Bow-Legged Buccaneers From Outer Space by David Owain Hughes is a bizarre horror read that’s like a mashup of Ready Player One and The Purge. It is absolutely brutal and so much fun! 

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the publisher on behalf of the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. 

In an area that has been cut off from the rest of the world by a wall and river, the inhabitants roam free and wild, pretending to be various characters from games, movies, and shows. While it maybe the Wild West on these streets, there are always people that try to make sure people are safe. Well… relatively safe.  

When we drop into the first chapter, we get a tiny bit of the setting, but just enough to get our feet wet, before we’re thrown into the fray! And what a crazy fight this was!

A year later, a circus is rolling into town and they call themselves The Last Freakshow on Earth… I absolutely love horror set in anything circus or fair related. I loved that we got to follow a crew that named themselves after The Goonies in this chapter! And the scene in the House of Horrors was insanely brutal! How creepy was the initial walk down the rows?! 

Another year later- a man named Frank who pretends to be The Punisher just wants to keep people safe. When he meets Bev by chance, he goes to follow up with her later and meets the crew that go by The Losers, luckily there’s no one pretending to be IT… But then things start falling from the sky. They’re under attack! From there we’re off on a rush to survive and make a plan to fight back before it’s too late. 

This was such a fun and twisted read! I loved that each chapter started out with the same templates intro with just a few changes. 

With each scene, I was so ready to see what would happen next but could not even hazard a guess. So much happened in this short novella!

My Favorite Passages:

“Let’s blow this shithole.”

If you like brutal bizarro horror, this is a must read! I absolutely love the idea behind this one and would kill to see an adaptation. 

Anoka by Shane Hawk is a collection of indigenous horror that is sure to stick with readers. It’s haunting, it’s brutal, and it is doesn’t shy away from the difficult topics. It’s also absolutely beautiful.

First things first, I need to call out that cover illustration is by Seweryn Jasiński, @vvilczy on Instagram. How brilliant is that werewolf?! I was so captivated by the eyes and limbs that it took me a very long time to even see the deer in front of it. I couldn’t wait to read the stories inside this and find out where the werewolf comes into play.

Shane Hawk has an amazing array of tales here, and each has a slightly different feel when it comes to tone, but they also blend wonderfully together. I loved each of these tales, all for very different reasons. But one of my favorite elements at play here is the endings that make me immediately go back and restart the story again now that I know the full context.

I really enjoyed that each story had an authors note at the back of the book where readers could learn more about the inspiration of each tale and get more information. 

Here are my very quick notes about each story. I easily could have written loads more, but didn’t want to spoil anything!

Soilborne – 5/5
This one started out so normal. But that ending! This one punched me right in the gut.

Wounded – 5/5
Heartbreaking! This one covered some really heavy topics. And poor Philip… who wouldn’t try to figure out a mysterious book? The scene of him discovering the book is going to stick with me. The ending got me in this one as well. 

Orange – 5/5
Oofh, my heart. Again with the killer ending!! 

Imitate – 5/5
Another absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking story! This one is truly haunting. Creepy kids is one of the scariest horror themes for me. And AGAIN, that ending!

Dead America – 5/5
I don’t think a tale has freaked me out this much since I read The Red Spot by Alvin Schwartz back in elementary school. I seriously could have screamed. This tale was freaky but also had a beautiful and heartbreaking moral. This ending had me ready to yell, “WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!“

Transfigured- 5/5
What a tale to end this collection! Another heartfelt tale and then an absolutely brutal ending. Phew! 

The bags under my eyes sank heavy as if summoned by the vast, unnamed gods below. 

He paced his living room and beat his chest with an open palm. He hoped to drum out some inspiration for his writing assignment.

Words just cannot express how much I loved this collection. While this was a debut collection, I already cannot wait to read more from Shane Hawk in the future. This is an author to keep your eye on for sure.

Do yourself a favor and snag this one today if you haven’t already! I would recommend this one to all horror readers, especially fans of gut-punch reads like Crossroads by Laurel Hightower.

The Gulp by Alan Baxter is a collection of five eerie and brutal horror shorts that are all set in the same small coastal town. Prepare yourself before diving into this one… Hopefully The Gulp will spit you out on the other side.

Each story is set in The Gulp, a small coastal town that we learn in the first story, is rumored to be a bit cursed.

At first, readers may side with the first character we meet that thinks his leg is being pulled, but with each story, we get deeper and deeper into the unsettling and dangerous town.

Each story stands alone just fine, but they each build upon the other with a ton of cross over. Take one small example, in the first story we see a man meet his end. In other stories, we see missing posters for that man. I loved seeing each of these tie ins when they happened and there were more and more of them as it went on!

Alan Baxter has created such a vivid town here. From the coast line to the shops, and even the many characters, this world building is incredible.

Here are my quick notes and thoughts on each story. If you’d like to avoid any slight spoilers, please stop here.

Out on a Rim – 5/5
When a man named Rich goes on a delivery run with an older man who is about to retire, things go a bit awry. Not heeding the old man’s warning, Rich goes out on the town while the old man stays in the truck. The old man warned Rich that this town is dangerous, but Rich chalked it up to new employee hazing. After dark, Rich is about to learn just what this town holds. 

This story was very unsettling! There was one scene with an eyeball that’s going to stick with me for a very long time. Phew! 

Mother in Bloom- 5/5
Two teenagers that had been taking care of their sick mother for years suddenly don’t know what to do when she passes away. Neither sibling is particularly broken up about it as things had been rough for awhile. Instead of reporting the death to anyone and risking losing the house, the keep quiet. But something is happening to the body, and they need to move quickly. 

This story was equally heartbreaking and terrifying. My goodness the mental picture a lot of the description in this story caused. Eek! I would have so been out of there. 

The Band Plays On – 4/5
When a group of four on a backpacking trip stop into a local bar to see a band play, they are immediately mesmerized by the music. When the show is over and the lead singer invites them all to an after party in The Gulp, they can’t say no. Soon, one of the group realizes something is wrong but it’s already too late.

This was so eerie. All the red flags were there but they were so easy for the others to overlook. 

48 To Go – 5/5
When a drug deal goes wrong, Dace has forty-eight hours to somehow get the money to repay the buyer before his boss offs his entire family. With a rumor that a rather eccentric couple is sitting on a ton of cash, Dace decides robbery is his best bet. But he has no idea what he’s about to find behind the walls of the home with cages and cages of guinea pigs in the yard.

This one was so disturbing! Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse after the kitchen… it did. This was another one that made me cringe a lot! Especially the living room scene, my god. 

Rock Fisher – 4/5
When a rock fisher snags his line on something, a little voice inside his head tells him to reel in in carefully rather than cutting the line and taking a loss. What he pulls in, he decides to take home. But something is very off here…

Right from the first instance of the burning sensation here, I was out. Touching something and having a reaction absolutely terrifies me, forget touching something unknown! And that ending!!!

The heat grew in Patrick, spreading through his body like ink dipped in water. 

These stories were so much fun! I would love to see more in the future. I loved that there were so many additional characters that popped in and out, Alan Baxter could certainly cover a lot more ground here. I also really need to know what was up with the egg…

If you enjoy horror shorts, this is a must read! Enjoy!

The Night Swim by Megan Goldin is a story that will make your blood boil! It’s about a true crime podcaster and her quest for capturing stories of justice being served. When she travels to cover a very divisive and heated case, she ends up getting in way over her head with a second case from the area.

TW: Rape, sexual assault

After stopping for breakfast on her way to the town where she will be staying to attend the trial for her next season, Rachel spots an envelop on her windshield. When she opens it up, she is deeply unsettled as the person writing to her knows exactly who she is- a famous true crime podcaster. Rachel is alarmed because she has been very careful and made sure that she is known for her voice, not her face.

She tries to brush it aside, but she’s also curious. As she settles into town and begins researching more on the current case, these letters keep popping up… Rachel knows that she needs to stay focused with the current case in order to properly record this podcast season, but she also can’t help but be drawn in to the case that her mysterious writer has brought to her attention.

My goodness, this story was organized so well. It was almost impossible to put down between chapters; I just wanted to keep reading to see what was going to happen next.

I listen to various true crime podcasts, so I was curious to see how this would play out. I really enjoyed the focus of being right in the courtroom to witness everything unfolding as it happened. I loved just how much of the trial was brought in, from commenting on the jurors to commenting on the tricks each lawyer used, all the way to the testimonies made, and then finally, the ruling.

The main character was definitely intriguing. I loved that she kept her face private to try to avoid attracting the wrong attention, but it did make me wonder how long her privacy would last as she was also telling others her name and what she did. I also liked her bravery, but sometimes she made some really crazy decisions that worked out in her favor that could have gone very, very wrong that left me shaking my head.

This story covers some very serious elements and doesn’t shy away! I mentioned a trigger warning above for rape and sexual assault, and those scenes and the victims that were forced to discuss it was absolutely heartbreaking. But those were just two troubling topics. Other serious elements included the treatment from the public that sexual assault and rape victims receive, the treatment people who have been arrested receive before their day in court, the struggle with “innocent until proven guilty,” toxicity on social media with the keyboard warriors, and so much more.

While reading, I couldn’t help but get fired up for various reasons. Tread lightly if any of those elements are triggering for you.

It didn’t help any when the cops told women living in the area to take precautions. You know, the usual stuff. Hold your keys between your fingers to use as a weapon. Keep your phone in your hand and dial nine-one-one if you’re being followed or feel afraid. If every woman who felt afraid called nine-one-one, the switchboard would melt. That is what women live with every day of our lives. 

This is an all around wonderful mystery centered around crimes, both past and present. You’ll want to have an alcoholic beverage nearby if you drink. If not, perhaps something nice and sugary. You’re going to need a little sweetness to carry you through this dark tale.

If you listen to true crime podcasts and love the mystery element, you definitely need to check this one out!

Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor is a historical horror that will break your heart over and over again, while you can’t help but hope that the main character will find a bit of true happiness.

CW: Death due to sudden illness.

This story centers around the main character, a teenaged girl named Hester.

Hester has been living with her Uncle’s family since both of her parents died in a fire that left her face scarred with a burn. But rather than continuing her childhood, she was shot right into the role of an adult. She is tasked with helping around the house in any way that she can, even with tasks that are not appropriate for a teenaged girl…

Like when a man stumbles into town on a dying horse, it’s unclear which one of them is in rougher shape. The horse is put down and Hester is told to stay with the man in their barn as she is tasked with both keeping an eye on him and trying to heal him.

When the man comes to, he tells her things that she can’t believe and chalks it up to fever. But she should have heeded that mans warning…

Phew, the plot of this one is intense! I went into this one pretty dark, and I’m so glad that I did! I had no clue where the story was headed until it got there, so I won’t spoil anything in my notes below as I keep this short and sweet. Even so, if you’d like to stop here before you read the book, please do!

First things first, I have to comment on how much I love Tim’s writing style. This was my first read of his, but it definitely won’t be my last. I loved how he maps out the plot and gets readers immersed into the world with the use of wonderful descriptions of the setting paired with great character development. Even with the characters that I didn’t particularly like, they all felt like family to me.

I absolutely loved the slow burn of the beginning, which I mean in a good way of course! This slow burn really sets the scene and allows readers to become totally invested in the wellbeing of Hester and the safety of her family. So when the first person falls ill, my anxiety spiked like it was my real-world loved one that was sick. If you feel that way while reading as well, you’d best go grab a box of tissues. You’re gonna need them.

I really connected with Hester when it came to her internal voice. That voice was so nasty to her. She was always so harsh and she was consistently talking down to herself. I just wanted to reach out and tell her that she’s right, a lot of this doesn’t seem fair and that she deserves better.

During the slow build, I kept forgetting that this was a horror read and kept wishing for something good to happen! But once the first element of terror shows it’s claws, I couldn’t put the book down!

We all choose our own blinders.

Apart from the six children under her roof, and the adopted one beside her now, Mother Stokely had four children, silent and still in the peace of the churchyard. 

I awoke early the next morning, dressed in the dark and crept downstairs to light the fires. I didn’t mind being the first one up. I would make myself a cup of tea, or sometimes coffee if we had any, and would sit in peace to watch the sun come up over the southern meadow. The air was eerily still as a mist rose up in vapors as the sun’s first rays touched the dewy earth. There was something divinely magical about this hour and I had it all to myself. 

I absolutely loved this book, even though I hated the amazingly perfect ending. 🙂 When you read this, you’ll know exactly what I mean by that.

This story was eerie, it was heartbreaking, and it had plenty of things that made my blood boil… I already can’t wait to read it again!

Go snag a copy of this book today!

An Invitation to Darkness by Hailey Piper is an eerie tale of love, but there’s just one thing in the way of these two living happily ever after…

Captain Jamie is tired of a life at sea. Instead, she has decided she will find a port to invest in and make a bustling town. Upon arriving at her chosen place, a woman comes by to offer a greeting and then invites her in for tea.

When the Captain crosses the threshold of the manor, we’re off and running as Captain Jamie is immersed into the life and terrors that are hidden within the walls… while at the same time, she is quickly falling in love.

For such a short book, I found myself super invested in the two main characters and their relationship! I was rooting for them from the very first touch of their hands and kept hoping everything would work out.

With the overall plot, I was definitely on the edge of my seat, reading as quickly as I could to see how it would all turn out. There were so many eerie elements that totally creeped me out! I mean, a chamber that leads to an underground lake that you can only get to when the tide is low? No thank you.

Hailey Piper’s writing style and use of description made this story really come right off the pages! I got chills when something spooky was occurring, I got anxious when a character was in a tight spot, and I smiled when something positive happened. And I won’t spoil the details, but there’s one specific scene that made me visibly cringe when I read the scene.

I loved this so much!

My Favorite Passages:
Elizabeth, Reginald, and myself should have been the only three souls present, but there was at least a fourth, or more. Some nights I heard footsteps in the dark.

Never underestimate the speed of a woman whose lady is in danger.

My Final Thoughts
This short read really packs a punch! I absolutely loved my time reading this and will definitely be returning to it in the future.

House of Sage and Salt by Chris Cooper is an eerie tale about the determination to find an old book before it falls into the wrong hands. But just who would this book actually be safe with and can it be protected before it is too late?

Part haunted house/ghost story and part demonic cultist tale, this book will keep you totally hooked!

The prologue is short but holy… what a terrifying first step into this tale! It really kicked things off in a spooky way.  

From there, we take a step back to meet our two main characters; Adam and Emma.

These siblings have been a bit disconnected after a falling out, but when Emma is contact by her brother asking her to join him on a job with the promise of getting five-thousand dollars from the completion of it, she can’t pass it up. She needs the money and she looks forward to spending time with her brother to patch things up.

When they arrive at the house and Emma gets more detail from Adam, she is hesitant. The job? To retrieve a book from an old house. While it sounds simple enough, the more detail she gets the more sketchy it seems but she sticks it out.

As the two get ready to search the old house for this book, they soon realize that they are in way over their heads.

I loved that while this kicked off with a bang, the rest of the set up was a wonderfully slow burn with lots of vivid descriptions of the house and plenty of character building. When things start to go sideway, I was totally invested in the characters and immediately felt anxious for their wellbeing.

By the time I reached the ending, while I was still in a bit of mourning, I wanted to stand up and cheer as well.

This is such a fun and intense read!

Stress would likely kill her before any hatchet-wielding madman could.

Although life had gifted Adam unearned confidence in most areas, it had forgotten to take away his fear of heights.

She ran her finger along the spine of a tall tome with a cracked leather binding held together by a few twists of thread. When she pulled it loose from the shelf, a layer of sediment came with it, and Emma’s resulting sneeze sent another puff of dust into the atmosphere. The leather crinkled and cracked as she opened the cover. The pages inside were yellowed with age and thicker than normal paper. 

I cannot recommend this one highly enough. If you enjoy spooky tales with a ghost, a demon, and characters that jump right off the page, you gotta check this one out.

Cradleland of Parasites by Sara Tantlinger is a deeply unsettling collection of poems about the Black Plague.

I’m still very new to trying to focus more on poetry, and I’m so grateful that I gave this one a read, even if I felt like I was torturing myself a bit considering the content and my anxiety around the current pandemic! 

This collection, while all focused around the same topic, has such a great variety! It covers viewpoints from those that are sick, those that are in the plague masks, those that deal with the dead and dying, the germs, and so much more.

Some of these poems are eerie, some are heartbreaking, one made me chuckle with it’s one line of humor mixed in with the darkness (Preventative Measures).

The one thing that tiles these all in common are that they do not shy away from the details of the sicknesses. Some in more brutal detail than others. 

My favorites from this collection include:

That last one, With the Worm in Her Head, is going to haunt me forever. When I finished reading it, I thought- Okay great, now every time I get a migraine and start losing words… I’m going to think it’s a tapeworm. 

there are those who walk on —
silently infectious as contagious ghosts
spreading their haunted air onward.

How will you ever protect anyone
from infections hunger like this,
when you never bothered to shield
the sick and compromised immune systems
around you for the sake of misinformation?

She loses syllables at first,
as if her lips refused to form
a’s and oh’s, later in the day
whole words disappear.

This is a great collection to pick up if you want to spike your anxiety during the current pandemic. There were so many lines that could be tied into the current situation.

A must-read for fans of horror poetry! Go snag a copy of this one today!

The Worm and His Kings by Hailey Piper is an intense and fast-paced cosmic horror tale that centers around the desperation of all of the characters involved.

This novella has such a dark and dreary atmosphere, when turning the final page, it will leave readers looking forward to feeling the sun on their face again as soon as possible.

I didn’t know what to expect when picking this one up… and my gosh was it a wild and tense ride!

When the book begins, we meet our main character, Monique, who is living on the street after life handed her quite a rough hand. To make matters worse, her girlfriend has been taken by a creature of nightmares that stalks the city.

When the creature passes Monique one night in a tunnel, she jumps at the chance to follow it to see if it will lead her to her girlfriend, Donna.

Monique is willing to go to the ends of the earth, but will her desperation to find the one she loves cloud her judgement?

Right from the first chapter, I already felt a bit of dread. This dark mood didn’t lighten until the very end. I also felt very claustrophobic throughout just thinking about the tunnels and the underground locations thanks to the amazing settings vividly created by Hailey Piper.

The main character of this tale, Monique, really stood out to me. She was so brave and strong from the start. As the story continued, and the readers are give bits and pieces of her backstory very gradually, I couldn’t help but love her even more.

I was in awe of her determination and how strong she was even though she had been through some terrible horrors, and continued to face new ones. On top of that, she was also starving and still healing from major physical and emotional trauma! I kept my fingers crossed that she would have her happy ending…

But in the darkness of the underground, there’s only so much that determination can do for a person.

A golden lighter flickered alive in the pool of darkness and cast a glow over Corene’s face. Fiery reflections stirred in her hazel eyes. “Scared?” she asked. Monique glared. Wasn’t it obvious? 

Hesitation was getting her nowhere. She closed her eyes, slid from the edge, and let the ground swallow her whole. 

Two of the creatures crawled down the walls, their thin gowns draped over backward-bent legs. Drooping hoods shrouded their faces. Unlike the Gray Maiden, their arms stretched bare from their trunks, the flesh dotted with feather-like bristles. They crept across stone in rigid, jerking movements, their talons scraping sparks in the air. At every flash, wild amber eyes shone in the dark. 

Faith is a tapestry of impossible questions with unimaginable answers.

“Sometimes we have to break down to see things in new ways.“

“We’d tear the universe apart for the people we love, but sometimes we forget to love ourselves.” 

The story had grit, it had suspense, it certainly had plenty of horrors, and it also had a lot of love.

The pacing of the novella is very quick and it will leave your head spinning (in a good way of course!). If you enjoy cosmic horror, you gotta pick this one up!

Not All Monsters is a collection of short stories that each have some sort of monster within; whether that's a creature or a choice made that tips a human over into the realm of monster.

To kick things off, the intro by Sara Tantlinger briefly discusses how this anthology came about before summarizing what stories readers will find within these pages.  

My favorite stories from this anthology include:
My favorite stories from this anthology include:

Per usual, here are my quick thoughts on each tale:

Portrait of a Girl in Red and Yellow by Joanna Roye – 3/5
What a bizarre tale! How creepy is the thought of suddenly having rashes cover your body, then to have your aunts tell you it’s a family thing? I loved that you weren’t totally sure about what was going on until the very end. 

The Miraculous Ones by G.G. Silverman – 3/5
When conjoined twins start to grow up and take separate paths, it’s clear their interests are going to be troubling to do together. These poor girls. I loved their individuality and love for one another. 

Parlor Tricks by Stacey Bell – 4/5
Wow, this one took a heartbreaking turn that I didn’t see coming. If you could change your appearance at whim, what would you use that power for? 

Wasted by Amy Easton – 3/5
What in the world was happening here?! I have so many questions! Who are these girls? Was he drugged? What that all real or was some of it in her head? 

Black Feathered Phlogiston by K. P. Kulski – 4/5
When two sisters learn a flock of harpies have taken roost in their attic, they feed them deli meats. But soon, they want more than just deli bits… I loved the sisterly love in this one! The toxic family situation was horrible, but the revenge was great!

Leather by S. M. Ketcham – 3/5
When a man that expects everything to go his way sets his sights on a woman, he assumes she will want to be with him. When he asks her out and things don’t go as he thought, he works on plan b. This guy made my blood boil. My god I hated him instantly. I couldn’t wait to see what these girls had planned for him!

Inked by E. E. Florence – 5/5
When a woman goes to a tattoo convention, one artist’s work draws her in. But this isn’t just any tattoo. My goodness I loved this one! It was dark and twisted. I was totally captivated. 

The Good Will by Briana McGuckin – 5/5
I loved the lesson in this one!! When was the last time you said “I love me”?

The Problem with Being a Monster by Annie Neugebauer – 4/5
When a monster just wants to prove he shouldn’t be feared by humans, his original plan goes poorly. But as a result, he meets Winona, a woman that doesn’t fear him. This story was filled with so much emotion! Poor Glug…

Midnight in the Garden of Life and Death by Kayleigh Barber – 5/5
When working on a very unusual farm, our main character is given an offer that her curiosity wouldn’t let her refuse. I loved the writing style in this one! I need to look for more of this authors work ASAP! 

Pretty Little Vampires by Sam Fleming – 5/5
When a woman buys a kit to attract fairies, she’s so excited to see them when they begin to show up. But soon, she will learn why her coworker calls them pests. This one was so light and fun at first but then took a very dark turn! I loved it! 

Without A Face by Hailey Piper – 4/5
School reunions never seem to go well, do they? When this group from a school fencing team meet up, there’s a score that needs to be settled. This story was quite a trip! 

Heart of the Lion by J.H. Moncrieff – 4/5
When a hunter is given a chance to travel to go on a hunt for a prize, she can’t resist. Once at the location, it’s clear something is very wrong. This one was intense! I loved the suspense and the ending! 

This Can Happen To You by Jessica McHugh – 4/5
Propelled into the public eye by winning the lottery, our main character begins a nasty slide into a life filled with negativity all being carefully watched and discussed by the public. Goodness this one had me SO angry! But that ending was so eerie!

A Certain Age by Jennifer Loring – 3/5
Phew, that ending! I had no idea where this one was going. 
The Revenge of Madeline Usher by Joanna Koch – 3/5The scene in the coffin was terrifying! 

Antifreeze and Sweet Peas by Angela Sylvaine – 5/5
When a woman gifted with a special sight who works in a bakery hands out her special treats, the men that receive them seem to wind up dead… I loved this one! What a terrifying thought, but what awesome revenge for the victims.

Cake by J.C. Raye –
This one unfortunately didn’t work for me as it was split into varying sections and I couldn’t stay focused. I’ll have to try to return to this one another time. 

And Sweetest in the Gale is Heard by Christa Carmen – 5/5
Being kidnapped is one of my many fears. When this woman is taken, she has only one thing keeping her hopeful. What a terrifying and heartbreaking tale! This one is a must read. 

The Sugar Cane Sea by Juliana Spink Mills –  5/5
When a mother and her son are on the run, they find shelter in an unlikely place. As they try to move on, they learn this magical place isn’t quite ready to let them leave yet. I loved this one so much! I loved the characters, their love for one another, the bravery, and so much more. 

Unfettered by Leslie Wibberley – 4/5
What an awesome tale of escape and freedom to finish up this collection! I loved the exhilarating feeling the end of this one brings. 

My Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed this collection! Per usual, there were some stories I loved while others were less of a hit for me. For the tales that I rated 5/5 for me, I would LOVE to see these turned into horror shorts to see on the screen!

If you enjoy a wide range of horror all in one collection, I highly recommend this one to you!