A blind read, I went into this one knowing nothing of the fork lore this book engulfed, however I was pleased by the new folklore I devoured in this one! Interesting, attention grabbing, creepy vibe. All the good things a folklore story should hold. Thank you for the provided copy!

I had originally planned to read this book awhile ago, but had too many interruptions which led to me reading it in October. It was such a fantastic read for spooky season.

I didn't know anything about Baba Yaya or her history prior to reading this book other than hearing her name briefly mentioned in passing or in other stories. Each story felt like it gave me new insight into the folklore surrounding her. Each story within this anthology was unique and fascinating. Some stood out to me more than others, but each was clever and demonstrated how multifaceted Baba Yaga can be. I really liked that the stories had so much variety. With so much variety in the stories the pacing throughout the book varies as well. Overall, this was a well written book.

I originally picked this up to read during short story September but never got around to reading it, so I saved it for October for a spooky read.

Prior to reading this I did not have much knowledge of Baba Yaga other than hearing the name a time or two. So, I kind of went into this blind to the stories about said entity. That being said, out of the stories within this book, there were two that I really enjoyed. "Of Moonlight and Moss" by Sara Tantlinger ; "Mama Yaga" by Christina SNG; "Flood Zone" by Donna Lynch; "Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch's Price" by Lisa Quigley; "Birds of a Feather" by Monique Snyman; "Fair Trade" by Jacqueline West and "Where the Horizon Meets the Sky" by R.J. Joseph were the ones that really stood out to me.

Just from the 23 stories in this anthology, I can tell that Baba Yaga can take on all forms. She can be ancient, traditional, modern, all ethnicities, is young, old, pretty and ugly. She is everything and nothing all at once. While all the stories are written well, there were just some that stood out to me more than others. I really enjoy a good collection of stories as it gives you a chance to get a feel for several different authors, yet in the same place. I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a really interesting take on the fairytale of baba yaga, between poems and short stories you can take your time readig each and there will be something for everyone.

4.5 stars - would highly recommend.

For an anthology based on the lore of Baba Yaga and featuring stories by women, I had high hopes for this book…and every single hope was exceeded. I’m not going to dance around it, the stories are amazing. Every single one is fresh, wild and brutal.

Here are just a few of my favorites:

Of Moonlight and Moss- Sara Tantlinger:

I quite loved this story. I would enjoy a longer version of it. Could you give up your own life to satisfy the wants of others? An adventurous take on the trials of sacrifice.

Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch’s Price- Lisa Quigley:

This story was a favorite of mine. To see the hardships of parenthood, what it means to give up your life to the needs of others and the cost of taking your life back.

Stork Bites- Ev Knight:

This short story resonates with me the most. Relating the lore of Baba Yaga to unwanted pregnancies is creative and it lit a spark in me. I will warn readers that this story is particularly brutal, so be aware of that going in.

This collection of short stories is thrilling, inspiring and terrifying all in one. If you weren’t already aware of the folklore surrounding Baba Yaga, I would recommend reading up on her. Even so, these stories will have you peering, looking for signs of Baba Yaga, in the edge of every forest you pass.

Thank you to NetGalley and the creators for my copy of the book.

I think I must have had a very sheltered upbringing as, although I'm very familiar with Grimms fairytales and other childhood horrors I've never come across the Baba Yaga and her chicken leg hut! I'm very glad to have made her acquaintance now though, and loved the author's description of her as "wild, fierce and feminine."
This anthology brilliantly covers a wide range of interpretations of her character and meaning, particularly to women, and I found the stories fascinating to read, particularly so close to Hallowe'en when thoughts turn to the unexplained.
Thank you to netgalley and black spot books for an advance copy of this book.

Really enjoyed this book. It was great that there were many short stories and poems so you could dip in and out when time is short. Very interesting selection.

Huge fan of retellings, and I’ve always loved Baba Yaga stories from my very first encounter with her in Orion Scott Card’s Enchantment. I loved these stories and how they expanded the world of Baba Yaga.I loved reading how her House came to be. Definitely an anthology I’ll come back to

If I see a book has anything remotely to do with Baba Yaga I want to read it. Why? Because she is amazing. Granted I wouldn't want to come across her chicken leg home in the middle of the woods but I would happily admire from afar.

This anthology managed to perfectly encapsulate the energy of Baba Yaga. Her fierceness, her strength, her otherworldly yet earthy essence and her deep connection to the natural world.

It's rare that I will enjoy all stories in an anthology but this is one of those rare cases where I did.
You may think it would get boring reading a collection of stories which all centre around one character but this anthology proves that it is possible to do this in an interesting way. All authors contributed their own diversity to the story of Baba Yaga, yet they blended together perfectly.
Highly recommend.

Anytime there is Baba Yaga involved, I would gladly read it. No matter what. All of the stories were compelling, with moral grey woman and the lore with Baba Yaga. I did not give any of these stories anything less than 3.5 stars. My favourite anthology was Dinner Plans with Baba Yaga by Stephanie M. Wytovich. It was hands down my favourite.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. If you are into witchy, horror, mythical lore or Baba Yaga, you need to read this!

Into the Forest
By Foreword by Christina Henry, Lindy Ryan (Editior)

Netgalley Give me a copy in exchange for my honest review

What's it about:
Into the forest contains 23 short stories inspired by the Baba Yaga. Featuring Gwendolyn Kite, Stephanie M. Wytovich, Mercedes M. Yardley, Monique Snyman, Donna Lynch, Lisa Quigley, and R. J. Joseph, This collection brings together some of today's leading voices of women-in-horror.

My Review:
This is collection contains a mix of fantasy and horror stories, most leaning towards fantasy. There is definitely something here to please everyone, although there is some triggering material and topics within some of these short stories. I enjoyed my time with this book although I would recommend reading this in short bursts inbetween bigger reads.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

This collection of short stories is the perfect multi-faceted portrait needed to discover Baba Yaga and her stories if you didn’t know about her. Each story tells a different tale of how the author views and imagines the witch. The overall creepy and atmospheric tone of the stories make this a fantastic October read, and the multiple point of views, the multiples voices draw new versions of the myth in a way that is both engrossing and skillful.
Some of the stories were cruel or horrific, others were tender or empowering ; they were not all equal but all felt like a necessary piece of the puzzle. I have many favorites, such as “Last Tour into the Hungering Moonlight”, “Of Moonlight and Moss”, “Wormwood”, “The Space Between the Trees”, “Baba Yaga in Repose”, “All Bitterness Burned Away”, “Water like Broken Glass”, but I will be haunted for a while by the final piece of the collection. “Shadow and Branch, Ghost Fruit Among the Lullabies” was truly the perfect tale to end the book.

When it comes to the Baba Yaga, The Collection has it all from a poem dedicated to her to board housewives who worship her those who fear her.Even those who were related to her and it seems everything in between. I can honestly say I enjoyed all the stories in this collection if you love stories about the supernatural and making friends with your demons you love the stories in this collection I certainly did. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I received a digital advance copy of Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga edited by Lindy Ryan via NetGalley. Into the Forest is scheduled for release on November 8, 2022.

Into the Forest is a collection of short stories written by women about the legendary Baba Yaga. Each story gives us a slightly different view of the mythical character, highlighting her unique chicken-footed house, her sisters, and her fluctuations between helping and harming those who cross her path.

Like all collections, these stories varied in terms of my enjoyment of the tales. I found myself more drawn to the stories that placed Baba Yaga as the main character, giving us some insight into her past and how she became who she is. Overall, the stories where Baba Yaga was the antagonist or secondary character were less enjoyable for me. That being said, the overall collection of stories was a fun read.

I would recommend reading these tales over a lengthy period of time, rather than in the few days that I consumed the stories. As they are all based on the same legendary character, there was a feeling of repetition as I moved through the book. Spacing the stories to allow them to each exist independently might make the experience better. I also felt that the collection ended with the wrong story. (I would have moved the last two pieces earlier in the collection to make the third to last be the closing piece)

Overall, Into the Forest is an enjoyable collection of stories written by women about Baba Yaga. I would recommend this to anyone drawn to tales about the mythical woman, fairy tales, or spooky woods.

Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga is probably, the darkest anthology I've read to date.

I have received this book in exchange of an honest review, thank you to Black Spot Books and Netgalley for the opportunity.

Release date: 8th of November 2022.

───────────────────

Despite this collection being a mix of fantasy and horror, I'll put it closer to the latter than the former, if it needs a main genre. And because of that, it was the darkest anthology I have read so far, in themes and discussed topics.

Baba Yaga as a myth is not a nice one, and this collection of stories show that side in full, while also showing the possibility of the witch to be the complete opposite of her usual depiction. This lack of a rigid criteria on how to depict her, was to me, pretty interesting and I was looking forward to see what the stories had in store for me.

What I didn't expect however, was the number of stories in this anthology.

Over 20 stories in a somewhat shorter book, usually means that there will be really short ones to consume or a lot of poems. Thankfully, in this case, it was the former as I'm not the biggest fan of poetry. That being said however, it also means that not all of the stories are going to leave a lasting impression.

Although I will say that Into the Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga works wonderfully for brief breaks between errands, work or much bigger reads.

The stories in general for me, ranged between the very interesting like Maw Maw Yaga and the Hunter, satisfying like Birds of a Feather, insanely disturbing like Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch’s Price or those I didn't care much for like Herald the Knight.

There is definitely something here to please everyone, which is always appreciated. However, I will have to warn any potential reader that there is a lot of triggering material and topics as well.

Baba Yaga, as stated earlier, is not a nice legend. And while this anthology takes a chance in trying out different retellings related to her as a friend, an ally or a protector of women, none of the stories are without their fair share of triggers for those who rightfully need them.

This does give the "Beware of the forest". type of warning vibes, which works brilliantly (and I could also say cleverly) with the title and themes of the book itself. Which I hope was intentional, given how ingenious I believe this is.

In the end, as with all anthologies, I enjoyed some of the stories, and didn't enjoy others. Some of the chosen lengths may have helped with the latter, but I do consider it a worthwhile read all the same.

ARC was given by NetGalley & Black Spot Books in exchange for an honest review.

This review is being published before the release date (November 8th, 2022)

Holy cow this was a doozy of anthology! 24 short stories about the one and only… Baba Yaga! It’s exciting, isn’t it?! This was truly a wild ride and definitely an anthology that won’t so easily leave my memory. Some of these stories are fantastic, others may chill your bones, but for me friends, I think I wanted this to be a little more than what I got. And let me tell you, there were moments where I got a whole lot that I didn’t even want. So buckle up, this might just be a wild ride for you too!

As always for my anthology reviews, I have mini reviews for all the short stories where I talk about my thoughts, feelings, and include content/trigger warnings.


➸ Foreword by Christina Henry ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Scene of animal death

This wasn’t anything too spectacular or anything. This basically just an introduction to Baba Yaga, if you never heard of Baba Yaga till now. It kind of sets the tone for the rest of anthology, that melting pot of the good, the bad, and the unsettling.

“She is a wild thing tied to the earth. She can be a friendly hand to a passerby or a monstrous one – a snake that can choose to strike or turn its fanged head away in mercy or indifference.”

➸ Dinner Plans with Baba Yaga by Stephanie M. Wytovich ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Implications of cannibalism and dead children

This was just an okay read for me. This felt like it clung tightly to the blueprint of the traditional tale of Baba Yaga, which is fine. I think I was just hoping for more branching away from the typical folklore about it and just wanting a little more. It’s still a good story though!

➸ Last Tour Into The Hungering Moonlight by Gwendolyn Kiste ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was an eerie short story. I don’t even know how to properly describe it, but this one made my skin crawl. You’re in the perspective of someone moving/looking to move and you’re visiting this neighborhood, all the while Baba Yaga is whispering about. It’s a very eerie, chilling setting. Almost walking into a neighborhood where everyone is always smiling and happy. Yeah, that’s the creepy vibe it gives off. Very spooky and I definitely recommend a warm beverage for this one!

➸ The Story of a House by Yi Izzy Yu ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death of animals, depictions of blood, gore, grief, scene of decapitation

This story messed me up in so many ways, both good and bad. I had never read a short story about Baba Yaga’s house and that was one of the things that always intrigued me about her folklore. I always wanted to know more about her house and how it came to be. This was a great interpretation of that and it was so good to read. Not a fan of all the animal horror, but still a good read.

“There, House remains to this day, half-asleep but with an open door.”

➸ Of Moonlight And Moss by Sara Tantlinger ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Loss of a parent (in the past), abusive/toxic relationships, depictions of torture recounted

I adored this story! This was one of my favorite stories of the whole collection. It gave a lot of renaissance era vibes for me. Not quite Camelot, but definitely in that time period. This was so good and I love the thought of Baba Yaga being someone who open their home to the broken and the unwanted/unloved.

“If you survive the bog, you may not survive the witch. If you do, beware of how sweet lies may taste. Beware the fate you accept.”

➸ Wormwood by Lindz McLeod ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Death, murder, emesis, scene of hanging

This is a great story of the potential good side to Baba Yaga. When it comes to tales of Baba Yaga, I hear more terrible stories than I do good and this was nice breath of fresh air. I loved that she helped a grieving woman after a horrible crime has been committed and I love how mirrors have symbolism in this short story. It was an all around great read for me that intrigued the senses.

“They call her a witch. They call her a goddess. They call her a cannibal. But mirrors tell the wrong stories. And so do people.”

➸ Mama Yaga by Christina SNG ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Cannibalism, mentions of famine, loss of loved ones

Eh, this was an okay read for me. I enjoyed it, but again this circles back to what I mentions earlier, about a story sticking to an already made blue print. It just feels like an easy way of getting out of writing something that could have been much more. I would have liked a different twist or something. I don’t know, this was just an okay read for me in the department of Hansel & Gretel/Baba Yaga.

➸ Flood Zone by Donna Lynch ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Cannibalism, mass murder

Another okay read for me. I wish this had more to it, potentially some combat or someone finding out about the plot, but this just didn’t hit the mark at all. All this story really did was just remind me of how horrible and cruel people can be, with an unrealistic outcome that’s far too simple. I liked that Baba Yaga had a child or apprentice of her own, but I just wanted more from this story.

➸ The Peddler’s Promise by Catherine McCarthy ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions loss of a loved one, death of children, cannibalism

I think this was a unique way to write Baba’s tale of luring children from the safety of their homes. However, I think my biggest issue was the lack on conflict or confrontation with Baba. Honestly, the way this story goes just leaves you with a heavy feeling and I think if we had some conflict it would have made the story a little lighter. It just wasn’t a fun time. I went in intrigued and emerged feeling kind of heavy and sad.

➸ The Space Between the Trees by Jo Kaplan ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mentions of grief, mentions loss of loved ones, mentions of murder, cannibalism

This is another take on Baba Yaga actually having a daughter, which I love this concept. This was really well written and it was interesting to see the parallels in approaching things between Baba and the daughter. I almost wish there was a different outcome for the ending, but that may be asking for too much.

➸ Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch’s Price by Lisa Quigley ⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Homicide

I’m going to be honest, I debated my rating on this one. This was just not it for me, at all. This is basically a short story of a woman who slowly descends into the calling of the forest and murders her whole family. Yeah, not what I wanted to read and definitely not what I was expecting. It didn’t so much see this as a Baba Yaga retelling or even anything related to Baba Yaga, if I’m being honest. It literally felt like the start of a mystery thriller book and was it’s own thing. This just wasn’t it and one of my least favorite stories in the anthology as a whole.

➸ Birds of a Feather by Monique Snyman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Gun violence, bullying, gore, murder, death, violence, depictions of blood

This was fantastic! I was hooked the minute I started this! Who does love starting a short story running through the woods while people are shouting at you, hunting you down?! Delicious. A great way to capture the reader, hands down. I loved that the author also went with the balance and order approach for this story too. It really worked well with the flow and pacing, and just set the atmosphere up for the end game of the story. It was just a really great read!

➸ Water Like Broken Glass by Carina Bissett ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Drownings, scene of assault, war themes, death, murder

This was another fantastic read, as well! Plus, who doesn’t love some lesbian representation? It was delicious! This is a very unique story of how Baba Yaga exists and how one can become Baba Yaga, but it’s also about love and the extent of what one will do for love. It’s also a story about forgiveness especially when one is a river rusalka and has been doing the same things for so long. It was really well written and captivating. Hands down one of my favorite reads of this collection.

“She is Death incarnate. A creature that thrives on war, and her hunger is as bright as the full moon, as sharp as glass.”

➸ Herald the Knight by Mercedes M. Yardley ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Blood depictions, death of an animal, mentions loss of a child/miscarriage, death, scene of assault, gore

Yes, yes YEEEESSSSS! We get a short story with a black knight and I’m thriving! I love stories with black knights. I eat that goodness for breakfast! Can you tell that this is my favorite story out of all the short stories of the whole book? I love that we get a romance between a black knight, who hides his face because of his scars, and we have Baba Yaga, who’s young and doesn’t need anyone yet wants this black knight like a fire consumes charcoal. It was just so good and I enjoyed how well the two felt right for each other. It was spectacular, for me!

“The black knight watched her, instinctively knowing she ran toward something, not away from him, and it was no surprise when the forest closed itself behind her.”

➸ All Bitterness Burned Away by Jill Baguchinsky ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Indications of an abusive relationship, implied starvation, murder

Now THIS is why the Hensel & Gretel retelling meets Baba Yaga works! First, Baba Yaga’s house being a cat/acting like a cat was so delightful. Yes please, I would like more Baba Yaga retellings where her house is a cat house, please and thank you! I love this concept more than I do the bird house concept. Secondly, this book ties in the element of Baba Yaga being good, but also adopting children as her own and removing them from an abusive situation. I thought this was handled really well and it was done in a way that was satisfying to read. This was just everything I wanted and I got a big boost of serotonin from reading this story.

➸ A Trail of Feathers, A Trail of Blood by Stephanie M. Wytovich ⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Grief, brief mention of a dead animal, implied child sacrifice

This left an unsettling chill in my spine and not the good kind of chill. I want to express that this story many be triggering for readers whether you’re a parent or not. This story kind of smacked me out of left field and the way the ending plays out is not a good one. It’s a cruel, messed up ending and honestly, if I had known the the content warnings in advance, I would have skipped this one to spare my sanity.

➸ Baba Yaga Learns to Shave, Gets Her Period, Then Grows Into Her Own by Jess Hagemann ⭐⭐

Horrendously repetitive! Holy cow this one chipped away at my sanity relentlessly. My biggest pet peeve is repetitiveness in books and ‘like this‘ is repeated so much in this short story. I had a hard time focusing on other details because it just came off as a mother talking down to a teenager and it was just so annoying. The story as a whole was incredibly annoying and for the most part, that’s what this story is, a mother talking down to her child, giving her the same verbal cue. We only see something in relation to Baba Yaga till the end of the story, literally the very end of the story. It just wasn’t a fun time for me.

➸ Fair Trade by Jacqueline West ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Underage drinking, death, grief

I liked the concept of this at first and then it just felt like a Baba Yaga version of Freaky Friday. While that’s not a bad thing, it just didn’t really work for me, personally. I came to read a Baba Yaga retelling, not a short story that only has two scenes of Baba Yaga in it and focuses on someone I didn’t really feel any connection to. The story is really well written, but that’s about the only thing that really stood out for me.

➸ Stork Bites by Ev Knight ⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Mention of current events (Roe v Wade), talk of postpartum depression, emesis, drugging, graphic scene of abortion, brief implications of rape, cannibalism

HELL to the NO! This was not it, at all. If I wanted a graphic scene of abortion, whether there were fantasy elements or not, I would go read/listen to those who actually went through that because at least then I’d know what to expect or I could prepare myself mentally and make sure I’m in a good headspace. I don’t like things come out of left field and chipping away at my sanity especially when no one can be bothered to give content/trigger warnings in advance. This is the last thing that I wanted in a retelling. It was disturbing to the point of that scene inducing nausea. No thank you, next!

➸ Chicken Foot by Octavia Cade ⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Dead animals, animal experimentation

I think the part that’s going to haunt me the most is the canary legs making screaming sounds as the wind blows through them… ANYWAY, this was another interesting take on Baba Yaga’s house and how it becomes what it becomes… a bird house. It was a really interesting approach to take a more scientific route with the story, but it was good. I’m just not a fan of animal experimentation.

➸ Where the Horizon Meets the Sky by R. J. Joseph ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Sex, death of a loved one

This story has a very modern day feel to it, but add a little kick of zombie near the end. It was interesting to see things play in a way where Baba Yaga was word focused. Every thing Baba did in this story was done in a way of how the person spoke about what they wanted. It was a really interesting take and I think this could have been it’s own novella.

➸ Maw Maw Yaga and the Hunter by Alexandrea Weis ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Content/Trigger Warnings: Gore, scene of dismemberment, death

This is my first time hearing a Cajun retelling of Baba Yaga! I really enjoyed this and was so captivated of how things would play out. There was a moment where I thought things would turn out differently, but it didn’t. All I can really say is I would have love a full novella of this short story. It was really good and I think it could stand on it’s own.

➸ Baba Yaga in Reprose by Heather Miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is very detail heavy and it takes a hot minute to get to Baba Yaga, but it feels very much like Sleeping Beauty. It’s a really interesting was to set the whole story up, but I love the concept of these beings from folklore and fairytales to go into a slumber as the world moves on into modern day. I think this was such an interesting way of capturing that and I enjoyed it a lot.

➸ Shadow and Branch, Ghost Fruit Among the Lullabies by Saba Razvi ⭐⭐⭐

This was a nice way to close out the collection. However, my issue is that it gets repetitive really quickly and as I’ve mentioned before, repetitiveness and I don’t get along. It’s very well written and it can be captivating for the right reader, it just wasn’t me. Still a lovely, spooky way to close everything out.


I gave Into The Forest: Tales of the Baba Yaga three stars overall, because out of the possible 120 stars (5 stars being possible for all 24 stories) this anthology accumulated 80 stars (67%)!


The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.

This book loved up to all my Baba Yafa loving expectations!

First, the cover is gorgeous! Secondly, the variety of stories was fantastic! I really enjoyed the different interpretations of witches and how the stories ranged from traditional folklore tellings of the old hag Baba Yaga to stories of present day fowl leg dissection and science.

My favorites were:
Mama Yaga by Christina Sng
Birds of a Feather by Monique Snyman
Fair Trade by Jacqueline West
& Stork Bites by EV Knight

There's truly a little something for everyone who loves witches in here and yet it all flows together with a nice edit to the theme of Baba Yaga.

DNF
Sadly this wasnt for me. I read the first 3 stories and didnt enjoy the writing or really the stories so decided to stop. Shame as I thought it would be a fun read but just wasn't my cup of tea.

Into the Forest is an impressive collection of stories about Baba Yaga. I have always been fascinated by the stories of Baba Yaga and the amazing list of authors who contributed to this collection left me in awe.

I can say without a doubt that there was not a single story or poem that I did not love. Normally with collections like this, there will be strong stories and a few duds, but that is not the case here. The diversity of the writing and the stories left me wanting to start reading the book all over again once I finished.

Whether you are a fan of witches, Baba Yaga, fairytales, folktales, or just dark fantasy, this book offers a little something for everyone.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewing short story anthologies is difficult since there's always a wide range of quality, so I've broken my feedback down into summaries for each story and based my overall rating on the averages.

Overall Rating = 2 stars
Like many of us in the post-Bardugo, post-Arden world, I've become a big fan of fantasy inspired by Russian and Slavic folklore. Baba Yaga is a fascinating character from this mythological/folkloric tradition, so I was stoked when I was approved for an ARC. Unfortunately, this was pretty weak right from the jump, with a Preface that makes no sense. Christina Henry is rad and her Foreward was solid, but I wish she'd contributed a story. Also, I don't know if this was advertised as YA but, even though some stories are more mature and/or feature older characters, I would definitely say this is written for a YA audience.

Dinner Plans with Baba Yaga = 3 stars
This was actually a poem, which was a pleasant surprise. It was pretty solid, and I liked the creepy-crawly vibes it invoked. I actually wish they'd included more poems, as it would've broken up the stories, which are somewhat repetitive just by the nature of the prompt.

Last Tour Into the Hungering Moonlight = 1 star
Written in the style of a sub-development marketing tool, this was more of a prose poem than a short story, told in 2nd-person POV. It was pretty vague, full of stereotypes, and ill-defined in its setting. I think the author was going for a timeless feel, but I was left confused as to what time period this took place in.

The Story of a House = 4 stars and my favorite story in the collection
Focusing on the baby chick who becomes the house, this story was whimsical and creepy, though the end did lose me a bit.

Of Moonlight and Moss = DNF
The "not like other girls" vibe was too strong and I just couldn't do it.

Wormwood = 1 star
Sooooo vague. I really have nothing else to say.

Mama Yaga = 3.5 stars
A fun, pseudo-origin story for Baby Yaga, and was one of the few stories in the collection where she's a villain, as opposed to a "misunderstood anti-hero who battles for the rights of women" (insert trademark here). Not that there's anything wrong with that interpretation, but so many of the included stories took that view that it got really boring to read. "Mama Yaga" was a breath of fresh air, though references to folktales from other cultures (like leprechauns and Hansel & Gretel) did make the story feel a bit muddled.

Flood Zone = 2 stars
I liked the idea of a narrator who was born as a snake before becoming human (or human-ish, anyway), but I couldn't suspend my disbelief for a lot of the elements.

The Peddler's Promise = 3 stars
A grim fairy tale that had a strong start, but the ending was a bit anti-climactic.

The Space Between the Trees = 3 stars
An entertaining story, but mostly just vibes.

Sugar and Spice and the Old Witch's Price = DNF
This one lost me when the MC fantasized about pouring boiling water on her toddler. Call it a trigger if you must, but that's just not something I care to read about. Which is, admittedly, an odd line to draw, given some of the twisted stories I love, but here we are.

Birds of a Feather = 2.5 stars
This had elements of Netflix's The Babysitter, which I adore, but the story didn't feel cohesive as a whole. There was also a line where one of the Yagas says that the world "has become an especially cruel place in recent years," which is an odd take from someone who lived through like, Ghengis Khan and WWII, etc. I did like getting to see how narcissistic the MC becomes over the course of the story, as the arrogance of thinking you know how the world should be is an element of witchcraft that I don't see explored often.

Water Like Broken Glass = 1 star
It was cool to see additional Slavic elements included - the MC is a rusalka - but the rest of the story felt all over the place.

Herald the Knight = 2 stars
I appreciated the attempt to write a love story for Baba Yaga, though it didn't really work. This also had some highly anachronistic language and almost no internal logic.

All Bitterness Burned Away = 4 stars
A creepy little fable that honors the traditional tales, while keeping an open mind. This was probably my second favorite story included.

A Trail of Feathers, A Trail of Blood = DNF
Made no sense and I gave up.

Baba Yaga Learns to Shave, Gets Her Period, Then Grows Into Her Own = 1 star
SO PREACHY and had strong woman-hating vibes, which I admittedly think was the opposite of the intent.

Fair Trade = 4 stars
Pretty disturbing, with vivid depictions and alarmingly relatable motivations.

Stork Bites = 1 star
Sooo much commentary on modern issues that the Baba Yaga elements felt totally out of place.

Chicken Foot = 3 stars
The bare bones of a story....which is actually pretty fitting....but I really enjoyed the clinical, lab-notes-style structure.

Where the Horizon Meets the Sky = 2.25 stars
Well-written and had a "deal with the devil" trope, which I typically enjoy, but it was just SO BORING. The mid-life crisis element was cool though and set this story apart from the rest of the anthology.

MawMaw Yaga and the Hunter = 3 stars
The eco-warrior take on Baba Yaga was interesting and made sense in the context of the existing lore, but I didn't find the actual story that engagin.

Baba Yaga in Repose = 2 stars
I appreciate the vignette the author tried to create, but the prose was too purple for my taste.

Shadow and Branch, Ghost Fruit Among the Lullabies = 4 stars
This was almost more of a creative nonfiction essay on the meaning of the folktales, and it was beautifully written.

Also, this is really nit-picky but there are a lot of italicized words in this anthology and their display was weird AF. Like, it looked like an entirely different font was used and I couldn't un-see it. This may be specific to the ARC, so I didn't factor it into the rating, though. There were also a few indicators that this anthology needed another round of editing, like the phrase "chomping at the bit," which should've been changed to "champing at the bit."