Electric Trees by Melissa Bobe

Book Description

This book has monsters and murders, elephants and polar bears and wolves, of a kind. It has crappy jobs and happy escapes. It has funerals and hospitals and hope.

Its homes are haunted by people haunted by the things they cannot face. Its halls are quiet, its colors are loud, and it will take you on a journey if you’re willing to stay the course.

Review

This week, I’m excited to share my thoughts on Electric Trees by Melissa Bobe. Electric Trees is an enthralling collection of short stories that defy easy categorization. The tales dance on the edge of fantasy, horror, and the surreal. Notably, every story in this collection is a world unto itself. They burst with imagination and eclecticism, delivering just the right amount of chilling unease.

I loved Electric Trees for its unpredictability. The stories evoke a creeping sense of horror that subtly builds. Many led to endings which surprised me. Others were thought-provoking and fired up my imagination. Reading it reminded me of the emotional experience I had with Robert McCammon’s Blue World. Like McCammon, Bobe excels at weaving suspense and unease, delivering a delicious creepiness that lingers.

Electric Trees transported me into a beautifully eerie dreamscape. Bobe’s vibrant narrative voice truly sets this collection apart. Her prose is sharp and deliberate, yet entirely immersive. The stories felt meticulously crafted, and each quickly pulled me in.

Bobe’s work thrilled me on a personal level. In part because I loved the stories, but also because the Indie Author Project named Bobe as this year’s Indie Author of the Year. I was honored to hold the title last year. To have an indie author of Bobe’s talent recognized fills me with joy. I’m proud to celebrate her work!

For readers who relish short speculative fiction or who delight in uncanny short stories filled with dread and surprise, Electric Trees is a must-read.

If you’ve already had the pleasure of reading it, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What story stayed with you the longest?

Content Warning

Anxiety, Body Horror, Death, Gaslighting, Mental Health, Murder, Stalking, Violence

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash