The writing was so beautiful. I loved it. I love this interpretation of the devil. The stories at times felt a little unsettling. I’ll definitely recommend to friends.

Thank you to NetGalley & Dreamscape Media for the early audiobook of Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil!

My problem with this read is 100% on me & my taste — this is too literary fiction for me. I enjoyed some of the stories, but some fell flat. However, I enjoy the way this collection has in-between stories! Craft felt incredibly unique + it was beautifully written, this is perfect for those who do like literary fiction with a hint of horror.

This book was excellently written, it had engaging characters and some absolutely beautiful writing. I would however class it more as a literary fiction not horror. As it was advertised as horror, I did find myself waiting for the horror content to begin and was slightly disappointed by this, however the writing mad up for it, especially when I decided to treat it more as lit fic. The narration was great and had a good variety. This is a great book for someone who like literature with spooky undertones.

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an Audio ARC from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Ananda Lima pulls together a compilation of short stories that all tie together with the early event of the writer hooking up with the devil in the 80's. There are lots of references to recent, dark events of our time which is why this is listed in the horror genre. Lima's tales were reminiscent of Carmen Maria Machado's work, specifically "In the Dream House."

I listened to the audiobook but would like to reread a physical copy when available. The audio narrator did a fantastic job so this isn't a dig on the audiobook, I just wanted to go back to prior passages several times and annotate it. I want to savor each story.

4.5*

The writing was gorgeous. I loved the concept and the formatting. I love when short stories interconnect. The narration was superb. BUT I just kept waiting for the horror..and waiting….and waiting. Once we got to the vending machine scene, I thought it was coming… but alas. This definitely felt more lit fic than horror so as long as you don’t go into this expecting a true horror, I think it’s really enjoyable.

I was hoping for the vibes of Addie La Rue but darker and I just was so disappointed that the devil didn’t have as large of a place in this work as I was hoping,

The story telling was disjointed and for me personally didn’t create a cohesive narrative with the movement in and out of the story within a story within a story vibe.

Thanks so much to the publisher for my ARC and ALC in exchange for my review.

I had a great time with this! Books written about books is fun, but books written about writing is just better. I love the different aspects we get of that process, but this is so much more.

This was vibrant and incredibly moving. The various stories sprinkled throughout gave me this magical realism bubble to float around in, and it was a fun time. Lima's writing captures something really unique. With wit and humor, she tackles some serious topics. Honestly, even though this is basically stories written for the devil, the vibe of the writing and the narration of the audio book was soothing.

This is such a unique short story collection. It's impressive to make a slice-of-life “deal with the devil” kinda story. It's such a strange juxtaposition but it completely works.

I liked the subtle unsettling feeling of these stories. I tend to prefer these collections where all the stories are interlinked.

I would recommend this one to readers who enjoy an out of the box horror experiences.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

I loved the premise of this book and wanted to love it so much but it isn't at the top of my list, currently. This is a well done collection of short stories that are strung together and woven within a main storyline of the writer. These short stories almost feel like points in the timeline of her life. It seems like you get a lot of the writer's story early on and then about 75% of the way through it switches very heavily to just short story after short story which I didn't see happening. I got really lost and confused here and really wanted more of the writer's story to help ground the rest. The short stories themselves are interesting; some are much better than others but none were terrible. There is some realism throughout since the pandemic and living through that time period, Trump's election to presidency, and the ICE terrors are used as major plot devices and we see the writer and her husband Peter over the years but I think I would have preferred more of their stories versus short stories. My favorite character was the Devil; I love the imagery and how he is worked in throughout the book as this character that the writer always sees in weird places. I also loved the last few sentences about the Devil. I think that really is the golden nugget of this entire book.

Overall, if you are looking for a collection of short stories, this is a fun one to read. There isn't really anything spooky or creepy as I expected but still it is a very interesting piece with lots of modern day/life overlaps.

Craft was a wildly interesting collection of short stories. I don't think I've ever read anything like this, and I'm not sure if I always fully understood what was happening, but I loved it. The story felt so honest, and the depiction of the onset of the COVID pandemic was so visceral and honest.

I am SO grateful to NetGalley and Dreamscape media for granting me access to an audio ARC of Craft. I think the narration was done perfectly and improved my experience with the story. I highly highly highly recommend this to anyone who likes reading books that are just a bit odd.

4.5/5

I now want to meet the Devil in a bar! This was beautifully written. I loved that this was a culmination of short stories within a larger story. Highly recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

eview of “Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil”

By: Ananda Lima

Available June 18/2024

Check it Out on Goodreads!!

Disclaimer: Please note that I received an Audio ARC from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil” by Ananda Lima is an absolute gem of a book that captivates from the very first page. The premise is intriguing – a writer’s lifelong, surreal encounters with the devil beginning from a Halloween party in 1999. Lima’s storytelling is both fantastical and profoundly authentic, creating a unique blend that is utterly compelling.

I was completely immersed in the stories, losing track of time and finding myself reluctant to put the book down. Each tale is so well-crafted that it draws you in completely, making you feel as though you’re living through the surreal experiences alongside the characters. The book kept me engaged throughout, and I felt a genuine sense of loss when it ended – a true indicator of its impact.

“Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil” is a must-read for anyone who loves stories that challenge the imagination and resonate with emotional depth. Ananda Lima’s talent for weaving together the impossible and the real creates a captivating narrative that stays with you long after you’ve finished reading. This book is a wonderful journey into the realms of the surreal and the heartfelt – highly recommended.

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Im not really sure what I was expecting but I guess it wasn’t what I got from this book? It was a bit hard to get into it but maybe it was just me not being in the mood. I wouldn’t categorize this book first as horror but maybe more literary fiction and it was more on the sad side with a few odd scenes? May have to think on this one as I’m not sure how to rate it. It isn’t badly written just more not my style?

Thank you for this advanced listeners copy of Craft. I am so grateful to have read such a good book. It was not what I was expected but so much more.

Craft: Stories I Wrote for the Devil by Ananda Lima

I want to start off by saying this book is worth reading if you’re looking for something short, engaging prose, poetically written and thought provoking.

This book was beautifully write and wonderful to listen to, buttttt not what I was thinking it was going to be when I requested it. This book isn’t horror or very dark, but there are moments that are eerie, and spooky. I also don’t know if I would call this a book of short stories, but more like a fictional memoir of the MC, her stories and the devil she met one night.

Taylor Harvey did a fantastic narration job with this book. And I’ll be keeping an eye out for more books written by Ananda Lima

Thank you Netgalley, Dreamscape Media and Ananda Lima for this ARC.

Craft is a tough one to rate and review because I had a great time with it, and I can also see that this may have trouble finding its audience.

For starters, it's not that this book isn't horror, because I can see how it is in some of the stories (though certainly not all). Most typical horror fans will likely be bored, confused, or let down. Not a lot happens in these stories, the devil isn't the source of the horror in any way, and most of the tension comes from things like microaggressions, the hovering presence of ICE, or interactions between characters that are not quite meeting each other.

Still, this isn't quite literary fiction, it isn't quite fantasy; it's probably accurate to use the term surrealist, but that isn't exactly a clear genre.

All of that said, I had a lot of fun with this weird little collection. The writing is lovely, I like the aimlessness, and I really liked that there is a through line, but you aren't always sure when you're going to come back to it. My absolute favorite section was the collection of feedback from the writing group. Maybe that's because of my own experiences in various writing groups, but I found it both funny and revealing, and honestly, that's its own type of horror to me -- both the giving and receiving of feedback in those groups can induce nightmares. I also appreciated the discussions of identity and immigration, as well as the general "haunted" vibes, which are hard to articulate but definitely present for me.

I really hope that the folks who are drawn to this give it a try. If it's not for you, it's not for you, but when this hits for folks, it can really hit.

Craft is a collection of short stories written by an unknown narrator for the devil. The writer slept with the devil and, inspired by his love of stories, wrote these stories for him. The devil and the writer are a thread throughout the collection, as the devil pops back into the writer's life from time to time. The stories themselves have elements of magical realism and surrealism to them. The stories deal with ideas about identity, family, relationships, home, and the pandemic. The stories were enjoyable to listen to and the narrator did a good job, but I think something is lost slightly in the translation to audio. It can be difficult to keep track of what is a story written by the writer and what is the story about the writer herself. The print book is most likely easier to follow and no matter what the writing itself was beautiful.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Harvey did a fantastic job with the narration on this book! It was very clear and concise and was easy to listen to in a single sitting. The story was creepy and not what I was expecting although I did find it intriguing and wanted to know what was going to happen next. It was somewhere between horror and fiction, with just enough suspense to jeep you guessing. I enjoyed learning more about the experience of people that immigrate to the country and their daily basic struggles and hardships. I would recommend if you enjoy good fiction writing and short stories!

Craft is a wonderful novel on the surface about dealing with the devil however the undercurrent on immigration and being an immigrant makes it so fascinating. The narrator was wonderful and added such depth and richness to the story. At times the novel felt disjointed but the thread underneath the stories on being an immigrant and the experience of it really held all the stories together. I really loved how everything always came back to the writer and how her experiences lent to the telling of the stories she wrote.

I enjoyed the narration and the flow of the stories. Very unique.

My favorite story was when “the writer” goes home to Brazil to find out that her mother is being haunted by a ghost. The ghost her daughter, the writer, who is still alive.

I also enjoyed the writer’s stories about her work, living in the US under a work Visa, and losing her passport.