Fitcher’s Bird

Title: Fitcher’s Bird

Author: A.G. Slatter

Rating:4.5/5

Info: 160 Pages, first published by Titan Books 10/06/2026

Genre: General Fiction, Horror, LGBTQIAP+

Fitcher's Bird follows three sisters: Chloe, Zoe, and oldest sister Dido. Chloe, being the youngest, is the bridge between her two sisters. So when Chloe and Zoe disappear, it is up to the oldest sister to figure out what happened. Even if it means dredging up their dark childhood secrets.

This was a short and sweet mystery/horror story. While there is horror, I feel like it leans more toward mystery as we mostly follow Dido as she searches for her sisters. The ending, which I will not be spoiling, was interesting and I liked it. Since the reader spends the most time with Dido, I felt I got to know the best. Although, even with the short page count, I feel like I have a pretty good understanding of all three sisters.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a short, creepy story about missing girls and their sister who will stop at nothing until she finds them.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for providing me with the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bloodless We Go Buried

Title: Bloodless We Go Buried

Author: D. Firth Griffith

Rating: 3.75/5

Info: first published by Unshod Press, Robinia Press 11/09/2025

Genre: horror

Bloodless We Go Buried is the second book in a series. I didn’t realize that when I requested the ARC. I am going to look into reading the first of the series to see if having that context changes my review. I thought I was getting a post-apocalypse scifi story, which I did, but I got so much more. Before we go any further I have to say if you are struggling with grief, tread carefully. There are lessons to be learned from the main character, Lu, which might be helpful. However, there is a lot of death and grief so just be careful. 

This was a proper horror novel with monsters, gore, suspense, dread. Griffith created an interesting world that I would like to learn more about. Since this is a part of a series I hope the questions I have about the world will be answered in the first book of the series. Another reviewer said the book was dreamlike and I agree with that. It really is difficult to fully explain what it is like to read. 

I recommend this to anyone looking for a post-apocalypse scifi story centered around dealing with loss and survival.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my review.

The Stitch Witches

 Title: The Stitch Witches

Author: Krissie K. Williams

Rating: 3.75/5

Info: 160 pages, Published by Quill & Crow 10/09/2026

Genre: Historical Fiction, Horror

Promise Land, a Puritan haven, finds itself in the middle of some pretty nasty murders. With the Salem Witch Trials only a few decades past, the town’s residents try to figure out who among them is responsible for the gruesome crimes. 

The story is told through multiple POVs, though three characters seem like the most important: Orphelia Dudley, Settie, the Dudleys’ slave, and Mr. Dudley. There are late-night meetings and deep, dark family secrets to be revealed, and town leaders scrambling to stop the murders and keep Promise Land from tearing itself apart. All of it is interesting stuff. However, there are a few cons that prevented me from enjoying it more. 

The story itself is a short novella and moves very quickly. I was hoping for more focus on the witches, especially with that cover, but it turned more into a study of the Puritans and their hypocrisy. Had it just been listed as Historical Fiction I would have rated it higher. While there was some horror, I expected more and found what I did get lacking. Because it was so short I ended up having unanswered questions that I feel would have been answered had it been a full length novel. Again, not bad, just disappointing. 

I’d recommend this to anyone that wants a short historical fiction story about Puritans with a dash of spooky. 

A big thanks to NetGalley and Quill & Crow for the ARC. 

What the Forest Devours

 Title: What the Forest Devours

Author: Elaine Vilar Madruga

Rating: 4.5/5

Info: 304 pages, first published by HarperVia on 10/20/2026 

Genre: Horror, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction

Wow, this book. What the Forest Devours is a story about an isolated hacienda and its inhabitants. We have Benedicta, Lazaro, Ifigenia, Ananda, Romina, Grandma/The Old Woman, and The Children. They are trapped in a horrifying tragedy. To survive, they must feed the forest children. In return they get to live in the hacienda, hidden away from the evils of the village nearby. The entire story feels like one big, horrifying allegory for motherhood and how society treats and views women. There is a whole lot of violence in this book. Violence to children, women, men, animals, anyone and everyone, so be aware of that. If you think, “How bad can it be?” don’t say you weren’t warned. 

I enjoy the horror genre, so I’m used to violent content. The violence itself wasn’t what bothered me. It was what it represented that made my skin crawl. So, job well done, Madruga. I can’t say I like any of the characters. Do I pity some of them? Yes absolutely, but like… eh that’s a stretch. That’s alright though because this isn’t that kind of story. I don’t want to write too much about the plot because half of the experience of reading this book is getting gut-punched by plot points. 

If you want a trippy horror story focused on women that goes much deeper than your average slasher, this is your book. Just be warned: it is a very, very, very bleak book.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperVia for giving me nightmares and the ARC of this book.

Swallow Us, Black Sun

Title: Swallow Us, Black Sun

Author: V.M. Harrigan

Rating: 3.75/5

Info: 120 pages, first published by Manifold House 08/25/2026

Genre: Horror, Sci Fi

Swallow Us, Black Sun is the story of Charles. He finds himself in the Land of the Black Sun, a purgatory-like dimension. He and everyone else there don’t know how they got there. Unlike everyone else, Charles still retains some of his memories from before he got there. What’s a purgatory stuck lad with memories supposed to do? Try to escape, of course.

The road trip story was a good idea for the topic. However, the book was too short. The concept worked, but there wasn’t enough room for the journey, not to mention the supporting characters, to be fleshed out. Charles does go on a journey, but his journey felt much too short and rushed. The world was interesting, and I wanted to see more of it. I also would have loved to learn more about the other inhabitants of the land. There were demon-like inhabitants that worked there, and Charles wonders if they were once like him. We get teased with two of them, but they are just used as gross-out obstacles that Charles must get past.  The story ended up feeling more like an appetizer when I wanted a main course.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a short purgatory-type horror story.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.