Spooky, dark and haunting. These tales will scare you to the bone, or maybe have you screaming in the dark.

I enjoyed this collection of stories and found that there is a little something for everyone, so cuddle up with a nice blanket, a hot beverage and don't forget to light a candle.

I recently received "Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous" by Ellen Datlow directly from the publisher, for reasons unrelated to review. As a fan of both monsters and short stories, I decided to give it a read and share my thoughts. However, I must admit that the book was a bit hit-and-miss for me. While some of the stories were good, many were too slow-paced to make for a truly impactful horror anthology. It made me wonder whatever happened to the brutal, hard-hitting horror stories of the past.

3 Stars.

An excellent collection that delivers monsters of every size, shape, and variety. Whether uniquely mundane, or spine tingling, each story in this collection delivered a one-two punch that had me sleeping with the light on.

(i received an e-arc from netgalley and tor, in exchange for an honest review.)

told through a series of short stories, Screams from the Dark genuinely set the mood for spooky season.

A great read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars.
This was a really solid mix of stories and I enjoyed the vast majority of them. There were only two or three I found myself bored during, but out of 29 that's pretty impressive.

Screams from the Dark is a collection of short horror stories by talented horror authors. These 29 tales are sure to send a shiver up your spine and make you sleep with the lights on. Any horror fan will enjoy reading this book!

Unfortunately, I have been locked out of my netgalley account for a few months and was not able to see which books I had on my list, in order to properly read and review. I do apologize and am doing a 3 for neutral. Will update once I’m able to obtain a copy and read!

As we head into the Halloween season, Screams from the Dark edited by Ellen Datlow, is the perfect book to recommend to those wishing for new stories to keep them up at night. Each of the stories about things strange and creepy is one to read in the daylight.

A mixed bag of horror stories, from gory to body horror to suspense. A must add for library collections with a strong demand for horror anthologies.

I love anthologies—especially anything edited by the inimitable Ellen Datlow. So of course I had to pick up her latest horror collection, Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous, which came out back in June. If you love monsters, this book has quite the selection!

Screams from the Dark takes as its central theme the concept of “monsters and the monstrous.” In the introduction, Ellen Datlow meditates on possible definitions of these terms and what purpose monsters serve in our fiction and popular culture, ultimately concluding, “Monsters are our mirrors: in them, we see who we hope we are not, in order to understand who we are.” This introduction is followed by twenty-nine short stories, by a good mix of newer/lesser-known authors and some of the biggest names in the genre right now—including Stephen Graham Jones, Cassandra Khaw, and Joyce Carol Oates. The collection does an excellent job of incorporating monsters from different cultures and mythologies, with a diversity of characters and stories set all around the world. The monsters in this collection also range from terrifying supernatural beings and eldritch entities to ordinary-seeming humans and animals. Overall, this was far from the best Datlow anthology I’ve read, though that is setting the bar fairly high. I tend to prefer smaller anthologies with a narrower focus—like the sea-themed Devil and the Deep anthology or the Halloween-themed Haunted Nights anthology. “Monsters” is about as broad an approach as you can take to horror, and stringing together twenty-nine stories by different authors winds up a bit unwieldy. I found this collection to be rather hit-or-miss, but it still definitely contained some gems.

My favorite stories in this collection were ones that featured truly unique monsters. The most frightening of these was Rattle-Tap from A. C. Wise’s story “Crick Crack Rattle Tap.” The monster itself comes from a rhyme the narrator’s mother used to scare her with as a child, a type of boogeyman with which to threaten misbehaving children. But now that Kiersten herself is a new mother, the monster takes on a new meaning for her. Kiersten is haunted by images of Rattle-Tap’s branch-like fingers tapping at her daughter’s window in the same way that she is haunted by the thought that she is a “bad mother”—that she might be turning out just like her own mom. Wise does an incredible job of using the idea of a childhood boogeyman to explore the topics of postpartum depression, the guilt and insecurity new mothers often face, and the double standards when it comes to society’s expectations of mothers vs. fathers. The other story I found most frightening is the final tale in the collection, “Bloedzuiger” by John Langan. The monster in this story is said to be a type of dark elf from Scandinavian folklore, but its description is unlike anything else I’ve read. Gray in color and with a jelly-like body, the bloedzuiger can take on different shapes and has an appetite for brutally killing people and draining their blood. In Langan’s story, an older woman tells the narrator how her grandfather was killed by a bloedzuiger as a cautionary tale against ice-fishing in the area. The wintry, isolated setting combined with a monster that can shapeshift and speak in the voice of your loved ones make this tale truly harrowing.

But while these two new monsters are the ones most likely to appear in my nightmares, several of the stories in this collection also had fun and creative takes on the classic monsters we all recognized from literature, film, and popular culture. My favorite tale in this collection was Stephen Graham Jones’s “Children of the Night,” which revels in a whimsical dark humor. In this tale, a Bigfoot hunter thinks he’s finally made his big break when he finds what seems to be the corpse of a sasquatch that’s been hit by a truck. But as he investigates the body, a series of increasingly absurd reveals draw the narrator toward a poetic end. In a complete shift in tone, one of my other favorite stories was Fran Wilde’s “The Midway,” which takes on the classic deep-sea monster, the kraken. Rather than sinking ships in the middle of the ocean, however, this kraken has been harnessed by a corrupt carnival owner to power the rides and lights in a world where electricity is scarce. After the kraken develops a taste for human blood, the carnival owner simply decides that certain sacrifices will have to be made. But the carnival’s newest employee realizes that what the kraken truly wants is its freedom.

Ellen Datlow is one of the best editors in the industry. When she puts out a book, I'm guaranteed to enjoy it. I have yet to be let down! This book is no exception. Many anthologies can be a mixed bag, but Screams in the Dark is a solid collection that is one good story after another. The horror is creepy, but a lot of the tales are thoughtful and leave the reader contemplating the message beneath the story.

My favorites are "The Atrocity Exhibitionists" by Brian Hodge, "Crick Crack Rattle Tap" by A. C. Wise (so good!!), and "Knock, Knock" by Brian Evenson.

A wonderful collection, highly recommended.

Enjoyment: 4
Total rating: 4

Sorry this will long. TL;DR - great book if you completely ignore The Father of Modern Gynecology.

I admit, when I see "edited by Ellen Datlow", I automatically want to read it. She is hands down my favourite horror short stories editor. She has a knack for compiling a vast range of stories that stick to the theme and appeal to a broad audience. Her books explore the many facets of horror, some of which hit home.

In Screams from the Dark, the reader is presented with many different monsters: fictional, supernatural, human, reality-like, internal, on-your-face, subtle... you name it. The one thing they all have in common is their ability to unsettle and disturb.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 28 out of the stories, but I will address the elephant in the room and say I am incredibly disappointed that The Father of Modern Gynecology by Joyce Carol Oates made it into the pile.

As I read the story, I was very uncomfortable with the racist language. Overt is too tame to describe it. I finished the story because it regards critical social issues - racism and colourism and I thought it draws significant parallels with our current society. Sounds good, right?

It would be on my top 3 if it were written by a black author. I hadn't heard of Oates before, but as soon as I finished the story - unsettled, disturbed and incredibly saddened by the factual treatment of enslaved people in plantation U.S. - I needed to see who she was, and low and behold, she is a white woman. I might be oversensitive and have no right to complain about it, but at the risk of being hypocritic and complaining about something beyond my personal experiences, what she did is not okay and quite frankly racist in and of itself.

NO white person has the right to use derogatory terms and words to describe black people. No white person has the right to pretend they understand what enslaved people went through. No white person has the right to talk about one of the worst periods in American history from the PoV of someone outside looking in (oh, yeah, the PoV is of a "woke" white male OB/GYN). And above it all, I feel that NO white person should rob the voice of any marginalized group for money.

Maybe I am too angry about it and making an ass of myself, but I feel that this story crossed a very thick line as firmly as I think that any ally is supposed to make sure own-voices use their platform to deliver their messages rather than rob them of the opportunity.

Vent over - do yourself a favour and entirely skip that story if you read the book. That said, there are amazing stories worth reading the book for. My absolute favourite was Wet Red Grin by Gemma Files. That story is creepy, graphic (thankfully, I can't picture things, or I would have thrown up), and gut-wrenching.

Not far behind are Bloedzuiger by John Langan and Three Mothers Mountain by Nathan Ballingrud - they weren't as scary as they were unsettling. Both of them caused me anxious nightmares that made me wake up gasping - literally.

Burial by Kristi DeMeester, The Midway by Fran Wilde, The Special One by Chịkọdịlị Emelụmadụ, Crick Crack Rattle Tap by A.C. Wise, Knock, Knock by Brian Evenson are superb examples of monsters most of us are personally familiar with.

Last but not least dark humour at its horrific prime is delivered by Children of the Night by Stephen Graham Jones and Sweet Potato by Joe R. Lansdale.

Honourable mention to Bitten by Himself by Laird Barron. This was a mind-bending horror with a strong sci-fi element.

Disclaimer: In exchange for an honest review, I am thankful to the publishers and NetGalley for providing a copy of Screams from the Dark.

Number of stories in the anthology: 29

Number of stories I liked: 1

Crick Crack Rattle Tap by A.C Wise was the only story I finished without being bored stiff. It was beautifully written, chilling, and, hands down, was the best story in the entire collection.

The rest I could barely get through and ended up skimming or DNFing almost all of them.

Which sucks cause I absolutely love horror anthologies, but, sadly, this one definitely didn't do it for me.

Think back. When you were a young child who still had a bedtime, parents or guardians who watched over you, and a safe place to sleep....what scared you? What monsters did you imagine crawling out of your closet in the dark? What did you imagine running up behind you when you walked home from a friend's house at night? What creepy things were in your dreams? If all those creepy things were gathered up into one story anthology, it would be very much like this one!!

Do you dare read these tales?? Or do the monsters that haunted your dreams as a child still scare you now? Are you brave enough?

This horror anthology gathers 29 stories from different authors. There is something to terrify just about anyone. Vampires, werewolves, the devil, ghosts.....even scary people. A little something monstrous for everyone!

As with any anthology with widely varied stories, I liked some stories better than others. Some I loved. And some I didn't finish. It goes with the territory. I love collections like this because I become aware of so many horror writers I haven't read yet. And each story is so different! I love to read one story each night and then think deep thoughts as I fall asleep about whether I found it scary or not and if I like the writing style. I enjoyed this collection! Love monster stories -- and these stories definitely delivered monsters!

**I voluntarily read an ebook ARC of this anthology from Macmillan/Tor-Forge. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Ooof. I wanted to like this one more than I actually did. I mean, have you SEEN some of the authors in this anthology? John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, Brian Evenson are some of my favorite writers in the horror genre so I had really high hopes.

There were some stellar stories in here (mostly from the writers I was already familiar with)... but they were the outliers. The majority were just okay. Overall, the collection felt strangely uneven. I'm curious to know what stories DIDN'T make it if these were the ones that did.

I even took a few breaks from it, putting it down to read a novel or two in between... (that's never a good sign).

A lukewarm three star collection.

Screams from the Dark is a horror anthology consisting of twenty-nine terrifying and thrilling short stories. This is one of the better anthologies I've read this year, though perhaps I only feel this way because it is precisely what I've been craving. Either way, I was delighted to find this book in my mailbox.

One of the many things I love about anthologies is that they introduce me to new authors. Sure, there were half a dozen (if not more) authors I know and love in Screams from the Dark. But there are just as many new (to me) authors in this collection, and that's pretty exciting. Having already read the anthology, I can tell you that there are a few authors I'll be looking up and checking out their backlog. So I'd call that a success.

Included in this anthology, you'll find works by Ian Rogers, Fran Wilde, Gemma Files, Daryl Gregory, Priya Sharma, Brian Hodge, Joyce Carol Oats, Indrapramit Das, Siobhan Carroll, Richard Kadry, Norman Partridge, Garry Kilworth, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Chikodili Emelumadu, Glen Hirshberg, A.C. Wise, Stephen Graham Jones, Kaaron Warren, Livia Llewellyn, Carole Johnstone, Nathan Ballingrud, Margo Lanagan, Joe R. Lansdale, Brian Evenson, Cassandra Khaw, Laird Barron, Kristi DeMeester, Jeffrey Ford, and John Lanagan. Sorry, I know that's a lot, but I want to give everybody credit! Ellen Datlow edits the anthology itself (as well as the forward).

Some of my favorites in this anthology include You Have What I Need (seriously, this one got stuck in my head for DAYS), The Midway, Wet Red Grin, and The Smell of Waiting.

You Have What I Need by Ian Rogers
Rating: ★★★★★
In my experience, the first short story in an anthology is usually the one that hits the hardest. Boy, is that accurate for You Have What I Need. Seriously, this is the story that got stuck in my head for days. It portrays a character working in an ER when a vampire attack occurs. I make it sound too simple, but it was delightfully complex and compelling.

The Midway by Fran Wilde
Rating: ★★★★★
The Midway is haunting because in many ways it felt so real. The horrible acts created by a monster are only possible when supported (and covered up by) a human monster. At least that is the case in Fran Wilde's tale.

Wet Red Grin by Gemma Files
Rating: ★★★★★
Ohhh. I really enjoyed Wet Red Grin by Gemma Files. I didn't think anything could top You Have What I Need, but I may be wrong. Admittedly this one gets a bit graphic, as it centers around a monster utilizing an old ritual to live forever (or at least a little bit longer).

The Virgin Jimmy Peck by Daryl Gregory
Rating: ★★★★
Aha, wow. I did not know what to expect from The Virgin Jimmy Peck. Dare I say that this horror tale had a sense of humor about itself? It asks the question – what would happen if a quiet guy found himself acting as an incubator for a cult?

The Ghost of a Flea by Priya Sharma
Rating: ★★★
If you love classic demon-hunting and horror tales, then I think you'll really enjoy The Ghost of a Flea. However, for some reason, I struggled to get into this one.

The Atrocity Exhibitions by Brian Hodge
Rating: ★★★★
This story hit hard – mostly because of its relevant point. In a world where technology runs supreme, it's easy to see how The Atrocity Exhibitions may occur. Trigger warnings include drug abuse, self-harm (of a sort?), and graphic depictions.

The Father of Modern Gynecology: J. Marion Syms, M.D. By Joyce Carol Oats
Rating: ★★★★
The Father of Modern Gynecology: J. Marion Syms, M.D. Is going to hit close to home for many readers. Perhaps a little too close to home? I don't know if I was more relieved or worried when this one came to an end.

Here Comes Your Man by Indrapramit Das
Rating: ★★★★
There is something so quietly disturbing about Here Comes Your Man. Perhaps because so much of it is rooted in reality? We've all traveled and feared home invaders, so why not take it a step (or ten) further.

Siolaigh by Siobhan Carroll
Rating: ★★★★
I absolutely adore the vibes and aesthetic that Siolaigh gives off. It has water monsters and sacrificial tones, which actually work quite well together, especially here. I wouldn't have said no to more of this one.

What Is Love But the Quiet Moments After Dinner? By Richard Kadry
Rating: ★★★
So I actually think that What Is Love But the Quiet Moments After Dinner? Had A LOT of potential. However, there were points that failed to keep me invested. Maybe we needed to get to know the characters more? I'm not certain.

The Island by Norman Partridge
Rating: ★★★★
The Island is not what I expected. I thought I was getting into a vampire tale, but it quickly got...more expansive. I won't spoil the twist for you! But let's just say that there are more than vampires in this world.

Flaming Teeth by Garry Kilworth
Rating: ★★★★★
Okay, Flaming Teeth was in the running for one of my favorites from this anthology. There's something so evocative about the title and the creature (trying not to spoil it here) that the author created. That combined with an uncharted island and you've got me hooked.

Strandling by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Rating: ★★★★
There is something so beautiful and sad about Strandling, while exploring the darker horrors of this world. It makes for an eerie experience that lingers.

The Special One by Chikodili Emelumadu
Rating: ★★★
The Special One started one way and quickly surprised me with the different paths it took. In fact, there were several surprises in this tale, which I very much appreciated! Oh, and did I mention there's a Snake Goddess? Enjoy!

Devil by Glen Hirshberg
Rating: ★★★★
Devil felt familiar, but not. What would happen if a certain part of the world became famous for monsters? Would people steer clear, or would it just become another tourist attraction?

Crick Crack Rattle Tap by A.C. Wise
Rating: ★★★★
Crick Crack Rattle Tap will give you the chills. Even the title is enough to make me shiver, and that's before delving into what occurs here. It reminded me a lot of changeling lore, with infants being replaced in the night.

Children of the Night by Stephen Graham Jones
Rating: ★★★★
I love Stephen Graham Jones – heck, he's half the reason why I wanted to read Screams from the Dark in the first place! So naturally, I've been looking forward to Children of the Night. It sort of felt like an adult version of Scooby Doo, but much more complex (and interesting – sorry to say! I love Scooby Doo, but it does not compare).

The Smell of Waiting by Kaaron Warren
Rating: ★★★★★
The Smell of Waiting is another intense addition to this anthology. I actually adored this one, despite the kinda gross implications that pop up. It's a different take on consequences that may arise due to the chemicals we put into the world.

Now Voyager by Livia Llewellyn
Rating: ★★
I'm not sure what it was, but I really struggled to get into Now Voyager. I wanted to like it – the setting sounded fascinating, as did many other elements of the story. Yet I kept finding my mind wandering.

The Last Drop by Carole Johnstone
Rating: ★★★
The Last Drop should have been one of my favorites. It's based (lightly) on real events – witch trials and hangings. But it starts in the middle and actually feels like it ends in the middle as well. Perhaps because it's more like a vignette into these events?

Three Mothers Mountain by Nathan Ballingrud
Rating: ★★★★
Three Mothers Mountain immediately made me think of the Mother, the Crone, and the Maiden. Which was probably intentional. However, the story doesn't follow a path that readers may expect. It takes a different turn, focusing on pain and sacrifice (of others).

Widow-Light by Margo Lanagan
Rating: ★★★★★
I love a good revenge story! Only, that phrase doesn't capture all that Widow-Light is. It is a whole different spin on the virgin sacrifice (or a maiden handed off into a marriage with a monster), and I adore it.

Sweet Potato by Joe R. Lansdale
Rating: ★★★★
Oh wow. Don't read Sweet Potato if you're easily grossed out. This one is dark and fascinating, but also a little bit...disturbing. In a good way, for the most part.

Knock, Knock by Brian Evenson
Rating: ★★★★
Knock, Knock is a subtle tale of horror, one that quietly ramps up, causing readers to anxiously wait and see what the next twist is. I really enjoyed how carefully Evenson built up this story.

What Is Meat with No God? By Cassandra Khaw
Rating: ★★★★
Cassandra Khaw is another one of my favorite horror authors, so I was looking for to her addition. However, that title had me SO concerned! Mostly because I was worried it was going to dive into animal death or something – but I needn't have worried. Khaw stuck to humans, exploring a unique cycle of life and death. But mostly death.

Bitten by Himself by Laird Barron
Rating: ★★★★
Interesting. I don't think I've ever seen horror blended with time travel (of a sort?). At least not like this. Bitten by Himself is unlike anything else I've ever read, and I really do mean that.

Burial by Kristi DeMeester
Rating: ★★★
Burial is another tale that had a lot of potential, but I feel like it fell short. That being said, I couldn't quite say why. Maybe because the end is almost predictable?

Beautiful Dreamer by Jeffrey Ford
Rating: ★★
Beautiful Dreamer is an odd tale of monsters and stubborn neighbors, not to mention a secret government agency? There's a lot going on in this one, though that didn't manage to keep my attention for long.

Blodsuger by John Lanagan
Rating: ★★★★
Blodsuger is another strong contender in this anthology, so it makes sense that it closes out the collection. This one is SO descriptive. It should have felt longer because of it, but instead, it transported me to a different world.

In Screams From The Dark, Ellen Datlow has pulled together new stories from a diverse and incredible list of authors. This is my most anticipated anthology in a long time. After reading, there are great entries, and less great entries. Here are some of the highlights:

Bloedzuiger - This is a top notch John Langan story. A fishing story with some similar elements to The Fisherman, but doesn’t appear to take place in the Fisherman universe. Good lore, good pace!

The Island - I love Norman Partridge stories, and his style of writing. I had not heard of new stories by him in a while and had assumed he wasn’t currently producing new work. What a surprise. This story delivers, he really nails an original story on the theme of monsters!

Three Mothers Mountain - Nathan Ballingrud
A well written story about the price of things that you shouldn’t be able to buy.

Knock Knock - Brian Evenson - a Lovecraftian possession story with vibes of Monkey’s Paw and Pet Cemetery. A very good and quick read.

Wet Red Grin - Gemma Files - Wow! Incredible story. This one is worth the price of admission on its own. I dont want to say anything about the plot, as it took some great turns. This story will stick with me for a long time.

Get this book and enjoy it, you will find stories from authors you know and love, and read stories from new authors you will soon love!

Screams from the Dark is a horror anthology edited by Ellen Datlow collecting 29 original short stories, all ostensibly themed around monsters, both traditional (vampires, werewolves, etc) and figurative (humanity). Veteran horror fans will find a decent amount to like here, but overall I found the experience to be more miss than hit.

Pros:
- A wide variety of authors, both well known (John Langan, Stephen Graham Jones, Gemma Files) and up-and-coming names in the scene.
- Many of the authors chose creative, interesting ways to play with the monster theme instead of devolving every tale into a zombie trope. (Some of my favorites were the sentient Island that a vampire and werewolf find themselves trapped on, the sailing group trapped by a fire breathing giant, and the "love story" of the murderer and the guy with a giant mouth in his chest that feeds on bodies).
- The majority of the stories are very short so even if you don't like one, it's not a huge time sink.

Cons:
- A lot of the stories are just not very interesting, or stretch the monster theme to ludicrous levels. I found myself skimming more often than I'd like.
- Despite the stories being short, this is a HUGE collection. I read it on Kindle but I can imagine in book form it has to be about 400-500 pages easy. This becomes a problem if you end up not liking a lot of the stories like me.
- Tonal issues. In a collection this is to be expected, but going from Stephen Graham Jones doing comedy horror to a brutal look at postpartum depression by AC Wise was a bit much.

FFO: vamps, Finding Bigfoot, bite sized snacks.

**I was given a copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Macmillan-Tor/Forge and Netgalley**

Monster stories have been told since the beginning of time. The genre only continues to evolve. From vampires to witches to the thing that lives in the sea, monsters are all around us. Even your least favorite uncle could be a monster. With all these creatures around, it’s good that we have Screams from the Dark: 29 Tales of Monsters and the Monstrous, a new release from Tor Nightfire Publishing. Curated and edited by Ellen Datlow (of Omni and Sci Fiction fame), this is an anthology that any true horror aficionado will be dying to read.
This collection of the who’s who of horror and sci-fi writers includes Stephen Graham Jones, Richard Kadrey, Cassandra Khaw, and many more. Their tales range from the humorous to the grotesque. Each story is an original work and every one is immensely imaginative. Many of the monster stories have their origins in folklore that spans the globe from this exceptional group of international writers. The abominations in this book are as diverse as the brains from which they came. That scream you hear in the dark just might be someone reading form this book. It is that monstrously good.