Chills: A Short Story Collection

by Sahar Sabati

The same people are impossibly spotted in two different places at once; a man considers murdering the husband of a woman he loves; while driving home very early in the morning, a driverless car appears out of the fog and follows two sisters home. Fear of the unknown, emotional intensity, and plain old creepiness will give you chills long after you have finished reading the seven stories in this collection.

Genres: Horror

73 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 20, 2013

Reviews

[Ravioli Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for something to give you a few chills?

My dear friend Sahar sent me a copy of her short stories collection to review and I'll be honest with you- creepy stories are generally not my particular cup of tea in reading material. I was never allowed to read Goose Bumps as a child (I lived a very sheltered life in some ways) and so I guess I never developed a fondness for creepy stories because I've never really been exposed to them.

With that, I was actually quite surprised to find myself intrigued and hooked upon reading the first of seven short stories in this collection. Not quite the terrifying experience I was expecting (granted I was reading it in broad daylight surrounded by my adorable cats. I mean who could possible be scared under those circumstances) but nonetheless creepy enough to keep me intrigued and reading to find out the twist at the end of each story.

Sahar takes every day situations that easily could have happened to you or I and weaves them in to chilling scenarios that gives you a little shudder because it's easy to place yourself in those situations.

So, if a you need a little fright with the upcoming Halloween season or a good short story to read and scare your friends with the next time you are all home alone in the dark... definitely consider reading one or more of these short stories to give your friends or family a few chills. There is nothing like sitting around a bonfire, roasting your marshmallows and creeping out your family members, am I right?! :)

[Bèbè ✦ RANT ✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before starting this collection of short stories, this is what the author wrote:

Stories can give you chills for many reasons. Sometimes, it’s fear; sometimes, it’s the suspense; sometimes, it’s the emotional intensity, while other times, it’s just plain old creepiness. One of the roles of fiction is to explore concepts in ways that we cannot do in real life. The stories in this collection are metaphors for fears that I or close friends of mine had to face.

I thought that was the most amazing dedication that an author could write and was absolutely in love with all of the stories. When you think of "chills", you may think that there are horror stories about someone dripping with blood. But this was very different stories that made you shiver because of the images your mind started to make when reading.

This was genius, I absolutely loved every single one of them. My favorite is definitely short story named Karma that tells an unfortunate love story between Peter and Eve. Beautiful and tragic, it is a must read along with every other story in it.

[Mayu · Rating 5 out of 5]

True to its title, Chills actually gave me chills. All the stories quickened my heart rate and kept me at the edge of my seat. 

Each time each story neared its climax, I used to grab whatever is near me to be prepared for the goosebumps that would cover my body and the chills that would run down my spine. And I have to admit it that none of the stories disappointed me in this, because all the stories had shivers running down my back​. All the stories successfully scared me and had my heart on the verge of jumping out of its ribcage.

"Not knowing felt, after all, like the worse part of the situation. I slowly leaned down again, peered under the door – and made contact with a pair of startling green eyes."

The excerpt above is the part of my favourite story from this collection. After reading this story, I am completely assured that these pair of eyes are definitely going to haunt me in my dreams. 

All the stories of this collection are unique, and each one is different from the rest. These stories are not only different in the sense of storyline but also in the sense of genre, as some of the stories were supernatural while some were related to crime or criminals and some were mixture of both.

The main characters of each story are really well built and I could relate to them instantly even though some characters were way older than me.

If you're a fan of scary suspense stories and if you believe that you can keep your heart in your ribcage safely while reading this book then this short story collection is definitely for you.

[Beth Troxel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Chills: aA Short Story Collection by Sahar Sabati in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Blurb:
The same people are impossibly spotted in two different places at once; a man considers murdering the husband of a woman he loves; while driving home very early in the morning, a driverless car appears out of the fog and follows two sisters home. Fear of the unknown, emotional intensity, and plain old creepiness will give you chills long after you have finished reading the seven stories in this collection.

I’ve always liked a collection of stories in books. To me, they feel like they could compare to songs. Even though they may be short stories, they still deliver the message and energy. There were a few stories where i wished it continued and others that ended perfectly. Each one had completely different plots and made me feel different with each conclusion.

Altogether, there are a total if seven stories. Each story is told by someone different than the story before. Some make you think, while others make you feel shaken. One story may scare you where the next one may hint at fear.

If you like stories that make your heart rate increase with fear but dont want to make a comment ment with a story thats hundreds of pages long, consider this collection. Each story is crafted differently enough to draw you into the next one. It’s perfect for people just being intoroduced into the love of stories and the ones looking for a little creep in their lives.

[Matea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even tho I usually hate horrors, this book is really amazing! Once I started reading it, I just couldn't stop. It was that type of book where I say just one more page. It's quite small book, but it's good. All in all, I won't spoil anything for those who will read it, but I recommend it.

[Borna Safai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let it be known that I am not a big fan of horror movies and books; there is just something in them that doesn't appeal to me.
Chills, though, did appeal to me. Each of the short stories in this collection have that little subtle something that is both distressing and interesting at the same time. While being worried about what's going to happen next, the desire to continue reading is still there. Whether it's about the nurse that's on her way home on the bus, or the car in the bog, the interest is piqued, and there are even some small lessons to take from reading the stories, things to take with oneself afterwards. Beware though, they also leave that slightly uncomfortable, creepy feeling behind...

[Sieni A.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and intriguing, this collection of short stories is a quick read for anyone interested in reading something a little spooky for the Halloween season. Laced with mysteries and twists, the dialog between the characters is believable, and the way the author expressed emotion felt real (I especially liked the nurse's tale on the bus and the short story on Karma). This is not a book filled with tales of gore and horror. The short stories are filled with suspense and mystery, with a touch of the paranormal, that kept me engaged and wondering "who done it? what? how?". Well done Sahar!

[O. D. Book Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for my honest review. Full 3.5* review on the blog.

Description & brief review of each short story:

Double Double

A woman with a haunted past of her own starts seeing strange doubles of a certain family around town. This story was one of my favorites because it is a creepy little ghost story. I thought the ending was predictable but also had a little surprise to it.

The Mug Shot

A woman finds herself cornered by a criminal she recognizes from his mug shot, will she live to tell the tale? I thought this story was eerie. It was frustrating reading the conversation between the two because it was clearly not going well. The fear in this one is in the suspense and the “not knowing”.

Karma

Could he do the unthinkable for the woman he loved and will they survive the guilt? I thought this was a creative story but it was also a little *face palm* for me. Why didn’t they just communicate better, that would have solved everything. I also didn’t really buy into the “love” between mere acquaintances. People who like the drama of Romeo and Juliet will like this one but it wasn’t my thing.

The Car in the Fog

This one had a slow boring intro about some students and their study habits, but then it got really creepy as the car followed them in the fog, and downright chilling as a victim reveals her demise. This one reminded me of Mug Shot but with an ending that offers closure. The bit with the painting was anticlimactic. Overall, spooky story.

Monster in My Closet

This was one of the scariest stories. A closet door slowly opens while an unsuspecting person is consumed with sleep.

Misty Eyes

A women chooses not to risk the perils of driving in the fog and stays home from work. Throughout the day as she mixes working from home with enjoying the view she notices many people in burgundy coats walking by her house in the fog. I thought this story had a really cool eerie setting. It felt a lot like a scary movie. This was a fun one.

Mindy’s Melody

A lonely widower makes a wish to see his late wife one last time. This story had a lighter note and I thought it was a good hopeful ending to a dark compilation.


In Short: I’m a big fan of scary genres and while this one isn’t that scary what it does do is encourage your imagination to wander to dark places. It has the kind of stories you tell around the campfire or at sleepovers. I recommend this book to those who like ghost stories, and creepy stories that are not too scary or gruesome. This book acceptable for younger readers who enjoy horror.

Pros: Overall creative and entertaining short stories. I did love that the characters in some of these stories did actually call for help. I thought a lot of the scenarios were realistic which makes them scarier. I’m a big fan of ghost stories so a lot of these hit the spot. Many had chilling, haunting endings.

Cons: Could be scarier and the stories got a little repetitive. I would suggest not reading them all in one day. I felt like the characters didn’t have different voices. Some typos that were a little distracting; wrong words and a new paragraphs starting mid-sentence.

Parent’s Guide: Some violence and gore. Reference to a rapist without any graphic content.

[Ashley Anne ⚡️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read all of my reviews on my blog The Caffeinated Booknerd

Thank you to the author and Lola's Blog Tours for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

Chills: A Short Story Collection is a 73 page book of 7 short stories. The author states that "the stories in this collection are metaphors for fears that I or close friends of mine had to face." I went into this book hope to get a little freaked out. It's hard to 'scare' me so that wasn't anticipated, but it is more a psychological reaction then one of horror.

Story 1: Double, Double || Dana is sure that she is seeing the same people in different places, knowing that it is virtually impossible from these people to be in two places at once. Dana believes that she sees the same people over and over on a number of occasions. When she finds out the truth about what she is actually seeing, she is overwhelmed.
~~~ I didn't really have any type of reaction to this story. I knew about half-way through what the outcome would be. ~~~~

Story 2: The Mug Shot || An emergency room nurse comes face-to-face with a guy that is on the FBI's most wanted list in an area that she can't escape so easily. The conversation doesn't go as you would expect. However, it makes you think, what would you do if you were in her position?
~~~~This was a psychological story for me. I asked myself multiple times, what would I do if I was her. I didn't expect the conversation to go the way that it did and was intrigued by the statements that the Mug Shot guy made. This was my favorite short story.~~~

Story 3: Karma || Peter is a pharmacist who falls in love with, Eva, a customer of his. Of course, she is married to another man. Peter knows that it is wrong and makes several attempts to remove himself from the area of town that she would frequent to avoid her. However, when Peter sees Eva again years down the line he is put in an awkward and potentially dangerous situation. When things don't go anything like he imagined is his fate at risk?
~~~I don't see this story as suspenseful, psychological, or scary. This is something that I've seen numerous shows, movies, books all cover before. The forbidden love. However, what Peter gains at the end is certainly different then the norm. ~~~

Story 4: The Car In The Fog || After an all-night study session, at a local coffee shop, Kimmy and Mandy leave to make their way home when the see a black SUV travelling in the fog behind them. After questioning each other they both say that there wasn't a driver in the car. Panicking they pull off an exit to wait for the car to pass. They never see it past. They wait and continue off the exit and come to a notorious haunted and abandoned house where they see the black SUV in the driveway. When they go to check it out they discover things they never thought they'd find.
~~~~This story actually irritated me. Really you go to find out why a mysterious vehicle is at an abandoned house. Just no. Just stop. Oh and I'm on a coffee binge with no sleep. On to the next one.~~~

Story 5: Monster in My Closet || A woman does not know what to think when she discovers her closet door is open, and opening wider slowly, as she lays in bed attempting to fall asleep. She eventually gets out of bed, avoiding closing the door not knowing if something is in there, and goes to the bathroom and locks the door. Time ticks by, things happen, she climbs out the bathroom window and calls the police at her neighbors home. The investigation uncovers some very creepy things that will haunt this woman forever.
~~~While I was disappointed in some things that this woman did in this story it was ultimately a freaky story. After knowing what happens at the end I would be terrified if I was her and don't know how I would go on. Second favorite story of the collection.~~~

Story 6: Misty Eyes || A woman working at home on a foggy day continuously sees people dressed in the same coat walking outside of her house all day long. When she suspects something shady is happening at her neighbors house she decides to check it out. After seeing a woman with blood on her face charging at her front door she calls 911. She then decides to research the history of her neighborhood. After discovering awful things about the house across from her she has a hard time sleeping. Her friends Mike & Lida offer to stay with her so she feels safe. When they both see the woman in the street they discover some more horrible history.
~~~I feel like the person in this story is holding some guilt that isn't necessary. When you see a strange person that you don't recognize on the street would you feel as though you are suppose to help them with something? I wouldn't. I also wouldn't research things that would concern or scare me either. Judgement calls are my main issue with this story. ~~~

Story 7: Mindy's Melody || A man tries to move on as a widower with the help of an old man and a piano. The guy is having a hard time moving on after his wife's unexpected death. As he attempts to dive into work and also into religion he finds that he has held the answer to moving on all along.
~~~This story really made no sense to me at all. I didn't understand the ending and it made me say what the hell, at the end of the book. I'm still trying to make sense of it and can't.~~~

Overall
I give this book 3 coffee cup stars. While I did like a couple of the stories
the rest of it fell kind of flat for me.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

One woman sees double. Another woman recognizes evil from a mug shot. And a pharmacist in love with a married woman wonders if he could “mistakenly” swap out her husband’s medication.

Although this collection of short horror stories doesn’t necessarily send chills, they do carry a sense of irony. But they’re mostly plain and average—not that bad, but not that great either. The writing was pretty good.

These tales were quick and okay.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this collection of short stories. They were very entertaining to read. Just when you think you know how the stories were going to end, they had a twist ending. It’s a quick read but very interesting and enjoyable. I highly recommend it.

[Ionia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this short story book so much that I read it in one sitting. The tales here are unique and original, each with a surprise ending that you don't expect to go the way it does.

One of the things that I really liked about this compilation of stories, is that even thought they are short, the author managed to give the reader a sense of surrounding and who her characters are. I found it was easy to care about them, even in a shorter space of time than one finds in a full length book.

The creativity with which these stories were written is a testament to the vibrant imagination of the author. This book takes the childhood fears as well as the more adult fears we all have at one time in our life or another and explores them in new ways.

Another reason this book impressed me was that rather than just going for the fright factor, the author included other types of chills. Characters in very emotional situations gave weight to this collection that it would not have had otherwise. Fear, Sorrow,regret,sadness all work together to make this a complete book of Psychological and emotional chills.

I did read this book whilst alone in the dark, and for a book entitled "Chills," it certainly had the desired effect. I look forward to reading more work from this author.

This review is based on a digital copy provided by the author for the purpose of review. All opinions are my own.

[Diane Coto · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of seven chilling stories. With the entire book length at only 73 pages, it works out to about 10 pages per story. The whole book can easily be read in one sitting. The stories are reminiscent of childhood campfire chats where each child tries to out-do the former at scaring the wits out of the group. Maybe these stories would be scary to a child or someone delving into the horror / paranormal genre for the first time. However, none of the tales are overly scary; they were not scary to me and I creep out rather easily.

The scariest to me was the fourth one called The Car in the Fog; it tells of two sisters who are driving after an all-night study session and fog is dangerously thick. Then a black SUV appears behind them. But, where is the driver? The issues I had were with some of the sentence structure and clarification in some scenes. I rated Chills at 3 out of 5.

Within author’s preface: My hope is to help trigger in you, dear reader, a reflection about your own fears, and your own lower nature, be it the actions you would consider doing, or the beliefs that you hold.

http://www.fictionzeal.com/chills-sho...

[Jada Ryker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Treasure Trove of Short Stories

Chills-A Short Story Collection, by Sahar Sabati, contains a treasure trove of short stories.

In Double Double, a woman thinks she sees the same people in different places…and is horrified when she learns the truth of Double Double.

Next, a tired emergency room nurse has a horrifying interaction with the guy in the Mug Shot.

When an unexpected and forbidden romance blooms in Karma, a pharmacist tries to avoid his destiny.

After an all-night study session, siblings are followed by The Car in the Fog to a notorious haunted house.

In Monster in My Closet, monsters come in different forms and leave different types of scars.

In Misty Eyes, more than burgundy coats and boots with buckles are on the move.

In Mindy’s Melody, an elderly man and a piano help a widower assuage the pain of grief in a way he had possessed all along.

Each story is replete with compelling characters and events, complete with a paranormal element. Open the door and dive into this excellent collection of short stories.

[Karsyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this collection of short stories from the author for my honest review.

This collection was of 7 short stories that were supposed to be psychologically scary stories. Stories that chill you. Unfortunately, it did not achieve that bit of chills that it was meant to inspire, if fact it inspired none.

I can read some horror and play horror games, though I can't watch horror films because I scare VERY easily. None of these stories even got my blood pumping just for a moment. It definitely wasn't anything scary, and the few moments that tried to be were literally a sentence, or a short paragraph, long. Not only that, but they were predictable as well. I saw the ending coming of the 1st, 3rd, and 7th story coming. The end of the 2nd made me smile. The 4th, 5th and 6th stories weren't even enjoyable to me. :(

I wanted to like this book, and I didn't hate it, I don't mind that I spent a half hour or so reading it, but it was only ok.

[D.G. Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love to read anything that is thought provoking and makes you think. This collection of chills was extremely well written and really made you think. So much so that I journeyed from page to page with eager anticipation! My particular favourite was about a car in the fog, I read this story twice and for some reason it stayed with me. These stories are NOT full of blood and gore, they are better than that taking on the psychological route which in my humble opinion is often far more chilling and far more intelligent. The author's words flowed from page to page like a running stream which encourages the reader to follow the path to the very end. I will be looking to read more by this talented author in the future...

[Derek White · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A Copy of this Book Was Given To Me By The Author In Exchange For An Honest Review*

When you read this collection of short stories by soon to be well known author Sahar Sabati you may wonder why I only gave it four stars. After all it is well written with each story different from that before and after it, but unfortunately although each story has a twist, I always anticipated it: also at only 82 pages, including the title page etc. it is far too short.
Every one of the stories was such that you will enjoy each of them, but there are just too few of them. I would have preferred two hundred plus pages at least!

***Review has been done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official.
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our Fansite: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng ***

[Donald Armfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seven stories all to give you the chills. The writing seemed pretty basic to me. Some of the stories seem like they are written from personal accounts.

Of the seven I can't say I was creeped out like reading "Jack Ketchum" but I felt the eerie feel from the pages.

The best of the collection in my words is "Double Double." A deja vu romp! A family is seen numerous times at a McDonald's. Not to ruin most of story. Death walks a line of strange behavior.

Don't let my review stop you from reading. A fast paced read of short chills from an interesting collection.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a super quick read. Every story is different and keeps you entertained. I love the endings of all of the stories. You never get a complete ending, just an assumption. There is always an aspect left to the readers imagination.

I did feel the suspense could be made stronger or scarier. There are also places that the characters do not act very realistic. However, each story seems to have a hidden meaning and this is a wonderful detail.

A very enjoyable read.

http://reecaspieces.com

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this short story collection for review and I enjoyed it, even if I didn't find it particularly chilling. That may just be me, however, as very few books these days seem to have the power to give me goosebumps. CHILLS was, however, very well written and enjoyable and I appreciated that the author didn't try to use gore as a means of scaring her readers. Good old fashioned bump in the nights were to be had here in bite-sized pieces, and even if it doesn't scare you, they are fun and easy to read.

[Tamara Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short stories in this collection were really well written and I truly enjoyed reading each of them. Some of them were heartbreaking as in the case with Karma, but each were thought provoking and might not give you a horror movie type chill but it did make you think or raised the little hairs on the back of your neck after you from overthinking. It was very Bradbury-esque. One or 2 of them might even keep you up late at night as you let it simmer in your pysche but every single one of the short stories in Sahar Sabati's Chills was a pleasure to read. I would definitely recommend.

[Nicua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting and engaging collection of short stories. These tales were both intriguing and rather frightening at the same time, but written so skillfully and smoothly that you cannot help but be drawn in and wrapped up in the narrative. Short stories are not easy to write and that makes me appreciate Sahar's skill so much more as her writing appears effortless and clear. Be prepared to be engaged and taken on a thrilling, chilling ride! I am looking forward to more from this writer!

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.
This is a short story Collection. It has 7 stories in it. My personal favorites were the first 2. Double Double and The Mug Shot. The Mug Shot was my very favorite I could of read a whole book based on that one alone. There are quite a few typos in the book but only had to really try to figure out a couple of them. Not a bad read and really short one, if you only have a few hours to read grab this one.

[Euphonos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. The genre is far out of my dictionary but I must say, it is one of the great books articulated well enough to scare you; I read in broad day light with the television on; Thrilling enough and goose bumps back, The stories are short and easy to read with unexpected twists; Look forward to read more by his author.

[Jessica Kong · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Chills is a great collection of short stories written by Sahar Sabati. As soon as I finished the second page, I knew I had discovered another talented author. The stories are simple but thought provoking. There is not one story I enjoyed more. I loved them all! And so will you, just give Chills a try.

[Jeannie Holbrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a well written book. There is no blaring grammar, or spelling errors. The book is not confusing. The stories are smoothly written. For me they failed to stand up to the task at hand, give me chills. It was not suspenseful, creepy or any feeling of terror at all.
With all of the said it was still a good book. On a side note, I love the cover!

[Brittany Buchanan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written collection of short stories. While it is in the horror genre, it is more psychological than anything. The stories will play upon your fears, and make you shiver. I enjoyed the book. You just might, too!

[Guille Gardones]

interesting