Something Wicked is part scary story, part coming-of-age tale about two boys on the cusp of adulthood who find themselves confronting the burden of growing up and shedding the innocence that they’ve always enjoyed. It also features the scariest way to utilize a carousel ride ever. EVER. I stake my reputation on that.

I feel like Ray Bradbury’s works, with the exception of Fahrenheit 451, have been largely overlooked, mostly because he opts to write using old fashioned, nostalgic language. His subject matter is also significantly less “edgy” than SFF authors like Robert A. Heinlein and Philip K. Dick. Still, if you want a good horror book, or a poignant tale of childhood and what we leave behind, I totally recommend this.

Philippine myths and legends are ushered into the 21st century in this collection of eleven stories, with additional information on the original legends and the regions they come from. There are also a couple of interviews with the country’s foremost folklorists included in the appendices. This structure is quite unique for an anthology and I really appreciate the care and rigor that the editor exercised in trying to bridge the past and the present.

My favorite story in the collection is “Harinuo’s Love Song” by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, which is a fantastic and humane examination of maleness in the face of society’s unfair prejudices. It’s a master class in creating a fully human, if unlikeable character.