Book Review: American Monsters
By Elizabeth Suggs
American Monsters: Part 2 is a multi-author horror anthology. Each story offers a unique take on different North American (Canada, US, Mexico, and the Caribbean Islands) folklore, myths, and legends about monsters from the region.
Part 2 is the sixth of this monster series, and after reading this book, I want to go back and read the others! Because while I didn’t love every story, the stories I did enjoy shined out bright and unforgettable.
Can I also add that I’m in love with the illustrations and the formatting? The formatting is professional, the style is awesome. If I had a coffee table, this would go on top.
My favorite stories were “It’ll be Fine” by Kelly Sandoval, “On Desire and its Cure” by Pepe Rojo, “What Happened to Mrs. Eleonora Valdemar” by Carmelo Rafala, and “Lay of the Land, Law of the Land” by Pedro Caibya.
“It’ll be Fine” by Kelly Sandoval. There’s interpersonal drama and crows who join our main character, Kate, for breakfast. Kate is an easily identifiable character. It’s a great read.
“What Happened to Mrs. Eleonora Valdemar” by Carmelo Rafala. I fell into this story of letters easily. It was well-written, the character was well-thought-out, and the twists were unexpected!
Then there’s “On Desire and its Cure” by Pepe Rojo. At first, I was a little lost with what was going on, and while the story is horrific and disturbing, I like it in a messed up sort of way.
And last but not least, “Lay of the land, Law of the Land” by Pedro Caibya. I really enjoyed the writing in this one. It felt very personal.
Great Quotes:
He had to be extra careful with the water, so that he didn’t wash any of himself away. - “Return to Pleasure Island”
They were distantly, unclearly related, like all people in small mountain towns are distantly and unclearly related, sharing, most of them, an unfaithful tátarabuelo or two. - “Lay of the Land, Law of the Land”
She would no more talk to me than you would come home to be with your wife - “What Happened to Mrs. Eleonora Valdemar”
This is a great anthology for any who enjoys disturbing and sometimes abstract horror!
Elizabeth Suggs is the owner and founder of Editing Mee and co-owner of Collective Tales Publishing. When she’s not writing or editing, she loves to dive deep into books (the weirder, the better!), and she loves to take random long walks to unplanned destinations. Check out her recently released book Collective Darkness with eleven other authors. Buy your copy here: www.CollectiveDarkness.com