories.
Again, some of the stories are better than others, but the author writes well and they’re all fun to read. I’d pick up something else of theirs to check out, based on the strength of these stories.
_candela's review against another edition
2.0
Very disappointing. Didn’t like many of the stories unfortunately.
tk95's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
The stories aren't scary and the characters are either unlikeable or boring or both.
jamsreadsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
I love a good horror collection, and I especially love ones that dip into southern gothic fiction. Lady Bits is a strong collection, full of stories about wandering tramps, devious children, eerie folklore, and dangerous women. The stories are dark, gritty, and incredibly atmospheric, every story was a surprise for me and I had a lot of fun reading each one. Despite falling under the category of horror, the stories lack scares but deliver grotesque people and never shies away from extreme topics.
“It’s always the mother’s fault. That’s what they say anyways, no matter whose fault it actually is..”
The collection starts off incredibly strong with Carnivores and All the Day You’ll Have Good Luck, both stories center on cunning young girls hardened by the ugliness of society. I was completely engaged in these stories, and they were easily some of the strongest. By the Book in stark contrast was all black comedy that had me laughing out loud, I loved it so much I re-read it a second time to my husband. I also appreciated the stories that featured lesser-known folktales, such as the Kallikantzaros from Serbia and the Jenglot from Indonesia.
Short story collections are always a wild ride, it is a wonderful opportunity to see the range of an author but it can be tricky collecting a set of stories that work as a whole. The genres leap from southern gothic to black comedy to urban fantasy. There will certainly be something in here that would appeal to different readers, though the shifts in genres can also be disorienting. Overall I was very pleased with this collection and am interested in reading more stories by this author.
✮ Read this review and more like it on my blog ✮
“It’s always the mother’s fault. That’s what they say anyways, no matter whose fault it actually is..”
The collection starts off incredibly strong with Carnivores and All the Day You’ll Have Good Luck, both stories center on cunning young girls hardened by the ugliness of society. I was completely engaged in these stories, and they were easily some of the strongest. By the Book in stark contrast was all black comedy that had me laughing out loud, I loved it so much I re-read it a second time to my husband. I also appreciated the stories that featured lesser-known folktales, such as the Kallikantzaros from Serbia and the Jenglot from Indonesia.
Short story collections are always a wild ride, it is a wonderful opportunity to see the range of an author but it can be tricky collecting a set of stories that work as a whole. The genres leap from southern gothic to black comedy to urban fantasy. There will certainly be something in here that would appeal to different readers, though the shifts in genres can also be disorienting. Overall I was very pleased with this collection and am interested in reading more stories by this author.
✮ Read this review and more like it on my blog ✮
theboldbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
I love this collection! There are some excellent standout stories in this. My favorites are All the Day You'll Have Good Luck, By the Book, and A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night. All of the stories had something I liked though. I recommend this for anyone who likes short stories centered around women.
elderkinhv's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. Most of them were well timed with punchy endings and had just enough darkness to be eerie and unsettling. A couple of them I didn't really get or felt were too short to have the same impact as others, which is what kept me from giving it a full five stars.
I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy
I am voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy
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