Orphans of Bliss

Addiction is a subject horrific enough in and of itself. Certainly enough to warrant an anthology. Three anthologies in fact, of which this is the last one and the only one I’ve read. And it’s a powerhouse of one. Story after story hammers in the nightmare of deadly dependency and deleterious desire that is addiction.
These tales are viscerally disturbing but do remain on the literary side of speculative fiction in writing quality.
The lineup is pretty awesome, lots of easily recognizable names.
My favorites were the stories by Burke and Taff (absolutely stunning and mesmerizingly disturbing). The least favorite the one by Iglecias (that just read like someone wanted to hit every check on the socially conscious and woke list, pandering and moralizing).
Overall, a great read. A journey into the darkness well worth taking…if you dare. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

These tales are viscerally disturbing but do remain on the literary side of speculative fiction in writing quality.
The lineup is pretty awesome, lots of easily recognizable names.
My favorites were the stories by Burke and Taff (absolutely stunning and mesmerizingly disturbing). The least favorite the one by Iglecias (that just read like someone wanted to hit every check on the socially conscious and woke list, pandering and moralizing).

But it is Christa Carmen’s heartbreakingly honest look at “recovery” that is the star here, a story that is sure to end up on many speculative fiction year-end award lists. All ten are compelling Horror stories on their own, but gathered together, they hold a power, one that will break readers, opening their eyes to a truth we are all facing, something that only the very best Horror is capable of.

This is the third book in this series and all of them have been excellent. This one, I believe, is my favorite. A lot of great authors. Every story is brilliant. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARC.

I always find it hard to rate short story collections, and this one is no exception. There were some stories that I absolutely loved and that’ll probably stay with me for quite some time, and then there were some that didn’t capture me as much. Overall, I really enjoyed this book though, and I really want to check out the other books in this series.
The thing I liked most about this book is probably that the stories are so diverse. They all shock you in a way, but in different ways. The stories that I personally liked best would have to be One Last Blast (S.A. Cosby), Huddled Masses, Yearning to Breathe free (John FD Taff), and Buyer’s Remorse (Samantha Kolesnik).

Overall, this was a great book, and I’d definitely recommend checking it out if you’re at all interested in horror stories.

This book was .. something else. Each one of this stories is unique, horrifying and ultimately.. sad. The really nightmare-ish but truly vivid portrayals of orphans of bliss. My personal favorite is 'Through the Looking Glass and Straight Into Hell' by Christa Carmen , i was <b>shocked</b> at the ending . I loved all the other stories but that one personally left a mark on me. Overall, this was an enjoyable, truly interesting and well-written book. The only thing that i didn't like is that the text on my kindle appeared on the left side of the screen so half of the right side was empty but i'm sure it's just some formatting error ( and if it's not and the book is just formatted that way, i'm sorry but i just think it's frustrating ).

Mark Matthews returns with the third anthology of addiction based horror stories and much like the first two, Matthews has enlisted a stellar group of writers who you know will deliver phenomenal stories.

If you've not read either of the previous entries, no worries, these are not connected in that sense (although Kealan Patrick Burke's stories in each one are set in the same world), so you can dive in and not have read the other two. Saying that, you really should as the work featured within is always haunting, heart breaking and captivating.

With 'Orphans of Bliss' I found the level of storytelling to be lights out. Amazing from start to finish.

What I liked: Each author within has very distinct ways of telling their stories and that works really well for the reader, as each piece feels fresh and nothing comes off as repetitive. I think one thing I really enjoyed was that there were only 10 stories. Lately many anthologies are nearing three times that amount and it can make for an uneven reading experience.

Not here.

Highlights for me were;
- 'You Wait For It, Like It Waits For You' by Kealan Patrick Burke. This one followed Sean, an addict who has done some horrific thing. His wife and kids have left him and he is in a recovery centre/hospital setting. But not all is how it seems and, as expected, Kealan gives us a haunting look at a mind that is struggling.
- 'One Last Blast' by S.A. Cosby. We get to follow Kenny Wayne, small town dealer of Meth and a new hot product Ice Man for an evening. Cosby crafted a short but unsettling story, one that was a blast to see unfold.
- 'What We Name Our Dead' by Cassandra Khaw. This starts off with just a devastating line and gets worse from there. I don't want to mention too much but wow did Khaw go dark.
- 'Through the Looking Glass and Straight Into Hell' by Christa Carmen. A really unique Sci-Fi mash up, we get a VR set up to help with addicts and some interesting ramifications from there.
- 'Holding On' by Gabino Iglesias. Another futuristic- Sci-Fi blended story, we follow Guillermo as he tries to find his friend and significant other who is pregnant. This was filled with action, creatures and some pointed social commentary. Really well done.

What I didn't like: While I did enjoy each story, some started off with really interesting premises and faded away, while a few were good but I just didn't connect with them like the others. Anthologies are always like that and readers will find stories they love more than others.

Why you should buy this: Matthews has once again given us an anthology that looks at how addiction can hook into a person and hold tight, while also sharing how that addiction affects them and those closest. The stories are filled with darkness, despair but also these wiggling ideas that pull the reader along.

Definitely an anthology you'll want to check out!

(This review will feature on Kendall Reviews near release date!)

An intense look at addiction through horror though not horror as in jump out and scare you but as in unnerve you for days after you've read it.
The best pieces, in my opinion were Yearning to Breathe free (John FD Taff), 'You Wait For It, Like It Waits For You' by Kealan Patrick Burke, and (surprisingly for me as someone who isn't into scifi horror) 'Through the Looking Glass and Straight Into Hell' by Christa Carmen.
That said, they were all good reads.
I think a reader would benefit from reading the first 2 anthologies in this series but it isn't necessary. All in all, excellent stories for the horror fan.

This is the third (and final) anthology of addiction horror edited by Mark Matthews, but my first. I want to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this read but that feels so inappropriate given the subject matter. Some stories were horrific; not the jump scare variety, but the type that gets under your skin. Many of the stories will be accompanying me for a while, whether I want them to or not.

You Wait For It, Like It Waits For You by Kealan Patrick Burke

Reality isn’t easily distinguishable for Sean, as the days pass in the room with no door.

“Do you know where you are?”
“Inside myself.”

One Last Blast by S.A. Cosby

Sometimes not even death can stop you from needing a fix.

“I … can … smell it.”

What We Name Our Dead by Cassandra Khaw

Eleanor returns to her childhood home, a place of fear and pain.

“Hurt changes you. Hurt stays. Hurt gnaws a nest for itself in the heart and stays burrowed there until you die.”

Huddled Masses, Yearning to Breathe Free by John F.D. Taff

Alan Denbrough is a collector. If you have trypophobia, you may want to skip this one.

“I don’t hoard so much as … collect. And yes, there’s a distinction.

Through the Looking Glass and Straight Into Hell by Christa Carmen

This rehab offers something different: virtual reality recovery simulation.

“What do you wish it would show you?”

Holding On by Gabino Iglesias

Guillermo needs to get Max and Alondra out of Section C before it’s too late.

“In Section C, nothing good ever happens at night.”

Buyer’s Remorse by Samantha Kolesnik

Sometimes the punishment fits the crime.

“Everything has a price”

A Solid Black Lighthouse on a Pier in the Cryptic by Josh Malerman

If you draw the attention of a witch in a bar, be prepared for the consequences.

“Drink and you are drunk.”

Singularity by Kathe Koja

We’re in space, but I was fairly lost. I may need to reread this one.

“You know you’ve never been wanted the way the dark wants you now.”

My Soul’s Bliss by Mark Matthews

We meet two addicts, whose lives had diverged, at a funeral.

“Because that’s what happens with certain moments. They imprint themselves on you and you can’t change them. They define you, become the hinge all your decisions swing upon.”

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began this anthology but out of ten stories, I came away with five favourites, those by Cassandra Khaw, John F.D. Taff, Christa Carmen, Josh Malerman and Mark Matthews.

Now I’m keen to read Garden of Fiends and Lullabies for Suffering.

Content warnings include mention of ableism, addiction, death by suicide, homophobia, mental health, physical abuse, racism and suicidal ideation. Readers with emetophobia, beware.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Wicked Run Press for the opportunity to read this anthology. I’m rounding up from 4.5 stars

“Addiction is inextricably linked with every subgenre of horror. Addiction is horror, and the history of horror is incomplete without addiction.”

I can’t get over how much I loved this collection. When the subject matter is so dark, is loved even the right word?

Orphans of Bliss: Tales of Addiction Horror is a collection of short horror stories by some of the best writers in the genre and edited by @mark_matthews_wickedrunpress. The third and final installment of the addiction horror anthology, each story is unique, wildly creative, and unrelentingly dark. The real life terrors of addiction blend with traditional horror themes to tell exquisite stories that I think about daily. I was thrilled to get a copy of this ARC from @netgalley, but am still blown away by how much it has impacted me. I’ve even struggled to write this review because I wasn’t sure how to do justice to such a difficult topic being executed so well.

From the beginning of the introduction to the end of the last story, Orphans of Bliss is worth your time. It is dark and heavy and triggers abound, but it will make you think and feel and stay with you for a long time, even if you’re not sure you want it to.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mark Matthews, Wicked Run Press and all of the contributing authors for the opportunity to experience these stories. I will definitely be picking up the first two collections.