i really really enjoyed this! i am always up for a novel following women murdering men, no matter the reasoning. bonus points if it's set pre-1800. that said, Slashed Beauties turns that theme on its head a little bit, as this book also deals with the Venus' agency both within the context of the murders and beyond. i spent so much of the book a little bit confused & wondering how we were going to bridge the gap between Eleanor's perspective in 1769 and Alys' perspective in the present, and i loved that aspect of it. i also really loved the parallel between Polly, the bird, and Eleanor and Emily - i wrote a paper in my english degree about bird imagery representing the lack of agency of women, which is a theme i think about often, and this brought that in perfectly! as a whole, i think i will be thinking about this book for a while!

Unfortunately, this book did not offer me what I wanted from it until the last 2 chapters of the book. The summary told me of murderous wax figures and a mystery surrounding them. There was mention of the wax figures, but it felt like the mysteries kept adding on top of one another without being addressed.
The feelings at the end of the book, when we finally DO see the wax figures and the souls that are stuck inside them, were the true horror of the novel. The trapped feeling after the character had hoped to be free from her troubles was impactful, and the things she saw inside the anatomist's shop were scary.
The majority of the book was focused on building up relationships of these 2 main characters and one I cared about hearing from and figuring out the world of 1769. The mysteries were revealed at the end but the character's reluctance to learn about the magic that had her bound felt more like a cop-out of a more developed magic system than the trauma that she had faced for centuries. I feel like the focus was more on the women's relationship with the other women as opposed to the men that wronged them, and then when the retribution came, it was quickly over with and not as much of the main focus of the story as I thought it was going to be.

For all my negative focus on the actual plot of the story, the writing itself was extremely easy to follow and appealing to read. I followed Eleanor's story voraciously through most of the book and adored her relationship with Emily. Her emotions were felt strongly throughout her chapters, and I would've read more of her thoughts if the story had developed with just her point of view.

How do I go about explaining this? Kind of like dolls? Split timelines, trippy mind games - all of it tied together to make one heck of a wild ride of a book. Let’s face it, I LOVE anything weird and this one nailed it. I loved how it went back and forth between present day and the past, forcing me to try to piece together what was really going on and leaving me utterly dumbfounded half the time. I didn’t know how much I needed a gothic eighteenth century body horror book until I was fully immersed in this one and now I’m on the hunt for more.

This was ok. Wanted more from it.

A gothic feminist body horror in two timelines revolving around three Anatomical Venuses—ultrarealistic wax figures of women—that come to life at night to murder men who have wronged them

Inspired and magically macabre. This book really had me from the beginning and hung on till the end. I was also kept guessing well to the 85% mark.

Justifiably, as the plot got heavier so did some of the confusion. I recommend reading in a quiet focused place but also suspending disbelief a bit for the sake of enjoyment.

Very original and very refreshing for readers of horror simply because it's so different. Excellent book.

This book was a little slow for me in the beginning, but it picked up the pace as I kept on reading. The anatomical wax models were interesting, especially after reading the acknowledgements page and how the author came up with the story, probably just found myself a hyper fixation. I was for some reason not expecting that plot twist towards the end although looking back I feel for some readers might be predictable. Overall it was a fun, unique, and quick read.

Slashed Beauties is a dual-timeline historical fantasy that toys with the idea of the real-life Anatomical Venuses, turning them into 18th century automaton serial killers. The modern day plot goes into the plan to destroy these dangerous wax dolls.
If you go in expecting a very dark, very slow-burn historical fantasy rather than a feminist femgore revenge slasher, you might enjoy yourself with this one!
Likes: Oh, that sapphic romance had my heart in knots. It was deeply romantic and heart wrenching. I also felt intense anxiety from the suspense in the last 50 or so pages! The slow burn really kicked up to a fever pitch towards the end, and I was absolutely sucked in. I was fascinated by the idea of the Anatomical Venuses, especially that they actually exist (minus the murdering men aspect), and found myself researching them and falling down quite the demented rabbit hole.
Dislikes: The magic system was very unique, but also hardly explained at all and very ‘leave it up to mystery, who knows’ which I found frustrating. Lots of things were left unexplained, especially essential plot points towards the end. I can’t divulge further critique without venturing into spoiler territory, but keep in mind as always my opinions are subjective and I hope if you read this that you enjoy it!
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
TW: sexual assault, animal cruelty/death, loss of pregnancy, murder, body horror

i was expecting horror in the vein of house of wax (2005), except I think the m wax dolls come to life and MURDER.

instead, what I got was a convoluted narrative with underdeveloped characters and sluggish pacing that made the story drag endlessly.

i wouldn’t even consider this horror; it’s more of a historical fantasy and i’m not a fan of fantasy. i cannot deal with magic systems — they break my already fragile brain.

there are several grammatical errors on the first page and even in the goodreads summary, which is lazy and unacceptable coming from berkley publishing.

even though this wasn’t the book for me, the author has creative ideas, and i do look forward to their future work.

Slashed Beauties is a gothic slasher novel that I simply couldn’t put down. The love of I had for Eleanor and Emily is unmatched. I also enjoyed Elizabeth’s character. She wasn’t a good woman, but you can’t say she wasn’t one strong lady. There were many ways I was thinking the ending would play out, but I actually like how it ended. It was a good closure. Will definitely read more from this author.

This was everything that I was looking for from a historical Gothic horror novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the two different timelines in this. The overall feel worked with the body horror and enjoyed the concept of wax figures and how it was used in this storyline. The characters in both timelines were so well written and was invested in what was going on, the characters were everything that I was looking and I enjoyed getting into how the stories were linked. A. Rushby has a strong writing style and was glad I was able to read this.

Though this book went in a different direction than I thought it would, it was enjoyable. I do love me a good historical fiction and this does that justice. You get dual timelines, you get “present day” and you get 1769. I liked the 1769 timeline more just because I liked the historical setting (in London). So I did go into thinking this was going to have more of a slasher horror feel to it (it doesn’t) so I did feel like the synopsis is a tiny bit misleading 😅 but I still enjoyed it. This also opened me to a deep dive on anatomical Venus’s..I’m ashamed I didn’t even know that was a real thing, but how interesting it was. Also, recognition for the cover cuz it’s STUNNING.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley publishing for the arc.

Look, I’m no stranger to the weird and wild corners of history (melified man, anyone?), but Slashed Beauties took me on a ride I didn’t expect. Just when you think mankind couldn’t be more depraved, you learn about anatomical Venuses (18th century wax models of women, sliced open like morbid centerfolds for medical students to gawk at). These creepy, hyper-realistic figures are the beating (or, uh, waxy?) heart of Rushby’s gothic feminist horror, and let me tell you, it’s both fascinating and frustrating, like trying to assemble IKEA furniture with half the instructions missing.

The story ping-pongs between two timelines. In present-day, we’ve got Alys, an antiques dealer with a knack for sniffing out cursed knickknacks. She’s tasked with hauling one of these so-called “slashed beauties” to London with a bizarre catch: she’s gotta torch it when she gets there. Sounds like a gig I’d politely decline, but Alys is all in, driven by some murky family connection to these murderous wax ladies. Meanwhile, in 1769 London, we follow Eleanor, a naive young woman who gets sucked into the orbit of Elizabeth, a charismatic courtesan, and her protégé, Emily. These three end up tangled in a dark, magical plot involving the Venuses, who, legend has it, come to life at night to shank men who’ve wronged them. What I wanna know is... Do they take requests?

Rushby’s prose is lush, dripping with atmosphere like a foggy London alley. The 18th-century scenes are grimy, glittering, and reeking of desperation. The modern-day bits, though? They’re a bit of a slog. Alys is competent but flat, like a store-brand soda that’s lost its fizz. I wanted to root for her, but her motivations felt like they were scribbled on a napkin and lost in the wash.

The feminist rage pulsing through this book is delicious, though. Rushby doesn’t shy away from showing how women—then and now—get chewed up by a world that treats them like props. The Venuses, modeled after real sex workers, are a gut-punch metaphor for exploitation, and their supernatural revenge is the kind of catharsis that makes you wanna high-five a wax figure.

The first half builds dread like a pro, but the second half stumbles like me after one too many margaritas at book club. The big twist at the end is a banger, don’t get me wrong, but getting there felt like wading through molasses. I also wasn’t sold on the romance threads. They’re sweet but underdeveloped.

Still, Slashed Beauties hooked me enough to send me down a Google rabbit hole about anatomical Venuses at, which is both a compliment and a curse (my search history now looks like I’m planning a haunted museum heist). Rushby’s got a knack for blending history, horror, and heart, and her characters—especially Emily and Eleanor—stole the show. If you’re into gothic vibes, cursed objects, and women wreaking havoc, this is worth a read. Just don’t expect all the pieces to fit together like a perfectly dissected wax model.

did not set me up for the story that I read. Told in dual timelines, this story is definitely interesting, weaving a tale of women in the sex trade in 18th century England, who somehow intersect with an anatomist of the time who creates waxen Venuses. A modern day timeline follows an antique dealer who has a mysterious personal connection to these wax Venuses. Overall, this is an interesting tale. I feel like the beginning really hooked me in and I was eager to learn more, but the pacing really drops off around the middle and end of the book. And the amount of backstory is quite extensive. I feel like the horror aspect of this book is minimal, at best, but the gothic feel is definitely there. The author does a great job of building the mystery and only revealing a few bits of the puzzle at a time. The ending felt rushed after how long it took to get there. This was a really brilliant premise for a story, but I just felt like it didn’t deliver on the promises made in the synopsis.

You should know going into this book at is it not horror but a supernatural historical fiction.

That said, this was pretty hard for me to get through. I did not like the writing or the main character. Both timelines had poor pacing and dragged on. I felt the modern day timeline pretty uncompelling and pointless. I think the 18th century story line has potential, and would have made a much better novella if the pacing were quicker and there were more horror elements. The magic system was not well defined or explained, so several plot points were dismissed as being magic instead of explained.

If you like dual pov, historical fiction, witches, and slower paced books, this would be better suited for you.

TY NetGalley for the ARC!

Slashed Beauties is more a tragic tale than a thriller, and is written with so raw a tone that I was happily surprised. There is a lot that can be said about this book: there is the obvious allegory of women not having control over their bodies; infighting amongst marginalized groups that keeps them marginalized; the grooming and manipulation of young women; and the macabre history of actual anatomical Venuses.

As tragic as the story is, there are notes of bittersweetness throughout, though definitely some imagery that will stick with me for quite some time. The magical realism is kept just subtle enough that the reader doesn't need to suspend their disbelief too much to think that this may have been possible. While I would have loved to read a book about beautiful wax models of prostitutes murdering deserving men, I'm glad that this offered so much more than that.

There's a consistent thread of grief that we the reader experience with the protagonist: both in the past and the present. I could see a lot of people improperly translating the message into one about suicide, but I don't think that's right. It is, however, a story of self-sacrifice, which is entirely different. It is a story about perseverance and what you will do for the people you love.

Most chilling was how much I wanted Elizabeth, Emily, and Eleanor to succeed in their venture, even knowing that the likelihood of it going well was very slim. The reader gets to experience that desperation and easily sees how someone could be swept up and manipulated into such a cruel world. Elizabeth is a tragic villain, and I even sympathize with her to an extent since her twisted result was groomed in her from the start. Simply put, I don't think she knew how else she could exist. I do believe she wanted sisterhood, but her image of it was so warped that it would always do more harm than good.

I love that stories like this are being told, it's nice to have important messages relayed without them being hammered in to the point of insensitivity from society.

Well worth the read, though there is that tiny bit of hope I have that we will get a story of murderous prostitutes bent on revenge at some point!

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC. I was pulled into the book based on the cover and its premise. Like others have mentioned, it leans more historical fiction, but still has elements of gothic horror. I personally enjoy when narratives switch between two timelines or POVs, so I would definitely recommend this book for readers who enjoy that. The writing is strong, and I loved learning about the Venuses.

I got an ARC of this from Berkley (thank you!!) and was excited based on the premise.

Let me tell you: she 👏 did 👏 not 👏 disappoint

Truly the epitome of supporting women’s rights and wrongs, the power of a woman’s rage. It’s incredibly moody - the gothic, 1700’s, anatomical shop, opulent wealth and poverty. That makes it a “fun” read, in terms of weird girl horror. But it also feels incredibly relevant and poignant: a commentary on bodily autonomy and grooming and violence. A commentary on gender.

As a writer, it’s painfully hard to get both right in a book. It’s been a minute since a modern published work held my attention like this!

I was drawn to this book because I saw “a gothic feminist body horror” in the description, and unfortunately I was let down because I expected more horror. That description was the La Croix of descriptions: you maybe got a hint of a hint of gothic body horror. The feminist part did hold true, though.

There were two different timelines flipping in this book: the present (Alys’s) and the past set in the 1700s (Eleanor’s). Eleanor’s backstory seemed to take too long to get to the good part (or what I found to be the good part). And Alys’s storyline was also drug out. I felt like it really got interesting the last 25% or so. But even the ending was a disappointment as it fell kind of flat.

I did like learning about the Venuses and the historical aspect of the book. I think if it was marketed more as historical fiction, I would have adjusted my expectations. However, those that aren’t avid horror readers may find this a little gruesome or enjoy it more. But if you’re expecting pure horror, you will probably be let down, too.

𝑾𝒉𝒐 𝑰'𝒅 𝑹𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐:
Historical fiction lovers who don’t mind a bit of body horror.

3.5/5 rounded down

Eleanor finds herself in a rough spot after her so called love leaves her to fend for herself on the streets of London. Elizabeth swoops in promising Eleanor a life of luxury and riches if she will come work in her bordello, but Eleanor soon learns that she is only an object to Elizabeth and finds herself in a seemingly inescapable curse. Jump to present day and a young antique dealer named Alys who is desperately trying to acquire an anatomical Venus of Elizabeth in addition to the one she already has of Eleanor. There is a legend tied to these models, and we soon learn more too Alys’ story as well. The premise of this book is so interesting and original! I loved the story of the past following Eleanor and her journey into becoming a lady of the night that eventually takes a supernatural turn. However, I felt that the story of Alys and the present day didn’t draw me in like the counterpart, and I felt the story was a bit disjointed and confusing. The build up throughout the story ended kind of abruptly and awkwardly at the conclusion of the story. I did enjoy half the story but the other half was a little disappointing. A very original and fresh idea that just missed the mark for me to be an amazing read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Slashed Beauties - A. Rushby
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Synopsis:
Antiques dealer, Alys, has been on a mission to reunite the Venuses: three anatomical wax figures crafted in 18th century England to educate medical students. Legend speaks of a curse that causes these Slashed Beauties to come to life and take revenge on those who have wronged them.

In 1769, we follow the three sex workers the wax figures were modeled after, Eleanor, Emily, and Elizabeth, as they strive for success in a world that has discarded them.

This dual-timeline tale intersects to a startling degree. The legend of the Slashed Beauties is wrapped in witchcraft, and Alys must work with a coven to break the curse on these murderous models.

Review:
“Slashed Beauties” was an enjoyable read. I’m always ready for a dual-timeline. I did find myself favoring the 1769 timeline in this book because I loved the historical London setting and the stories of Eleanor, Emily, and Elizabeth.
I feel the description for this book was slightly misleading, so please note, this book is not a slasher. It reads more like a horror / historical fiction book with elements of magic. If you go into this with the right mindset, I feel it will be a very enjoyable read! I will be keeping my personal dislikes for this book to myself, as you should always draw your own opinions! A reminder: stories are subjective!! This might not have been my favorite book, but I still enjoyed it and maybe it’ll be your new favorite. That being said:

“Slashed Beauties” is out on September 23, 2025!

❗️Content warnings: animal death and cruelty, gore, mention of SA, attempted SA

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing Group, and A. Rushby for a ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!