Synopsis:
Sliced Up Press is delighted to present its debut anthology, featuring sixteen sweetly sinister stories. Grab your fork and dig in to tales of tiered cake and teary eyes, plump currants and sinister undercurrents, all-consuming hunger and bizarre gluttony. There’s something for all tastes here, though you might think twice before ordering dessert…
Edition:
Paperback ARC
Disclaimer:
I received a copy of this book from the editor in exchange for review consideration. This does not in any way alter the content of my review.
My Thoughts:
I know that conceptually, cake horror sounds silly. That was what initially drew me to this book. I was in the mood for some silliness. But that’s not really what this is. Yes, some entries are a bit tongue-in-cheek, but the cake-connection ws a lot more earnest than I had expected.
The Stories:
Tres Leches – V Castro
If you’ve read my review of Worst Laid Plans or even better, if you read my review and then read the book, you might recognize a character here. Tres Leches gives us another chance to visit with a cucuy. Is it the same one we encountered in WLP? Who knows. But this story is just as fabulous!
*Side note: did you see that Worst Laid Plans is being adapted for film? OMG SO EXCITING! Sadly, Cucuy is not one of the stories being adapted, but still!*
Glut – E Seneca
A woman eats her fill. It’s like the internet was telling us a few months ago: life is a lie – everything is cake.
These Are All Cakes pic.twitter.com/ejArkJHaid
— Tasty (@tasty) July 8, 2020
The Tea Party – Stephanie Yu
A young girl struggles to find herself in a world that prizes homogeneity, and a best friend for whom everything seems to come easy. But her best friend keeps a bizarre secret from the world.
Grind Your Bones – Douglas Ford
I found this story really interesting. It is a sort of folk tale about sickness and superstition, and is beautifully written.
The Perfect Bite – Tiffany Michelle Brown
A particularly gory tale of lab-engineered cupcakes which were designed to give the eater the “perfect bite.”
Black Teeth – Sam Richard
A widower encounters a frightening specter at his wife’s funeral.
The Crumb Reader – Jackson Nash
This family has a very strange tradition on birthdays, and one member who doesn’t understand the importance of following it.
An Old Fashioned Type of Girl – R.J. Joseph
A woman has a very unexpected gift which she employs to try to find a husband. She can bake one hell of a cake.
Authentic Experience – Risa Wolf
How Donauwelle is “really made.
Legs of the Dead – Liam Hogan
Frankenstein’s monster has found a new life as a baker, where he puts a little of himself into all of his cakes and pastries.
Tiers – Belinda Ferguson
A baker uses a little bit of magic to help out a new bride.
Eater of Universes – Madison McSweeney
A strangely powerful cake (because powerful cake just feels strange) chooses when to be eaten, and by whom.
One Year Anniversary – Red Lagoe
A man mourns the passing of his wife on what would have been the first anniversary of their marriage.
The North American Guide to Animal Slaughter – Nicole M. Wolverton
The late Mrs. Putterbaugh’s almond cake is very strange indeed.
Mrs. Betty Briggs and the Angel Food Cake from Hell – Kelly Robinson
The lengths to which some housewives will go to win a blue ribbon for their cake at the local fair is truly terrifying. I love this story – it feels like it belongs in an episode of Tales from the Darkside or something.
The Ritual – Benjamin Franke
Birthday cake and ritual human sacrifice become indistinguishable. I didn’t like this one so much on first reading it, but after a re-read, I’m actually pretty into it. It’s an intriguing concept.
Rating:
Not a bad rating – especially for an anthology. There were a few misses for me here, but there were definitely more hits. What can I say besides, ‘I love cake.’
Slashertorte: An Anthology of Cake Horror Edited by Ben Walker Sliced Up Press Published: November 30, 2020 ISBN: 9798570466647 Paperback, E-book 126 Pages Purchase Links
Oh my gosh! This sounds so fun!!
I’d be curious to know what you think of it if you get a chance to read it. It really is such a fun and surprisingly scary concept.