The Butcher's Lot (2024) - Cate Baumer (SFINCS semifinalist)

 

The Butcher is a an ancient vampire who has been chained like a dog, stripped of anything that makes her dangerous, and shipped from town to town to work for a year in order to atone for the thousands of people she killed in the past. Marguerite takes on The Butcher's help in her little fishing boat the year she comes to her town, hardly expecting the events to follow in the coming year.

This novella was reviewed as part of SFINCS 2025.

    This is a short and sweet little novella that has a folklore vibe. I very much appreciated Baumer's take on vampires in this story, keeping some traditional lore and adding some new of her own. The relationship between Marguerite and The Butcher is the central focus of the story, starting as a warry employer/reluctant but obligated employee, to cautious acquaintances, and gradually developing into something more as Marguerite realizes the Butcher can offer her a life much better than the one she lives.

    Another focus in this story is the contrast between Marguerite's 'sins' (as perceived by the townsfolks) and The Butcher's 'sins'. She realizes they aren't so different, two women villainized and ostracized by society for things that were not entirely in their control (okay sure, maybe The Butcher could have not killed a bunch of people, but a vampire has to eat).

    Something I really loved about the setting of this story is how grounded it felt. Don't get me wrong, I love a high fantasy story with powerful magic and fantastical beasts galore, but lately I've found myself drawn to fantasy settings that feel like they could actually exist, and The Butcher's lot is definitely one of those. I really enjoyed the small lore drops we got here and there and the nature of the dragons of this world.

    If you need a quick read and enjoy vampires and sapphic stories where women get what they want then I definitely recommend The Butcher's Lot.

From These Dark Abodes (2024) - Lyndsie Manusos (SFINCS semifinalist)

Lethe and Petunia are servants at St. Edha's house. Every night, their masters shed their skin and dance as skeletons to crooning jazz in what they call The Revelry. They both desperately want to find a way to escape, but when one of their masters doesn't return to his skin the next morning, life as they know it at St. Edah's starts to unravel.

This novella was reviewed as part of SFINCS 2025.

    

    When I first started reading From These Dark Abodes I wasn't sure it was going to click for me. I felt like the prose was a little too poetic/flowery for my tastes. But, as I read further, I found myself fully immersed in Lethe and Petunia's story. There are some fantastically described moments of body horror woven together with an intense longing we feel with Lethe, for memories of her past life, for Petunia, and for a way out of St. Edah's house. 

   Manusos does a wonderful job at weaving in little hints as to the true nature of the house and the inhabitants roles within it (which I won't spoil for you here because it was truly a miraculous thing to experience firsthand).

Some things that stood out to me about the story.

    The way Manusos describes sensory details is so visceral. It made my skin crawl every time I read a description of one of the immortals peeling their skin off to reveal their skeletons beneath. The tenderness between Lethe and Petunia, the way the support each other and push each other to keep living another day in the hopes they'll finally find their escape. The character Bloody Bones the rat was a big highlight for me, I love a gross, weird little guy and he is the grossest and weirdest of little guys.

    I honestly have no criticisms of this story. I would talk about it more but I really don't want to spoil the experience for you. This is one of those books that is best experienced with little knowledge of what it's about. From These Dark Abodes will stick with me for a long time. A story of love, loss, and a desire for freedom, this story will be best enjoyed by those who like rich prose, body horror, and tales that divert your expectations.

Reap, Sow (2025) - S.H.Cooper

 

Reap, Sow by S.H. Cooper is a horror novella that follows Luci (or Lucky, as her mama and papa but never Kenny, call her) as she tries to navigate a strange horror scape she's found herself in. Rooms that feel familiar but off somehow haunt her as she tries to find her way back home.

This novella was reviewed as part of the SFINCS competition.

I found it difficult to break down this novella in my usual WEIRDE reviews system, so I'm going to forgo that and just talk about my thoughts overall. I'll refrain from providing too many spoilers as I think this is a story best jumped into without any prior knowledge.

First off, the star of this story was the prose. S.H. Cooper does an absolutely fantastic job and weaving together an evocative description. I also think Luci's narration is top notch, readers can very easily connect with her mental state throughout the story and experience her anguish alongside her. I think it's a story that will stick with me for a long time primarily because of the stellar prose.

I don't read a ton of horror, and at first I wasn't sure how this story fit in the SFINCS competition as I felt like the speculative elements were a bit of a reach, but in the end, I think this story leans into the magical realism side of things.

The twist of this story is somewhat predictable (especially if you've read stories of a similar style) but I still found the journey to the end to be a very enjoyable read. I think the nightmare scenario Luci finds herself in is very well done at making Luci and the reader second guess themselves from time to time, which adds to the psychological horror of it all.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read with some prose and turns of phrase I will carry with me for a long time.

Floodwaters (2025) - Wren Rivers

 

Floodwaters by Wren Rivers is a fantasy novella about two teenagers who hear rumors of a god walking through their town and decide to write their science paper about how people's perceptions of faith change after meeting a god. But humans are greedy and gods are quick to anger, and there is only so much two teenagers can do when they believe disaster draws near.

I received an ARC of this novella in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: Floodwaters is set in a second world (Midir) that seems to have a similar technology level to our own but there is polytheistic pantheon consisting of gods that command specific elements. We get some hints at who the various gods of this world are, though the focus is primarily on 'The God King' Einari. I would have loved to learn more about this world, but I think Rivers does a good job at giving us just a taste of what's to come.

Emotions: I have a lot of conflicted feelings about this story. At times I was disgusted by the actions and thoughts of some of the characters, but the more I sat with it, the more I realized just how true to life their actions were. These characters are put through hell, and through that Rivers doesn't shy away from the acts of cruelty (sometimes viewed as a kindness) that humans will engage in when their world is utterly changed and they don't know if it will ever be normal again. But there are also profound moments of kindness and closeness that the characters experience. It's a delicate balance that left me feeling heartbroken at the end.

Intrigue: I'm always a fan of stories that involve a yet unseen deity/entity making themselves known and how their followers react to their presence. I think Rivers does a really wonderful job at tapping into the human psyche with this kind of situation.

Relationships: Eris is, at times, a somewhat unlikeable main character, but we have to remember that he's a teenager with all of the complicated feelings about his family and others in his life to match. Rivers shows us all sides of Eris, good and bad, but at the end of the day I still found myself rooting for him, and I think that takes a lot of skill. There is a sort of budding romance between Eris and Miri (which unfortunately gets overshadowed by other events) that I thought was cute and was very awkward in the classic teenage fashion of not really knowing how to flirt.

Descriptions: The prose is fairly simple (not at all a bad thing, I love simple prose) but Rivers does a good job at setting the stage for the story. I think they do a particularly good job at describing Eris' inner thoughts and exploring how his mental health declines throughout certain events.

Engagement: The first half of this story was a little slow for me (to be honest I'm just not that into reading stories where teenagers are the main characters) but things certainly pick up at the halfway mark and I was on the edge of my seat as the characters deal with the ensuing certain events they've been thrust into. I never quite knew what Eris or Miri were going to do next or what they were going to encounter.

Final thoughts: This is a capital T tragedy and an in depth exploration at the worst parts of people during the worst parts of their lives. I think Floodwaters is a shocking setup for River's upcoming novel Blood of the Gods, and I think it's a must read if you're interested in that story.

Servant of the Muses (2012) - Brad. A White

 

Servant of the Muses by Brad A. White is a noir mythological mystery that follows detective Jake Conrad as he searches for his missing secretary after being hired by her sister. He soon discovers that his assistant Clio and her sister Erato are no ordinary women, but are in fact muses, and the case become s a lot more dangerous.

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: I'll admit that I don't often read stories inspired by Greek mythos and it's not my preferred form of fantasy (outside of when I devoured the Percy Jackson series in middle school). But in spite of my lack of knowledge, I thought the inclusion of the muses and some background information about various Greek gods made for an interesting twist on a classic noir mystery.

Emotions: This story didn't evoke a ton of emotions in me, but it was a very fun read! I did appreciate Jake's genuine concern for Clio as the investigation to find her progresses. Though he had unknowingly bound her to himself, it was clear that he cared deeply about her. I think for some the climax would definitely be emotional, but I didn't quite make a strong enough connection to the characters.

Intrigue: White crafted a very interesting mystery with a twist I genuinely didn't see coming (but thought was well planned out). I've also never read a noir greek mythology mystery and I think it makes for a very unique and fun story.

Relationships: The relationship between Jake and Erato didn't quite hit for me. I know that she's the muse of passion/love but Jake's constant lusting after her and describing her body left a somewhat sour taste in my mouth. I did find the relationship between the three muses we meet in this story to be interesting (Erato, Clio, and Urania). White does a good job at depicting the messy family dynamics of greek gods.

Descriptions: This is the aspect where this story shines the brightest. White has perfectly captured the feel of a classic noir mystery, from the way Jake speaks, to the types of villains he faces, to the metaphors use, this story is absolutely steeped in the heavy smoke and whiskey of a good noir mystery.

Engagement: The pacing of this story was very well done. Jake picks up on clues at just the right times, there's a few dramatic show downs with some minor villains sprinkled in throughout to keep the tension high, and the final clue slots into place at just the right moment.

Final thoughts:  I enjoyed reading this novella and thought the execution of blending the two genres to be well done.If you like greek mythology and noir mysteries, this is the perfect combination of the two.

The Nome King and The Shroud (2024) - Tim Pratt

 

The Nome King and The Shroud by Tim Pratt is a scifi novella about Earth colonists aboard The Nome King, sent into space in search of a new home for humans. When the ship's AI Tugboat comes across a strange anomaly not too far from their final destination, they wake Mahza Sun, a troublesolver, from her stasis to consult on what to do next. 

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: The worldbuilding in this story isn't too expansive, but there's certainly enough there to scratch my itch. It's set in a distant future where Earth has fallen away to climate disaster and colonists have been shot into space (much like a very smart bullet, as the author puts it) in arc ships. The alien anomaly they encounter is based upon in the real world Dyson Sphere theory which I thought was a lot of fun. I'd classify this somewhere in between soft and hard scifi, where everything that happens sounds logical enough (at least to someone who's knowledge of space and physics is rudimentary at best), but you aren't bogged down too much with the specifics as to make it overwhelming.

Emotions: I found this story incredibly funny. The prose was witty, and both AIs we encounter have an uncanny knack for humor. I was laughing out loud more than once while reading, but there were certainly some shocking and somber moments that tugged at my heartstrings. Pratt does an excellent job at making you care deeply about The Nome King/Tugboat and their little probe children. I had a slightly harder time forming an emotional connection to the human characters, but I think that was partly due to the limited word count and need to spend more time in the Nome King's perspective that gave them less room to breathe. I easily could have read 50,000 more words of this story.

Intrigue: There is an overarching mystery throughout this story regarding what happened to the original inhabitants of The Shroud (the name for the Dyson Sphere the main characters encounter). It's a somewhat predictable plotline, but that didn't necessarily take away from my enjoyment while reading and it wrapped up with a very satisfying ending. 

Relationships: The most important relationship in this story was that of the humans to the Nome King. There is a constant back and forth of distrust but still having compassion for the other on both sides. Nome King struggles with their loyalty to the humans and newfound friendship in The Shroud, with all of it clouded by their anger at being trapped behind safeguards for so long. The humans fear Nome King, but they also love them and don't want to believe that they would be betrayed by the AI they had built and who had carried them safely through space for so long. I would also be remiss to not mention the inclusion of lesbian relationship that while it wasn't a major focus of the plot was nice to see.

Descriptions: The prose was lovely and I think Pratt did an excellent job at conveying the sheer size of The Shroud and describing the terrain of the inner sphere. The dialogue of the human characters was a bit lacking at times, feeling a little awkward or stilted. The dialogue between the AI characters, however, was a delight to read.

Engagement: I absolutely devoured this story, finishing it in one day. It was a very easy read that kept me hooked the whole time.

Final thoughts: Overall, this was a very fun read. If you enjoy killer AIs, humans just trying to survive in a worst case scenario, and excellent comedic timing then I highly recommend you pick up The Nome King and The Shroud.

The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere (2025) - Helen Whistberry

 

The Final Voyage of Avery Mothmere  by Helen Whistberry tells the tale of an adventurer washed ashore on a strange island after they've been shipwrecked. The inhabitants of this island are even stranger, but Avery has been gravely injured and is content enough to explore this island of circles as they heal (as long as they aren't too much of a burden on their strange but friendly hosts).

This novella was reviewed during the first round of SFINCS3.

This review may contain minor spoilers.

Worldbuilding: The island that Avery finds themself washed ashore on is a strange place of circles, killer crabs, forest giants, tower dwelling beings the likes of Cousin It, gilded children, and townsfolk who would rather trade their wares for a new story than money. Much of what we learn and see of this island is through Avery's eyes, which leaves you with a lot of questions, but I honestly think that works for this story. We don't need to know how everything works, just how Avery feels about it.

Emotions: Avery is a very autistic coded character (and I believe Whistberry has confirmed this as canon in posts on their social media) and they view everything through a very analytical and scientific lense. As an autistic person myself, I found them incredibly relatable, especially when they had conflicting emotions regarding their situation and how they felt about different characters. This story certainly dredged up my emotions and there is one scene in particular between Avery and Theda (their host with the bountiful locks) that absolutely ripped my heart out.

Intrigue: I talked a bit about the strangeness of this island already but that is one of the big things that drew me in to this story. I was constantly theorizing as to the nature of the island, what was actually happening to Avery (much as they wonder themselves), and what the intentions of Theda and Anchor (the gilded child) were. While I'll keep my theories to myself as to not spoil anything too much, I will say that I absolutely did not see the ending coming (it was a wonderful twist).

Relationships: In such a short wordcount it can be difficult to fully develop characters relationships, and while at time I wish we were able to see Avery spend a bit more time with each character, the development of their relationship and understanding to each inhabitant of the island progressed very naturally. In particular, I loved Avery's conversations with Zaza the giant.

Descriptions: While it's not usually a narration style I'm a fan of, I absolutely loved the almost Jane Austen like manner in which Avery spoke and narrated their story. It really seated the story in time for me and added this extra layer that really made the descriptions sing. The illustrations that preceded each chapter were so much fun and I was thrilled when it was revealed that the illustrations were diagetic.

Engagement: This was one of those stories that I really wanted to savor and read more slowly. I easily could have finished it in one or two sittings but I wanted to sit with each chapter and think about the interactions between the characters or the events Avery had just been through. Even so, I absolutely tore through the last 20% of the book.

Final thoughts: I had a blast reading this story. Every character was so full of life and I loved Avery (and dear Soot the cat) as a main character. If you love stories with a strong voice, fantastical settings, and a plot that never quite lets you know where it’s going to turn next then I’d highly recommend this novella.