I love collections of short stories, and this one hit. From the opening piece that struck at my fears as a parent, to a weird little tale about eating disorders, I was captivated from the opening sequence. Some stories did more for me than others, as is apt to happen with a collection. For instance, the story that personified depression was a really good read, but won't necessarily stick with me as much as some the stories later in the book. I devoured this all in a few days, and am definitely looking to read more from this author moving forward. If you want a collection that you can go to for quick hits of moody horror, this one is it.

Such a variety of original horror stories. Each one has its own dread inducing, haunting, weird, occult, psychedelic or cosmic sci-fi horror. My favorite stories are The cool kids, Step inside, One lie for one soul, Black metal in a White room and Hag stone. The absolute best story in this collection for me is "I pull my blanket up tight beneath my chin". I only strongly disliked The dangerous of Ill-prepared shellfish 1 star. And I dnf-ed two of the stories - Juliet, Juliet and All the parts of a mermaid that I can recall. I can compare some of these stories to the works of Bora Chung. Strongly recommend and the cover is absolutely amazing. 4.5 stars, just because there were 2 dnf’s, but my overall experience was amazing. One of the best short stories collections I’ve read this year. My individual ratings are as follows:
Step inside 5, No place like home 4, We still don't use the garage 2.5, Circle 4, Sick girl 3, A piece missing 3.5, Juliet, Juliet DNF, Neon Fly 4, It started with placental encapsulation 3, The dangerous of Ill-prepared shellfish 1, The beauty parlor 4.5, The cool kids 5, Cosmic spin class 3, Laborers wanted 2, All the parts of mermaid DNF, Every cloud 4, I pull my blanket up tight beneath my chin 5, One lie for one soul 4.5, How to read a woman 4, Black metal in a White room 5, In his memory 4.5, Hag stone 5, Christingle Service 4.5
Thank you to NetGally and Brigids Gate Press for the ARC.

Here's an edited version of your review with added details:

---

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. "Sick Girls Screams" is an unsettling and unique collection of short stories that delves into a variety of disturbing themes. Each tale offers a distinct brand of horror, blending the strange with the macabre. I found myself captivated by the author’s distinctive writing style, which drew me in from the first page. Despite the overall engaging quality, there were a few stories that didn’t resonate with me, while others left me ambivalent. Nevertheless, the book’s originality and the author's ability to craft eerie, immersive narratives make it worth a read. If you're intrigued by unconventional horror and enjoy exploring diverse, unsettling tales, I’d recommend giving this collection a try. 4 stars.

-Max

I got this for review on netgally.

It's ab collection of stories and some really worked for me. It was an interesting read with some being a bit disturbing and strange. Don't think I have read from this author before but definitely like the writing style and the ideas. Would read from this author again.

OMG! I binged this book yesterday. I loved this collection of stories. I write horror stories also and I appreciated how personal, weird and heartbreaking these stories were. Really solid collection. I look forward to reading more by SJ Townend who after I checked her website was excited to see that a novel is coming soon.