horrordearest's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
torrie_reads's review against another edition
4.0
Thoughts
Some of these stories have left me feeling unsettled. There were some in here that really shocked me and were disturbing. But they were really good.
Some blurbed this book and said that it has things in it that are too taboo to write about, and that is true. This isn't going to be for everyone.
Like most short story collections there are some really amazing stories in here and some that didn't work for me. However, I still think this a collection worth reading because the good ones are really really good.
Some of these stories have left me feeling unsettled. There were some in here that really shocked me and were disturbing. But they were really good.
Some blurbed this book and said that it has things in it that are too taboo to write about, and that is true. This isn't going to be for everyone.
Like most short story collections there are some really amazing stories in here and some that didn't work for me. However, I still think this a collection worth reading because the good ones are really really good.
judetheunbeliever's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
al_austin's review against another edition
5.0
There's quite a variety of stories here. Some of them are wild, abstract and horribly visceral, others are a little tamer (but still brilliantly twisted and bizarre) and more emotional, but all of them manage to keep up a really unsettling atmosphere. I couldn't stop reading, even during parts which were incredibly uncomfortable and disturbing to read. I loved it. Will definitely be looking out for more by this author!
wpsmith17's review against another edition
4.0
4 to 4.5 stars for this feverish short story collection. Betty Rocksteady has a killer style all her own. She seamlessly meshes the surreal with that growing sense of wrongness that is always heading straight for a pounding collision. These stories are intense. It's amazing what she can do is so few pages.
My favorites were: "Something Is Coming," "The Desert of Wounded Frequencies," "Postpartum," "Our Feral Skies," "Dusk Urchin," "Elephants That Aren't," and "Crimson Tide."
My favorites were: "Something Is Coming," "The Desert of Wounded Frequencies," "Postpartum," "Our Feral Skies," "Dusk Urchin," "Elephants That Aren't," and "Crimson Tide."
robert_bose's review against another edition
5.0
Wow! I feel like I’m a little late to the party on this one, but you know what, the collection is timeless so no matter. I’d seen it bouncing around on social media of course, but it wasn’t until I was catching up on Ink Heist and caught the episode from last November where Betty was talking to Rich about Boy Meets World of all things, that I decided I’d wasted enough time, so I picked it up and dove in.
And yes, wow. I love my horror… well, horrible. As horrible as possible. Full of eye twitching sex and crowbar to the head violence and those little edges that make you feel like having a shower if you didn’t know something wasn’t waiting behind the curtain to siphon out your brain through a straw and fry up your liver without proper medical credentials. Nothing wrong with psychological horror of course, but you can’t beat worrying that the concrete corner you’ve wedged yourself into might not be as impenetrable as you thought. These stories deliver that and more. Weird fucked up dreams, weirder fucked up sex, copious amounts of blood and pretty much every sort of bodily fluid pooling around bits of furry chunks both real and imaginary.
Also, cats.
Cats, as any cat lover knows, are sinister. Alien. Predatorial. Biding their time while plotting world domination. And there’s a ton of cats in these stories. And bones. And art. Betty’s a fantastic artist and obviously had a lot of fun with it, though I’ll probably never look at elephants the same way ever again. So, pretty much perfect.
My favourites? I’m going to with These Beautiful Bones, where basement art takes on a sex life of its own, Root Rot where yeah, we’ve all had a bad hookup, but not THIS bad, Postpartum… having recently visited the Torrington Gopher Hole museum where they exhibit stuffed gophers in domestic environments I totally both get it and am scared shitless, and Larva, Pupa, Moth, where next time you think about scratching that itch, bring a hammer.
So if you haven’t picked it up, brave the quarantine apocalypse and hit your local indie bookstore, curl up under a monster proof blanket in front of a chimney searing fire with your cat, and prepare to be terrified.
https://the-seventh-terrace.com/2020/03/18/in-dreams-we-rot-betty-rocksteady/
And yes, wow. I love my horror… well, horrible. As horrible as possible. Full of eye twitching sex and crowbar to the head violence and those little edges that make you feel like having a shower if you didn’t know something wasn’t waiting behind the curtain to siphon out your brain through a straw and fry up your liver without proper medical credentials. Nothing wrong with psychological horror of course, but you can’t beat worrying that the concrete corner you’ve wedged yourself into might not be as impenetrable as you thought. These stories deliver that and more. Weird fucked up dreams, weirder fucked up sex, copious amounts of blood and pretty much every sort of bodily fluid pooling around bits of furry chunks both real and imaginary.
Also, cats.
Cats, as any cat lover knows, are sinister. Alien. Predatorial. Biding their time while plotting world domination. And there’s a ton of cats in these stories. And bones. And art. Betty’s a fantastic artist and obviously had a lot of fun with it, though I’ll probably never look at elephants the same way ever again. So, pretty much perfect.
My favourites? I’m going to with These Beautiful Bones, where basement art takes on a sex life of its own, Root Rot where yeah, we’ve all had a bad hookup, but not THIS bad, Postpartum… having recently visited the Torrington Gopher Hole museum where they exhibit stuffed gophers in domestic environments I totally both get it and am scared shitless, and Larva, Pupa, Moth, where next time you think about scratching that itch, bring a hammer.
So if you haven’t picked it up, brave the quarantine apocalypse and hit your local indie bookstore, curl up under a monster proof blanket in front of a chimney searing fire with your cat, and prepare to be terrified.
https://the-seventh-terrace.com/2020/03/18/in-dreams-we-rot-betty-rocksteady/
spookishmommy's review against another edition
5.0
Betty Rocksteady has instantly become a new favorite. What a dark collection of stories. Raw, emotional and sexy. Yes, there is a lot of sex. In the about the author section it describes Rocksteady's fiction as body horror, weird sex and trauma. Yep, that's what you're gonna get.
screamdogreads's review
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
These stories are surreal, strange, fever dream like glimpses into a world of horror and grief. Some stories are deeply visceral and evocative, and some are vague, abstract tales of terror. As is the norm with anthologies, some stories were far better than others.
The Bones Beneath Their Feet, Postpartum and The Desert Of Wounded Frequencies were the ones I enjoyed the most. There are many fantastic stories in this collection, though a few did feel like they were trying a little too hard. I'm curious to see what this author does next.
The Bones Beneath Their Feet, Postpartum and The Desert Of Wounded Frequencies were the ones I enjoyed the most. There are many fantastic stories in this collection, though a few did feel like they were trying a little too hard. I'm curious to see what this author does next.
spookishmommy's review
5.0
Betty Rocksteady has instantly become a new favorite. What a dark collection of stories. Raw, emotional and sexy. Yes, there is a lot of sex. In the about the author section it describes Rocksteady's fiction as body horror, weird sex and trauma. Yep, that's what you're gonna get.