Enjoyable horror anthology with Magnus Archives vibes. My favourite short stories were "Smile so Red" which really creeped me out and "Trunk" which made me so uncomfortable because who doesn't hate basements! I also really enjoyed some of the stories being connected to each other and expanding on "Smile so Red"; that was such a standout element for me.

This was a dark and twisty read and each story had its own psychological element to scare and creep you out.

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-ARC!

"Otherworldly beings, Bogdan believed, should have the decency to look otherworldly. For if they should look like us, how can we tell the monsters apart?"

Genre: Horror/Thriller
Themes:
- descent into madness
- mystery
- suspicious basement suitcases

This collection of stories was a joy to read. The opening story, 'A Smile So Red' set the scene well for the rest of the stories, and their common theme of a descent into madness. Each story was well paced and the endings weren't overly predictable, the descriptions felt detailed enough to build a picture but not too heavy handed and the language used was evocative. There was a great variation in the stories with similar themes throughout and some being within the same universe. I enjoyed the final story also linking back to the first.

Some of the endings did, however, feel a little rushed and I would have enjoyed a little more lead up and after the final crescendo of the story.

I'll definitely be looking out for more of this author as it was my first time reading them!

I went into Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness expecting a spooky short story collection. What I got was a psychological rollercoaster that somehow managed to be haunting, heartbreaking, and darkly funny all at once. Mia Dalia doesn’t just write horror — she dissects the human mind with a scalpel made of words.

The opening novella Smile So Red sucked me in like quicksand. “There’s something hungry in the silence of abandoned places,” one line reads — and yep, that set the tone perfectly. Anton’s descent was eerie and immersive, like watching a fever dream spiral into a nightmare. Dalia knows how to twist a story just enough to leave you unsettled without ever relying on cheap thrills.

I enjoyed this so much I’ve already gone digging for more by Mia Dalia — her voice is sharp, original, and unforgettable. This is the kind of horror that stays with you.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Anuci Press for the ARC. I’ll be thinking about lawn flamingos, creepy trunks and earworms for a while.

I find that short story collections can often be quite a mixed bag. Usually, there are a handful of stories that resonate deeply with me, while others leave me feeling less enthralled. However, this particular book was nothing short of extraordinary! I was captivated by every single story and found myself unable to set it down. The characters were incredibly well fleshed out, which is a remarkable achievement considering the brevity of each tale! I was particularly enchanted by the themes woven throughout, and I appreciated how a couple of the narratives subtly intertwined, creating a richer reading experience.

That said, there was a minor drawback: I did notice a tendency toward repetition in some sentences. The recurring use of the word “carapace” began to feel a bit jarring, and I couldn’t help but note the instances where a character would shake their head as if trying to erase memories like an Etch A Sketch. While these weren't significant flaws, I believe the stories could benefit from a bit of reworking to alleviate that sense of redundancy. Still, I must admit, the Etch A Sketch simile does add a delightful touch!

The settings of these stories were another highlight, boasting vividly depicted locations that exuded an eerie ambiance. Each setting brimmed with potential for spine-tingling suspense, yet I felt the tales themselves ultimately fell a shade flat. They weren’t bad by any means; they simply didn’t ensnare my attention as thoroughly as I yearned for them to. This lack of engagement is crucial, especially in the realms of horror or mystery, where the emotional grip of a story can make all the difference.

I also pondered whether a longer format might have allowed for greater investment in the characters and plots. I’ve experienced a similar sentiment with romance novellas and short stories, so perhaps this is a common thread in other genres as well? For me, having that extra time to become immersed in a narrative is essential. Just a theory, but it certainly deserves consideration.

A mixed bag! I found myself disinterested in the first few stories, to the point I almost DNF’d. But there were a few stories in the middle, especially the one centered on the Devil’s Chord, that hooked me. The writing was easy to understand and get into, with some flowing better than others.

Smile So Red and Other Tales of Madness is a chilling collection of noir short stories that delves into the darker corners of the human psyche. Each story explores the blurred boundaries of morality, where good and evil intermingle and certainty quickly unravels.

The characters are layered and compelling. Deeply flawed and often morally ambiguous, they move through a world of secrets, betrayal, and psychological unrest. Their choices drive the narrative forward in unsettling and unpredictable ways.

This is a tightly written, immersive collection that leans into dread rather than overt horror. Smile So Red doesn’t just entertain—it lingers. Readers looking for psychologically rich, atmospheric storytelling will find plenty to admire here.

4 stars

Dalia is a new to me author, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I actually enjoyed every story in this book, which is rare for me with anthologies. I usually find one or two that I dont care for. The tropes run the gamut and were all very fun to read.

Small towns and suburbs become terrifying, the woods turn deadly, the kids are not all right, and the graffiti smiles follow you home.
An excellent collection of twisted nightmares. The author deftly maneuvers between horror, thriller, and mystery, although most of these tales of madness lean toward the former. 
This may not be for everyone, but fans of slow-burn, original, literary, dark psychological fiction are going to love this. I'm excited to check out more work by this author.
Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This is a fun collection of short horror stories. I've never read anything from this author before so I had no idea what I was getting into. 

The stories are very well written and flow smoothly. There are definitely some different levels and kinds of horror in the different short stories.

The collection contains some dark topics, so definitely read the content warnings if you feel like you might need to. 

I'm now very interested to read some of the books in this author's backlog.

Greatly enjoyed this book. Anthology of horror stories that are creepy and unsettling. The writing are pretty straightforward and plot written not too complicated but there are some chapters that can be dragging while some not fully fleshed out.
One of the story, Spindel, felt like a story from goosebumps. Some of my favourites stories are Spindel, Stump and the Trunk.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

This is a collection of some spooky short stories.

Unfortunately, I didn't find them all that spooky.

I did love the settings of these stories though, they had really great locations that had such eerie vibes. The locations really did have so much potential to be so spooky. But these stories just fell a little flat for me. They weren't bad by any means, they were just okay. They didn't grab my attention the way I wanted them to. I find that really makes all the difference in how impactful a horror or mystery story is.

I also think that maybe if the stories were a little longer, maybe I could've gotten more invested in them? I do know that with romance novellas and short stories that is a problem I have, so maybe it's the same with spookier stories? I need the time to get invested. Just a theory.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.

I find short story collections can usually be very hit and miss. There may be a few in a collection that I really enjoy, but usually there are more than a few I don’t like so much. This book however, was fantastic! I enjoyed every single short story and could not put this down. The characters of each story were all so well developed (not an easy feat when each story is so short!) and I loved the ideas behind each one. I also loved how a couple of the stories seemed to link together.

The only negative point: I did find some sentences were a little repetitive - the use of the word “carapace” became a little jarring to me, and I also noted twice a sentence referring to someone shaking their head like an etch a sketch to rid themselves of bad memories etc. While not a massive issue, I feel like these stories could be revisited to reword them slightly so they don’t sound so repetitive. You have to admit though, the etch a sketch makes for a great simile!

I’m now on the hunt for more by this author as I thoroughly enjoyed this collection!