M is for Managing
I’m doing folklore and book review posts to reach and please a larger audience. Previous years have shown select interest in both and to minimise blogging throughout the year, I’m focusing my efforts on April.
Focusing on an A to Z of my TBR (to be read) list, each letter will have books starting with that letter on my list, a book I’ve read and reviewed (with the review!) and one of my books matching the letter with a link about more info about the book.
If you’d rather check out my folklore post for today, go here.
My TBR
About the Book I’ve Read
Managing and Other Lies: A Queer Horror Collection by Willow Heath
An unsettling collection of queer horror stories that takes readers on a dark journey down desolate country roads, through the vacant halls of Gothic homes, and into the dark heart of modern-day Britain. These are Kafkaesque tales of loneliness, brutality, and paranoia.
In a labyrinthine house at the edge of a quiet English village, a hollowed-out and anxious housekeeper works to keep the place tidy while writing religiously in their diary. After settling into a routine, they meet a secretive and seductive woman living in a room upstairs who promises them a better life. All she asks for in return are a few parts and pieces.
Faye is a YouTuber who enjoys reviewing movies. When she takes pity on a lonely and obsessive fan, she finds herself falling into something dark and deeply distressing.
Cassandra only has one person left to come out her mother, and she has decided to do so during a weekend visit. But her mother offers Cassandra no love or understanding, and making matters worse is the threatening ghost of a man that only Cassandra can see.
Trans teen runaway Mel is hitchhiking, hoping to reach London, when she is picked up by a woman who seems at first to be a kindred spirit, but there is something gnarled and twisted hidden beneath the surface.
A young couple recently had a baby together, but the baby is very sick; its body is changing—mutating—and they need to find out why before it’s too late.
After the death of her husband, an abused woman is suddenly liberated and makes plans to start her life anew, but she may not get to experience the freedom she hopes for.
Check it out on Goodreads.
My Review
The first story, Managing, is about a haunted house, an MC who is on a gender journey (a woman as I read her, but with a male physicality), and two monsters who come with the house: the aggressive, bullying man and the abusive, flesh-devouring, woman. Neither wants the MC to be who she is… Loads of blood, on-page sex (not erotica), violence, and a house that refuses to stay clean and organised.
Chloe.Claire1 was terrifying in the way one can so easily develop – even unwittingly nurture – a dangerous parasocial relationship online.
A Mother’s Love is probably the creepiest story in this collection – probably because it’s her mother who wants to destroy her. Trigger warnings: creep wanking off and trying to rape MC.
We Understand Each Other Perfectly makes the regular fears one was hitchhiking look tame. Especially as these TERFs were hunting women like Mel…
Baby is such a sad and scary story… The stuff horror is made of.
Little Blue Sticky Notes was the scariest of all the stories. No blood, gore or sexual assault like the other stories: just pure terror factor of the woman’s abuser not being one, even death couldn’t separate them… I’ll stick to yellow sticky notes from now on.
A good horror collection focused on the female and trans experience – especially the dangers women face from all quarters for just being who they are. The stories made me feel, think, and wonder, while also managing to be entertaining (and scary!).
It delivers exactly what the title and blurb promises. I think “Managing” might reveal more during a re-read…
My Book
Magic at Midnight
I hope you enjoyed this. For more books I’ve read and reviewed, check out either my Pinterest board about reviews or my Goodreads profile. Alternatively, you can check out my reviews on BookBub. Have you read any of the books? Loved or hated any of them?
You can now support my time in producing book review posts (buying books, reading, writing reviews and everything else involved) by buying me a coffee. This can be a once-off thing, or you can buy me coffee again in the future at your discretion.
*FYI, my reviews are my honest opinion and if something bothers me, I tell it straight. How else will anything change? My opinions are based on being a voracious reader and book buyer, not an attack on the author.*
Oh my! That’s a wonderful cover, title, AND concept. Heading over to add it my TBR now. Looks like we’re both going to have to live forever to read all these! @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
That sounds like a great vehicle for horror. They’re taking horror in interesting ways recently.
Adds to list, adds to list… Oh, my people again!
Rainbow Crow — put it on your R. It’s a Lenni-Lenape story that has been turned into a beautiful children’s book. You’ll blow through it in a few minutes. But you’ll go back for the art! Worth getting a hardback copy.