I have mixed feelings about this. A few of the stories I really enjoyed and others fell flat. Overall, this was okay. I wasn't a huge fan of their first work, so this may be the last book I read by them.

While not all the stories here were hits, the best ones were excellent. I feel like short story collections can be so up and down, and while this one wasn't necessarily an exception to that rule, I definitely found this better than most. Very dark and mind melting.

Did not read as book was archived before I was able to download on NetGalley. Look forward to reading Nineteen Claws in another fashion in the future.

While I definitely recommend this for fans of 'Tender is the Flesh', I had to DNF it at 66%. Bazterrica is talented, and I think this will land for a lot of people. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for something this unrelentingly dark. But her short stories have a meanness, or cruelty to them that just wasn't working for me, as much as I love horror.

But! That said ultimately I'd still recommend this to readers looking for that feeling.

3.75 ⭐
A DENSE collection of surreal horror stories. Of course I liked some better than others, but you really had to focus while reading. I think a reread or audio book would be nice in a few months to get a better sense of it.

Nineteen Claws and A Black Bird Review!!

Thank you so much Scribner and NetGalley for this gifted e-read, in exchange for an honest review!! This one is out now!

I immediately requested this one when I saw it on Netgalley! Ever since Tender is the Flesh I have been searching for something similar. Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird was a 1.75/5 ⭐️ for me. There were 19 stories in this one and I really only enjoyed 1 of them and that was The Continuous Equality of the Circumference. This just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m not sure if it was because the stories were so short and I didn’t get any build of up the setting, character, or plot. Just not a fan. If you like weird horror though, I think you should give it a try still!

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the eARC.

Agustina Bazterrica is a force. Her stories are...... unique and eye opening and raw and stick with you far beyond your time with them. This collection really has not left my mind since I finished it. Haunting.

I recently read Tender is the Flesh by this author so I was excited to read this as well!
I got exactly what I was expecting going into this. Short stories that make you think "what". Some stories were better than others. My favorites were "Candy Pink" & No Tears". What I enjoyed most about this book was that you could never tell how the story would end. No matter how many times I thought I knew, I didn't.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy!

FINALLY A BOOK OF SHORT STORIES THAT I FELL IN LOVE WITH.

I've found myself struggling with short story collections this year. I don't know what the deal is. But Bazterrica just broke that curse. This was short, sweet, and IMPACTFUL. Seriously. This does warrant all the trigger warnings, though. I found Moshfeghian vibes in so many of the stories, which is my absolute jam. There were one or two that I didn't find as expertly crafted as the majority, but I don't really care. 4 stars

Thank you NetGalley.
This was such an enjoyable collection of short stories. I definitely want to check out the author's other books.

I loved Tender is the Flesh and had very high hopes for these short stories!

Some of these stories were good, but most were not very memorable. My favorite story and the one that stood out to me the most was Mary Carminum; it was perfectly weird and I loved it!

Although this collection of stories was a mixed, I still found the reading experience to be enjoyable! I cant wait to see was Bazterrica comes out with next!

Okay so when i saw that Agustina was coming out with another book i near fell over. I absolutely adored Tender is the flesh in fact it still haunts to this day! Then i found out that this was comprised of short stories i again near fell over with joy. Each story is as chilling as the first i finished in a day. I loved this book so much i wish i could forget it and re read for this first time again. I’m giving this 5 starts and if you enjoyed tender is the flesh as much as i did then i highly recommend you pick up a copy at your local bookstore! I cant wait to see what els Agustina comes out with next!

A dark and twisted translated short story collection that nightmares are made of. Bazterrica gives frightening accounts of dystopian worlds full of violence, isolation, and the complexities of humans and their ability to be evil. After reading her other book Tender is the Flesh and being absoultely appauled and transfixed, I knew this collection of short stories were going to be amazing. With hauntingly beautiful prose and horrendously gruesome stories about the mundanity or life, Bazterrica gives a stunning novel for horror lovers all over.

Nineteen Claws and A Black Bird is a remarkable collection that showcases Agustina Bazterrica's talent as a storyteller and her keen insight into the human experience. With its haunting narratives, poetic prose, and profound exploration of humanity, this book leaves an indelible impression on its readers. I highly recommend this collection to those who appreciate thought-provoking literature and seek a deeply introspective and captivating reading experience. Bazterrica's ability to illuminate the shadows of the human condition is truly extraordinary.

🪶Pub. Date: Jun. 20 2023

🪶Genres: General Fiction (Adult), Novellas & Short Stories

🪶Plot: From the Tik-Tok Author of "Tender is the Flesh" comes a collection of sinister, dark tales sure to leave your spine tingling.

🪶Review: Subtly spooky, these stories left me feeling reflective as some points, and outright shaken at others. Truly, a master of the horror story. This book will be a hit among horror fans who want to experience Bazterrica's writing without the terror of "Tender is the Flesh"

I was very excited to receive a copy of thus book. I absolutely loved Tender is the flesh but unfortunately this one was a flop for me. I do appreciate the overall creepiness of the stories. That unsettling factor is something that Agustine does very well. I think since this is a translation, but not sure the full effect came through. I will try to read the stories again in Spanish and see if this is maybe just a one off seeing at how much I loved her other work. I think if you are just looking for a short collection of short stories to read fast then this will entertain you. It does read fast as I was able to read it in one day. I really liked the last story and Candy Pink, and the one about the bunny.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book for review! I will continue to be excited for future works from this author.

With this being the follow up to Tender is the Flesh, I feel like I was expecting more with the horror aspects of these stories. Some were strong, and those stood out, but they were too many that maybe I just didn’t get or felt were unnecessary.

Incredible , disturbing and absolutely terrifying !

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the eArc

Thank you to @scribnerbooks and @netgalley for the chance to read this early, and to @treatyoshelvess for reading with me! This publishes on the 20th of this month 💕

Agustina Bazterrica cemented herself as an author of interest to me after I read Tender is the Flesh (also thanks to Netgalley) in 2020. This new release didn’t disappoint either, and I’ll continue to pick up her work in the future!

This collection of stories is zany and weird and thrilling and it is exactly what I needed at the exact time I needed it. Fans of horror are right in that the genre allows for a different (and at times deeper) exploration of grief and other emotions, and it’s something I’ve increasingly felt drawn to over the last year.

(In particular, the story Candy Pink rocked my world. I have it saved in my camera roll and I read it not infrequently. No other book or short story has ever gotten this treatment)

As a story collection Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird definitely had some stories that had similarly disturbing components as Tender is The Flesh. Then there were some stories that initially felt milder, only to be stuck in my head days after I've read them. While each story is short (1-20 pages), a lot of them had me scratching my head a bit an wanting to discuss with someone immediately. I think this will definitely be a hit with connoisseurs of weird fiction. Thank you so much to Scribner for the ARC and finished copy of Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird.