I had some mixed feelings about this anthology. Some of the stories were good but I kept thinking that I've read similar stories before.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Over the last few years I’ve really come to appreciate anthologies. Not every story will land with every reader sometimes, but it’s such a great way to find new authors.
There were stories in here I absolutely loved and some stories that I just enjoyed, but overall I really liked this.
I also always appreciate an anthology that focuses on female authors or authors of marginalized communities

I didn't finish this book as I found it hard to fully engage with. I felt the first story didn't grab my attention enough, it felt like many other gothic stories I'd read before. The second story was more compelling, but I still wasn't feeling it. I don't know if other stories in the collection were more engaging, but I won't be continuing to read to find out. That said, I think this book could be a good for people not familiar with or just entering into gothic horror. I think including "gothic" in the title would have also been useful as I expected this book to be a combination of different horror subgenres; at the same time, the word "horror" doesn't quite fit either as a lot of these stories were dark fiction or dark fantasy, particularly the retelling of fairytales and folklore.

Thirteen authors offer their take on Gothic Literature with a modern twist. Not every story lands, but any collection containing works like The Howling Places by LE Daniels and Moonlight Sonata by Grace R Reynolds is going to be all right by me. Editor Azzurra Nox's Strega is solid too. It's a three, but a recommended three.

"Into the Dread Unknown" is a collection of 13 women-authored horror stories of mixed caliber. Some of the stories were great; others were a bit like rehashed fairy tale retellings with not a lot of oomph in the retelling. I think I would have liked this collection better had the preface not waxed poetic about the gothic nature of these stories. Maybe my definition of gothic is a little bit more high-brow. Maybe it's not. Either way, most of the stories included dark fairy tale retellings, folklore, a pretty cool cosmic scifi horror, and more.

My favorites of the group included the first story, "The Howling Places," and two interior stories, the Baba Yaga tale of "Becoming The Deathless" and "Thief of Dreams."

Into the Dread is a female writers anthology exploring the Gothic through exciting modern perspectives by merging with gothic elements into new fairy tales and feminist approaches. With thirteen stories, there is a wide range of the gothic genre and as such, some stories may miss the mark for readers while others shine brighter.
My favourites include "Kiss Me To Sleep" by Pauline Yates, a modern retelling of the princess in the tower that had me on the edge of my seat, "Ring Of Blood, Ring Of Ashes" by Jasmine De La Paz, a folkloric telling about a witch in the woods that read just like an old fairy tale, "Thief Of Dreams" by Elana Gomel, a modern Russian dark fantasy about dreams that was so compelling, "The Secret Of Thornwick Hall" by Alyson Faye, a Victorian Gothic story with an emphasis on the supernatural and the undead that was so thrilling, and lastly, "The Lady And The Viper" by Kay Hanifen, which reminded me of Jane Eyre but with a wonderful modern twist.
As well as the stories, I enjoyed reading an interview with each of the writers at the end of the book, learning about their inspirations and their work.

I have always been drawn to female authors and personally feel like they resonate better with me. So, when I saw this book, I had to read it. I did like some of the stories, but others just weren’t my taste. I think someone who enjoys fantasy would really enjoy this book.

This was a good collection with a good collection of authors. The theming of this anthology was good and I enjoyed this one.

Short gothic stories. Fairytale retellings. Women authors. All the things I love! This was a great little collection of stories I could just pick up and read a few at a time. Anthologies are not perfect. You cant possibly enjoy every story but as a whole really enjoyed this and loved how it was themed.

i really enjoyed this collection! i’ve been trying to read more short stories this year and this one hit the spot! i loved the gothic settings in the stories, and all the different retellings. i loved how they all had a fantastical or sci-fi setting but also had the gothic and mystery vibes i was looking for. overall an amazing collection and i would definitely read from these authors again!

I am reviewing the sections of books I managed to read in the day of having it before archive.

The Howling Places:
The first story focuses on a ramshackle stables turned nursing home, where an elderly nurse is haunted by a shadowy figure. I liked how the motif of the geese were woven in through sound, the ceramic, and the bill like nose of the entity. The use of the natural world and gloomy weather felt akin to older gothic. The brevity of the story makes it hard to build tension, but this is unnerving. Although I think it would have been far eerier if the figure didn’t physically interact with either of the women.

Strega:
The second story is a retelling of Hansel and Gretal. It focuses on Greta, chosen to aid a mysterious “Francesca” who makes the crops grow amidst a perpetual winter after some undescribed cataclysm, and legend says she lives in a house made of sweets. It’s more a dystopian, possibly sci-fi, tale than gothic. And I found the wording feels stilted at times, like the lack of contractions in dialogue, and often like a thesaurus is being needlessly employed. I can’t make up my mind as to whether it’s being deliberately archaic to emulate an oral bogey tale or not.

Moonlight Sonata:
The third story is incredibly short, telling of the doomed love between Philomena and Penelope. The pacing of this was exquisite, and the frequent nods to the night sky and werewolf lore were really satisfying, although the alpha and omega felt on the nose! The clues to Philomena’s condition build in a really satisfying way. Again, it crescendoes into violence that is quite visual and visceral. Which to me feels more horror than gothic. But the use of the natural world, particularly plants, did feel more at home in the gothic.


It’s a varied mix of stories and subjects from what I can see. But as the danger of anthologies, the writing quality varies too. However it the mix of styles and subject mean there will probably be a tale in the contents any reader would like, amidst some they won’t. Moonlight Sonata was a particular standout for me.

2.25 stars

It’s hard to rate an entire anthology because I actually really enjoyed a few of the stories in this, but on the whole, this completely missed the mark for me.

My main issue lies in the way it was described in both the synopsis and the introduction; I went into this expecting gothic horror—which is 100% up my alley—and was instead met with mostly fairytale retellings.

‘The Howling Places’ and ‘Thief of Dreams’ were both easily 4 stars though, and ‘Please Serve Cold’ was a weird read that I really enjoyed. I can see myself reading more from these authors in the future.

Unfortunately, everything else just wasn’t very memorable to me, or the writing itself pulled me out of the story. I also found a lot of the retellings to be thematically weak, which was disappointing—there’s so much you can do with a retelling that just wasn’t done here.

This was a great anthology.
Like any collection of stories, I had my favorites through out the book and added some of my favorite authors other works to my TBR.
The various short stories brought different aspects of fear and thrill to life.
As a whole, I think each story was picked well and placed an order that helped create a new world easily between them.

This was a fantastic collection of women forward short horror stories, and I enjoyed reading all of them. I found it interesting to see how each author wrote horror in their own style and how they all tied in the overarching themes of the collection. The horror is more of a creepy and unsettling vibe, which I still think worked out for the best. No two stories felt like the same and I felt that it was a fantastic showcase of each author's talent and writing style.
I would absolutely enjoy another collection by the same authors!

I really enjoyed every one of these stories, which is always a pleasant surprise in an anthology. I liked the variety of interpretations of "gothic", from fairy tale retellings to monstrous women in attics, as well as the variety of settings and time periods other than the standards of medieval Europe or Victorian England.

I found this through NetGalley, and I think I was a perfect audience for it. This is a collection of gothic short stories by 13 women authors. There are also interviews at the end.

A number of these stories have fairytale elements or are more direct retellings of fairytales. 1 story is actually sci-fi in setting which was a pleasant surprise. Many of the stories also had clear feminist themes to them. I'll list some of my favorites here

The Howling Places by LE Daniels - A spooky tale of an elderly nurse visited by a hag
Moonlight Sonata by Grace R Reynolds - I loved the prose & imagery here
Green Eyes by DW Milton - The scifi one but with a ghostly twist
Ring of Blood, Ring of Ashes by Jasmine De La Paz - A witchy retelling of Cinderella
Thief of Dreams by Elana Gomel - I've never seen Inception but take the concept of dream walking and add in Russian folktale imagery
The Lady and the Viper by Kay Hanifen - Sapphic romance with a monster girl

A great collection of 13 gothic short stories penned by amazing female authors.

And it's the fith volume.

It's hard to write a general review for such a great collection, but I really enjoyed the themes explored in the stories.
There were a couple of stories that I would love to see as a full novel.
One of my favourites was "Green Eyes" by DW Milton, which has a gothic science fiction theme. Set in space, it explores the idea of aliens taking on the form of a person's guilt. It built tension well, and it left me feeling reflective and my imagination spinning.

I thought the imagery the writing created was good in general, but I didn't feel as spooked as I thought I would be. It was more about tension and the exploration of the unexplained.
Some tales were rewrites of fairytales with a gothic twist.

I really enjoyed reading the author reviews at the end. It was a great way to fund out more about the authors, their work, and inspiration.

This would be a great collection to read around spooky season.

3.5 / 5 ... Enjoyable collection of stories. Mysterious, supernatural, and often macabre - Into the Dread Unknown offers a varied look into the gothic horror genre.

A huge thank you to the authors, Twisted Wing Productions and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review Into the Dread Unknown 🖤💀🖤💀🖤

Into the Dread Unknown is an anthology that delves into Gothic literature with a modern twist, featuring contributions from thirteen authors, including Azzurra Nox, L.E. Daniels, Grace R. Reynolds, DW Milton, Jasmine De La Paz, and Pauline Yates. The collection offers a range of stories that blend fairytale retellings, folklore, and atmospheric settings, aiming to both seduce and unsettle readers.
PAULINE YATES

The anthology's diversity is one of its strengths, presenting various narratives that explore different facets of Gothic themes. Each story brings a unique perspective, contributing to a rich and varied reading experience. The modern interpretations of classic Gothic elements provide fresh takes that can be both engaging and thought-provoking.

However, as with any collection, the impact of individual stories can vary. Some narratives may resonate more deeply with certain readers, while others might feel less compelling. This variability is common in anthologies, where the range of styles and themes can lead to differing levels of engagement.

In summary, Into the Dread Unknown offers a diverse exploration of Gothic themes through modern storytelling. Its array of stories provides readers with a broad spectrum of experiences, making it a worthwhile read for those interested in contemporary takes on classic genres.

I love an anthology with a theme, and amongst these pages you’ll find tales of magic, gothic dread, and dark fantasy. All written by female authors.

Some of the stories are retellings, some set in more modern, futuristic or historic time periods. I found the tales were a bit hit or miss in terms of my personal enjoyment of them, but all were interesting- you never know what might happen in the current tale or next entry.

Thank you to NetGalley, the editor and authors, as well as Twisted Wing Productions/Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op for a copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to review this ARC!

When I first saw this title come available, I was so excited - I am always up for a new venture into gothic fiction, especially with all female authors! And I did enjoy so many of the stories within this collection - it just felt more like a collection of Fantasy and Sci Fi stories, rather than gothic.

The authors again are truly enjoyable, and I look forward to the opportunity to read more works by them, but I just wish this had been marketed more as a female author story collection, rather than a Gothic collection!