For Fans of American Horror Story, Stephen King, Joe Hill, and Danielle Vega
America, land of the free, land of the brave, land of nightmares? A group of female authors come together in this collection of creepy tales and psychological horror stories to bring you chills and disturbing images that won't leave you long after you're done reading. From zombies to rural small towns, to the foggy New England to the glamour of Hollywood, each story focuses on a diverse aspect of living in America and the horror found in bullying, being the “new girl,” starting your first job, and navigating the murky waters of adolescence and all the terrifying changes that come with it. Bold and haunting, My American Nightmare encompasses daring stories from new voices in the horror genre. This collection will unsettle your nerves and linger in your mind, demonstrating that women can show you a nuance of horror that isn't always evident from the male perspective.
Dare to take a walk on the dark side.
Stories In Anthology
Angela Sylvaine – The Ballad of Sorrow and Lila
Amelia Kibbie – We Kill The Skullman
R. A. Goli – Mr. Buttons' Tea Party
Jamie Kahn – The Poison & The Ivy
Rachel Bolton- The Girl & The Yellow Wallpaper
Hillary Lyon - Boys' Night Out
Nicky Peacock – She Looked Like Krystal Sparkle
Spinster Eskie - Angie's Change
Sheri Kreitner - The Pickman Sisters of Salem
Sierra Ryan – Volunteer
Kara Nelson - The Eye
E.F. Schraeder – Night Moves
Andrea Teare – 39 Days
Heather Miller - The Stars
Marnie Azzarelli – When Evacuating Pennsylvania
Erica Ruhe - Perle
Phoebe Jane Johnson - Ruby
Azzurra Nox - Whatever Happened to Peyton Rose?
Kara Dennison - Billson
What do you get when you bring together a bunch of really good female authors around Halloween? Or well you get My American Nightmare, an anthology made up of spooky stories all written by women.
The stories range from retellings of old stories to all new stories. The story content runs the entire gamut from witches to dolls to serial killers. Some of the stories I really dug into and were able to just lap them up. Others, like the doll one, I didn’t get as into but that isn’t due to the story but my personal dislike for dolls. Honestly, the worst thing ever is a clown or stories about clowns, but dolls are a somewhat close second.
Something I really enjoyed about this book is that it was all women authors. Historically women have been part of horror, I mean Mary Shelley anyone? But lately, a lot of the top authors of horror, at least mainstream, are men. I don’t specifically know why that is, and I am sure that there are many wonderful women authors who are just not mainstream from what I have read. One of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much is that it does spotlight how the voice of women authors is slightly different than men authors. Or at least I think they are.
While these are all horror stories, some are obviously scarier than others, and there are some that pushed me to the point of actually having nightmares, and with the books that I read, that is saying a lot. It wasn’t blood and guts, it was just the unknown and that is what gets me every time. It is the unknown that always gets me, it is what creeps me out when I am laying in bed.
Try it out, and the best part is that if a story doesn’t grab you, there are so many different short stories so you don’t have to put the book down if something doesn’t grab you.
**Side note from Melanie: I adore this cover! I don’t often comment on covers, but I really do love this one!***
Purchase Links
Amazon
About Azzurra Nox
Born in Catania, Sicily, she has led a nomadic life since birth. She has lived in various European cities and Cuba, and currently resides in the Los Angeles area. Always an avid reader and writer from a young age, she loved entertaining her friends with ghost stories. She loves horror movies, cats, and a good rock show. She dislikes Mondays and chick-flicks. CUT HERE, her debut paranormal urban fantasy was inspired by a nightmare the writer had a few years ago. Some of her favourite authors include Anne Rice, Oscar Wilde, Chuck Palahniuk, and Isabella Santacroce.
