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Saltwater Sorrows
Deep, mysterious, beautiful . . . dangerous . . .
Women and the sea have been tied together in myth and story from the beginning of time. Tales of women being drawn to the sea or being left on the shore, waiting for their men’s return, have been passed down through the ages.
But what mysteries lie beneath the sparkling placid waters? What power drives the wind and waves crashing against the shore? There is transformation and exaltation—magic—in the ocean and women alike. And both know that while the sea gives, the sea also takes.
Sink into the icy depths of the ocean with these stories by: E.E. King; Natalie Cannon; Morgan Melhuish; Paul A. Hamilton; Laura VanArendonk Baugh; Sarah Van Goethem; Adria Laycraft; Dino Parenti; B. Zelkovich; Lisa Carreiro; Lea Storry; Nikoline Kaiser; Elin Olausson; Chandra Fisher; Hayley Stone; V.F. LeSann; Catherine MacLeod; and Jennifer R. Donohue.
Women and the sea have been tied together in myth and story from the beginning of time. Tales of women being drawn to the sea or being left on the shore, waiting for their men’s return, have been passed down through the ages.
But what mysteries lie beneath the sparkling placid waters? What power drives the wind and waves crashing against the shore? There is transformation and exaltation—magic—in the ocean and women alike. And both know that while the sea gives, the sea also takes.
Sink into the icy depths of the ocean with these stories by: E.E. King; Natalie Cannon; Morgan Melhuish; Paul A. Hamilton; Laura VanArendonk Baugh; Sarah Van Goethem; Adria Laycraft; Dino Parenti; B. Zelkovich; Lisa Carreiro; Lea Storry; Nikoline Kaiser; Elin Olausson; Chandra Fisher; Hayley Stone; V.F. LeSann; Catherine MacLeod; and Jennifer R. Donohue.
- GenresFantasyAnthologies
273 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 2, 2023
About the author
Rhonda Parrish
98 books234 followersLike a magpie, Rhonda Parrish is constantly distracted by shiny things. She’s the editor of many anthologies and author of plenty of books, stories and poems.
She lives with her husband and cats in Edmonton, Alberta, and she can often be found there playing Dungeons and Dragons, bingeing crime dramas. making blankets or cheering on the Oilers.
Her website, updated regularly, is at http://www.rhondaparrish.com and her Patreon, updated even more regularly, is at https://www.patreon.com/RhondaParrish.
She lives with her husband and cats in Edmonton, Alberta, and she can often be found there playing Dungeons and Dragons, bingeing crime dramas. making blankets or cheering on the Oilers.
Her website, updated regularly, is at http://www.rhondaparrish.com and her Patreon, updated even more regularly, is at https://www.patreon.com/RhondaParrish.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
August 9, 2023
Because I can’t help myself, I requested this under the impression that it was an anthology of sea-inspired fairy tale retellings. And although it turned out to not be the case, I’m happy to report that it didn’t disappoint.
Saltwater Sorrows is a quality collection of original short stories that, as I had suspected, do have a connection to the sea, some with magic and some without, some with supernatural elements and some very realistic. Rhonda Parrish is one of the best anthology editors out there, in my opinion, her eye for choosing stories is enviable. The ones she chose for this anthology all had something sorrowful and tense to offer, some very grief-ladden and others with an understated kind of pain that prickles rather than punches you in the gut. Just in case, I do advise to read the trigger warning listing by the end of the book first, especially if you’ve undergone the trauma of losing a loved one recently; you’ll understand why as you read, but please don’t skip the trigger warnings!
I don’t often say this, much less about anthologies, but there wasn’t a story I didn’t like here, they all had something to offer to me, even those that weren’t the greatest in terms of storytelling or too short to really deliver the full force of the emotional punch. Of course, length varied, and with eighteen stories quality did vary as well, though not as vastly from one story to the next. I had my favourites, which were these three:
SALT IN OUR BLOOD, SALT IN OUR TEARS by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
5 stars
My absolute favourite! It doesn’t have any magic or mermaids or seafolk at all, but the sea is still one of the two main protagonists. It’s about a girl from a family of whalemen in an unnamed location that suffers greatly seeing the men be taken by the sea as some sort of tribute throughout the years, which makes her concoct an agreement with the sea to protect her men. Are they, though? I was inclined to think that all that happens as a result of the pact is in her head, but the ending made me reconsider things. That was so quite surprising! This is perhaps the most anxiety-inducing of the stories here, but so well-crafted too.
RAGE AGAINST THE SEA by Adria Laycraft
4.5 stars
About Emmy, a girl who is deeply frustrated at the circumstances she has to live in, so constrained and claustrophobic, and that leave her no other option than to work for a living at a house by the cliffs where she can hear the haunting sounds of the sea and also be haunted by the former inhabitants of the place. There’s a curse in this, written so subtly that I at first didn’t realise there was one. I liked how the sea is used as a sort of background music setting to provide a great atmosphere to Emmy’s emotional struggles as a teacher at the house.
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE by V. F. Lesann
4 stars
About a girl who’s talked by her boyfriend into faking being a mermaid so he can sell tickets to watch her perform. Sort of a Nessie scheme but with mermaids meets Barnum’s circus story. The boyfriend turns out to be the usual selfish prat that doesn’t notice or care that she’s starting to suffer from the cold conditions as winter comes nearer, but a mysterious yet kind lady does and offers to care for her, eventually becoming the catalyst for the faux mermaid to dump this deceiving “work” that is no good for her. I have to say that I wasn't convinced by the eleventh-hour “romance” twist by the end, as there was no chemistry of a romantic nature nor any sort of buildup towards that. Why couldn’t the kind lady have cared for her out of pure kindness? It’d still have been good, but that non-organically developed twist ruined the ending and didn't ring genuine for me.
Overall, the collection gets 4.5 stars. Worth reading, but don't forget that it's a mood-influencing read and to check the triggers first.
I received an ARC though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Saltwater Sorrows is a quality collection of original short stories that, as I had suspected, do have a connection to the sea, some with magic and some without, some with supernatural elements and some very realistic. Rhonda Parrish is one of the best anthology editors out there, in my opinion, her eye for choosing stories is enviable. The ones she chose for this anthology all had something sorrowful and tense to offer, some very grief-ladden and others with an understated kind of pain that prickles rather than punches you in the gut. Just in case, I do advise to read the trigger warning listing by the end of the book first, especially if you’ve undergone the trauma of losing a loved one recently; you’ll understand why as you read, but please don’t skip the trigger warnings!
I don’t often say this, much less about anthologies, but there wasn’t a story I didn’t like here, they all had something to offer to me, even those that weren’t the greatest in terms of storytelling or too short to really deliver the full force of the emotional punch. Of course, length varied, and with eighteen stories quality did vary as well, though not as vastly from one story to the next. I had my favourites, which were these three:
SALT IN OUR BLOOD, SALT IN OUR TEARS by Laura VanArendonk Baugh
5 stars
My absolute favourite! It doesn’t have any magic or mermaids or seafolk at all, but the sea is still one of the two main protagonists. It’s about a girl from a family of whalemen in an unnamed location that suffers greatly seeing the men be taken by the sea as some sort of tribute throughout the years, which makes her concoct an agreement with the sea to protect her men. Are they, though? I was inclined to think that all that happens as a result of the pact is in her head, but the ending made me reconsider things. That was so quite surprising! This is perhaps the most anxiety-inducing of the stories here, but so well-crafted too.
RAGE AGAINST THE SEA by Adria Laycraft
4.5 stars
About Emmy, a girl who is deeply frustrated at the circumstances she has to live in, so constrained and claustrophobic, and that leave her no other option than to work for a living at a house by the cliffs where she can hear the haunting sounds of the sea and also be haunted by the former inhabitants of the place. There’s a curse in this, written so subtly that I at first didn’t realise there was one. I liked how the sea is used as a sort of background music setting to provide a great atmosphere to Emmy’s emotional struggles as a teacher at the house.
FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE by V. F. Lesann
4 stars
About a girl who’s talked by her boyfriend into faking being a mermaid so he can sell tickets to watch her perform. Sort of a Nessie scheme but with mermaids meets Barnum’s circus story. The boyfriend turns out to be the usual selfish prat that doesn’t notice or care that she’s starting to suffer from the cold conditions as winter comes nearer, but a mysterious yet kind lady does and offers to care for her, eventually becoming the catalyst for the faux mermaid to dump this deceiving “work” that is no good for her. I have to say that I wasn't convinced by the eleventh-hour “romance” twist by the end, as there was no chemistry of a romantic nature nor any sort of buildup towards that. Why couldn’t the kind lady have cared for her out of pure kindness? It’d still have been good, but that non-organically developed twist ruined the ending and didn't ring genuine for me.
Overall, the collection gets 4.5 stars. Worth reading, but don't forget that it's a mood-influencing read and to check the triggers first.
I received an ARC though NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 6, 2023
Have a tissue handy for these eighteen PG short stories involving death and the sea, but don't expect laughter.
A Witch's Christmas by E. E. King: a somber PG mystery set at Trelawny Manor, Boswell, Cornwall that takes a half hour to read 4*
Portrait of a Mermaid as a Young Woman by Natalie Cannon: a PG15 20-minute tale of transition 5*
Skelf by Morgan Melhuish: another 20-minute transition, Victorian. 5*
Salt Breeze by Paul A. Hamilton: another 20-minute transition. 5*
Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears by Laura Vanarendonk Baugh: 46-minute exchange tale. 5*
The Ghost of Violet Gray by Sarah Van Goethen: 37 minutes, set in Graymouth Harbor. 5*
Rage Against the Sea by Adria Laycraft: 34 minutes about a curse. 5*
A View of Water by Dino Parenti: 44 minutes, creepy story set in Belize. 4*
Human, Still by B. Zelkovich: a 1-minute attempt at transition. 4*
Sarah's Kitchen by Lisa Carreirod: a 9-minute DIFFERENT kind of ghost story. 5*
Seaweed and Gossip by Lea Storry: a 15-minute hopeful tale. 5*
On a Northern Shore by Nikoline Kaiser: 39 minutes about a lighthouse ghost. 5*
Daughter by Elin Olaussond: a 13-minute tale with mermaids.4*
Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea by Chandra Fisher: 16 minutes about a secret cove and a white boat. 4*
The Deep End of Longing by Hayley Stone: the 11-minute tale of an abused wife. 5*
Fortune Favours the Brave by V. F. Lesann: Have a tissue handy for this 32-minute con. 5*
Glass, Paper, Salt by Catherine Macleod: 22 minutes with zombies. 5*
The Oyster Widow by Jennifer R. Donohue: 35 minutes about a widowed tattooist. 5*.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Witch's Christmas by E. E. King: a somber PG mystery set at Trelawny Manor, Boswell, Cornwall that takes a half hour to read 4*
Portrait of a Mermaid as a Young Woman by Natalie Cannon: a PG15 20-minute tale of transition 5*
Skelf by Morgan Melhuish: another 20-minute transition, Victorian. 5*
Salt Breeze by Paul A. Hamilton: another 20-minute transition. 5*
Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears by Laura Vanarendonk Baugh: 46-minute exchange tale. 5*
The Ghost of Violet Gray by Sarah Van Goethen: 37 minutes, set in Graymouth Harbor. 5*
Rage Against the Sea by Adria Laycraft: 34 minutes about a curse. 5*
A View of Water by Dino Parenti: 44 minutes, creepy story set in Belize. 4*
Human, Still by B. Zelkovich: a 1-minute attempt at transition. 4*
Sarah's Kitchen by Lisa Carreirod: a 9-minute DIFFERENT kind of ghost story. 5*
Seaweed and Gossip by Lea Storry: a 15-minute hopeful tale. 5*
On a Northern Shore by Nikoline Kaiser: 39 minutes about a lighthouse ghost. 5*
Daughter by Elin Olaussond: a 13-minute tale with mermaids.4*
Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea by Chandra Fisher: 16 minutes about a secret cove and a white boat. 4*
The Deep End of Longing by Hayley Stone: the 11-minute tale of an abused wife. 5*
Fortune Favours the Brave by V. F. Lesann: Have a tissue handy for this 32-minute con. 5*
Glass, Paper, Salt by Catherine Macleod: 22 minutes with zombies. 5*
The Oyster Widow by Jennifer R. Donohue: 35 minutes about a widowed tattooist. 5*.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 23, 2023
Some compelling stories here, all very different from each other, all peppered with beautiful prose.
Have to say my fave was the surprise zombie one…which had a kicker twist in it that moved me.
Have to say my fave was the surprise zombie one…which had a kicker twist in it that moved me.
June 20, 2023
I received a free ARC copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
The ocean is such a fascinating focus for an anthology. It’s definitely a favorite because I’ve seen several anthologies focused on it. Yet, somehow, they’re all different.
This one has a great collection of stories that will make you feel very small. You’ll feel the weight and age of the ocean and the utter wonder of it.
I did really enjoy this book. It has a great atmosphere and does a wonderful job in relating to the theme while still allowing such vast variety. Definitely a good, if darker, beach read or a nighttime story by the candlelight.
The ocean is such a fascinating focus for an anthology. It’s definitely a favorite because I’ve seen several anthologies focused on it. Yet, somehow, they’re all different.
This one has a great collection of stories that will make you feel very small. You’ll feel the weight and age of the ocean and the utter wonder of it.
I did really enjoy this book. It has a great atmosphere and does a wonderful job in relating to the theme while still allowing such vast variety. Definitely a good, if darker, beach read or a nighttime story by the candlelight.
September 24, 2023
I may be biased, but I was truly blown away by this atmospheric and deeply emotional collection. This was such a rewarding read and I enjoyed it so much.
August 3, 2023
Saltwater Sorrows is well-named. Its collection of short stories embodies stories filled with sorrow and melancholy. But a number of stories also have hopeful endings. It was an engaging read.
One of the memorable stories was Rage Against the Sea, about a woman who becomes a tutor at a cliffside residence, where the sound of the sea is persistent and she's haunted by some former residents.
Another is, Daughters, about mysterious mermaid-like beings.
The mix of styles and lengths is good. There are a couple of stories that are short, almost flash-style and then a few longer stories. It's easy to read a few at a time or binge through the book in one sitting.
I enjoyed Saltwater Sorrows. Especially reading most of it sitting on a dock by the water (fresh water). But hearing the waves added to the atmosphere and I could almost smell the salt that wasn't there.
One of the memorable stories was Rage Against the Sea, about a woman who becomes a tutor at a cliffside residence, where the sound of the sea is persistent and she's haunted by some former residents.
Another is, Daughters, about mysterious mermaid-like beings.
The mix of styles and lengths is good. There are a couple of stories that are short, almost flash-style and then a few longer stories. It's easy to read a few at a time or binge through the book in one sitting.
I enjoyed Saltwater Sorrows. Especially reading most of it sitting on a dock by the water (fresh water). But hearing the waves added to the atmosphere and I could almost smell the salt that wasn't there.
August 8, 2023
Saltwater Sorrows is the aptly titled latest anthology of short stories curated by Rhonda Parrish. The stories all focus on women and the sea, in modem, historical, and fantasy contexts. As the title implies, sadness, or melancholy, permeates the collection. Women whose lives are shade by the ocean, who undergo hardship, suffer loss, brave terrors, and attempt to stand firm against the spiritual erosions of wind and tide, are the reluctant heroines, and readers should understand that triumphs are not frequent outcomes. There is a mental space, a mood, an emotional state that the reader must embrace in order to appreciate these tales. In that peculiar context, there is a touching, sad beauty to each one. This is a voluntary ARC review, and a caution to approach this book with respect for one's state of mind.
August 4, 2023
What a magical, memorable, soul-satisfying collection of stories to wade into this is. When reading Rhonda Parrish's introduction to this water-themed anthology and her recommendation to dive in a little at a time, I was a little bit worried. However, I am so happy to say that this anthology BRINGS IT! Holy moly - what an astonishing diversity of voices, perspectives, storytelling styles, characters, themes... You will find grief here, and mermaids, con artists and even zombies, saltwater, plenty of sorrow, and love, loss, shipwrecks, murder, historical figures, and the buds of new romance. What a trip! It truly is so much more than its original title, Women and the Sea. And I believe that this collection is for all audiences, but will be particularly and thoroughly enjoyed by women.
E. E. King's "A Witch's Christmas" is a delicious little tale with elements of darkness sewn into it. This moody, broody, atmospheric tale spins the story of a line of women whose bloodline is cursed so they die young, and offers hints of witchcraft, madness, and the impacts of patriarchal society on how young women are perceived and treated. Morgan Melhuish's "Skelf" is an eerie and somewhat predictable little tale of a boat figurehead trading places with a young woman. Like many of the stories in the anthology, the tale delves into the topic of women's roles in society (and their limited options) - they are confined within the house, in marriage, in society, in the family. I think it's healthy and timely for this awareness to grow, and storytelling is an excellent medium to do so.
Loss is a prevalent theme throughout the collection. "Salt Breeze" by Paul A. Hamilton is one story that tackles this theme. In this sad story, submerged in waves and waves of grief, with memories crashing like waves in the surf, we come to understand that the narrator's lover took her own life, and that when she did, the narrator had nothing left to live for. She's been living a half life by the sea ever since. "The Deep End of Longing" by Hayley Stone is also exactly what the title says: a woman longing for what is lost to her and for what cannot be, no matter how hard she yearns. This sweet tale about forbidden love between a mermaid and a married woman whose marriage stifles her is told so beautifully, so poetically, with absolutely gorgeous watery language.
We find plenty of ghosts in the anthology, as well. Sarah van Goethem's "The Ghost of Violet Gray" tells the story of a ghost left behind after a shipwreck close to the shore. The plot incorporates the town's history, a mystery about the shipwreck survivors, and the future of the town in the present day. This tale is nowhere near as heavy as some of the other stories in the collection, and I enjoyed the detail about the little sparrows in the grasses with which the ghost story begins and ends.
"Rage Against the Sea" by Adria Laycraft offers a different perspective - there are no mermaids here, no sirens, no witches. Just the grueling, hard reality of needing to work for a living, of women's place in society, and the lack of options available to women of a certain class in times before: marry or work. There's a curse in this story, and Laycraft creates a compelling atmosphere of angst. We feel protagonist Emmy's utter exhaustion, her frustration at the lack of options available to her. We feel her grief and helplessness, and we fervently wish that she can find a way past her difficulties. The story has themes of overcoming life's obstacles - grief, workplace stress - and offers a decently happy ending, but it really does live up to its title, Rage against the Sea.
There are so many stand-out stories in this collection. Laura Vanarendonk Baugh's "Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears" is a magnificent, haunting story of the sea and its hold on one family's bloodline. In this town, women can love their men, and mothers love their sons, but "like most sons born in this town, they [are] promised to the sea." In the tale, every voyage the men take is a gamble with the fickle sea. As you read the story, you can practically breathe in the salt air, feel the pebbles scrape your calves as the waves tug the water back from the shore where you stand knee-deep in saltwater. The characters are well brought out and the themes of anxious waiting and of loss prevail. You really feel for the mother in the story - her great losses, her pact with the sea. And the surprising ending is beautiful and will stay with you. Dino Parenti's "A View of Water" is another stand-out story. In this creepy, clever tale of a couple lost in grief who abandon their California lives for a secluded cove in Belize. Parenti's writing style is very contemporary, and his word choices are simply delicious. I can just bet that he had as much fun stringing together words as I have reading his unique turns of phrase. The creepiness of the subject matter and the protagonists' strange choices are off-set by the sunny holiday vibes of tropical Belize with its toothy-smiled tourists and surfers trying to find that perfect wave. In the story, a former concert pianist turns into a quasi-monster, but you'd never know it until the story's end. I particularly liked how crazy-sunburned he became in the heat of day, in this "glorious" stretch of paradise. The tale is very cleverly crafted, and I had to read it twice to appreciate the revelatory little details that spin this kooky artist tale to its macabre end. Completely different yet equally excellent is "Sarah's Kitchen" by Lisa Carreiro. This is as heartwarming a tale as a ghost story can be. It's the story of Sarah, whose life has known a great deal of loss and whose husband and six sons disappeared on a fishing expedition, never to be seen again. She is a practical, pragmatic woman who has lived twenty years without her men. Love is bound through the pages of the story, which is simply and beautifully told. Her men come to her, together, as cold and hungry ghosts, and she waits for them, always more and more prepared, and her heart yearns to warm and feed them; and they, in turn, come to recognize her as their lost mother and wife. The ending is ambiguous, but the themes of family bonds in life and death prevail. "Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea" by Chandra Fisher is a powerful story, told poetically and strikingly in second person, of the personal, often private agonies that women endure: violence perpetrated against them, rape, miscarriage, alcoholism, family strife, suicide, and more. It's the story of a place known to women where they sink their sorrows to the sea - burdens they carry, shared miseries - and the power of women in particular to bear these burdens, these secrets, these awful happenings, and to find inner resilience and the strength to carry on. It's a timely story, and one that I think women should read. "Fortune Favours the Brave" is a really cute story set in the time of Barnum's circus about Annie, one crucial third of a trio of con artists and thieves. Her boyfriend convinces her to be a mermaid and swim in the sea so onlookers can purchase tickets to watch. But it's very cold in the water and it only gets colder as the seasons turn to winter, and Annie gets the short end of the stick from her comrades. A mysterious woman on the beach befriends her and nourishes her with kind words and hot food after each swim, and they come to be friends. The happy ending, which is both sappy and sweet, did not entirely convince me, though, as I gleaned only friendship and caring between the women in the story, and not really anything beyond that. Nevertheless, it's a great tale well told. Last in the stand-out story category is Jennifer R. Donohue's "The Oyster Widow." There is pure magic woven into this tale, which reminded me both of Ursula K. Le Guin's storytelling style and Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Beautiful, soft, deft magic runs through this story of a charm-maker and skin-inker and her journey through grief. It's beautifully told, and Donohue's imagination is simply breathtaking.
And then there is Catherine MacLeod's "Glass, Paper, Salt." I did not expect a zombie story in this collection, but MacLeod's work weaves the title elements - glass, paper, salt - really well together in a survivor story... A survivor story not just about a zombie apocalypse, but about surviving life's challenges - career failures, teenage hormones, cancer. I liked this Maritime story and I'm glad it made it into the collection.
With all of the grief, sorrow, suicide, death, violence, and other themes in the story, I appreciated the trigger warnings section at the back of the book, which Parrish tells us about in the introduction. We all face heartbreak and loss in our lives, and women in particular have their own ways of dealing with the difficulties they encounter in life. This anthology is a gift, with such a beautiful blend of stories, well placed to create a flow, and simply a delight to read. Each story belongs here, and I can assure you that you would do very, very well to pick up your own copy of this book, crack it open either in paper or e-book format, and simply ENJOY. Saltwater Sorrows indeed. Thank you for putting together this fantastically memorable anthology, Rhonda. We all love the sea, and this leaves us wanting more! Can't wait for the next one.
E. E. King's "A Witch's Christmas" is a delicious little tale with elements of darkness sewn into it. This moody, broody, atmospheric tale spins the story of a line of women whose bloodline is cursed so they die young, and offers hints of witchcraft, madness, and the impacts of patriarchal society on how young women are perceived and treated. Morgan Melhuish's "Skelf" is an eerie and somewhat predictable little tale of a boat figurehead trading places with a young woman. Like many of the stories in the anthology, the tale delves into the topic of women's roles in society (and their limited options) - they are confined within the house, in marriage, in society, in the family. I think it's healthy and timely for this awareness to grow, and storytelling is an excellent medium to do so.
Loss is a prevalent theme throughout the collection. "Salt Breeze" by Paul A. Hamilton is one story that tackles this theme. In this sad story, submerged in waves and waves of grief, with memories crashing like waves in the surf, we come to understand that the narrator's lover took her own life, and that when she did, the narrator had nothing left to live for. She's been living a half life by the sea ever since. "The Deep End of Longing" by Hayley Stone is also exactly what the title says: a woman longing for what is lost to her and for what cannot be, no matter how hard she yearns. This sweet tale about forbidden love between a mermaid and a married woman whose marriage stifles her is told so beautifully, so poetically, with absolutely gorgeous watery language.
We find plenty of ghosts in the anthology, as well. Sarah van Goethem's "The Ghost of Violet Gray" tells the story of a ghost left behind after a shipwreck close to the shore. The plot incorporates the town's history, a mystery about the shipwreck survivors, and the future of the town in the present day. This tale is nowhere near as heavy as some of the other stories in the collection, and I enjoyed the detail about the little sparrows in the grasses with which the ghost story begins and ends.
"Rage Against the Sea" by Adria Laycraft offers a different perspective - there are no mermaids here, no sirens, no witches. Just the grueling, hard reality of needing to work for a living, of women's place in society, and the lack of options available to women of a certain class in times before: marry or work. There's a curse in this story, and Laycraft creates a compelling atmosphere of angst. We feel protagonist Emmy's utter exhaustion, her frustration at the lack of options available to her. We feel her grief and helplessness, and we fervently wish that she can find a way past her difficulties. The story has themes of overcoming life's obstacles - grief, workplace stress - and offers a decently happy ending, but it really does live up to its title, Rage against the Sea.
There are so many stand-out stories in this collection. Laura Vanarendonk Baugh's "Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears" is a magnificent, haunting story of the sea and its hold on one family's bloodline. In this town, women can love their men, and mothers love their sons, but "like most sons born in this town, they [are] promised to the sea." In the tale, every voyage the men take is a gamble with the fickle sea. As you read the story, you can practically breathe in the salt air, feel the pebbles scrape your calves as the waves tug the water back from the shore where you stand knee-deep in saltwater. The characters are well brought out and the themes of anxious waiting and of loss prevail. You really feel for the mother in the story - her great losses, her pact with the sea. And the surprising ending is beautiful and will stay with you. Dino Parenti's "A View of Water" is another stand-out story. In this creepy, clever tale of a couple lost in grief who abandon their California lives for a secluded cove in Belize. Parenti's writing style is very contemporary, and his word choices are simply delicious. I can just bet that he had as much fun stringing together words as I have reading his unique turns of phrase. The creepiness of the subject matter and the protagonists' strange choices are off-set by the sunny holiday vibes of tropical Belize with its toothy-smiled tourists and surfers trying to find that perfect wave. In the story, a former concert pianist turns into a quasi-monster, but you'd never know it until the story's end. I particularly liked how crazy-sunburned he became in the heat of day, in this "glorious" stretch of paradise. The tale is very cleverly crafted, and I had to read it twice to appreciate the revelatory little details that spin this kooky artist tale to its macabre end. Completely different yet equally excellent is "Sarah's Kitchen" by Lisa Carreiro. This is as heartwarming a tale as a ghost story can be. It's the story of Sarah, whose life has known a great deal of loss and whose husband and six sons disappeared on a fishing expedition, never to be seen again. She is a practical, pragmatic woman who has lived twenty years without her men. Love is bound through the pages of the story, which is simply and beautifully told. Her men come to her, together, as cold and hungry ghosts, and she waits for them, always more and more prepared, and her heart yearns to warm and feed them; and they, in turn, come to recognize her as their lost mother and wife. The ending is ambiguous, but the themes of family bonds in life and death prevail. "Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea" by Chandra Fisher is a powerful story, told poetically and strikingly in second person, of the personal, often private agonies that women endure: violence perpetrated against them, rape, miscarriage, alcoholism, family strife, suicide, and more. It's the story of a place known to women where they sink their sorrows to the sea - burdens they carry, shared miseries - and the power of women in particular to bear these burdens, these secrets, these awful happenings, and to find inner resilience and the strength to carry on. It's a timely story, and one that I think women should read. "Fortune Favours the Brave" is a really cute story set in the time of Barnum's circus about Annie, one crucial third of a trio of con artists and thieves. Her boyfriend convinces her to be a mermaid and swim in the sea so onlookers can purchase tickets to watch. But it's very cold in the water and it only gets colder as the seasons turn to winter, and Annie gets the short end of the stick from her comrades. A mysterious woman on the beach befriends her and nourishes her with kind words and hot food after each swim, and they come to be friends. The happy ending, which is both sappy and sweet, did not entirely convince me, though, as I gleaned only friendship and caring between the women in the story, and not really anything beyond that. Nevertheless, it's a great tale well told. Last in the stand-out story category is Jennifer R. Donohue's "The Oyster Widow." There is pure magic woven into this tale, which reminded me both of Ursula K. Le Guin's storytelling style and Yann Martel's Life of Pi. Beautiful, soft, deft magic runs through this story of a charm-maker and skin-inker and her journey through grief. It's beautifully told, and Donohue's imagination is simply breathtaking.
And then there is Catherine MacLeod's "Glass, Paper, Salt." I did not expect a zombie story in this collection, but MacLeod's work weaves the title elements - glass, paper, salt - really well together in a survivor story... A survivor story not just about a zombie apocalypse, but about surviving life's challenges - career failures, teenage hormones, cancer. I liked this Maritime story and I'm glad it made it into the collection.
With all of the grief, sorrow, suicide, death, violence, and other themes in the story, I appreciated the trigger warnings section at the back of the book, which Parrish tells us about in the introduction. We all face heartbreak and loss in our lives, and women in particular have their own ways of dealing with the difficulties they encounter in life. This anthology is a gift, with such a beautiful blend of stories, well placed to create a flow, and simply a delight to read. Each story belongs here, and I can assure you that you would do very, very well to pick up your own copy of this book, crack it open either in paper or e-book format, and simply ENJOY. Saltwater Sorrows indeed. Thank you for putting together this fantastically memorable anthology, Rhonda. We all love the sea, and this leaves us wanting more! Can't wait for the next one.
September 29, 2023
An anthology of short stories, all connected to the oceans of our world. Best read over time, giving a few days to fully absorb each story before moving on to the next one.
September 3, 2023
Safety isn’t guaranteed, but magic is.
Adelia lost multiple relatives to the sea in “Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears.” When she grew older, she attempted to figure out a way to keep her loved ones safe while they were on the water. I loved her determination and grit and couldn’t stop reading until I’d learned her fate. She wasn’t a wealthy or powerful woman, so anything she accomplished took every ounce of energy and luck she could scrounge up. This was one of my favorite instalments, and I’d love to read a sequel to it someday if the author ever writes one.
In “The Ghost of Violet Gray,” Arthur was distracted by a mysterious woman while surveying a beach to see how much damage the erosion on it was doing to the historic properties that lined the shore. The descriptions of the beach and the stately old homes that had weathered so many storms were beautiful. I would have happily remained in this tale for much longer, especially once my suspicions about how the plot might turn out began to be confirmed. This was a gorgeous snapshot of how the past can be honored by a community who also must adjust to an ever-changing coastline that can’t safely be used in the same way it was before.
“Glass, Paper, Salt” explored how a small group of strangers reacted to a zombie outbreak. The combination of references to zombies, mermaids, and the sea surprised me, especially once I realized how logically the characters were thinking about their longterm chances of survival now that their world was falling apart. This is one of those stories that works best if new readers walk into it unaware of what is coming. I only mentioned the zombies in this review because of how quickly they appeared in the text, but I will leave the rest of the creative plot twists up for others to discover for themselves. It was yet another excellent addition to this book.
One of the biggest reasons why I gave this anthology a full five-star rating was how beautifully different each tale was from one another. Some of them were heavy, difficult, but deeply meaningful reads, while a few were surprisingly light and airy given the dark theme. I wish I had the time and space to review every single one of them in this review. It was tricky to narrow down my selections to only a few! I’d recommend reading this with an open mind and while making as few assumptions about what might happen next as possible. There were so many gems included here.
Saltwater Sorrows was the perfect snapshot of the ever-changing nature of the sea.
Adelia lost multiple relatives to the sea in “Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears.” When she grew older, she attempted to figure out a way to keep her loved ones safe while they were on the water. I loved her determination and grit and couldn’t stop reading until I’d learned her fate. She wasn’t a wealthy or powerful woman, so anything she accomplished took every ounce of energy and luck she could scrounge up. This was one of my favorite instalments, and I’d love to read a sequel to it someday if the author ever writes one.
In “The Ghost of Violet Gray,” Arthur was distracted by a mysterious woman while surveying a beach to see how much damage the erosion on it was doing to the historic properties that lined the shore. The descriptions of the beach and the stately old homes that had weathered so many storms were beautiful. I would have happily remained in this tale for much longer, especially once my suspicions about how the plot might turn out began to be confirmed. This was a gorgeous snapshot of how the past can be honored by a community who also must adjust to an ever-changing coastline that can’t safely be used in the same way it was before.
“Glass, Paper, Salt” explored how a small group of strangers reacted to a zombie outbreak. The combination of references to zombies, mermaids, and the sea surprised me, especially once I realized how logically the characters were thinking about their longterm chances of survival now that their world was falling apart. This is one of those stories that works best if new readers walk into it unaware of what is coming. I only mentioned the zombies in this review because of how quickly they appeared in the text, but I will leave the rest of the creative plot twists up for others to discover for themselves. It was yet another excellent addition to this book.
One of the biggest reasons why I gave this anthology a full five-star rating was how beautifully different each tale was from one another. Some of them were heavy, difficult, but deeply meaningful reads, while a few were surprisingly light and airy given the dark theme. I wish I had the time and space to review every single one of them in this review. It was tricky to narrow down my selections to only a few! I’d recommend reading this with an open mind and while making as few assumptions about what might happen next as possible. There were so many gems included here.
Saltwater Sorrows was the perfect snapshot of the ever-changing nature of the sea.
November 23, 2023
Eighteen short stories of various lengths with the uniting theme of women and the sea.
The stories are beautifully compiled and the writing is well done in each, including a lot of symbolism and
Definitely something to be read over time and not in one sitting, as the stories are very emotionally heavy around topics like fear, grief, and sadness (hence, the title). I would highly recommend checking the content warnings for each story especially if you’re sensitive to certain subjects or moods.
Not every story hooked me the same from the start, but each one
Here are a few of my favorites:
Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears
A woman born in a town where majority of men become whalers, and her early life has seen so much loss because of it. When she marries her fear and worry becomes overwhelming, leading to a ritual with the intention of keeping those most treasured to her safe. I was so invested in this one! and the ending really surprised me.
“Time is what is precious,” she whispered, unsure if she meant him to hear. Time is what she had too much of, waiting for him, and too little of, when he was here. For a few weeks at a time, he was everything.
The Ghost of Violet Gray
A widower runs into a woman on the sand, who invites him into her home for a cup of tea and begs him to find the truth. The more he learns from the townspeople, the more he pieces together a centuries-old mystery. I really liked the pace of this and trying to figure out the pieces myself.
On a Northern Shore
A young woman dealing with loss and rejection seeks a cleanse by taking a position as a lighthouse keeper. She hears the warnings about the ghost that resides there, but until she starts to listen and reflect on her own story that realizes truth behind the spirit that haunts the island.
The stories are beautifully compiled and the writing is well done in each, including a lot of symbolism and
Definitely something to be read over time and not in one sitting, as the stories are very emotionally heavy around topics like fear, grief, and sadness (hence, the title). I would highly recommend checking the content warnings for each story especially if you’re sensitive to certain subjects or moods.
Not every story hooked me the same from the start, but each one
Here are a few of my favorites:
Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears
A woman born in a town where majority of men become whalers, and her early life has seen so much loss because of it. When she marries her fear and worry becomes overwhelming, leading to a ritual with the intention of keeping those most treasured to her safe. I was so invested in this one! and the ending really surprised me.
“Time is what is precious,” she whispered, unsure if she meant him to hear. Time is what she had too much of, waiting for him, and too little of, when he was here. For a few weeks at a time, he was everything.
The Ghost of Violet Gray
A widower runs into a woman on the sand, who invites him into her home for a cup of tea and begs him to find the truth. The more he learns from the townspeople, the more he pieces together a centuries-old mystery. I really liked the pace of this and trying to figure out the pieces myself.
On a Northern Shore
A young woman dealing with loss and rejection seeks a cleanse by taking a position as a lighthouse keeper. She hears the warnings about the ghost that resides there, but until she starts to listen and reflect on her own story that realizes truth behind the spirit that haunts the island.
November 22, 2023
This anthology of short stories was a pleasure to read. The pieces selected for this anthology all have a tie to the sea, though they vary on subject matter, genre, and realism. The collection, as to be guessed from the title, is mournful and vaguely disquieting. Much of the theme and mood of this book as a whole strikes me as a cousin to my favorite Poe poem, “Annabelle Lee,” or even Maurier’s Rebecca. The variance in story content, from fantastical to realistic, made for a sort of mysterious “what kind of story will I read next?” experience that was both enjoyable and intriguing to indulge in. The lengths of the stories are easy to consume in bursts or marathons, making the speed in which the anthology is read easy to binge or draw out at the readers leisure.
Given the subject matter, I would recommend checking the content warnings as there are some darker themes of loss that might be upsetting to some.
Given the subject matter, I would recommend checking the content warnings as there are some darker themes of loss that might be upsetting to some.
September 4, 2023
The 18 short stories are:
- A Witch's Christmas
- Portrait of a Mermaid as a Young Woman
- Skelf
- Salt Breeze
- Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears
- The Ghost of Violet Gray
- Rage Against the Sea
- A View of Water
- Human, Still
- Sarah's Kitchen
- Seaweed and Gossip
- On a Northern Shore
- Daughter
- Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea
- The Deep End of Longing
- Fortune Favours the Brave
- Glass, Paper, Salt
- The Oyster Widow
These are stories about women, their relationship with men, and their connection with the sea. The stories also explore death and grief and how the women react to this change in their lives, allowing readers to find solace in what they can relate to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
- A Witch's Christmas
- Portrait of a Mermaid as a Young Woman
- Skelf
- Salt Breeze
- Salt in Our Blood, Salt in Our Tears
- The Ghost of Violet Gray
- Rage Against the Sea
- A View of Water
- Human, Still
- Sarah's Kitchen
- Seaweed and Gossip
- On a Northern Shore
- Daughter
- Sink Your Sorrows to the Sea
- The Deep End of Longing
- Fortune Favours the Brave
- Glass, Paper, Salt
- The Oyster Widow
These are stories about women, their relationship with men, and their connection with the sea. The stories also explore death and grief and how the women react to this change in their lives, allowing readers to find solace in what they can relate to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 3, 2023
This anthology is wonderfully written. I love the ocean and it’s vast uncertainty and throw in mythology and I’m over excited to read it. Short stories may not be my cup of tea but this one held my attention pretty well and for the most part closed each short story nicely. I just can’t seem to always want more. Perfect read for a summer night on the porch. Recommend reading especially if looking to expand your reading preferences.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 30, 2023
I’ve always loved the ocean and mermaids along with other elements of this and I enjoy previous collections that Rhonda Parrish has edited. Each story was beautifully done and had everything that I was hoping for. I loved that they were short enough to not overstay it’s welcome but still tell a complete story. The sea theme worked overall and would read another collection.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 21, 2023
Oveall I really enjoyed this anthology. Each story was well written and interesting, and even though they were all on the shorter side they manged to tell a full story. They each fit the sea theme beautifully. I particularly liked the last two stories: Glass, Paper, Salt and The Oyster Widow. The stories told in both of these really stuck out to me. The sea is both terrifying and intriguing and all of the stories within Saltwater Sorrows really captured that.
August 3, 2023
I think people are going to be PLEASANTLY surprised by this anthology! I am a fan of Rhonda Parrish's collections and this one was more diverse and fun to read than I even anticipated. Witches, ghosts, mermaids, monsters and of course the sea, how great is that? These stories are inspiring, heart wrenching and fascinating all at the same time. It's not to be missed.
September 23, 2023
Many of the stories felt very repetitive, several were ambiguous and confusing. Out of the entire collection there were probably 2 at most that I would read again: Daughter and Fortune favours the brave, and even then they needed some work. Glass, paper, salt was a zombie one with an unexpected twist. A handful of the stories had LGBTQ themes.
February 21, 2024
This book is a collection of well written stories about the sea. While I enjoyed some of them, others were too much like the texts I read in highschool. I stopped reading at 13%. I'm not saying DNF as I may pick this up at a future date. You just really have to be in the mood for these types of stories and I am not.
June 18, 2023
Most unusual stories
The stories in this collection are most unusual and in some ways quite emotional. Some of these stories are dark and the author's advice that they be read in small doses should be taken.
I received this book as an ARC for review.
The stories in this collection are most unusual and in some ways quite emotional. Some of these stories are dark and the author's advice that they be read in small doses should be taken.
I received this book as an ARC for review.
August 3, 2023
This isn't your usual bunch of mermaid or HEA stories but it's so good. Each one is a bit different and some are down right scary. I really enjoyed the book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 7, 2023
I've been walking around all day in a saltwater hangover. I read the entire anthology yesterday, and
January 27, 2024
E-Book review ✨: Salt Water Sorrows✨
Genre-Fantasy/ Anthology
(Please read the trigger warnings )
The ocean is a beautiful place but she can be deadly and unforgiving,
These stories maybe short but are very impactful, when I was little I went camping with family, I remember calling for mermaids and sad when they didn't appear, but the imagination is a wonderful thing and to loose it as we get older is sad.
I feel like I can use it with these stories! You're never to old for stories of the sea!
A woman decided to give to the ocean to help the ones in her life stay safe, but it will take a turn for the worst.
A girl finds a worn but interesting doll that will change for the better and help her change her future even if it's to sacrifice her own identity.
The ocean has taken many lives, feeling the ocean with their cries just to take others under her cold waters to a watery grave but this time it will not take another...
Some see mermaids as magical and beautiful fun creatures, that can show you a fairytale in their own world under the sea, but looks can be deceiving even deadly...
And many more dark beautiful stories..
Genre-Fantasy/ Anthology
(Please read the trigger warnings )
The ocean is a beautiful place but she can be deadly and unforgiving,
These stories maybe short but are very impactful, when I was little I went camping with family, I remember calling for mermaids and sad when they didn't appear, but the imagination is a wonderful thing and to loose it as we get older is sad.
I feel like I can use it with these stories! You're never to old for stories of the sea!
A woman decided to give to the ocean to help the ones in her life stay safe, but it will take a turn for the worst.
A girl finds a worn but interesting doll that will change for the better and help her change her future even if it's to sacrifice her own identity.
The ocean has taken many lives, feeling the ocean with their cries just to take others under her cold waters to a watery grave but this time it will not take another...
Some see mermaids as magical and beautiful fun creatures, that can show you a fairytale in their own world under the sea, but looks can be deceiving even deadly...
And many more dark beautiful stories..
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews