The Attentionist by Caroline Kepnes - Reg and Maeve really want Tony to call. Naturally, he’ll have a friend so the sisters will be able to go on a double date.

A Life in Nightmares by Ramsey Campbell - When past and present, reality and nightmares collide.

Papa Eye by Priya Sharma - When Ravi goes to the island, they see life and death in a whole new light.

Volcano by Livia Llewellyn - A new job, a new colleague, a pervasive darkness.

All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones - When you’re quarantining with your partner, a research scientist, who wants to discuss your greatest fear. You know, besides the pandemic.

Trinity River’s Blues by Chesya Burke - Jazz, a murder of crows and a woman who sees dead people.

The Familiar’s Assistant by Alma Katsu - Eric has spent weeks tracking him down. Now he’s standing at the vampire’s door.

Swim in the Blood of a Curious Dream by John F.D. Taff - Peter just wants to drive his son to their new home. The weather has other ideas. So does Peter’s dead wife.

The Sanguintalist by Gemma Files - The blood speaks to Lala.

Mrs. Addison’s Nest by Josh Malerman - This all started in detention fifteen years ago. It ends now.

Challawa by Usman T. Malik - Karisma returns to Pakistan with her husband. While she’s there, she plans to do some research.

Enough For Hunger and Enough For Hate by John Langan - Michelle is trying to track down her brother’s killer. And his body.

Usually when I pick up an anthology, it’s because there’s one particular author’s story I need to read. This time around, that author was Stephen Graham Jones.

With anthologies, I always find the stories are a bit of a mixed bag. I love this because there’s usually something for everyone. I also dread this because I know it’s just as likely I’ll encounter stories that I’m not so keen on.

My horror preference is the “would you like more blood with that?” variety. I actively seek out reads where I have the overwhelming urge to look over my shoulder and question whether it’s safe to turn out the lights, as well as my decision to eat before reading. I’m not as comfy with ambiguity so some reads here didn’t work as well for me.

I enjoyed many of the stories but they didn’t elicit fear in me. The most horrified I felt was when I realised I’d finished more than one story with no way of explaining what it was about because I had no idea.

One of my favourite things about anthologies is the opportunity to find authors whose books have somehow flown under my radar. While I loved the story I came here for, I was also introduced to two authors whose books I definitely need to investigate in the near future: Priya Sharma and Usman T. Malik.

Full review, including content warnings, can be found on my blog.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to read this anthology. I’m rounding up from 3.5 stars.