May 2024’s new horror books, featuring titles from Hailey Piper, Lindsay King-Miller, Stephen King, ‘Pemi Aguda, Christina Henry, Alan Baxter, and …
All the New Horror Books Coming in May 2024
All the New Horror Books Coming in May 2024
Tag: stories
Calvaria Fell
** I received an ARC for an honest review **
Description
Calvaria Fell is a stunning collaborative collection of weird tales from two acclaimed authors, Kaaron Warren and Cat Sparks. It features previously published stories from both authors, along with a new novella by Kaaron Warren and four new stories by Cat Sparks. The collection offers a glimpse into a chilling future world that is similar to our own. Readers will be drawn into experiences at once familiar and bizarre, where our choices have far-reaching consequences and the environment is a force to be reckoned with. The title of the collection tethers these stories to a shared space. The calvaria is the top part of the skull, comprising five plates that fuse together in the first few years of life. Story collections work like this; disparate parts melding together to make a robust and sturdy whole. The calvaria tree, also known as the dodo tree, adapted to being eaten by the now-extinct dodo bird; its seeds need to pass through the bird’ s digestive tract in order to germinate. In a similar way, the stories in Calvaria Fell reflect the idea of adaptation and the consequences of our actions in a changing world.
Summary
Calvaria Fell is a unique eco horror, dark fantasy, dystopian and science fiction collection from Australian authors Cat Sparks and Kaaron Warren.
Review
This is a unique collection of dystopian tales alternating from Kaaron Warren to Cat Sparks with each holding fragments and slivers of the previous stories.
We are initiated to this dark fantasy and dystopian worlds, a futuristic ecohorror that hints at origins of the destructed worlds of the past but offers only glimpses of what might have been. The first story “The Witnessing” by Warren shares a sense of kinship with Orwell’s classic novel, 1984. This theme is followed by “68 Days” where again, Warren plays with memory, timelessness as well as a sense of forgetting humanity. The story “The Emporium” carries this theme more boldly and in a dystopian future where organisations control lives, worthiness and there is a palpable loss of memory and selfhood.
In these new savage worlds, Cat Sparks blends ecohorror and cyberpunk in her marvellous but hearterenching story “The Space Between All Possible Ways” which is continued in the speculative story “Mandalla” and “Doll Face”. Elements of dark fantasy shift throughout the ecohorror and science fiction with subgenres woven seamlessly in stories like “Gardens of Earthly Delights” by Sparks and echoed in the darker tale “Air, Water and the Grove” by Warren, before moving to the surrealist “Everything so Slow and Quiet” by Warren and to the final story“Hacking Santorini” by Sparks which offers a thoughtful reflection on environment, life, death and the nature of humanity.
Conclusion
A highly recommended collection for fans of ecohorror, climate fiction, dystopian, science-fiction, cyberpunk and dark fantasy. An exciting new dark fiction collection focused on sociopolitical issues, climate destruction, questioning humanity and the future we create now for ourselves. A beautifully written and engaging series of stories that is as quick-paced as it is a thought-provoking read. Put this on your to-read list!
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
Appearances: Supanova
Thrilled to announce I’ll be at Melbourne Supanova April 6-7, 2024.
I’ll have advance copies to sign of my edited anthology Cursed Shards due for global release on 27 May, 2024 from IFWG Publishing.
I’ll also have advance copies to sign of my debut collection Three Curses due for global release on 24 June, 2024 from IFWG Publishing.
Look out for more updates on these upcoming titles!
Scissor Sisters
** I received an ARC for an honest review **
Publisher’s Description
21 tales of sapphic villains, curated by April Yates and Rae Knowles.
Summary
One of my recent reads included Scissor Sisters is a sapphic anthology edited by Rae Knowles and April Yates.
Review
Scissor Sisters was a particularly diverse dark fiction and horror anthology. Although united by a common theme of sapphic horror vengeful or defiant lovers, there was a good selection of interpretations in the stories.
Those stories that really stood out among this anthology were “Gladys Glows at Night” by Hatteras Mange, “Modern Art Curse, Mixed Media” by Hailey Piper, “Conversations with Roe” by Alex Luceli Jimenez”, “You Oughta Be in Pictures” by Anastasia Dziekan, “Our Lady of Devouring Violence” by Cheyanne Brabo and “This Flesh Grows Fonder” by T.O. King.
Among this anthology are lovers defiant of societal norms, scorned and angry, vengeful or embracing a darkness. The range of settings spans historical Victorian eras, scandalous 1920s, modern eras and realms in between realities. A strongly written anthology that holds the reflection of sapphic horror to the audience in an unflinching and deeply honest portal. Although not all stories carried the same weight and impact, the essence of the theme was represented throughout.
Conclusion
A recommend read for fans of dark fiction, paranormal romance, body horror and queer horror. A sapphic horror anthology well worth reading and a great new addition to queer fiction and the horror and dark fiction genres.
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
Fairytale Storytelling Concert!
I’m very excited to help the Australian Fairy Tale Society celebrate 10 year anniversary with a free zoom storytelling concert on theme of “Lught and Love”.
Australian Fairy Tale Society celebrating 10years! Come join me and other storytellers live readings of work inspired by Love & Light:
“Please join us to hear stories of welcome firelight and new dawns, tales of what happens when there’s no light in the deep dark wood, where loves are found, lost, and muddled.”
I’m telling my reimagining of legend of Lady of Shallot – my dark tale aptly named “The Curse of Shalott”
You can register your interest to receive the Zoom details here:
https://forms.gle/juzgCqccSPgD6V669
Australian Fairy Tale Society’s first ever storytelling concert!
I’m thrilled to be taking part in this concert with my reimagining of the Arthurian legend of the Lady of Shallot. My story “The Curse of Shallot” is the power of love even in the shadows!
You are invited to The Australian Fairy Tale Society their first-ever storytelling concert – Stories of Light and Love! Come along on February 22nd, …
Australian Fairy Tale Society’s first ever storytelling concert!
Dreamwhispers
** I received an ARC for an honest review **
Publisher’s Description
Take a journey into the swirling abyss of fever dreams, starry nights, and amethyst lights. Driven by lyrical prose, captivating storytelling, and pure emotion, dreamwhispers sets sail through one writer’s imagination with an unflinching stare into the condition of human beings where the shadows are sharper, and the darkness holds promises of pain.
Summary
I recently read Dreamwhispers, a collection of dark fiction by Canadian author M Ennenbach.
The collection spans contemporary dark fiction, poetry and some pieces are unique reimagining of classic folktales and legends. Some of the highlights which were stories that particularly resonated with me included the poem “Psyche and Eros”, short story “Nervous Breakdown”, “I saw it from the upstairs window” and the dark reimagining of the Grimms fairytale “Piper”.
Review
Ennenbach provides a raw, heartfelt and honest journey into a myriad of different aspects of dark fiction- from the intensely personal to the imagined realms of fairytales. Well-written, this is a beautifully told collection of dark fiction.
Conclusion
A great collection of unique and varied aspects of dark fiction. A recommended read!
** This is my personal opinion and does not reflect any judging decisions **
The Trees Grew Because I Bled There
** I received an ARC for an honest review **
Publisher’s Description
Eight stories of literary dark fiction from a master storyteller. Exploring the shadow side of love, these are tales of grief, obsession, control. Intricate examinations of trauma and tragedy in raw, poetic prose. In these narratives, a woman imagines horrific scenarios whilst caring for her infant niece; on-line posts chronicle a cancer diagnosis; a couple in the park with their small child encounter a stranger with horrific consequences; a toxic relationship reaches a terrifying resolution…
Review
I recently read The Trees Grew Because I Bled There: Collected Stories by US LGBTQI author Eric LaRocca.
Each of these eight stories are so different from each other, explore very different aspects of life, love, loss and the darkness dwelling in the corners of the human soul. I was fascinated and even made uncomfortable in the way these stories challenge and test boundaries of what it means to be human.
Final Thoughts
A truly thought-provoking and at times uncomfortable exploration of the human condition. Stark and unflinching, LaRocca explores grief, tragedy and the harm done to others defined in singular events. A masterpiece of raw and powerfully undisguised humanity. Skilfully written and elegantly told stories that are at the darker heart of what makes us human.
Conclusion
A great literary collection of dark fiction. LaRocca holds a mirror to humanity and – without filters – it shows the darkness and love, the anguish of loss of each human experience without flinching. A highly recommended dark fiction collection!
Black Cranes
*** I received a free copy in return for an honest review ****
Publisher’s Description
Almond-eyed celestial, the filial daughter, the perfect wife.
Quiet, submissive, demure.
In Black Cranes, Southeast Asian writers of horror both embrace and reject these traditional roles in a unique collection of stories which dissect their experiences of ‘otherness,’ be it in the colour of their skin, the angle of their cheekbones, the things they dare to write, or the places they have made for themselves in the world. Black Cranes is a dark and intimate exploration of what it is to be a perpetual outsider.
Review
I was thrilled to read and review Black Cranes: Tales of Unquiet Women edited by Lee Murray and Geneve Flynn.
This is a beautiful and rare collection of speculative fiction tales from women of southeast Asian descent writing about the culture where women are supposed to be quiet, unheard and remain in the shadows. Black Cranes brings these voices, cultures, folklores and legends into the open and shines a light on the powerful women of Southeast Asia.
Final Thoughts
There are so many different and wonderful tales in Black Cranes that I found it difficult to choose my stand-out favourites.
Some of my favourite stories were “The Genetic Alchemist’s;s Daughter” by Elaine Cuyegkeng, , “Kapre: a love Story”, by Ron Cupeco, “Vanilla Rice”, and “Little Worm” by Geneve Flynn.
Conclusion
An absolutely stunning, beautiful and powerful collection of tales about women emerging from the shadows of their cultures. A simply stunning collection!
New Release! Dark Christmas
An updated and quality full-colour paperback of the second edition of my illustrated chapbook and ebook Dark Christmas were released on February 15, 2023.
Dark Christmas marks the first in my new chapbook series Quick Bites Chapbooks published under my imprint Quill Lore. These chapbooks are a combination of short stories or microfiction on a theme. And, each reimagining, retelling or story inspired by a specific aspect of the chapbook theme has quality colour illustrations related to the story.
More details on how to purchase Dark Christmas here. You can also buy SIGNED COPIES directly from Shop.
You must be logged in to post a comment.