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The Black Girl Survives in This One
Be warned, dear reader: The Black girls survive in this one.
Celebrating a new generation of bestselling and acclaimed Black writers, The Black Girl Survives in This One makes space for Black girls in horror. Fifteen chilling and thought-provoking stories place Black girls front and center as heroes and survivors who slay monsters, battle spirits, and face down death. Prepare to be terrified and left breathless by the pieces in this anthology.
The bestselling and acclaimed authors include Erin E. Adams, Monica Brashears, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Desiree S. Evans, Saraciea J. Fennell, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Daka Hermon, Justina Ireland, L. L. McKinney, Brittney Morris, Maritza & Maika Moulite, Eden Royce, and Vincent Tirado, with a foreword by Tananarive Due.
Celebrating a new generation of bestselling and acclaimed Black writers, The Black Girl Survives in This One makes space for Black girls in horror. Fifteen chilling and thought-provoking stories place Black girls front and center as heroes and survivors who slay monsters, battle spirits, and face down death. Prepare to be terrified and left breathless by the pieces in this anthology.
The bestselling and acclaimed authors include Erin E. Adams, Monica Brashears, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Desiree S. Evans, Saraciea J. Fennell, Zakiya Dalila Harris, Daka Hermon, Justina Ireland, L. L. McKinney, Brittney Morris, Maritza & Maika Moulite, Eden Royce, and Vincent Tirado, with a foreword by Tananarive Due.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 2024
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January 31, 2024
Despite my reservations below, this turned out to be a pretty good anthology of black femme YA horror stories! I loved how most of the authors took well-known tropes and made them their own.
Of course, like with any anthology, there were some duds, but I'll have to say, this is one of the rare ones where I didn't give any story a 1 star. And I'm saying this as someone who's very critical when it comes to what I read and like.
I'd definitely recommend this as a companion piece to Out There Screaming, a black horror anthology edited by Jordan Peele.
But I'll admit though, my initial excitement for this was slightly marred by the fact that the "New Voices" that were chosen in an open call were two people who are already familiar with the publishing industry. (One is an assistant editor for this anthology's parent publishing company.)
Anyway, take that as you will.
Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this arc.
Reviews of individual stories below:
Harvesters by LL McKinney
4/5 stars
Jo and Missy go to a house party located in a rural area with cornfields.
Okay, I actually liked this. The premise was so normal and unassuming. Maybe the word count for this anthology was generous because there was enough time to build relationships with the characters and care for them when the horror part rolled around.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash
3/5 stars
A salvage crew is tasked to explore an abandoned space factory.
The creepy sci-fi abandoned space complex vibes were definitely creepy and vibing in this one. But since this is a YA anthology, it's more tame than I'm used to. It's a good start for YA readers to dip into the cosmic horror sci-fi subgenre.
Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams
5/5 stars
Justine, a high school theatre production manager, finds out what happens when theatre superstitions aren't respected.
This was such a fun take on a poltergeist story! I loved the theater production setting (the details made it so immersive!) and how the tension grew slowly.
I was about to dismiss this as a typical evil ghost haunting story, but I loved how it became high stakes at the end. This is definitely a must read.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans
4/5 stars
Aja and her bestie, Letricia, go to Aja's family home in the Louisiana bayou to celebrate her 19th birthday.
Similar to the previous short story, I really liked this take on the classic generational curse/deal with a demon horror trope. I loved the Louisiana bayou setting. It's a taste of black Southern Gothic.
Stories like these make me happy that BIPOC voices are now in the spotlight.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris
3/5 stars
Sam, a black scholarship student at a predominantly white prep school meets her favorite celebrity writer, Etta Vee.
I'm not sure how I feel about this... I liked how the story flowed pretty easily and was a quick read.
But other than that, it just didn't really make sense? There was no lore behind the phone at all, so it was hard to actually care or connect with the story and characters.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
3/5 stars
Sheryl decides to go to her friends' cabin by the lake for the summer, but there's something mysterious attacking people vacationing there.
This story makes me feel the same way as the previous story. Liked the flow and the overall vibes, but there definitely needs to be more hints dropped about the reveal. It just ends with a big explanation that had no lead up at all.
The Screamers by Daka Hermon
2.5/5 stars
Amaani and her family move to a new house with a very sinister past.
I was wondering when I'd reach a very meh/average story in this anthology and here we are.
Everything happened too quickly imo. There was no time to connect with the FMC and her family before the evil ghost haunting. The story was also very predictable and tropey. I wanted to love the connection between the FMC and her deceased brother, but I felt very meh about it all.
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris
5/5 stars
Synthia's sister, Diana, invites her to a "smoothie club."
Damn, like a few other stories in this anthology, I loved how the author used a spooky trope (Stepford Wives in this case) and made it their own.
The very fleshed out FMC (plus size girl with severe allergies), the inclusion of an MLM cult, and the high stakes writing style made this a great read in what would otherwise be a typical tropey story.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron
4/5 stars
Delany recollects her summer in Dominica with her Auntie Margot, a suspected soukouyan.
I quite liked this one! I wasn't too keen on the flashback storytelling method at first, but I'm a sucker for stories that explore a community I'm not familiar with. I know nothing about Caribbean folklore, so this was a fun and creepy learning experience.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
3/5 stars
Lucky goes on a nature hike with the local Black Girl Nature Group chapter, which turns out to be a lot more than she bargained for.
I really liked the Get Out vibes in this one, along with the female empowerment story and the power of black female friendship.
In the end though, it feels very generic and forgettable. But that might just be me.
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell
2/5 stars
Alle, a horror enthusiast, throws a high school senior party at the local cemetery.
Damn, this story was just cliched and tacky. I wish it would've expanded more on the enslaved witch cursing a white slave owner, but that was just a throwaway one-liner.
The Skittering Thing by Monia Brashears
3.5/5 stars
Sunny and Charlotte are invited to a sleepover at the new girl's house.
I liked the creepy monster vibes in this one, but logically it made no sense. I wish there were more actual hints leading up to the monster situation, even though Sunny's fear and obsession with Biblical end of days situations should've clued me in to the ending.
Anyway, I think I would've liked this more if the second half was expanded instead of the set-up taking so much time.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado
3/5 stars
Mal's band is invited to a competition, but Mal can see each competitor's imminent death, including her own.
Really cool concept with Mal being able to see black strings that predict that someone's death is coming. (Oddly, the black strings kind of reminds me of that video game with Norman Reedus, Death Stranding.) But the ending was very over the top and kind of ruined it for me. Like the vibes went from The Ring to Final Destination.
Local Color by Eden Royce
3.5/5 stars
Veronne finds a supposed treasure map leading to a location in one of her hometown's parks.
This gave me Junji Ito's Uzumaki vibes like no other. But I wish there were more hints about Gramps because that ending felt like it didn't quite connect with the rest of the story.
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
4.5/5 stars
Flex, the new girl at Arbor Hill High, participates in the yearly Foxhunt game.
Wow! What a great end to the anthology! The origins to the foxhunt game was mostly obvious, but I did like how Flex survived by taking advantage of a really fucked up situation. Straight up main character energy.
Of course, like with any anthology, there were some duds, but I'll have to say, this is one of the rare ones where I didn't give any story a 1 star. And I'm saying this as someone who's very critical when it comes to what I read and like.
I'd definitely recommend this as a companion piece to Out There Screaming, a black horror anthology edited by Jordan Peele.
But I'll admit though, my initial excitement for this was slightly marred by the fact that the "New Voices" that were chosen in an open call were two people who are already familiar with the publishing industry. (One is an assistant editor for this anthology's parent publishing company.)
Anyway, take that as you will.
Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for this arc.
Reviews of individual stories below:
Harvesters by LL McKinney
4/5 stars
Jo and Missy go to a house party located in a rural area with cornfields.
Okay, I actually liked this. The premise was so normal and unassuming. Maybe the word count for this anthology was generous because there was enough time to build relationships with the characters and care for them when the horror part rolled around.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash
3/5 stars
A salvage crew is tasked to explore an abandoned space factory.
The creepy sci-fi abandoned space complex vibes were definitely creepy and vibing in this one. But since this is a YA anthology, it's more tame than I'm used to. It's a good start for YA readers to dip into the cosmic horror sci-fi subgenre.
Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams
5/5 stars
Justine, a high school theatre production manager, finds out what happens when theatre superstitions aren't respected.
This was such a fun take on a poltergeist story! I loved the theater production setting (the details made it so immersive!) and how the tension grew slowly.
I was about to dismiss this as a typical evil ghost haunting story, but I loved how it became high stakes at the end. This is definitely a must read.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans
4/5 stars
Aja and her bestie, Letricia, go to Aja's family home in the Louisiana bayou to celebrate her 19th birthday.
Similar to the previous short story, I really liked this take on the classic generational curse/deal with a demon horror trope. I loved the Louisiana bayou setting. It's a taste of black Southern Gothic.
Stories like these make me happy that BIPOC voices are now in the spotlight.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris
3/5 stars
Sam, a black scholarship student at a predominantly white prep school meets her favorite celebrity writer, Etta Vee.
I'm not sure how I feel about this... I liked how the story flowed pretty easily and was a quick read.
But other than that, it just didn't really make sense? There was no lore behind the phone at all, so it was hard to actually care or connect with the story and characters.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
3/5 stars
Sheryl decides to go to her friends' cabin by the lake for the summer, but there's something mysterious attacking people vacationing there.
This story makes me feel the same way as the previous story. Liked the flow and the overall vibes, but there definitely needs to be more hints dropped about the reveal. It just ends with a big explanation that had no lead up at all.
The Screamers by Daka Hermon
2.5/5 stars
Amaani and her family move to a new house with a very sinister past.
I was wondering when I'd reach a very meh/average story in this anthology and here we are.
Everything happened too quickly imo. There was no time to connect with the FMC and her family before the evil ghost haunting. The story was also very predictable and tropey. I wanted to love the connection between the FMC and her deceased brother, but I felt very meh about it all.
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris
5/5 stars
Synthia's sister, Diana, invites her to a "smoothie club."
Damn, like a few other stories in this anthology, I loved how the author used a spooky trope (Stepford Wives in this case) and made it their own.
The very fleshed out FMC (plus size girl with severe allergies), the inclusion of an MLM cult, and the high stakes writing style made this a great read in what would otherwise be a typical tropey story.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron
4/5 stars
Delany recollects her summer in Dominica with her Auntie Margot, a suspected soukouyan.
I quite liked this one! I wasn't too keen on the flashback storytelling method at first, but I'm a sucker for stories that explore a community I'm not familiar with. I know nothing about Caribbean folklore, so this was a fun and creepy learning experience.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite
3/5 stars
Lucky goes on a nature hike with the local Black Girl Nature Group chapter, which turns out to be a lot more than she bargained for.
I really liked the Get Out vibes in this one, along with the female empowerment story and the power of black female friendship.
In the end though, it feels very generic and forgettable. But that might just be me.
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell
2/5 stars
Alle, a horror enthusiast, throws a high school senior party at the local cemetery.
Damn, this story was just cliched and tacky. I wish it would've expanded more on the enslaved witch cursing a white slave owner, but that was just a throwaway one-liner.
The Skittering Thing by Monia Brashears
3.5/5 stars
Sunny and Charlotte are invited to a sleepover at the new girl's house.
I liked the creepy monster vibes in this one, but logically it made no sense. I wish there were more actual hints leading up to the monster situation, even though Sunny's fear and obsession with Biblical end of days situations should've clued me in to the ending.
Anyway, I think I would've liked this more if the second half was expanded instead of the set-up taking so much time.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado
3/5 stars
Mal's band is invited to a competition, but Mal can see each competitor's imminent death, including her own.
Really cool concept with Mal being able to see black strings that predict that someone's death is coming. (Oddly, the black strings kind of reminds me of that video game with Norman Reedus, Death Stranding.) But the ending was very over the top and kind of ruined it for me. Like the vibes went from The Ring to Final Destination.
Local Color by Eden Royce
3.5/5 stars
Veronne finds a supposed treasure map leading to a location in one of her hometown's parks.
This gave me Junji Ito's Uzumaki vibes like no other. But I wish there were more hints about Gramps because that ending felt like it didn't quite connect with the rest of the story.
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
4.5/5 stars
Flex, the new girl at Arbor Hill High, participates in the yearly Foxhunt game.
Wow! What a great end to the anthology! The origins to the foxhunt game was mostly obvious, but I did like how Flex survived by taking advantage of a really fucked up situation. Straight up main character energy.
May 6, 2024
I RARELY make it all the way through an anthology but I LOVE the intention behind "The Black Girl Survives in This One" to feature ALL women of color storytellers, as well as horror stories that represent young black women who not only survive but overcome.
Some of the stories were a bit confusing but as a whole I think this collection was very powerful. I especially loved the foreword written by Tananarive Due which perfectly set the tone and reminded the importance of amplifying voices of color within the horror genre. I hope we see more collections like this in the future!
Individual ratings and reviews of each short story below:
(may be some spoilers)
Harvesters
Body-snatchers story.
The first story didn't start out my favorite. It read very juvenile off the bat as the language of the high school kids was just reading very young.
Then the mc losing her car keys. And having some random boy drive her home. No.
It also took a WHILE before the ominous tension starts to get going. Honestly exposition is too long.
36 minutes in and the story spent more time building up this romance than getting the horror going.
BUT I really love when we FINALLY got to the twist.
I predicted the Brandon thing instantly but still very good creepy ending.
Kind of felt like a goosebumps Book.
3 ⭐
Welcome back to the cosmos
Space exploration story.👏
I had a difficult time really connecting to this one. But I do think I preferred it over the first.
I'm kind of confused by that ending though. So she looks out the window into space. And she sees the space suit without the helmet. I don't understand if this means that the ghost of the alien or whatever is floating in space. Her mom kept saying how people disappear in space. I don't know how everything connects in this one, I'm confused.
3 ⭐
Ghost light
A haunted theater story.
Meh. Not the scariest.
Predictable and pretty boring.
2 ⭐
The brides of devils bayou
Deal with a devil story.
I can see the story playing out just like a movie. This was my favorite one so far.
4 ⭐
TMI
Mind reader story.
Very twilight zone.
YESSS 👏 LOVED THIS ENDING. That was the PERFECT way to end this one.
5 stars!!! ⭐
Black pride
Werewolf story.
Nothing really happens in this one 😅
2 ⭐
The Screamers
Haunted house story....kind of?
I liked this quote:
• "Dead is dead"
• "... not always ...evil can evolve."
I definitely feel like this story escalated too quickly. I didn't find this story scary at all because it just went from 0 to a 100 in 5 pages.
This was my least favorite story so far. It made very little sense and I feel like it had no context.
1 ⭐
Queeniums for Greenium
MLM horror story.
A bit over the top. Some of these stories I'm finding they really are trying to do a LOTTT in a little pages...
3 ⭐
Inheritance
Shape-shifting story.
MEH. This one, again, not much really happened?
2 ⭐
Black girl nature group
Cult story.
Wow I wasn't expecting this one to be so dark. 😳
I really like the ending of this with the ancestors. Ugh so sad and scary.
4.5 ⭐
Cemetery Dance Party
A ZOMBIE story?!??!!!! Okay FUN!!!!
There was a lot of different characters in this one. I had trouble keeping track of who everyone was in such a short story.
Kind of underwhelming overall.
2 ⭐
The skittering thing
A game of hide and seek story.
Okay NO this game sounds horrifying.
I'm not sure I understand what happened here 😕 ...like was the family of the new priest actually all evil? Or just something in the basement that got them all? Then why was the mom acting so weird and creepy...and all the clicking sounds?
However nonsensical without a doubt definitely one of the scariest out of the collection.
4.5 ⭐
The black strings
I don't know what to call this one.
I don't get this one at all. So she took the strings over their head and put them over other people's heads so they wouldn't be the ones to die? I don't know, I'm super confused.
2 ⭐
Local color
I also don't know what to call this one.
This one was also a bit confusing, I think there's too much being told in a story this short.
2 ⭐
Foxhunt
Evil, racist town story.
Very well written.
Very upsetting and triggering, TW racism.
4.5 ⭐
Some of the stories were a bit confusing but as a whole I think this collection was very powerful. I especially loved the foreword written by Tananarive Due which perfectly set the tone and reminded the importance of amplifying voices of color within the horror genre. I hope we see more collections like this in the future!
Individual ratings and reviews of each short story below:
(may be some spoilers)
Harvesters
Body-snatchers story.
The first story didn't start out my favorite. It read very juvenile off the bat as the language of the high school kids was just reading very young.
Then the mc losing her car keys. And having some random boy drive her home. No.
It also took a WHILE before the ominous tension starts to get going. Honestly exposition is too long.
36 minutes in and the story spent more time building up this romance than getting the horror going.
BUT I really love when we FINALLY got to the twist.
I predicted the Brandon thing instantly but still very good creepy ending.
Kind of felt like a goosebumps Book.
3 ⭐
Welcome back to the cosmos
Space exploration story.👏
I had a difficult time really connecting to this one. But I do think I preferred it over the first.
I'm kind of confused by that ending though. So she looks out the window into space. And she sees the space suit without the helmet. I don't understand if this means that the ghost of the alien or whatever is floating in space. Her mom kept saying how people disappear in space. I don't know how everything connects in this one, I'm confused.
3 ⭐
Ghost light
A haunted theater story.
Meh. Not the scariest.
Predictable and pretty boring.
2 ⭐
The brides of devils bayou
Deal with a devil story.
I can see the story playing out just like a movie. This was my favorite one so far.
4 ⭐
TMI
Mind reader story.
Very twilight zone.
YESSS 👏 LOVED THIS ENDING. That was the PERFECT way to end this one.
5 stars!!! ⭐
Black pride
Werewolf story.
Nothing really happens in this one 😅
2 ⭐
The Screamers
Haunted house story....kind of?
I liked this quote:
• "Dead is dead"
• "... not always ...evil can evolve."
I definitely feel like this story escalated too quickly. I didn't find this story scary at all because it just went from 0 to a 100 in 5 pages.
This was my least favorite story so far. It made very little sense and I feel like it had no context.
1 ⭐
Queeniums for Greenium
MLM horror story.
A bit over the top. Some of these stories I'm finding they really are trying to do a LOTTT in a little pages...
3 ⭐
Inheritance
Shape-shifting story.
MEH. This one, again, not much really happened?
2 ⭐
Black girl nature group
Cult story.
Wow I wasn't expecting this one to be so dark. 😳
I really like the ending of this with the ancestors. Ugh so sad and scary.
4.5 ⭐
Cemetery Dance Party
A ZOMBIE story?!??!!!! Okay FUN!!!!
There was a lot of different characters in this one. I had trouble keeping track of who everyone was in such a short story.
Kind of underwhelming overall.
2 ⭐
The skittering thing
A game of hide and seek story.
Okay NO this game sounds horrifying.
I'm not sure I understand what happened here 😕 ...like was the family of the new priest actually all evil? Or just something in the basement that got them all? Then why was the mom acting so weird and creepy...and all the clicking sounds?
However nonsensical without a doubt definitely one of the scariest out of the collection.
4.5 ⭐
The black strings
I don't know what to call this one.
I don't get this one at all. So she took the strings over their head and put them over other people's heads so they wouldn't be the ones to die? I don't know, I'm super confused.
2 ⭐
Local color
I also don't know what to call this one.
This one was also a bit confusing, I think there's too much being told in a story this short.
2 ⭐
Foxhunt
Evil, racist town story.
Very well written.
Very upsetting and triggering, TW racism.
4.5 ⭐
April 12, 2024
This is a YA collection of Horror stories in which the Final Girl or Girls are Black. It's a play on the Horror trope that Black people always die first and if they don't die first you know they won't make it to the end of the movie. Black people love the Horror genre but the Horror genre doesn't always love us.
Now on to the stories
My Favorite Stories
1. Black Pride by Justina Ireland
2. Harvesters by L.L. McKinney
3. Brides of Devils Bayou by Desiree S Evans
4. The Screamers by Daka Hermon
5. The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado
My Lest Favorite
1. Inheritance by Camara Aaron
2. Ghost Light by Erin E Adams
3. Queeniums for Greeniums by Brittany Morris
The rest were 3 star reads which I think makes for a great collection in my opinion. It is YA so none of these stories were actually frightening but if you want a cozy Horror collection then I think you'll enjoy this a lot.
Now on to the stories
My Favorite Stories
1. Black Pride by Justina Ireland
2. Harvesters by L.L. McKinney
3. Brides of Devils Bayou by Desiree S Evans
4. The Screamers by Daka Hermon
5. The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado
My Lest Favorite
1. Inheritance by Camara Aaron
2. Ghost Light by Erin E Adams
3. Queeniums for Greeniums by Brittany Morris
The rest were 3 star reads which I think makes for a great collection in my opinion. It is YA so none of these stories were actually frightening but if you want a cozy Horror collection then I think you'll enjoy this a lot.
March 11, 2024
This anthology was amazing!
I enjoyed every single story in this collection and was addicted to hearing more.
Why did I give it 4 stars then?
I wanted more of nearly every short.
They were all so well crafted that I wanted to continue listening to these creepy bedtime stories.
I am excited to check out more work from the authors I had not heard of prior to this.
Much love to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC!
I enjoyed every single story in this collection and was addicted to hearing more.
Why did I give it 4 stars then?
I wanted more of nearly every short.
They were all so well crafted that I wanted to continue listening to these creepy bedtime stories.
I am excited to check out more work from the authors I had not heard of prior to this.
Much love to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ALC!
September 11, 2024
4.85 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Thank you to Net Galley and Flat Iron Press for the advanced copy of this book.
How refreshing it is to see a book for us by us and we’re not the side-chick or the sacrificial best friend (which is described in the forward) because I can appreciate that.
This book has been on my radar because the story and synopsis piqued my interest. It’s our mannerisms, how we talk, what we think, and it’s not someone else writing our stories trying to portray our tone and what we “should” sound or trying to dictate a narrative.
While it’s a YA novel, I can appreciate that it's still creepy, not gory, and mildly graphic.
I love how in the story “Ghost Light,” our young protagonist is describing how she is the stage manager and setting the scene by describing everything within her environment but not in so much detail that when you’re reading, you're thinking, “ok, move on already.” We get down to it with the “the parts between her box braids got cold” description.
All of the female characters throughout these stories are smart and sharp. They are forward-thinking; they have their head on straight. They understand the perils of what’s happening within their existing environment, and they don’t enter these situations blindly. There is danger; some of these things aren’t possible in the natural sense, but still, they press on.
There doesn’t always have to be one female standing. Why can’t several survive? Yes, I know the trope of the final girl, which has been done since horror movies began, but I’m ok with everyone walking away.
There’s also an underlying issue of race, but not in a militant sense. There’s a “woke’ awareness because, as black people, we deal with race on a daily basis. And even in today’s environment, it's something that we feel, whether it's on the surface or just beneath it.
I also enjoyed how each story ties a young female to their ancestors and their strengths, ideals, and beliefs. The people who came before matter; to understand this is to understand their struggles through their stories.
We're taught to listen to our elders, no matter how ridiculous it might sound at the time. There is a word of truth and wisdom to what they are saying because these people came before you and have experienced things that are not that different from where we are now.
There is also a wide variety in the subgenre of horror. The paranormal, haunted houses, witches, zombies monsters, hoo-doo voodoo, and your strange brand of monster, and beyond.
I would also like to point out that while this is a YA novel, it goes beyond that. I would give it an age range from 16 to 25 I mean heck I’m older and I’m reading it because a lot of the stories resonate and they embody some experiences that you might have gone through.
So if you’re looking for Ready or Not, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, or The Menu vibes, then I would give The Black Girls Survives This One a go. I'm all for having our Black Girls come through a story smarter, braver, wiser, and more spiritual with a warrior spirit, then I’m all for it.
How refreshing it is to see a book for us by us and we’re not the side-chick or the sacrificial best friend (which is described in the forward) because I can appreciate that.
This book has been on my radar because the story and synopsis piqued my interest. It’s our mannerisms, how we talk, what we think, and it’s not someone else writing our stories trying to portray our tone and what we “should” sound or trying to dictate a narrative.
While it’s a YA novel, I can appreciate that it's still creepy, not gory, and mildly graphic.
I love how in the story “Ghost Light,” our young protagonist is describing how she is the stage manager and setting the scene by describing everything within her environment but not in so much detail that when you’re reading, you're thinking, “ok, move on already.” We get down to it with the “the parts between her box braids got cold” description.
All of the female characters throughout these stories are smart and sharp. They are forward-thinking; they have their head on straight. They understand the perils of what’s happening within their existing environment, and they don’t enter these situations blindly. There is danger; some of these things aren’t possible in the natural sense, but still, they press on.
There doesn’t always have to be one female standing. Why can’t several survive? Yes, I know the trope of the final girl, which has been done since horror movies began, but I’m ok with everyone walking away.
There’s also an underlying issue of race, but not in a militant sense. There’s a “woke’ awareness because, as black people, we deal with race on a daily basis. And even in today’s environment, it's something that we feel, whether it's on the surface or just beneath it.
I also enjoyed how each story ties a young female to their ancestors and their strengths, ideals, and beliefs. The people who came before matter; to understand this is to understand their struggles through their stories.
We're taught to listen to our elders, no matter how ridiculous it might sound at the time. There is a word of truth and wisdom to what they are saying because these people came before you and have experienced things that are not that different from where we are now.
There is also a wide variety in the subgenre of horror. The paranormal, haunted houses, witches, zombies monsters, hoo-doo voodoo, and your strange brand of monster, and beyond.
I would also like to point out that while this is a YA novel, it goes beyond that. I would give it an age range from 16 to 25 I mean heck I’m older and I’m reading it because a lot of the stories resonate and they embody some experiences that you might have gone through.
So if you’re looking for Ready or Not, Mystery, Horror, Thriller, or The Menu vibes, then I would give The Black Girls Survives This One a go. I'm all for having our Black Girls come through a story smarter, braver, wiser, and more spiritual with a warrior spirit, then I’m all for it.
February 29, 2024
“If bad things can happen to white kids, it’ll be even worse for you.”
THE BLACK GIRL SURVIVES IN THIS ONE was created, edited, curated and written by Black women who—as stated by Tananarive Due in the book’s foreword—are using this revolutionary project to revise the poor representation of Black women in horror. Inside these pages are fifteen incredible stories of Black female protagonists encountering fears, obstacles, and tribulations both supernatural and human. Ranging from paranormal to sci-fi horror to southern gothic horror, there’s something in this collection for everyone!
•
There were so many stories I personally enjoyed. In Ghost Light a spell hidden in one of Shakespeare’s plays is doubted to be real by a girl who finds joy in working as her high school’s stage manager. Welcome Back to the Cosmos, set in outer space, follows a young woman working for a galactic surveillance team who comes across a dilapidated space factory. What they encounter is chilling. In Queeniums for Greeniums, a girl is the guest of honor at her older sister’s healthy lifestyle weekend retreat, a glitzy gathering that starts giving off culty vibes. In Black Pride a group of young people are looking forward to summer in a cabin by the lake, rumors of death and danger has one girl apprehensive about joining in the fun.
•
The young women in this anthology are sharp, resilient, and relatable. They are proclaiming to a generation of young Black readers that there is a space for them in the horror genre not as the sacrificial martyrs but as Final Girls!
•
Definitely add this to your bookshelves this April if you love short stories, resilient Black female protagonists, and YA horror!
•
(Thank you to Flatiron Books for my awesome early review copy!)
THE BLACK GIRL SURVIVES IN THIS ONE was created, edited, curated and written by Black women who—as stated by Tananarive Due in the book’s foreword—are using this revolutionary project to revise the poor representation of Black women in horror. Inside these pages are fifteen incredible stories of Black female protagonists encountering fears, obstacles, and tribulations both supernatural and human. Ranging from paranormal to sci-fi horror to southern gothic horror, there’s something in this collection for everyone!
•
There were so many stories I personally enjoyed. In Ghost Light a spell hidden in one of Shakespeare’s plays is doubted to be real by a girl who finds joy in working as her high school’s stage manager. Welcome Back to the Cosmos, set in outer space, follows a young woman working for a galactic surveillance team who comes across a dilapidated space factory. What they encounter is chilling. In Queeniums for Greeniums, a girl is the guest of honor at her older sister’s healthy lifestyle weekend retreat, a glitzy gathering that starts giving off culty vibes. In Black Pride a group of young people are looking forward to summer in a cabin by the lake, rumors of death and danger has one girl apprehensive about joining in the fun.
•
The young women in this anthology are sharp, resilient, and relatable. They are proclaiming to a generation of young Black readers that there is a space for them in the horror genre not as the sacrificial martyrs but as Final Girls!
•
Definitely add this to your bookshelves this April if you love short stories, resilient Black female protagonists, and YA horror!
•
(Thank you to Flatiron Books for my awesome early review copy!)
March 14, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
This is a really solid collection of short stories. Of course some are better than others, but overall it's a YA horror collection where authors play with classic tropes in new ways, centering young Black women who do in fact survive. (as the title should clue you in) Some stories are funny, some are creepy, some are both but I had a good time reading these and none of them were really bad.
I'll share a couple of my favorites. Queeniums for Greenium by Brittney Morris had me cackling at the sendup of MLM culture, but make it horror. My other favorite is the final story in the collection- Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis features a queer Black girl and offers a take on the creepy game, but in high school. Those two really stood out and made excellent use of the short story framework. And it tracks, because I've loved other books from both authors. The audio narration is great and delivers the creepy vibes when needed fairly well. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This is a really solid collection of short stories. Of course some are better than others, but overall it's a YA horror collection where authors play with classic tropes in new ways, centering young Black women who do in fact survive. (as the title should clue you in) Some stories are funny, some are creepy, some are both but I had a good time reading these and none of them were really bad.
I'll share a couple of my favorites. Queeniums for Greenium by Brittney Morris had me cackling at the sendup of MLM culture, but make it horror. My other favorite is the final story in the collection- Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis features a queer Black girl and offers a take on the creepy game, but in high school. Those two really stood out and made excellent use of the short story framework. And it tracks, because I've loved other books from both authors. The audio narration is great and delivers the creepy vibes when needed fairly well. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
May 24, 2024
Fifteen unique and short horror stories. Each one is wildly different from the others. I'd consider this anthology more "fun" horror that would be a good palate cleanser. Easy reads with some being stronger than others. My favorite was "The Brides Of Devil's Bayou".
Would recommend.
Would recommend.
July 2, 2024
About half of the collection was pretty good, the other half just didn't really come across as memorable or impactful to me, that being said I'm not in the age range to be the target audience for this collection.
My favorite stories were:
Welcome back to the cosmos – Space horror will always hold a special place in my heart.
The brides of devils bayou – The one with the strongest characterization in my opinion.
TMI – The most interesting/unusual premise.
Black pride – Charming but I would have liked more horror.
Queeniums for Greenium – Fat girl resisting a "wellness" cult, you know I was going to be down with that one!
The skittering thing – Interesting imagery, would have liked a little more character building.
3.5 rounded up.
My favorite stories were:
Welcome back to the cosmos – Space horror will always hold a special place in my heart.
The brides of devils bayou – The one with the strongest characterization in my opinion.
TMI – The most interesting/unusual premise.
Black pride – Charming but I would have liked more horror.
Queeniums for Greenium – Fat girl resisting a "wellness" cult, you know I was going to be down with that one!
The skittering thing – Interesting imagery, would have liked a little more character building.
3.5 rounded up.
August 1, 2024
This was a good collection of young adult horror stories. I found these voices to be unique and some of them were really excellent stories that gripped me. A few of the stories I found a little slow but overall this was a very enjoyable collection for me. I really liked the last story quite a lot, “Foxhunt” especially when the origins of the game were explained. I liked “Queenium for Greeniium” a lot (who hasn’t wondered if MLM schemes aren’t truly evil. ‘Black Girl Nature Group” was one I enjoyed a lot more than I expected by the title. I really liked the edge of conspiracy within it that was totally believable. There were some great voices in this book and it was full of authors. I hadn’t heard of so I’m excited to see what else these voices have to say. And I really hope it’s more horror.
December 30, 2023
I enjoyed this one! Tons of great short stories in this! Some had me shook or on the edge of my seat. I loved how the authors each took things we may have known or read before and put their own twists to it. Some weren't 5 star for me. Overall, the entirety of the short stories was a solid 4 star read! Good gripping tales that will make you want to not read these alone at night.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publishers to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publishers to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.
April 15, 2024
A great selection of short tales featuring young women who just gotta do what they gotta do...
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Eclectic mix, everything from a dance party in a cemetery to worrying about that 'nature club' we just joined. Some with a slice of humor, but all of them utterly and completely horror. Loved the title, had to read it - had to own it!
Five Favorites:
The Harvesters. A party turns weird - and sort of deadly - when four young partygoers have to cross a creepy corn field at night to get to one of the four's house. This was a fairly simple story but with a very definite - what is going on here?? - vibe. Loved it.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos. Okay, at first I'm why are these kids out in space cleaning up space debris and then my brain said: why not? This was one of the creepiest out there, and once the group splits up? OMgoodness, you know that is never a good idea.
Black Girl Nature Group. I got the shivers at the very start of this: popular white girl befriends black girl and they both join this particular nature group? You can just tell this isn't going to end very well - or will it? (Read the book title!)
Cemetery Dance. Another where you want to scream: Do NOT have a senior class dance party in a cemetery! (And who would do this? Well, I do know girls who would, taught teenage girls for many years, and yep, many of them would be up for this.) But then when things go south - or north - not one to read on a rainy night in a dark house with a single light over your shoulder.
Local Color. Dusty old treasure map in a dusty old book - what's not to like? An ornery grandpa and a girl determined to find out what really happened to her parents. These are old tropes, but handled well can make for a terrific story.
Also want to point out that the stories are very varied: Diff. voices, diff. locations, the girls aren't all 'orphans,' and none of them have super-powers. (Other than the power to stay alive - Read the book title!)
Five stars.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. Eclectic mix, everything from a dance party in a cemetery to worrying about that 'nature club' we just joined. Some with a slice of humor, but all of them utterly and completely horror. Loved the title, had to read it - had to own it!
Five Favorites:
The Harvesters. A party turns weird - and sort of deadly - when four young partygoers have to cross a creepy corn field at night to get to one of the four's house. This was a fairly simple story but with a very definite - what is going on here?? - vibe. Loved it.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos. Okay, at first I'm why are these kids out in space cleaning up space debris and then my brain said: why not? This was one of the creepiest out there, and once the group splits up? OMgoodness, you know that is never a good idea.
Black Girl Nature Group. I got the shivers at the very start of this: popular white girl befriends black girl and they both join this particular nature group? You can just tell this isn't going to end very well - or will it? (Read the book title!)
Cemetery Dance. Another where you want to scream: Do NOT have a senior class dance party in a cemetery! (And who would do this? Well, I do know girls who would, taught teenage girls for many years, and yep, many of them would be up for this.) But then when things go south - or north - not one to read on a rainy night in a dark house with a single light over your shoulder.
Local Color. Dusty old treasure map in a dusty old book - what's not to like? An ornery grandpa and a girl determined to find out what really happened to her parents. These are old tropes, but handled well can make for a terrific story.
Also want to point out that the stories are very varied: Diff. voices, diff. locations, the girls aren't all 'orphans,' and none of them have super-powers. (Other than the power to stay alive - Read the book title!)
Five stars.
August 9, 2024
The Black Girls Survives This One is an anthology of short horror stories from acclaimed Black writers featuring Black girls as survivors and heroes as they face the supernatural. These 15 stories were fantastic!! I listened to the audiobook (HIGHLY recommend) and I found that I was so captivated by every single story. I loved that some of the writers took some more well-known horror components and completely made them their own, while some writers created brand new and unique takes on horror.
All of these writers are immensely talented and I cannot wait to (hopefully) read more of their works. I would literally pick up a full length novel of any of these stories--that's how good they were!! My absolute favorites though were Harvesters, Ghost Light, TMI, Queeniums for Greenium!, Cemetery Dance Party, and The Black Strings.
If you are at all into the horror genre, this is a must-read.
All of these writers are immensely talented and I cannot wait to (hopefully) read more of their works. I would literally pick up a full length novel of any of these stories--that's how good they were!! My absolute favorites though were Harvesters, Ghost Light, TMI, Queeniums for Greenium!, Cemetery Dance Party, and The Black Strings.
If you are at all into the horror genre, this is a must-read.
April 6, 2024
Most of these reviews aren’t “deep,” and really just I liked this or didn’t, but some do have spoilers.
Harvesters
Predictable and not that great. Also, she did technically survive, but that ending left her fate unknown. 2/5
Welcome Back to the Cosmos
This one was interesting and held my attention. It was slightly creepy, and the exploration of space will always be interesting because there’s just so much unknown out there. This body snatcher scifi was definitely done better than the first story. 4/5
Ghost Light
Did not like at all. It was a simple ghost/poltergeist story set in a school theater, and though the writing was immersive and great, it just wasn’t for me. 1.5/5
The Brides of Devil’s Bayou
Based on generational curses and bargains with the devil/demons type story. This was good though.
5/5
TMI
I have a love hate relationship with this one. The story was intriguing, but I wanted to know more. What’s the lore behind the phone? We can assume Etta got it from her “mentor,” but what’s the point of it, and where did it come from? There’s no sense of urgency. I understand reading everyone’s minds/hearing their thoughts could be distressing and inconvenient, but there are no high stakes with this one like with the others. The story was still enjoyable, but missing so much. 3/5
Black Pride
Boring with crappy friends. Any “friend” who is upset because you want better for your life, isn’t a friend at all. Hunting members of the KKK is fine and dandy in my book, but the story still didn’t interest me. I’ve read quite a few books with the “let’s kill racist white folks” storyline and in films and books, cool, but I just feel there can be a better motive and plot than that. This feels cheap and easy. I dunno, I wanted a better story than “WereLions” hunting members of the kkk. 1/5
The Screamers
😒 The entirety of this felt rushed. There’s no connection with anyone. It’s just on go immediately and extremely predictable. This one was my least favorite so far, not memorable in any way. 0.5/5
Queeniums for Greenium
Another mediocre one for me. High stakes, but rushed, and cult stories never interest me. I also would have no desire to attempt to rescue my sister who just tried to kill and/or turn me into a MLM cult zombie after forcing me to sip their nasty concoction. It is comedic in some aspects though, because it is how MLM people act. “Everyone should drink (insert bs tummy tea or whatever else here). It will make you lose 100 pounds in two days or make all your depression go away naturally. I’ve been happy ever since drinking this.” Overall, still not my cup of tea. 1/5
Inheritance
Cultural horror, but the back and forth didn’t work for me. I did enjoy the ending, somewhat. I loved that she felt empowered and didn’t have to live in fear. I loved that she didn’t let the power wash over her and realized that Miles was defenseless, so there was no further need for harm at that point because it would no longer be for protection. I do NOT like that she agreed to help him after all the threatening he did, but this wasn’t bad. 3/5
Black Girls Nature Club
Generic and corny. This one was beyond predictable to me. 1/5
Cemetery Dance Party
Loved the premise, hated the execution. It’s cheesy as hell and cliched. I don’t mind zombies, but this could have focused more on the witch and curse and been so much better. 2/5
The Skittering Thing
Mixed emotions. My main thought is why the hell would you go to someone’s house you literally JUST met. Not only that, but agree to play some weird ass game with them also?! This was one that would have benefited from being longer or the setup shorter. 3/5
The Black Strings
I am a little confused on this one. If the black strings only show up when near death, and Nora was the one killing the rival bands, why did Essie and Mal also get black strings? I feel as if maybe I missed something, and if so, that’s on me. And so much needless killing, just for the band to still not make it and break up anyways. Overall, I liked the concept of this one, even if I am overthinking. 4/5
Local Color
Locking lips with a shapeshifting creature as your first kiss is wild. 💀 I’m curious to know about gramps though. 2.5/5
Fox Hunt
Similar to a game of tag, I suppose. If you’re the Fox, you’re attempting to get to “home base” or safety, which in this would be the river, but the stakes are raised in this. (And if y’all didn’t play tag like this as children, please don’t tell me I’m “wrong” for our rules. 😹 We did tag and if you got “home,” you were safe. Also, no tag backs.”) But anywho, overall, not my favorite story, but not bad. 2.5/5
Many of these would benefit from being slightly longer, as some felt incomplete. I expected horror, but none of these actually scare you. The “creepiest” one probably was the skittering thing. Overall, I didn’t hate this anthology, but I didn’t have a great time with it either. I’m one of the few who found it a bit dull overall. There were some standouts and my favorites were The Brides of Devil’s Bayou, Welcome Back to the Cosmos, and The Black Strings . I loved how each story highlighted a black female main character. I enjoyed the fact that said MC would survive. Overall, the book was about a 2.5 for me, but rounded up to 3.
Harvesters
Predictable and not that great. Also, she did technically survive, but that ending left her fate unknown. 2/5
Welcome Back to the Cosmos
This one was interesting and held my attention. It was slightly creepy, and the exploration of space will always be interesting because there’s just so much unknown out there. This body snatcher scifi was definitely done better than the first story. 4/5
Ghost Light
Did not like at all. It was a simple ghost/poltergeist story set in a school theater, and though the writing was immersive and great, it just wasn’t for me. 1.5/5
The Brides of Devil’s Bayou
Based on generational curses and bargains with the devil/demons type story. This was good though.
5/5
TMI
I have a love hate relationship with this one. The story was intriguing, but I wanted to know more. What’s the lore behind the phone? We can assume Etta got it from her “mentor,” but what’s the point of it, and where did it come from? There’s no sense of urgency. I understand reading everyone’s minds/hearing their thoughts could be distressing and inconvenient, but there are no high stakes with this one like with the others. The story was still enjoyable, but missing so much. 3/5
Black Pride
Boring with crappy friends. Any “friend” who is upset because you want better for your life, isn’t a friend at all. Hunting members of the KKK is fine and dandy in my book, but the story still didn’t interest me. I’ve read quite a few books with the “let’s kill racist white folks” storyline and in films and books, cool, but I just feel there can be a better motive and plot than that. This feels cheap and easy. I dunno, I wanted a better story than “WereLions” hunting members of the kkk. 1/5
The Screamers
😒 The entirety of this felt rushed. There’s no connection with anyone. It’s just on go immediately and extremely predictable. This one was my least favorite so far, not memorable in any way. 0.5/5
Queeniums for Greenium
Another mediocre one for me. High stakes, but rushed, and cult stories never interest me. I also would have no desire to attempt to rescue my sister who just tried to kill and/or turn me into a MLM cult zombie after forcing me to sip their nasty concoction. It is comedic in some aspects though, because it is how MLM people act. “Everyone should drink (insert bs tummy tea or whatever else here). It will make you lose 100 pounds in two days or make all your depression go away naturally. I’ve been happy ever since drinking this.” Overall, still not my cup of tea. 1/5
Inheritance
Cultural horror, but the back and forth didn’t work for me. I did enjoy the ending, somewhat. I loved that she felt empowered and didn’t have to live in fear. I loved that she didn’t let the power wash over her and realized that Miles was defenseless, so there was no further need for harm at that point because it would no longer be for protection. I do NOT like that she agreed to help him after all the threatening he did, but this wasn’t bad. 3/5
Black Girls Nature Club
Generic and corny. This one was beyond predictable to me. 1/5
Cemetery Dance Party
Loved the premise, hated the execution. It’s cheesy as hell and cliched. I don’t mind zombies, but this could have focused more on the witch and curse and been so much better. 2/5
The Skittering Thing
Mixed emotions. My main thought is why the hell would you go to someone’s house you literally JUST met. Not only that, but agree to play some weird ass game with them also?! This was one that would have benefited from being longer or the setup shorter. 3/5
The Black Strings
I am a little confused on this one. If the black strings only show up when near death, and Nora was the one killing the rival bands, why did Essie and Mal also get black strings? I feel as if maybe I missed something, and if so, that’s on me. And so much needless killing, just for the band to still not make it and break up anyways. Overall, I liked the concept of this one, even if I am overthinking. 4/5
Local Color
Locking lips with a shapeshifting creature as your first kiss is wild. 💀 I’m curious to know about gramps though. 2.5/5
Fox Hunt
Similar to a game of tag, I suppose. If you’re the Fox, you’re attempting to get to “home base” or safety, which in this would be the river, but the stakes are raised in this. (And if y’all didn’t play tag like this as children, please don’t tell me I’m “wrong” for our rules. 😹 We did tag and if you got “home,” you were safe. Also, no tag backs.”) But anywho, overall, not my favorite story, but not bad. 2.5/5
Many of these would benefit from being slightly longer, as some felt incomplete. I expected horror, but none of these actually scare you. The “creepiest” one probably was the skittering thing. Overall, I didn’t hate this anthology, but I didn’t have a great time with it either. I’m one of the few who found it a bit dull overall. There were some standouts and my favorites were The Brides of Devil’s Bayou, Welcome Back to the Cosmos, and The Black Strings . I loved how each story highlighted a black female main character. I enjoyed the fact that said MC would survive. Overall, the book was about a 2.5 for me, but rounded up to 3.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2023
(I rated all the stories individually, and the average of the scores is exactly 4/5 stars.)
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I’m so glad I did. I absolutely love these stories. They’re all super eerie, and keep you glued until the last page. My only complaint with the book as a whole, is that the short stories were too short. I would happily read a whole novel based on a couple of these stories.
I also want to take a second to bring attention to my favorite short stories included in this book:
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears
(By far the creepiest one in my opinion, pure horror)
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I’m so glad I did. I absolutely love these stories. They’re all super eerie, and keep you glued until the last page. My only complaint with the book as a whole, is that the short stories were too short. I would happily read a whole novel based on a couple of these stories.
I also want to take a second to bring attention to my favorite short stories included in this book:
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears
(By far the creepiest one in my opinion, pure horror)
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
March 14, 2024
As always with compilations, some are better than others but all were definitely interesting. Some of them I still think about and definitely warranted me turning off the audiobook and calm my racing heart a bit. Overall, a solid 4 stars.
- Harvesters by LL McKinney: Missy and Jo are at a party and are offered a ride home but have to walk through a cornfield first.
This one. This one creeped me out more than I anticipated. The last line just … chills.
- Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash: A crew explores an abandoned space building in space
Another one that just hit with the last line. I usually have zero interest in anything space related but this one was good.
- Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams: After her play went awry, Justine learns the ghost legend might actually be true.
I liked this one, didn’t love it.
- The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans: Aja and her friend celebrate her birthday in Louisiana against her fathers wishes
Generational curses + Louisiana horror = excellence
- TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris: Sam meets her favorite writer, Etta Vee, and “accidentally” takes her phone
This one was really short. Felt Twilight Zone-y. Not my favorite.
- Black Pride by Justina Ireland: A summer trip to the lake has Sheryl seeing her friends and social justice differently
I really enjoyed this one. I will think about it for a while.
- The Screamers by Daka Hermon: A grieving family moves into a new house with a sinister past
This wasn’t bad, fast paced, but just felt very … overdone theme wise
- Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris: Synthia’s sister invites her on a smoothie retreat
Very Stepford Wives meets MLM. Felt very predictable.
- Inheritance by Camara Aaron: Instead of your usual seven minutes in heaven, Delany tells of her summer in Dominica
This was really interesting. Loved the folklore.
- Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite: A girl goes on a nature hike with a group at the same place her aunt went missing
I liked it, even as predictable as it was.
- Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell: A high school senior throws a party at a cemetery
I didn’t love this one either, felt a little disrespectful.
- The Skittering Thing by Monia Brashears: Charlotte and Sunny befriend the mysterious new girl and play a weird sleepover game
I had no idea where this one was going. It was creepy and I loved every second of it.
- The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado: Mal, at a band competition, can see others deaths
Another one I didn’t love, idea was cool but it didn’t give me the creep factor
- Local Color by Eden Royce: Veronne finds a map that she thinks will help her find her parents
This one felt more heartwarming in the end instead of creepy.
- Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis: New girl Flex is chosen to be the “Fox” at her new schools senior game
A great ending to the compilation. This was a good story that had me rooting for Flex the whole time.
- Harvesters by LL McKinney: Missy and Jo are at a party and are offered a ride home but have to walk through a cornfield first.
This one. This one creeped me out more than I anticipated. The last line just … chills.
- Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash: A crew explores an abandoned space building in space
Another one that just hit with the last line. I usually have zero interest in anything space related but this one was good.
- Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams: After her play went awry, Justine learns the ghost legend might actually be true.
I liked this one, didn’t love it.
- The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans: Aja and her friend celebrate her birthday in Louisiana against her fathers wishes
Generational curses + Louisiana horror = excellence
- TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris: Sam meets her favorite writer, Etta Vee, and “accidentally” takes her phone
This one was really short. Felt Twilight Zone-y. Not my favorite.
- Black Pride by Justina Ireland: A summer trip to the lake has Sheryl seeing her friends and social justice differently
I really enjoyed this one. I will think about it for a while.
- The Screamers by Daka Hermon: A grieving family moves into a new house with a sinister past
This wasn’t bad, fast paced, but just felt very … overdone theme wise
- Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris: Synthia’s sister invites her on a smoothie retreat
Very Stepford Wives meets MLM. Felt very predictable.
- Inheritance by Camara Aaron: Instead of your usual seven minutes in heaven, Delany tells of her summer in Dominica
This was really interesting. Loved the folklore.
- Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite: A girl goes on a nature hike with a group at the same place her aunt went missing
I liked it, even as predictable as it was.
- Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell: A high school senior throws a party at a cemetery
I didn’t love this one either, felt a little disrespectful.
- The Skittering Thing by Monia Brashears: Charlotte and Sunny befriend the mysterious new girl and play a weird sleepover game
I had no idea where this one was going. It was creepy and I loved every second of it.
- The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado: Mal, at a band competition, can see others deaths
Another one I didn’t love, idea was cool but it didn’t give me the creep factor
- Local Color by Eden Royce: Veronne finds a map that she thinks will help her find her parents
This one felt more heartwarming in the end instead of creepy.
- Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis: New girl Flex is chosen to be the “Fox” at her new schools senior game
A great ending to the compilation. This was a good story that had me rooting for Flex the whole time.
April 9, 2024
Don’t worry guys. There’s no need to prepare. None of these stories are terrifying nor will they leave you breathless. I had really looked forward to reading this, but it’s a no for me.
Here’s a breakdown of each one:
Harvesters
After leaving a house party, Jo finds herself in a predicament when she follows her best friend into a haunted cornfield.
This wasn’t a bad story, but I felt like the focus should have been more on what was happening in the cornfield instead of at the party. And technically she did survive, but the ending clearly implied she wouldn’t be for long.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos
Danika, a deep space surveyor, faces off with a mysterious entity after boarding an abandoned factory spaceship.
One of the only good stories in the collection. It was nice to read about a black female lead in space. And I like that there was no drawn out backstory or long buildup to get to the action.
Ghost Light
While closing up after a botched set, Janine, a high school theatre production manager, comes across a girl who has ulterior motives.
This story was too simple, predictable, and done plenty of times. I didn’t enjoy it.
The Brides of Devil’s Bayou
Finally ready to confront a multigenerational curse, Aja returns to her hometown to celebrate her dreaded 19th birthday.
This was an okay story about breaking generational curses.
TMI
Sam’s idol slips her a phone that allows her to read other people’s minds.
I’m not sure what the point of this story was because it didn’t even fit the theme. Sam meets her favorite author, Etta Vee. Finds out they have the same phone. Later she realizes that her phone (really Etta’s) allows her to read minds. She doesn’t like it. Confronts Etta. Etta tries to gaslight her then tells her she can just give it to someone else. That’s it. No lore behind the phone. No need for survival. Nothing scary or creepy happens. Why was this even picked to be included?
Black Pride
Sheryl decides to spend time with her friends at a cabin in Lake Preston, but she must be careful because a bunch of white kids have went missing there.
This is another one where I didn’t understand why it was included in the anthology. Sheryl was never in any danger so there was nothing for her to survive from.
The Screamers
Honest to God, I can’t remember anything from this story and I literally just finished reading the book.
Queeniums for Geranium
Synthia is taken to a mansion to meet her sister’s MLM crew and to try their brand smoothie, but there’s one problem: Synthia is severely allergic to soy and that’s the smoothie’s main ingredient, which her sister knows about.
Lord knows I’ve had family and “friends” who’ve tried to recruit me into these scamming MLMs over the years so I like the idea of this story, but I don’t think it was executed well.
Inheritance
This is another one that wasn’t memorable.
Black Girl Nature Group
Lucky and Jazz are invited to an outing in the woods but realize something is off when they’re the only black girls in the Black Girl Nature Group.
This wasn’t my cup of tea and felt like a Goosebumps story.
Cemetery Dance Party
Allesandra throws a senior class party in a cemetery and some unruly teens disturb a gravesite, unleashing the undead.
Has to be the worse zombie story I’ve ever read.
The Skittering Thing
The new girl in town invites Sunny and Charlotte to her house where they end up playing a strange game of hide and seek.
This story was hella weird and so unrealistic. No teens would just go over to someone’s house they literally just met and play a crazy ass game like that with their parents.
The Black Strings
Mal has always seen black strings over people’s heads before they died. At her band’s competition, everyone she sees has a string and it looks like someone is manipulating them.
Interesting concept but the reason behind the deaths made no sense.
Local Color
A sheltered girl finds a map and follows it to a local park thinking it will lead her to her missing parents.
This whole story was confusing and weird.
Fox Hunt
Flex, a new black student at a predominantly white school, gets invited to play a game of Fox Hunt in the woods.
This is the only story where there’s any real survival and actually follows the theme of the book.
Here’s a breakdown of each one:
Harvesters
After leaving a house party, Jo finds herself in a predicament when she follows her best friend into a haunted cornfield.
This wasn’t a bad story, but I felt like the focus should have been more on what was happening in the cornfield instead of at the party. And technically she did survive, but the ending clearly implied she wouldn’t be for long.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos
Danika, a deep space surveyor, faces off with a mysterious entity after boarding an abandoned factory spaceship.
One of the only good stories in the collection. It was nice to read about a black female lead in space. And I like that there was no drawn out backstory or long buildup to get to the action.
Ghost Light
While closing up after a botched set, Janine, a high school theatre production manager, comes across a girl who has ulterior motives.
This story was too simple, predictable, and done plenty of times. I didn’t enjoy it.
The Brides of Devil’s Bayou
Finally ready to confront a multigenerational curse, Aja returns to her hometown to celebrate her dreaded 19th birthday.
This was an okay story about breaking generational curses.
TMI
Sam’s idol slips her a phone that allows her to read other people’s minds.
I’m not sure what the point of this story was because it didn’t even fit the theme. Sam meets her favorite author, Etta Vee. Finds out they have the same phone. Later she realizes that her phone (really Etta’s) allows her to read minds. She doesn’t like it. Confronts Etta. Etta tries to gaslight her then tells her she can just give it to someone else. That’s it. No lore behind the phone. No need for survival. Nothing scary or creepy happens. Why was this even picked to be included?
Black Pride
Sheryl decides to spend time with her friends at a cabin in Lake Preston, but she must be careful because a bunch of white kids have went missing there.
This is another one where I didn’t understand why it was included in the anthology. Sheryl was never in any danger so there was nothing for her to survive from.
The Screamers
Honest to God, I can’t remember anything from this story and I literally just finished reading the book.
Queeniums for Geranium
Synthia is taken to a mansion to meet her sister’s MLM crew and to try their brand smoothie, but there’s one problem: Synthia is severely allergic to soy and that’s the smoothie’s main ingredient, which her sister knows about.
Lord knows I’ve had family and “friends” who’ve tried to recruit me into these scamming MLMs over the years so I like the idea of this story, but I don’t think it was executed well.
Inheritance
This is another one that wasn’t memorable.
Black Girl Nature Group
Lucky and Jazz are invited to an outing in the woods but realize something is off when they’re the only black girls in the Black Girl Nature Group.
This wasn’t my cup of tea and felt like a Goosebumps story.
Cemetery Dance Party
Allesandra throws a senior class party in a cemetery and some unruly teens disturb a gravesite, unleashing the undead.
Has to be the worse zombie story I’ve ever read.
The Skittering Thing
The new girl in town invites Sunny and Charlotte to her house where they end up playing a strange game of hide and seek.
This story was hella weird and so unrealistic. No teens would just go over to someone’s house they literally just met and play a crazy ass game like that with their parents.
The Black Strings
Mal has always seen black strings over people’s heads before they died. At her band’s competition, everyone she sees has a string and it looks like someone is manipulating them.
Interesting concept but the reason behind the deaths made no sense.
Local Color
A sheltered girl finds a map and follows it to a local park thinking it will lead her to her missing parents.
This whole story was confusing and weird.
Fox Hunt
Flex, a new black student at a predominantly white school, gets invited to play a game of Fox Hunt in the woods.
This is the only story where there’s any real survival and actually follows the theme of the book.
March 3, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! It's a compilation of short horror stories, with black girls coming out on top and being the final girl. I loved how some stories included black culture- our grandmas saying prayers to cover us, mentions of girls having TWAs, all the while being the horror stories we so commonly see with white characters coming out on top. "Harvesters" was a great story to start this book off with (L.L. McKinney can do no wrong!) There's so much variety in this book, many different stories that one can easily love. I personally connected to "Inheritance" and the Dominican background of the characters. Loved this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for providing me with this ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for providing me with this ARC!
March 30, 2024
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.
Cover & Title
The cover of this work is absolutely STUNNING, and the title is both fitting and effective; as a browsing reader, I was immediately drawn in. Having now read the anthology, I think the cover works so perfectly with the content of these stories and the premise of the project. The title is well presented and explained in the foreword, although it is a risk depending on the reader. Telling us that “the Black girl survives in this one” has the potential to dampen the stakes and tension building throughout a story, since we already know part of the ending. Personally, I think given the goal of this work, it fits very well and properly introduces this anthology to the reader.
Audiobook Format
I chose to read this as an audiobook, and that was 100% a correct decision. Shayna Small did an INCREDIBLE JOB throughout—I mean PHENOMENAL—and, while I’m convinced these short stories work well in every format, I think her performance elevates each one. Her cadence, accents, and voices add depth to already well-written and layered stories.
There was also some music at the very beginning & end that I appreciated; it was a small addition to the sound design that set a nice tone for the reader going in.
Foreword
Tananarive Due’s foreword serves as an excellent introduction with some history & context of the horror genre as a whole. I would definitely love to read more from her on the subject.
Overall Thoughts!
As I am now in my 20s and feel myself increasingly reaching for adult books, I have grown more intentional with my YA picks. That said, the second I read the synopsis of The Black Girl Survives in This One, I KNEW I had to read it. I am a lifelong fan of the horror genre in movies, TV shows, and books (admittedly, I haven’t read as much horror as I would like, but I’m fixing that rn okay!!), and I deeply appreciate both the classic campy fundamentals (i call these comfort horror idk if that’s real but it is to me) and the exceedingly weird often-disturbing experimental stories released every now and then.
Before I dive into my general thoughts, I will admit that I often struggle with anthologies and short stories: I have greedy tendencies, and I almost always want more😭😭 + I think this is especially likely for me with YA.
Well… that’s exactly what happened here ahaha I WANT MORE PLEASE. As I read, I could conceptualize almost every single one of these as the first chapter to an AWESOME YA horror novel, and now I can’t release that thought (as I said: greedy😅); I think I’ll try to combat it by reading through as much of these authors’ other works as I can.
I love the premise of this anthology, and I am so happy that it exists & that I read it. These authors cover a range of classic fundamental horror sub-genres and setups—cabin in the woods, haunted house, zombies, demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, and more—in short stories that center voices of Black girls and women so long excluded from final girl roles in the genre. I loved reading these stories told through their eyes.
Many did feel a bit predictable, but I think that necessarily comes with the decisions to tell readers upfront that “the Black girl survives in this one” and to focus on many classic well-loved horror frameworks. Many of these are familiar stories (or at least setups), so I think feeling familiarity and some level of predictability makes sense here. Horror fans have seen many of these premises before, but we have not necessarily seen these characters star in them or read their voices narrating them. And I don’t think they’re all meant to be new stories so much as they’re stories we should have been getting all along and are now getting together in this anthology.
I greatly enjoyed the writing of each author throughout. There were so many different important themes and discussions raised over the course of the anthology beyond the immediate horror plots, which added depth and context to the characters and world around them. I felt emotionally connected to the protagonists; the stories and settings felt vivid, and there were many sentences that really got me.
My primary—and really only—critique is that I do wish some of these stories were longer or more fleshed out. Most of the short stories stand on their own, but there were a few that felt less complete and more like seeds for something more.
By the end of each story, I had grown invested & attached, and then it would be over 😩. And I’d want to know what happened next in that world! Basically, I wasn’t always ready to move on from a chapter when it was over, and sometimes it felt a bit jarring how quickly a story would end (at least in the audio format when you’re not watching the progress bar). I think this feeling might lessen for me if each story had more space and spent a bit longer on the ending or its consequences; often, most of the time was dedicated to the introduction of the characters, setting, dynamics, etc.—which was all well done! As I said, I was invested & happy to have the context!—but perhaps could have been balanced with a bit more time in the last scenes.
That said, I think part of this could also just be the nature of short story anthologies: the stories are by definition short. And wanting more from them is also a good sign: I didn’t want them to end!
Overall, as I said in the beginning of this section, I really enjoyed this book; it’s important and well-written, and I absolutely recommend checking it out!!
Some Favorites
I won’t go through with my thoughts story by story, although I know many people do with anthologies, because I am incapable of keeping things brief; instead, I would like to highlight some of my favorites from this book. As I started writing, I kept wanting to add more and more lol, so this list of favs is not exhaustive — just some highlights.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
Inheritance by Camara Aaron
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris
Local Color by Eden Royce
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
I’m very excited to see which stories speak to different people. It seems everyone who has read this so far has a different set of favorites, which I think is really cool and speaks to the strength of the anthology.
Cover & Title
The cover of this work is absolutely STUNNING, and the title is both fitting and effective; as a browsing reader, I was immediately drawn in. Having now read the anthology, I think the cover works so perfectly with the content of these stories and the premise of the project. The title is well presented and explained in the foreword, although it is a risk depending on the reader. Telling us that “the Black girl survives in this one” has the potential to dampen the stakes and tension building throughout a story, since we already know part of the ending. Personally, I think given the goal of this work, it fits very well and properly introduces this anthology to the reader.
Audiobook Format
I chose to read this as an audiobook, and that was 100% a correct decision. Shayna Small did an INCREDIBLE JOB throughout—I mean PHENOMENAL—and, while I’m convinced these short stories work well in every format, I think her performance elevates each one. Her cadence, accents, and voices add depth to already well-written and layered stories.
There was also some music at the very beginning & end that I appreciated; it was a small addition to the sound design that set a nice tone for the reader going in.
Foreword
Tananarive Due’s foreword serves as an excellent introduction with some history & context of the horror genre as a whole. I would definitely love to read more from her on the subject.
Overall Thoughts!
As I am now in my 20s and feel myself increasingly reaching for adult books, I have grown more intentional with my YA picks. That said, the second I read the synopsis of The Black Girl Survives in This One, I KNEW I had to read it. I am a lifelong fan of the horror genre in movies, TV shows, and books (admittedly, I haven’t read as much horror as I would like, but I’m fixing that rn okay!!), and I deeply appreciate both the classic campy fundamentals (i call these comfort horror idk if that’s real but it is to me) and the exceedingly weird often-disturbing experimental stories released every now and then.
Before I dive into my general thoughts, I will admit that I often struggle with anthologies and short stories: I have greedy tendencies, and I almost always want more😭😭 + I think this is especially likely for me with YA.
Well… that’s exactly what happened here ahaha I WANT MORE PLEASE. As I read, I could conceptualize almost every single one of these as the first chapter to an AWESOME YA horror novel, and now I can’t release that thought (as I said: greedy😅); I think I’ll try to combat it by reading through as much of these authors’ other works as I can.
I love the premise of this anthology, and I am so happy that it exists & that I read it. These authors cover a range of classic fundamental horror sub-genres and setups—cabin in the woods, haunted house, zombies, demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, and more—in short stories that center voices of Black girls and women so long excluded from final girl roles in the genre. I loved reading these stories told through their eyes.
Many did feel a bit predictable, but I think that necessarily comes with the decisions to tell readers upfront that “the Black girl survives in this one” and to focus on many classic well-loved horror frameworks. Many of these are familiar stories (or at least setups), so I think feeling familiarity and some level of predictability makes sense here. Horror fans have seen many of these premises before, but we have not necessarily seen these characters star in them or read their voices narrating them. And I don’t think they’re all meant to be new stories so much as they’re stories we should have been getting all along and are now getting together in this anthology.
I greatly enjoyed the writing of each author throughout. There were so many different important themes and discussions raised over the course of the anthology beyond the immediate horror plots, which added depth and context to the characters and world around them. I felt emotionally connected to the protagonists; the stories and settings felt vivid, and there were many sentences that really got me.
My primary—and really only—critique is that I do wish some of these stories were longer or more fleshed out. Most of the short stories stand on their own, but there were a few that felt less complete and more like seeds for something more.
By the end of each story, I had grown invested & attached, and then it would be over 😩. And I’d want to know what happened next in that world! Basically, I wasn’t always ready to move on from a chapter when it was over, and sometimes it felt a bit jarring how quickly a story would end (at least in the audio format when you’re not watching the progress bar). I think this feeling might lessen for me if each story had more space and spent a bit longer on the ending or its consequences; often, most of the time was dedicated to the introduction of the characters, setting, dynamics, etc.—which was all well done! As I said, I was invested & happy to have the context!—but perhaps could have been balanced with a bit more time in the last scenes.
That said, I think part of this could also just be the nature of short story anthologies: the stories are by definition short. And wanting more from them is also a good sign: I didn’t want them to end!
Overall, as I said in the beginning of this section, I really enjoyed this book; it’s important and well-written, and I absolutely recommend checking it out!!
Some Favorites
I won’t go through with my thoughts story by story, although I know many people do with anthologies, because I am incapable of keeping things brief; instead, I would like to highlight some of my favorites from this book. As I started writing, I kept wanting to add more and more lol, so this list of favs is not exhaustive — just some highlights.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland
Inheritance by Camara Aaron
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris
Local Color by Eden Royce
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis
I’m very excited to see which stories speak to different people. It seems everyone who has read this so far has a different set of favorites, which I think is really cool and speaks to the strength of the anthology.
May 3, 2024
The first and last stories were my favorites -- Harvesters and Foxhunt. Foxhunt in particular was excellent.
An excellent anthology for horror enthusiasts.
An excellent anthology for horror enthusiasts.
June 17, 2024
**4.5**
Harvesters 4/5
Welcome Back to the Cosmos 3/5
Ghost Light 5/5
The Brides of Devil's Bayou 4/5
TMI 3/5
Black Pride 3/5
The Screamers 5/5
Queeniums for Greenium! 5/5
Inheritance 3/5
Black Girl Nature Group 3/5
Cemetery Dance Party 4/5
The Skittering Thing 3/5
The Black Strings 4/5
Local Color 5/5
Foxhunt 4/5
Harvesters 4/5
Welcome Back to the Cosmos 3/5
Ghost Light 5/5
The Brides of Devil's Bayou 4/5
TMI 3/5
Black Pride 3/5
The Screamers 5/5
Queeniums for Greenium! 5/5
Inheritance 3/5
Black Girl Nature Group 3/5
Cemetery Dance Party 4/5
The Skittering Thing 3/5
The Black Strings 4/5
Local Color 5/5
Foxhunt 4/5
April 22, 2024
Overall, I would say the anthology was good - with lots of different rep, and a large array of topics and storylines. My biggest complaint is that it’s called a horror anthology and truly only one or two of the stories were truly horror. There was a lot of suspense, some thrillers and I enjoyed a lot of them - but know going in you’re not going to get horror.
Harvesters- 4
A little bit slow to start but loved the ending!
Welcome back to the cosmos- 3.5
More of a space thriller than horror - but was definitely interesting!
Ghost light 3.5
Cute! Liked the imagery and characters
The Bride’s of Devil’s Bayou - 5
Yesssss now this is what I’m talking about. Loved this!
TMI- 4
Loved the interweaving of adventure and race politics
Black Pride - 3.5
Honestly a little boring. Kept referencing violence but except for the intro scene nothing really happened
The screamers- 4
This one was scary! Enjoyed it
Queeniums for Greeniums - 5
The vibe of this one was so good! Pyramid scheme meets horror movie.
Inheritance- 4
Wow this one really messed me up! And pretty scary.
Black Girl Nature Group- 4
Too real - but good! Liked the storyline a lot
Cemetery Dance Party - 4
Ooooh violent undead at a cemetery party. I’m here for it
The Skittering Thing - 4
Wow this one was CREEPY!!! Liked the setting and the game turned evil. Wanted the ending to be a little more though
The Black Strings - 4
Rock band meets a series of accidents and suspenseful black string! Loved the Autistic rep
Local Color - 4
Interesting twist of cultural history, legends, and evil.
Foxhunt - 4
Loved the twist on a super creepy football game - howling and masks. I also liked the psych evaluations overlayed onto the story.
Harvesters- 4
A little bit slow to start but loved the ending!
Welcome back to the cosmos- 3.5
More of a space thriller than horror - but was definitely interesting!
Ghost light 3.5
Cute! Liked the imagery and characters
The Bride’s of Devil’s Bayou - 5
Yesssss now this is what I’m talking about. Loved this!
TMI- 4
Loved the interweaving of adventure and race politics
Black Pride - 3.5
Honestly a little boring. Kept referencing violence but except for the intro scene nothing really happened
The screamers- 4
This one was scary! Enjoyed it
Queeniums for Greeniums - 5
The vibe of this one was so good! Pyramid scheme meets horror movie.
Inheritance- 4
Wow this one really messed me up! And pretty scary.
Black Girl Nature Group- 4
Too real - but good! Liked the storyline a lot
Cemetery Dance Party - 4
Ooooh violent undead at a cemetery party. I’m here for it
The Skittering Thing - 4
Wow this one was CREEPY!!! Liked the setting and the game turned evil. Wanted the ending to be a little more though
The Black Strings - 4
Rock band meets a series of accidents and suspenseful black string! Loved the Autistic rep
Local Color - 4
Interesting twist of cultural history, legends, and evil.
Foxhunt - 4
Loved the twist on a super creepy football game - howling and masks. I also liked the psych evaluations overlayed onto the story.
![Profile Image for julia ☆ [owls reads].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1636739475i/5520447._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
May 14, 2024
Harvesters by L.L. McKinney: not much to say about this one except that I liked the twists!
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash: really enjoyed the scifi elements and how they worked with the unsettling atmosphere.
Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams: theater lore! Something should have happened to Sarah.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans: I loved this! Great family curse and build up as it was resolved.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris: short and intriguing.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland: you know what? I wouldn't mind if this was true. Great take on monsters!
The Screamers by Daka Hermon: a solid ghost and haunted house story!
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris: the scariest story yet tbh. MLMs are a horror.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron: great way to tie folktales with family history.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite: another favorite! We should never go into the woods with white people.
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell: this would make such a good movie tbh.
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears: a bit too weird and convoluted for me.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado: so much tension! I loved the take on the strings and how that unfolded.
Local Color by Eden Royce: started a little shaky, but the ending was great!
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis: fantastic way to wrap up the collection! The Hunt concept isn't a new one, but I liked how it worked with Felix's mental health.
Overall, a fun read throughout. I did expect a bit more spookiness from the stories, however, instead of mostly action.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Kortney Nash: really enjoyed the scifi elements and how they worked with the unsettling atmosphere.
Ghost Light by Erin E. Adams: theater lore! Something should have happened to Sarah.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans: I loved this! Great family curse and build up as it was resolved.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris: short and intriguing.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland: you know what? I wouldn't mind if this was true. Great take on monsters!
The Screamers by Daka Hermon: a solid ghost and haunted house story!
Queeniums for Greenium! by Brittney Morris: the scariest story yet tbh. MLMs are a horror.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron: great way to tie folktales with family history.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika Moulite, Maritza Moulite: another favorite! We should never go into the woods with white people.
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell: this would make such a good movie tbh.
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears: a bit too weird and convoluted for me.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado: so much tension! I loved the take on the strings and how that unfolded.
Local Color by Eden Royce: started a little shaky, but the ending was great!
Foxhunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis: fantastic way to wrap up the collection! The Hunt concept isn't a new one, but I liked how it worked with Felix's mental health.
Overall, a fun read throughout. I did expect a bit more spookiness from the stories, however, instead of mostly action.
March 13, 2024
I'm really impressed!! I liked every single story in this! They were all really strong, I do have some favorites and some that I would ADORE to have full length novels of. Overall a really fantastic collection from a bunch of really talented authors.
Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!!
July 4, 2024
actual rating: 3/5 stars
read for reading my most anticipated 2024 releases vlog: coming soon
i wanted so much more horror from this than i got. i've read some really great short horror and some really great ya horror so idk this one fell flat but it did. the concepts were cool but execution was lackluster.
read for reading my most anticipated 2024 releases vlog: coming soon
i wanted so much more horror from this than i got. i've read some really great short horror and some really great ya horror so idk this one fell flat but it did. the concepts were cool but execution was lackluster.
May 27, 2024
I usually don’t read horror or anthologies! But this one right here was pleasantly surprising!!! Love it!!! All black authors with a bit of history and not too scary are definitely a WIN WIN for me! Highly recommend… fingers crossed 🤞🏾 for a part 2 ❤️❤️❤️
September 25, 2024
I’m always a slut for a horror anthology book that subvert horror tropes😊🦇
November 9, 2023
I won this ARC of this horror anthology as a giveaway prize from Flatiron Books via Goodreads, and it did not disappoint! Every story was unique, and a few left me wanting more. I’m a big fan of horror, and was a fan of Lous Duncan when I was a teen. Teenage me would’ve LOVED this book where Black girls get to survive and in some of the stories, get justice. I look forward to reading these stories every spooky season.
March 27, 2024
This audiobook was made available to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
One of the narrators of this audiobook is Tananarive Due, who read the forward, which was a treat. Shayna Small narrated the other stories beautifully. I liked that this anthology primarily had a single narrator. It felt similar to telling spooky stories at a sleepover.
What I love about anthologies is the introduction to new authors whose other books I might enjoy. This anthology had several authors that I hadn't read before but will be seeking out their published work in the future.
Harvesters by L.L. McKinney~A high school party with drinking and friends that ends with lost keys and a walk home that will never be forgotten.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Courtney Nash~A spooky space story about an abandoned factory. Danica is a teenager with a team in space who searches abandoned ships & colonies.
Ghostlight by Erin E. Adams~Is set at a high school on the stage mostly during the play Macbeth by Shakespeare. Jeanine is the production stage manager on opening night. This was really creepy but in a fun way.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans~Asa is the descendant of an enslaved woman who made a pact with a demon to escape slavery. This needs to be a novel🤷🏾♀️ This is tied with Black Pride as my 1st favorite story in this anthology.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris~A Black girl with a scholarship to the exclusive Beacon Prep is in the auditorium to hear a speech by Etta Vee. Etta Vee was, once upon a time, also a Black girl with a scholarship to Beacon Prep before her career as an award winning author.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland~It's 1973, and Cheryl is headed to the lake for the weekend with friends. Tied with The Brides of Devil's Bayou for my 1st favorite story in this collection.
The Screamers by Daka Hermon~After the death of her little brother, Corey, Imani, and her family move into a new house.
Queeniums for Greenium by Brittney Morris~ Cynthia attends a weekend retreat with her older sister, Diana's smoothie club. The MLM horror story I've been waiting for. It's easily my 3rd favorite story in this collection.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron~Delaney learns about the Soucouyant while visiting her Aunt Margo in Dominica. I loved the Caribbean flavor of this story. I'd rate this my 2nd favorite story in this collection.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika & Maritza Moulite~Lucky plans to view a once in a decade meteor shower in the forest on the same night as a blood moon. This has a nice dose of superstitions with a Get Out vibe. Love it!
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell~A full-blown silent graduation party held at the Cemetery. Surely nothing will go wrong🙃.
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears~The Birthday Girl, her BFF Charlotte, and the new pastor's family play a game.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado~Nell walks into a hotel for a chance to participate in the Akron Heights Records Contest, but her possible big break isn't her only concern.
Local Color by Eden Royce~Is a story steeped in Black folklore featuring a treasure map and supernatural creatures.
Fox Hunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis~Flex is starting a new school her senior. A chance to start over only this town isn't an ideal place for a new start.
This is the kinda audiobook to savor. I needed to read and review this quickly so I could get my review posted. However, if you aren't in that position, may I suggest a story or 2 a night. Ideally relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine, the fireplace going and listening to this on a bluetooth or other speaker instead of headphones. I was able to do that with the first story in this anthology, and I LOVED it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this anthology. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
One of the narrators of this audiobook is Tananarive Due, who read the forward, which was a treat. Shayna Small narrated the other stories beautifully. I liked that this anthology primarily had a single narrator. It felt similar to telling spooky stories at a sleepover.
What I love about anthologies is the introduction to new authors whose other books I might enjoy. This anthology had several authors that I hadn't read before but will be seeking out their published work in the future.
Harvesters by L.L. McKinney~A high school party with drinking and friends that ends with lost keys and a walk home that will never be forgotten.
Welcome Back to the Cosmos by Courtney Nash~A spooky space story about an abandoned factory. Danica is a teenager with a team in space who searches abandoned ships & colonies.
Ghostlight by Erin E. Adams~Is set at a high school on the stage mostly during the play Macbeth by Shakespeare. Jeanine is the production stage manager on opening night. This was really creepy but in a fun way.
The Brides of Devil's Bayou by Desiree S. Evans~Asa is the descendant of an enslaved woman who made a pact with a demon to escape slavery. This needs to be a novel🤷🏾♀️ This is tied with Black Pride as my 1st favorite story in this anthology.
TMI by Zakiya Dalila Harris~A Black girl with a scholarship to the exclusive Beacon Prep is in the auditorium to hear a speech by Etta Vee. Etta Vee was, once upon a time, also a Black girl with a scholarship to Beacon Prep before her career as an award winning author.
Black Pride by Justina Ireland~It's 1973, and Cheryl is headed to the lake for the weekend with friends. Tied with The Brides of Devil's Bayou for my 1st favorite story in this collection.
The Screamers by Daka Hermon~After the death of her little brother, Corey, Imani, and her family move into a new house.
Queeniums for Greenium by Brittney Morris~ Cynthia attends a weekend retreat with her older sister, Diana's smoothie club. The MLM horror story I've been waiting for. It's easily my 3rd favorite story in this collection.
Inheritance by Camara Aaron~Delaney learns about the Soucouyant while visiting her Aunt Margo in Dominica. I loved the Caribbean flavor of this story. I'd rate this my 2nd favorite story in this collection.
Black Girl Nature Group by Maika & Maritza Moulite~Lucky plans to view a once in a decade meteor shower in the forest on the same night as a blood moon. This has a nice dose of superstitions with a Get Out vibe. Love it!
Cemetery Dance Party by Saraciea J. Fennell~A full-blown silent graduation party held at the Cemetery. Surely nothing will go wrong🙃.
The Skittering Thing by Monica Brashears~The Birthday Girl, her BFF Charlotte, and the new pastor's family play a game.
The Black Strings by Vincent Tirado~Nell walks into a hotel for a chance to participate in the Akron Heights Records Contest, but her possible big break isn't her only concern.
Local Color by Eden Royce~Is a story steeped in Black folklore featuring a treasure map and supernatural creatures.
Fox Hunt by Charlotte Nicole Davis~Flex is starting a new school her senior. A chance to start over only this town isn't an ideal place for a new start.
This is the kinda audiobook to savor. I needed to read and review this quickly so I could get my review posted. However, if you aren't in that position, may I suggest a story or 2 a night. Ideally relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine, the fireplace going and listening to this on a bluetooth or other speaker instead of headphones. I was able to do that with the first story in this anthology, and I LOVED it.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read/listen to and review this anthology. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
March 19, 2024
♡ Audiobook Review ♡
♤ Release April 7 ♤
- short stories
Love, love, love this audiobook. Let me go pre-order my physical copies. If you want the black girl to SURVIVE or WIN. this book is for you!
It's an anthology of black female ya horror stories! I enjoyed every story that was told in this book.
The narrators Shayna Small and Tananarive Due did a phenomenal job bringing these stories to live.
♤ Release April 7 ♤
- short stories
Love, love, love this audiobook. Let me go pre-order my physical copies. If you want the black girl to SURVIVE or WIN. this book is for you!
It's an anthology of black female ya horror stories! I enjoyed every story that was told in this book.
The narrators Shayna Small and Tananarive Due did a phenomenal job bringing these stories to live.
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