Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher/author for providing me with an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

OMG!!! This book was exactly what I wanted it to be! I loved it. I will make sure to check out other books by this author. When I requested this I was just intrigued by the concept of it and I loved how it turned out. This story had a great plot and if you have read this and enjoyed it, This was so much. It was such a great story. I would say give this one a try. I will continue to follow this author. Way to go to this author for not letting me down.

I highly enjoyed the narrator of the audiobook. Kept me listening.

I hate rating something so low, but the writing in this was just... not great. It was too riddled with clichés and did a lot of telling instead of showing. Finished a couple before I gave up.

This was such a fun read I loved it so much I couldn't put it down and was completely hooked from the first page

"Delve into the Unsettling World of Horror"

This book offers a journey that's best taken at your own pace. Comprising thirteen paranormal and horror short stories, it provides a mixed bag of experiences. Some tales you'll breeze through effortlessly, while others will captivate your attention, and a few might creep by more slowly.

What sets this collection apart is the author's ability to conjure tales that are both compelling and unconventional. Her stories take you on a journey outside the typical bounds of horror, engaging your mind in unique ways. Each narrative is a new twist on the genre, reminiscent of the likes of Stephen King and Stephan Gram Jones.

Overall, this book is an enjoyable read, especially for those who relish the darker corners of literature. It's a relatively quick read, and you'll find yourself immersed in a series of twisted, spine-tingling stories that are sure to pique your interest.

My sincere appreciation goes to Gorgon Blood Press for providing this horrific and thrilling adventure. I'd also like to extend my thanks to Netgalley for granting me the opportunity to read and review this book, which has been an intriguing journey into the realm of the macabre.

Some stories I really loved, most of them i did honestly. But there were a few that left me either wanting more or slightly confused. Either way, this is a wonderful book of stories that I feel like most people can enjoy.(that last story is a doozie though so uhh trigger warnings for pregnancy, infanticide, mental illness? Idk just shit that was brutal)

ARC received!! Thank you! I'm so excited to dive into this collection. The cover is gorgeous. Book was great!

Another anthology that I actually enjoyed. I don't know I go back and forth about whether or not I like them. I enjoy reading short stories because you can read them in one sitting, there isn't 800+ pages to dread. However, the stories that I enjoy, I want more of. How about we just collectively decide the best stories and then write them for like 300 pages. That seems reasonable. My favourites were Dead over Heels, The Celestial Assignment, Still Born and Dying for an Invitation.

This anthology contains 13 horror/paranormal short stories and like with most collections of short stories, some are going to be better than others. Overall, it was still a fun and enjoyable read. If you're a fan of horror or paranormal stories, this is worth checking out. Braun seems to have a knack for luring a reader in and providing unexpected twists and such cool and addicting stories. I can see myself recommending to other horror lovers.

I've been trying to get more into short stories for those times when I just need a quick, short read, a one-and-done, and this was great for that. The first was my favorite because I had no idea what was going on (in a good way) for most of it, and the ending really took me by surprise. Dying For An Invitation was also right up my alley. I would say these two are 4 stars, the rest were all around 3/3.5 stars. Very solid overall and really recommend if you like short stories.


I would like to thank NetGalley and Theresa Braun for the review copy. Thoughts are my own, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

thank you for the advanced reading copy of the broken darkness. this was horror mixed with fantasy with a little bit of romance. this was actually fantastic!

There's no doubt that the author can write. Braun is quite gifted with description and character development. The stories often missed for me on plot twists that didn't quite work for me, personally. That said, I can think of a good number of library patrons who would enjoy the book. I will keep an eye out for future works by Braun---definitely one to watch!!

This one is a good one to pace yourself through. This book consists of thirteen paranormal/horror short stories. While some you will breeze through, some are compelling, and a few crept by.
Most of the stories will keep the gears in your mind turning as they are compelling and leave you wanting more. Her mind is very eccentric, and she thinks outside the box for her horror stories!
Stillborn was my favorite from the set! While a few stories could have used a trigger warning, if you are like me and love horror books, then you know what to expect. Especially if you love Stephen King and Stephan Gram Jones, her books work in some of the twisted ways theirs do. I rather enjoyed the book. If you love horror, then you should pick this one up! It's a faster read, and you will have twisted stories to enjoy! I am incredibly grateful to Gorgon Blood Press for the horrific and exciting adventure. This book was, and I would also like to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this one!

This is a collection of paranormal/horror stories. Well written and interesting little stories to read when you just need to squeeze some reading but can't commit to a full book.
Some stories were very good, while others were too easily predictable, but I still enjoyed reading it.

This year I wanted to explore more genres so this felt like it was a suitable fit. I liked how it was a short stories anthology, especially horror ones which I had yet to read in books from the horror genre this year. This one was a fun read however a little predictable but none a less still enjoyable.

I was drawn to the striking cover illustration on this one.

I sometimes enjoy short story collections for a light read, as an alternative to reading a novel. I was entertained by these stories in general, even if I liked some more than others. I think my favourite story was the last one, Heirloom. These are stories in the horror or dark fantasy genre, so I would recommend a book like this if you enjoy those genres.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

Scary short stories? Count me in! Just the perfect amount and time required to give you that chill in your bones but be able to have finality and conclusion. LOVED this set up for horror. I'm not the biggest horror fan - I am quite the "chicken" when it comes to scary stories however I enjoyed this anthology and thought it was great. I would have loved to read this around fall/Halloween time.

Theresa Braun's debut collection, The Broken Darkness, delves into the depths of the human psyche, exploring our innermost desires through 13 short paranormal horror stories, each with its own unique plot and characters. Despite not being a fan of horror, I found myself engrossed in the book's intriguing premise.

While some of the stories may have predictable elements, Braun's impressive writing draws readers into the narrative, displaying her talent for crafting captivating tales that keep readers on edge.

The book's stories range from quick and fast-paced to longer and more elaborate, making it an enjoyable read for horror/thriller enthusiasts of all tastes. However, the book does contain themes that some readers may find disturbing, and I recommend checking the trigger warnings before diving in. Overall, The Broken Darkness is an excellent collection of horror stories that will leave readers both thrilled and haunted.

I always love an short stories anthology, especially horror ones. This one was a fun read, although there are a couple stories that didn't hit the mark for me. My personal fav are "Collecting Empties" and "Dying for an Invitation".

The Broken Darkness is a collection of short horror stories based on the hidden corners of the character's psiche and soul, where they basically have to fight their worst fears and their unresolved trauma. I'd like to point out that this is also a debut novel from Theresa Braun.

So, I'm not a big fan of Horror, but this year I wanted to explore more genres so this felt like the perfect try.
I would say that at times the stories can be a bit predictable, I guess everything becomes sligtly predictable when you read too much, but that doesn't make them any less enjoyable.
Theresa's writing is already great, she can bring you really into the scenes she wrote, and inside the narrator/protagonist head, and that for me is a bit too much since, as I said, I'm not a huge fan of Horror. I didn't feel spooked, or terrorized, but I definetly had chills. Like when watching your big old splatter horror film.

All in all I feel like this could be a good starting point for those who would like to get into horror, and have more stomach than me.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy of The Broken Darkness.

This was fine. The Broken Darkness is a collection of short horror/thriller stories that are meant to explore the human psyche and reveal the darkness within ourselves. I was really hoping to like it more, but, as I said, it was fine.

I have the same opinion about it as I did with Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. There are some cool concepts and ideas explored in the stories. However, I feel they could've been even better if they were full-length books of their own. I also expected to, at least, be a little creeped out by some of the stories, but none of them really got under skin nor made me paranoid. And that's what I want from horror stories. Lastly, a lot of the short stories ended up being very predictable as well as anticlimactic at times, and I prefer when these kinds of stories are able to put me edge and throw me for a loop.

I would recommend readers who are starting to get into horror/thriller to pick this up because it is a good starter. There are themes in here that may be disturbing to some readers, so please look into the trigger warnings before picking this up. Like I said, there are some intriguing concepts in some of the stories that will likely grasp other people's interests. And those reasons are why I'm giving The Broken Darkness 3 stars.

(This same review has been posted to Goodreads and Amazon and will be posted to my Instagram)