REVIEW: “Two Nights at the Doll House” by Maggie Slater

Review of Maggie Slater, “Two Nights at the Doll House,” Luna Station Quarterly 66 (June 2026): 19-24 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Miscarriage/baby loss.

I feel like I’ve been reviewing a higher number of 2nd person POV stories lately — both more horror stories written in that POV, and more 2nd person POV stories which are horror. Maybe I’m noticing this because 2nd person POV is very rarely my thing, and I also tend to be quite choosy about my horror.

All that to as a preface to say: I really wonder what this story would have been liked in either 1st or 3rd — I suspect, distinctly more disturbing.

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REVIEW: “Tongue” by Denman Netherland

Review of Denman Netherland, “Tongue,” Luna Station Quarterly 66 (June 2026): 179-187 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

This is one of the most bizarre stories that I’ve ever read while reviewing for this blog. Parts of it were so normal, so natural, I had to keep reminding myself that this is a spec fic story. Parts of it had eerie resonances with psychological horror. But that ending? What the hell was that?! Just, wow.

Don’t read if body stuff and/or medical malfeisance isn’t your thing!

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REVIEW: “Fractal House” by Merc Fenn Wolfmoor

Review of Merc Fenn Wolfmoor, “Fractal House,” Adventitious no. 2 (Apr 2026): 110-133 — Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

I found this story somewhat annoying to start off with, but the moment at which it stopped from being annoying to being horror was the moment at which I realized we were supposed to find the story annoying up to that point.

Horror, yes, but also: kinda hilarious. I was properly amused by this story by the end.

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REVIEW: “Fragments Recovered From the Wreck of the Seaglass” by E. M. Linden

Review of E. M. Linden, “Fragments Recovered From the Wreck of the Seaglass,” Flash Fiction Online 152 (July 2026): 17-23 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Speculative historical botany! Who wouldn’t love a story about speculative historical botany — I definitely did. And this story nailed the ending: the final sentence was an absolute chiller.

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REVIEW: “A Perfect Light” by Laura Duerr

Review of Laura Duerr, “A Perfect Light,” Flash Fiction Online 152 (July 2026): 12-15 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

It’s amazing how claustrophobic the deep sea can seem — which is why it makes such a great setting for insidious, unsettling horror. I found that part of this story perfectly tuned, just right to send a shiver down my spine. The ending, I found, didn’t quite match up to the rest of the story, taking this from potentially excellent to merely “a good read”.

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