13 has always been unlucky. But now it’s turned deadly…
Darkness has fallen. Real and unseen, evil is out there. Waiting. Watching. Biding its time. It might be your neighbor, your best friend—or something much, much worse. It might be the shadow itself. It will hunt you down when you least expect it. It will talk to you in the quiet hours of the morning and follow your footsteps when you’re alone. It’s chosen you…and it always gets what it wants.
13 dark tales await you. Ready to bring your worst childhood nightmares to life, to push you to the brink, and make you question your every decision…
The circus. Your beloved carnival rides. That mom and pop motel you pass every day on your way to work. They’ll never look innocent again. Because they’re not. No one and nothing can be trusted. Not even yourself.
Are you ready to take the ultimate dare? To spin the devil’s wheel?
"There are some fantastically strong stories between the covers such as Room 313, The Devils Daughter, The Virus and, my personal favourite This One’s Broken. I just think as an anthology, there were more weak stories than strong ones for me."
If you are looking for a scary there are plenty of stories that will keep you up until all hours of the night. I was excited to get my hands on a early copy of this anthology because I just love thrillers and horror stories and I've read a few of the authors in the past and enjoyed by experience. I was blown away and was pretty scared in quite a few of them. I will briefly summarize what I liked about each story, trying not to give away spoilers, and which one was my favorite.
Mechante Reine by Savannah Blevins This was a good story to kick things off. It read fast and was rather captivating. My favorite part of this story was Abram. He had a kind heart and it I felt connected to him and his relationship with Lake. It actually brought a few tears to my eyes in the end.
ROOM 313 by Thomas S. Flowers I was really excited to read this story. I have heard about Flowers horror writing ability and haven't got a chance to read his work yet. I was floored how quickly he invoked strong emotions inside of me. I will be moving his books to the top of my TBR now. My favorite part of his story was the end because I did not see that coming. It was shocking.
The Devil's Daughter by Marissa Farrar I enjoyed this story. It was different going in to a different country and culture. I really enjoyed the main character Erika because I understood why she was feeling the way she was feeling. My favorite part of this story was watching the little girl sleeping at the meeting center in the morning. It was a shocking moment and made me gasp.
Haverly Insane Asylum by Taylor Henderson Ok wow. There is just something creepy about an abandoned asylum and the secrets that it holds. Henderson transplants you to a very creepy one where there are no escapes. I thought this was extremely well done and I could easily imagine this being a movie. My favorite part was the ending and it was epic.
Anesthesia by D.A. Roach Now this was my favorite story. It captures your attention and it won't let you go. It has a subtle build up to horrifying ending. I am a fan of this author and have been for awhile so it was the first story I read. It made me want to read the rest of the stories because this one was just so good. I felt connected to the main character from the first moment and it made me laugh and it got my heart racing like I was running from the cops. My favorite part was in the basement. I can't say much more than that without spoiling it but it was fast paced and scary.
This One's Broken by Bradon Nave I have read some of Nave's work before so I was ready for some more of his twisted thoughts. This story did not disappoint. It had you hooked with no idea where it was going to go before you got there. I enjoyed not being able to guess. It was sick and twisted and a must read for any horror fan.
Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch I was intrigued from the start. I loved the concept of an abandoned amusement park coming to life again. There is just something creepy about that. Lynch takes you there and leaves you uncomfortable. My favorite part was the ending because I did not see that coming. I actually want more of this story because I'm hooked.
Rest in Peace? by Erin Lee Awww this was disturbing and interesting. I loved the different point of views. It made me laugh really hard after the first switch. It was interesting and kept you wondering what was going to happen. The whole situation that Lisa and Jeff were in was uncomfortable but I wanted to know more. It was done really well and my favorite part was that first switch to Jeff's point of view. It gave you a well rounded look at the situation.
The Virus: Prequel to AM13 Outbreak series by Samie Sands. I'm a huge dystopian fan. After reading this I need to get my hands on this series. It was a prequel to the series and it gave me exactly what I need to devour this series. It had a handful of point of views. It was just a touch of what I'm hoping to experience in the series. My favorite point of view was Nurse Leigh February 12th. I knew once I read this that it was going to trouble. I can't wait to read the series
The Six-Foot Ladder by Luke Swanson I was blown away by this story. It was an interesting take on wraiths. I liked it and it was unusually and sent chills up my spine. It was rather addicting because it took you on twists and turns that I didn't expect. My favorite part was when Dr Milt O'Connor was talking about death. It was creepy and disturbing but truthful. Overall, I really enjoyed this series and it flowed quickly.
The First of Thirteen by Sara Schoen This story gives you a up front look to abduction and kidnapping. It was horrifying and it actually made me cry. I felt so connected to the main character Kelly. I wanted her to win and get free. It was uncomfortable and story that I think needs to be told. My favorite part was when Garrett was introduced. It took everything to the next level. I want more of this story because it was intriguing.
The Challenge by Sophia Valentine A story about a circus will take your fear of it to the next level. It was twisted and grotesque. I loved it. It made me have a hard time falling asleep without the vivid images the author provided. I had to turn on a kid movie just to settle my mind. My favorite part was the House of Horrors. It was terrifying. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Mirror Man by Jackie Sonnenberg This story is seriously terrifying for any parent. It gives you a look at imaginary friends. It is a huge fear of mine that my child will start talking to an imaginary friend. It was terrifying for a parent and a interesting story. I really enjoyed it and the writing style. I look forward to reading more from this author.
A sinister collection of heart pounding stories. I was in the mood for terror and this anthology brought it. If you're looking for a happy ending you're not going to find it here. If you're looking to be frightened and sleep with the lights on then this is the book you are looking for. With each story I read my heart race and my breathing was shallow. This is a great compilation of stories to tell at a campfire or to terrorize your friends.
1. Méchante Reine by Savannah Blevins Set in 1802 a story of a poor girl and rich boy who are in love and willing to sacrifice their lives for each other and their town to rid of the witch that is wreaking havoc on them all. The love story is strong and selfless and it makes you worry more about their lives when you read about them wanting to take down the witch. Beautiful ending.
2. Room 313 by Thomas S. Flowers Ohhhh this one is creepy!! It took me for surprise!! It's about a man that checks into a hotel room after his life is in ruins. He then immediately checks out a whole new man. I found a new author that I want to read more from. I want to read more from with this story. Eerie!
3. The Devil's Daughter by Marissa Farrar Blogger Erika Porter travels to a remote Peruvian village to cover a story about a madness that had taken over. This goes from a beautiful story about a woman that wants to take care and protect a orphaned child to one of unexpected fright. I loved the twist at the end.
4. Haverly Insane Asylum by Taylor Henderson Ohhh boy! This story of a group of young friends that break into an old Insane Asylum seems to start off like the typical average teen horror movie but then towards the end it comes to light that not everything is exactly what you thought or expected. I really enjoyed this story! It blew my mind.
5. Anesthesia by D.A. Roach Yes! If you read only one story in this book, read this one. Mary just wanted a breast reduction and start her new career in a new town but when her plans for her surgery are derailed by others, she needs to figure out a way to escape a basement where there are so many demented plans for her. This was a paralyzing thriller that had me holding my breath and clenching my fists til the end and even after I felt the agitation of the story in me.
6. This One's Broken by Bradon Nave This story! Yes! A twisted family with their own morals and values want to fix the world of broken people. I needed more of this. He writes with so much heart and passion when building these characters that you root for them when they are actually hypocritical monsters.
7. Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch A amusement park closed after 10 years after a gruesome killing spree decides to reopen. Regan was only a child when it happened and that was the last day she had seen her mother. Wondering if her mother was a victim or the murderer in the tragic event, Regan decides to take her moms old job in hopes to piece it all together and remember what happened that day. Until tragedy strikes again.
8. Rest in Peace? by Erin Lee A story about a broken man waiting for the day he gets his assisted suicide. A wife who has been ready to let him go. But when they check into a haunted room and a ghost exposes their lies and thoughts things get eerie and odd. Very clever and well thought out. I also like that the story jumped POV between the husband and wife.
9. The Virus: Prequel to AM13 Outbreak Series by Samie Sands Ok this story is a great prequel. I mean I haven't read the series but now I want to! It's the beginning of the virus spreading into a zombie apocalypse but you get different POV all sorts of different people. It is very interesting and new way of thinking. I loved this introduction!
10. The Six-Foot Ladder by Luke Swanson 1934, Romona can see dead people,specters, but when her car breaks down in what appears to be a deserted town she learns why she has been seeing these "specters". This story had me curious as to what was going on. It was a puzzle of confusion but in a good intriguing way and only getting to the end of the story would help feed my curiosity.
11. The First of Thirteen by Sara Schoen This had to be the most real and scary sad story of them all. It is a kidnapping that goes on for years for a girl turned woman under the tormenting and violent actions of her captor. I have read kidnapping stories before but this one is one I wont forget.
12. The Challenge by Sophia Valentine Inside the haunted house of a circus, Carla had to endure each room of horrors. For a place full of fun and excitement, Carla was fighting for her life. No one in my family likes clowns or circuses and this story is the nightmare why we refuse to accept them anything other then terror.
13. Mirror Man by Jackie Sonnenber This last story is a clincher! It had me on the edge of my seat and I would snap at any of my family members if they interrupted me. A story of a girl and her imaginary friend. At first it seems so innocent and then gets more and more odd.
With 13: An Anthology of Horror and Dark Fiction, readers are given a variety of dark/horror stories to enjoy right before the Halloween season. As more of a dark reader, I naturally gravitated towards those, however enjoyed the "new to me” horror-type stories also.
1. Mechante Reine by Savannah Blevins- We kick off the Anthology with the evil Mechante Reine terrorizing a small town in 1802. We all have these folk tales passed down from generation to generation about the evil that lurks around us and this is a perfect example of how those can start.
2. ROOM 131 by Thomas S. Flowers- What in the world was that? This was probably the shortest read, yet the strangest. We get a wonderfully sad setup from Thomas S. Flowers and then BAM! Crazy ensues and the book is over. Again, these short stories were killing me. I wanted more from them as they are so good.
3. The Devil's Daughter by Marissa Farrar- Now I really liked this one! Kind of creepy and sad all in one. With a mix of cultures it was interesting to see how the strangers were going to navigate their way through the tribe without offending them or their cultures. Like the others, fantastic ending!
4. Haverly Insane Asylum by Taylor Henderson- Excellent little mind eff story if I’ve ever read one. Taylor Henderson packed quite a bit of drama and angst into a few pages. This one had me on the edge of my seat the whole time and at the end going what in the hell?? Again, I was left wanting so much more.
5. Anesthesia by D.A. Roach- Yikes, one of the main characters brought to life by D.A. Roach sent the creep meter straight to red to me. For her boss, he sure had lots of interest in what she was doing and that would have sent me heading right for the hills and not looking back. Not as dark and horrific as some, yet still a little ditty to make you stop and think.
6. This One's Broken by Brandon Nave- This one may have been my hard limit and I read some dark books, but again, not horror so to you horror fans, this one was probably a walk in the park. Just as Brandon Nave intended, I thought when we came upon Billy and Savannah, there was going to be a pretty common situation going on, however I was wrong. So, so wrong. Set in 1972, this story is crazy and in their own minds, they were ridding the world of bad ones and becoming the bad ones at the same time.
7. Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch- I’m still not sure if I understand Ricochet, however thought the storyline and execution were fabulous. Nothing like a legendary theme park coming back to life after ten years. The story surrounding the park’s closing rounded out the angst of this story perfectly.
8. Rest in Peace? by Erin Lee- Hm, not too sure about this one. It was very short and when I was done, it was almost as if I needed to reread it because it left me feeling confused. Not my favorite of the bunch.
9. The Virus: Prequel to AM13 Outbreak Series by Samie Sands- Again, LOTS packed into only a few pages. I found this story very interesting, yet a little hard to keep track of all of the characters. However, I did like the introductions of everybody and how they are involved or affected by the outbreak. This is a prequel and I would be interested in continuing the story.
10. The Six Foot Ladder by Luke Swanson- Intriguing little ditty. Reminded me of the movie The Others with Nicole Kidman. It's amazing that these authors can create such vivid stories so quickly. It’s a talent I envy and this is one of my top favs in the anthology.
11. The First of Thirteen by Sara Schoen- Ugh now this is the disadvantage to these abbreviated stories, I wanted more from this one! The storyline was great, very dark, however lacked details to make it that much more and the ending...yikes!
12. The Challenge by Sophia Valentine- Creepy and I’m so glad I stopped liking the circus long ago. Nothing like the mind playing tricks on you. This compressed story was perfect, it felt as if it had a beginning, middle and end even in as few pages as it was.
13. Mirror Man by Jackie Sonnenberg- Oh dang, it was almost like saving the best for the last! I loved Mirror Man! I was so freaked out reading this little girl’s story. A nice way to round out the anthology.
This anthology is a collection of chilling and creepy tales. Included in this assemblage of stories are mysteries, spine tingling suspense, ghosts tales, zombies (YES!) and so much more. The nice thing about reading an anthology is that there is always at least one story you really love, but with 13 there were several that I couldn't get enough of. A few of my favorites are The Virus: Prequel to the AM 13 Outbreak Series by author Samie Sands. I LOVE all things zombie and of course her work appealed to me instantly.
The Devil's Daughter by Marissa Farrer is one of the creepiest stories in this book. She raised the creepy factor to a new level. I still get chills just thinking about it.
Anesthesia by D.A. Roach has me looking over my shoulder each time I walk out my door. And the ending, OMG.
Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch is AWESOME! I seriously loved it!
Those are just a few that stand out to me. Each story is unique and everyone will have their own favorites.
This anthology is perfect for anyone who loves horror and darker stories. Be prepared to have goosebumps and feel sinister forces at work. Perfect for the Halloween season!
If you are looking for a scary there are plenty of stories that will keep you up until all hours of the night. I was excited to get my hands on a early copy of this anthology because I just love thrillers and horror stories and I've read a few of the authors in the past and enjoyed by experience. I was blown away and was pretty scared in quite a few of them. I will briefly summarize what I liked about each story, trying not to give away spoilers, and which one was my favorite.
Mechante Reine by Savannah Blevins This was a good story to kick things off. It read fast and was rather captivating. My favorite part of this story was Abram. He had a kind heart and it I felt connected to him and his relationship with Lake. It actually brought a few tears to my eyes in the end.
ROOM 313 by Thomas S. Flowers I was really excited to read this story. I have heard about Flowers horror writing ability and haven't got a chance to read his work yet. I was floored how quickly he invoked strong emotions inside of me. I will be moving his books to the top of my TBR now. My favorite part of his story was the end because I did not see that coming. It was shocking.
The Devil's Daughter by Marissa Farrar I enjoyed this story. It was different going in to a different country and culture. I really enjoyed the main character Erika because I understood why she was feeling the way she was feeling. My favorite part of this story was watching the little girl sleeping at the meeting center in the morning. It was a shocking moment and made me gasp.
Haverly Insane Asylum by Taylor Henderson Ok wow. There is just something creepy about an abandoned asylum and the secrets that it holds. Henderson transplants you to a very creepy one where there are no escapes. I thought this was extremely well done and I could easily imagine this being a movie. My favorite part was the ending and it was epic.
Anesthesia by D.A. Roach Now this was my favorite story. It captures your attention and it won't let you go. It has a subtle build up to horrifying ending. I am a fan of this author and have been for awhile so it was the first story I read. It made me want to read the rest of the stories because this one was just so good. I felt connected to the main character from the first moment and it made me laugh and it got my heart racing like I was running from the cops. My favorite part was in the basement. I can't say much more than that without spoiling it but it was fast paced and scary.
This One's Broken by Bradon Nave I have read some of Nave's work before so I was ready for some more of his twisted thoughts. This story did not disappoint. It had you hooked with no idea where it was going to go before you got there. I enjoyed not being able to guess. It was sick and twisted and a must read for any horror fan.
Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch I was intrigued from the start. I loved the concept of an abandoned amusement park coming to life again. There is just something creepy about that. Lynch takes you there and leaves you uncomfortable. My favorite part was the ending because I did not see that coming. I actually want more of this story because I'm hooked.
Rest in Peace? by Erin Lee Awww this was disturbing and interesting. I loved the different point of views. It made me laugh really hard after the first switch. It was interesting and kept you wondering what was going to happen. The whole situation that Lisa and Jeff were in was uncomfortable but I wanted to know more. It was done really well and my favorite part was that first switch to Jeff's point of view. It gave you a well rounded look at the situation.
The Virus: Prequel to AM13 Outbreak series by Samie Sands. I'm a huge dystopian fan. After reading this I need to get my hands on this series. It was a prequel to the series and it gave me exactly what I need to devour this series. It had a handful of point of views. It was just a touch of what I'm hoping to experience in the series. My favorite point of view was Nurse Leigh February 12th. I knew once I read this that it was going to trouble. I can't wait to read the series
The Six-Foot Ladder by Luke Swanson I was blown away by this story. It was an interesting take on wraiths. I liked it and it was unusually and sent chills up my spine. It was rather addicting because it took you on twists and turns that I didn't expect. My favorite part was when Dr Milt O'Connor was talking about death. It was creepy and disturbing but truthful. Overall, I really enjoyed this series and it flowed quickly.
The First of Thirteen by Sara Schoen This story gives you a up front look to abduction and kidnapping. It was horrifying and it actually made me cry. I felt so connected to the main character Kelly. I wanted her to win and get free. It was uncomfortable and story that I think needs to be told. My favorite part was when Garrett was introduced. It took everything to the next level. I want more of this story because it was intriguing.
The Challenge by Sophia Valentine A story about a circus will take your fear of it to the next level. It was twisted and grotesque. I loved it. It made me have a hard time falling asleep without the vivid images the author provided. I had to turn on a kid movie just to settle my mind. My favorite part was the House of Horrors. It was terrifying. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
Mirror Man by Jackie Sonnenberg This story is seriously terrifying for any parent. It gives you a look at imaginary friends. It is a huge fear of mine that my child will start talking to an imaginary friend. It was terrifying for a parent and a interesting story. I really enjoyed it and the writing style. I look forward to reading more from this author.
a collection of short horror stories by different authors. an absolutely fantastic read with brilliant characters. I really enjoyed this book. I had some favourites but my most favourite would be the bad man by marissa farrar. they were all very good. 5*.
Wow, did this one make my top Halloween read! I could barely sleep at night after all these dark, haunting stories, and that’s a wonderful compliment to all these amazing authors who created such an authentic setting in each of their stories. Reading story after story I was delighted to discover that this anthology included all of my favorite themes: an abandoned asylum, a sinister travelling circus, a rural family of sadistic killers, zombie epidemic, ghosts haunting hotels and mirrors; you name it – “13” has it! The stories that impressed me the most were probably the ones that included elements of psychology; these kinds of stories that play mind games with you have always been my favorites. So I’d like to single out “Ricochet” here, where the protagonist, a young girl whose mother disappeared under mysterious circumstances after tragic events in an adventure park, can’t differentiate dreams from reality and slowly comes to discover what really happened during that gory night. Another one, “Haverly Insane Asylum,” in which a group of teens decided to spend a night in an abandoned mental hospital that was known to drive people stepping through its doors insane, also had quite an unexpected ending that I absolutely loved. And last but not least, “The Challenge,” in which a young girl finds herself trapped in a horror house of a travelling circus, and she has to face her ultimate fears in order to save her little brother. All these stories kept me on the edge of my seat and I definitely see myself re-reading them in the future. Outstanding job!
What an amazing collection of horror stories! I am an avid horror fan, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one of these authors' interpretations of the genre. I can honestly say that this was the best horror anthology/book I have ever read. I usually stick to the movies since they tend to be scarier than books in my opinion. However, 13 blew my expectations out of the water. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, waiting to read what would happen next. I especially liked the stories written by D.A. Roach, Bradon Nave, and Carissa Lynch. All three of these were well-written and also majorly creeped me out, which is a good thing in this case! Congrats to all the authors who participated! This is most certainly a horror triumph!
Brilliant! The compliation of these Authors are amazing. Each one told a different horrifying, creepy, spine tingling tale that will make you read them time and again. Being released prior to Halloween was well planned. I received as ARC voluntarily to review. I will keep this series in my library.
This was a first anthology for me. All of the stories were pretty good!! Some better than others but they all kept me wanting more from each author! I am glad I got this book when I did around Halloween time.
Brilliant collection of spooky tales which I have dipped in and out of between other books. Plenty of dark tales, some more horrific than others, with many a twist and turn, definitely read with the lights on!
I love stories that are scary due to mystery, suspense, paranormal, or supernatural reasons, and not just in your face blood and gore.. These stories were wonderful that way. There was one exception to this, as one story read like it was written by somebody drunk; the characters names changed along with the storyline, and after multiple times trying to go back and re-read pages to try and make sense, I gave up. This was the only bad story though, and the others more than made up for it.
13 Great Stories to peek your interest. Each one written by a different Author. Each one unique. I really enjoyed reading this Anthologhy. Some will shivers up your spine .
I loved the amazing collection of genres in this collection. When you finished one story and "flipped the page" you never knew that to expect. Some of the stories should have been books because I wanted to keep on going.
I just finished reading 13: An Anthology of Horror and Dark Fiction. This was one of the horror anthologies I got on sale from Amazon for my kindle. . This was a decent collection of short stories, with everything from killer clowns to serial killing families. I had not previously heard of any of the authors included, but plan on checking out some of then, especially D.A. Roach, Samie Sands and Sophia Valentine. For a quick little series of stories to whet your appetite, this is not a bad collection. . My rating: 3.5/5 stars
Anthologies, in my experience, are hit and miss. There may be a few really good stories and a few not so great. Sometimes I think stories are added just to pad the page numbers.
Luckily this collection is tops from start to finish. There are a wide variety of sub genres included, but they are all well written, engaging, and shiver inducing! Of course, as with any anthology, I had my favorites out of the bunch but there isn't one that I felt was "weak" or "filler". I recommend you pick this up for a few hours of scares and suspense!
I love horror and this anthology has it. If you want to be freaked out, just read this. Everyone's story in the anthology was amazing, but I have my favorites. One of which is Carissa Lynch, but that's not to take away from these other talented writers. Each author brought a different element of horror to this anthology. It's a must read.
The 1st short story in here that gave me the creeps was Haverly Insane Asylum by Taylor Henderson. I was home alone during the day and got freaked out by the wind blowing the blinds upstairs causing it to make noise.
Ricochet by Carissa Ann Lynch is well worth a mention too, so messed up! Completely unexpected.
The Challenge by S. Valentine was something else! I will never look at a Circus/Carnival the same way again.
All in all this whole box set was great! I only skipped over 1 short story. That's pretty darn good for a 13 story box set. Perfect reading for fall/Halloween time.
The Virus: Prequel to AM13 Outbreak series by Samie Sands. This is an awesome prequel that is included in this book. If you are a fan of dystopian books, then search out this author. I was kept sitting on the edge of my seat flipping the pages as fast as I could. I was completely absorbed into the book and this part of it. Looking forward to reading a lot more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a really fast paced, fun, and sometimes scary set of stories. Overall I enjoyed all of them. Some of my favorites were from D.A. Roach, her's was very realistic, so it made it a lot more believable and scary. Brandon Nave's was fun. You thought it was going one way then it wasn't what it seemed. I also really liked Carrisa Lynch's and Taylor Henderson's.
I feel like I'm being a bit generous with giving this collection 2 stars. I really didn't care for the stories and was disappointed in the way the majority of them ended.