What do you think?
Rate this book
The Book No One Should Open: Scary Stories Horror Anthology
Warning- These short stories will stay with you FOREVER! Kids can't put them down!
"When he heard sharp metal scratching at the wooden doorframe, his heart jumped into his throat. Will squeezed his eyes shut and ducked under his blanket. The scraping sound moved across the far wall, turned the corner, and continued toward his bed. As it traveled around the room, Will's pulse beat faster and faster.
The sound stopped right next to him."
Are you looking for scary stories? Dark, spooky tales of terror and supernatural horror? Ghost stories with suspense and thrills to scare your friends and family? Unexpected laughs and fun?
Welcome to The Book No One Should Open, a collection of twenty-seven original scary stories that will keep you turning pages far into the night. Each story brings something new to fear, whether it’s a vengeful spirit in your home, a curse that never lets you go, a lurking creature at your door, or a visitor inside your walls.
But that’s not all! With scores of hand-drawn illustrations to bring these nightmarish tales to life, horror lovers of all ages will scream with delight at the strange and terrible visions inside.
So grab a flashlight, find a cozy spot, and get ready to dive into a world of creepy creatures, haunted places, and unexpected twists. Are you brave enough to look upon the pages of The Book No One Should Open? Will you survive the illustrated horror within?
Check out the paperback with even more illustrations! It makes a wonderful gift for birthdays, Halloween, and Christmas! Please leave a book review, your opinion matters!
"When he heard sharp metal scratching at the wooden doorframe, his heart jumped into his throat. Will squeezed his eyes shut and ducked under his blanket. The scraping sound moved across the far wall, turned the corner, and continued toward his bed. As it traveled around the room, Will's pulse beat faster and faster.
The sound stopped right next to him."
Are you looking for scary stories? Dark, spooky tales of terror and supernatural horror? Ghost stories with suspense and thrills to scare your friends and family? Unexpected laughs and fun?
Welcome to The Book No One Should Open, a collection of twenty-seven original scary stories that will keep you turning pages far into the night. Each story brings something new to fear, whether it’s a vengeful spirit in your home, a curse that never lets you go, a lurking creature at your door, or a visitor inside your walls.
But that’s not all! With scores of hand-drawn illustrations to bring these nightmarish tales to life, horror lovers of all ages will scream with delight at the strange and terrible visions inside.
So grab a flashlight, find a cozy spot, and get ready to dive into a world of creepy creatures, haunted places, and unexpected twists. Are you brave enough to look upon the pages of The Book No One Should Open? Will you survive the illustrated horror within?
Check out the paperback with even more illustrations! It makes a wonderful gift for birthdays, Halloween, and Christmas! Please leave a book review, your opinion matters!
120 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2024
52 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 1, 2024
Go Ahead...Open It
The Book No One Should Open should honestly be opened by everyone. Whether for October preparations for Halloween, summer camp fire stories, or a random Thursday night at bedtime, these stories and their stunning illustrations, will give you just the right hit of the macabre. Poetry or prose, every entry enjoys a deft touch by the author. Always a question left unanswered. Always a possibility that something less obvious happened. Is that outcome the only choice?? I think not. Sure to be a favorite, check this one out!!!
The Book No One Should Open should honestly be opened by everyone. Whether for October preparations for Halloween, summer camp fire stories, or a random Thursday night at bedtime, these stories and their stunning illustrations, will give you just the right hit of the macabre. Poetry or prose, every entry enjoys a deft touch by the author. Always a question left unanswered. Always a possibility that something less obvious happened. Is that outcome the only choice?? I think not. Sure to be a favorite, check this one out!!!
October 29, 2024
Growing up, I was hooked on scary story anthologies like Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. These collections were staples at book fairs and a treasured find on the bookmobile. They were a masterclass in crafting just the right amount of suspense and terror for young readers, capturing that thrill of being scared while keeping you turning the page. Over time, though, the art of creating these spine-tingling collections seemed to fade away—until N.R. Evans stepped in and brought it back to life with The Book No One Should Open.
Evans captures the essence of what made those classic collections so unforgettable. The stories have a timeless quality that taps into the fears we all shared as kids: the feeling that something is watching, that shadows hold secrets, and that ordinary objects or places could be hiding something sinister. What makes this collection truly stand out is Evans’ willingness to go beyond safe scares. He’s not afraid to unsettle his audience, trusting that young readers can handle stories that leave them wide-eyed and a little uneasy long after the book is closed.
One story that continues to linger with me is Intelligent Creatures. The idea of seemingly ordinary animals that are much more aware and threatening than they should be is profoundly unnerving. It plays on the fear that something familiar could harbor malicious intentions, and Evans executes this with a level of subtlety that enhances the creepiness. This tale is a perfect example of his knack for pushing the boundaries of what scares young readers, offering an experience that’s not just thrilling but genuinely haunting.
Evans’ collection strikes that delicate balance between suspense and fear without ever feeling overdone or relying solely on shock value. Each story builds its own unique atmosphere and sense of unease, mixing supernatural elements with relatable situations that feel disturbingly possible. Evans crafts an anthology that feels like it could easily sit alongside the classic collections of my youth, yet with a fresh voice that makes it stand out.
Ultimately, The Book No One Should Open is a captivating collection that revives the art of spooky tales for a new generation. N.R. Evans masterfully captures the spirit of those classic anthologies while fearlessly pushing the envelope to keep modern readers on edge. This book is perfect for young horror fans and nostalgic adults alike—just don’t be surprised if some of these stories linger in your mind longer than you expected.
Evans captures the essence of what made those classic collections so unforgettable. The stories have a timeless quality that taps into the fears we all shared as kids: the feeling that something is watching, that shadows hold secrets, and that ordinary objects or places could be hiding something sinister. What makes this collection truly stand out is Evans’ willingness to go beyond safe scares. He’s not afraid to unsettle his audience, trusting that young readers can handle stories that leave them wide-eyed and a little uneasy long after the book is closed.
One story that continues to linger with me is Intelligent Creatures. The idea of seemingly ordinary animals that are much more aware and threatening than they should be is profoundly unnerving. It plays on the fear that something familiar could harbor malicious intentions, and Evans executes this with a level of subtlety that enhances the creepiness. This tale is a perfect example of his knack for pushing the boundaries of what scares young readers, offering an experience that’s not just thrilling but genuinely haunting.
Evans’ collection strikes that delicate balance between suspense and fear without ever feeling overdone or relying solely on shock value. Each story builds its own unique atmosphere and sense of unease, mixing supernatural elements with relatable situations that feel disturbingly possible. Evans crafts an anthology that feels like it could easily sit alongside the classic collections of my youth, yet with a fresh voice that makes it stand out.
Ultimately, The Book No One Should Open is a captivating collection that revives the art of spooky tales for a new generation. N.R. Evans masterfully captures the spirit of those classic anthologies while fearlessly pushing the envelope to keep modern readers on edge. This book is perfect for young horror fans and nostalgic adults alike—just don’t be surprised if some of these stories linger in your mind longer than you expected.
December 31, 2024
Scary Stories homage
This collection is an obvious homage to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series, including the style of illustrations, length of stories, varied structures, and telling the reader to jump scare their friends. Some of them are pretty spooky and some are quite random- this is bound to happen with 30ish stories. I read on KU so didn’t get to see all illustrations but the ones included in the ebook are phenomenal.
This collection is an obvious homage to the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series, including the style of illustrations, length of stories, varied structures, and telling the reader to jump scare their friends. Some of them are pretty spooky and some are quite random- this is bound to happen with 30ish stories. I read on KU so didn’t get to see all illustrations but the ones included in the ebook are phenomenal.
October 30, 2024
Amazing horror anthology! Instant classic!
I highly recommend this fantastic collection to anyone who loves scary stories! This beautifully written and illustrated book is full of creepy tales and poems that bring to mind Shel Silverstein and Alvin Schwartz. It's a new generation's scary stories to tell in the dark!
I highly recommend this fantastic collection to anyone who loves scary stories! This beautifully written and illustrated book is full of creepy tales and poems that bring to mind Shel Silverstein and Alvin Schwartz. It's a new generation's scary stories to tell in the dark!
May 13, 2025
Not scary
Read with ease because I wasn't even a bit spooked. You may be but I guess I've lived too long to be affected by children's stories.
Read with ease because I wasn't even a bit spooked. You may be but I guess I've lived too long to be affected by children's stories.
May 24, 2025
Do not read if you get scared
I like to read different spooky stories. Each time I picked it up to read it made me scared to turn the page.
I like to read different spooky stories. Each time I picked it up to read it made me scared to turn the page.
November 13, 2024
Pretty solid book, something id take with me to tell campfire stories to while camping , to be silly for adults or spooky and creep out some kids.
But regular reading reccomendation, this seems a little more to young adults, nothing wrong with that. But keep that in mind.
Check it out if your thinking of getting into horror and need a gateway spook
But regular reading reccomendation, this seems a little more to young adults, nothing wrong with that. But keep that in mind.
Check it out if your thinking of getting into horror and need a gateway spook
November 27, 2024
As an adult who loves horror, it can be challenging to find scary stories that are appropriate for my 11-year-old that I also want to read. This book hit the perfect balance - it was genuinely scary and thrilling, yet not overly intense or graphic.
We LOVE this book. The illustrations added an extra layer of suspense, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Even I, as the parent, found myself getting scared!
This is exactly the kind of horror story that fills a much-needed void for older kids and adults who want to experience the thrill of a good scare together. The author did an amazing job crafting a tale that appeals to a wide range of ages without sacrificing any of the scares.
I sincerely hope this author continues to produce more stories like this one. It's so rare to find horror that the whole family can enjoy, and this book hit that sweet spot perfectly. If you're looking for a wonderfully frightening read that the whole family can get into, I highly recommend giving this a try.
We LOVE this book. The illustrations added an extra layer of suspense, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Even I, as the parent, found myself getting scared!
This is exactly the kind of horror story that fills a much-needed void for older kids and adults who want to experience the thrill of a good scare together. The author did an amazing job crafting a tale that appeals to a wide range of ages without sacrificing any of the scares.
I sincerely hope this author continues to produce more stories like this one. It's so rare to find horror that the whole family can enjoy, and this book hit that sweet spot perfectly. If you're looking for a wonderfully frightening read that the whole family can get into, I highly recommend giving this a try.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews