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jjenreads's review
Thanks to netgalley and nyx publishers for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review. Well tbvh, I think that people would really love this but it's just not my cup of tea..... For me it was very hard to read an I wasn't even able to get through at least the first half of the book.....
iamcreature81's review against another edition
4.0
4.25/5
This is the first time I'm reading Yah-Yah and I have to say, I'm looking forward to reading her other works. This book of short stories flowed nicely and very well written. Each story gave me a sense of discomfort or spine chill that I look for reading any type of horror.
The stories: You have a pregnant woman who has strange cravings. (This was my favorite. ) A murderer who experiences the other side. A strained friendship after a prom outing goes wrong. A single woman who decides to become one with her garden. A mother whose son goes missing and when he comes back, well, I guess he's back. A young girl being taught how to tell herbs via sight. A queer man is punished for his actions. A young woman experiences religious rapture. And a girl walks home alone and experiences being washed followed by...
All stories has a unique twist. Though there was one or two that weren't very fulfilling, most, I feel were strong. Writing short stories is no easy feat and it takes talent to give a full stories in such few words and I believe Yah-Yah did this quite well. I look forward to reading her other work.
Thanks to net galley, nyx publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this gem. Best of luck on release day.
This is the first time I'm reading Yah-Yah and I have to say, I'm looking forward to reading her other works. This book of short stories flowed nicely and very well written. Each story gave me a sense of discomfort or spine chill that I look for reading any type of horror.
The stories: You have a pregnant woman who has strange cravings. (This was my favorite. ) A murderer who experiences the other side. A strained friendship after a prom outing goes wrong. A single woman who decides to become one with her garden. A mother whose son goes missing and when he comes back, well, I guess he's back. A young girl being taught how to tell herbs via sight. A queer man is punished for his actions. A young woman experiences religious rapture. And a girl walks home alone and experiences being washed followed by...
All stories has a unique twist. Though there was one or two that weren't very fulfilling, most, I feel were strong. Writing short stories is no easy feat and it takes talent to give a full stories in such few words and I believe Yah-Yah did this quite well. I look forward to reading her other work.
Thanks to net galley, nyx publishing and the author for the opportunity to read this gem. Best of luck on release day.
abbie_'s review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
3.75
I picked this book at random via my Scribd queue using a random number generator, and it was quite a strong little horror collection - perfect for the October time (as opposed to July when I read it and yes I'm writing July reviews in November, sue me).
Highly strung vegetarian women experience carnivorous pregnancy cravings; women executions mete out bloody justice to serial killers; estranged childhood best friends with a dark shared secret are drawn back together; sons are lost and changelings replace them; bloody cycles are doomed to repeat when a young girl is attacked by vampiric creature; a woman tries to get a one up on death by planning it herself. Honestly, all of the stories bar a few are so creative, gruesome, and just well executed horror fiction!
Highly strung vegetarian women experience carnivorous pregnancy cravings; women executions mete out bloody justice to serial killers; estranged childhood best friends with a dark shared secret are drawn back together; sons are lost and changelings replace them; bloody cycles are doomed to repeat when a young girl is attacked by vampiric creature; a woman tries to get a one up on death by planning it herself. Honestly, all of the stories bar a few are so creative, gruesome, and just well executed horror fiction!
gormenghost's review
2.75
Not scary enough to be a horror, not well-written enough to be anything else.
lucakocsis's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
Nice collection if short stories, the author has a really interesting writing style.
snowiceblackfruit77's review
dark
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, and Toxic friendship
mehsi's review
3.0
Just a Little Snack: 3.5 stars. I just had expected something even more dark, but this one was pretty dang good. Haunting. Spooky. Oh my.
In Which Two Women Kill a Man: 3.5 stars. Oh snap. I hadn't expected it to be from the man's POV and also not expected him to be such a piece of shit.
What we Owe Each Other: 2.5 stars. On the one hand very nicely written, but it was just too long for me and the obsession of our MC with her friend/the fact she couldn't forgive herself just went too far for me.
What Dinah Knew: 3.5 stars. A bit long again, felt like it could be shorter. But about a mother's love, a changeling, and to accept or not accept what has happened. Quite nice.
Suddenly, I See: 2 stars: While I do like the idea of a girl being taught by a hag to be a witch, the hag was just too cruel and it all too much.
Ain't no Grave: 3 stars. A beautiful tale with many facets from race to being LGBT to rituals and more. But the ending just seemed too soon, too speculative, I need to know what happened to him. Is he fine. Is he not. Did she hear things? Just a bit more would have been perfect.
Something Got a Hold of Me: 2 stars. OKKK.. Sure.
A Girl Who Walks Alone: Rating/short bit to come.
Niecey's Garden: Rating/short bit to come.
As you can see, a very mixed bag. Still happy I had the chance to read this, but yeah. I had expected just a bit more.
In Which Two Women Kill a Man: 3.5 stars. Oh snap. I hadn't expected it to be from the man's POV and also not expected him to be such a piece of shit.
What we Owe Each Other: 2.5 stars. On the one hand very nicely written, but it was just too long for me and the obsession of our MC with her friend/the fact she couldn't forgive herself just went too far for me.
What Dinah Knew: 3.5 stars. A bit long again, felt like it could be shorter. But about a mother's love, a changeling, and to accept or not accept what has happened. Quite nice.
Suddenly, I See: 2 stars: While I do like the idea of a girl being taught by a hag to be a witch, the hag was just too cruel and it all too much.
Ain't no Grave: 3 stars. A beautiful tale with many facets from race to being LGBT to rituals and more. But the ending just seemed too soon, too speculative, I need to know what happened to him. Is he fine. Is he not. Did she hear things? Just a bit more would have been perfect.
Something Got a Hold of Me: 2 stars. OKKK.. Sure.
A Girl Who Walks Alone: Rating/short bit to come.
Niecey's Garden: Rating/short bit to come.
As you can see, a very mixed bag. Still happy I had the chance to read this, but yeah. I had expected just a bit more.
dakotach7's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.75
I absolutely loved this collection - as with this author's previous book that I read, I very much connected with the dark and whimsical quality of the writing. I think 'What Dinah Knew,' 'Niecey's Garden,' and 'A Girl Walks Alone' ended up being my favorites of these short stories, but really, I loved all of them.
This author has a really captivating and piercing writing style imo, that really is quite haunting and is making me reflect on some things!
This author has a really captivating and piercing writing style imo, that really is quite haunting and is making me reflect on some things!
seethinglloron's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is what I'm talking about. I love Scholfield's shorter form work on various social medias, and I have put off reading this or On Sunday for way too long, and I see now how wrong I was. Incredible prose here, thick and rich with imagery and violent imaginings of Afro-gothic themes. Wow!