Manmade Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers is a dark and captivating collection of interconnected stories that masterfully blends horror with a rich exploration of Cherokee history and identity. The writing is haunting and vivid, with each story offering a chilling yet thought-provoking glimpse into the ways fear, survival, and tradition shape lives across generations.

What sets this collection apart is its ability to weave supernatural elements with real-life horrors, from colonization to family struggles, making the monsters feel all too real. The pacing of the stories can vary, and a few felt a bit abrupt, but overall, the book is a gripping read that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this unique and unforgettable collection. I highly recommend it to fans of literary horror and Indigenous storytelling.

I loved this book and was enthralled with the writing. I loved the character study. Would read more from the author!

Oh this is good. The first story hooked me and dug deep into my heart. I couldn't get over it and had to put the book down for a while, then I came back and devoured the book. It was so good! I would buy this for a friend.

Man-Made Monsters by Andrea Rogers is a chilling, thought-provoking collection that merges supernatural horror with the real-life terrors faced by Cherokee families across generations. Blending folklore with American history, Rogers introduces classic monsters like vampires and werewolves alongside the horrors of colonization and violence, creating an eerie, culturally resonant experience. Jeff Edwards’ haunting illustrations add depth to each story, making this a standout work in contemporary horror.

Loved it!

Like with all anthologies, some stories work better than others. Overall this was a thought provoking and interesting collection of stories.

This short story collection is very interesting and I love the Cherokee parts. Every story is not that good and it makes the whole collection a bit subpar. Thank you to the author, the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Levine Querido for the ARC.

This book took some extra time for me to process. The premise of following a Cherokee bloodline with stories over a few hundred years was intriguing and exciting. I felt that although the familial connection was there in name, it wasn’t explored nearly as much as I anticipated. The author was able to make the characters in the short story associated with the bloodlines very distinct and varied from each other which I thought was excellent.

As with most short story collections, I found that I loved a few of the stories, with the larger share as being very good, and a few that were just ok. The horror elements in each story were varied and did not feel the same or like the same author wrote them. I have read other anthologies by a single author and not all authors are capable of achieving autonomy with each of the stories. They can also tend to be formulaic and seem too similar. That is not the case with this volume. A very enjoyable, interesting read.

At the end of the book is a dictionary/pronunciation guide for many of the Cherokee words used in the book. I wish I had found that before reading the stories, it would have helped to understand some situations a little better. I also would have liked to spend more time viewing the family tree as I was reading. I believe this would have helped me feel the familial connection stronger than I did in each story.

This was a unique book in so many ways for me. First, the format: the pages were a blend of standard black font on white page, plus white font on black pages. These mixed with two-page spreads that introduced the next story, with illustrations done in white against the black. It was so cool, both the blend of pages and the creative, almost title-card style presenting the next story.

Second, I'm usually annoyed at family trees at the start of books; they're often unnecessary or over-complicated to understand anyways. This one was different; the different stories follow different generations of the same family, so that tree was helpful and tying it all together. But there's another chilling aspect to including it: in a horror anthology, you can't help but wonder at the branches of the tree that end with no offspring stemming from them.

Third, the use of an anthology to explore a linear timeline of inter-generational trauma, particularly that of an Indigenous family, was an excellent choice. I understand the various stories were submitted to different publications at some points, but tying them all together like this was to great effect for me as a reader. Ama was an amazing character and a somber thread to tie together two centuries of lineage complicated by racism, domestic and male violence, and apocalyptic plagues.

And lastly, the stories were all equally intriguing but varied widely from creature features, to ghost stories, to sad teen tragedies, to a modern setting in an era of regular school shootings, to a zombie apocalypse. I highly recommend reading every story, in order, for full effect.

Jeff Edwards' artwork was a fantastic inclusion to flesh out the stories. The growing Indigenous horror genre is amazing.

This was a great October read, just the right amount of creepiness for me. I thought the balance of supernatural and more realistic horror was really well done, and the circularity of the stories felt very fitting. The family thread running through the book worked well also, enough to make me want to re-read the stories just to retrace the pattern. The illustrations are really beautiful and I enjoyed seeing how they would fit in with each story. Altogether, a well-written collection with a strong concept.

A lot of incredibly intriguing stories in the set about a family's intergenerational trauma! My favorites were Me and My Monster, Maria Most Likely, and An Old Fashioned Girl, although many of them were quite strong. At times disappointing, but good. 3.5 stars. Tysm for the arc.

Far deeper than your conventional horror book can sometimes be, this book sinks its claws into the very real and very visceral fears in our reality. The bloody histories and the current chainlink effects of that sordid past - all are on display in this collection. It warrants a true deeper look and yet doesn’t get caught up in its larger narrative that each turn of the page feels heavy. It’s still a very entertaining read. Wonderful use of the genre and display of how to elevate it.

I loved how while each story in this book was completely different creatures and vibes; the family tree is also intertwined throughout. I particularly enjoyed Ama showing up in such a meaningful way in the last couple stories.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy!

Thank you for the ARC

This was such a wild ride, and a fun story that crosses such a long period of time, and still uses horror and trauma to tell the story of a family. Supernatural elements laced with a family epic.

This powerful collection of stories follows a Cherokee family across generations as they encounter monsters both human and nonhuman. Like other indigenous horror I've read, the human monsters, who are racist, misogynistic, and ableist, are often more terrifying and threatening than the otherworldly creatures. A small handful of stories felt incomplete, like the plot was unresolved and the narrative ended too early. Some stories tied into each other, which helped with this. I'm looking forward to reading more of Rogers' and Edwards' work - hopefully they'll continue to create collaborative projects that fuse together Cherokee culture and language.

I struggle to connect with short stories and anthologies and this was no different. I liked some of the stories more while others I simply did not connect with. I always give an anthology a chance though because it gives the author so much room for variation.

This is a wonderful anthology. Thank you to all of the indigenous authors who shared you words, stories, and culture with us. There were many stories that I wanted more from, a fleshed out novel, and I was a little surprised by how strongly I was pulled into these short stories. Five Stars!

I really enjoyed this book! It's a collection of short stories that span over generations following the same Indian tribe and it mixes in Indian folklore with horror themes and monsters from werewolves and Frankenstein to vampires and spirits. The illustrations were a nice addition and added to each story. As someone who loves creature features/monster of the week type of formatting, this collection of stories with an overarching storyline was right up my alley. While some stories were scarier than others, as a whole this book really did pack a punch and filled my little horror-loving heart with so much happiness. Highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley, Andrea L Rogers and Levine Querido for the eArc of Man Made Monsters.

I sometimes find with a collection of short stories, I can disengage with some of the narratives. This did not happen when I read/listened to this at all. I really enjoyed the overall medium/faced paced with these stories from authors who Ive read books before in the horror genre. Some of them left me wondering about the ending as they were more speculative, where others were a bit more gory/spooky. I also enjoyed the overall multicultural feel of these stories and even googled the Cherokee Tribe which is mentioned a fair few times.

I also listened to some of these stories via audiobook. The stories were narrated by DeLanna Studi, Lane Factor and both bought the stories to another great dimension. A pleasure to listen to their voices.

4 stars

Man Made Monsters by Andrea L. Rogers presents an intriguing blend of horror and speculative fiction. The narrative delves into themes of identity and transformation, offering a unique perspective on the monstrous. While some moments are compelling, the pacing can feel uneven at times. Overall, it’s a thought-provoking read that challenges the boundaries of traditional monster tales.

I really enjoyed this collection of stories. With elements of the paranormal, folklore, Cherokee heritage and culture, and a long timeline, each of these stories could really stand alone. The fact that these all interconnect while sounding like each is from a different time period and from a completely different voice is a huge feat that Rogers was able to accomplish very well.