Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to provide a review of this ARC.

Not gonna lie, when this first started out, I was feeling very uneasy about whether or not this was an anthology I would enjoy. After encountering a few duds early on, I finally began to enjoy myself. This anthology consists of 22 short stories, and I notated 12 as ones I particularly liked. In no particular order, these are the ones I found enjoyable:

Self-portrait with Pears
Night Terrors
Leda and the Fly
Jenny's Bobo
Extinguishing Fireflies
The Eyes of the Dead
My Mirror Wife
Patterns of Faerytales
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings
Cracked
Angel of Death
Tribal Influence

I know the importance of reading female authors in the horror genre, so am very grateful to have had the opportunity to read this.

Also...that cover is swoon-worthy.

There were a lot of standout stories in this anthology with a few that fell a bit flat or seemed tone deaf to the idea of Strange Girls. However, overall it was a great collection, many of the stories left me having to put the book down for a few hours before I could let go and move on to the next one.

Hightlights for me were Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine, Sideshow by June Reid and Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe. Honorable mention to My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor for the kind of story that will keep me away from mirrors for a while.

I was pleasantly surprised at how many of the stories I enjoyed, since anthologies can be pretty hit-or-miss. A couple points I didn't like: one story had a NB protag but was....very clearly not written by a NB person, and another story had teens texting things like C U L8TR which no teen has ever texted ever. However, I really appreciate the number of queer authors AND queer protags in this anthology. I'll definitely be buying a copy for my queer horror collection!

Ok, so…this is complicated. Since it is an anthology, I decided to do two things – I’m going to tell you my thoughts on the overall selections, so, how they fit together, blah blah, and then I’ll tell you my thoughts on each story separately.

The Collection:
I’m not sure I agree with the tie that binds these stories together. I mean, they’re not all about “strange girls” per se. One is about a normal girl and a disgusting dirt-pig of a man, and one is about a normal girl and a disgusting dirt-pig of a boy. So…does “strange girls” refer to the authors, then? Cuz I honestly have an even bigger problem with that (calling a bunch of grown-ass women ‘girls’ is infantalizing and weird, please don’t do it).

Or was that moniker chosen by a publisher who thinks that girls involved in bad situations are strange? Am I over-analyzing this? Seriously though, that title doesn’t sit well with me based on the inclusion of those two stories I hinted at above. Nothing was strange about those girls, they were just victimized by garbage people.

So, title, not my favorite. Cover – possibly my favorite. It’s beautiful. Honestly, I requested this book on the strength of that cover, and the idea that women in horror need more attention. They are every bit as good at horror writing as men are – and honestly, women write stories that to me (also a woman) feel oftentimes a hell of a lot scarier just based on the fact that we share similar fears which stem from our shared gender/place in society.

The Stories:

24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt
An asshole in a diner gets his just desserts. I kinda liked this one.

⭐⭐⭐

Sideshow by Jude Reid
My only note: “mmmkay….” Not exactly a glowing review – I didn’t leave any context. Upon further review, this is because a woman is RAAAAPED by her boyfriend, and her response is, “it was nice” when he asked if it was good for her. Another asshole gets his, this time with the backdrop of a cool lady in a carnival sideshow – she is the only thing that saved this from a 1 star rating. She was badass.

⭐⭐⭐

The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye
There’s a haunted doll house, which is fun. And some people get dead, which is also pretty fun. This one’s actually fairly good. It reminded me a lot of that episode of Creepshow (Shudder) The House of the Head. Actually, in hindsight, it basically just was that episode with a few minor changes. Which is fine. I mean, there’s only so much you can do with that basic premise in a few pages. Honestly, this was one of the strongest entries in the anthology, in my opinion.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell
This one was a huge letdown. I think it needed more – it felt incomplete. Like, the last paragraph was the only part that really felt important to the story. Also, I didn’t feel like at any point we had enough information to infer that it was a horror story. It just felt like the beginnings of a fantasy story.

⭐

Self-Portrait With Pears by Rachel Bolton
This was one that I mentioned didn’t feel like the story of a “strange girl.” Rather it’s the story of an entitled ass-hat who thinks that because he likes a girl (maybe she’s strange because she does art and dyes her hair?), that she owes him herself? I will grant the author this: the story is scary in its plausability – Adam is a total violent incel-type, and gives off definite YOU vibes. I like the story well enough, but I don’t think that it fits in this collection very well.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns
It has an interesting concept – a succubus and non-binary individual team u and become besties? Sort of? I didn’t love the execution of the story so much – I feel like it needed a little more fleshing out in order for the end to make any kind of real sense. And the dialogue was a little off-putting at times, see: “Oh, I forgot to tell you. I’m a succubus.” Wait…*screeching halt* fucking huh? Not that she’s a succubus, but, like, who would ever say that thing in that way? I think she was going for pithy, but…it felt out of place. It still gets points for being interesting in concept though – and I’m a sucker for a succubus (save me from myselffff).

⭐⭐⭐

Friends with Benefits by E.F. Schraeder
This one was a swing and a big miss for me. I still don’t really know what the hell exactly was going on, so in lieu of a synopsis, I will just leave you with my notes:
Sad teen’s mom left/died/who knows she isn’t there. Spells and counter spells. Okay, mom’s dead apparently. She wants to “claim” her daughter – kill her? Why? It makes her more powerful? okkkkkayyy not sure how that’s gonna work. Dad doesn’t want her dead? Wait does he? Everyone’s a witch now? Daughter, friend, boyfriend, dead mom, maybe also dad all want her dead now apparently. I still don’t know wtf dad is trying for. Maybe not her dead?

⭐

Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine
After surgery, a girl finds out that nothing in her life is what it seems. Scifi horror for the win. One of my other favorites in this book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren
Weird religious undertones about menstruation being like, an actual danger to the living things around poor Barb. It all felt little too shamey for me – definite menstrual tent vibes.

⭐⭐

Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli
Leda has severe depression, which is only alleviated when she has a bizarre run-in with a fly on the wall. Turns out she’s got some violent thoughts, and this isn’t the first time this has happened. This one’s weird, but pretty fun.

⭐⭐⭐

Jenny’s Bobo by Hillary Lyon
A bullied high school girl uses her parent’s…pet…to get revenge on some mean girls.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland
I liked this one a lot. I don’t want to spoil it, but it’s a good one. There’s some mayhem, murder, and fireflies! Oh, and an unexpected ending.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck how am I not done yettttttttttttttttttttttttt

The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey
Ok, I straight up hated this one. And not because of it’s content (this is the only book wit a content warning, although several others could have used one) – it does warn straightaway that it “Contains scenes of violence and rape.” I hated it because it was just fucking mean for the sake of being mean. There was no redemption, no lesson. It was just cruel. And there was no “strange girl” either. It was a normal girl thrust into a really shitty situation. It was the short story equivalent of a rape-revenge film, but without the revenge. It was just a girl being brutally raped, murdered, and then violated way past the point of death while her trapped soul continues to have to endure it. I gave it a half star because it was at least written coherently.

⭐

My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor
Dammit, this one didn’t really connect for me either. I mean, it was okay, but… I didn’t really connect with it.

⭐⭐

This isn’t going very well, is it?

Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox
Ok, this one was actually really good. Again, definitely one of my favorites. A woman discovers a secret about herself, and forces her husband to make a choice – join her or die. I only knocked off a star because of a weird bit of writing that I won’t share because it spoils a major plot point – but I guarantee you’ll notice it – it sticks out like a sore thumb.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivardy
Another good one! We’re on a roll! This one is really folkloric in feel, and I dig it a lot. Grab your kitchen knives, y’all (that’s only going to make sense once you read it, but I promise you, it’s worth it).

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cracked by Regan Moore
Uggggghhhhhh, cuuuuurseddd dollllllllll.

⭐

Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson
I honestly have no real opinion on this one. It was a story. I guess it felt a little unsteady in it’s execution, but the story itself was ok.

⭐⭐⭐

Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar
Again, I’ve got little of use to impart, so I leave you my notes:
Woman turns murderous, her cat is weird, she likes to garden.

⭐

Revival by Madison Estes
Another one that doesn’t really feature a “strange girl” but rather centers on a man and his strangeness. At least it was an okay story, if not one I would have included in a “strange girls” anthology.

⭐⭐

A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian
This was a pretty good one, although I felt like it would have benefited greatly from being just a bit longer.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe
I’m not sure why this one finished out the book. It was okay, but definitely not the strongest entry here. With that being said, it was a pretty good story about a strange little girl plucked from her parents at the US/Mexico border and subjected to government testing.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall Rating:
I just averaged everything to come up with this one. Drumroll, please!

⭐⭐⭐

It was actually 2.7, but barely. Honestly, my thoughts on this book were just too damned all over the place for me to rate it higher.

Anyway, if it sounds your speed, it comes out tomorrow!

Strange Girls is the newest anthology out on the racks, and it has a specific and unique focus. This whole collection is a variation on the standard horror themes – with girls and women being the focus and authors behind it all.
Naturally, when I saw this compilation I knew I had to give it a read. I've been getting really into horror lately, but have been wanting to see different takes on the matter. This anthology seemed to do exactly that, while providing insight and perspective that I would very much appreciate. I loved that this anthology aimed to empower women and girls in the world of horror, that's not something you see every day.
As with any anthology, there are certain short stories that I felt really spoke to me. In this instance, my favorites were Night Terrors, Patterns of Fairytales, Cracked, Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings, and A Song Only She Can Hear.
My rating is based on the average of all the ratings I gave each short story in this anthology. So to get a better idea for each one, take a peek down below. I've included a quick description, warning label, and rating for each one. As well as a quick rundown of my opinion for them all.

“And in a world where everyday women’s choices are dwindling or are at stake, this anthology serves to celebrate these girls’ choices.”


24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings:
You know how the story goes. Girl meets guy, guy meets girl. Horror and violence ensue. Wait, what? This is a classic twist on the whole night time diner scene, where there's more than one predator on the hunt.
24 Hour Diner is probably one of those short stories that vampire buffs, in particular, appreciated. I personally enjoyed the twist, though I'll confess that it also made me chuckle a bit – thanks to my preference towards playing vampire based Tabletop RPGs on the weekend.

Sideshow by Jude Reid
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Sexual assault
A snake-charmer isn't an uncommon sight for a traveling circus, but this charmer is quite a bit different from what you might expect. On the bright side, her hunger is liberating for some.
Sideshow was an entertaining read, though the implied assault is a bit rough to see/hear. I enjoyed the different take and all of the inferences on how sometimes women just really need to stick together. Even when they're not the same species.

The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Abuse
The Doll's House is a fun twist on the whole murdering dolls concept that horror fans have surely seen before. Though this time around there are a few alterations to the story, giving it an even more disturbing edge.
I enjoyed this read. It was fun, with just the right amount of dark and disturbing elements to balance it all out.

Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell
Rating: ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Bleeding
Blood is a story that hints at more than it actually tells. It's playing with the concept of lineage – and all of the dark implications that sometimes go with it.
This was an okay read, though perhaps not the most exciting. It's heavily leaning towards fantasy (which I'm obviously okay with) but probably would have done a lot better had there been more time to provide details and explanations.

Self-Portrait With Pears by Rachel Bolton
Rating: ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Stalking
Self-Portrait With Pears is a dark and chilling tale, as one boy becomes obsessed with a fellow classmate.
Remember how I mentioned that this whole collection was meant to be a symbol of empowerment? I don't feel like this story fits in with the rest. It was interesting and creepy, and thus fit those definitions. But it didn't fit the whole girl rising up against all odds – or by having something strange or weird protect or change her.

Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Transphobia
Personal Demons uses allegories to start a conversation. One high school student has been outted by their teacher, only to then make a friend with the most unlikely of creatures – a succubus.
This was a decent read, all things considered. I did feel like the main character took the whole concept a bit too easily, but it did allow for a different sort of story. One that forced her to make some tough decisions down the line.

Friends With Benefits by E.F. Schraeder
Rating: ⋆ ⋆
Friends With Benefits is not at all the story you're going to expect when seeing that title. This is the story of one girl and the strange and alarming alterations that have forcibly begun on her body, once her mother suddenly passed away.
I have questions about this one. I feel like we needed a few answers between points a and b, and the absence of those answers made it overall a bit more difficult to follow. Also, the title is fairly misleading.

Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Surgery
Night Terrors is a dark and chilling tale. A girl wakes up after her surgery. That's nothing new. But what follows makes it all the stranger, for her nightmares and night terrors reveal the truth. The truth of what has been done to her, and the truth of what she is.
This was a fascinating story. I would have happily read a novella or novel on this story, had I been given half a chance. I loved the concept and the way it was carried out.

The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren
Rating: ⋆
Warnings: Blood, stigma
The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding twists the religious beliefs surrounding women and periods and spins it to a whole new level.
I didn't enjoy this one. I wanted to, but I just couldn't. At first, it seemed like the author was going to try and make a point, but by the end, it ended up reading as more of a support for those beliefs – then an attack on them. I don't think that was actually the intent, but I could be wrong.

Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Depression
Leda and the Fly is a fascinating story. A tale of depression, and what can happen to a person based on what they ingest.
This one was fascinating. I love everything that was left unsaid, as well as the way the story itself unfolded. It was extremely intriguing and left me wanting more.

Jenny’s Bobo by Hillary Lyon
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Jenny's Bobo is a tale of a girl and her...peculiar pet. She may not come off as the most responsible teenager around, but at least she's got a solid understanding with her friend/pet, Bobo.
I want to rate this one higher, I really do. But it almost felt like it cut off at the halfway mark. I desperately want to know more about Bobo and all of the things that his strange owner had planned.

Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Graphic details
Extinguishing Fireflies is the tale of one cute yet very deadly kitten. The tale unfolds in the most alarming of ways.
This was an interesting read. The author did a great job of leading the reader in such a way where you can almost guess the revelation right before it occurs.

The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey
Rating: ⋆
Warnings: Rape, necrophilia, graphic details, gore
This short story poses the question: what would it be like, if the soul didn't actually leave the body, but instead could continue to witness everything?
If I could leave a negative star rating on a story, I would. This short story was horrid. It was graphic and indulgent. For context, none of the other short stories in this collection have a trigger warning. But this one does.
I wish I had taken that trigger warning more seriously and skipped it entirely. As it was I couldn't finish it. It was truly horrific. It also wasn't empowerment in any way, shape or form. It was a girl getting assaulted brutally.

The Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warning: Poisoning
The Mirror Wife is a twist on the whole 'husband gets sick of his wife and decides to have her killed' trope. Nothing is predictable in this tale, which is full of twists and turns.
I loved the twist on this tale, it was fascinating and intriguing. It fit the concept of strange and empowering, which is perfect.

Patterns of Fairytales by Azzurra Nox
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Patterns of Fairytales is a story focused on the concepts of buried truths – and the legend of selkies.
I absolutely loved this story! I cannot say enough nice things about it. I will say that I would have killed to see a full novel on this series of events. Because it was brilliant.

Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivardy
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Forced marriage
Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings is a twist on the telling of terrible tales for a region. You know what I mean. Each location has their own horror story. This is one to add to your repertoire.
This was a fantastic read! At first, I wasn't sure what to expect, but by the end, I didn't want to see it finish, because I was so enthralled by the story itself and the storytelling style.

Cracked by Regan Moore
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Another haunted doll tale. But this one is not like the other. Nor is it like any others out there. A haunted doll follows a thief of a woman, fully intent on handing out repercussions for her actions.
Can I have more of this? Please? I loved it! A whole short story collection of this karmic and creepy doll would be really interesting if you ask me.

Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Death penalty
Angel of Death is a short story about one woman (not a woman, really) who takes vengeance and the law into her own hands. It's slightly political, as she aims to go after those who think themselves above the law.
This was an interesting read. I would have loved to see more of the before and after for this tale. But as far as short stories go, it was perfectly timed and placed.

Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Her Garden Grows follows Rosamund and her most peculiar pet. This story will not go at all how you expect. But it does fit the theme of this anthology perfectly, for more than one reason.
This was a really interesting read. And I promise, her cat is fine. It was a unique perspective (the cat – or cat-like creature, I'm still not sure) that I personally really enjoyed. But that's probably not much of a shocker, huh?

Revival by Madison Estes
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Cadavers
A twisted take on the practice of medical cadavers – and how one student reacts to seeing the latest one up for dissection. As it turns out, this man with a lost loved one in his past...has some things to work out.
This was another interesting read, one that was almost fun to try and guess which way it was going to go. It was also beautifully written, so I want to give some credit for that.

A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Graphic violence
A Song Only She Can Hear is the promised mermaid story in this collection! It was absolutely worth the wait. A mermaid has spent her whole life on land. So imagine her joy when she finally met another mermaid. Or rather, a merman.
This is seriously my favorite from the whole collection. It's amazing, and I'm not just saying that because of mermaids. It was beautifully written, dark, disturbing, and absolutely a highlight of this anthology.

Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe
Rating: ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Warnings: Internment camp, illegal human experimentation
The final short story in this collection, it's a dark tale of powers and interment. The combination is an interesting one, but very well written.
I'm not sure I would have picked this story to wrap up the anthology, but it was also not a bad call either. I really enjoyed it, and once again find myself wishing that it had been a full novella or novel.

Trigger/Content warnings: death/murder, sexual assault, toxic relationships, stalking, outing of sexuality, bullying, violence, necrophilia, rape
Representation: non-binary, queer MC & POC side character (Personal Demons), queer MC and off-screen character (The Eyes of the Dead)

24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt ★★
Generic paranormal story - not really horror, in my opinion.

Sideshow by Jude Reid ★★★1/2
Lovely atmosphere and well-defined characters. I enjoyed how this story developed. But it didn't blow me away at all.

The Doll's House by Alyson Faye ★★★1/2
Finally something a little creepy. I love how this developed and the ambiguity that was throughout the story until the very end.

Blood by Red Claire ★
I'm confused by the story. Also, by the fact that this was fantasy. Not horror.

Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton ★★1/2
Part of me actually did enjoy this story, but again, NOT HORROR. This was absolutely more of a suspense short story. Good, but also just way too much of the creepy stalker dude which amounted to nothing other than me being really mad and annoyed.

Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns ★
No no no no no no. Not only was the non-binary MC misgendered BY THE AUTHOR in the first few lines (okay, this may be changed in the final copy - please note I am reading a proof) but "...being a lesbian doesn't suit me" is possibly one of the worst lines I have ever come across. The writing made me cringe, the story-telling was jaunty and it seemed incredibly cliche to use the name Lilith.

Friends with Benefits by E.F. Schraeder ★★1/2
I didn't fully understand what was happening. But I liked it? But then it felt incomplete and rushed. Oh and some of the most DISGUSTING mental health language in this story. *sigh* I just want a well-written full length novel of this...

Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine ★★1/2
This was well-written and I didn't hate it. But absolutely not horror (definitely sci-fi) and not original at all.

The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren ★
This would have been good if the entire thing hadn't been some weird, messed up analogy about female menstruation.

Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli ★★★★1/2
Finally something good! If you loved The Yellow Wallpaper then this will be right up your alley.

Jenny's Bobo by Hillary Lyon ★★
This was promising. Until it ended suddenly, turning this into a short story with zero point.

Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland ★★★★
I enjoyed this! Super creepy vibes, gorgeously developed twist.

The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey DNF
I can't believe this was written. I can't believe this was chosen for an anthology.
Don't subject yourself to this story. It's disgusting. It's graphic shock value just for the sake of it. It is the worst torture/rape/necrophilia scene I've ever come across. Also shitty dialogue about substance abuse/homelessness.

My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor ★★★★
Really well scripted victim-to-villain story. I loved the way this finished as well. Deliciously dark and messed-up.

Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox ★★★★
I enjoyed this one. Absolutely more fantasy with horror elements, than strictly horror. But it was well told.

Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivard ★★
Meh.

Cracked by Regan Moore ★★★
Not bad, but honestly it didn't thrill me either. The premise could make a great horror story, but I didn't feel a whole heap of suspense.

Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson ★★
This was just odd. Like I was reading two stories at once? The two parts just didn't gel together.

Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar DNF

Revival by Madison Estes ★★★★1/2
This was good! The dark creepy, second-guessing sort of horror that I want from short stories.

A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian ★★★1/2
I really enjoyed this one but it wasn't as atmospheric as I wanted. The story was great, but it didn't feel spooky?

Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe ★★★1/2
This was a nicely fleshed out story. I enjoyed it, but I wasn't blown away.


So all up, some okay stories, a couple of stories that were fantastic and even more that strongly recommend you skip over. My average star rating for the anthology is 2.5. Pick it up if the descriptions of the stories intrigue you. But I don't think this is a collection that I will be revisiting.

Being an anthology, some stories are a little hit-and-miss in terms of whether or not I like the style of writing. That being said, it was very interesting to read a collection of short stories that focused on female characters in horror. The lengths, styles, themes, mythologies, all varied greatly throughout the collection, which made the anthology all the more interesting to read. I particularly enjoyed the stories based on familiar mythologies.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Twisted Wing Productions in exchange for an honest review.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love horror, I really do. However, there's no denying I've had some bad luck with horror anthologies. There are very specific things I dislike and more often than not, they tend to crop up in anthologies. The idea of a horror anthology written entirely by women was so appealing to me because (sadly) a lot of the stuff I dislike tends to be written by male authors. Also, who doesn't want to support more female authors?

Amazingly, I was 100% correct in my assumptions. Almost all of these stories succeeded at being really intriguing tales of horror without any of the weird sexual elements, glorification of violence or other dodgy gender stuff I dislike. There is one exception to this-'The Eyes of the Dead' by Danielle R. Bailey is a particularly brutal tale about the aftermath of a rape. It wasn't a bad story by any means but it didn't really fit with the tone of the other stories and I felt like it was a bit too bleak for an anthology of this nature.

Having said that, there's a good mix of stories here in general. A fair few of them felt like they were too short and ended just as they were getting interesting which was a shame. Some of my favourites include 'Adam's Self-Portrait with Pears' by Rachel Bolton, 'Personal Demons' by Angelique Fawns, 'Cracked' by Regan Moore, 'Revival' by Madison Estes and 'A Song Only She Can Hear' by Wondra Vanian. There are some which are traditional horror but a lot of them had a dark fantasy side to them which was neat.

All in all, I'm very glad I read this collection and I would recommend it to anyone who has trouble finding a horror anthology that fits their tastes. I wouldn't say the tone is particularly feminist but it is a refreshing kind of horror and one I would love to see more of.

Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I was beyond disappointed with this anthology. When I saw it I was so excited to experience all the stories in it. I managed to get through the first few stories but ended up DNFing it. The stories I finished were not scary. Some seemed as though they were rushed and unfinished. I wanted to be creeped out at the very least, but I was extremely bored to say the least.

I love horror, so this anthology was right up my twisted alley. Given, it takes quite a bit to actually freak me out, so I'm not rating the book on its ability to do so, and I'm not reviewing every story because I don't want to spoil anything. I like short horror stories, since I think they really get straight to the meat (haha) of the matter and I like that this anthology celebrates women in horror.
I thought all these stories were fun, creepy, crawly, and definitely something that would keep the average person awake at night. The only reason it wasn't a five star read for me is because I feel like it could have been scarier.

If you love horror then this one is for you! Each story is a new take on a horror and I loved it. All of the stories stand on their own and I would love to see more from each author.

A wonderful and diverse compilation of creepy, disturbing, creature stories and anyhing you can imagine based on female characters.

22 stories that take you to explore different types of fear. There is something for everybody and I appretiate the trigger warnings mentioned before certain stories so the reader can decide if they want to read that particular tale.

I also really appretiated the small author introduction after every story and an interview with each author at the end of the book.

A collection of creepy short stories with more misses than hits. I thought that it started off strong and I liked the first couple of stories, but the book got weaker the further I got through it. Although there were a few memorable stories, many were forgettable and made no sense, and this was not helped by a weak story being the final chapter. I am aware that this is an anthology but would still like to have seen the stories more fleshed out. There were also a lot of typos and sloppy writing.

I think 'Sideshow' is my favourite story. Others that I enjoyed: 24 Hour Diner, Self-Portrait with Pears, Night Terrors, Extinguishing Fireflies, My Mirror Wife, Her Garden Grows. Also it's weird that I remember nothing about the most graphic/violent story ('The Eyes of the Dead') until I went back to it again.

All-in-all, a very mixed bag. I failed to see the point in some and failed to see the horror in others. I also detected some typos in multiple stories, (don’t know if that was just my ARC or not) which got me out of my reading a little. A 2,9 star-rating on average.

24 Hour Diner by Charlotte Platt - 2 stars
Pretty basic story, didn’t bring anything new or interesting or particularly scary to the table.

Sideshow by Jude Reid - 5 stars
Original, loved the ‘message’ and how it played out

The Doll’s House by Alyson Faye - 3 stars
Yep, pretty creepy. Way too easy/cheesy of an ending though.

Blood by Claire Hamilton Russell - 2 stars
Yes, female-centered and positive, but too short to make anything of it. Not quite spoopy either

Self-Portrait with Pears by Rachel Bolton - 2,5 stars
Stalker story a la ‘you’. Not particularly scary, but it showcased the thought process of the MC (and some men and what they think they’re entitled to) really well. Don’t know about the ending though

Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns - 2 stars
About a non-binary character, but the first time a pronoun appears, the author uses ‘she’ before announcing the character wants to be referred to as ‘they’. This one felt a bit iffy. Even though I’m not at all well-versed in what life is like for a non-binary person, I’m not entirely confident to say that this is good representation... It’s about the power of choice, and our MC actually mentioned that this is their choice. However, I’m not sure if they referred to the fact that their preferred pronouns are a choice, or if the author meant that being non-binary is a choice. And while it could be called a choice whether or not you decide to live your life as your authentic self, I don’t believe feeling some type of way and being the way you are can, in fact, be called a choice.

Friends with Benefits by E. F. Schraeder - 3 stars
Wut? Did her mom take her over or sumthin’?

Night Terrors by Angela Sylvaine - 4 stars
Creepy! First thought that this was about waking up during a procedure on the operating table, which is one of my big fears. It wasn’t but it was still creepy. A fun little horror story!

The Girl Who Never Stopped Bleeding by Sam Lauren - 1 stars
This might be going way over my head. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a powerful story, but to me it’s the opposite. Apparently you have to stay away from girls with periods... Yeah. I don’t know.

Leda and the Fly by Marnie Azzarelli - 5 stars
Loved the writing!

Jenny’s Bobo by Hillary Lyon - 2 stars
That was it?

Extinguishing Fireflies by Rebecca Rowland - 3,5 stars
Great writing and definitely a good story. A little less satisfied by the ending.

The Eyes of the Dead by Danielle R. Bailey - 5 stars
Chills!

My Mirror Wife by Ash Tudor - 4 stars
Oooookaaayy. I couldn’t fully grasp everything, right away, but it was definitely creepy! Just wish the ending didn’t drag out this much. I wish the author would have left it at the moment I found out what was happening.

Patterns of Faerytales by Azzurra Nox - 1 star
Pretty meh. Not my kind of writing.

Campfire Tales: The Bloody Rings by Emma Johnson-Rivardy - 2 stars
Liked the writing. But I feel a lot of these stories either lack a message, or lack the horror aspect. This one was the latter.

Cracked by Regan Moore - 2 stars
Cliché, predictable

Angel of Death by Phoebe Jane Johnson - 2 stars
Am I just not in the loop of what ‘horror’ is, or do I not like horror? But honestly, this was more fantasy than horror.

Her Garden Grows by Maxine Kollar - 3 stars
I’m not sure what happened, but if what I think happened, this is pretty sick.

Revival by Madison Estes - 4 stars
The dead coming alive. That’s what I’m here for.

A Song Only She Can Hear by Wondra Vanian - 3,5 stars
Pretty freaky, liked the plot (the ending was a little abrupt though), but liked the writing style a little less.

Tribal Influence by Erica Ruhe - 2,5 stars
More sci-fi than anything. Don’t think it’s that original (the girl with all the gifts/the darkest minds)

A mixed bag of stories, some better than others, but all with a common theme of women who are a little bit different and sometimes very dangerous. The book contains stories of magical creatures like vampires and mermaids as well as more traditional horror fare like possessed dolls. The quality of the writing is very variable, some stories were very well crafted while others left a lot to be desired. Particular standouts for me were The Dolls House and Night Terrors. The Eyes of the Dead while genuinely disturbing definitely earned the trigger warnings it comes with, and feels out of place in the collection as a whole.
Overall this was an interesting read and one that horror fans will enjoy I'm sure.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Ohhhhh I really enjoyed this anthology from women in horror. SO MANY fantastic stories in this volume and I really can’t recommend it enough. Perfect for anyone who enjoys well written horror. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book!
This anthology is a pretty mixed bag. Some of the stories are definitely creepy and atmospheric while others I could not understand what was supposed to be so horrifying. I can appreciate the variety of horror included. It was not just campfire ghost stories but also had some sci-fi and fantasy. The book was pretty inclusive with representation which was refreshing to see in the horror genre.
The cover is absolutely gorgeous!
My personal favorite was The Doll's House, which was eery and reminiscent of We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson.
My least favorite was Blood, which was just too short to really get into and was confusingly written.

"In Strange Girls, twenty-one authors dare to tackle what makes the girls in this collection different."

Apparently, what makes them different is being raped and tortured to death.

The fact that this editor decided to include a story that is solely about a Nice Guy(tm), without any POV for the "strange girl" who he preyed upon, who did nothing to be considered a strange girl, was bad enough.

But I absolutely did not pick up a book about women in horror to read a book where a girl is raped and tortured in extreme detail. There was nothing about that story that made it special, unless you consider torture porn written by a woman special.

No. No.

As a bit of a horror fan, I got very excited when I saw this come up for request on Netgalley. I don't read alot of short stories or compilations there of and, after finishing this I'm reminded of why I don't.
The trouble with a short story is that there's not enough filling to it, not enough to really sink your teeth into. It's difficult to become invested in the characters and care about them.
This really was a book of two halves, some I really enjoyed! Exciting, well penned, alot of punch packed in it. But unfortunately, this wasn't the case with all stories included. Some are a little meh....and some read as first drafts that would benefit from re-reading and fine tuning.
I'd definitely recommend people at least pick it up and give it a go. Those good ones really are worth it! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for my arc. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.

I really wanted to love this book. As a horror-loving feminist, it seemed right up my alley.

While some of the stories were gripping and fun to read, others felt completely incomplete (as if they just leave off) and the majority are in need of some serious editing. From basic grammar and punctuation - to the not so basic. I found myself highlighting things I wanted to fix way too often, editor's brain kicked into overdrive.

For example, I was really enjoying Personal Demons by Angelique Fawns, which is written from the perspective of a non-binary person and is centered around them not identifying fully with either gender. They want to have a they/them pronoun used, the secondary character is a POC, I'm digging it and all for this kind of inclusiveness- and them BAM. The author uses the 'her' pronoun incorrectly for the viewpoint. I tried so hard to carry on but then two pages later, it happened again.

That was the point when I stopped reading and marked it as DNF. Incorrect pronouns are a hard no for me. That's just one example. Some of the other editing flaws were extremely cringe-worthy but that was the one that broke me.

And as an added note, if you do decide to read this, be aware that some of the stories are very trigger-y in a "she looked like she wanted it" non-consent, rapey kind of way... as well as a necrophilia kind of way. You expect horror in a horror anthology, but you also don't want to be unexpectedly triggered. There really should be a warning in the chapter list, some sort of index, or at least an editor's note at the beginning.

Great concept for a book, truly, but start back at the beginning with a heavy-handed red pen and some serious thought.

Rated 2 stars because I did enjoy a few of the stories.