Read 8/5/24

The more I read short story collections/anthologies by the same author, the more I realize I do enjoy them. It just has to be all the same author. Each and every one of these stories was different. Most had a common desert theme and also a strangely happy ending for stories so dark, but other than that, the stories were all very different and all very enjoyable.

Mystery Lights was such a great read. I loved the character development in each story and the writing was propulsive. I would read more from this author.

4.5 stars
WOW—what a phenomenal anthology! Mystery Lights by Lena Valencia is a captivating collection of stories that pulled me in from the very start. Typically, I find myself hit-or-miss with short stories, but this collection broke that pattern entirely. Each story's premise is unique and compelling, making it impossible to resist.

In this collection, we encounter an influencer who plots to sabotage a viral TV marketing campaign with the help of her violent cult following, a marriage between ghost hunters unravelling when one partner loses her ability to see spirits, and a famous painter whose life intersects with a teenage UFO enthusiast after a mysterious glowing orb appears in their small desert town. There's even a slasher-flick screenwriter looking for inspiration who finds herself trapped in an SUV with an unsettling stranger after escaping a pack of wild dogs.

Set primarily in the deserts of the American Southwest, each story expertly explores the tension between mundane daily life and existential dread, focusing on women and girls at life-changing crossroads.

Jess Nahikian's narration is superb and brings these stories to life. Her engaging performance kept me immersed, and I could not stop listening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved this collection and highly recommend it to horror fans and those who appreciate creepy, thought-provoking reads.

I loved this anthology. The literary style in the stories made the horror feel more subtle despite the situations being very viscerally terrifying.
The audiobook reader was perfect! Her tone was balanced. I love a female reader who reads at a mid register, rather than at one of the extremes.
Thank you Netgalley, the author, and publisher for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 ⭐

Very interesting collection of stories. Not quite what I was expecting, but I enjoyed the narrator and the writing style.

Lena Valencia's Mystery Lights is a captivating collection of speculative fiction and horror stories that expertly guides readers into strange, atmospheric worlds. Valencia's masterful use of setting is a standout feature, with vivid descriptions creating a palpable atmosphere that often takes center stage. The collection excels in its longer pieces, where Valencia's nuanced storytelling shines, allowing for deeper exploration of characters and situations. For audiobook listeners, Jess Nahikian's narration complements Valencia's writing perfectly, enhancing the uncanny atmosphere and building a sense of dread.
The overarching theme explores women and young girls navigating both supernatural and existential dangers. Standout stories include "Mystery Lights," "The White Place," "Trogloxene," "Vermilion," and "The Reclamation." These pieces showcase Valencia's skill in creating a cohesive collection that explores various forms of nightmares while maintaining a central theme. While her character work and thematic subtlety may not always reach the same heights as her atmospheric writing, the collection maintains a consistently high quality throughout.
Mystery Lights offers a haunting journey that will linger in readers' thoughts, appealing to fans of speculative fiction, horror, and atmospheric storytelling alike. Valencia's ability to craft immersive, often unsettling environments is particularly noteworthy, often overshadowing the human elements of the narratives. Despite minor shortcomings in character development and thematic depth, the collection succeeds in creating a memorable reading experience. It's a testament to Valencia's talent in weaving together a series of stories that explore the darker corners of imagination while maintaining a unified and engaging narrative thread.

1.5/5

Short story collection covering themes of womanhood and its pitfalls with horror vibes thought not particularly scary. I have to be very honest: I don't think this was good or groundbreaking in any form or shape. When it comes to anthologies, you need to be very mindful of what you're writing so that it can develop and have an impact in a short amount of pages and that wasn't the case here. So many of the stories meandered and slogged and when we finally got to the point, when there was some spark of a twist or a climax, the story ended and deflated abruptly. Most of them had zero memorable moments and the characters were nearly indistinguisable from one another.

In "Dogs" a woman alone on a walk gets followed by a pack of wild dogs and then, maybe, runs into something more dangerous... and yet nothing happens. Or in "Bright Lights, Big Deal" where our protagonist moves to New York, discovers the harsh realities of surviving as an adult in a big city, and nothing happens. Then there's "Reaper Ranch" which managed to be both boring and entirely predictable. I never felt any tension, I was never scared nor did I have to do much thinking. Whatever the author wanted to say with each tale was so obvious it demanded little to no brain power. The one that I enjoyed the most, which isn't saying a lot, was about a desert wellness retreat turned cult, but it was still as predictable as the others.

The advanced reader's copy I received was the audio version which was fine. I didn't love the narrator's tone and every male character sounded exactly the same, other than that it was serviceable enough. Props to the cover artist, that was what originally drew me in and probably my favorite part of this collection.

This was my first soirée into short stories but I was immediately intrigued by the premise of Mystery Lights. I did enjoy the book (and the audiobook narrator) as a whole, yet found some stories to be lacklustre. I was left feeling like I wanted *more* from some stories, especially those that started strong but fizzled out at the end.

Most of the horrors in these stories don’t come from the paranormal (aside the cave people!), rather from the mundane female experiences - grief, predatory behaviour, loss of identity etc. All relatable, thought provoking experiences which are disquieting to the reader. Valencia’s writing is strong, atmospheric and at times, almost surreal - I would definitely like to read more by her in the future.

3.5 ⭐️ based on my average rating for each of the stories in the book. Can we also take a minute to appreciate how pretty the cover art is, too?!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for a free advanced listener’s copy. I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Every drop of horror in this short story collection felt like a steady dribble into a cup that only hadn’t made a mess because the water tension was keeping everything inside. I loved how generally eerie every story was no matter how realistic the story was. The realistic horror was honestly the most interesting to me because it was just so mundane that it unsettled me.

I thought Jess Nahikian's narration was suited to the book and her slight raspy voice really added to the drama while her casual delivery made everything feel uncanny as tensions built in each story. Her delivery of emotion was great and really delivered the feeling of dread as thing started connecting for each individual point of view character.

A read that’s filled with ambiance and feels perfect for the end of summer. As a reader who falls for vibes every time, I couldn’t recommend it more. I don’t usually rate short story collections high because I tend to average out all the stories into one star rating, but this one’s theme was so strong, and the loose interconnectivity really skewed the average above my usual.

Rating: 2/5 stars

Drawn in by the dazzling cover and hooked by the idea of a short story collection dealing with the horrors of womanhood, I went into this debut collection with quite high expectations. Unfortunately, I was left feeling very underwhelmed by the content within.

Overall, there was a very consistent problem I found with all of the stories within this collection: there’s a lot of emphasis on “vibes”, and the “esthetic”, and using well-known horror-tropes to bring a message across. The issue is: there is no original or worthwhile message to be found at the end of them... These are pretty packages filled with nothing but packing-peanuts in book form… They seemingly build up to something, only to flicker out like a candle at the end, adding nothing to the already existing canon of horror (or feminist lit-fic) relying on the same tropes.
That isn’t to say that there isn’t a clear message behind them: the author has clear feminist ideas she attempts to bring across, as you will see in some of the premises for the individual stories. Unfortunately, none of them are creative, and many are so on the nose that they missed the mark for me.

Individual ratings of the 10 stories below. Beware slight spoilers as to their premises:

- Dogs: 2/5 stars
A woman is chased by a pack of predatory “dogs”. A metaphor that it’s só on the nose, that I struggled to focus on the actual story. Also on a personal note: I’m truly sick of the unnuanced trope of “all men are disgusting dogs” in feminist fiction. There’s so much more to discuss than that…

- You Can Never Be Too Sure: 2/5 stars
Female college student is trapped in her dorm by a storm, as an urban legend about a Boogeyman, said to prey on young women, makes the rounds… And nothing happens…

- Mystery Lights: 3.5/5
A company uses mystery lights in the sky to promote the reboot of their latest TV-show. This one had a lot to say about female rage and mother-daughter-dynamics. Interesting, if a bit too short to explore the themes in depth.

- The White Places: 1/5 stars
This one completely blended together with the previous one to the point where I initially missed the transition from one story to the next, because my mind wandered. Utterly unmemorable and didn’t go anywhere.

- Bright Lights, Big Deal: 2/5 stars
Woman gets disillusioned by the dark side of “glamorous New-York-life”, capitalism, etc. You’ve read this one before…

- Trogloxene: 2/5 stars
Young girl returns home after being trapped in a cave-system for 8 days. She returns different in disturbing ways…
Cool concept, some interesting visuals, but again: you’ve read this before, ánd better.

- Reclamation: 4/5 stars
A desert-wellness retreat turns cultish… a classic take on the wellness-horror-subgenre that has been taking flight lately. Reminded me a lot of Death Valley in terms of vibes. Probably my favourite of the collection.

- Clean Hunters: 1/5 stars
Again: utterly unmemorable…

- Reaper Ranch: 1/5 stars
A very anemic take on the nursing-home-horror-trope. Perhaps it’s my aversion to the popular use of this trope as a medical professional, but this one did felt very cheap and shallow to me.

- Vermillion: 2/5 stars
Feels like somewhat of a follow-up to Trogloxene, but because of the break between the two, I felt disconnected from both. I would’ve preferred to be unrelated, or be part of an extended novella/longer story.

Many thanks to Tin House Books and Dreamhouse Media for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I found this collection luke warm. … nothing too scary, nothing very memorable yet the writing was quite captivating. I am a HUGE fan of short stories; the stranger the better so I gave every story a fair shot at blowing me away but unfortunately, that just didn’t happen. I feel like this author could give us a PRIMO unhinged sad girl novel one day though.

Social Media links to come…

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for the early audiobook of Mystery Lights!

Am I a short story girly? Not really. Was I drawn in by this cover? Absolutely.

I had no clue what I was getting into when starting Mystery Lights, but I’m so glad that I did. As per usual in a collection, not every story is a solid five star — however, for me — there was no bad story in this one. It explores several topics, introduces us to different forms of nightmares & ties it together with the focal point being about women & young girls navigating danger — both supernatural and existential.

The audiobook was a pretty solid way to read this one & I got through it fairly quick. I’ve seen several reviews mention that it would have been better with more than one narrator to help separate the voices of each story, but for me, it worked just fine with the one narrator.

Oof. I was really looking forward to this "feminist horror" anthology. But ... pretty much every character was unlikable ... there was no real horror to be found, outside of the banal ... and the feminism? Angela Carter had more biting commentary back in 1979! The number of sexist tropes astounded me, to be frank. Moms fighting daughters over men? Please! I could let some of this slide if anything had gripped me or piqued my curiosity ... but aside from the excellent narration and wicked cover, it was all flat to me. The only memorable story was the first ... and it was a little too on the nose ... but a glimmer of fear did touch my heart. Dogs and dogs.

Unfortunately, MYSTERY LIGHTS lost me quite quickly and was not able to hold my attention. I typically always finish books I have for review, even when I'm not completing vibing with them, but in this case I consider my DNF a kindness - if I had continued reading, I would be on a collision course for a 1-star read, and that helps no one.

Love the desert, southwest vibes. The narrator was great. I was eager to get to the next story. A few stood out to me. Very creepy. I can’t wait to recommend to some book friends.

Thank you NetGalley for another ARC,


Mystery Nights, by Lena Valencia, was on my radar for quite some time, and even though I’m not very fond of short stories collections I was excited to read this one. The problem, for me at least, is that short story collections are always hit-and-miss for me, some stories are 10/10, others are so bad and boring that it hurts reading it, lucky for me Mystery Nights was different.

None of the short stories were life favorites, but most stories were enjoyable. Excellent job from Jess Nahikian, the narrator.

Thank you NetGalley for another ARC,


Mystery Nights, by Lena Valencia, was on my radar for quite some time, and even though I’m not very fond of short stories collections I was excited to read this one. The problem, for me at least, is that short story collections are always hit-and-miss for me, some stories are 10/10, others are so bad and boring that it hurts reading it, lucky for me Mystery Nights was different.

None of the short stories were life favorites, but most stories were enjoyable.

Lena Valencia has crafted a wonderful short story collection in Mystery Lights. I absolutely loved this! The cover intrigued me as well as the description of being about women navigating dangers both existential and supernatural. I detected a theme of loneliness through all the stories, which made all of the characters a bit more relatable. I think any woman listening or reading this could find solace in these stories. I felt that all the stories were very well-written. Many short-story collections I have read include more fluff and I'm so glad Valencia's was all high-quality. My favorites from this collection included 'The Reclamation,' 'Bright Lights, Big Deal,' and 'Reaper Ranch.'

The narration by Jess Nahikian was highly enjoyable. The only critique would be that with short stories I think having two narrators to help distinguish between stories would be helpful. I took me a bit longer to listen to than normal because I needed to mentally disconnect the voice from the previous story versus listening all the way through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, the author Lena Valencia, and the narrator Jess Nahikian, for an ALC of Mystery Lights in exchange for an honest review!

As a recent first-time resident of Arizona, this story collection screamed at me. The author did a wonderful job of creating these tiny worlds in each story, and I really liked how she connected a previous story to a later one in the collection. This would have been a five-star rating for me if every episode had me feeling like I did during “Dogs” because why would she get in that car?!

Thank you Netgalley, House Books, and Lena Valencia for an ARC.

From the very first page, "Mystery Lights" by Lena Valencia captivated me with its enchanting prose and atmospheric storytelling. Valencia's writing is nothing short of brilliant, weaving together intricate plots and vivid settings that transport you into the heart of each story. The atmosphere she creates is both haunting and mesmerizing, with an underlying sense of mystery that lingers long after you've finished reading.

Valencia's ability to lure readers into her narratives is unparalleled. Each story unfolds with a masterful blend of suspense and lyrical beauty, making it impossible to put the book down. Her characters are richly drawn and deeply human, each with their own unique voice and perspective. You feel their emotions, their fears, and their hopes as if they were your own.

What truly sets "Mystery Lights" apart is Valencia's exquisite writing. Her descriptions are lush and evocative, painting pictures that are both vivid and dreamlike. She has a knack for capturing the small, seemingly insignificant details that bring a scene to life, making her stories feel both intimate and expansive.

In "Mystery Lights," Lena Valencia has crafted a collection that is both thought-provoking and deeply immersive. Her stories stay with you, drawing you back into their world even after the last page is turned. This is a book that will appeal to anyone who loves beautifully written, atmospheric fiction. A true masterpiece.