Dark Hearts Tales of Twisted Love

Heartbreak. Obsession. Grief. Jealousy. Love can turn tainted, even cruel. Dark Hearts: Tales of Twisted Love is a collection of twenty horrifying stories about love turned sinister. These established and debut authors aren't afraid to examine difficult subjects, or dip into the darker recesses of human emotion, in stories that are original, unexpected, and thought-provoking.The collection begins with a woman who attempts to design her ideal mate (Dearly Devoted) and ends with an unrequited love that lasts beyond the grave (The House by the Sea). In between, you'll find breakups (Sister Smoke), stalkers (Charming), abusive husbands (The Echo) and cult followers (The Bloom). You will discover macabre taxidermists (One for Sorrow), obsessive lepidopterists (The Butterfly Collector), and furious harpies (Lilac Wine).For those who enjoy the supernatural, there are witches (Everything She's Looking For) vengeful ghosts (Rosalba), and jealous vampires (The Dark Gift). And while some of the stories are poetic and lyrical (Fade Into You), others are blackly humorous (Bumped, White Noise).Queer love stories abound, including Sweet Roots and The Follower, and the volume is not restricted to romantic love, either. Superstitious deals with a mother's love, while The Loveliest Corpse shows the other side of the coin, and Hold Your Sister Until You Can't Anymore showcases sibling affection under bleak circumstances.One thing is for certain: after reading these stories you'll find yourself looking at love in an entirely different light.Contributors: Adam Down, Allison Floyd, Andrew Joseph White, Antonia Ward, Ashley Van Elswyk, Caitlin Marceau, Cara Mast, C.M. Lowry, Emma Kathryn, Jelena Dunato, Jenna Junior, Joshua Robinson, Julie Sevens, Kelly Piner, Lindz McLeod, Matias Travieso-Diaz, Meg Sipos, Paige Johnson, Shannon Scott, Simone le Ro