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Halloween Carnival
Halloween Carnival Volume 3
Kelley Armstrong, Kate Maruyama, Michael McBride, Taylor Grant, and Greg Chapman unleash the unsettled spirits of the past in five frightening stories collected by celebrated editor, author, and horror guru Brian James Freeman.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
The kids in Franklin don’t ask questions. Each Halloween, one of them disappears into the forest. Dale promised his mother he’d never go into the woods alone. But the kids in Franklin also lie.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
The Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Cemetery used to be ours. Now, without Jasmine, it’s only right that I go one last time in her honor—before I let her go for good. . . .
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
Pine Springs, Colorado, has prospered for generations by honoring its traditions and its promises. Then one man refuses to do his civic duty—and the price he must pay is fatally steep.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
an irrational fear of Halloween. an irrational fear of ghosts. For Anne, these terrors are more rational than she knows.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Every year, one little boy wearing a grotesque Frankenstein mask comes knocking at Gerald’s door. Gerald has always managed to avoid him . . . until this year.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
The kids in Franklin don’t ask questions. Each Halloween, one of them disappears into the forest. Dale promised his mother he’d never go into the woods alone. But the kids in Franklin also lie.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
The Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Cemetery used to be ours. Now, without Jasmine, it’s only right that I go one last time in her honor—before I let her go for good. . . .
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
Pine Springs, Colorado, has prospered for generations by honoring its traditions and its promises. Then one man refuses to do his civic duty—and the price he must pay is fatally steep.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
an irrational fear of Halloween. an irrational fear of ghosts. For Anne, these terrors are more rational than she knows.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Every year, one little boy wearing a grotesque Frankenstein mask comes knocking at Gerald’s door. Gerald has always managed to avoid him . . . until this year.
141 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 17, 2017
44 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Brian James Freeman
100 books149 followersBrian James Freeman sold his first short story when he was fourteen years old and now writes full-time thanks to the support of his patrons on Patreon. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, three kids, a German Shorthaired Pointer, and an English Pointer. More books are on the way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
October 3, 2017
Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.
Nothing here raised my hackles or made my thumbs prickle, but it's a nice Halloween collection. I did appreciate the gruesome image that author Greg Chapman laid on me with his notion of mutilated pumpkins sitting on porches, smiling their horrible smiles.
Nothing here raised my hackles or made my thumbs prickle, but it's a nice Halloween collection. I did appreciate the gruesome image that author Greg Chapman laid on me with his notion of mutilated pumpkins sitting on porches, smiling their horrible smiles.
October 23, 2017
Creepier than the last book, there's something in here for almost everyone. Whether you like your stories supernatural or not, gory or not graphic at all. They're all dark but different. One or two even has a lesson in there somewhere. I enjoyed some more than others, but appreciated each of the five stories. These are great books for quick spooky reads in October.
The Way Lost
One kid in Franklin disappears every Halloween night. It's expected. It's normal. They are seen near the woods before they disappear forever. You'd think that would make young Dale stay away from those trees...
My thoughts: Might be my favorite in the book. Quick and unnerving, just what I was looking for.
La Calavera
Two friends always visit the Hollywood Cemetery for Dia De Los Muertos. Trish was always so happy that Jasmine included her in her family's tradition... but what is she to do now that Jasmine is gone?
My thoughts: Dark and creepy, very unique.
The Devil's Due
The town of Pine Springs in Colorado has been prosperous for a long time, untouched by the economic problems other cities have been plagued by. They're not getting that for free. Now it's time for Thom to make a sacrifice... but now that it's personal, he's not so sure.
My thoughts: Slow creep. Kinda disliked the main character, but that made it interesting. Watch for the lesson to be learned...
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness
Anne's fear of Halloween started long ago. She's seen so much death in her life... always on the last day of October. One day, it will be her turn.
My thoughts: Super strong start, the crazy ending lost me a little. It did manage to surprise me, though.
The Last Night of October
Gerald has been haunted by Halloween for many years. Every year, a dead boy comes to his door. Every year, he manages to ignore him and survive the night. This year, he's coming in.
Very original, but a little too slow for me in a book of short stories. This is the longest in the book.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
The Way Lost
One kid in Franklin disappears every Halloween night. It's expected. It's normal. They are seen near the woods before they disappear forever. You'd think that would make young Dale stay away from those trees...
My thoughts: Might be my favorite in the book. Quick and unnerving, just what I was looking for.
La Calavera
Two friends always visit the Hollywood Cemetery for Dia De Los Muertos. Trish was always so happy that Jasmine included her in her family's tradition... but what is she to do now that Jasmine is gone?
My thoughts: Dark and creepy, very unique.
The Devil's Due
The town of Pine Springs in Colorado has been prosperous for a long time, untouched by the economic problems other cities have been plagued by. They're not getting that for free. Now it's time for Thom to make a sacrifice... but now that it's personal, he's not so sure.
My thoughts: Slow creep. Kinda disliked the main character, but that made it interesting. Watch for the lesson to be learned...
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness
Anne's fear of Halloween started long ago. She's seen so much death in her life... always on the last day of October. One day, it will be her turn.
My thoughts: Super strong start, the crazy ending lost me a little. It did manage to surprise me, though.
The Last Night of October
Gerald has been haunted by Halloween for many years. Every year, a dead boy comes to his door. Every year, he manages to ignore him and survive the night. This year, he's coming in.
Very original, but a little too slow for me in a book of short stories. This is the longest in the book.
I received a copy of this book from Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.
October 28, 2017
🎃 Horrificent Halloween Book! 🎃
N.B. Horrificent is totally a word (at least it is in my world and it's my review so you're in my world now whether you like it or not) and should be imagined as a unique blend of horrific and magnificent.
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 is the third of five volumes of short stories being released in time for Halloween. While I promise you I know how to count I didn't feel like reading something the length of a novella when I started Volume 2 and then got sucked into these stories.
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this story. It was short but grabbed me from the first sentence - "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." Children in Franklin know not to go near the forest on Halloween night. Dale, however, can't help himself. He watches at the edge of the forest, hoping to solve the mystery of how Franklin's children lose their way, a mystery no one talks about. The creepy atmosphere in this story and the enticing dread had me wanting to sit by the edge of the forest to dare myself to uncover what was really happening to the children of this town. I need to read more by this author!
La Calavera by Kate Maruyama - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trish works hard on her calavera for this year's Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. She attended each year with her roommate of five years, Jasmine (pronounced Yasmeen). On the day of the Festival Trish receives a phone call at work from Hector, who is supposed to still be in jail. This is a tale of binge-watching, waffles, family, obsession and letting go. I worked out how this story was going to play out fairly early but I still really enjoyed it.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Building the initial dread into full blown panic and then hovering around desperation for the rest of the story, this one blew me away. Taking place in Pine Springs, Colorado, this town was founded in 1867 and has a long history of prosperity. Huddled in their ranch on the evening of 30 October, Thom and Tammy silently wait, hoping against hope that this isn't their year. Their daughter and son are asleep upstairs, unaware of the danger that infiltrates their postcard perfect community this night every year. This year there's a bloody handprint on the Martin's door and soon the mayor and chief of police will be coming to collect Thom so he can do his duty. I'm going to be checking out this author's other work for sure.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trigger Warnings for content related to mental illness and suicide.
Anne has phasmophobia (fear of ghosts) and samhainophobia (fear of Halloween), and with good reason. Panic attacks and phobias have contributed to the breakdown of Anne's previous relationships so she is understandably terrified of telling the new love of her life, Evan, of her crippling fears. But this year her haunting starts early. I enjoyed the buildup to Halloween and the increased fear Anne faces. I loved the initial twist but the final wrap up felt a tad rushed.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gerald sits in his wheelchair, oxygen mask affixed trying to deliver its breath to his emphysema affected lungs, watching the front door. He keeps watch every Halloween night until dawn, waiting for it to come. It comes every Halloween without fail. This Halloween Gerald can't avoid it. This novella started with such promise but I found a key component of the story implausible. It jarred me out of the lovely flow I was in and I never got my momentum back.
If you haven't read this story, please don't view the spoiler as it will wreck the mystery of the story for you.
My favourites in this collection were The Way Lost and The Devil's Due. I think The Devil's Due may have won in the photo finish but both stories had me taking note of who wrote them so I can explore their work further.
The overall theme that runs through these stories is that things are not always what they seem and while I'd expect this in Halloween tales, there's bloodshed in each of them. While I've only read two of the five volumes so far I much preferred this one overall than Volume 1. I loved that even after working out that all of these stories had elements where things were not as they seemed, there were still some where I didn't pick up on the twist until after it happened.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
N.B. Horrificent is totally a word (at least it is in my world and it's my review so you're in my world now whether you like it or not) and should be imagined as a unique blend of horrific and magnificent.
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 is the third of five volumes of short stories being released in time for Halloween. While I promise you I know how to count I didn't feel like reading something the length of a novella when I started Volume 2 and then got sucked into these stories.
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I absolutely loved this story. It was short but grabbed me from the first sentence - "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." Children in Franklin know not to go near the forest on Halloween night. Dale, however, can't help himself. He watches at the edge of the forest, hoping to solve the mystery of how Franklin's children lose their way, a mystery no one talks about. The creepy atmosphere in this story and the enticing dread had me wanting to sit by the edge of the forest to dare myself to uncover what was really happening to the children of this town. I need to read more by this author!
La Calavera by Kate Maruyama - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trish works hard on her calavera for this year's Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. She attended each year with her roommate of five years, Jasmine (pronounced Yasmeen). On the day of the Festival Trish receives a phone call at work from Hector, who is supposed to still be in jail. This is a tale of binge-watching, waffles, family, obsession and letting go. I worked out how this story was going to play out fairly early but I still really enjoyed it.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Building the initial dread into full blown panic and then hovering around desperation for the rest of the story, this one blew me away. Taking place in Pine Springs, Colorado, this town was founded in 1867 and has a long history of prosperity. Huddled in their ranch on the evening of 30 October, Thom and Tammy silently wait, hoping against hope that this isn't their year. Their daughter and son are asleep upstairs, unaware of the danger that infiltrates their postcard perfect community this night every year. This year there's a bloody handprint on the Martin's door and soon the mayor and chief of police will be coming to collect Thom so he can do his duty. I'm going to be checking out this author's other work for sure.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trigger Warnings for content related to mental illness and suicide.
Anne has phasmophobia (fear of ghosts) and samhainophobia (fear of Halloween), and with good reason. Panic attacks and phobias have contributed to the breakdown of Anne's previous relationships so she is understandably terrified of telling the new love of her life, Evan, of her crippling fears. But this year her haunting starts early. I enjoyed the buildup to Halloween and the increased fear Anne faces. I loved the initial twist but the final wrap up felt a tad rushed.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gerald sits in his wheelchair, oxygen mask affixed trying to deliver its breath to his emphysema affected lungs, watching the front door. He keeps watch every Halloween night until dawn, waiting for it to come. It comes every Halloween without fail. This Halloween Gerald can't avoid it. This novella started with such promise but I found a key component of the story implausible. It jarred me out of the lovely flow I was in and I never got my momentum back.
If you haven't read this story, please don't view the spoiler as it will wreck the mystery of the story for you.
My favourites in this collection were The Way Lost and The Devil's Due. I think The Devil's Due may have won in the photo finish but both stories had me taking note of who wrote them so I can explore their work further.
The overall theme that runs through these stories is that things are not always what they seem and while I'd expect this in Halloween tales, there's bloodshed in each of them. While I've only read two of the five volumes so far I much preferred this one overall than Volume 1. I loved that even after working out that all of these stories had elements where things were not as they seemed, there were still some where I didn't pick up on the twist until after it happened.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley (thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for the opportunity) in exchange for honest feedback.
October 6, 2017
3.5/5*
HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: Volume Three, contains five new stories perfect for the Autumn season. This anthology had some very strong stories, in my opinion, and only one that didn't work as well for me, in terms of its execution.
My personal favorite would have to be Michael McBride's, "The Devil's Due". This story hit all the right notes: a small-town community, well kept secrets, mental as well as physical terror, and even the weather kept with the isolated feeling.
Kelly Armstrong's, "The Way Lost", is a captivating tale about a town where disappearances at Halloween are simply . . . overlooked . . . This one kept me enthralled until the very end.
Kate Maruyama's, "La Calavera", is a poignant tale of loss, love, and the keeping of traditions. ". . . Sometimes, no matter how much we feel a thing, want a thing, . . . some things were never really meant to be ours . . ."
Taylor Grant's, "A Thousand Rooms of Darkness" had some great mental imagery, but seemed to take a while to get to any of the real action.
Greg Chapman's, "The Last Night of October", had a good concept and some interesting characters. However, I think this would have worked better in a shorter format, as much of the dialog seemed repetitive and unnecessary. The main idea painted a nice visual, but could have easily been introduced sooner in the narrative.
A strong selection of stories revolving around Halloween, with something that is sure to appeal to all horror enthusiasts.
Recommended!
HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: Volume Three, contains five new stories perfect for the Autumn season. This anthology had some very strong stories, in my opinion, and only one that didn't work as well for me, in terms of its execution.
My personal favorite would have to be Michael McBride's, "The Devil's Due". This story hit all the right notes: a small-town community, well kept secrets, mental as well as physical terror, and even the weather kept with the isolated feeling.
Kelly Armstrong's, "The Way Lost", is a captivating tale about a town where disappearances at Halloween are simply . . . overlooked . . . This one kept me enthralled until the very end.
Kate Maruyama's, "La Calavera", is a poignant tale of loss, love, and the keeping of traditions. ". . . Sometimes, no matter how much we feel a thing, want a thing, . . . some things were never really meant to be ours . . ."
Taylor Grant's, "A Thousand Rooms of Darkness" had some great mental imagery, but seemed to take a while to get to any of the real action.
Greg Chapman's, "The Last Night of October", had a good concept and some interesting characters. However, I think this would have worked better in a shorter format, as much of the dialog seemed repetitive and unnecessary. The main idea painted a nice visual, but could have easily been introduced sooner in the narrative.
A strong selection of stories revolving around Halloween, with something that is sure to appeal to all horror enthusiasts.
Recommended!
October 19, 2017
Review copy
During the month of October 2017, Brian James Freeman and the folks at Hydra, have gotten together to present a total of twenty-five Halloween tales of horror from twenty-five of the best genre writers working today. Every Tuesday during October there will be a new volume in the Halloween Carnival anthology series.
Volume three is a solid entry in this series and is well worth your time this Halloween reading season.
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong - A delightfully disturbing story with a killer opening line. "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." The truth makes this tale even more chilling.
Calavera by Kate Maruyama - A Calavera is a representation of a human skull used in the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Trish makes one of these skulls to honor her friend Jasmine, but not everyone is happy about her decision.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride - A wonderfully horrifying story of an annual sacrifice a town has been making ever since its inception and how one man defies the ritual and the consequences that follow. Great storytelling.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant - A terrifically imaginative and original story of a woman who suffers from phasmophobia (a fear of ghosts) and samhainophobia (a fear of Halloween). The truth is even more frightening. My favorite story in this collection.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman - Greg is an Australian artist and Horror writer, who grew up in a world without Halloween. It's true, in Australia, Halloween just never caught on. No trick-or-treating, no costumes, no Halloween. But, Greg's a horror writer and since Halloween is nearly synonymous with Horror, he's done his homework and the result is this gem of a novella about events that took place and continue to take place on The Last Night of October.
Recommended and looking forward to Volume Four in the series.
Halloween Carnival Volume Three is published by Hydra, a division of Random House, and is available as an ebook.
During the month of October 2017, Brian James Freeman and the folks at Hydra, have gotten together to present a total of twenty-five Halloween tales of horror from twenty-five of the best genre writers working today. Every Tuesday during October there will be a new volume in the Halloween Carnival anthology series.
Volume three is a solid entry in this series and is well worth your time this Halloween reading season.
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong - A delightfully disturbing story with a killer opening line. "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." The truth makes this tale even more chilling.
Calavera by Kate Maruyama - A Calavera is a representation of a human skull used in the Mexican celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Trish makes one of these skulls to honor her friend Jasmine, but not everyone is happy about her decision.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride - A wonderfully horrifying story of an annual sacrifice a town has been making ever since its inception and how one man defies the ritual and the consequences that follow. Great storytelling.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant - A terrifically imaginative and original story of a woman who suffers from phasmophobia (a fear of ghosts) and samhainophobia (a fear of Halloween). The truth is even more frightening. My favorite story in this collection.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman - Greg is an Australian artist and Horror writer, who grew up in a world without Halloween. It's true, in Australia, Halloween just never caught on. No trick-or-treating, no costumes, no Halloween. But, Greg's a horror writer and since Halloween is nearly synonymous with Horror, he's done his homework and the result is this gem of a novella about events that took place and continue to take place on The Last Night of October.
Recommended and looking forward to Volume Four in the series.
Halloween Carnival Volume Three is published by Hydra, a division of Random House, and is available as an ebook.
October 27, 2017
3.5/5 stars
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 consists of the following stories:
1. THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
2. LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
3. THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
4. A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
5. THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
This volume includes five short stories by five different authors. All of the stories are about Halloween or they take place on Halloween.
One of my favorite authors is Kelley Armstrong so I was anxious to grab this Volume of spooky stories.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
This story was about a boy named Dale who lives in Franklin. Every Halloween a kid in Franklin disappears. This story wasn't bad. It was short, but great to get a new Kelley Armstrong story regardless of the length.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
This story was about a woman, her roommate Jasmine and a cemetery. This story was really creepy.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
This story was about a town with a secret. And what a father will do to protect his family. This story was a good read.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
This story was about a woman named Anne who has panic attacks and a bunch of phobias. Terrible and crazy things have happened on Halloween. I liked this story the best until the ending.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
This was a creepy story about an old man named Gerald. He is super afraid of someone who comes knocking on his door every Halloween.
Overall, these stories really put me in the mood for Halloween.
Thanks to netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for allowing me to read this book.
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 consists of the following stories:
1. THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
2. LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
3. THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
4. A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
5. THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
This volume includes five short stories by five different authors. All of the stories are about Halloween or they take place on Halloween.
One of my favorite authors is Kelley Armstrong so I was anxious to grab this Volume of spooky stories.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
This story was about a boy named Dale who lives in Franklin. Every Halloween a kid in Franklin disappears. This story wasn't bad. It was short, but great to get a new Kelley Armstrong story regardless of the length.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
This story was about a woman, her roommate Jasmine and a cemetery. This story was really creepy.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
This story was about a town with a secret. And what a father will do to protect his family. This story was a good read.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
This story was about a woman named Anne who has panic attacks and a bunch of phobias. Terrible and crazy things have happened on Halloween. I liked this story the best until the ending.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
This was a creepy story about an old man named Gerald. He is super afraid of someone who comes knocking on his door every Halloween.
Overall, these stories really put me in the mood for Halloween.
Thanks to netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra for allowing me to read this book.
August 30, 2017
Halloween Carnival is a series of five ebooks from Hydra (Random House) featuring unique and creepy short stories. One volume will be released each week in October 2017, with the last coming out on Halloween.
Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I'm loving these story collections!! The cover art is fantastic & the stories are deliciously varied and creeptastic!
Each volume features five Halloween theme stories. In Volume 3:
The Way Lost - Kelley Armstrong. Every year on Halloween a kid in Franklin disappears. Dale knows they go into the forest and never come out. But why doesn't anybody ever ask any questions? This tale is delightfully chilling from beginning to end....a great opener for this anthology!
La Calavera - Kate Maruyama. She used to attend the Dia De Los Muertos Festival at Hollywood Cemetery with her friend Jasmine. But this year she's going alone. Or is she? This is an entertaining story. Nice build to a fantastically creepy end!
The Devil's Due - Michael McBride. Prosperity in Pine Springs, CO comes at a high price that one man isn't prepared to pay. A wickedly cool tale of fear and sacrifice.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness - Taylor Grant. Anne is afraid. Panic attacks. Phobias. She's especially scared of ghosts and Halloween. Turns out she has a very good reason for being afraid. OMG....this story was great! My favorite of this collection. The creep-o-meter maxxed out on this one for me. Fun, scary read!
The Last Night of October - Greg Chapman. Gerald knows kids should avoid the corner of Blake and Washington Streets and that Halloween is dangerous. He's known that since he was a kid and made a choice. One that comes back to haunt him every Halloween. Great story -- reminds me to always check the peep hole to see who is at the door before I answer it! You never know (especially on Halloween) who or what might be there....wanting in.
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 will release October 17th 2017 from Hydra (Random House). I heartily recommend it for anyone who enjoys horror short stories and Halloween!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Hydra (Random House) via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
Halloween is my favorite holiday, so I'm loving these story collections!! The cover art is fantastic & the stories are deliciously varied and creeptastic!
Each volume features five Halloween theme stories. In Volume 3:
The Way Lost - Kelley Armstrong. Every year on Halloween a kid in Franklin disappears. Dale knows they go into the forest and never come out. But why doesn't anybody ever ask any questions? This tale is delightfully chilling from beginning to end....a great opener for this anthology!
La Calavera - Kate Maruyama. She used to attend the Dia De Los Muertos Festival at Hollywood Cemetery with her friend Jasmine. But this year she's going alone. Or is she? This is an entertaining story. Nice build to a fantastically creepy end!
The Devil's Due - Michael McBride. Prosperity in Pine Springs, CO comes at a high price that one man isn't prepared to pay. A wickedly cool tale of fear and sacrifice.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness - Taylor Grant. Anne is afraid. Panic attacks. Phobias. She's especially scared of ghosts and Halloween. Turns out she has a very good reason for being afraid. OMG....this story was great! My favorite of this collection. The creep-o-meter maxxed out on this one for me. Fun, scary read!
The Last Night of October - Greg Chapman. Gerald knows kids should avoid the corner of Blake and Washington Streets and that Halloween is dangerous. He's known that since he was a kid and made a choice. One that comes back to haunt him every Halloween. Great story -- reminds me to always check the peep hole to see who is at the door before I answer it! You never know (especially on Halloween) who or what might be there....wanting in.
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 will release October 17th 2017 from Hydra (Random House). I heartily recommend it for anyone who enjoys horror short stories and Halloween!
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Hydra (Random House) via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
September 7, 2017
Advance Review Copy
What an amazing book! Brian Freeman outdid himself choosing the stories for this Halloween anthology - each story is more terrifying than the last.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong - Franklin is different from other towns. Sometimes children lose their way. Don't go near the forest...
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama - On Dia de los Muertos we honor the dead. Even when we have trouble letting them go.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride - In a snow covered town richer even than Vail, McBride paints a terrifying portrait of an ancient evil.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant - A chilling tale of a woman dealing with a fear of both ghosts and Halloween...and finding out that her fears are justified.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman - Gerald lived his life in fear because of an incident in his childhood.
The writing in all of these stories was incredible. If you miss you this, you've missed easily the one of the most frightening books this year.
Highly Recommended.
What an amazing book! Brian Freeman outdid himself choosing the stories for this Halloween anthology - each story is more terrifying than the last.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong - Franklin is different from other towns. Sometimes children lose their way. Don't go near the forest...
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama - On Dia de los Muertos we honor the dead. Even when we have trouble letting them go.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride - In a snow covered town richer even than Vail, McBride paints a terrifying portrait of an ancient evil.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant - A chilling tale of a woman dealing with a fear of both ghosts and Halloween...and finding out that her fears are justified.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman - Gerald lived his life in fear because of an incident in his childhood.
The writing in all of these stories was incredible. If you miss you this, you've missed easily the one of the most frightening books this year.
Highly Recommended.
October 19, 2017
As with volumes one and two, Halloween Carnival Volume 3 collects five short stories centered around, as the title would imply, Halloween. Here's what's what:
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
Kelly Armstrong kicks this anthology off on a strong note. Every Halloween, a child in Franklin goes missing. I've only read a few short stories by Armstrong, all of which I've enjoyed immensely, and she does a great job setting a particular mood here, and ends the story on a high note - and a very creepy one at that!
5/5 stars
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
DNF. Got about halfway through it and found myself severely bored by what felt more like a romance story than Halloween horror. No scares, no tension, no point. Moving on...
No rating
THE DEVIL'S DUE by Michael McBride
I'm not going to lie - one of the reasons I was interested in this series of Halloween Carnival books was because of McBride's involvement in this volume (Kealan Patrick Burke, Norman Prentiss, and Richard Chizmar were some more great reasons to invest some time in this series). I've become a big fan of McBride's work in short order over the last couple years, and this story reminded me a little bit of his Snowblind novellas (always good). Here, McBride delivers a fantastic tale of a small town that, every Halloween, offers up one its children in sacrifice. There's lots of chills and suspense in this one!
5/5 stars
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
This story might have the catchiest title in this anthology. Thankfully, the story isn’t half-bad either. Grant sends up some pretty wild swerves in the finale, and it took me a bit to reorient myself to sudden changes. Overall, it was pretty solidly done and kept me hooked throughout.
4/5 stars
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Every Halloween, there's a knock on Gerald's door from a Trick or Treater unlike any of the other neighborhood kids. Now wheelchair bound and infirm, Gerald tries to shoo away his nurse before sunset, but the two quickly find themselves entrenched and in a struggle for survival. Chapman dishes out a really effective ghost story and I dug the heck out of this one! Good stuff all around.
4/5 stars
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 was probably the most consistent and on-point in terms of quality from this series thus far. I found myself enjoying the stories quite a lot more than in Volume 2, and the anthology keeps a pretty high standard of stories and talent for the majority of its page-count.
Now on to Volume 4!
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
Kelly Armstrong kicks this anthology off on a strong note. Every Halloween, a child in Franklin goes missing. I've only read a few short stories by Armstrong, all of which I've enjoyed immensely, and she does a great job setting a particular mood here, and ends the story on a high note - and a very creepy one at that!
5/5 stars
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
DNF. Got about halfway through it and found myself severely bored by what felt more like a romance story than Halloween horror. No scares, no tension, no point. Moving on...
No rating
THE DEVIL'S DUE by Michael McBride
I'm not going to lie - one of the reasons I was interested in this series of Halloween Carnival books was because of McBride's involvement in this volume (Kealan Patrick Burke, Norman Prentiss, and Richard Chizmar were some more great reasons to invest some time in this series). I've become a big fan of McBride's work in short order over the last couple years, and this story reminded me a little bit of his Snowblind novellas (always good). Here, McBride delivers a fantastic tale of a small town that, every Halloween, offers up one its children in sacrifice. There's lots of chills and suspense in this one!
5/5 stars
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
This story might have the catchiest title in this anthology. Thankfully, the story isn’t half-bad either. Grant sends up some pretty wild swerves in the finale, and it took me a bit to reorient myself to sudden changes. Overall, it was pretty solidly done and kept me hooked throughout.
4/5 stars
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Every Halloween, there's a knock on Gerald's door from a Trick or Treater unlike any of the other neighborhood kids. Now wheelchair bound and infirm, Gerald tries to shoo away his nurse before sunset, but the two quickly find themselves entrenched and in a struggle for survival. Chapman dishes out a really effective ghost story and I dug the heck out of this one! Good stuff all around.
4/5 stars
Halloween Carnival Volume 3 was probably the most consistent and on-point in terms of quality from this series thus far. I found myself enjoying the stories quite a lot more than in Volume 2, and the anthology keeps a pretty high standard of stories and talent for the majority of its page-count.
Now on to Volume 4!
[Note: I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley.]
September 7, 2017
"Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home."
These words began my dark and delightful foray into Halloween Carnival 3. I was looking for scares and I certainly got them. Volume 1 and 2 were good but this is the best so far of this 5 part anthology series that will be released in time for Halloween.
Oh my gruesome goodness! Every one of these tales was amazing. I would not even be able to choose a favorite as I normally do with short stories because every single one gave me chills. From ghosts to demons to twisted psychological terror this anthology is a horror lover's dream.
5 out of 5 fright filled stars from me.
I received an advance copy for review.
These words began my dark and delightful foray into Halloween Carnival 3. I was looking for scares and I certainly got them. Volume 1 and 2 were good but this is the best so far of this 5 part anthology series that will be released in time for Halloween.
Oh my gruesome goodness! Every one of these tales was amazing. I would not even be able to choose a favorite as I normally do with short stories because every single one gave me chills. From ghosts to demons to twisted psychological terror this anthology is a horror lover's dream.
5 out of 5 fright filled stars from me.
I received an advance copy for review.
December 15, 2017
The third installment in the Halloween Carnival series. McBride's is the anchor in this installment, but newcomers, Armstrong and Grant, give nice little additions as well. Let's get right into them:
The Way Lost - Kelley Armstrong
Every year, in the town of Franklin, a child disappears. No one talks about it and everyone goes about their business. Dale Tucker knows what happens. Or does he?
A fun tale of small town legend meets reality.
4.5 out of 5 stars
La Calavera - Kate Maruyama
A roommate is a little too obsessive over her friend getting a boyfriend and moving on with her life. An okay story that you knew how it was going to end long before it did.
3 out of 5 stars
The Devil's Due - Michael McBride
The small town of Pine Springs, CO has enjoyed over a century of prosperity. On Halloween, it's time to pay for that prosperity. But this Halloween, Thom isn't willing to pay the price. Great story telling that only McBride can do.
5 out of 5 stars
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness - Taylor Grant
Anne suffers from a debilitating phobia of Halloween. Her family members were killed in freak accidents, all on the October 31st. She decides to move to Colorado for a fresh start, but the holiday is fast approaching. Bad stuff starts happening and Anne is slowly consumed with dread. The story seemed slow until the ending which brought a whole new light to the tale. Loved it's uniqueness.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Last Night of October - Greg Chapman
An elderly invalid anxiously awaits the nightmare from his past to visit his door on Halloween. Oh where to start with this one? Let me start by saying that I think this was a decent story. It had many elements that I would've enjoyed a whole lot more if the delivery was better. Let me explain. First, Chapman didn't do his homework with his dates. If you're going to do a flashback to a bygone era, get the information right. When he goes back to set up how Gerald's loathing of Halloween came to be, he uses the year 1952. He then goes on to describe Gerald's new friend wearing a Minnesota Twins hat. The old Washington Senators didn't relocate to Minnesota and become the Twins until 1961. He then describes how the neighbor boys talked back and forth between their bedrooms with walkie talkies. Those types of wireless walkie talkies weren't available until the 1960s. The ones from the early 1950s had wires that connected to them and didn't use antennas. If it were only those two items, I'd still think the story was sloppy, but I could still overlook it. What I can't overlook is the dialogue between the characters. In the beginning, Gerald and Kelli were at each other's throats. Gerald was the crotchety old man that just wanted her out of the house. Then, once they're trapped, he immediately calms down and begins talking completely calm to her which leads into him spilling his guts to let the reader in on the backstory. Again, sloppy delivery. There was such an abrupt shift in his disposition that my suspension of disbelief crashed and it could never get back on track. This was only one example of the many times this happened and it made what had the makings of a really fun story. To me, a story like this that has so much potential but doesn't deliver is much more frustrating than a story that completely stinks with very little redeeming qualities.
2 out of 5 stars
Overall, a decent collection marred by a couple of clunkers. Still worth picking up, if only for McBride's tale.
3 3/4 out of 5 stars
The Way Lost - Kelley Armstrong
Every year, in the town of Franklin, a child disappears. No one talks about it and everyone goes about their business. Dale Tucker knows what happens. Or does he?
A fun tale of small town legend meets reality.
4.5 out of 5 stars
La Calavera - Kate Maruyama
A roommate is a little too obsessive over her friend getting a boyfriend and moving on with her life. An okay story that you knew how it was going to end long before it did.
3 out of 5 stars
The Devil's Due - Michael McBride
The small town of Pine Springs, CO has enjoyed over a century of prosperity. On Halloween, it's time to pay for that prosperity. But this Halloween, Thom isn't willing to pay the price. Great story telling that only McBride can do.
5 out of 5 stars
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness - Taylor Grant
Anne suffers from a debilitating phobia of Halloween. Her family members were killed in freak accidents, all on the October 31st. She decides to move to Colorado for a fresh start, but the holiday is fast approaching. Bad stuff starts happening and Anne is slowly consumed with dread. The story seemed slow until the ending which brought a whole new light to the tale. Loved it's uniqueness.
4 1/2 out of 5 stars
The Last Night of October - Greg Chapman
An elderly invalid anxiously awaits the nightmare from his past to visit his door on Halloween. Oh where to start with this one? Let me start by saying that I think this was a decent story. It had many elements that I would've enjoyed a whole lot more if the delivery was better. Let me explain. First, Chapman didn't do his homework with his dates. If you're going to do a flashback to a bygone era, get the information right. When he goes back to set up how Gerald's loathing of Halloween came to be, he uses the year 1952. He then goes on to describe Gerald's new friend wearing a Minnesota Twins hat. The old Washington Senators didn't relocate to Minnesota and become the Twins until 1961. He then describes how the neighbor boys talked back and forth between their bedrooms with walkie talkies. Those types of wireless walkie talkies weren't available until the 1960s. The ones from the early 1950s had wires that connected to them and didn't use antennas. If it were only those two items, I'd still think the story was sloppy, but I could still overlook it. What I can't overlook is the dialogue between the characters. In the beginning, Gerald and Kelli were at each other's throats. Gerald was the crotchety old man that just wanted her out of the house. Then, once they're trapped, he immediately calms down and begins talking completely calm to her which leads into him spilling his guts to let the reader in on the backstory. Again, sloppy delivery. There was such an abrupt shift in his disposition that my suspension of disbelief crashed and it could never get back on track. This was only one example of the many times this happened and it made what had the makings of a really fun story. To me, a story like this that has so much potential but doesn't deliver is much more frustrating than a story that completely stinks with very little redeeming qualities.
2 out of 5 stars
Overall, a decent collection marred by a couple of clunkers. Still worth picking up, if only for McBride's tale.
3 3/4 out of 5 stars
October 11, 2017
ARC REVIEW
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
"The kids in Franklin don’t ask questions. Each Halloween, one of them disappears into the forest. Dale promised his mother he’d never go into the woods alone. But the kids in Franklin also lie."
I'm leaving the blurb as the descriptive because it just so creepy. I haven't read Kelley Armstrong in what seems like forever, I loved her Otherworld series and I love her writing style and this short story is well damn, I wasn't expecting that. It was a really good story with an unexpected ending.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
A Calavera is the representation of a human skull, for Dia de los Muertos it is often used as an offering for the dead. Trish was just another gringa until Jasmine, and now that Jasmine is gone Trish wants to honor her with a special Calavera.
Really predictable but I positively enjoyed it nonetheless.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
Pine Springs, Colorado, has never wanted for anything. It's always been prosperous and never any crimes or drug problems. The reason why is just as evil as you might imagine, and this year one family isn't willing to pay the devil his due.
A genuinely good scary monster horror short story. After the start it was kind of slow but it escalated pretty quickly and ended bittersweetly.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
"Samhainophobia: an irrational fear of Halloween. Phasmophobia: an irrational fear of ghosts. For Anne, these terrors are more rational than she knows." blurb. Newly married Anne has not told her husband about her phobias yet, she's scared that he will leave once he finds out but with Halloween getting closer and her phobias getting worse she confides in him. But this is not a happily ever after romance no, this is a horror.
Well I didn't see that coming, just when I started to get disapointed in the story I had a, "oo what a twist" moment. It has an ending that kind of makes you want to do a maniacal laugh at the end.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Gerald is a crotchety old man on death's bed, he did nothing with his life and never left home and ever since he was diagnosed with emphysema every Halloween is tormented by his past.
I liked this one but not as much as the others and it's mainly Kelli's fault she was annoying AF.
Overall, this is my favorite book out of the series.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
"The kids in Franklin don’t ask questions. Each Halloween, one of them disappears into the forest. Dale promised his mother he’d never go into the woods alone. But the kids in Franklin also lie."
I'm leaving the blurb as the descriptive because it just so creepy. I haven't read Kelley Armstrong in what seems like forever, I loved her Otherworld series and I love her writing style and this short story is well damn, I wasn't expecting that. It was a really good story with an unexpected ending.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
A Calavera is the representation of a human skull, for Dia de los Muertos it is often used as an offering for the dead. Trish was just another gringa until Jasmine, and now that Jasmine is gone Trish wants to honor her with a special Calavera.
Really predictable but I positively enjoyed it nonetheless.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
Pine Springs, Colorado, has never wanted for anything. It's always been prosperous and never any crimes or drug problems. The reason why is just as evil as you might imagine, and this year one family isn't willing to pay the devil his due.
A genuinely good scary monster horror short story. After the start it was kind of slow but it escalated pretty quickly and ended bittersweetly.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
"Samhainophobia: an irrational fear of Halloween. Phasmophobia: an irrational fear of ghosts. For Anne, these terrors are more rational than she knows." blurb. Newly married Anne has not told her husband about her phobias yet, she's scared that he will leave once he finds out but with Halloween getting closer and her phobias getting worse she confides in him. But this is not a happily ever after romance no, this is a horror.
Well I didn't see that coming, just when I started to get disapointed in the story I had a, "oo what a twist" moment. It has an ending that kind of makes you want to do a maniacal laugh at the end.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Gerald is a crotchety old man on death's bed, he did nothing with his life and never left home and ever since he was diagnosed with emphysema every Halloween is tormented by his past.
I liked this one but not as much as the others and it's mainly Kelli's fault she was annoying AF.
Overall, this is my favorite book out of the series.
July 23, 2018
The Way Lost (Kelley Armstrong)
My favorite story in the collection with a great solution. *****
La Calavera (Kate Maruyama)
The ending provided a nice, though foreseeable twist. **
The Devil's Due (Michael McBride)
This felt like a routinely written story with enough details and a clever plot, but it did not provoke any strong feelings while reading it. ***
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness (Taylor Grant)
It was OK I think, but also the least memorable - I must admit I already forgot most of it. **
The Last Night of October (Greg Chapman)
The last story was also the longest, which is my main complaint: the whole 'foreplay' between the old man and his nurse was lengthy and slowed the story down considerably. Only when Gerald finally told his story things got interesting. **
The first story was the only one that really excited me and made this anthology worth reading.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
My favorite story in the collection with a great solution. *****
La Calavera (Kate Maruyama)
The ending provided a nice, though foreseeable twist. **
The Devil's Due (Michael McBride)
This felt like a routinely written story with enough details and a clever plot, but it did not provoke any strong feelings while reading it. ***
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness (Taylor Grant)
It was OK I think, but also the least memorable - I must admit I already forgot most of it. **
The Last Night of October (Greg Chapman)
The last story was also the longest, which is my main complaint: the whole 'foreplay' between the old man and his nurse was lengthy and slowed the story down considerably. Only when Gerald finally told his story things got interesting. **
The first story was the only one that really excited me and made this anthology worth reading.
(Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of the book, all opinions are my own)
January 2, 2018
Good collection of spooky stories. Each story is entertaining, and you never know what's around the bend with each one. All of them were different and quick to read. I liked this one even more than Volume 2.
September 22, 2023
This short story collection averages out to 4.0 stars for me 🎃🎃🎃
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong:
Every Halloween, one child in Franklin loses their way and never comes home.
4.5⭐️ A fun, twisted story. I wish it would have been a tad bit longer to allow for more details.
La Calavera by Kate Maruyama:
Every year, Trish and Jasmine attended the Dias de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Cemetery—it was tradition. Now, with Jasmine gone, Trish decides to go one last time to honor her beloved friend.
3.5⭐️ Super creepy.
The Devil’s Due by Michael McBride:
The town of Pine Springs, Colorado made a deal with the devil long, long ago. But when it becomes personal for Thom, he’s not sure that he can hold up his end.
3⭐️ I don’t think this was a bad story. It just wasn’t for me.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant:
Anne has a crippling anxiety disorder caused by her ghost and Halloween phobias. They may seem silly to every else but to her they are very, very real…
5⭐️ WTF?!?! This was so good. I loved the twists, the atmosphere and the way it presented the horrors of the mind.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman:
To Kelli, Gerald is just a grumpy, old man with emphysema. To Gerald, Kelli is just a naive nurse, a nuisance. She doesn’t know the real dangers of Halloween. But Gerald does. There is something coming for him. It comes for him every year and this year, it just might get him…
4⭐️ This was a really interesting plot but perhaps longer than it really needed to be.
The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong:
Every Halloween, one child in Franklin loses their way and never comes home.
4.5⭐️ A fun, twisted story. I wish it would have been a tad bit longer to allow for more details.
La Calavera by Kate Maruyama:
Every year, Trish and Jasmine attended the Dias de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Cemetery—it was tradition. Now, with Jasmine gone, Trish decides to go one last time to honor her beloved friend.
3.5⭐️ Super creepy.
The Devil’s Due by Michael McBride:
The town of Pine Springs, Colorado made a deal with the devil long, long ago. But when it becomes personal for Thom, he’s not sure that he can hold up his end.
3⭐️ I don’t think this was a bad story. It just wasn’t for me.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant:
Anne has a crippling anxiety disorder caused by her ghost and Halloween phobias. They may seem silly to every else but to her they are very, very real…
5⭐️ WTF?!?! This was so good. I loved the twists, the atmosphere and the way it presented the horrors of the mind.
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman:
To Kelli, Gerald is just a grumpy, old man with emphysema. To Gerald, Kelli is just a naive nurse, a nuisance. She doesn’t know the real dangers of Halloween. But Gerald does. There is something coming for him. It comes for him every year and this year, it just might get him…
4⭐️ This was a really interesting plot but perhaps longer than it really needed to be.
October 16, 2017
Once again, many thanks to Brian James Freeman and Hydra for the wonderful opportunity to receive an advance copy of this book in exchange for a review. It was a pleasure, as always.
HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL – what a cool title for a really neat concept. Brian is taking Halloween stories from the best of the best, and including them in a five volume set of books – 5 stories in each. Each one released a week in October. Reading these books may become a yearly “October tradition”, unless Brian decides to do this again next year (fingers crossed).
So now, a little blurb about the stories:
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong – Wow, was this an unexpected gem. Every Halloween one child goes missing in the town of Franklin. The whole town knows it, and accepts it. But sometimes the truth is scarier than the myth.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama – I wasn’t sure about this one, and it’s my least favorite out of the lot. It takes place during the Dia de los Muertos Festival, where a young lady is celebrating without her friend for the first time – in her friends honor. The story was a little confusing, and, while interesting, the ending could be seen within a few pages. Would have worked well as a Twilight Zone episode.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride – This one was your typical “Town has a secret that everyone knows about until one rogue decides to break the pact” story, but told in an eerie and well written way. How far would a father go to save his daughter? What evil is he willing to face? Being a father who would go against the grain to save my kids, I enjoyed this story very much.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant – This may sound like “fanboy” talk (and yes, I am a HUGE fan of Taylor’s), but I don’t know why this guy doesn’t have more exposure, and isn’t sitting on the NY Times best seller list. Someone is asleep at the wheel. But I digress since this isn’t his anthology. I had the opportunity to read this story a few months ago and was happy to see it was accepted for publication. Taylor takes two fears Samhainophobia: an irrational fear of Halloween and Phasmophobia: an irrational fear of ghosts – and uses them to torture a woman who finally thought she had her life on the right track. Boy, paybacks are a (insert favorite euphemism here).
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman – Y’all probably know that I “fanboy” over Greg as much as Taylor, so I was very happy to see both included here. Just like Taylor’s story, I had also read Greg’s when he released it as a novella, but – just like Taylor’s – I re-read it it because it was that good. Gerald, an old man with emphysema, has a dark secret that haunts him every Halloween. This year it catches up with him – to the horror of his substitute nurse. Only Greg can find a way to include the word sphygmomanometer in a story (the clinical term for a blood pressure meter). The first time I read this story, I likened it to the pilot episode of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE, but with a much more sinister twist.
This volume was another hit for Brian. Now off to read Volume four. Give yourself a little treat this Halloween and pick these books up.
HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL – what a cool title for a really neat concept. Brian is taking Halloween stories from the best of the best, and including them in a five volume set of books – 5 stories in each. Each one released a week in October. Reading these books may become a yearly “October tradition”, unless Brian decides to do this again next year (fingers crossed).
So now, a little blurb about the stories:
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong – Wow, was this an unexpected gem. Every Halloween one child goes missing in the town of Franklin. The whole town knows it, and accepts it. But sometimes the truth is scarier than the myth.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama – I wasn’t sure about this one, and it’s my least favorite out of the lot. It takes place during the Dia de los Muertos Festival, where a young lady is celebrating without her friend for the first time – in her friends honor. The story was a little confusing, and, while interesting, the ending could be seen within a few pages. Would have worked well as a Twilight Zone episode.
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride – This one was your typical “Town has a secret that everyone knows about until one rogue decides to break the pact” story, but told in an eerie and well written way. How far would a father go to save his daughter? What evil is he willing to face? Being a father who would go against the grain to save my kids, I enjoyed this story very much.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant – This may sound like “fanboy” talk (and yes, I am a HUGE fan of Taylor’s), but I don’t know why this guy doesn’t have more exposure, and isn’t sitting on the NY Times best seller list. Someone is asleep at the wheel. But I digress since this isn’t his anthology. I had the opportunity to read this story a few months ago and was happy to see it was accepted for publication. Taylor takes two fears Samhainophobia: an irrational fear of Halloween and Phasmophobia: an irrational fear of ghosts – and uses them to torture a woman who finally thought she had her life on the right track. Boy, paybacks are a (insert favorite euphemism here).
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman – Y’all probably know that I “fanboy” over Greg as much as Taylor, so I was very happy to see both included here. Just like Taylor’s story, I had also read Greg’s when he released it as a novella, but – just like Taylor’s – I re-read it it because it was that good. Gerald, an old man with emphysema, has a dark secret that haunts him every Halloween. This year it catches up with him – to the horror of his substitute nurse. Only Greg can find a way to include the word sphygmomanometer in a story (the clinical term for a blood pressure meter). The first time I read this story, I likened it to the pilot episode of TALES FROM THE DARKSIDE, but with a much more sinister twist.
This volume was another hit for Brian. Now off to read Volume four. Give yourself a little treat this Halloween and pick these books up.
October 11, 2017
The Halloween Carnival Vol 3 is the third in a five e-book horror series launched just in time for the spooky season. Each book serves up five short stories by genre masters – as well as some talented up-and-comers – for the low cost price of $2.99 and will be released, one a week, throughout October in the lead up to Halloween.
Volume 3 sees stories by Kelley Armstrong, Kate Maruyama, Michael McBride, Taylor Grant and Greg Chapman and is the pick of the series to date.
Each of the five yarns are wonderfully crafted and creepy and rich in Halloween spirit.
The pick of the bunch is Greg Chapman’s excellent novella The Last Night in October about a sickly old man haunted by a strange young boy each Halloween. It’s a cracking tale full of suspense, old secrets and regret and the strongest story of the series so far.
Armstrong’s The Way Lost is another powerful story about a small town haunted by a child’s disappearance each Halloween, while McBride’s The Devil’s Due is a chilling story of small town sacrifice. Grant’s A Thousand Rooms of Darkness is another twist-filled story about a woman haunted by the fear of Halloween while Maruyama’s La Calavera is a moving story of love and obsession.
Overall, this is the strongest collection so far and a book that’s impossible to put down. To be followed by Volume 4 on October 24.
Volume 3 sees stories by Kelley Armstrong, Kate Maruyama, Michael McBride, Taylor Grant and Greg Chapman and is the pick of the series to date.
Each of the five yarns are wonderfully crafted and creepy and rich in Halloween spirit.
The pick of the bunch is Greg Chapman’s excellent novella The Last Night in October about a sickly old man haunted by a strange young boy each Halloween. It’s a cracking tale full of suspense, old secrets and regret and the strongest story of the series so far.
Armstrong’s The Way Lost is another powerful story about a small town haunted by a child’s disappearance each Halloween, while McBride’s The Devil’s Due is a chilling story of small town sacrifice. Grant’s A Thousand Rooms of Darkness is another twist-filled story about a woman haunted by the fear of Halloween while Maruyama’s La Calavera is a moving story of love and obsession.
Overall, this is the strongest collection so far and a book that’s impossible to put down. To be followed by Volume 4 on October 24.
September 20, 2017
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
The kids in Franklin don’t ask questions. Each Halloween, one of them disappears into the forest. Dale promised his mother he’d never go into the woods alone. But the kids in Franklin also lie.
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
The Día de los Muertos Festival at the Hollywood Cemetery used to be ours. Now, without Jasmine, it’s only right that I go one last time in her honor—before I let her go for good. . . .
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
Pine Springs, Colorado, has prospered for generations by honoring its traditions and its promises. Then one man refuses to do his civic duty—and the price he must pay is fatally steep.
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
Samhainophobia: an irrational fear of Halloween. Phasmophobia: an irrational fear of ghosts. For Anne, these terrors are more rational than she knows.
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
Every year, one little boy wearing a grotesque Frankenstein mask comes knocking at Gerald’s door. Gerald has always managed to avoid him . . . until this year.
The books are amazing. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Keep up the good work.
October 10, 2017
This disturbing collection of seasonal tales gets off to a strong start with The Way Lost by one of my favourite authors, Kelley Armstrong. Though short, this story impressed immensely , especially the ending which was not what I was expecting.
Next up is La Calavera by Kate Maruyama, a story of love and obsession that comes to a head during a Dia de los Muertos celebration.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride is a true old school horror story with some fairytale like influences , and I enjoyed every word.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant turns the tables on the helpless victim trope and is stronger for it.
The last story in the collection is The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman is an exploration of guilt with a side of supernatural and again it's a really good story, very well told.
This was easily my favourite of these Halloween Carnival anthologies, with every story giving me chills in a different way.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publishers.
Next up is La Calavera by Kate Maruyama, a story of love and obsession that comes to a head during a Dia de los Muertos celebration.
The Devil's Due by Michael McBride is a true old school horror story with some fairytale like influences , and I enjoyed every word.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant turns the tables on the helpless victim trope and is stronger for it.
The last story in the collection is The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman is an exploration of guilt with a side of supernatural and again it's a really good story, very well told.
This was easily my favourite of these Halloween Carnival anthologies, with every story giving me chills in a different way.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publishers.
October 8, 2017
Review of HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL VOLUME 3
Edited by Brian James Freeman
One of my most admired aspects of this series is that Editor Brian James Freeman so diligently selects a variety of stories which range beyond the routine--stories whose themes and plots burrow into the reader's imagination to linger on at great length. The stories in this installment (which include Kelly Armstrong and Michael McBride) turned me inside out, inspiring a reexamination of reality as it appears to me.
Edited by Brian James Freeman
One of my most admired aspects of this series is that Editor Brian James Freeman so diligently selects a variety of stories which range beyond the routine--stories whose themes and plots burrow into the reader's imagination to linger on at great length. The stories in this installment (which include Kelly Armstrong and Michael McBride) turned me inside out, inspiring a reexamination of reality as it appears to me.
October 31, 2017
A++++
I loved this grouping of stories!!! Really great way to get in the Halloween mood!! Although I enjoyed every one of these, my favourite would probably fall to either to “The Devils Due” or “The Last Night in October.” “The Devils Due” had a feel of a Halloween Krampus and was just fabulous. “The Last Night in October” was just creepy and a perfect choice to end the collection.
Pure fun. Highly recommended.
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing book in exchange of an honest review.***
I loved this grouping of stories!!! Really great way to get in the Halloween mood!! Although I enjoyed every one of these, my favourite would probably fall to either to “The Devils Due” or “The Last Night in October.” “The Devils Due” had a feel of a Halloween Krampus and was just fabulous. “The Last Night in October” was just creepy and a perfect choice to end the collection.
Pure fun. Highly recommended.
**Thanks to NetGalley for providing book in exchange of an honest review.***
October 31, 2017
Frightfully good!
A creepy collection of Halloween stories to get you into the spirit of the spooky season! Each of these 5 stories brings the BOO! from a different point of view. After reading the offerings of these authors, you might want to leave the lights ON when you go to bed!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this story collection through NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
A creepy collection of Halloween stories to get you into the spirit of the spooky season! Each of these 5 stories brings the BOO! from a different point of view. After reading the offerings of these authors, you might want to leave the lights ON when you go to bed!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this story collection through NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
October 9, 2017
I received this arc from Netgalley.
This book does not disappoint. Not a dud in the bunch. A well put together collection, that I enjoyed reading
This book does not disappoint. Not a dud in the bunch. A well put together collection, that I enjoyed reading
September 28, 2017
Halloween Carnival Volume 3
The Lost Way – Kelley Armstrong – Every year in Franklin, one kid disappears. They “lose their way” and are never seen again. It's not until years later, grown and moved on with his life that Dale finds out exactly what happened to them, only it's nothing like he remembers. This story is good. It's short and to the point. I enjoyed the physiological aspect with the main character and I thought it was very well done. 4 stars!
La Calavera – Kate Maruyama – A girl is distraught after her room mate, Jasmine, disappears. She vows to make a calavera for her families altar at the Dia de los Muertos festivities in memory of her friend. Through the story we learn the main character was probably in love with her roommate, and was desperate not to lose her. When Jasmine decides to look for apartments with her boyfriends, everything goes wrong. The story ends with the protagonist confronting Jasmine's family and presenting them with the calavera, which turns out to be more than just a calavera. This story wasn't bad, but it also wasn't good. I felt like the protagonist (I can not remember if we ever got her name or not) was dealt a bad hand, and obviously made some irreversible mistakes. It wasn't really a mystery though, because you can tell right from the start what's going on. This story gets 3 stars from me.
The Devil's Due – Michael McBride – A small town make a deal with the devil, but when it comes time to pay up, one man risks everything for his family. This was a great story. It was short and to the point. Well thought out and creepy. 5 stars!
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness – Taylor Grant – This story starts out a little slow but it definitely picks up. Anne is afraid of ghosts and also… Halloween. With good reason though, everyone in her family has died on Halloween. Halloween is approaching again and Anne is in a new, happy relationship, she's trying to not to let her fears interrupt her daily life, but she just can't. And on October 30 when her boyfriends car breaks down and she's left home alone so close to Halloween, she just can't help but be a little...terrified. This story was really scared toward the end. I read while I was home alone and I ended up creeping myself out. So don't read this while you're home alone at night. Unless you're braver than me. You probably are. 5 Stars!
The Last Night of October – Greg Chapman – This story takes up the last 45% of the book, it's all about an old man named Gerald who is home on Halloween waiting for his Hospice nurse to come ceck on him. She arrives and soon trick or treaters are knocking on the door. Gerald insists that she ignore them. “Do not open the door, woman!” But naturally she opens the doors and unknowingly lets a demon into Geralds house. Gerald seemed to be expecting it and refused to explain to the distraught nurse what is happening. There was a lot of “shut up women, I'm thinking!” going on. This story could have been short and simple, but it was not, it got seriously boring right in the middle and I was nearly asleep by the end of it. 2 stars.
Overall, this vol was better than the first 2, I definitely like more of the stories, with the exception of the last one. So I give this book 4 stars!
The Lost Way – Kelley Armstrong – Every year in Franklin, one kid disappears. They “lose their way” and are never seen again. It's not until years later, grown and moved on with his life that Dale finds out exactly what happened to them, only it's nothing like he remembers. This story is good. It's short and to the point. I enjoyed the physiological aspect with the main character and I thought it was very well done. 4 stars!
La Calavera – Kate Maruyama – A girl is distraught after her room mate, Jasmine, disappears. She vows to make a calavera for her families altar at the Dia de los Muertos festivities in memory of her friend. Through the story we learn the main character was probably in love with her roommate, and was desperate not to lose her. When Jasmine decides to look for apartments with her boyfriends, everything goes wrong. The story ends with the protagonist confronting Jasmine's family and presenting them with the calavera, which turns out to be more than just a calavera. This story wasn't bad, but it also wasn't good. I felt like the protagonist (I can not remember if we ever got her name or not) was dealt a bad hand, and obviously made some irreversible mistakes. It wasn't really a mystery though, because you can tell right from the start what's going on. This story gets 3 stars from me.
The Devil's Due – Michael McBride – A small town make a deal with the devil, but when it comes time to pay up, one man risks everything for his family. This was a great story. It was short and to the point. Well thought out and creepy. 5 stars!
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness – Taylor Grant – This story starts out a little slow but it definitely picks up. Anne is afraid of ghosts and also… Halloween. With good reason though, everyone in her family has died on Halloween. Halloween is approaching again and Anne is in a new, happy relationship, she's trying to not to let her fears interrupt her daily life, but she just can't. And on October 30 when her boyfriends car breaks down and she's left home alone so close to Halloween, she just can't help but be a little...terrified. This story was really scared toward the end. I read while I was home alone and I ended up creeping myself out. So don't read this while you're home alone at night. Unless you're braver than me. You probably are. 5 Stars!
The Last Night of October – Greg Chapman – This story takes up the last 45% of the book, it's all about an old man named Gerald who is home on Halloween waiting for his Hospice nurse to come ceck on him. She arrives and soon trick or treaters are knocking on the door. Gerald insists that she ignore them. “Do not open the door, woman!” But naturally she opens the doors and unknowingly lets a demon into Geralds house. Gerald seemed to be expecting it and refused to explain to the distraught nurse what is happening. There was a lot of “shut up women, I'm thinking!” going on. This story could have been short and simple, but it was not, it got seriously boring right in the middle and I was nearly asleep by the end of it. 2 stars.
Overall, this vol was better than the first 2, I definitely like more of the stories, with the exception of the last one. So I give this book 4 stars!
October 7, 2017
The Way Lost "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home. The next morning before school, we would circle the playground, trying to figure out who was missing, locating our friends with relief... and our enemies with disappointment."
La Calavera A young white girl wants to honor her Mexican friend, who has gone missing, during the Day of the Dead celebrations. Is she really missing or did her friend have something to do with it?
The Devil's Due In a small town where everything seems so perfect, families are sacrificing their young daughters on Halloween night to keep that perfect facade from falling. One father will risk his life and his families to stop this ritual.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness Anne has some phobias. She's afraid of ghosts and of Halloween. Hoping Therapy has been working she's finally got the man of her dreams and life is just about perfect. But everyone is not as they seem.
The Last Night of October Gerald Forsyth is an angry, sick, old man. He hates Halloween and everything about it. As soon as night falls on Halloween, he sits watching his door, waiting for his yearly visitor. This year things are different. His visiting nurse calls in sick and the replacement isn't anything that he expected. Will they both make it through the night or will Gerald pay for what he did many years ago?
I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley. It's a bunch of short stories thrown together to try to scare the living crap out of you to celebrate Halloween. The first couple stories were a little mild and helped build up some suspense. It wasn't until the third story that they really started getting to the good stuff that would keep you up at night checking your house at every little sound. The last story is a bit longer than the rest and it was probably my favorite. The beginning of the book does drag a little bit so I wouldn't really recommend the first three stories. However, if you get scared easily then it might be better to start at the beginning and ease your way in.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
La Calavera A young white girl wants to honor her Mexican friend, who has gone missing, during the Day of the Dead celebrations. Is she really missing or did her friend have something to do with it?
The Devil's Due In a small town where everything seems so perfect, families are sacrificing their young daughters on Halloween night to keep that perfect facade from falling. One father will risk his life and his families to stop this ritual.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness Anne has some phobias. She's afraid of ghosts and of Halloween. Hoping Therapy has been working she's finally got the man of her dreams and life is just about perfect. But everyone is not as they seem.
The Last Night of October Gerald Forsyth is an angry, sick, old man. He hates Halloween and everything about it. As soon as night falls on Halloween, he sits watching his door, waiting for his yearly visitor. This year things are different. His visiting nurse calls in sick and the replacement isn't anything that he expected. Will they both make it through the night or will Gerald pay for what he did many years ago?
I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley. It's a bunch of short stories thrown together to try to scare the living crap out of you to celebrate Halloween. The first couple stories were a little mild and helped build up some suspense. It wasn't until the third story that they really started getting to the good stuff that would keep you up at night checking your house at every little sound. The last story is a bit longer than the rest and it was probably my favorite. The beginning of the book does drag a little bit so I wouldn't really recommend the first three stories. However, if you get scared easily then it might be better to start at the beginning and ease your way in.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!
October 16, 2017
It is really hard to review short stories, or even novellas, since even reference to the point of the tale can be a huge spoiler. I hate spoilers and pretty much refuse to put them into my reviews. I try to convey something of why I did, or did not like a particular story, with at least a clever one line tease.
I am always ready and willing to review anthologies edited by Brian James Freeman because his choices always hit the right nerve for anyone who reads genre (make that horror) fiction.
You may, or may not recognize the names of all the authors contained herein, but, once you read them in the short form, you will want to seek out more of their works both long and short.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
You've heard that perception is everything? Here is a tale of losing one's way in more ways than one. (5-stars)
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
More than friendship drives this tale. Subtle changes in language, like verb tense and personal pronouns, lead you to the inevitable conclusion. Nothing like a good cemetery crawl on Los Dias de Los Muertos. (5-stars)
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
How far would you go to give the Devil his due? The story had a vague familiarity as I started to read it; however, that did not diminish the horror that played out on Devil's Night. (5-stars)
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
Living with phobias is like always waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the end, light is just the other side of darkness, and when that shoe drops, it's with a huge thud. (5 stars)
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
I read this both expecting and dreading the outcome. How many ways are there to terrify a reader? How many ways can tropes be employed? After finishing, my answer to both questions is an infinite number. Greg Chapman has definitely put a new spin on some old concepts here. (5 stars)
Hands down, HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL Volume 3 is a 5-star read!
I am always ready and willing to review anthologies edited by Brian James Freeman because his choices always hit the right nerve for anyone who reads genre (make that horror) fiction.
You may, or may not recognize the names of all the authors contained herein, but, once you read them in the short form, you will want to seek out more of their works both long and short.
THE WAY LOST by Kelley Armstrong
You've heard that perception is everything? Here is a tale of losing one's way in more ways than one. (5-stars)
LA CALAVERA by Kate Maruyama
More than friendship drives this tale. Subtle changes in language, like verb tense and personal pronouns, lead you to the inevitable conclusion. Nothing like a good cemetery crawl on Los Dias de Los Muertos. (5-stars)
THE DEVIL’S DUE by Michael McBride
How far would you go to give the Devil his due? The story had a vague familiarity as I started to read it; however, that did not diminish the horror that played out on Devil's Night. (5-stars)
A THOUSAND ROOMS OF DARKNESS by Taylor Grant
Living with phobias is like always waiting for the other shoe to drop. In the end, light is just the other side of darkness, and when that shoe drops, it's with a huge thud. (5 stars)
THE LAST NIGHT OF OCTOBER by Greg Chapman
I read this both expecting and dreading the outcome. How many ways are there to terrify a reader? How many ways can tropes be employed? After finishing, my answer to both questions is an infinite number. Greg Chapman has definitely put a new spin on some old concepts here. (5 stars)
Hands down, HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL Volume 3 is a 5-star read!
November 1, 2017
I received a copy of Halloween Carnival in exchange for an honest review
Wow, volume 3 already, and I have to say as a reviewer, and a fan of horror, this is one series of anthologies that shows no signs of slowing down at all. If you're a fan of either of those things, well, this is one series that delivers. These are short, easy reads with the theme being Halloween. I had planned on reading the entire series before Halloween but I fell behind, so here we are at the beginning of November and I have two books left. As a series, I love the idea behind it, and I love that a lot of these stories aren't built on gore, or even typical horror that we've all come to expect. As a horror fan, I like that it's trying something unique and putting out stories with a true sense of purpose. Even if you're not a big fan of horror, there's still something here to draw you in.
I will even go out on a limb and say that each volume captures the spirit of Halloween perfectly. There are five stories here, and there's not a clunker in the bunch. For me the best stories here are The Way Lost, and the last three stories. These are the reason to buy this, but in reality, you should buy the first three anyway because it's chock full of classic horror that relies more on mood than blood, and violence. The book is short enough to knock out on a Saturday afternoon, or if you're brave enough, right before you go to sleep. The folks of Hydra have done a great job so far, and have given me a bunch of new authors to check out. Now onto Volume 4....
Wow, volume 3 already, and I have to say as a reviewer, and a fan of horror, this is one series of anthologies that shows no signs of slowing down at all. If you're a fan of either of those things, well, this is one series that delivers. These are short, easy reads with the theme being Halloween. I had planned on reading the entire series before Halloween but I fell behind, so here we are at the beginning of November and I have two books left. As a series, I love the idea behind it, and I love that a lot of these stories aren't built on gore, or even typical horror that we've all come to expect. As a horror fan, I like that it's trying something unique and putting out stories with a true sense of purpose. Even if you're not a big fan of horror, there's still something here to draw you in.
I will even go out on a limb and say that each volume captures the spirit of Halloween perfectly. There are five stories here, and there's not a clunker in the bunch. For me the best stories here are The Way Lost, and the last three stories. These are the reason to buy this, but in reality, you should buy the first three anyway because it's chock full of classic horror that relies more on mood than blood, and violence. The book is short enough to knock out on a Saturday afternoon, or if you're brave enough, right before you go to sleep. The folks of Hydra have done a great job so far, and have given me a bunch of new authors to check out. Now onto Volume 4....
September 10, 2017
This is the third in a series of five Halloween Carnivals. Like the others, the anthology features 5 different authors and are centered on Halloween.
This one is my favorite thus far. Four of the five were about people dreading Halloween, which I found interesting. We have a story about the fear of ghosts and Halloween (Grant's A Thousand Rooms of Darkness); a cautionary tale about letting trick-or-treaters in when you have a questionable past (Chapman's The Last Night of October); a yarn on how to be a good dad when you live in a town with horrible secrets due to your own nasty forefathers (McBride's The Devil's Due); and a predictable but gruesome recounting of a Día de los Muertos Festival and one woman who has a hard time abandoning both her Halloween plans and her old friend.
Once again, my favorite is the first in the book. The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong begins: "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." First Billy Carson, the annoying next-door neighbor who teased the dog. Then Sue Parker, the pretty girl who attended the same church as our protagonist. Then Richie Gibson, the sad little boy whose mother died. Our protagonist is convinced that one day, the police will come to him to learn Franklin's secrets as he was someone who saw what lived in the woods and escaped... And unfortunately, they do...
This one is my favorite thus far. Four of the five were about people dreading Halloween, which I found interesting. We have a story about the fear of ghosts and Halloween (Grant's A Thousand Rooms of Darkness); a cautionary tale about letting trick-or-treaters in when you have a questionable past (Chapman's The Last Night of October); a yarn on how to be a good dad when you live in a town with horrible secrets due to your own nasty forefathers (McBride's The Devil's Due); and a predictable but gruesome recounting of a Día de los Muertos Festival and one woman who has a hard time abandoning both her Halloween plans and her old friend.
Once again, my favorite is the first in the book. The Way Lost by Kelley Armstrong begins: "Every Halloween, one child in Franklin lost his way and never came home." First Billy Carson, the annoying next-door neighbor who teased the dog. Then Sue Parker, the pretty girl who attended the same church as our protagonist. Then Richie Gibson, the sad little boy whose mother died. Our protagonist is convinced that one day, the police will come to him to learn Franklin's secrets as he was someone who saw what lived in the woods and escaped... And unfortunately, they do...
December 28, 2017
Halloween Carnival, Vol. 3 ...
The Way Lost ... by Kelley Armstrong
That was an interesting short story with a wicked twist! Dale ... did you remember it right?
La Calavera ... by Kate Maruyama
At first you think this is going to go one way ... twist! Very SWF!
The Devil's Due ... by Michael McBride
Wow ... this was delightfully dark! It was well written and scary when you put yourself into the story. I liked that depending on your take it how you felt the ending would either be happy'ish or tragic.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant
Holy Samhain! At first I was unsure about this story & if I would like it. I'm glad I kept reading! I love the Celtic twist at the end!
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman ...
A Spooky well written Horror/suspense story ... no spoilers here! Want details ... read the book.
Reviewed by Jennifer of the GothicMoms Review Team
The Way Lost ... by Kelley Armstrong
That was an interesting short story with a wicked twist! Dale ... did you remember it right?
La Calavera ... by Kate Maruyama
At first you think this is going to go one way ... twist! Very SWF!
The Devil's Due ... by Michael McBride
Wow ... this was delightfully dark! It was well written and scary when you put yourself into the story. I liked that depending on your take it how you felt the ending would either be happy'ish or tragic.
A Thousand Rooms of Darkness by Taylor Grant
Holy Samhain! At first I was unsure about this story & if I would like it. I'm glad I kept reading! I love the Celtic twist at the end!
The Last Night of October by Greg Chapman ...
A Spooky well written Horror/suspense story ... no spoilers here! Want details ... read the book.
Reviewed by Jennifer of the GothicMoms Review Team
October 21, 2017
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. Why? You get to dress up in costumes, go trick or treating (or at last I did when I was a kid), go to Halloween parties, and read scarey stories. They were all my favorite things to do! This volume has creepy stories that were fun for me to read. With supernatural and psychological tales of horror, I find it difficult to pick one that was my favorite. I know that anyone who reads this volume is in for a treat!
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book free from the author/publisher from Netgalley. I was not obliged to write a favorable review, or even any review at all. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
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