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.

I loved reading all the unique stories. I often have a hard time with short story collections and how to rate them. Obviously some stories will hit while others are a miss. I do love hearing other voices and if Jordan Peele is involved, I want to see what it’s all about. I was satisfied with these stories and loved hearing a different point of view.

Horror is not a genre that I delve into. However, I braved the unfamiliar and read this short story collection. The majority of the stories were really good. As in any collection, there were a few that did not grasp my attention. The title of the collection is alluring but after finishing the collection there are some common threads through the stories that may have made for another title. This collection is a great starting point for those who are new readers of horror. I want to read longer works by many of the authors in this collection.

This anthology is something spectacular. It is full of haunting stories, each touched with truths. Thrilling, engrossing, and stories worth devouring.

An Anthology that presents a collection of horror stories authored by black writers. The stories explore both supernatural terrors and the chilling realities of social injustice, encapsulating themes that provoke deep reflection on fear and society. Jordan Peele's role as the curator brings together an impressive array of talent, similar to his well-known films, which challenge and redefine traditional horror through their storytelling and thematic depth.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

This was a great anthology with many heavy-hitter favorite authors, and a few new discoveries for me. Some stories didn't work for me, like any short story collection, but most were great. N.K. Jemisin, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Nnedi Okorafor can do nothing wrong - amazing storytellers. P. Djeli Clark, Violet Allen, and L.D. Lewis are new to me and wrote my other favorites of this collection. Okorafor's story was my absolute favorite of the whole collection.

"Reckless Eyeballing" - N.K. Jemisin (Black cop Carl sees eyes on car headlights, which leads him to suspect that the driver is guilty of a crime.)

"Eye & Tooth" - Rebecca Roanhorse (Siblings act as supernatural job-for-hires, accept a job in rural Texas from a woman with a supernatural creature problem.)

"Wandering Devil" - Cadwell Turnbull (Man who moves from town to town meets woman who wants him to settle down. But something is off.)

"Invasion of the Baby Snatchers" - Lesley Nneka Arimah (Aliens impregnating humans and trying to take over Earth; detective lead is trying to track them down/eliminate/study them.)

"The Other One" - Violet Allen (Woman can't let go of her ex, keeps thinking about him, texting him sometimes with no response, then someone begins messaging him with weird then alarming things to lure the woman to the sender. Things get creature-strange.)

"Lasirèn" - Erin E. Adams (Three sisters are tempted by a siren, despite warnings from their parents.)

"The Rider" - Tananarive Due (2 sisters try to get to Montgomery, Alabama during the Freedom Riders movement.)

"The Aesthete" - Justin C. Key (Futuristic/sci fi story where a being finds out he's The Chosen One living in a futuristic USA that might or might not declare him legally a person.)

"Pressure" - Ezra Claytan Daniels (Written in 2nd person with main person the only half-black cousin in a mainly white family during a family reunion.)

"Dark Home" - Nnedi Okorafor (A single Nigerian-American woman's father dies and she travels to Nigeria where she violates customs during the funeral to keep a token to remember her father by. Something follows her home.)

"Flicker" - L.D. Lewis (Four friends try to survive in a world that's gone crazy because of unexplained blips of pure darkness that last increasingly long.)

"The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World" - Nalo Hopkinson (A woman confronts the beast that terrorizes her village in a coastal cave/tidal pool, but instead, the beast becomes part of her.)

"The Norwood Trouble" - Maurice Broaddus (A young girl experiences a lynch mob in the years before civil rights in the U.S. but she's in a kind of magical town where the orchard guards against would-be white infiltrators.)

"A Grief of the Dead" - Rion Amilcar Scott (A man grieves the death of his twin brother who dies during a mass shooting at a concert, then struggles with wanting to follow him in the same way. The horror in this one was minimal and more about the horror of guns and continued mass shootings in the US.)

"A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree" - Nicole D. Sconiers (Two young women are killed on a dangerous stretch of road in different decades. Their spirits are bound there, where they kill misbehaving male motorists to pass the time.)

"An American Fable" - Chesya Burke (A black military veteran is traveling to Chicago from the south after serving in World War 1 - he experiences all manner of racism from the whites around him, for whom his service to his country means nothing b/c he's black, and when he becomes under attack, a lone young black girl leads him to another place.)

"Your Happy Place" - Terence Taylor (A man who works at a prison moving prisoners to some kind of lab wants to find out more about what's happening, only to discover some unsavory things about himself. Futuristic, sci-fi horror.)

"Hide & Seek" - P. Djèlí Clark (2 young siblings must hide when their mother comes searching for them. The house belonged to their grandfather who practiced Hoodoo, and their mother and dead father also practiced magic that turned on them. Their mother is like two people, monster and teacher.)

"Origin Story" - Tochi Onyebuchi (This was probably a least favorite, just because I couldn't really understand it all. It's written like a play where 4 white boys become aware of their caricature nature and that they're fictional characters in a play, turning into an examination of whiteness as boys.)

Get Out is a masterpiece, and it made me a Jordan Peele superfan. And I really enjoyed Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror edited by the man himself.

Admittedly, I did not love every single story. But, I was never bored, and I thought each one was unique and interesting. There are 19 stories in the collection. I loved eight of them and really liked seven. The others were good, but might have gone over my head a little. Here are my favorites:

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse
Wandering Devil by Cadwell Turnbull
The Rider by Tananarive Due
The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson
An American Fable by Chesya Burke
Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor
Hide & Seek by P. Djeli Clark

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The Other One by Violet Allen
Pressure by Ezra Claytan Daniels
Dark Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Flicker by L. D. Lewis
The Norwood Trouble by Maurice Broaddus
A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers

All the stars and then some
The Aesthete by Justin C. Key - Last year I read his own short story collection, The World Wasn’t Ready For You. I loved every story. HIGHLY recommend.
Origin Story by Tochi Onyebuchi - I don’t even know how to explain this one. I probably didn’t completely understand it. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything like it. It was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had while reading.

I took my time with this book. Sometimes I waited days between stories. And that is what I recommend if you want to read it. If you're reading it just because Jordan Peele’s name is on it, it may not be what you're expecting. But I think it's important to remember that one person's everyday life experience may be another person's nightmare. And sometimes the scariest places aren't filled with screams, but no sound at all. Random House

I'm not a huge lover of short story collections, but this one is good. I only skipped over a few. I bought my very own edition as well. Great contributions.

Out There Screaming

I absolutely love Jordan Peele and anthologies. Anthologies give me the chance to find new authors and see if I would enjoy their work. Jordan Peele knows how to find work that is not only a great read but shows you a world that you wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It’s really what makes me a fan of everything he puts out.

The authors that are featured were amazing and there was something for everyone. Just like all anthologies, there are some stories that I liked more than others. Each story explored horror in different themes that, while might not have scared me, they made me think. In a way, it was like the Twilight Zone and that stood out for me while I was reading.

My stand out stories were Your Happy Place, Flicker, and Hide and Seek. These stories, in particular made me think and stuck with me. I did enjoy this anthology.

I really hope he puts together another anthology, it would be on my must buy list.

It's Friday Eve! This week has gotten away from me a bit but it is finally time for my review of the amazing anthology by black horror authors OUT THERE SCREAMING which is edited by @jordanpeele .

This is honestly one of the best anthologies I have ever had the pleasure of reading. There were a couple stories that didn't hold my interest but the majority of these were wild, terrifying or just plain interesting. I love that there is a mix of subgenres in this anthology from suburban horror, alien invasion, crime thriller, cosmic, ghosts, etc. The variety of story types definitely kept it interesting.

Some of my favorites in this series:

👁️EYE AND TOOTH by @rebeccaroanhorse - sister and brother team of supernatural hunters get in a sticky situation

👽INVASION OF THE BABY SNATCHERS by @instagrimah
- (new author to me!!) - alien invasion with an insidious inside job

🧜‍♀️LASIREN by @iameeadams (another new author to me!) - a scary mermaidish story rooted in a Haitian family with three daughters

🏠DARK HOME by @nnediokorafor - a Nigerian-American woman's father dies back in Nigeria and she finds out he was part of a secret Igbo society enveloped in folklore

💪🏾THE MOST STRONGEST OBEAH WOMAN IN THE WORLD by @nalohop - This one is hard to summarize but it involves a fish devil possession and was highly entertaining folklore

😀YOUR HAPPY PLACE by Terrance Taylor (another new to me author) - a terrifying story of prison rehabilitation being used for corporate purposes

🫣HIDE AND SEEK by @pdjeliclark - this one gave me physical anxiety in the best way possible - a story about young boys navigating life with a mother who gets high in magic

I really enjoyed many more but these are the ones that stand out. I will be keepingy peepers open for more from some of these authors new to me and am very thankful I found them in this anthology.

Are stories more scary for you when it is clear they are based in reality instead of supernatural or magical elements?

Realistic stories scare the shit outta me!! Give me dragons and witches if you want to soothe me.😂

💚SMASHBOT💚

I loved almost every story in this book and I think there's something in here for every different type of horror fan.

Wow, what an incredible anthology showcasing some of the most gifted horror writers of our time! Horror is such a broad topic but I'm sure fans of the genre will find at least one story that they love if not multiple.

List of stories and authors:

Reckless Eyeballing by N. K. Jemisin-- a cop is able to profile who to pull over by seeing eyes on cars.

Eye & Tooth by Rebecca Roanhorse-- Siblings who investigate and help those experiencing paranormal activity get more than they bargained for.

Wandering Devil by Cadwell Turnbull-- I'm still a little confused about this one, but a man is able to see a prophecy and must decide to fulfill this legacy.

Invasion of the Baby Snatchers by Lasley Nneka Arimah-- Aliens! This story is about an agency that tries to track Aliens that impregnate humans.

The Other One by Violet Allen-- A woman receives strange texts from her ex but it's hard to know if she's the dangerous one or the "other" person that is texting her.

Lasiren by Erin E. Adams -- Sisters encounter a Haitian mermaid.

The Rider by Tananarive Due-- Two sister freedom riders encounter multiple horrors.

The Aesthete by Justin C. Key-- Sci-Fi story about a world of artificial intelligence and sentient robots who were created as art to be followed and consumed by viewers have human feelings.

Pressure by Ezra Claytan Daniels-- A half-black woman returns to her white family's hometown and examines how she always felt like an outsider.

Dark home by Nnedi Okorafor-- After attending her father's funeral in Nigeria, a woman takes something of her father's to remember him by but ends up inadvertently taking home a spirit.

Flicker by L. D. Lewis-- Sci-Fi story where we live in a simulation that has started to glitch.

The Most Strongest Obeah Woman of the World by Nalo Hopkinson-- A woman's body gets overtaken by a devil.

The Norwood Trouble by Maurice Broaddus-- A racist mob intent on committing a lynch is thwrated by a supernatural community.

A Grief of the Dead by Rion Amilcar Scott-- Zombies! A man is grappling with the death of his brother including when his brother returns from the dead.

A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree by Nicole D. Sconiers-- Haunted Highway! Two ghosts who died on the road start a game of haunting travelers.

An American Fable by Chesya Burke-- I honestly remember this one the least, but I think it involved a man traveling north who is saved from being harmed by a group of white men by a guardian in the shape of a little girl.

Your Happy Place by Terence Taylor -- Another sci-fi story, this time imagining a horrible "alternative" to serving a prison sentence.

Hide & seek by P. Djeli Clark-- this one gave me chills! Two boys must hide from their mother who is addicted to magic. It gave insight to children who learn to protect themselves from struggling parents.

Origin story by Tochi Onyebuchi -- a play that takes an extreme look at taking a university-level course on race.

My favorite stories were The Rider, Your Happy Place, A Bird Sings by the Etching Tree, Lasiren, Eye & Tooth, and Flicker.

Overall an entertaining collection that highlights the types of stories Jordan Peele is know for. N K Jemisin and P. Djèlí Clark's stories were definite stand outs for mw. This great spread out over time, I couldn't read too many back to back without them blending together or feeling repetitive but that's not necessarily a drawback for a collection like this where each story can to be read independently. The collection introduced me to a few authors I'd never heard of and I'v added a lot of their work to my tbr.