Review: Issues with Authority, by Nadia Bulkin

Title: Issues with Authority

Author: Nadia Bulkin

Publisher: Ghoulish Books

Genre: Horror/Short Stories

Date of Publication: September 16th, 2025

Number of Pages: 222

See it on Goodreads: Issues with Authority

*Disclaimer: I have received a free copy of this book via Book Siren. Thank you to the publisher and writer.

Summary

Shirley Jackson Award-Nominated author Nadia Bulkin's sophomore collection ISSUES WITH AUTHORITY drenches the reader in a sensory overload of power, belief, and horrifying transformation.

Included within these pages:

• Cop Car: In which a psychic government "fixer" discovers her true psychopathic calling.
• Your Next Best American Girl: In which a beauty pageant contestant succumbs to a paranoia as a mysterious skin disease begins eating holes in her body.
• Red Skies in the Morning: In which paracontagions infect unsuspecting viewers of certain cursed media, a phenomenon the government is frantically trying to control.

Review - Defy Your Circumstances

While I was browsing Book Siren the other day, I came across Issues with Authority. I won't lie - the stunning cover made me stop scrolling and see what this book is all about. It turns out that it's a horror short story collection, perfect for the season. So, I didn't need any more reasons to read it! 

Issues with Authority contains three short stories. Even though, they aren't connected in any way, the stories feature some similar themes that tie with the collection's title. Our protagonists defy authority and societal norms. When it comes to their horror, none of the stories will keep up at night. However, there were some disturbing elements, especially in the last two stories. 

Before getting deeper into each individual story, I have to say that Issues with Authority was a surprisingly good read. This is a new author to me, so I didn't know what to expect. Being on the verge of a reading slump, I was worried that I might make the situation worse. But, I truly believe that this book helped with my slump as I wanted to keep on reading to see where each story was heading. I really enjoyed Nadia Bulkin's writing, and I will keep an eye on whatever she comes up with next.

Cop Car

The first story, Cop Car, follows Carly that has grown up in a cult. However, Carly possesses some special powers that makes her invaluable to the agents that save her from said cult. In essence, Carly can break into other people's minds and make them do whatever she wants them to. What the agents haven't account for though, is that Carly has little to no sense of morality. 

The story had a light, and almost fun, tone, which made it super easy to read. However, I didn't find its plot that engaging. What kept me interested in it was to uncover who the narrator was. Becasue Cop Car wasn't following Carly's POV, but we were told of her adventures from a paranormal entity (that I won't spoil for you). Once I learned what the deal with the narrator was, I was ready to move on to the next story.

Don't get me wrong - it was still a good story, just not an exceptional one.

Your Next Best Americal Girl

Fortunately, the second story did it for me! Your Next Best Americal Girl follows Veronica, who obsesses over being the next Miss Americana. Even since she was little, she had been joining beauty pageants, devoting herself to the beauty standards that could grant her wish. One morning right before a prelimenary competition, she notices two red bumps on her arms. It was a crisis, but one she thinks she can manage. The only issue is that not only the bumps keep appearing on other spots, but they also have some other effects (which again I won't spoil for you).

Now, this was a great story. It had some body horror elements, but nothing too extreme. It is a short story that could fit with so many horror books that take a closer look at the beauty standards, and how much are you willing to sacrifice to obtain them. But Your Next Best Americal Girl also posed another interesting question: how much would you be willing to sacrifice to be the next trend-setter, to make yourself stand out when the beauty standards have created such a unified image? 

What stopped me from rating this book with a perfect score was its ending. However, the journey until there was 100% worth it. 

Red Scies in the Morning

The third, and final story, was a standout for me. Red Scies in the Morning brough a perfect blend of horror and mystery that made me eager to keep on reading. In this story, society faces a paracontagion crisis. In essence, people catch these by watching a video or a cursed photo, and they will die in seven days, unless someone else exposes themself to that paracontagion vessel. There is no denying that this setup made me think of The Ring. In this universe though, the governments have set pathing agancing, where people can go when they catch a paracontagion to find someone take it over from them. 

This, on its own, is an amazing setup, which I could definitely read in a full-length novel. One day, Selene comes back from work and finds that her sister, Hannah, is missing, which is unlike her. So, she sets out to try and find her, hoping that the worst hasn't happened. The journey uncovers different groups and beliefs on paracontagions, things that hit too close to home with the Covid-19 pandemic. But apart from these conversations, Red Scies in the Morning had so much heart. I loved the relationship between the sisters, and I loved how Selene processes grief (both for what happened in the past, and what she fears might happen next). And that ending was just so bittersweet, so devastating. 

Overall, Issues with Authority was an amazing read, and I can't recommend it enough. It had a mix of different horror elements, political and philosophical conversations, and compelling characters. I'm really glad I picked it up, and I'm looking forward to reading more from Nadia Bulkin. 

Read more of my reviews here.