As a large fan of folklore I love learning about the cryptids and monsters that are believed to exist from all over the world. From their origin stories to possible sightings, this book gave more information of certain creatures such as Kelpies which I had not heard of before.
However, the short stories seemed overwhelming. This book seemed to be marketed as an encyclopedia about folklore creatures however, the fact that every monster had a short story seemed to disrupt a lot of the flow. I feel that the book would have flowed better if there were 5 slightly longer short stories about creatures. Perhaps, one short story per area of the world. The short stories were well-written but I felt like I was constantly in the want for more and eventually gave up reading the short stories and just stuck to reading the information about each creature.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from #netgalley , thank you. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Late reviews due to being ill! Love this! Love anything folklore. The illustrations were really cool too! Nice learning about some of the creatures that’s I’ve never heard about!

Okay, well. I have to admit that I was really vibing with the art in this one. I was even reading it well before publication!
And then I realized how heavily skewed it was toward the Western world and it really took the wind out of my sails. I thought I'd come back to it, but it's been over half a year and I'm just unable to.

It's not necessarily the books fault, but I wish it had done a better job of setting up my expectations (and also I'd rather just have a book that fully explores what they're interested in and knowledgeable about, rather than under-deliver on regions just to make sure "the whole world" is covered)

A neutral 3/5 since I DNFd

Freaky Folklore: Terrifying Tales of the World’s Most Elusive Monsters and Enigmatic Cryptids is a captivating and spine-chilling journey into the world of legendary creatures and mythical beasts that have sparked curiosity, fear, and fascination across cultures. This book dives deep into some of the most mysterious and elusive cryptids, offering readers a mix of folklore, reported sightings, and investigative accounts from around the globe.

The authors do an excellent job of weaving together eerie tales from different traditions, each cryptid adding a unique element to the overall narrative of the unexplained. From the infamous Loch Ness Monster of Scotland to the Yeti of the Himalayas, each chapter brings to life the stories of creatures that have haunted local myths for centuries, fueling imaginations and challenging the boundaries between myth and reality.

What sets Freaky Folklore apart is its rich exploration of the cultural significance behind these creatures. The book doesn’t just focus on the creatures themselves, but also on the historical, cultural, and psychological factors that contribute to their enduring presence in folklore. Whether it’s the fear of the unknown, the desire for mystery, or the need to explain unexplainable phenomena, the book delves into why we are so drawn to these cryptids.

For fans of the strange and the supernatural, Freaky Folklore is an engaging and thrilling read that brings together history, legend, and mystery. It’s perfect for anyone fascinated by cryptids, mythology, and the dark side of folklore. The blend of storytelling, cultural insights, and eerie tales makes this a must-read for those intrigued by the world’s most enigmatic monsters and the folklore that surrounds them.

I will admit I went into this with the wrong expectations. I thought this was going to be a collection of stories based on different creatures from cultures all around the world. It was actually more of a combination between the history of the creatures and a small story accompanying the information. Each passage is pretty short due to fitting so many into this book, it was nice seeing creatures from Africa as I had never heard of any of these creatures, so I did find the information for that section to be interesting. Now I do think this book would have been better if it had picked one style and stuck with it. Either be an informational book that's purpose is to inform and teach about folklore creatures' of different cultures or be a book full of stories featuring creatures of folklore from around the world. Its not terrible but I do feel it tried to do too much while not executing them to their fullest potential.

Never down loaded. Did not receive a copy to review.Would still like to have a copy to review.Been having trouble with things down loading.

A fun - if somewhat cursory - look into different folklore from around the world. The artwork especially shined. This is a great primer or coffee table book.

I really liked the idea of this, but I feel like it could have been executed better. There was a wide variety of cryptids within the book and the illustrations were fun, however I was expecting more of an encyclopedia of cryptids. I wanted more research and information on each one from both contemporary and non-contemporary sources but, instead, we got cheesy, poorly written short stories/blurbs about the cryptids. Fun for kids, but not great if you're looking for something deeper than basic summaries.

This was super fun and interesting. I love cryptids and folklore so I ate this up. Highly recommend if you like creepy and weird stuff.

Thanks Netgalley for the early ARC!

I have been a fan of the Freaky Folklore podcast for a long time, and was very excited to read this. Enjoyed the art style immensely, and was surprised by the interesting and unique monsters/cryptids, some I had never heard of before.

Highly recommended.

I absolutely LOVE folklore in general, but this collection was astounding. The stories were well written, full of life and easy to read. I'm excited to see if there is another collection in the works.

Loves this book. I love learning about cryptids and this book takes a look at cryptids from all over the world. The pages are beautiful and styled in a way that adds creepiness to the stories of the cryptids making them come to life. A must read for anyone who loves cryptozoology.

I love reading about folklore. I absolutely enjoyed reading about different monsters/creatures from around the world, and the illustrations are amazing! This is perfect for people who love reading about different legends and myths from different cultures.

Thank you Wellfleet Press for a copy of Freaky Folklore!

"Accompanied by illustrations of each beast, Freaky Folklore is your guide to the world’s most terrifying beings, from ancient times to today."

I enjoyed discovering and reading more about cryptids and monsters! I love the similarity between countries as well as common occurring themes, like how in Asia, monsters were mainly depicted or seen as women. Great beginner story but I did not care much for the fictional stories. I did flip through those sections, but I loved the illustrations and the background info for each monster.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a super informative and engaging book! The illustrations are super pretty. Would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the origin stories of the world’s monsters/cryptids.

Thank you for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. I love creepy stories and folklore. This is a great read for spooky season

This is such a cool book! I love the illustrations and the fact is has both a condensed background of, and an "experience" with the entity. Maybe now people can see the difference between a wendigo and a skinwalker lol.

But for those who don't believe in cryptids, this book is still an excellent dive into all things creepy. If not a compendium of true folklore, then one of easy to digest mythological creatures. It showcases beings from all across the world- just opening the door for other cultures and mythos that you can explore.

Unfortunately I didn't find this book as enjoyable as I thought I would. I felt like it couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Did it want to be a book talking about and sharing information on specific cryptids or did it want to be a book telling scary stories about various monsters? I think if it chose one of those options and focused on that it would've been much better.

If you don't love cryptids, are you even human? This is a captivating exploration of the mysterious world of cryptozoology. 'Freaky Folklore' explores the legends and lore surrounding some of the most intriguing and elusive creatures. From Sasquatch to the Loch Ness Monster, readers are guided on a chilling journey through cryptid history. Each chapter is meticulously researched, blending historical accounts, eyewitness testimonies, and the latest scientific theories to paint vivid pictures.

This books talks about all the different kinds of monster folklore throughout different countries and states. It talks about famous monster folklore such as Mothman, Werewolf, Big foot, and so many other classics. The illustrations are beautiful, it helps picture the way the author envisions these monsters . This book talks about where the monsters originated from. This books also talks about the story that started the legend’s.