A Review of Making Friends
By Die Booth

Earlier this year I read the collection Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol and Die Booth’s story “When The Leaves Go” was one of my favorites in a collection full of dark little gems. It was whimsical and dreamy and just lovely. I didn’t want to leave that world. This collection, Making Friends, is a mix of whimsical, haunting and dreamy stories featuring characters looking for love, for trouble, for hope, some are dealing with past hurts or strange goings-on. Lots of strange goings-on and glances into dark corners. There’s a good mix of melancholy, adventure and quiet horror and even a little bit of humor which I always appreciate. There are a few longer pieces but quite a few are flash pieces and some of them ended a little abruptly for me. I’m going to focus mainly on the longer stories so I don’t give too much away.

Making Friends
Anna hopes to find her true love but instead finds nothing but a bunch of duds. So when she spots an ad at a bus stop claiming to help her find her love match she figures why not give it a go? Nothing can be worse than the string of losers she’s found on her own. This was one of my favorites and a great way to start things off. The setting feels like a place out of time.

Junk Medicine
In a dirty world, Donny has been saving up for something special, something beautiful for her girlfriend but nothing comes easy in their world.

Things the Sea Brings Us
Mary’s lover left her broken-hearted and now she’s surrounded by gossips spreading poisonous rumors. This one feels otherworldly too.

NIX
Two bored siblings looking for adventure find it in this creature feature! I was worried for them, not gonna lie, but sis is a wily one, haha.

Whole wide world
This is a painfully honest look at the hurt humans thoughtlessly inflict on those they’re supposed to love, support and protect.

Badass
A mishap occurs and it made me laugh for real. I’m not telling you what happens. You’ll have to find out for yourself.

The Headless Army of Charlie Close
This is a creepy tale about a day in the life of a young factory worker who discovers what she’s had a part in creating. Creeptastic!

The Cat In The Window
A man spies a stained-glass cat in a window while walking to work and it haunts him. This one is a gem. It creeped me out the same way some of Charles L. Grant’s tales used to creep me out when I was a teen. It’s an understated tale of quiet horror and it will creep under your skin.

The Man Who Sticks His Head Up Petticoats
“I have a friend who sticks his head up petticoats.”
“It’s just the way he lives his life.”

Wtf! Haha, this little story just made me laugh and laugh and sometimes that’s all you need, right?!

I read a few of these stories every night for a week or so and enjoyed spending time in the eerie little worlds the author created.

Laurie is a long-time horror fan, book reviewer and a co-founder of Ladies of Horror Fiction. You can find Laurie on her blog Bark’s Book Nonsense, on Twitter as @barksbooks, on Instagram as @barksbooks, and on Goodreads. 

As part of our Pride Month celebrations, we asked those submitting guest posts to provide a link to a charity of their choice. Laurie chose LGBTQ mental health and suicide prevention | AFSP and we would ask, if you are able, if you could please consider a donation to support their work.