Name: Slasher Girls & Monster Boys
ISBN: 9780698171015

April Genevieve Tucholke

For fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, American Horror Story and The Walking Dead comes a powerhouse anthology featuring some of the best thriller and horror writers in YA A host of the sharpest young adult authors come together in this collection of terrifying tales and psychological thrillers. Each author draws from a mix of literature, film, television, and music to create something new and fresh and unsettling. Clever readers will love teasing out the references and can satisfy their curiosity at the end of each tale, where the inspiration is revealed. There are no superficial scares here; these are stories that will make you think even as they keep you on the edge of your seat. From blood horror, to the supernatural, to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, this collection has something for anyone looking for an absolute thrill. Stefan Bachmann Leigh Bardugo Kendare Blake A. G. Howard Jay Kristoff Marie Lu Jonathan Maberry Danielle Paige Carrie Ryan Megan Shepherd Nova Ren Suma McCormick Templeman April Genevieve Tucholke Cat Winters

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

kelsey

they wanted the safe answer. the one that allowed them to fall asleep to the promise of dreams. the one that reassured them that all monsters are filled with darkness.

Denaiir

I read this anthology to be in the mood for Halloween and it totally delivered! It also made me want to get more into horror, but I think for horror the short story format works best for me, so I'll probably be looking for other short story collections. 

The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma - 3.5 stars

This was a very atmospheric, creepy story which had a 50's feel to it. I thought it was quite an original story too. It really made me think of the 2 works that inspired it, Rear Window and The Birds.

In The Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan - 5 stars

My favorite of the whole book, it surprised me so much as the plot was unraveling! I've never read anything by Carrie Ryan, but I'll definitely check her other works. I don't care for Alice in Wonderland normally, and I've read some really shitty horror-type retellings of it, but this one was amazingly creepy, it played on all the details from the original story that could feel weird and horrifying, and I loved the main character and the March Hare, which was quite scary. 

Emmeline by Cat Winters - 2 stars

I didn't care for that one that much, it was not very original, I predicted the ending easily and didn't like the atmosphere or characters that much.

Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo - 3 stars

It was ok, I didn't necessarily care for the characters or the setting, and the ending was kind of rushed. 

Hide and Seek by Megan Shepherd - 4 stars

I liked that this one was referring to local folklore, but I didn't care for the main character that much so it was ok but nothing special. I liked the ending though, smart girl!

The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Paige - 3.5 stars

I liked the beginning of this one and the main character, but found the ending unsatisfying. (view spoiler)[I would have liked more "embracing the dark side" finish. (hide spoiler)]

The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke - 5 stars

I loved April Genevieve Tucholke's writing style, it was eerie and kind of sad, it created an amazing atmosphere. I loved the character of Canary and the ending was very satisfying.

Fat Girl with a Knife by Jonathan Maberry - 4.5 stars

I really enjoyed the main character in this one, how she didn't let anyone give her shit and was always getting revenge. Very strong female! And the plot was a lot of fun

Sleepless by Jay Kristoff - 3 stars

I almost gave up on this one because it was all written in chatroom mode and I hated it, the "ICU" and "wer RU". So I skipped all that portion of the story and basically got directly to the double twist, which was awesome and that I didn't see coming at all! I just wish he had written in in proper English because it was just too irritating to read, I couldn't.

M by Steven Bachman - 2 stars

I was absolutely not interested in this one, which had no fantastic element except for those unseen children singing rhymes. It was boring and I don't think it fits very well in this collection.

The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu - 2 stars

You know how sometimes you love a book by an author, and all their other books don't match it and it makes you sad? That's my Marie Lu experience, I'm disppointed every time and it makes me so sad... I hated the main character (which was the point, but I just didn't want to read his story) and the plot was just meh

A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman - 2.5 stars

This was kinda meh, I actually couldn't remember which one it was when doing my review. Basic boys versus girls story, I'm not a fan of those. The writing style was pretty but the plot did not interest me and it wasn't creepy.

Stitches by AG Howard - 4 stars

It was an interesting one and I loved the twists, especially how what Sage is doing is not what you think when she first mentions it. I liked how gruesome it was and it was quite original.

On The I-5 by Kendare Blake - 4.5 stars

I loved the writing style and the main protagonist, but I wanted more! One thing that really bothered me was a bit stupid: at one point 2 characters take a car and drive for what seems like a long time (they take the I-5 then country roads) and the main protagonist comes back by foot. How is that possible? Maybe she's super fast, but that wasn't mentioned and so it bothered me. I liked the ending but I really wanted more, about everything: the curse, the beast, the strength, the pass down of knowledge, the time scale...

Taous Merakchi

Courtney Gendreau

Original review: http://www.literarychaos.com/ 

Anthologies have been rather hit or miss for me. Anthologies are tricky, they have to have some uniting factor, or the stories do not feel cohesive enough to be a collection. As a reader, I have also found that many times one or two stories of the collection really pique my interest, and the rest are sub-par. It is difficult to have a collection of stories that not only are cohesive but are all written well enough that one does not outshine the other. This anthology did that. 

In fact, this is probably one of the best anthologies I have read thus far. Each story was so unique I never felt like there were any stories that were too similar, nor were there any stories that particularly out of place or sub-par to the others. They were all very different and yet felt cohesive enough to belong in a collection together. One thing that I think I enjoyed and I think helped make the stories feel cohesive was that after every story there was a little blurb about what books, movies, etc. inspired the short stories. Personally, I as a story found it very interesting to see what different works inspired each story.

I was surprised at how many of the stories touched on real-life issues such as serial killers and child-molesters. Going into the book I was expecting monsters of the fictional variety, like demons, vampires, zombies, etc, and while this book did touch on that, it also had a fair amount of real-life horrors as well. For me as a reader, I feel that it made some of the stories a little more realistic and all the creepier. In total, if you like anthologies or are looking for a quick spooky read then this book is for you.

Haley Sherman

These authors did not hold back on their horror. This was genuinely frightening. And disturbing.

Maria Banning

Whitley Gladwell

I have been in a Halloween sort of mood even though it's May (don't judge me) so I decided to pick this up on Overdrive. I loved the cover and it had some authors that I am already a fan of. 
I overall enjoyed my time reading this YA horror anthology. I really enjoyed a few of the stories and really didn't enjoy some others but I feel that is normal for a mashup of short stories. 

The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma Rating: **
I'm not going to lie, I almost dnf'd the book after this story. I just didn't like it. I found it lackluster and a little boring. Some of the imagery was pretty but overall, not my favorite. 

In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan Rating: *****
I adored this story. I wasn't sure where it was going. I wanted to know more about the villain. The brutal, haunting scenes were written so well and painted such vivid pictures in my mind. 

Emmeline by Cat Winters Rating: ***
This story had sad air about it. It was melancholy and beautiful but it was predictable. 

Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo Rating: ***
Overall, the story was decent. I was left with a lot of questions and not a lot of answers. I didn't really get the ending but it was definitely creepy and the bath scene is a perfect example of "all monsters are human"!

Hide and Seek by Megan Shepherd Rating: *****
I really enjoyed this tale of running of from death with a game of hide and seek, even though it's not really hide and seek, it's more of a tag but it was a fast paced, exciting read. I loved the ending of this one as well!

The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Paige Rating: ***
This story was dripping with YA tropes and predictability. I did enjoy reading it though. I'm a sucker for a well written trope. This story did have one of my favorite quotes of the anthology. "He does some awful, awful things. But all he wants is someone to love him. Which is, in a way, the most human, the most un-monstrous thing of all." Which also made me think; I had never thought about what the story of Frankenstein's Monster would be like from the perspective of the monster, assuming he did have feelings and thoughts. 

The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke Rating: **
I did not enjoy this story. The only parts I liked were the sections in the cubby but reading them just made me hate the main male character more. It's basically Carrie retold by the bullies but without the scariness. 

Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry Rating: **
I may be biased towards this story because I have had enough with zombies (TV, Movies, Books, Stories, etc.)! I did like the main character but I am not a fan zombie stories so I did not enjoy this one much. 

Sleepless by Jay Kristoff Rating: ****
I was not expecting that! I really enjoyed this story. Half of it was told in instant messages which I like and I felt it fit really well with the story. A little bit of a predictable catfish but the ending was so rewarding. 

M by Stefan Bachmann Rating: ****
Blind narrator, children chanting, murder... very creepy murder mystery. I really enjoyed this well written, creepy work. 

The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu Rating: *****
I loved this story. It definitely felt like this was in the realm of real life which made it even scarier. Even though it was a short story, there were so many questions and they got answered in the most satisfying way. It was psychological, there was past trauma being dealt with, and it made me feel eerie while reading it, which is what we all want in a horror story, right?

A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman Rating: ***
The setting of this story was one I really enjoyed. It was the most fantasy horror of the anthology, which I liked. I liked the chemistry, although a little insta-lovey between our two main characters. The pacing was quite slow for my taste for a short story especially which knocked my rating a bit. 

Stitches by A.G. Howard Rating: *****
My SAW Fangirl heart! This story was gory, graphic, and gave me chills. It was such an interesting and unique concept for a short story. There were a few twists that caught me completely off guard even in the limited word count which I feel was such an accomplishment. 

On the I-5 by Kendare Blake Rating: **
I thought this was a weak piece of work to end the book on. I didn't feel that much happened, it was a little boring, and I just wasn't a fan of the concept. 

Overall Rating: 3.42 which I am comfortable rounding up to a 4 star rating. I really did enjoy this anthology and it gave me all of my Halloween in May, nostalgic Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, vibes which was exactly what I was looking for!

"Inspired by classic tales and films, a collection of fourteen short stories ranging from bloody horror, to psychological thrillers, to supernatural creatures, to unsettling, all-too-possible realism, by acclaimed YA authors of every genre"--

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys

Chloe 

The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma 2/5
In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan 3/5
Emmeline by Cat Winters 5/5
Verse Chorus Verse 2/5
Hide-And-Seek by Meghan Shepherd 5/5
The Dark, Scary Parts and all by Danielle Page 2/5
The Flicker, the Fingers, the Beat, the Sigh by April Geneviève Tucholke 3/5
Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry 3/5
Sleepless by Hay Kristoff 5/5 (My favorite by far)
M by Stefan Bachman 4/5
The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu 2/5
A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman 3/5
Stitches by A. G. Howard 5/5
On the I-5 by Kendare Blake 3/5

Destiny J Tamayo

Ruth Parker 

I enjoyed Sleepless, thought that was a great story with a brilliant twist. But the rest of the stories were a little bit disappointing to me. Overall it was a three star read and while I love so many of the authors, even that couldn’t motivate me to reread this.

An anthology of stories inspired by classic horror tales features contributions by leading suspense and young adult authors, including Stefan Bachmann, Leigh Bardugo and Kendare Blake.

Becca Futrell

I'VE READ THIS ENTIRE THING & I STILL CAN'T GET OVER 'IN THE FOREST DARK AND DEEP' BY CARRIE RYAN, BY FAR THE BEST SHORT STORY I HAVE EVER READ.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

There's nothing better than creeptastic reads during October!  It's my favorite time of year to settle down with a scary book, and this anthology proved to be all kinds of creepy!!
 

  



Okay, yeah... so I honestly scare pretty easily. So I was a little nervous going into this. But I was so happy with the result. Just the right amount of creep without the necessary over-the-top horror. 
 
 THE BIRDS OF AZALEA STREET by Nova Ren Suma ★★★½ 

I've never read anything by this author before.  Her imagination and storytelling definitely made this story all kinds of creepy!  A stalker-ish neighbor, a group of curious girls, and birds galore!  A great start to this anthology!

 IN THE FOREST DARK AND DEEP by Carrie Ryan ★★★★ 

This story was inspired by Alice in Wonderland, which made it one of my favorites in this set of short stories. The creeptastic factor was topnotch! 

 EMMELINE by Cat Winter ★★★ 

I had trouble really connecting with this story. It may have been the narrator's accent, since that does affect my liking sometimes. It wasn't as scary as the others, but it was pretty unsettling, nonetheless. 

 VERSE CHORUS VERSE by Leigh Bardugo ★★★★ 

I liked that Leigh Bardugo tackled a contemporary story here, rather than her usual fantasy. The fact that she can write something so different and keep her style was pretty impressive. This story centered around a rehab of a girl and her mother. Though I'm not sure I entirely grasped the ending, it made me shiver regardless.

 HIDE AND SEEK by Megan Shepherd ★★★ 

Escaping Death is always a creepy topic for me, so this story had the hair on my arms at full stance. This story takes place over a 24-hour period where Annie must avoid all traps set by Death. Creepy, right? Uhhhh YEAH!

 THE DARK, SCARY PARTS AND ALL by Danielle Paige ★★½ 

I was hesitant about this one since I didn't care for Dorothy Must Die when I read it last year. This story had a Mean Girls meets Frankenstein vibe. It wasn't bad... it was just meh for me. I liked the contemporary feel, since that's my jam.

 THE FLICKER, THE FINGERS, THE BEAT, THE SIGH by April Genevieve Tucholke ★★★★ 

Since I loved I Know What You Did Last Summer when it first came out, I was totally excited for this one. It had a very similar vibe, and I really enjoyed it. Apparently it's also based off Carrie, which I think I may have seen many years ago, but I don't remember much about it... other than the fact that it was terrifying!! I never got that terrified feeling with this one, though the ending was pretty creepy. I still enjoyed it regardless.

 FAT GIRL WITH A KNIFE by Jonathan Maberry ★★★ 

This on was a little strange. For a zombie story, I didn't feel the adrenaline rush I was expecting. I did like Dahlia though, the high school "fat girl". I think I wanted to be a little more creeped out than I actually was.

 SLEEPLESS by Jay Kristoff ★★★★★ 

This one started as a totally normal contemporary story. Two people chatting over the internet. Nothing scary about it at all. Then BAM! A truth is revealed and everything changes. I was really surprised by this one! I really enjoyed it. Though it was a little predictable, I was still pretty thrown by a few things. 

 M by Stefan Bachman's ★★★ 

A creepy murder mystery with a blind protagonist. Pretty good, actually... but not fantastic. I think as a full-length story it would have had a larger impact on me. As a short story it was missing something.

 THE GIRL WITHOUT A FACE by Marie Lu ★★★  

I was so sure I was going to love this one. I mean, it's Marie Lu. And though I've never read anything by Marie Lu yet (I'm just now starting to branch off into new things) the hype was pretty high. Buuuuut with a plot that felt quite mediocre, this did not wow me at all. With a story centered around a creepy closet, this story does have a chill factor. I guess I just expected more.

 A GIRL WHO DREAMED OF SNOW by McCormick Templeman ★★ 

Eh. This one was a little too messy for me. I was confused quite a bit, and the story seemed far too long and convoluted. It just didn't work for me.

 STITCHES by A.G. Howard ★★★★ 

Annnnnd the gore finally appears. This was definitely the most gruesome and left me feeling all kinds of squeamish. Leave it to A.G. Howard to totally creep me out!

 ON THE I-5 by Kendare Blake ★★ 

I think I must have missed something with this on... or maybe it was supposed to be missed? I'm not really sure what was going on, but I honestly didn't really care. This one was a miss for me.

Soooo, to sum up:
 

  

 
A lot of these stories had me looking over my shoulder, a little creeped out here and there, but not overly terrified. (Which is a really good thing!) A great combination of creeptastic short stories to read during the Halloween season.

(Thanks to Listening Library for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

 Bruna Acioly Leão

Review of each story individually

The Birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma

3.5 stars

I don’t know, it didn’t really scare me - in the end he good guys win, unless I didn’t understand it somehow…

In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan

4.5 stars

I love dark Alice in Wonderland retellings. This was so perfectly creepy!

Emmeline by Cat Winters

4 stars

Not traditionally scary, but nicely creepy ghost girl story.

Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo

4.5 stars

I’m not sure I get this one but I really liked it!

Hide and Seek by Megan Shepherd

4.5 stars

One of my favorites! So clever and interesting.

The Dark, Scary Parts and All by Danielle Paige

4 stars

Really interesting twist of the usual YA bad boy romance (in which the bad boy is actually, you know, bad). I really liked it.

The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke

3 stars

This one was strange. I think I liked it, but I’m not sure I understood what was happening and I don’t think the reasoning for the events of the story was very convincing.

Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry

3 stars

I don’t know many horror stories and I don’t like zombies, but I guess this one wasn’t really scary…It felt a bit generic. However, it was still a pretty interesting story.

Sleepless by Jay Kristoff

4.5 stars

This was the most surprising story! Very intriguing!

M by Stefan Bachmann

3 stars

It was an enjoyable enough story - I like the children’s creepy rhymes. However, I didn’t really understand what this story was trying to express and I didn’t really get the ending.

The Girl Without a Face by Marie Lu

3.5 stars

This story was very scary towards the ending, but before that not that much. The psychology of the story was also very interesting. I don’t know, honestly, I thought it was a good story, but I just didn’t think it was amazing or anything.

A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow by McCormick Templeman

4 stars

It took me a while to understand what was going on in this story, but I loved the eerie atmosphere it had. The writing style and the concept were great.

Stitches by A.G. Howard

5 stars

I think this was my favorite! Probably because it was inspired by the story of Frankenstein, which is one I’ve always been fascinated with. This was a very clever and very creepy story.

On the I-5 by Kendare Blake

4 stars

I really liked this idea! I wished some things about the nature of the main character had been better explained, but overall I though it was a solid story.

Final Observations:

I really enjoyed this whole collection and would probably pick up books from these authors (aside from the ones I have already read).

 I have not seen or even been familiar with most of the movies and classics that inspired these, which probably was a good thing because I didn’t really know what to expect from the stories.

I think I might pick up more horror fiction in the future!

The audiobook of this is well narrated, but some narrators talk very slow and most stories are better listened at 1.25x or 1.5x - for me at least. At some point I was listening to this as fast as 2x.

I recommend this book, especially for people who aren’t really into horror - as it is a way to ease into the genre.

Yeldah Yousfi

LOVED IT! Review for each story will be up soon :)

Jessica 

Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Review also found here. 

(3.5) “Not all monsters are filled with darkness.' She wanted him to understand this so badly that her voice trembled.

He didn't even hesitate. 'This one is.'

She allowed herself a moment to admire Tommy, the way he stood so resolute, like a knight charging after the monster. He just didn't get that this fight wasn't his to wage.

'Exactly so,' she finally said.

Good anthologies can be hard to stumble upon for me. I just don't seem to enjoy them well enough. Especially those of the horror/thriller variety. Fortunately, Slasher Girls and Monsters Boys is one of the better releases in recent memory despite any weak points it had throughout its impressive collection of short stories. Admittedly, I only initially picked up the collection for the stories by A.G. Howard, Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo and Jonathan Maberry, but I'm glad I did regardless! Because there were quite a few gems in it that made the lesser stories less disappointing to me. Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is more good than bad. And by good, I mean bad--in the terrifyingly explosive and delicious way.

There was just something about the general feeling of Slasher Girls and Monster Boys that felt right. Its tone not unlike that of campfire stories. Skin crawling, sometimes absurd, always intriguing and at times gory. I had my reservations for its tagline (for fans of Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Lois Duncan and more) but it's certainly fitting. While each short story has a tone of its own, it is the bleak and dark tone of each of these authors that is reflected in these tales of terror.

In short? It's so very satisfying.

While I didn't like every story in Slasher Girls and Monster Boys, I did enjoy a great many and found myself soaking up select short stories a second time afterwards. There's nothing like a fright or two, right? There were several standouts that tucked themselves into the back of my mind, begging to be heard just one more time.

Because of this being an anthology, I don't want to spoil too many of the tales for the readers who have yet to indulge in a little spooky stories. Instead of going into too much detail for these stories, I will merely list the ones that were the biggest standouts for me personally.

 -In the Forest Dark and Deep by Carrie Ryan. The fantasy in this story--a whimsical look at a horrific moment in one young girl's past and present--is truly chilling and unique. It is the second story in this collection and by far sets the standard of quality for the remainder of the book. While the first story is fantastic in its own right, In the Forest Dark and Deep sent a chill up my spine and kept my attention so firmly I almost forgot where I was. Exactly so.
 -Sleepless by Jay Kristoff. I've only just started to get into Kristoff's writing and this is only the second story I've read that he was involved in but boy, is it spooky! By spooky I mean in a very subtle way--it felt like a modern take on Lois Duncan (think: the power of Third Eye mixed with some V.C. Andrews) and I loved every moment of it. Although many may not appreciate its moments told through IM's, I really thought that added an extra dimension to the story and then filled in some blanks when you understood the two biggest twists of where the story was soon to be. I loved it!
 - Emmeline by Cat Winters. I adore Cat Winters writing and Emmeline is no exception. There is something utterly captivating and dark about the short story and it made me long for an actual novel with a further fleshed out plotline. I can't describe the ache I felt while reading this one; an ache, a shudder, and a pause of breath. Even its lighter moments are tense in terms of emotional breaks. 
 -On the I-5 by Kendare Blake. I'd never read anything by Blake before--not a single book, but the quality in her writing is fantastic and inexplicably intriguing. I had a feeling as to where this short story was going but it still managed to knock me off my path and was definitely one of those stories that I wanted so much more of. 
 -Fat Girl With a Knife by Jonathan Maberry. I've really been getting into Maberry's writing, ever since the fantastic job he did with his The X-Files: Origins novel. He just has a way about him in terms of writer that makes it balanced in genre and Fat Girl With a Knife is just plain fun and compelling. Perfect for fans of The Walking Dead. Who doesn't love a classic zombie tale? 
 -Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo. Whatever I was expecting when it came to Verse Chorus Verse, I did not receive it in the plot--and that's what made it work. This isn't entirely like what I expect from Bardugo (still fantastic, but not full-blown fantasy) and had a different tone than the other stories. Was it still scary? Absolutely, but it felt the most like a modern camp-fire story and that's what made me love it all the more. Utterly devious and atmospheric, I was blown away.
 -Stitches by A.G. Howard. Okay, so Stitches wasn't initially going to be last--Howard is one of my favourite modern YA authors and it would just be unfair to everyone else featured in here because you know me, dear readers, she could write her own spin on the freaking phone book and I'd be like okay give her all the awards. Once more, A.G. Howard slays me with her dark tone and gruesome, yet oddly serene, descriptions. Always so vivid, always so terrifying.

Overall, Slasher Girls and Monster Boys really surprised me and was impossible to put down. All the authors are fantastic and even if some of their stories weren't my cup of tea, it really kept myself going. I loved the order in which the stories are presented because it all just fit and led readers on an up-and-down ride.

Giulia 

The birds of Azalea Street by Nova Ren Suma: 3 stars
Non mi ha fatto paura, più che altro ho goduto della fine che ha fatto l'uomo alla fine. Sì lo so, sono macabra, ma è quello che farei a tutti quelli come lui.

In the forest dark and deep by Carrie Ryan: 4 stars
Okay, questa si che metteva paura! Questa storia ha come tema principale Alice in Wonderland. La protagonista racconta due vicende molto simili in parallelo: nella prima ha sette anni, nella seconda diciotto. 
In alcune scene mi sono venuti i brividi, soprattutto alla fine. Molto carina :)

Emmeline by Cat Winters: 3.5 stars
Più che paura, questa storia mette molta tristezza. Il fantasma di una ragazza che cerca perennemente l'amore durante i soldati che si fermano nella sua casa durante la Prima Guerra Mondiale. Poteva essere ottima anche come storia dell'orrore, ma gli elementi erano per lo più legati alla storia d'amore che ad altro.

Verse Chorus Verse by Leigh Bardugo: 4 stars
Lo stile della Bardugo è magico, la storia mi ha completamente catturata! Anche in questo caso, non fa tantissima paura, tranne che per alcune scene il resto è normale, però la storia è scritta talmente bene che non riesci fisicamente a staccartene.

Hide and seek by Megan Shepherd: 4.5 stars
Spunto di questa storia, è una favola popolare degli Appalacchi, in cui alla morte viene data la sembianza di un corvo.
Geniale, meravigliosa! Anche qui, non fa paura, ma vi assicuro ha un modo di definirsi che non potete assolutamente rimanere delusi. E' una mini avventura, scritta molto bene tra l'altro ;). Fin'ora la mia preferita insieme a quella di Leigh Bardugo ♥ 

The dark, scary parts and all by Danielle Paige: 3 stars
Se avesse dato risalto agli aspetti che si percepiscono alla fine della storia sarebbe stato meglio, sicuramente sarebbe stata più spaventosa. Così non è niente di che, peccato!

The flicker, the fingers, the beat, the sigh by April Genevieve Tucholke: 2 stars
Orribile, non so che altro dire. La storia poteva essere interessante ma non è stata sviluppata nel migliore dei modi.

Fat girl with a knife by Jonathan Maberry: 2 stars
Orribile pure questa, forse peggio di quella prima. Come lunghezza sono quasi identiche però...

Kate

Slasher Girls and Monster Boys is the perfect Halloween/October read. This is one of the very few short stories I've read and I really enjoyed the collection! I personally felt that the stories were more like thrilling and creepy than scary or horror but I was pleasantly surprised at how gripping they were for short stories.

I thought I would give each individual story its own rating as they were all great in their own right.

'The Birds of Azalea Street' by Nova Ren Suma - 3.5/5*

'In The Forest Dark and Deep' by Carrie Ryan - 4.5/5* I think this has to be my favourite story from the whole collection. It was creepy, disturbing, thrilling and utterly gripping. I absolutely loved it. 

'Emmeline' by Cat Winters - 3/5*

'Verse Chorus Verse' by Leigh Bardugo - 3.5/5*

'Hide-And-Seek' by Meghan Shepherd - 4/5*

'The Dark, The Scary Parts and All' 
by Danielle Paige - 3.75/5*

'The Flicker, The Fingers, The Beat, The Sigh' by April Genevieve Tucholke - 3/5*

'Fat Girl With a Knife' by Jonathan Maberry - 4/5*

'Sleepless' by Jay Kristoff - 4.25/5* another really creepy story. I think what made this so disturbing is that it almost felt like something that someone could have heard on the news. It almost felt real, especially the beginning. 

'M' by Stefan Bachmann - 3.5/5* I loved the murder mystery vibe! 

'The Girl Without a Face' by Marie Lu - 4.25/5* so so good!! 

'A Girl Who Dreamed of Snow' by McCormick Templeman - 3/5* 

'Stitches' by A. G. Howard - 4.25/5* I thought this was brilliant. Such a great take on the original story. 

'On the I-5' by Kendare Blake - 3.75/5* I really enjoyed this one!