Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC! This was really hit or miss. Some of the stories were really great and some of them felt like they were trying too hard to spark a reaction in the reader and lost the plot a little. Not that there was an extensive plot since these are short stories but some of them had even less plot than would be expected and needed.

I loved these short stories - they're dark and spooky and I tore through them so quickly! I will definitely be recommending this to others.

I read and loved Enríquez's full-length novel Our Share of Night when I read it last year. Because I know she is more well-known for her short stories, I was excited to check out her latest short story collection, A Sunny Place for Shady People.

The twelve short stories in this collection have range-- you'll find ghosts and other supernatural elements, body horror, cults, and horror elements that are more grounded in reality but are no less unsettling. As in Our Share of the Night, Enríquez explores a variety of themes, including personal and political violence, classism, misogyny, selfishness, and greed. Although some of the stories worked better for me than others, all of them created a sense of dread and tension that built until the story's conclusion. The opening story, "My Sad Dead," in which a retired physician communicates with ghosts in her neighborhood, was one of my favorites in its explorations of classicism, isolation, and complicity through indifference. "Face of Disgrace" very literally explores the erasure of victims and in "Metamorphosis," a woman on the cusp of menopause explores body modification in an unnerving bid to regain agency over her changing body. Other stories I liked a lot included "Different Colors Made of Tears," "The Refrigerator Cemetery," and "Black Eyes."

Reading this collection made me excited to check out more of Enríquez's backlist. I recommend this collection to those looking for smart, unsettling literary horror.

I love being in Mariana Enriquez’s world. I’ve now read all of her works translated into English and they are so distinct from what other horror authors are doing. Gritty city slums, sweltering rural Argentina, haunted homes and souls, manifestations of grief, childhood fears, mundane magic… the themes are endless and yet feel new & exciting in each story. It’s interesting to see Enriquez grapple with terror in a post-pandemic setting.

Great collection and well-arranged like a music album. The stories are long enough to savor but short enough to keep your attention. Each one is a banger, but a few stand out to me: the title story set in Los Angeles, the dark underbelly of Skid Row and an infamous death at Hotel Cecil, all tied up with a haunting bow; and, the Refrigerator Cemetery story that focuses on mistakes of latchkey kids in a neglected Buenos Aires neighborhood.

If you haven’t yet read Enriquez, this is a great place to start - on par with “Things We Lost In The Fire”. I was getting vibes of Shirley Jackson and Carmen Maria Machado in a few stories.

I was unbelievably excited for this ARC. I took my time with this collection. I really enjoyed it and think it is her best work to date. I can't wait for it's release so I can get a copy for myself and for friends.

A Sunny Place for Shady People is an appt title for this collection of stories. I really enjoyed reading this collection as they started in the "normal" every day and ended in the spooky and even evil place. The stories cover a wide range of topics and all left me with some type of feeling. I really enjoyed getting into the story, the characters and the places. Enriquez sure has a talent for the shady side of humanity and "other." I think this collection would be perfect for those rainy dreary fall days that are coming. I look forward to reading them again during that time!

I found this collection quite fun! some stories were a lot stronger than others but most of them had a good level of spooky. I actually was not that crazy about our share of night when I read it last year, so I was a little worried I wouldn't like this one, but Enriquez really shines in short stories. I feel like some of these stories genuinely made my skin crawl, I feel like even the ones that weren't as scary had elements that'll kinda haunt me for a while. very stoked I gave this one a chance and excited to tell people about it!

thanks netgalley and Random House for the arc :)

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Hogarth via Netgalley for providing me with this ARC. Mariana Enriquez never disappoints, I’ve read her two other short story collections, and like those this collection is dark, haunting, and alluring. Her writing can make my skin crawl in the best way. Highly recommend and can’t wait to purchase a hard copy when it releases in September. It will be a great spooky read in the fall.

Thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Hogarth books for this ARC. I loved The Dangers of Smoking in Bed so when I saw this author had another collection of stories out, I knew I had to read them. This collection definitely did not disappoint. I love this author's dark and weird stories. All of her stories seem normal at first and then they get a little creepy or slightly evil. I love it. They are wonderful. I will read anything this author writes.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, there is so much amazing horror lit coming out of Argentina. I was fortunate to have to chance to read A Sunny Place For Shady People which is a compilation of short stories by Mariana Enriquez. Having read Our Share of Night, I was eager to read her short form work and it is fantastic. The writing is haunting and impactful and intrinsically tied to Argentina and its people. This writer has become an instabuy for me.

I really enjoyed every story in this collection and feel that it offered a nice variety. Some touched on the more modern with urban legends and online fixations such as black eyed kids, ouija boards, and Elisa Lam. Some were reflective and focused on trauma of the past rippling out into the present. A pervasive feeling of dread? Something reflective? Some wicked humor? It’s all here.

If you are looking for a great well rounded short story horror collection or are a fan of Mariana Enriquez’s writing this is a must read.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher. I received an advance review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

this was a solid short story collection! a few of these stories really had me hooked while some had me a bit bored. it felt like they would've done really well if they were a bit longer or a full novel, this author does SO well at a full length novel. despite really liking a few of these stories, the majority of them just felt like a miss for me. they were slow and just a bit too tedious to get through.

Every single one of these stories had something about it that sticks with you - whether it's the characters, the imagery, the monster, or just the creepy vibes. Some were better than others (the first two were particularly great) but overall this is a solidly phenomenal collection of short stories.

3.5 stars - Through this wonderfully macabre and unsettling collection of stories, Mariana Enriquez explores the intersection of the ordinary and the surreal. Set amongst the backdrop of contemporary Argentina, each of these twelve stories delves into the effects of the supernatural on the lives of everyday people, the majority of whom are women. Sometimes based in ghost stories, sometimes in urban legends, these chilling tales are filled with hauntings, body horror, and pure evil in human form. A Sunny Place for Shady People is a delightfully terrifying read, thought-provoking and thrilling, perfect for an autumn evening or any time you're in the mood for something spooky.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was my first experience with Mariana Enriquez. My intrigue with her works grew with each short story - notable the middle and later ones being my favorites. I found the earlier stories to be a little forgettable, or I keep mixing them up. However, there were some good ones at the beginning. I'm in the minority, but I didn't care for the short story that the collection is named after.

Of the ones I remember, I enjoyed quite a lot. In particular, "My Sad Dead," "Face of Disgrace," "Julie" "Night Birds" "Different Colors Made of Tears" "A Local Artist" and "Black Eyes"

This collection opened my eyes to Enriquez's work, and I'm excited to read more of it in the future.

I always find it difficult to rate and review short story collections. I rarely see the overarching theme of them all, if there is one. I usually end up rating them based on the average of stories I liked in the collection. This one, for what my lack of ability means to you, did pretty well.

I love horror and I love how artists and creatives use it to work through the stuff that humans live through. Grief. Trauma. Abuse. Stagnancy. Mental illness. I love it and its creative license it affords people. With its grotesqueness and its gore and its shock value.

A Sunny Place for Shady People isn’t the scariest thing I’ve ever read. There were some stories that made me cringe, some scenes that made me anxious. But overall, to elevate the topics they explored at their core, the stories and their level of horror worked.

My favorites were My Sad Dead, Face of Disgrace, Hyena Hymns, Different Colors Made of Tears, A Local Artist, and Black Eyes. A Local Artist and Black Eyes were, in my opinion, the scariest. They were also my favorite of my favorites.

Thank you, Random House, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mariana does it again! Despite not being the biggest horror fan, I would gladly endure any scaries that may inevitably invade my mind for Mariana Enriquez— I just love her style of writing and how chillingly atmospheric (and playful, even) it can be. This was a solid anthology of short stories, filled with nuance, terrifying relevancy, and thought-provoking emotion; as always, while not every tale hit the bullseye for me, a majority of them did and I would happily recommend it - and, really, any/all of Mariana's previous works - out to anyone looking for something unique, something different, and something unforgettable.

3.5⭐️

Mariana Enríquez's short story collection is a haunting exploration of the macabre and mysterious. With themes ranging from horror to urban legends and gothic tales, Enríquez delves deep into the dark recesses of human nature and society. Each tale delves into the dark underbelly of contemporary society, revealing the supernatural and grotesque lurking beneath the surface. Her vivid, evocative prose captures a sense of dread and fascination, drawing readers into eerie, unsettling worlds. Each story is a testament to her skill in blending the supernatural with the gritty realities of life.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and Mariana Enríquez for the opportunity to read and review "A Sunny Place for Shady People" prior to its publication date.

I’m not the biggest fan of short story collects in general but I loved Our Share of Night so I jumped at the chance to read this ARC. Like all collections theirs strong stories and weaker ones but thankfully more strong than otherwise.

Beautiful, playful, hyper-relevant. As always, Enriquez commands the shorter form with depth that may take a few reads and double takes to really scratch. Her characters are as urgently human as ever, and the immersion in American legends surprised and refreshed me as a fan. Thank you NetGalley and Hogarth for the ARC!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an ARC of A Sunny Place for Shady People by Mariana Enriquez in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

I recently completed this captivating collection of urban legend-style narratives. The stories become increasingly chilling in the most thrilling way. I wouldn't advise reading them at night. They will undoubtedly prompt you to reevaluate everyday choices and keep you on edge. These stories will live in your mind for years to come.