Every good author must have a hook. Something to catch the reader and lure them further in until it’s impossible to escape. I’ll be honest, for me, it was the Introduction. As a child of the 80’s, I was a horror junkie and it seems, so was Amanda Lang. The way she weaves her introduction with the movies she loved growing up mixed with the current horror genre, it was like looking into a mirror. Or a club you didn’t know you belonged to. It was the hook with the biggest juiciest worm on it that pulled me into the rest of her book.Thirteen stories, because of course thirteen stories of the grittiest, most nostalgic horror stories I’ve read in a while. Stranger Things, you have competition.Writing thirteen stories, of course there is going to be one or two that don’t catch your attention or aren’t to your taste but in this collection, I only found one. There were so many more that I fell in love with. For example, Melvin. I love you Melvin with your little globby body and your 50’s slang. That entire short story just made me smile and reminds us all that sometimes the monsters walk on two feet and lead the mobs instead of blubbing along.Out of the collect there were two stories that I can absolutely say are my favorites, “Medusa with the heads of Men” which is about a macabre form of female empowerment in a post #MeToo era. In fact, this was the perfect story to put right after “Salting the Meat” (trust me, just read them), and “The Clover Café” which is the perfect Final Girl story. I do love a good Final Girl and this expansion on the trope is chef’s kiss.All of these stories took me back to episodes of “Are You Afraid of the Dark” and “Tales from the Darkside”. Lang is a master storyteller, able to weave in the creepy and the macabre with the perfect amount of 80’s slasher horror. This is going to be my new go-to Halloween reading.I’m giving this collection full marks, five out of five stars. And an extra star for the glossary, a full list of trigger warnings (thank you for that) and the list of all the horror movies, shows, podcasts she grew up on or engages in. Also, for putting Friday the 13th The Series on the list.I received an advanced copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

As a lover of all things horror, I enjoyed "Saturday Fright at the Movies." Reading this felt like sitting down to watch the Chiller channel with my mom, a weekend tradition when I was in my teens.I received this book for free from BookSirens and am leaving this voluntary and honest review.Each story felt unique, yet Amanda Cecelia Lang still found a way to tug on the strings of nostalgia of classic and cornerstone horror stories.Because it's a collection of short stories, not every one resonated with me. And some felt like they were written with different audiences in mind (middle grade vs. adult), which occasionally took me out of a story. But I was quickly pulled back in by a desire to figure out how Lang would add her own twist to the story. My favorites were The Clover Cafe, Apprehension Engine and The 31st of October in Locust, Maine.This book is great for anyone who loves classic horror with a fresh twist.

This was my first read of Amanda Cecelia Lang, but I fell in love. Latchkey and The Clover Cafe are my top two of this collection, but there weren't any bad ones. This collection is well written, with a cohesive theme but each story is unique and non repetitive.

This one hits hard from the top with a gory, choose-your-own-nightmare tale and keeps your eyes glued to the screen (the page) with horror after zombified horror. Not only does Amanda manage to hit every slasher/monster movie/final girl trope there is, but she twists her classic 80s horror movie dark humor and brain-tingling vivid prose through every story. A MUST for any horror reader/watcher/consumer out there!

This collection of stories brilliantly combines creative, innovative storytelling with familiar elements that remind you why scary stories are so beloved. A potent mix of originality, nostalgia, twists, and humor. Don't miss reading this one!