Bad Dolls by Rachel Harrison is a haunting collection of four stories that tackle some hard hitting topics with just a pinch of the paranormal mixed in.

In this collection, there are Magic 8 balls, bachelorette parties that go sideways, terrible dieting apps, and haunted dolls. There’s also real-life things like obsession, the struggle with changes in relationships, body image struggles, and grief. The mix of the two when combined is extra powerful.

Rachel Harrison has such an amazingly real writing style, drawing readers in and playing on both their sympathy and empathy, without forcing it in the slightest. The stories in this collection, while you can’t relate to the exact situations the characters are in, you’ve likely experienced some of the very real elements that are the backbone of each story.

Below are my notes on each tale.

When Jordan finds a Magic 8 ball at a flea market, she immediately feels a connection. That connection soon turns into obsession as she find the answers she is getting are oddly specific to her. Will finding this treasure end up being a good thing?

I loved this story so much! First of all, Magic 8 balls rule. But thinking about one really truly answering your questions is amazing. I absolutely loved the ending.

THIS OPENING SENTENCE: “If I’d been told in advance about the blood sacrifice, I would have made up an excuse not to attend the bachelorette party.”

My goodness this story really shines a light on how out of control bachelorette parties have become, but with a wonderfully dark twist! I am definitely one that can relate to Nat and her feelings about the whole situation. 

TW: Eating disorders/dieting

When asked to join in as an accountability partner on her friends mission to lose weight before a wedding, the two download a weight loss app called Goblin. Like many quick-fix weight loss ventures, this one doesn’t go well.

I loved that this story got you into the main characters mind but also made you question what was going on! Was it real or was this character just super hungry?

Returning to her hometown after the sudden death of her sister, this characters struggles with her guilt and her grief. Moving into an apartment that she hopes is temporary, she finds a doll. 

This story captures grief so wonderfully. Each character involved handles the death in a different way. The main character has an especially hard time, which comes out as feeling guilty. This line was perfect: “I think you need to stop worrying about how you think you’re supposed to be dealing with it and just deal with it,” she said. “There’s no right or wrong way.”

She shook her head and then tilted her gaze up, up toward the high noon sun. She was like a  sunflower, always seeking the light.
— Reply Hazy, Try Again 

If I’d been told in advance about the blood sacrifice, I would have made up an excuse not to attend the bachelorette party.
— Bachelorette

We were friends because we had met when we were young, and when you’re young, it doesn’t really matter how different you are. The world isn’t complicated yet, and neither are you.
— Bachelorette

There were still pictures of Audrey in the hall. Her school portraits with that distinct gloss and cheesy laser background. She wasn’t smiling with her teeth. She never did for photos. There was no way to capture her essence unless she wasn’t paying attention, and even then, if she caught you, she’d force you to delete the evidence.
I liked to remember her best smiling with teeth but there was nothing to help me. I had to rely on memory alone, and that scared me, because memories go. Like everything else, they go.
— Bad Dolls 

She turned her head, a hundred eighty degrees, back to me.
— Bad Dolls 

Horror fans that enjoy both real-world horror and the paranormal will love this collection. While I read this in one day, I highly recommend reading this one over the span of at least four days to allow each story to really sink in.

I just couldn’t stop reading once I picked this one up. Partially due to Rachel’s writing style that just sucks me right in, but also because I found myself personally relating to one element in each of these tales in a very deep way. Some situations made me smile, some were a bit triggering but showed me how far my personal growth has come.

Stories like this make me feel like a stronger person, and I cannot thank Rachel enough for that!

Six Rooms by Gemma Amor is a dark and mysterious gothic horror tale about a house with horrific secrets and an appetite that needs to be fueled.

When a group of tourists arrive at Sunshire Chateau, there’s a mixed bag of emotion already at play. Some guests are there because they are actually interested in the history of the house, while others are either along for the ride or just killing some time. The tour guide, an eccentric and cold man, begins the tour with very little patience toward the guests. Warning everyone not to touch anything and to keep with the group, they begin to navigate the house.

It’s not long before they slowly begin to realize that something is very wrong. Secret passages are discovered, people go missing, and the darkness of the house refuses to stay quiet.

My goodness, the path this story takes is absolutely chilling. Set up as if readers are walking along through the house with the group, we learn about the main rooms and the history of the house and its owners. In each room, we also learn about the dark events that occurred within.

Each and every one of these characters were intriguing. I really enjoyed seeing their darkness spill out of them the deeper the house took hold of their minds. At the same time, I couldn’t help but hope for happiness for some, while others I wouldn’t have minded to see them get lost within the house.

Don’t get me wrong, while there is a lot of darkness and brutal honesty within these pages, there is also a ton of hope and love. Even some new beginnings! Six Rooms is truly a wonderful story.

The ghost had come to him, as most ghosts do, when he was preoccupied, his guard down. Later he would wonder if maybe ghosts were always trying to get the attention of the living, but the living were simply too noisy and busy rushing about to pay heed.

The guests assured him they would stay together. The Guide knew that assurances meant nothing at Sunshire. Promises were as reliable as dust, between these walls.

His brain was beginning to feel like a bowl of overcooked pasta, limp and slippery.

Barbara slammed her hand into the corridor wall in despair. ‘I don’t understand!’ She cried, frustrated. ‘We retraced our steps exactly; I know we did! The Study was right here, I was so sure this time!’ The image of a wooden puzzle toy sprang to mind again, and she felt like the little steel ball inside, rolling around, crashing into dead ends while some giant, unseen hands manipulated the game.

It was a house the sunlight barely touched, but moonlight had unfettered access.
As purple-greys dissolved into bruised blacks, stars began to poke through the canvas of the sky overhead, and the moon shone brightly, spilling its paint all over the house and the gardens surrounding it.

Six Rooms is a dark mystery that makes you ask, if the walls of any home could speak, what would they say? But more importantly, if the walls could speak, would you even want to hear what they have to say?

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Gemma Amor is one of my all time favorite authors, and this book is one that will chill you to the bone! Go pick up your copy today!

Man, Fuck This House by Brian Asman is a story of a very unusual house, a tense family dynamic, and one very long prank that threatens to push this family over the edge.

When a family moves into a new house, the wife is shocked to find that she’s not alone. A man keeps popping up and disappearing in weird places that no human could disappear into. At first, she thinks she is losing her mind, but when her neighbor points out that the spirit has only really helped her, she briefly sees things in another light. But it’s not long before things take a turn.

This story was so wonderfully dark and suspenseful! If dark humor isn’t your thing, tread lightly here.

My favorite character was the naughty little boy, Damien. Take the dark snark of Wednesday Adams and dial it up to an eleven and you’ve got the mindset of this kid! His lifelong prank was something else. While I was so nervous to see what he would do next, I couldn’t help but look forward to it.

The storyline itself was also wild! I did not see that ending coming, but I absolutely loved it!

Sabrina gasped, looked about for a weapon. The bathroom offered nothing obvious, because it was a bathroom, not an armory. A man that big would simply laugh if she tried to brain him with a shampoo bottle or a bar of soap. Wait, the towel rack –

A must read for horror fans that like dark humor mixed with the paranormal and a bit of oddity. I had a great time reading this tale!

The book title itself makes me laugh so much. When my husband, Alex, first saw the book when it arrived from Gibson’s Bookstore, he read the title out loud, laughed really hard, and then said, “That has to be the BEST book title!”

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison is an unflinching tale of body horror, both natural and supernatural. Centered around the strength it requires to endure, this story is also filled with a lot of love and second chances.

Returning to a town that she had previously escaped from, Aurora (Rory) Morris isn’t exactly thrilled to be back. She has returned to help her twin sister, Scarlet, through her pregnancy as her partner is out of the picture.

Already missing the big city and struggling with the memories that start popping up, Rory goes out drinking at a local bar. The high-note of the night is that she runs into an old friend, Ian, but the low is that she has an accident on her drive home that results in her being attacked by an animal. But this isn’t just any attack…

She wakes up in the hospital and is told that she was very lucky that she only had a few cuts and scrapes. But this doesn’t make any sense to Rory. She remembers the animal tearing flesh from her body. But sure enough, when she eventually looks under the bandages, there’s hardly anything there. That’s her first inkling that something isn’t right, and things only get more and more bizarre from there!

This tale takes such an interesting path! The terror kicks in immediately with the animal attack, but then even though things calm a bit, the little horrors that are dropped in throughout kept me reading as fast as I could to see what would happen next. The author tackles so much here; the bond between sisters, how the past affects the present, how to navigate a troublesome relationship with family, how to let love in, how to forgive, how to endure bodily changes when you have no control over it, how to cope with the process of pregnancy, and so much more.

I loved so much about this story! The relationship between the sisters was just one of those items. Their dynamic was written so well! I got all the warm-fuzzies thinking about having a relationship like that.

I also really loved how the author handled both sisters’ transitions. While I’ve certainly never been bitten by a werewolf, and have yet to become pregnant, I can’t relate to their exact situations. But I can relate to how they process things. Seeing things through their experiences was so refreshing. Being a female and bleeding every single month is difficult and there’s no way around it. From a very young age, we learn how to cope and that superpower is reflected here wonderfully.

The writing style was wonderful. I cannot wait to read more from Rachel Harrison very soon! I was in awe of how perfectly everything flowed, not just the storyline itself, and not even just the flow of the dialogue. But more so how the author was able to make readers feel that they were right there in the story, watching the events unfold around them.

One last quick note; the sarcasm and humor mixed in here was right up my alley! I laughed at so many sections. Check out a few of those in the section below!

I forgot about the mist. There’s an ever-present mist that skulks around here like a townie. It tumbles down from the mountain, seeps out of the woods, and slathers itself across the dull suburban landscape. It might be the only defining quality of my hometown.
Persistent mist.
Even with my brights on, there’s negligible visibility. I drive slowly around the winding curves of Cutter Road. I used to know it by heart. I could drive it in the dark no problem, but it’s been a long time since I’ve been back. I didn’t think it was something I could lose. I thought that the map of this place was etched into me, that I could navigate from muscle memory, but I guess time erases the things you least expect.

Having a nightmare during a nap seems particularly cruel. Regular sleep, fine. But to be betrayed by a nap? Uncool.

The lie is so big, it barely fits through my lips.

When you’re young, you’re oblivious to what is rare because you don’t have enough experience to identify it.

I can’t undo what’s been done, but I can try to figure out a way to live with it. To harness it. Find some control.

After hours of frantic research, I find an occult shop about an hour away that specializes in “supernatural phenomena.” I’m not too keen on revealing my werewolf status to a complete stranger, especially one who will likely just try to sell me crystals, but if I want my life back, I don’t really have any other choice.
It does have good reviews on Yelp. And where do I get off being skeptical? I’m a fucking werewolf.

Such Sharp Teeth is a must-read. It was such a fun but pointed story that really makes you think about the human body and all that it goes through.

This is definitely a book that will sink its teeth into you, nagging until you’ve finished the very last page. I had such a hard time putting this one down as I would immediately look forward to picking it back up again!

The Silver Scream: Inked In Blood Vol 1 is a graphic novel filled with terror, violence, and gore! Follow Ice Nine Kills super-fan on her quest to clear the band’s name before it’s too late.

I’m a huge Ice Nine Kills fan, so when I first heard about this, I bought a copy immediately. This was just as amazingly dark as I was hoping it would be!

There were a ton of people that worked on this! The concept is by Spencer Charnas, written by Steve Foxe, art by Andres Esparza and Philip Sevy, colors by Aladdin Collar, Vladimir Popov, and Chris Northrup.

When the story begins, Heather Thompson is showing off her concert tickets to an upcoming Ice Nine Kills show in a video recording. But when her mom comes home and tells her to stop recording, that there isn’t going to be a concert, Heather is devastated to learn that the band’s lead singer, Spencer Charnas, was involved in a crime. Of course, Heather assumes he was a victim, but soon learns that he is the suspect! As her mom is working the case, she was looped in early, before she started to see the news online.

The blood is in the water, and the sharks that make up the media are already going wild! Determined to prove Spencer’s innocence, Heather decides to make a stand. But will she be successful, or is she only adding to the bloody mix?

My goodness this was a WILD ride! I loved that the graphic novel actually has chapters. It reads wonderfully like a film, complete with transitions that jump between characters to further add to the tension.

The main character was wonderful. Of course, as a teenage girl, she falls victim to a few stereotypical things; not listening to her mother, posting private information online, accepting an invitation from someone she didn’t know, and so on. But she has a great heart and wasn’t afraid to speak up for what she believed in!

As there were two main artists, you will see the style differences. I loved each style so much! All of the facial expressions were perfect. I thought that that element added a whole new level of terror to the collection as you got to not only see what was happening, but you also get to see how they all react to everything! Both artists were extremely talented and didn’t shy away from showing the gore!

There was one panel specifically was like a jump scare for me! 

While the murder itself is pretty brutal and deep, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the story coverage portrayed here. Not only in the beginning when the mom warned that the press would have a field day just knowing the band, but then all the little elements here and there like the headline news titled “LEGIT NEWS.” And then there’s the wild comments from randoms on the internet. It was all so spot on for typical news stories that blow up. The focus on the whole, “innocent until proven guilty” struggle shines in full force here.

For fans of the band, you are going to absolutely love all the lyrics that are dropped into the storyline! Sometimes the song quotes are obvious, sometimes they are just mixed into the speech bubbles like regular conversation. Toward the end of the book, there’s a KILLER scene that I would rave about here, but I don’t want to give anything away. You’ll know what I mean if you’ve read this graphic novel!

The ending of this is the perfect ending to make fans crave the next issue!

The only thing America loves more than violence is being angry about violence.

Whether you’re a fan of the band or not, this is a truly awesome read. It’s brutal and brings readers through a nightmarish situation that will have you on the edge of your seat, waiting to see what happens next!

This was such a perfect read for me. Ten out of ten for sure. An amazing lead character, terrifying storyline, gruesome gore, quick pacing, and nods here and there to the bands lyrics! This was such a blast that I devoured it in one sitting.

Dan and Andy’s Scary-oke Holiday by Katherine Silva is a fast paced tale of an occurrence that suddenly overtakes a small town, leaving two men stuck in a bar.

Something is going on in this small town. Already posted up at the local bar, The Howling Owl, Dan ignores his fellow townspeople acting oddly as he prepares for karaoke night. But when he sees violence outside the window, he can no longer dismiss the behavior and goes outside to help. Almost immediately, Dan realizes that he is in way over his head. Luckily, his friend Andy arrives and brings him back inside the bar before he is killed.

The two are stuck in the bar, separated from other people by a vast forrest that has suddenly appeared in the streets. Surviving on beer and soft pretzels, they wait for rescue, eventually realizing that no one is coming for them.

But that’s not all, it’s not just the disturbing sudden appearance of the trees that are holding them hostage, it’s the creatures that live within.

This was such a fun survival story mixed with a creature feature and a slasher! The author takes us on quite the journey with these two characters! Taking a similar path to the five stages of grief, in this tale we cover denial, terror, anger, bargaining, and brief madness. But these two are not willing to simply accept what is going on.

All the twists and turns here will keep you on the edge of your seat!

Why were they running?
They weren’t alone though.
As the moments passed, more people appeared on the street, also running, their movements suggesting that if they slowed down for even a moment, someone or something would catch them.

Before he could finish shrieking for help a second time, Ford’s voice choked off in a gurgle and blood spurtled up from his throat like a fountain.

Each footstep felt like cannon fire in the silence.

Heat rose like terror in him the further he drove himself and threatened to drag him down.
But the little light gave him courage and so, he forced himself on until it bled into the dark and eventually, drew him in.

This wild quick read will hit on all of your holiday horror needs; a spooky occurrence, the woods, terrifying monsters and brutal killings. Plus, lots and lots of beer and soft pretzels!

Christmas at Wheeldale Inn by Gemma Amor is gothic horror tale about a woman in a loveless marriage that desperately needs a Christmas miracle.

Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox are in a carriage, trying to make it through a nasty storm as they flee their home to avoid being arrested due to Mr. Wilcox’s poor decisions. The couple has had quite a terrible time, but things are only going to get worse on this miserable Christmas Eve…

After a terrible carriage accident deep in the moors, they are left bloodied and freezing. Faced with certain death if they stay put, they begin walking through the storm.

Eventually, they spy a light through the snow and they rush to discover that there’s an inn. But will they be let in?

This story was deeply infuriating from the very start. My blood boiled horribly for Mrs. Wilcox. At each turn, I kept hoping for Mr. Wilcox’s quick and horrible demise because, my goodness, the things this man said.

How this story ended? Absolutely amazing! What a wonderful ghost story!

And the snow, unperturbed by this turn of events, continued to fall outside.

The dampening effect of the layer of white made the world a quiet, funereal place, but peaceful, too.

Gemma Amor is such a talented writer that draws readers right into the lives of her characters! I would recommend that you pick this one up as you sit by a fire or nestle under a cozy blanket because the chill of this one will hit you in more ways than one!

Jöl  – Issue 1 created by John Durgin and Joel Vanpatten is a chilling start to a nightmarish series about Christmas wishes, monsters, and a never ending holiday. 

Franklin High School Student, Will, just wants to celebrate Christmas like all the other kids, but with a rocky home life, he knows he’s in for disappointment. 

Little does he know, a trinket he got at the antique store is about to really shake things up! 

My goodness this is such a fun start to a series! I already want to know more! What is this place Will has found himself in? What are those beasts? Who is their master? Who is that old man? Can Will get back home? Will he even want to go back home? 

I cannot wait to see where the story goes next! And the art! I love it. The artist does an amazing job going from the bright and cheery to dark and terrifying. 

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is a wonderfully cozy story about the risk of starting over, finding community, and finally realizing that you’re home.

The cover of this one totally captivated me. I am so in love with the illustration. The characters themselves look amazing, but it’s also the little things as well like the pastries on the table, the coffee cups hanging from hooks, and the glowing oven in the back! Paired with that title, I knew this was going to be a book for me immediately.

In the prologue, we meet Viv, an orc barbarian who has lived a life of violence. She’s on one last job where she only wants one thing. After that, she’s retiring her sword.

After a time, Viv enters a town called Thune. She is on a mission to find a fitting location for her next quest; to set up a coffee shop. Using the ley lines, she comes across a rough looking livery that, while it needs a load of work, is exactly what she was hoping for.

From there, Viv slowly puts together a close-knit team that will help her on this new journey. But can she make a good living from selling a product that the town has never heard of?

I loved every single word of this book. This is a perfect case of me wanting to stand on the rooftops and scream to go buy this book!

The organization of the storyline itself was perfect and the pacing was wonderful. The characters were all absolutely amazing. The moments of intensity were very well done and had me gripping the edges of the book. Then the warm moments had me ready to melt into a puddle of happiness!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! This is easily in my top ten reads of all time now. I can’t wait to dive back in again at a later date. And selfishly, I would love to see this author write more here. Either another tale set in or around the shop, or tales from the other characters perspectives. I just loved this world SO much. I’m not ready to let it go!

So thank goodness that my copy had a bonus prequel story at the end! I was so grateful to get a bit more!

Fennus always found ways to make her feel less-than with the barest twist of inflection or a carefully chosen word slipped like a knife between the ribs, so sharp you didn’t notice the wound until you looked up from a lapful of blood.

I couldn’t have loved this book more! If you’re looking for a great read that will fill you with warmth, then this is it. Legends & Lattes is a true joy from start to finish!

Go grab this book as well as your favorite beverage and a delicious pastry, and dive in!

From the mysterious to the deeply unsettling, A Sliver of Darkness by C.J. Tudor is a collection of stories that plays with various fears as it takes readers on a chilling ride…

I love this authors’ full-length novels so much already, so when I heard about this short story collection, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it! I’m obsessed with this. Each story was a home run for me!

Adding to this collection, the author also has introductions for each tale, giving readers insight into where the stories came from. I absolutely loved this! It was so much fun to see the inspiration.

Without further delay, lets get into the stories!

After an event that left the land inhabitable, survivors aboard a ship have created a way of life that is sustainable. However, there are loads of rules, and The Creators are always watching and listening. When a murder occurs, our main character begins to question everything including her sanity. 

This one was super claustrophobia inducing. The thought of living on a ship for decades? No thank you! And that wasn’t even close to the most terrifying element. 

When a group of bored teens decide to break into an abandoned apartment building, they very quickly learn that they’re not alone in the space. 

This one was super creepy! I once photographed a house that had been abandoned, the residents leaving most of their things behind. It was very unsettling and this tale brought that all back. 

When a young man on stage is heckled by the crowd, a couple stands up for him by simply telling the hecklers to let him play. Turns out, this young man has quite the voice! But he also has some issues that he’s hiding…

I loved how this one was mainly light with a few dips into a bit of unsettling paranoia. But then the terror comes in strong!

Determined to complete a sale, this real estate agent is cocky and thinks he has this in the bag. But little does he know, the seller is looking to seal the deal on something else. 

My gosh, this is a character that is easy to hate. As the story goes on, I just hated him more and more! 

Looking for a shortcut to get to school on time, these boys enter an area they were warned to stay out of. When they spot a mural of a lion, they’re immediately intrigued. Drawn to the space, one of the boy returns and finds that the lion has changed… 

This one was so unsettling! I love seeing street art, some of which has haunted me. But this is chilling on a whole new level! 

Gloria, who appeared in The Hiding Place, is working a cleanup job in this tale. But at a rest stop, she crossed paths with a girl. This interaction changes her path. 

My goodness. The darkness in this one, while brief, was a gut punch. And that ending! I can’t wait to see more with Gloria!

In a situation where people keep calling him Ted, this man keeps telling them they’re wrong. Walking through, he sees what this mysterious Ted’s life is like and gets a bit jealous. But will he hold his convictions?

This one is so trippy to think about! It really pushes keeping honest. 

Fleeing the city to try to find safety, this father daughter duo aren’t sure what to expect. Things become tense when the people in the house the duo fled to find out that the daughter is blind. There’s rumor that the blind can connect with these creatures. But is it true?

This story is dark in many aspects! What a terrifying premise with a fun twist!

When a vase is broken, this woman is told about an amazing copy shop. Hooked on the brilliant work, she has a few more copies she wants to make. 

This story is spooky in the best of unsettling ways! 

Determined to forget, this woman is trying to relax and enjoy herself. But little does she know, she won’t be able to leave until she remembers. 

What is it about creepy hotels?! This one really took that premise and dialed up the terror! The more readers find out, the darker it gets!

Fleeing the populated spaces to find reprieve on an old nature preserve, this group of people thought it would be an easy place to call home. But in approaching the island, they find mines in the water. But who would protect an abandoned island? This crew is about to find out what’s really going on…

I first experience this tale in After Sundown edited by Mark Morris, and let me tell you, it was even more frightening the second time around knowing that something was wrong, but not remembering what.

The Creators usually tried to keep such things contained, but they also knew that the ship had a grapevine (of which Mirabelle was the juiciest grape).

Often, Gloria felt as if she had returned from somewhere, but not all the way.

That was the problem with scared people. Ultimately, they became more dangerous than the thing they were afraid of.

History had an unfortunate habit of repeating itself, over and over again. Human beings didn’t learn, or rather, they conveniently forgot. The massacre of the Jews in Nazi Germany, the wall between Mexico and the US, the hostility toward refugees in the UK. It didn’t take much for society to fold in and start devouring itself. Usually at the expense of the most vulnerable.

C.J. Tudor is just so darn talented. She has been one of my auto-buy authors since her debut, The Chalk Man. Having just closed the book here, I already cannot wait for her to do another short story collection!

A Sliver of Darkness is filled with tales that each pack a very different punch! Needless to say, these stories are going to stick in my head for quite some time.