I thought this horror anthology worked really well because there were such different takes on it. The writers really found ways to take advantage of the theme while offering original stories in different places and times that had elements of suspense and horror.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

3.5

Anthologies have always been hit or miss with me, but with the premise behind this collection, I thought this one would be a hit. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't.

When rating anthologies, I rate each individual story and then average out the rating. It came out to around 3.3, but I rounded up where I could give half ratings, down where I couldn't.

There were a good amount of stories that, had they been short stories published on their own, I would have easily given 4.5 - 5.0 stars to, but too many were 3.0 or below to warrant the higher overall rating for this anthology.

Some stories just ended, right in the middle of action. Some clearly weren't as fleshed out as others. Those that I enjoyed had everything fully fleshed out and made sense within the world they built, even if the ending wasn't always satisfying.

I think this can be enjoyable to people, it just wasn't, overall, for me.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for allowing me to read this eARC.

This horror anthology showcases an array of cultures, providing a diverse reading experience. It is a compelling collection that exploits its eerie premise, investigating haunted, cursed, and strange locations across the globe.

The Map of Lost Places is an anthology that thrives on its eerie premise, exploring haunted, cursed, and otherwise strange locations across the world. The diversity of voices and settings—from haunted forests to mind-bending virtual realms—makes this collection intriguing, even if not every story lands perfectly. Some are downright chilling, while others felt like fever dreams, leaving me scratching my head. It's a solid mix of folklore, horror, and unexpected twists, but not every story will hit the mark for every reader. Overall, a fun read for those who like their horror with a side of the unknown.

This diverse horror collection offers something for everyone, showcasing a wide range of cultures. While well-written, some stories tend to drag. Standout favorites include:

“Blood in Coldwater”-Damian Darrell Jerry
“Silverheels”-Rebecca E. Treasure
“All Praise the Durians”-Joshua Lim
“The Salt”-Lavie Tidhar & Nir Yaniv
“The Promised Void”-Dimitra Nikolaidou

Thank you for this arc! Overall, I think the story theme was great. Anthologies lately have struggled with this but it was pretty clear right off the bat that it was going to work with this collection. As with most anthologies, there were some good ones and some weaker ones. I think this was one of the better anthologies I read over the past 12 months.
Great work!

I received an advanced copy through NetGalley.

I felt very mixed about these stories as a whole. Most of them I liked a lot, the environment was really interesting as was the way that the characters interacted with it. However, there were some where I felt that the environment was a little loser or not developed as well as others. There were also some where the story just ended not in a satisfying way. This story collection isn’t focused on happy ending which is fine but some of the stories just seemed to stop instead of ending.

Overall, I thought that the stories were overall interesting though some were a little long and lack-luster.

First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advance copy of this book.

I've read anthologies before and I have to say this may be my least favorite. I loved the diversity of the stories, coming from different places, cultures, and time periods. Some of them were really well done and a few gave me some goosebumps. Unfortunately, several fell flat for me and there were even a few that I just really didn't understand in the end. I had no idea what the author was trying to convey in the story and didn't feel like I'd gained anything by reading their story.

All in all, not a bad anthology. Somewhere around 3-3.5 out of 5. I'd definitely recommend if you enjoy short story anthologies with a more creepy horror/mystery vibe.

Deliciously haunting, The Map of Lost Places, takes the reader on a road trip across a forbidden landscape of the world.

As far as anthologies go, The Map of Lost Places has been one of the better ones that I’ve read. Being themed definitely helped knit this one together, and what a fantastically spooky theme it is! (Sidenote: love the “A Guide to Finding Evil” tagline on the cover.) So, if it’s not obvious already, the cover and the description really sold me on giving this one a try. The introduction to the conception of the anthology gave a nice greeting, while giving the reader a roadmap of what to expect. “Surrender to the map this book provides” indeed.

Anthologies are always hit and miss. When books bring a number of different authors together, there’s always going to be segments that don’t quite click with every reader. But things this anthology does in particular that really work? I loved the mixing of background and ethnicities. The authors are from all over the world, and that really shines through in this book. Each story is set in a different location around the world (and some otherworldly ones as well). The editors did a great job in their selections, giving the reader a taste of a variety of different cultures, superstitions, and fears. The fact that three of the twenty-ish stories primarily featured salt in such contrasting ways really shows the diversity and breadth of the pieces.

I loved that each story began with the location and population; it really grounded the reader, firmly shutting the door on the last piece to bring them into an entirely new space. And my personal favorites? “Girlboss in Wonderland, USA”, “All Praise the Durians”, and “Notes Toward a History of LeHorn’s Hollow”, just for the record.

The things that didn’t quite work in this anthology? Like I said, some stories were just a miss for me. In fact, I found a lot of them to not be particularly scary. Most of them did follow the theme of unexpected or unexplained places, but I really lost the plot in some of them. I’m not going to discredit those particular stories as it’s entirely possible I didn’t pay enough attention because they just didn’t resonate with me. Some stories I wanted more from, some I wanted less, but overall, I was really looking for a lot more scares than I received. Even my favorites? Not particularly up there in the horror department.

Overall, this book wasn’t a miss for me. I stories that I liked inside, I really liked, and there were plenty more than just the three I listed here, those were just the ones that stuck out the most for me. It’s definitely worth a read, especially if you want some bite-sized exposure to new authors or area folklore.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this novel

I was excited to read this novel because I am a pretty big fan of horror stories and anthologies. Obviously there are always going to be some stories that are going to be bigger than others. That is the nature of anthologies. This one however I was struggling to find a story the stood out. I felt each story was flat and didn't have anything that made me want to continue reading.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it had that element that I was looking for from the description. The overall feel worked with the horror genre, and each story worked well overall in this universe. Each author worked well overall and was glad I was able to read this.

This was great! Lots of short, intense stories, to enjoy again and again. I've never heard of any of the authors, but took a chance that at least there would be a few interesting tales. Pleasantly surprised that every story I read was worth the read! I haven't finished the book as yet, but intend to! Fantasy lovers are going to love this collection! I look forward to discovering new work by the authors.

This anthology takes readers on a strange trip around the world (and further) to explore some of the creepiest and most unsettling corners, from ghost towns and murderous forests to mind-bending houses and virtual hellscapes.

The diversity of locations represented is fantastic, and I enjoyed discovering new, wonderful places. The stories themselves were well varied, however there were some repeating themes among the stories - cosmic horror, religious/cult origins and revenge motifs all feature heavily. A few of the stories were a bit too fever dream-esque for me, I had trouble following them, but most were interesting and engaging.

Some standout stories for me:

- Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA, Vivian Chau - A really solid start to the book, capturing a strong sense of place and delivering a cleverly crafted commentary.

- Three Ways to Break You, Beth Dawkins- I loved the unique premise, and it felt like there could be more great stories here.

- All Praise the Durians, Joshua Lim - Just a fun story!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Well, like a lot of anthologies, some worked and some didn’t. My favorites were:

- Girlboss in Wonderworld, USA
- Three Ways to Break You
- All Praise the Durians
- Development/Hell
- Inviting the Hollow Bones

I absolutely LOVED Development/Hell by Samit Basu. It was such a cool concept and I could have followed the rabbit hole of horror layers down and down. Someone give me this movie now! I added a whole star just for this one.

Overall it was a fun read and some were genuinely unsettling

I loved the concept of this book, and knew that I needed to read it. Some of the stories I loved, some where okay, and some didn't really resonate with me. My favorites were the ones that seemed more like local folklore. The diversity of where the stories came from was fantastic. It felt like true lost stories around the world. I would still recommend it to others because you can skip around and read the stories that work for you. I'd say this is for fans of folklore, Black Mirror, horror stories, and science fiction.

Thank you Netgalley, all the authors, and the publishers for this EARC.

The Map of Lost Places is an anthology about different places that are haunted or cursed by ghosts, gods or other things. These are place that people fear to go to and yet go to the places anyway. It sounds like a really good idea for anthology...

And yet I couldn't into this book. I read a few stories and realized...I was not enjoying this book at all. I tried others and just couldn't get into them. The stories felt way too long and over descriptive. Some of the stories didn't really seem to go anywhere. I had never heard of most of the writers and didn't know what to expect. The writers seemed to have similar writing styles and none of them grabbed me and wouldn't let go. The Map of Lost Places lost me quickly.

It just goes to show that you never know. You may think a book is "for you" and then it turns out to be something you can't get into. I've had this happen a few times while reviewing. Its more of a matter of "taste" and less of a matter of "this is bad". I don't think The Map of Lost Places is bad. I don't think any of the books I've attempted to review are bad. I just think they are not for me. Its impossible to keep reading a book after you realize its "not for me". You feel your attention wander and you want to be reading something else.

As always, I appreciate Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book early. I'm sorry it wasn't for me. I think will find an audience though. There are some interesting concepts in there for sure.

The Map of Lost Places will release April 22nd, 2025. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for providing a early digital copy for review.

“In the end, we all become stories.”

The Map of Lost Places is a short story collection featuring tales of off the beaten path locations and what you might find there. It’s full of surprises and twists and will keep you entertained. They are long enough to have some substance but short enough to keep your attention for a quick read.

Recommended if you like: mystery/thrillers, science fiction, short story anthologies

I like to consider myself a connoisseur of short story collections, and I particularly enjoyed this one! It was eerie and enticing and the writing styles of the various stories blended together very well. Some of the stories were more captivating than others (I particularly loved the first few stories)--but overall, a great collection.

prettty well done set of short stories that i liked in general. i wouldn't say that they're all good, but i'd give it a probable 3.5. tysm for the arc.