The title drew me in! I usually don't like books filled with short stories because I always end up enjoying some and flipping through others. Same thing happened here. "What She Left Behind", "Shadows", "Gravity", and "The Whispers" were the ones that interested me the most. However, I'm not a huge fan of horror and the book failed to convince me otherwise.

An amazing collection of stories of how yes, we can fight back and scare the patriarchy!
I loved reading the stories, the first one of the teeth? Amusing and actually I would also.
This writters had their pacings and writings on point when they wrote them and I adored all of it

I enjoyed this title. I reviewed the book for Monster Librarian. This is a must-read for readers who want their fiction to kick the patriarchy.

I have only read a few short story collections and I have never been a huge fan of those collections but that changed when I read this anthology.

This collection contains a lot of tough topics such as murder, rape, and so much more.

Although this did cover a lot of harsh topics I truly enjoyed this story and saw women fight back for their lives, for respect and for what they deserve.

Each of these authors have amazing and beautiful writing and I really want to check out more from all of these authors. Some ⁷of these stories were very short and others were super long, very detailed and horrific but I really liked how varied in length all the stories were.

In Betty Bites Back the women in these stories are just as bad villains as men can be in other stories which I really loved. Some win others lose in this collection which is very realistic but these women do not go out with a fight.

Throughout these stories there is a lot of diversity which I really appreciated and can not recommend this collection enough! FIVE STARS ALL ROUND.

With stories ranging from fantasy to contemporary, this fantastic feminist fiction collection proves that Betty not only bites, but she can also occasionally feast on the tender, soft spots of man. From flash fiction length to poetry to longer stories, this collection has many styles, yet each author perfectly hits the mark on staying true to the theme. While most of the collection wouldn't necessarily scream feminist fiction on its own, the compilation proves to be more than the sum of its parts.



Vagina Dentata ⭐⭐⭐ - Taylor goes to a plastic surgeon for retractable teeth for her vagina. When asked how she would use them: "I'd wear whatever I want. Go where I please. Stay out late. Get Drunk." While very light on actual horror, the true horror here is women not having autonomy of their own bodies.



You Wake With Him Beside You ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - A poem about sharing your life with a man and how he creeps into every space of your life. While this one is a bit heavy on loathing, I don't think it's anything that any woman has thought when a relationship starts feeling claustrophobic instead of comforting.



The Weight of Iron ⭐⭐⭐ - In this longer historical fantasy, a woman accused of witchcraft by enticing a man (i.e.he just couldn't help himself) finds herself facing death alone in the woods with an unlikely rescuer. I loved the prose of this one and the theme of innocence lost, yet found with the realization that there is a sisterhood out there.



What She Left Behind ⭐⭐⭐ - This story tells of the disappearance of a girl in the 70's and the one that just moved into the same house. Like attracts like.



After the Foxes Have Their Say ⭐⭐⭐ - A warden of a prison takes a wife, who then takes a wagon load full of girls to raise in a separate cabin. This one might be the most surreal and I got a bit lost, to be honest, but it has some great descriptive imagery involving a heart that isn't fed.



Shadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐- Dr. Janet Sayre and a female colleague locate and live with an Amazonian tribe to hopefully learn about the disappearance of her male colleague previously. The village is exclusively women, yet pregnancy abounds. She discovers the truth about the village and about her self as she decides what needs to be done to keep it safe.



@Theguardians1792 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Twitter becomes the vehicle for payback of wrongs done by men.



Gravity ⭐⭐⭐ - All of the girls in the family are cursed with joy. So much joy in fact, that they must wear weights to keep themselves firmly on the ground. The only time negative emotions like sadness can be felt are while in the water. It's meant to be protected from predators like men, something to ease the pain of this world, but she only has eyes for her best friend Odette.



The Guardrail Disappears ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This one would fit well in a Black Mirror episode. On a road trip in a self-driving vehicle, a daughter discovers that her mother is actually a stranger who kidnapped her to raise as her own.



Good Sister, Bad Sister ⭐⭐⭐ - Younger sister turned werewolf takes revenge for older sister. This one had some alternative coming of age vibes that was inspired by Gingersnaps.



Vigilante Lane ⭐⭐⭐- This serial killer take is grim and unyielding.



We Have But Lingered Here ⭐⭐⭐- The ghosts of Shakespeare's characters descend upon the stage to help take revenge on her abusive father.



The Whispers ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - The young women of this little town have their voice boxes cut out in order to be properly subdued and hushed by the men, but the women aren't going to have it. Vengeful suffragettes with scalpels per the author.



Smile ⭐⭐⭐ - What woman likes to be told to smile as if our very joy can be commanded on request? This itty bitty story turns that smile back on those who would command it.



Potluck ⭐⭐⭐ - Seen through funeral food, this story touches both on the sisterhood of women and freedom.



The Change ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - A dystopian tale of girls that undergo the change at puberty, one that shoots out horns and wings and spikes. Then there is one girl that stays the same and the status quo changes again.

This is a great batch of horror stories! I liked some better than others, of course, which is the case with most collections, but there's definitely something here for everyone.

Betty Bites Back tackles the real-life monstrosities that women deal with on a daily basis. From being verbally harassed to physically assaulted, every negative aspect of the female experience (in regards to toxic males, anyway) is presented in a short story or poem. After which, each author shares the inspiration behind their offering.

The realism can get really tough to read at times, but that's because it hits so close to home. There are many tales here that are worth reading and discussing from the feminist perspective. Lots of sexual assault, which is difficult to deal with, but there's also some fantastic revenge sequences.

Well worth a read, although you may need to take this one in short bursts to preserve your mental well-being.

I absolutely could not put this one down. I am typically not a fan of anthologies but this was a wonderful exception for me. Badass and empowering, I will absolutely grab a copy of this for my local library in hopes that it inspires the young women in my area like it did me.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Rape

Like the next person, I love me a good ol’ feminist book. Especially one that rests in the horror genre. Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy tells tales of werewolves, ghosts & everything in between; all with a feminist twist. We get insight on different issues women have to deal with: being told to smile more, random creepy messages from men online, the fear of being raped — you get the jist.

I really enjoyed the direction Betty Bites Back took, however, a lot of the stories fell flat for me. In fact, a few of them I barely remember & if it wasn’t for taking notes, I’d be 100% screwed right now. The one story that really sticks out & is probably the shortest in the collection is called Smile by Emilee Martell. For being so short, it still lands with major impact & is easy to visually imagine.

Following each story, the author addresses their inspiration for that particular story, along with their own favorite feminist reads. This is probably my favorite portion of the collection, because I love being able to see inside the minds of authors.

I really wanted to enjoy this more — it wasn’t a horrible read, but it definitely wasn’t something that’s going to stick with me.

A wonderful mix of poetry and short stories, all within the theme of feminist horror. A good range of styles within the anthology, special mention must go to What She Left Behind - a wonderful and horrible story, I've not been able to stop thinking about it!

The title of this book won me over right away and I had to request it! And I'm glad I did!
This was a really nice collection of short little feminist stories! I loved how they all stuck with the theme and really enjoyed the notes afterwards where the authors talked about their influences and authors they liked.

I've got a bunch of new authors to follow now!


Also, the cover art is amazing!

This is a solid collection of horror stories by women; as usual with this theme, I lament the amount of sexual assault, but I was delighted to find that balanced by a high proportion of joyous violence committed by women. For once, I think every story here meets the brief. The last two in the collection were my favourites, but there wasn't one that I didn't like.

https://www.genrejunkies.com/60-horror-betty-bites-back-short-story-collection-by-various-authors/

Please follow the link to our podcast review! This collection should be on every feminist’s bookshelf. From horror, fantasy, and even sci fi, there is a vicious and victorious tale for everyone who is tired of seeing females pushed down. Don’t be fooled by the cute but creepy cover. Some of these stories pack a punch and are not for the faint of heart. Pick this one up for you and your ghoul gang to enjoy.

I wasn't sure about this anthology at first. The only reason I requested it was for Mindy McGinnis and her story was one of the shortest which was a little disappointing. But I ended up really enjoying it. The stories were fun and often over far too soon for my liking. I really enjoyed the variety of stories. Some were horror, some paranormal, some just plain spooky. I liked the few that were written in verse. Each story sent it's own message, though some of them I thought were a little unclear with their feminist message. Overall, I really enjoyed this anthology. The writing was good, the stories kept me interesting and the overall message was excellent.

Ever since I read The Female of the Species, if you put anything with the words "Mindy McGinnis" and "feminism" in front of me, you can be damn sure I'll want to read it. Because I loved that book and the way it portrays rape culture. So stories to scare the patriarchy, with Mindy's approval? HECK YES.

First, I would like to congratulate the people who worked on the cover because I'm in love with this vintage horror comics look. Kudos, you hit it out of the park.

As to the stories, I'm astounded I loved almost all of them. And not just in a "this is nice" way, I mean in a "HOLY CRAP THIS IS AWESOME" way. I'm sold. So much that I genuinely think several of them are absolutely perfect and I can't pick only one favourite. If I had to describe the book, I think I'd say feminist Tales From The Crypt.

Get ready for urban legends, vaginas with teeth, vengeful ghosts, witches and creatures, macabre humour, blood, brutal justice, thrilling terror, but mostly sisterhood, community and women watching out for other women. Betty bites back, but she comes with a pack and preadatory men should be on their guard lest they become the prey. Oh my, what a ride it was!

Would I buy a copy? Hell yes. And I'd recommend it to any girl who liked their feminism a little bloody. Read it, now, for Halloween, hell, I can even think of a few people in my life to gift a copy to for Christmas. But give it a chance, you won't regret it.

A fantastic collection of feminist short stories. "You wake with him beside you" was my favourite piece. It really hit home with me. I would recommend this for anyone who has ever felt the heel of society crushing them.

EXCERPT: It started with a hashtag.

Well, it started about five years earlier - the first time Billy Ruperts noticed that I'd hit puberty. We were sitting in the hallway, working with a few of our friends on our final history project of Grade seven. He looked at me, then at my chest.

'Savvy, you're growing.' He leaned forward and flicked my pint-sized breast.

That was the first time I felt it. That subtle stomach-churning twirl of rage. I shoved him into the lockers. He split his forehead open on a rusted hinge.

I got an in-school suspension, even after I told them what he did.

Billy got stitched up and a break from homework for the rest of the week. (excerpt taken from 'The Guardians 1792 by Jenna Lehne)

ABOUT THIS BOOK: Behind every successful man is a strong woman... but in these stories, she might be about to plant a knife in his spine. The characters in this anthology are fed up - tired of being held back, held down, held accountable - by the misogyny of the system. They're ready to resist by biting back in their own individual ways, be it through magic, murder, technology, teeth, pitfalls and even... potlucks. Join sixteen writers as they explore feminism in fantasy, science-fiction, fractured fairy-tales, historical settings, and the all-too-familiar chauvinist contemporary world.

(While most of the content is YA appropriate, please note the editors recommend this anthology for 16+.)

MY THOUGHTS: As with most short story collections, there were stories I liked, and stories I didn't like. 'The Guardians 1792' was a particular favorite of mine; as were 'What She Left Behind' by E R Griffin and 'We Have But Lingered Here' by Liz Coley. There were a couple I couldn't finish, and the remainder were, for my reading palate, decidedly meh. Some were just too extreme.

An interesting collection.

#BettyBitesBackStoriesToScareThe Patriarchy #NetGalley

***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/EDITOR: Mindy McGinnis is an Edgar Award-winning novelist who writes across multiple genres, including post-apocalyptic, historical, thriller, contemporary, mystery, and fantasy.

While her settings may change, you can always count on Mindy’s books to deliver grit, truth, and an unflinching look at humanity and the world around us.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Mindy McGinnis, Dimitria Lunetta and Kate Karyus Quinn via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Betty Bites Back for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on Sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy is a collection of short stories and poems. Each story is a different narration of what happens to women on a daily basis. Most of these tales crept me out. I know they are a clear representation of the modern world and it scares me. We are barely moving forward.

Vagina Dentata by Mindy McGinnis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It is the greatest of beginnings for the anthology: short, purposeful, affecting in all the right ways.

You Wake With Him Beside You by Cori McCarthy ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It’s a complex poem of justice and reclaiming one’s life back, so exquisitely crafted that you feel as suffocated as the main character is.

The Weight of Iron by Amanda Sun ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I’m not sure I’m fully capable of conveying how meaningful this story can be.
Galen is a normal girl, trying to live her life, but she cannot even do that as men are useless dirt bags. She is harassed, humiliated, raped and to add insult to injury, she is called a witch and condemned to death. She is shackled and left to die in the forest where a mysterious creature is said to kill the penitents.

What She Left Behind by E.R. Griffin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This powerful story kept my eyes glued to the screen. The entangled tale of two similarly tormented lives. A summer night Erin Wilcox disappears, forty years later Mel discovers her diary and her story.

After The Foxes Have Their Say by Tracie Martin ⭐⭐⭐
A story of retaliation, of taking back control from men. Initially, I thought the Warden would learn something, but, alas, he didn’t.

Shadows by Demitria Lunetta ⭐
Confronting it to previous and subsequent stories, I don’t appreciate it as much.

@Theguardians1972 by Jenna Lehne ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Just beginning to read this story will surely enrage you. Every time I read any of the guys’ sentences I had to stop reading because of the disgust I felt. By the end of it, you’ll either be torn between right or wrong, or be strangely accepting of some events.

Gravity by Kyrie McCauley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tale simultaneously eerie and light. A curse burdens every woman in a family from birth: an untruthful smile fixed on their face and a weightless body until they are sixteen. I particularly liked the ending: I felt the main character’s excitement and pain when she finally regained her control.

The Guardrail Disappears by Melody Simpson ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I didn’t know what I was getting into with this story, but it sure was a hell of a ride.

Good Sister. Bad Sister by Azzurra Nox ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Sweet, sweet revenge is all I’m saying.

Vigilante Lane by S.E. Green ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Creepy, gruesome and raw. Fantastically dark.

We Have But Lingered Here by Liz Coley ⭐⭐⭐
A ghost story with an engaging twist.

The Whispers by Lindsey Klingele ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It was incredible. One of the reasons I really like anthologies is because of stories like this one. It managed to completely involve me and make me feel what the girls felt, the rage they shared and the will to get back at those disgusting pricks.

Smile by Emilee Martell ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Short and frightening in the best way.

Potluck by Kamerhe Lane ⭐⭐⭐
I particularly liked the choice of narration and how the intrinsic complexity of a regular event was described.

The Change by Kate Karyus Quinn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Powerful and splendid.
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I received an arc of this from netgalley for an honest review.

The beginning of it was interesting enough, but then around 60% through the book I noticed that I didn't enjoy the stories as often. To the point that there was a number of them that I skipped. It's an interesting premise to write an anthology about, and some of the stories were executed well. However I don't think all of them necessarily lived up to it. In my opinion, only about half of them interested me.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this anthology in exchange for a honest review! I found this to be a well put together collection of stories where (at their very core) they’re about the power women can have and that’s definitely not something that should be underestimated.