Title: Strange Girls : Women in Horror Anthology
Author: Azzurra Nox
Publisher: Twisted Wing Productions
Release Date: February 18, 2020
Pages: 344
Book Source: NetGalley
“For fans of American Horror Story, Shirley Jackson, and Creepshow.
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You know them. Those girls that aren’t quite like everyone else. Those girls who stand out in the crowd. Those girls that dare to be different. Those girls are dangerous.
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In Strange Girls, twenty-one authors dare to tackle what makes the girls in this collection different. Vampires, selkies, murderous mermaids, succubus, and possessed dolls take center stage in these short stories that are sure to invoke feelings of quiet terror and uneasiness in the reader. Following the successful debut of Women in Horror anthology with My American Nightmare, Strange Girls is the sophomore effort to showcase these talented women in a genre that is often dominated by the male gaze.
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Dare to take a walk on the dark side.” – Amazon
Kim’s Review
I made some reading goals for 2020, besides setting my Goodreads goal at 100 books this year, I also want to read more horror and anthologies. When Strange Girls : Women in Horror Anthology curated by Azzurra Nox, popped up on social media, I was super excited. Not only is the book horror and an anthology, but every one of the stories is written by women, which is a wonderful bonus!
All the stories were good, but some were great. The ones that really stood out to me were; Leda and the Fly by Marine Azzarelli, The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey, The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye, and The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren.
Some of them had themes that are repeated quite often, and while they were still enjoyable, I was looking for something with more of a twist. One of the stories that I felt has been done a lot, made fun of itself a bit though by mentioning Annabelle, so that endeared me a bit more to the story. And even though the few that I thought were not as original, they obviously have an audience since they are told again and again.
There were some that were cute but still disturbing. And my definition of cute may be way different than yours… but I thought Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns was adorable. I also enjoyed having a mermaid and selkie story in the mix since I’m partial to water monsters. A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian had a different look at mermaids, making me think of sirens. And Sideshow by Jude Reid, although not an aquatic monster, still had the vibe that goes along with man eating beings.
I really appreciated the author’s information and links to their other works at the end of each story. I will be using that information to read more stories and novels from the writers that I really enjoyed. And I’m sure I’ll find even more authors to read when I check out the various resources.
If you’re a fan of horror or looking to broaden your reading horizons, you should give Strange Girls a read.
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