In a world where so many dark things go bump in the night, terror awaits around every corner as these authors take horror stories to the next level. Discover ghosts, demons, and your worst nightmares. Read at your own risk.
Featured stories by C.L. Hart, Mae Thorn, S.E. Reed, Kristen Argyres, Barend Nieuwstraten III, Demi Michelle Schwartz, Adele Liles, C.L. Storm, Benjamin Kurt Unsworth, Desirae Gracyn, Rob Nisbet, Anwen Redlake, Kat Craig, Gabriella Balcolm, Lianne Robinson, David O'Mahony, Andrew J. Lucas, Binod Dawadi, Daniel DiQuinzio, Arwyn Sherman, Stephen Johnson, Kelly Barker, and J.E. Feldman.
When not penning the next novel, J.E. Feldman focuses on mentoring authors and raising money for charity. The literature world is merely one facet of her life. Feldman haunts car shows, anime conventions, medieval fairs, and whatever else catches her attention.
She enjoys road trips ripe with history, crocheting blankets for the homeless, and can be found reading in cramped bookstores.
I'm the author of "Dessert" in this anthology, so if that affects your opinion of my review, you've been warned.
First of all, Jade and the Dragon Soul Press did an amazing job with the turn-around time on this charity anthology. Submissions were due December 31st, 2024 and the book published January, 13th 2025. Proceeds go toward victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton.
I caught a few distracting typos throughout and a character's name kept changing in one story, but overall, Infernal Delights is a good mix of horror and its subgenres from authors around the world: psychological, slasher, supernatural, Lovecraftian, post-apocalyptic, and good old-fashioned folklore. Some subgenres don’t really resonate with me, but I definitely had some favorites!
"Let Us In" by Adele Liles - I adored the psychological horror. "Heart's Desire" by C.L. Storm - Chef's kiss. I knew exactly where this story was going and loved it. "A Light at the Window" by Rob Nisbet - An interesting mix of tragic and creepy. "How It Ended" by Lianne Robinson - I expected this to be a natural disaster horror because of the reason for this charity anthology and the story setup, but boy was I wrong. The end made me chuckle because it reminded me of a certain movie. "In the Depths of Summer, They Lie in Wait" by Arwyn Sherman - Old folk horrors in the modern day.
Infernal Delights is a charity anthology to raise money to help victims of the 2024 hurricanes in the Southeastern U.S. But it also is a darn good collection of horror stories. Some of my favorites include:
- "Flesh in the Marsh" by S.E. Reed. A Florida woman's wild night at a dive bar gets a little TOO wild! - "Dessert" by Kristen Argyres. A dinner date with a suave gentleman takes a terrifying turn. Might want to check the menu next time! - "The Garden of Terrors" by Demi Michelle Schwartz. This well-written story makes me want to pass on growing tomatoes next summer. - "Let Us In" by Adele Liles. "Things that go bump in the night" is a great concept for a horror story, and this one builds the suspense so well. - "Join or Die" by Desirae Gracyn. Trapped with a killer in a nightclub - and things get even scarier! - "In the Depths of Summer, They Lie in Wait" by Arwyn Sherman. This story gave me the chills. It employs ancient terrors - the type you find in folklore or mythology - but in a contemporary setting, and does so with great effect. - "How it Ended" by Lianne Robinson. An end-of-the-world horror story - and a good one!