by Hailey Piper
13 story anthology
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thirteen stories, a natural choice for a horror anthology. Each story features teenagers in some way. Most feature teenage girls fighting back for dignity, respect, bodily autonomy, and (in the case of our final story which is almost half the page count) their own survival against Benny Rose the Cannibal King. I don’t do cannibals usually, they are one of my nope out points usually. And I almost didn’t make it on this final story; but I wanted to know how it ended and I’m glad I made it there.
Each of these stories is worth a read. Some I liked more than others, a few were more polished (those previously published in other anthologies had a slightly different narrative voice perhaps because of editors or based on time of writing. Hailey Piper does what she does best here and creates mood, atmosphere, chills, and thrills that keep the pages turning.
I’m hoping to convince my husband to read the last story of Benny Rose as it is very well done. I could see it being a horror movie (albeit one that might be too much for me); but one that many would love to cheer on our teens and be horrified along with them as the backstory and realities come to the surface and are undone.
I myself was a menace and awful teen girl. I have often wondered if I had more supports or actual loyal friends if I could have weathered those rough years better. In the end though I’m glad for each moment as I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am today, without each pain staking teenage event playing out exactly as it did. I do agree with Piper on one more important thing: teenage girls are demons. Whether to one another, themselves, or other monsters they are not humans to be take lightly and we should try to offer them more supports as their bodies bleed and weep for the first of many times to come.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Thirteen stories, a natural choice for a horror anthology. Each story features teenagers in some way. Most feature teenage girls fighting back for dignity, respect, bodily autonomy, and (in the case of our final story which is almost half the page count) their own survival against Benny Rose the Cannibal King. I don’t do cannibals usually, they are one of my nope out points usually. And I almost didn’t make it on this final story; but I wanted to know how it ended and I’m glad I made it there.
Each of these stories is worth a read. Some I liked more than others, a few were more polished (those previously published in other anthologies had a slightly different narrative voice perhaps because of editors or based on time of writing. Hailey Piper does what she does best here and creates mood, atmosphere, chills, and thrills that keep the pages turning.
I’m hoping to convince my husband to read the last story of Benny Rose as it is very well done. I could see it being a horror movie (albeit one that might be too much for me); but one that many would love to cheer on our teens and be horrified along with them as the backstory and realities come to the surface and are undone.
I myself was a menace and awful teen girl. I have often wondered if I had more supports or actual loyal friends if I could have weathered those rough years better. In the end though I’m glad for each moment as I wouldn’t be where I am, or who I am today, without each pain staking teenage event playing out exactly as it did. I do agree with Piper on one more important thing: teenage girls are demons. Whether to one another, themselves, or other monsters they are not humans to be take lightly and we should try to offer them more supports as their bodies bleed and weep for the first of many times to come.
Please note: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is an honest and unbiased review.
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