Southern Haunts: Spirits That Walk Among Us

by Alexander S. Brown (Editor), J.L. Mulvihill (Editor), Robert K. (Illustrations)

From the shadowed realms of the paranormal comes 16 chilling tales that dwell in the South and South West. Resurrected in your very hands are stories that will make you laugh, ponder, and shiver as the reader is introduced to spirits that are humorous, saddened, and vengeful. From 16 authors, learn of haunted homes, buildings, landmarks and roads where restless entities from beyond the grave desire acknowledgement amongst the living. Become acquainted with the aftermath of an eclipse that awakens the dead in a Memphis cemetery, see what horrors dwell in the woods at Hell's Gate, learn the dark secrets of Sidney's Cotton, and dare to travel down Ghost Road. These and many other tales are sure to keep you awake as you are introduced to what makes the South and South West so unique.... History and GHOSTS!!!!! So, sit back, dim the lights and prepare yourself to face the spirits that walk among us.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction

337 pages, Paperback

First published March 18, 2013

Reviews

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

When I received Southern Haunts: Spirits that walk among us I only knew a few things about it. I knew if was an anthology of short stories all based in Southern states in the US, all with paranormal aspects. I was excited to read it as I love Southern Gothic novels. However I have to admit I was disappointed with some of the stories but with is being an anthology I did expect to like some stories more that others :)

One of the things I liked about the book was of course not only the stories but the art work. The cover art is creepy yet beautiful and at the start of each story is a piece of artwork that to me gives the reader a clue to what each story may be about which I loved. (Artwork by Robert K)

To get my overall book rate I rated each story out of 5*'s and then decided on my final rating of 3.5. (I did debate whether to go with 4* but decided 3.5* fitted my overall thoughts on the book)

Here are my thoughts on each short story:

Interview for a ghost hunter by Windsong Levitch- For an opening story of the anthology I was disappointed. The story was a funny paranormal story but I just couldn't get into it. The writing style didn't pull me into the story and I wasn't sure what the rest of the anthology was going to be like from there but I am happy to say the next story was GREAT! An Eclipse over Elmwood by H.David Blalock was one of my favourite shorts. I really wanted to hear more of this story. A lunar eclipse causing strange going on's in a Memphis Cemetery leading to ghosts who died of Yellow Fever in the epidemics of the 1800's to appear, what more could you ask for :)

Sidney's Cotton by Richard Parks was another short I liked. Parks writing really had me there in the cellar of the industrial building in the old warehouse district of Jackson seeing ghosts from the Civil War era.

Ghost Road by Jason Hughes gave me chills. A deserted mile long road in Texas with creepy things happening who wouldn't get the chills. I am glad I was reading this story during the day!

The next four stories I wasn't keen on. Cals Cutoff by Henrik R. Raymer was OK it just didn't grip me like some of the other stories. The Shack by Diane Ward and Haints by Roland Mann just weren't for me. The Shack creeped me out and not in a good its good to feel creepy way. Haints just didn't appeal to me but I do get that this story would appeal to others. You will come to your demise by L.S. Nadler was a sweet story in a way I did like it but it wasn't one of my favourites.

Hells Gate by M.R. Williamson was a story that really interested me. I felt that it could be the start of a longer story that I would really interested to read. From the title you can probably guess it's regarding a gate leading to hell!

Maddness by William R.Eakin wasn't for me. Ghost children and hauntings along with murder are not for me (I really don't like ghost children they kinda scare me they are just too creepy! LOL)

Wellspring by Roman Merry is a story that interested me and I think there is alot of places it could go if the author wanted to take it somewhere. Who is the ghost down the well? What really happened to them? I want to know this story.

The next four stories I LOVED. The Bequest by Kalila Smith I loved alot! :) A mansion in the French Quarter of New Orleans that is hunted, that makes the tenants think they are crazy from whisperings! I want a full length novel of The Bequest (waves at Kalila Smith :) ).

The Cleansing by Miguel L.Viscarra was great. The writing made me feel like I was there with the characters, that I was feeling what the protagonist was feeling. I felt like I was in the haunted penitentiary of New Mexico!

Bath 10 by J.L. Mulvihill was also a great story. The hot springs of Arkansas is the setting for the story and a creature that need sacrifice. The last sentence of the story gave me chills!

Nightmares at mocassion bend by Angela Lucius was story that I loved, about an asylum in Mississippi and the wrong doings done to the patients. The story was sad rather that creepy like alot of the other stories. The final sentences where heartbreaking.

The final story The top floor by Alexander S. Brown was a good story. A creepy hospital in a the basement is the perfect setting for a ghost story surrounded by death and decay.

Overall I really enjoyed the majority of the stories. They where creepy and spine tingling to read. There are definitely some authors I will be checking out more of their works including H.David Blalock, M.R. Williamson, J.L. Mulvihill, Angela Lucus and Miguel L. Viscarra! If you like stories that are set in southern states set in the US, stories that have ghosts and unexplained happenings in them, Southern Haunts: Spirits that walk among us is the book for you!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interview for a Ghost Hunter by Windsong Levith was well written and very funny! It’s about a paranormal investigating group that’s looking for a new member and the reason why they are looking for a new one. The ghosts in this story were the way I would act if I were a ghost and it proves you can push a ghost too far.

Eclipse over Elmwood by H. David Blalock is a beautiful story about a priest being called in to exorcise an area. It’s a wonderful story that is really well written and had a beautiful and holy feel to it.

Sidney’s Cotton by Richard Parks, is one of my favorites in this collection not only was it well written but it was also surprising. At first when I started to read it I thought I knew where the story was going then it went to a different area.

Ghost Road by Jason Hughes all I can say about this story is wow, the story is well written and full of suspense.

I had a minor problem with Cal’s Cutoff by Herika R. Raymer as it felt too similar to the ghost road and with them being together made me not like it as much as I would have if it were in another volume. I thought the story was well written and had it’s spooky urban legend feeling but it just felt repetitive.

The Shack by Diane Ward was very creepy and left me wondering what really was going on in the shack in the woods and what will become of Clayton after the end of the story.

Haints by Roland Mann was one of the most enjoyable stories, about a boy talking about his Uncle TB and his Haints. It was a beautiful story and the differences between the uncle and the narrator was really sweet. I would have liked to have had more of this story but I like that I could imagine why this family was being haunted.

You Will Come to Meet Your Demise by L.S. Nadler I found the concept of the story wonderful and also left me confused. I wondered why the woman was able to touch the ghostly child and if she was as really pure as the story said. I really enjoyed the story overall and felt bad for the ghostly boy.

Hell’s Gate by M.R. Willliamson was a interesting story, it through me for a loop as I thought the story was going one way and went a different way. I liked the overall story and hope to read a sequel to the story.

Maddness by William R. Eakin was a wonderfully creepy story. This story involved a poor mad boy named Bobby Star and the Maddness, but in this story things are not always what it seems and I liked that about the story.

Wellspring by Roman Merry was a very good story I liked that it was about a dare that went super scary fast. I liked that the well had an urban legend to it and that the boys were afraid to look into the well.

The Bequest by Kalila Smith is about a man named Clayton, who inherited an estate from his uncle in New Orleans. I liked that the Uncle he inherited the estate from wasn’t dead just in a mental hospital. It’s interesting that the mansion is obviously the LaLauries. If I had to choose any of the stories to be a full novel this would be the one, I loved the story and would have liked more.

The Cleansing by Miguel L. Viscarra, was one of the most confusing of the stories to me, it felt like a typical haunted house story but why were the people in the group there and why did the hauntings happen to some and not the others. It’s a good story but not the best out of the collection.

Bath 10 by J.L. Mulvihill, a really good story in the collection it’s a fine line about doing what’s right or saving yourself. This story is tragic in a way and I really enjoyed it.

Nightmares at Moccasin Bend by Angela Lucius is a wonderful story filled with suspense and has a happy ending in it. The story is well-written and I cared about the characters in the story and wanted them to escape.

The Top Floor by Alexander S. Brown was another wonderfully written story, the last two stories were really good. This is another one that I would like as a full novel.

Overall I enjoyed the collection of stories, there were some that were average but overall the stories were wonderful and I really enjoyed reading them.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's face it, people love ghost stories. Whether they are believers or not a lot of people love a safe scare and what better way than a story. In Southern Haunts: Spirits Walk Among Us there are plenty of stories to keep you up on a dark night with tales of revenge, family curses, ghosts and one has an American Horror Story Asylum kinda feel.


You can close your eyes and throw your finger on any title in here and enjoy 10 minutes of the spirits that walk among us in the safety of your own home ;) What better way is there to do it besides a movie? Read it and draw up the spooky visions in your own head.



The book is edited by J.L. Mulvihill and Alexander S. Brown. I had the pleasure of reviewing Mr. Brown's Traumatized and I loved it. Plowed right thru the pages was definitely a great and easy read. Mulvihill has a book out titled The Lost Daughter of Easa. Always try and support independent authors as much as you can they are the same as any other artist just trying to get the goods out there!





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[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

An eclectic mix of tales, some swift and terrifying, some echoing hauntingly with scares so clearly hinted but never quite seen, and others holding tight to their pages with languid linguistic lethargy, Southern Haunts (book 1) has highs and lows and everything in between. The collection starts with some great high humor in Windsong Levitch’s Interview for a Ghost Hunter; then David Blalock’s Eclipse over Elmwood haunts with a vividly scary blend of old and new. Nicely painted end-pieces intrigue at each tale’s conclusion. And soon readers will be urging youngsters not to look down a haunted well in Roman Merry’s vividly real Wellspring, or trembling at Williamson’s Hell’s Gate.

J. L. Mulvihil’s Bath 10 stands out for me with its untold horror, a hauntingly convincing voice hiding and revealing secrets at a perfect speed. I’d read this collection just for this. But be warned, don’t buy a house with “two unused ratty cobwebbed dusty children’s rooms” up a secret staircase, beware of men with “skills at being a heartthrob,” and “Even if you don’t believe in ghosts,” remember, “they believe in you."

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy when I took part in a blog tour for the book.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun little anthology. I personally wouldn't consider this scary by any stretch of the imagination, however it was still fun to read all these wonderful authors. The book begins with Ghosts and continues on with so many wonderful tales that it will keep you reading.

It has wonderful short stories within these pages, and while some are more entertaining than others, it will keep you entertained. As someone who loves to visit spooky old houses, and who has been to some of the most haunted places in the USA, I must say this has something for everyone.

If you are looking for a deep horror then this is not the book for you. But if you are looking for some spooky stories that would even be suitable for the younger reader then this book is perfect. I even read a few of these out loud to my 10 year old son. He loved them, and no nightmares from them either.

Great little shorts in a bundle. So go grab yourself a creepy book in plenty of time for Halloween!

Details/Disclaimer: I received this book for free for an honest review. This free book held no determination on my final review.

[Alyssa Greatbanks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really hoping, coming into this book, that it was going to be a great book. The reviews are mostly 4-5 stars everywhere I checked, so I figured it had to be good. I was pretty disappointed. I did like a few of the stories in here, but overall I thought they were of poor quality. None were particularly spooky or frightening, and I just didn't find them entertaining.

[A Book Vacation · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

To see my full review:

http://wp.me/p1jhaj-3ug

I really tend to shy away from reviewing anthologies because I feel like it’s so hit or miss, especially when there are multiple authors throughout, but I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher, and who doesn’t love a good ghost story? So, of course, I read it.

Now, as I said before, anthologies can really be hit or miss, especially when there are a large amount of contributors, which is the case with Southern Haunts. In all, there are about 16 different authors, while means 16 very different stories and writing styles. That being said, keep in mind that some of these stories are sure to be a real hit for you as the reader, and some might not do anything for you, so definitely don’t take this review as the end all in terms of whether or not you’ll read the anthology.

Overall, I thought this anthology was very well written and put together, but the stories didn’t really do much for me as the reader. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I wanted chilling ghost tales that make me ponder and want to visit where they originated, but in many of these stories, I personally didn’t feel like that was the case. And, while some of these stories read like actual stories, some others read a little like histories of the places themselves, which is okay, but didn’t draw me in as much as I wanted them to.

Truthfully, there are some really good stories in here, and there are some decent ones, and, of course, there are some I just could never get into. So, if I had to rate the anthology overall, I’d say it’s about two and a half stars on my scale, but individually some stories rank way above that, so… try it and see what you think. You never know, you might just love them all.

[Marni · Rating 4 out of 5]

All my life I’ve been a lover of the unknown. May it be space, intelligent life on other planets or more earthbound unknowns such as poltergeists, telepathy, haunted houses or ghostly spirits. For those of you like me, you will truly enjoy this book of ghostly stories.

A mixture of funny, serious, scary and crazy stories, this book had me intrigued from the beginning to the end. I found the switch up 0f the stories and their tones to be quite refreshing and non-distractive. There are so many different books out there about ghosts you may wonder “why this one?” My response is, “why not?” It’s enjoyable, the stories aren’t as rigid and straight edged as others making it fun and worth your time.

So you wonder, with such a great review, why only 4 stars? Even though I loved the stories, some of them just needed a bit more smoothing of the rough edges. The story itself was good, but the path was a bit jagged. A little more polishing would bring this book up there in the ratings. Other than that, I recommend this to anyone who likes a good mixture of ghost stories.

[Jennifer Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I gave this three stars because I only found about half of the stories entertaining and on the creepy side. The collection starts out strong, and I was excited to have a new collection of scary stories, but then some of the stories ended up being boring or just poorly written--I couldn't force myself to finish the last story.

[Michael Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://mikesfilmtalk.com/2013/05/03/s...

[Crystal Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! Kept my attention and was equally funny and spooky

[Hannah]

I like d the collection of stories that he put in the book. I would recommend this book to 5th graders and over.

[Gef · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Coming Soon.