Edited by Cassandra L Thompson

A Fantasy Short Story Anthology, 2023 by Quill & Crow Publishing, 205 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

The opening story, while interesting, has an odd vibe. I’m not sure I would’ve made it the opening story of the collection.
There’s at least one instance where the short story cuts through time. This makes it hard to really connect with it because of those jumps. It’s a small thing and I think it only happens once.

Wych Elm Women, the second story, is beautifully written. Fast paced, dark, and tragically compelling. This story is an early favorite.
There are a lot of FANTASTIC short stories here, actually. They paint a quick picture with words, pulling you into a scenario that you are eager to be witness to. They’re exceptional examples of short stories, giving you JUST ENOUGH to rope you in.
The connection between the stories is great. I like my anthology connections to be threaded through just a little, not too obvious. This has that! All dark, with a little magic and lots of things people probably shouldn’t be messing with.

If you’re a short story fan, these are beautiful examples. They’d be a lovely addition to any anthology library.
Dark fantasy fans, who want occult magic and dangerous consequences, will love these stories.