Monstorm: A Charity Anthology of Horror edited by Josh Strnad & Matt Masucci
Monstorm: A Charity Anthology of Horror, edited by Josh Strnad & Matt Masucci, was published by Madness Heart Press on February 28, 2023. It weighs in at 272 pages.
Monstorm: A Charity Anthology of Horror is a collection of twenty fiction weather-themed horror stories. It was compiled in an effort to raise money to aid the relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Ian which devastated areas of Southwest Florida in the fall of 2022.
When I was approached about doing a review, I jumped at the opportunity. I had several friends and family members who were affected by Hurricane Ian, and I am honored to be able to review this anthology and spread the word to help the victims of the storm.
This was an enjoyable read of stories from veteran horror writers and newer voices in the genre. These tales are stories of survival, though the definition of survival is different for many of the characters in ways that might surprise you.
Within these pages are blizzards, hurricanes, dust storms, tornadoes, floods, and freezes. The best part, though, is that the storm theme is just the backdrop for all of the stories. Each tale has its own flavor, and though some might share a type of storm, the outcomes and characters are varied. I love weird horror, body horror, a little gore, fantastical elements, and excitement. I was able to find all of these within this collection.
I thought the book started out with a bang. “Floods and Melancholy” really brought a lot of emotion and set the mood for the anthology. In my notes, I jotted that I was glad this was the first story. It sucked me in immediately. Like some of my other favorites, it had a fantastical element that kept things exciting.
As is the case with any anthology, some stories are going to hit you square in the chest with terror or emotion. As a reader, there will also be some stories that you won’t connect with as much as others. Not every story in this collection resonated with me, but many did which made it a satisfying experience. I believe other readers will find many stories that work for them in this collection, as there are different subgenres of horror included.
I would recommend this book to others, not only for the stories within but also for the opportunity to help the victims of Hurricane Ian. It’s definitely a win-win in my opinion!
The proceeds from this volume will go directly into the hands of the local All Faiths Food Bank, which serves the areas most affected by Hurricane Ian.
My Top 7 Stories
These are the stories that stuck out and really resonated with me as I read the collection. I’m including my notes from each story. They’re in order of appearance in the book.
“Floods and Melancholy” by Donna J. W. Munro - I love the rhythm of this story. Wow! Lots of emotion. Fantastical! Loved the main character!
“I Brake for Snodge-Hoppers” by F. R. Michaels - Love this one! Enjoyable dialogue and fantastical. Great ending! Excellent pacing! Sucked me in the whole time.
“Archival Data Set 27-1” by Sarah Licht - I love how it’s laid out - info is “injected” into the story as we go along. Another great ending! What a cool way to tell a story. Much more personal as an audio journal.
“Breathtaking” by Warren Benedetto - Loved this one! I always enjoy stories from this timeframe. This story was haunting and beautiful.
“Shelter in Place” by Katelin Deushane - The storm mimics the acceptance or lack thereof of people. What a great story. Kudos to Elena!
“What Storms Bring” by KC Grifant - Strange and intriguing. I was hungrily turning the pages. It left me with a sense of wonder.
“When the Ghost Apples Blossom” by Kristi Petersen Schoonover - I enjoyed this one from the start. I was immediately in the scenes. Different and intriguing. Great characters.
Who is Josh Strnad?
Josh Strnad has possessed a deep love of books since he was just a wee lad. When not guzzling down hot tea and typing stories on his old computer, he also dabbles in film making, writing music, and drawing cartoons. A few of his favorite authors include Mark Twain, HG Wells, Edgar Allen Poe, and CS Lewis. Josh lives in South Florida with his wife and son.
*** taken from Josh Strnad’s website
Who is Madness Heart Press?
A bespoke and discerning publisher of horror. We at Madness Heart Press want to bring you the very best of indie horror, focusing on the transgressive and experimental. We divide our books and merchandise between three imprints. Madness Heart Press hosts the majority of our horror; splatterpunk, extreme, dark poetry, and weird fiction. Aggadah Try It hosts Jewish genre fiction; sci-fi, fantasy, speculative fiction, and horror. All Jewish stories, written by Jewish authors. Madness Heart Games, our newest imprint, is a space for splatterpunk and bizarro tabletop gaming.
***taken from the Madness Heart Press website
Who is Matt Masucci?
I write. I teach. I hang with the fam. I don't tweet much, but when I do, it's probably snarky and/or wholesome.
*** taken from Twitter
