A crazy good time. This collection of short stories is nearly perfectly curated, I loved every single one of them.

Personally, I found Out There Screaming to be a gripping and thought-provoking read. Peele has an incredible way of weaving intense horror with poignant, emotional depth. There were moments where I was genuinely scared, but also moments where I felt challenged to think about the bigger picture. The stories linger long after you've finished them, not just because of the terror they provoke, but because they push you to consider how fear, isolation, and survival play out in the real world. If you're looking for a horror collection that’s as intellectually stimulating as it is frightening, this book is must-read. Peele once again proves that he’s a master of blending unsettling narratives with social insight.

If I were to math and average out my ratings for each individual story, it'd add up to a 3 star.
I definitely felt a lot of things. I absolutely loved some of these stories and others I did not like in any way.
I found quite a few authors new to me that I will be checking out more from.
I'll add in my individual ratings per story at a later time.

WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS BOOK? 19 "HORROR" SHORT STORES THAT NEED TO BE TURNED INTO MOVIES. EACH STORY LEFT ME WANTING MORE.

Finally got around to reading this and oh my god! Like any anthology, there are some that hit more than others, but over all I thought it was a smart and spooky. I felt each segment complemented the next. A Perfect pick for october reads!

It can be hard to rate an anthology, but this one was fantastic. Great mix of horror, sci fi, and social commentary.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Netgalley.

Reckless Eyeballing by N.K. Jemisin: The collection starts with a banger with this tale of a Black cop whose violence and rage is kicked up another notch when he starts to see eyeballs on cars. He's convinced that the eyes are a secret message to him about the criminal actions of the drivers, and takes to pulling over all the cars with eyes he sees, certain that the people with the eyes are up to something. But when a secret recording shows him brutalizing a woman, his life rapidly unravels in violence and blood.

Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse: A brother and sister who deal with supernatural threats head out to a small town. The owner of the house claims that something dangerous is threatening her and her granddaughter, but she's cruel to her granddaughter and a little cagey. Since the rain won't let them start their hunt, the siblings bed down for the night. In the morning, Sis goes into town to get some supplies, only to find out from a gossipy store owner that their host no longer speaks to her daughter, not since the death of her granddaughter. This is a well constructed story that I like, but it feels a little thin to me. Bro and Sis feel a touch underdeveloped, but I'd happily read a novel featuring these characters.

Wandering Devil by Cadwell Turnbull: Freddy is the kind of guy that's always on his way somewhere else. Both his mother and grandfather left never to be seen again, and Freddy has spent years of his life wandering from one place to another, never putting down roots. Now his girlfriend wants him to move in, but Freddy feels the call to get moving again. He remembers a story a man told him during his travels, that one day he would meet a woman and if he marries her, he'll live a long and happy life, but if he leaves... Well, then his life won't be quite so long or happy. Freddy, unfortunately doesn't know he's in a horror story. This is quite understated, but Freddy is very well drawn and sympathetic, even with his flaws.

Invasion of the Baby Snatchers by Lesley Nneka Arimah: The aliens have made contact, but they do not come in peace. Instead they use human bodies as incubators for some kind of alien/human monster crossbreeds. And since they've figured out not to use men, it's becoming harder and harder to catch the alien pregnancies before birth. Our protagonist works at hunting down the alien pregnancies, until one case reveals that the aliens may be even more advanced than previously understood. I really like this one, but it felt a little quick, a little under developed. This would make a fantastic novel.

The Other One by Violet Allen: Angela's boyfriend Oglethorpe has broken up with her, after several nights where he tells her he doesn't love her and then denies he said it in the morning. Angela keeps texting him, and eventually gets a response from his new girlfriend. The new girlfriend sends disturbing messages, including one showing Oglethorpe's removed heart. Can Angela get herself together enough to save him? This is a good little slice of creepy, exploring how sometimes the line between monster and victim isn't clearly defined.

Lasiren by Erin E. Adams: When Wideline's sister Marie is taken by a woman from the water, she and her remaining sister think they'll never see her again. But three years later, Marie returns, beckoning them to follow her to a secret cave. There, they meet the creature that took her away, and Wideline makes a choice to save her sisters, even if it means she'll never see them again. This is a fine story. It just didn't really click for me.

The Rider by Tananarive Due: Pat and Priscilla Houston are waiting for a bus that will take them to Montgomery to join the Freedom Riders. They don't make it to Montgomery, but they do have an encounter with another kind of Rider, a creature of vengeance woken from the swamp. While the girls are terrified of this creature, it's not more dangerous than the bigots planning to stop the bus and capture the sisters. In fact, maybe the terrifying Rider is on their side... This was pretty good. I would have liked a little more backstory on the Rider, but it probably isn't really necessary for the story.

The Aesthete by Justin C. Key: Lots of worldbuilding in a pretty small package. We're in a world where many people, instead of having children, create Art. That is, the genetically engineer children, often with appropriated racial characteristics, or even worse, uncanny attributes that might look pretty, but do nothing for the quality of life of the Pieces of Art. And the Art is all made sterile. And they have an outsized cancer risk. And now a serial killer called the collector is stealing their body parts. There's a whole heck of a lot going on here, and I would have loved if it had a little more room to breathe.

Pressure by Ezra Clayton Daniels: A fascinating near future story that manages to pull off a second person narrator. You, the protagonist has gone home for a visit. You're the only black member of the family, one of a set of three cousins, all only children, nicknamed by the family The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. (The story never acknowledges it directly, but it becomes clear that You're The Ugly, which is a fascinating bit of character building.) Andrew, The Good, is a useless failson who has maybe brought about the end of the world. When a jar of coco butter bursts in Your luggage, the story and pov become a diving bell, offering the last terrifying glimpse before the pop. Vibes of a classic X-files episode.

Dark Home by Nnedi Okorafor: Kolo lives in what might be five minutes in the future, or a very tech savvy right now in Arizona, but her family roots are in Nigeria, so that's where she must return when her father dies. While she's there, she meets a monster out of legend, a hulking mountain made of raffia, animal pelts, feathers and shells called Ajofia. And Ajofia will not be denied what is rightfully its, even if it has to follow Kolo across the globe. Ajofia is really well described in this, to an unsettling degree. The clash of cultures that Kolo lives with is also stunningly well done and developed for a pretty short story.

Flicker by L.D. Lewis: This might be the scariest story in this book, at least for me. Kamara visits her brother the optometrist and mentions that sometimes the world seems to go black for her, if only for a few seconds. He's not worried, but when she leaves, the world goes dark for 21 seconds, for everyone this time. The flickers keep coming, lasting longer every time, and strange and terrible things happen in the darkness. Very dread inducing, and that we get no real explanation only heightens the terror.

The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson: Yenderil is determined to destroy the monster in the blue hole that killed her family. She jumps into the freezing water with a magical cutlass, but instead of killing the monster, she drags herself out of the water to find that the monster has fused with her. Yenderil will have to defeat the devil that's taken her leg and warped her body, but what can a young girl do against an unfathomable creature of the deep? Quite a lot, as it turns out. Yenderil is tough and self possessed, and her determination to get what she wants is fierce.

The Norwood Trouble by Maurice Broaddus: After the Civil War, surviving Black soldiers found a town in Indiana called Norwood, where they and their descendants enjoy a small measure of peace and prosperity. You know where this story is going, right? Flora, a young headstrong girl, whose refusal to back down to bigots causes so much frustration on the part of the local white supremacists that they attempt to destroy Norwood. Bad luck for them, then, that Norwood is protected by the orchard that grows around it. I love all stories where bigots get magical comeuppance.

A Grief of the Dead by Rion Amilcar Scott: This is a weird one, with a lot of elements that don't fit together neatly. Mahad grieves his dead brother Jamal, killed accidentally. Then his sister, who he hasn't seen for years comes back to tell him of her dreams of Jamal. The sister is also an expert on screecher birds, which seem like Roc's that occasionally swoop down and rip people to pieces. We get a legend on the origin of the birds and then watch Mahad spiral so hard he tries to pay a guy to do a mass shooting. This has some really haunting imagery, but it just didn't quite hand together for me.

A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers: Here's a fascinating take on the Hitchhiker/ Ghost Prom Queen legend. Our protagonist died in a car accident and finds herself condemned to haunt the lonely stretch of wooded road where she died. To pass the time, she and another dead girl make a game of killing drunk drivers. At least, that's how it starts out. Before the game is over, she and the reader have to confront some dark truths about her death and afterlife. I don't understand the reference in the title, but this is wonderful.

An American Fable by Chesya Burke: Noble Washington is on his way to Chicago, dressed in his uniform from the recently ended Great War. Unfortunately, having served his country entitles him to no more respect than any other Black man in Charleston, i.e. none. His trip is interrupted by a mob, and in order to escape being lynched, Noble runs from the train right into a fairy tale, where he meets his destiny as chosen by a magical being. There's some good tension and atmosphere, but this felt, more than other stories in this collection, like merely a fragment of a much longer story.

Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor: Hey, what if instead of selling their bodies to the highest bidder in Get Out, boutique style, the prison industrial complex learned how to send people into The Sunken Place at scale, so their bodies could be used for slave labor? Yeah, that's this story. I know I'm spoiling it, but I don't think knowing how this one goes is going to make it seem less horrific.

Hide & Seek by P. Djeli Clark: This might be my favorite story in the collection, and it's P. Djeli Clark, so of course it's great. Two young boys, Jacob and his little brother Jamie live with their mother in their Grandfather's old house. Grandfather was a conjure worker, able to do powerful magic. Unfortunately, their mother has no magic of her own, and is addicted to 'junk,' the leftover bits of magic that can have wild effects. One of those effects hits particularly hard, forcing the boys into a possibly deadly game of hide and seek.

Origin Story by Tochi Onyebuchi: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, if they were the avatars of white privilege. Not totally sure I completely understood this one, but I haven't read Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, either. Toss in Lord of the Flies and you might get this story, which is a play and a class and a terrifying confrontation with the white patriarchy.

Final thoughts: This is a great anthology. My only complaint is that a lot of these stories feel like they should be longer, have the opportunity to grow into a novel, and when that's your major complaint, you're doing something right.

I sadly DNFd this book, I had high hopes, sadly it didn't work out. I know many people who enjoyed it but it wasn't for me.

Out There Screaming is a decent horror collection that brings some creepy and thought-provoking stories to the table. Some stories were really engaging, while others dragged a bit. I would love a full novel of The Rider.

This anthology was outstanding from start to finish, and now I have a long list of new authors to explore! I was initially familiar with only a few of the authors featured in this collection, but each story was a stand-out success. This is certainly one that I will re-read and continue to recommend to friends and readers.

Out There Screaming was such a fun and wild ride of spookiness, scifi, horror, and Black history and I absolutely loved it. It is so hard to rate a book of short stories because of course they all hit differently. The stories all ranged from a 3-4.5 stars for me and overall hovered right near that 4 star mark. Here were a few of my favorites:

A Grief of the Dead by Rion Amilcar Scott - In this anxiety-filled story, Mahad has trouble moving on with his life after his twin brother has been shot at a concert. His sister swears that the deceased brother has been visiting her with ghostly messages and soon Mahad starts out on an adventure of his own that includes the darkweb, assassins, and possible zombies. I ZOOMED through this one!

A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers - In this story, two girls who have already died on Dead Man's Curve during different decades start a challenge... who can get revenge on more people? This was maaaaybe my favorite of the whole series. Such a great read.

Hide and Seek by P. Djeli Clark - I actually skipped ahead to read this one early, even though it is toward the back of the book because I LOVE anything I have read by Clark so far. It did not disappoint. Siblings practice for a deadly game of hide and seek, where the devil you know is scarier than the one you don't. So creepy and anxiety-inducing with the perfect ending.

The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson - This one took me a few pages to get into but when I switched to the audio I appreciated it so much more. The audio is amazing. In this story, a young woman dives into a cenote-style body of water to get revenge on the devil creature who stole her family. Unfortunately when she climbs out of the water, things get a bit difficult for her. Told in current time and flashbacks to her childhood, this story is just so cool.

My other favorites: Eye and Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse; The Other One by Violet Allen; The Rider by Tananarive Due; and Flicker by L.D. Lewis. All of these stories were at least 4 star (or above) for me. Overall this collection was great, the cover is gorgeous, and I am excited to look up more work by so many of these featured authors.

Thank you so much to Jordan Peele for gathering up this amazing collection of Black horror and thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I really hope we get to see a part 2 (and beyond) of this collection!

An anthology of Black horror -- do I need to say more??

While there were many names I was already familiar with (P. Djèlí Clark, Rebecca Roanhorse, and N. K. Jemisin among others), there was a fantastic group of new-to-me authors! Collections and anthologies tend to be hit or miss for me, but I'm thrilled to say I was hooked from the start. As we're gearing up for fall and (hopefully) cooler weather, OUT THERE SCREAMING is the perfect choice for dipping into for those already aching for autumn!

I would expect nothing less than the very best of horror storytelling from a collection curated by Jordan Peele, and I was not disappointed. Every story rang with the heart and horror of our lives held up to a twisted mirror of terror. What’s also not a surprise? That the collection is full-to-brimming with humanity, heart, and hope. (Even if you only spy it through the lacework of fingers you’re hiding your eyes behind…) A masterwork.

I absolutely enjoyed this collection! I would definitely recommend it to anyone that enjoys carefully curated anthologies that keep you going, even when it haunts you.

This was a fantastic collection of horror stories that kept me turning page after page. The writers chosen for this anthology were impeccable.

Anthologies have really been up my alley recently and this collection does not disappoint! While not every story caught me quite as much as others, on the whole this is such a strong collection of Black voices each with their own fingerprint on the horror genre. Definitely pick this up if you haven't already!

*Reckless Eyeballing* by N. K. Jemisin

Rating: 4.5

This one genuinely creeped me out. Not so much because of the supernatural factors but because of the our main character, the corrupt cop, Carl. This is a real and present danger we face every day and many of the things he did were horrific and could/do happen all the time.

*Eye & Tooth* by Rebecca Roanhorse

Rating: 3.5

Less horror and just supernatural. This is one of the few times I wanted more out of a short story. Like what do you mean one of the siblings is a psychic and one is a werewolf type creature? Like how does that work in the known lore of a culture? I’ve never heard of it. Please educate me.

*Wandering Devil* by Cadwell Turnbull

Rating: 2

An interesting story that felt like it dealt with a lot of inner turmoil. Is it freedom or is it an inability to be present for your family? I don’t want to make assumptions, but it came across as a commentary on the “went out for smokes/milk” dead beat parent and what awaits them in the end. Like a cautionary tale. Kind of rubbed me the wrong way. Did Freddy ghost everyone when he felt like it was time to move on and is that a really shitty way to go around treating people? Yes. But, he was never warned against it and being dragged to Hell for it seems a little extreme. Old Black Billy only said “you’ll see places you don’t have the mind to dream of.” Now, who hears that and thinks of Hell? No one. I’m thinking of some exotic beach or hidden mountain range. Frustrating.

*Invasion of the Baby Snatchers* by Lesley Nneka Arimah

Rating: 5

Creepy alien invasion. I would love more of this story.

*The Other One* by Violet Allen

Rating: 1

What the fuck was that?! A completely unreliable narrator. There’s no way of knowing if anything that just happened is all in her head or not. Made everything irrelevant. I hate stories like that. She also made so many dumbass decisions. Someone sends you a picture of a bloody heart on a table you call the damn cops! Idiot.

*Lasirèn* by Erin E. Adams

Rating: 4

Enjoyable. Writing was good. Another more dark supernatural fantasy (evil sirens) than horror but still enjoyed it. Would look for and read more from this author.

*The Rider* by Tananarive Due

Rating: 4.5

Imagining the terrors of being black and living in the Jim Crow south is always horrifying. I loved seeing our main character Pat standing up and fighting back. Not running away. So proud of her. Also love that we actually got a short story without an open ending. I don’t mind them but after reading so many in a row, it’s nice to have one nicely wrapped up.

*The Aesthete* by Justin C. Key

Rating: 5

Amazingly beautiful speculative fiction about sentient androids. Chef’s kiss.

*Pressure* by Ezra Claytan Daniels

Rating: 4

Oh, yay family trauma. Oooo, family drama. Privileged white boys doing dumb white boys shit getting other people hurt.

*Dark Home* by Nnedi Okorafor

Rating: 4.5

Don’t screw around with secret societies man! “Take it back!” Ha, just reminds me of that one woman on TikTok that’s always yelling at the stupid people that take stuff saying, “Put. It. Back!”

*Flicker* by L. D. Lewis

Rating: 4.5

Oh hey, look, it’s my own existential dread in a short story! We live in the Matrix and they are slowly pulling the plug.

*The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World* by Nalo Hopkinson

Rating: 3

I love hearing the folklore of different cultures. This definitely had a little more icky of a creature, but like some of our other stories, it was more interesting and fantastical and not so much horror. I can see if I was in that situation, however, how it would be horrifying… but the story gave none of suspense I would expect from a thriller or horror.

*The Norwood Trouble* by Maurice Broaddus

Rating: 3.5

Had to reread this one. An interesting amalgamation of civil rights, secret societies, & folk horror.

*A Grief of the Dead* by Rion Amilcar Scott

Rating: 2

Geez. Okay, this one started out fine. We got some fantastical beasts, some kind of zombies, grief horror… then we get into TW: mass shootings and the setting up of one. I’m nauseous.

*A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree* by Nicole D. Sconiers

Rating: 4

A very fun take on a ghost story.

*An American Fable* by Chesya Burke

Rating: 4.5

I want more of this. I need the whole lifetime of this little girl growing up and what that means for our main character.

*Your Happy Place* by Terence Taylor

Rating: 4

You know it’s never going to be good (for our characters) when the story starts out quoting the 13th Amendment. As someone who has working within the judicial system I can tell you prisons are just slave camps by different names… but make it speculative.

*Hide & Seek* by P. Djeli Clark

Rating: 5

P. Djeli Clark is just a great writer. I haven’t read anything by him at this point that has disappointed me. I kept waiting and wondering why these kids were being trained to play a very scary type of hide and seek in their own house. Was not expecting it to be that.

*Origin Story* by Tochi Onyebuchi

Rating: 6

Holy crap ****astonished clapping**** This story should be studied. I’m so serious here. The amount of shock and clarity I experienced. I hope more people discover this short story specifically and it gets put into literature and racial studies courses in college campus. Immediately putting more Tochi Onyebuchi works on my TBR.

This book gripped me from the very beginning - every single story painted such an uncomfortable picture. I am so glad that I got the chance to be able to read this. Jordan Peele is a genius, and every single one of his picks was phenomenal.

This anthology is powerful. I usually don’t do well with anthologies but this is a well-crafted compilation written by talented black authors. I loved the majority of the stories. I suggest readers take their time to digest the meaning and/or moods behind each story - some of them very heavy.

"Out There Screaming" by Jordan Peele is a thrilling anthology that blends horror with sharp social commentary, much like the films that Peele is well-known for. This collection of stories features a variety of authors, all bringing their unique voices to the table while maintaining a cohesive, eerie atmosphere throughout.

What stands out in "Out There Screaming" is the diversity of narratives and perspectives. Each story dives into different facets of horror, from the supernatural to the psychological, and often touches on deeper societal issues. Peele's influence is evident in the way these stories tackle themes of race, identity, and fear of the unknown, making the horror feel both real and relevant.

Some stories are hauntingly subtle, while others are more direct and intense, providing a nice balance that keeps you on your toes. The stories are not just about scaring the reader but also about reflecting on the world around us. This dual impact is what makes the anthology stand out in the horror genre.

Overall, "Out There Screaming" is a must-read for horror fans and those who appreciate storytelling that goes beyond mere fright to explore deeper societal issues. It's a compelling, thought-provoking collection that showcases the best of what horror can achieve. If you enjoyed Jordan Peele's films, this anthology won't disappoint.