Haunted Nights

by Ellen Datlow (editor), Lisa Morton (editor), Eric J. Guignard (contributor)

Sixteen never-before-published chilling tales that explore every aspect of our darkest holiday, Halloween, co-edited by Ellen Datlow, one of the most successful and respected genre editors, and Lisa Morton, a leading authority on Halloween.

In addition to stories about scheming jack-o'-lanterns, vengeful ghosts, otherworldly changelings, disturbingly realistic haunted attractions, masks that cover terrifying faces, murderous urban legends, parties gone bad, cult Halloween movies, and trick or treating in the future, Haunted Nights also offers terrifying and mind-bending explorations of related holidays like All Souls' Day, Dia de los Muertos, and Devil's Night.

"With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds" by Seanan McGuire
"Dirtmouth" by Stephen Graham Jones"
"A Small Taste of the Old Countr" by Jonathan Maberry
"Wick’s End" by Joanna Parypinski
"The Seventeen Year Itch" by Garth Nix
"A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night" by Kate Jonez
"Witch-Hazel" by Jeffrey Ford
"Nos Galen Gaeaf" by Kelley Armstrong
"We’re Never Inviting Amber Again" by S. P. Miskowski
"Sisters" by Brian Evenson
"All Through the Night" by Elise Forier Edie
"A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds" by Eric J. Guignard
"The Turn" by Paul Kane
"Jack" by Pat Cadigan
"Lost in the Dark" by John Langan
"The First Lunar Halloween" by John R. Little

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Halloween, Fiction, Anthologies, Audiobook, Fantasy

368 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 3, 2017

About the author

Ellen Datlow has been editing science fiction, fantasy, and horror short fiction for forty years as fiction editor of OMNI Magazine and editor of Event Horizon and SCIFICTION. She currently acquires short stories and novellas for Tor.com. In addition, she has edited about one hundred science fiction, fantasy, and horror anthologies, including the annual The Best Horror of the Year series, The Doll Collection, Mad Hatters and March Hares, The Devil and the Deep: Horror Stories of the Sea, Echoes: The Saga Anthology of Ghost Stories, Edited By, and Final Cuts: New Tales of Hollywood Horror and Other Spectacles.
She's won multiple World Fantasy Awards, Locus Awards, Hugo Awards, Bram Stoker Awards, International Horror Guild Awards, Shirley Jackson Awards, and the 2012 Il Posto Nero Black Spot Award for Excellence as Best Foreign Editor. Datlow was named recipient of the 2007 Karl Edward Wagner Award, given at the British Fantasy Convention for "outstanding contribution to the genre," was honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Horror Writers Association, in acknowledgment of superior achievement over an entire career, and honored with the World Fantasy Life Achievement Award at the 2014 World Fantasy Convention.

Reviews

[karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

here is a list i made for riffle! this book is on it!

http://www.rifflebooks.com/list/24696...



reviewing short story collections is hard. i do not like doing it. so i am going to rock the same style as i did in my review for The Doll Collection: a teaser line or two pulled from the text along with an image i feel is representative of each story's particulars. this may seem lazy, but it actually takes WAY more time to pull together, given my stubborn and time-eating conviction that if i keep scouring the internet, i will find an even BETTER picture, along with the fact that i basically had to read the book a second time to select my quotes. and since i might actually write some mini-reviews throughout if the mood strikes me, the whole thing was a fool’s errand. i have tricked myself, but at least youuuuu get the treat of creepy GIFs.



Introduction - Lisa Morton

this is a brief, but important little intro, for those impulsive people who see a free book called Haunted Nights with ellen datlow’s name on it at work and just snatch it up without further investigation. the intro lets those goobers know that this isn’t a broad-spectrum horror anthology, it is a halloween anthology, so the stories are rooted specifically in the rituals and lore of that holiday, which is important to note because

1) these references include some old-timey traditions that are outmoded and potentially unfamiliar to modern goobers.

2) some of the stories have the feel of folklore, and are awfully predictable, which would be more disappointing (to me) in an anthology of modern horror, but feels appropriate (to me) in the context of halloween, with my sepia-tinted childhood memories of rhode island halloweens where washington irving stories were read aloud on haunted hayrides and cider was consumed and we may as well have been wearing bonnets for how colonial new england we were.



3) the specificity of the theme allows for the inclusion of a couple of stories that are not necessarily horror-horror, although very bad things do happen in them.

okay, enough of that; let's get to it.



THE STORIES

With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds - Seanan McGuire
★★★★☆



"It's Halloween," she said again. "Do you want a trick, or do you want a treat?"

i liked this story fine, but if i'm being perfectly candid, it got a free star just for being written by an author i adore. it's good, but it doesn't have the ka-POW of her best work. it feels like a second draft, where the characters are almost there, just needing a final polish to shine. but considering she's produced - what, eight books this year? she's earned a free star.

Dirtmouth - Stephen Graham Jones
★★★★☆



I would sit with her until she was bones, if need be.

this one is messy in the best way possible. it left me with a bunch of questions, but they are of the "engaged reader" rather than the "you wrote it wrong!!" variety. not that i would ever make that accusation. except to herman melville. and thomas hardy for the ending of tess.

A Small Taste of the Old Country - Jonathan Maberry
★★★★☆



"We love our dead. Their having died does not make them less a part of our family. We can see the holes carved in the world in the shapes of each one of them."

you can see the ending of this one coming a mile away, but the characters can't, so reading it brings the same kind of gleeful anticipation as watching (insert monster-villain of your choice) approach the poorly-considered hiding place of dumb teenagers. but in this story, the characters on the "dumb teenagers" side of the equation 100% deserve their fate.

Wick's End - Joanna Parypinski
★★★☆☆



”Tell me a good one, old man,” she said. She swilled her drink and finally turned to face me. Her irises were as black as her pupils. “A ghost story. That’s the real currency around here on Halloween.”

this is one of the super-predictable ones. it's not bad or boring, but it definitely feels like reading something "traditional," something that would have been perfectly suited to those haunted hayrides of my youth, intoned spookily along with all the hawthorne and ghosties and assorted urban legends.

The Seventeen-Year Itch - Garth Nix
★★★☆☆



She came closer, careful to keep to the end of the bed, out of reach of that scratching, scrabbling hand. Orando had worked with the dangerously insane for many years and would not risk getting too close. But she had never had such a fascinating patient, and she couldn’t help but lean forward…

this one is creepy, and presents images striking enough that as soon as someone tasked with sourcing content for the next big horror anthology series reads it, BOOM! onscreen it shall go.

A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night - Kate Jonez
★★★☆☆



I don’t even know what to say to a kid who poops in a jar.

i guess this is horror, but it is from the school of "the real world is horrible enough."

Witch Hazel - Jeffrey Ford
★★★☆☆



By the time the two murderers were tied up and being led away, there were six dead and twenty wounded. That’s a lot of people to dispatch in a relatively short time with only sharp kitchen utensils.

twins. do i need to say more? i should reread this one, but my first pass (and second half-pass for quote-extraction) response is mixed. it seems to get in its own way at the end. there's a perfectly satisfying story here, in the tradition of Who Was Changed and Who Was Dead, but then he goes and spackles it in with some last ditch extra stuff the story doesn't need and he doesn't explore, and it just throws off the whole balance with unnecessary equivocation.

Nos Galan Gaeaf - Kelley Armstrong
★★★☆☆



The old ways always worked for them, so they would continue with them long after others had forgotten their roots.

this one was fine, but i don't have anything to add beyond that. and since i wasn't SUPPOSED to be reviewing these stories and yet am reviewing each and every one of them as though i've been possessed by the nerdiest demon ever, i'm just going to move on.

We're Never Inviting Amber Again - S.P. Miskowski
★★★☆☆



”Come on,” I said to our party guests. “This will be fun. We’ll use the salt-and-pepper shakers for “yes” or “no” and then we’ll only ask questions the ghosties don’t have to spell out. Look at me! I’m a psychic!”

this is the douchiest character in the whole collection. and the biggest horror of all in this story is that he does not die at the end, nor even come close. nor does he even change as a result of what he witnesses. the last sentence finds him as douchey as ever. where's the comeuppance, miskowski??

Sisters - Brian Evenson
★★★★☆
★★★★★



”What do you suppose it remembers?” asked Millie, her voice papery and whisper-thin beside me, a kind of light flutter against my eardrum. “Does it know how I’ve made use of it?”

“It must know something,” I said. “Otherwise it wouldn’t be screaming.”

i'm gonna go ahead and change this one to five stars, because it is one of the weirdest fucking things i have ever read, and the last sentence made me do an actual, physical double-take before busting out in what can only be described as a bray of appreciative laughter.



it's pretty awesome.

All Through the Night - Elise Forier Edie
★★★★☆



”See how hunger makes the world like a veil,” she had said. “How another Place hides behind it.”

foof. this one's a heartbreaker. it's not horror at all, but it is beautifully told and controlled and boy, does it linger. some humans may cry.

A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds - Eric J. Guignard
★★★★☆



Clack-clack-clack.

fun and cartoony and fun and trippy and ... FUN. the characters don't have fun the whole way through, and there are moments where a reader's anger will be stirred and revenge demanded, but let the dead handle that part.

The Turn - Paul Kane
★★★★☆

It’s always the same. They can’t help themselves.

When they hear it, when they hear me, they turn. That’s the key. It’s what leads to their downfall. You can’t blame them, of course. It’s natural; it’s instinct. Something which, for generations, has kept them safe. A need to look, to see who might be behind them. Who or what might be following. It has kept people alive, in fact, which is ironic when you think about it. Because the same action now, tonight, is what will ensure their death.

this is a perfect little halloween morsel. it's creepy enough to make the back of your neck itch and i guarantee it will pop into your head the next time you're out walking at night, and it ends SO well with a little surprise kick. very good stuff.

Jack - Pat Cadigan
★★★★☆



I once overheard a woman who’d just been to a funeral say something to the effect that the dead person’s troubles were over. I didn’t even have to look at her to know she lived only in the natural world.

another one that feels like classic folklore, but modernized with a humorous urban fantasy vibe. if you were to excavate it, there'd be some aesop, some murder ballad, some br'er rabbit, and it's fine without being particularly memorable.

Lost in the Dark - John Langan
★★★★☆

”At dusk on Halloween, we entered the mine. I was certain we’d run into kids partying there. In fact, I was counting on it. I wanted it as an illustration of an annual event, a local ritual. But there was no one there. As far as setbacks go, it wasn’t bad. After filming the mine’s exterior, we walked into it.”

Edie waits a beat, then says, “And…?”

“And we came out again,” Sarah says. “Eventually.”

i was dreading this story, because it is loooong, and because historically, i have avoided langan the way i avoid all horror writers who fall into the lovecraftian tradition, as that style does nothing for me. but this was not full of nameless eldritch dread nor hideous ichor and madness. or rather, it's got some of those elements, but they are not run through a lovecraft filter, and if brian evenson hadn't suckerpunched me with his story, this would probably have been my favorite in the collection.

The First Lunar Halloween - John R. Little
★★★★☆



”This is totally safe, so you just need to enjoy your first Halloween!”

halloweeeeeeeen on the moooooon! i really enjoyed this little sci-fi/horror tale. it's short and cagey, and a good endpoint to the collection - a future in which halloween has become a long-dormant tradition; a cultural relic from the time before humans fled the invading aliens and moved to the moon. one which is revived as an interactive history lesson for schoolchildren, its customs taught, and learned, with unexpectedly devastating results.

THE END

wow, so that happened. i reviewed every damn story without even meaning to. this is how i lose hours of my life. i hope at least one person read all the way down to here, otherwise i'm going to have to scold myself for yet another bad life decision.

if you are here, happy halloween!!!!



come to my blog!

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new collection of Horror (or I should say strictly Halloween stories,) was probably the best surprise I got this month. I generally don't expect all that much about made-to-order stories based on a theme, but every single one of these was consistently awesome. Some were rather extraordinary.

Something else that comes as a rather nice surprise was the fact that I've been following most of these authors anyway, so I'm getting a feel for what they'd do naturally and I can even get a sense as to whether their stories are up to snuff. And if you've been reading this far, you can tell I think so. :)

BUT. And here's the odd part... some of my favorite authors aren't getting their top marks in this collection! Seanan McGuire's story, "With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds", actually fell near to the bottom of my list of favorites! *gasp*

"Dirtmout" by Stephen Graham Jones, was absolutely gorgeous and atmospheric and creepy as hell. This is where I knew I was going to rock to this collection.

Jonathan Maberry's "A Small Taste of the Old Country" was pretty good for a history lesson and a traditional ghost story vibe and I have no complaints even if it didn't strike fear into my heart.

I really loved Joanna Parypinski's "Wick's End". It really captures the taste of sitting around a campfire telling stories about how to beat the devil... even if it's a game in a pub. I LOVE these kinds of stories within stories.

"The Seventeen-Year Itch" by Garth Nix was a good one for hospitals and obsession but it didn't really grab me that much even though it was entertaining.

"A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night" by Kate Jonez was pretty atmospheric even if it was more just a mild horror. :)

"Witch Hazel" by Jeffrey Ford was a decent witch story with twins for all you people who are naturally freaked out by those freaks of nature. :) :)

"Nos Galan Gaeaf" by Kelley Armstrong wasn't part of any of my favorites, unfortunately.

"We're Never Inviting Amber Again" by S.P. Miskowski, was, okay, pretty forgettable, too. :)

BUT Brian Evanson's "Sisters" really knocked things out of the park. I loved the fish out of water aspect. :)

"All Through the Night" by Elise Forier Edie was sweet and bittersweet and thoughtful.

"A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds" by Eric J. Guignard was pretty awesome as an adventure through thug territory living through the Day of the Dead for real. It was pretty brilliant.

Paul Kane's "The Turn" made me turn for real. Nice and scary and a perfect pick me up. :) Boo!

Pat Cadigan's "Jack" was pretty much a pumpkin king. Familiar, full of myth, and decent fun, but kinda middle of the road.

John Langan's "Lost in the Dark" blew me the **** away. This one is easily my absolute favorite of the bunch, half-way a documentary, a horror movie, a barroom expose, and a thoughtful and smart addition to the shaky-cam genre that blows most of the shaky-cams out of the atmosphere. I actually got creeped out and started biting my nails a bit.

And for the last story of the bunch, we got a SF! "The First Lunar Halloween" by John R. Little wasn't particularly scary but it felt like a great lunar/archeological experiment in trickery. :)

[Char · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars!

Haunted Nights collects several previously unpublished stories from an array of excellent authors-with the bonus that they're all connected- by Halloween. It may not be exactly the Halloween that we as Americans are used to, but the seeds are still the same-whether they're sown in Scotland or Ohio. I found quite a few stories to shine for me in this anthology and here are a few of them:

John Langan's Lost in the Dark is one of my favorite types of haunting tales-the disconcerting kind. That House of Leaves eeriness combined with a cool framing device and several stories within a story all equal out to a very satisfied Char.

With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire was impressive and convinced me that I need to give more of her work a try. Always remember that those Halloween tricks can get you into trouble-especially if you trick the wrong person.

A Small Taste of the Old Country by Jonathan Maberry. This one was predictable, but man, I just wanted it to happen so badly. When it did, I couldn't have been happier.

The Seventeen Year Itch by Garth Nix would have made one hell of a Twilight Zone episode. This story put me in mind of those old horror and sci-mags back in the day. There is a lot of punch, (and scratching!), packed into this short story.

A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night by Kate Jonez is a downer of a tale, but I can't deny how powerfully it was written to make me feel that way.

All Through the Night by Elise Forier Edie What another sad, sad tale! Halloween is not all fun and games and neither is the horror genre. Sometimes it's fun and imaginative, (see The Seventeen Year Itch), but sometimes it's all too realistic. Often it's those hard to look at stories, the ones about the lives of real people and the hardships they go through, that are the most horrific of all.

The Turn by Paul Kane. This is the perfect title-because it's exactly what you want-NO-are compelled to do when you hear footsteps behind you on a dark street. But what if you would be okay, if only you didn't turn. Would you be able not to?

John Little's The First Lunar Halloween and Jeffrey Ford's Witch Hazel rounded out my favorites in this collection.

I loved the fact that ALL of these stories were new and I adored the connection they had to Halloween. I've previously been disappointed in collections where I've discovered, (too late!), that I'd already read many of the stories within. These were fresh tales and featured some fresh, (at least to me), authors, as well as some tried and true.

It is my excited opinion that this anthology belongs on any horror lover's shelves-but especially to those of us that have a love of all things Halloween! Highly recommended!

Get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBQ444Q/...

*Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*

[Eilonwy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's tough to review books of short stories, especially short stories written by multiple authors.

This collection is mild horror, with the central theme being that every story takes place on Halloween. (The introduction to the book, giving background on how Halloween came to be the holiday celebrated in the US, was pretty interesting in its own right.) From that starting point, the authors were allowed to run with whatever they wanted. This is a pretty illustrious list of writers, too, some of whom I've read before and some who were entirely new to me. I enjoyed nearly all the stories very much.

The strongest story for me was "A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds," by Eric J. Guignard, which covered a lot of ground for a short story: supernatural terror versus the horrors perpetrated by "normal" humans against those they find deviant, with a touching LGBTQ aspect, told in an awesome voice.

The weakest were the contributions from Seanan McGuire (!) whose story was disappointingly standard and predictable (the title, "With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds," was the best thing about it), and John Langan, whose "Lost in the Dark" I found long and boring.

I've been in a bit of a reading/concentration slump lately, so zooming through short stories really hit the spot for me this week.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars: I really liked it. This is a bit of a mixed bag for me (like most anthologies), but my rating is based largely on my love for John Langan's story, "Lost in the Dark." I'm so grateful it was included and I got to read it.

-With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire: 3 stars. I love the house concept but was a bit confused about what Mary was taking from the teens who lived.
-Dirtmouth by Stephen Graham Jones: 3 stars. Creepy but I was again confused, this time by the apparent pregnancy? Was that real or am I missing something?
-A Small Taste of the Old Country by Jonathan Maberry: 4 stars. I cheered all the way through this.
-Wick's End by Joanna Parypinski: 3 stars. I like the stories inside the story.
-The Seventeen Year Itch by Garth Nix: 3 stars but again some confusing elements. (Was I just too tired this week to read?)
-A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night by Kate Jonez: 3 stars. So sad.
-Witch-Hazel by Jeffrey Ford: 4 stars. I enjoyed this one pretty well for the strange creepiness of the symptoms.
-Nos Galen Gaeaf by Kelley Armstrong: 3 stars, nice use of Welsh traditions.
-We're Never Inviting Amber Again by S. P. Miskowski: 4 stars, pretty spooky. Boy that narrator was a piece of work!
-Sisters by Brian Evenson: 3 stars for some creepy elements.
-All Through the Night by Elise Forier Edie: 3 stars. Oh my god, so sad.
-A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds by Eric J. Guignard: 1 star. For whatever reason, I didn't like this one. I just couldn't connect with it.
-The Turn by Paul Kane: 3 stars. Nice "turn" (heh) in this story.
-Jack by Pat Cadigan: 2 stars. It was okay but didn't really grab me. It seemed oversimple; Jack didn't seem that clever.
-Lost in the Dark by John Langan: 5 stars. AHH! Amazing! I adore reading about fictional horror movies, and the description of the cave in this story scared me quite a bit. Chilling and effective. Love love love.
-The First Lunar Halloween by John R. Little: 3 stars. I'm on team alien...

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

[An Redman · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's an exemplary collection of ideas in these stories. Each story has a lot of promise and lures you in to read it. However, most of the stories became dry. There was so much historical detail, nuance, repetition, that most stories lost their punch. As a meditation on Halloween, it's perfect. As a collection of scary stories, meh, doesn't make the grade.

Before reading, please ask yourself if you crave shivers, or if you want to be educated. (There is nothing wrong with educational stories, I want to be clear on that.)

[Jon Recluse · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of short horror stories since I first learned to read, and a born Halloween disciple, any anthology that offers me both is a must-read.
HAUNTED NIGHTS is not only a must-read, it's a must-own. Gathering unpublished works by authors both familiar and new (to me), offering diverse voices and points of origin for the darkest of holidays....without a single "rock" in the treat bag.

Personal favorites include:

The Turn by Paul Kane,
Lost in the Dark by John Langan,
The First Lunar Halloween by John R. Little, and
With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire

Highest possible recommendation

[ᴥ Irena ᴥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

Haunted Nights is a pretty good collection of Halloween-themed stories. The thing which distinguishes it from other collections is the type of Halloween the character celebrate or endure, as the case may be. Some of them are hiding a surprise or two and with only one exception, I enjoyed these stories - some more than others, of course.
Just a couple of notes on the stories themselves:

With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire is a haunted house story. I wasn't surprised to like this. Seanan McGuire can write paranormal stuff really really well.

Dirtmouth by Stephen Graham Jones has an unreliable narrator, so you never know what exactly happened to the narrator and his family. It had my undivided attention, though.

A Small Taste of the Old Country by Jonathan Maberry is a good enough story, I guess; one of those people would feel bad for saying something bad. My issue with it was it is too transparent right from the beginning. The moment you see the setting and the period it takes place, you know everything about it, so it becomes a bit of a chore to read through the food stuff.
Don't get me wrong, it is a good story. It is simply better suited for a younger reader who is learning about those particular issues.
A small nitpick: Poles are Slavs.

Wick's End by Joanna Parypinski is a familiar one. You must have heard at least a version of it. One monster hunting on Halloween encounters another monster.

The Seventeen Year Itch by Garth Nix is a great story that takes place at an asylum. A change in administration creates all kinds of problems. People should really listen to older members of staff.

A Flicker of Light on Devil's Night by Kate Jonez is the exception I mentioned earlier. I almost stopped reading this book. It is boring, it drags like nobody's business and it has the least engaging characters ever written. I can't remember the last time I've read something this short that took this much time and being this boring. I hated this depressing 'story' and its present tense.

Witch-Hazel by Jeffrey Ford features twins and it is really good. And disgusting.

Nos Galen Gaeaf by Kelley Armstrong is about people following old traditions. I can't say I am happy with how it ends, but the story is good.

We're Never Inviting Amber Again by S. P. Miskowski is full of horrible people. It's a bit confusing and the ending doesn't help at all. The narrator and his wife (who is this supposedly perfect wonderful person) are having a Halloween party with some friends and the wife's weird sister. During the evening, you find out how weird and crazy the sister is and how horrible this man is. The wife doesn't do anything bad, though (in the present).

Sisters by Brian Evenson is one of those with a surprise in the end. It is great and it is funny too. I mean, the protagonists call us 'it'.

All Through the Night by Elise Forier Edie is one of my favourite stories here and it broke my heart. It is beautifully written, well-plotted and if it doesn't make you cry or at least makes you sad, you don't have a soul.

A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds by Eric J. Guignard is both funny and sad. It has a dancing skeleton and a talking skull, a hungover young man with one huge regret in his life which he tries to fix on Halloween. Everyone gets what they deserve in the end and it is really satisfying.

The Turn by Paul Kane is a great story with pretty good ending. Do not turn around when you hear footsteps following you. You don't want to see what is behind you.

Jack by Pat Cadigan is about another Jack's attempt to trick someone and pass on his cursed lantern.

Lost in the Dark by John Langan is another favourite. The narrator is hired to conduct an interview with a director of a very popular film to conclude whether those events actually happened or not. You are left to draw your own conclusions. Considering that most of us reading this collection are horror lovers, I'm guessing we'll have similar conclusions.

The First Lunar Halloween by John R. Little takes place on October 31, 2204 on the Moon. There are only two thousand or so humans left in the universe and they are all living on the Moon. The aliens destroyed the Earth and everyone on it. The protagonist is a teacher who collected various stories about Halloween and wants to take a group of students topside. Things don't go as planned.
The ending is what makes it even better.

ARC received from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group via NetGalley

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished this on December 1st to round out my Spooky Season Reading. I started a new idea of November Frights because October just isn't long enough to dedicate to horror/scary reading. Sadly, I didn't finish it soon enough for it to qualify. I expected to like this more than I did, honestly. The anthology included the following stories. I will attempt to make comments on the stories as best as possible, and my brain fog is real.

“With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds” by Seanan McGuire
-I liked this story. It plays with the concept of kids making mischief on Halloween in/on abandoned houses. Maybe there are spirits there that don't like their abodes being abused. It was more on the cozy side of horror, which I like. 3.5 stars

“Dirtmouth” by Stephen Graham Jones”
-One of the darker stories in this volume. It's really sad and grim. The narrator was so good at inhabiting the character and getting the reader engaged in his story that he is telling. I had a quake in my stomach as I read. 3.5 stars

“A Small Taste of the Old Country” by Jonathan Maberry
-I really enjoy Maberry's writing. This was suspenseful. The plot builds and I could feel the tension rising in me as I read. The climax was really well executed. 4 stars

“Wick’s End” by Joanna Parypinski
-This has a classic horror/folklore inspired bent that I enjoyed (although it also has some modern trappings.) Nicely chilling. 3.5 stars.

“The Seventeen Year Itch” by Garth Nix
-I think this was the scariest book in the collection. It really got me. I am glad I didn't read this at night. For some reason, it reminded me of some of the dark, twisted villain origin stories in the Batman comics. 4 stars.

“A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night” by Kate Jonez
-I dnf'd this story. I didn't like where it seemed to be going. There's a type of horror I avoid and I had a feeling it was going in that direction, so I didn't continue it.

“Witch-Hazel” by Jeffrey Ford
-This story really made my skin crawl. I have a fear of contagion that got triggered by this story. It had a unique feel and made me think of folk horror. I love stories with that edge of folklore/dark legends/stories associated with certain places. 4 stars.

“Nos Galen Gaeaf” by Kelley Armstrong
-This story had a mean spirit vibe to it that I didn't enjoy. I disliked the narrator intensely, and his motivations eluded me. There is definitely a sense of justice to the ending though. 3 stars.

“We’re Never Inviting Amber Again” by S. P. Miskowski
-The husband in this story was a major tool. Honestly, if I married a guy and he didn't like my sister, that would be a dealbreaker for me. Hard to feel sympathetic for this guy. I found the open ending intriguing, but I wish there was more comeuppance for the husband. 3 stars.

“Sisters” by Brian Evenson
-This was a weird story. Interesting, and I have lots of questions. 3 stars.

“All Through the Night” by Elise Forier Edie
-What a sad story. I loved the Irish folklore aspects of it. It reminded me of one of the narratives in the American Gods season one storylines. I wish things were better for that poor girl though. 4 stars.

“A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds” by Eric J. Guignard
-I loved this story. I am a sucker for Latin American folklore and this book was so rich and beautifully described in its depictions of Dia de Los Muertos and how it has a particular and personal meaning for the lead character. I would get this a 4.5 stars without reservation.

“The Turn” by Paul Kane
-Short and really brutal in execution but there was a tiny seed of hope in the whole situation. 3.5 stars

“Jack” by Pat Cadigan
-Another story rich with folklore. Interestingly, this has some similar themes to "Wick's End", but reads very different. I loved the twist. 3.5 stars

“Lost in the Dark” by John Langan
-If a reader is into found footage and metafiction, this is your thing 100%. I found it an interesting listen, and there are some genuinely hair-raising parts in this story. It has a documentary feel that adds to the metafictional narrative in an intriguing way. Normally, this wouldn't necessarily be my thing, but I liked it a lot. 4 stars

“The First Lunar Halloween” by John R. Little
-I wasn't a big fan of this story. It was too short and there's not enough depth to capture my emotions. The concept of Halloween on the moon and a sci-fi story was good in theory, but its execution doesn't catch me. 2.5 stars

My overall rating is 3.5 stars for this anthology. I think it was an enjoyable read. Although the stories are mostly set around Halloween, it could be read at any time.

[Fiona Knight · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars: This collection has a great line up - a lot of my reliably favourite authors have a story in here. But surprisingly, it was none of them who really blew me away. Instead the first half of the book (where most of those heavy-hitters were stacked) left me a little flat - it's not that it was bad, but it wasn't yet anything to really get excited about. But the last half made up for it enough to round the 3.5 up to a 4.

All in all a nicely seasonal read!

[Mommacat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Halloween is my favorite holiday and I'm always on the lookout for great reading material on the subject. When I saw Lisa Morton and Ellen Datlow pop up as editors on a new Halloween anthology, you bet I checked on it. All I needed to see was the addition of John Little and I requested the book!

17 authors give it it their all, including Jonathan Maberry, Kate Jonez, and Eric Guignard. I'm only going to talk about a couple of my favorite stories by new authors I have never read.

JACK - by Pat Cadigan, I loved this story! It may have been my favorite in the collection by a previously unknown to me author. With 15 books behind them, I have no excuse. JACK is a wonderful tale of a watchful family.

DIRTMOUTH - by Stepthen Graham Jones, another winner for me. Wife died and is missed, maybe the family can remember the good times at their cabin.

SISTERS - by Brian Evenson was way fun rather than the typical scary story. It's impossible to say anything without spoiling. Just enjoy.

Like many anthologies not every story will strike everyone the same. For me, most of these were pretty darn good and averaged out to 4 stars. Recommended to all Halloween lovers!

[Crowinator · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finally finished! Thoughts on the stories to come. Favorite story = “Lost in the Dark” by John Langan

Read
“With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds” by Seanan McGuire
“Dirtmouth” by Stephen Graham Jones”
“A Small Taste of the Old Countr” by Jonathan Maberry
“Wick’s End” by Joanna Parypinski
“The Seventeen Year Itch” by Garth Nix
“A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night” by Kate Jonez
“Witch-Hazel” by Jeffrey Ford
“Nos Galen Gaeaf” by Kelley Armstrong
“We’re Never Inviting Amber Again” by S. P. Miskowski
“Sisters” by Brian Evenson
“All Through the Night” by Elise Forier Edie
“A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds” by Eric J. Guignard
“The Turn” by Paul Kane
“Jack” by Pat Cadigan
“Lost in the Dark” by John Langan
“The First Lunar Halloween” by John R. Little

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This collection was lackluster; I just didn't connect with any story. No story was inherently bad, I just didn't care. No story made me feel anything more than annoyed. Even the "good" stories were decent at best. I did enjoy how each story focused on a different aspect of Halloween whether it was the traditions, origins, superstitions etc. Maybe I just had high hopes for this collection. I was anticipating spooky stories perfect for a chilly October night, but overall, I was let down.

[Rachelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Her grin was a Jack o Lantern carved out of the twilight, eerie and bright and flickering with unholy fire.."

Spooky, creepy and very fun Halloween collection!! My favorites were With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds, Dirtmouth and Jack 🎃

[WendyB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just didn't work for me.
Could be I just tried to read too many short stories during October but these didn't give me a really good Halloween vibe.

[Robert Vanneste · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4.0 an easy read . My favorite of this anthology is Lost In The Dark . Lots of atmosphere.

[Audra (ouija.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edited by the queen of horror anthologies, Ellen Datlow, and the queen of Halloween, Lisa Morton, this is the perfect story collection for the spooky month of Halloween!

I just love everything about Halloween. The smell of candles burning in jack-o’-lanterns, the costumes, the decorations everywhere, the haunted houses, all the lore, leaves falling on the ground, everything! It is a magical time, when it seems like anything might be possible, like anything might reach through the veil and touch us.

Each story in this collection has a unique take on All Hallows’ Eve, from expanding on traditional folklore to fresh new horrors of kinds unimaginable to those reminiscent of childhood Halloween frights!

Favorite include:

“Dirtmouth” by Stephen Graham Jones—I always get excited to see this guy’s name on any anthology list. He consistently writes the most unusual and thoroughly creepy stories. Great every time.

“Wick’s End” by Joanna Parypinski—this is just a perfect Halloween tale. It has a campfire type quality and incorporates a traditional story with an excellent twist.

“Sisters” by Brian Evenson—That last line though!! I am really drawn to the weirder stories, and this one fits the bill.

“A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night” by Kate Jonez—this one hit me hard emotionally! Jonez is a skilled writer, and I loved how beautiful this tale was, even though it was sad and dark. I’ll be on the lookout for her work in the future.

Definitely pick this one up to read in October!

This was a June Night Worms book!

[Jeanette]

No rating. This was like a sophomore year in high school class had a short story assignment. Actually I have recently read a few of these from college students in a local rag that were better. Stephen King or Shirley Jackson? You won't find that here. Lots of nasty perps emitting colloquial and foul language does not a horror or haunting make. Absolutely not for me.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: ARC via Netgalley

Who doesn’t love Halloween? Okay, it’s true that in some areas of the country, you will have near adults dressed in nothing more than a cheap mask ringing the doorbell and then being upset that they haven’t received a whole Snickers bar, but, hey, it’s Halloween, and look at those Princess Leias. Brings a bit of hope about the future generation.

But as most people can tell you, as the Princess Leias illustrate, there is also an attempt to make Halloween less scary. Some schools have forbidden scary outfits, and most customers in my neighborhood recently have been superheroes and princesses. (And that is another issue). While it is understandable not to want to frighten young children, the sexualization of costumes and the move to cute, does tend to be a bit disturbing. Look at the difference between male and female Iron Man costumes, for instance.

Thankfully Morton and Datlow hew to the original concept of Halloween in this well edited collection.

All the stories are set on Halloween (or on a related festival). All the tales are spooky and focus on the darker aspect of the holiday. Thought, it should be noted, that cute can still make an appearance in one or two tales. But it is cute with a big bite, lots of sharp teeth, and you know, it is going to leave a scar.

Seanan McGuire’s “With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds” starts the collection. It is, on the surface, a haunted house tale (what better way to celebrate Halloween), as well as makes us of the idea of Mischief Night. It is a good teen story too, at least in terms of the idea of needing and wanting to belong to a group. It’s a rather quiet study of it, and while the subject matter and execution are completely different, in many ways it reminds me of Kij Johnson’s “Ponies” – the most chilling story about peer pressure ever.

Which isn’t in this collection, but McGuire’s short story is just as good, so if you liked “Ponies”, read it.

McGuire is followed by “Dirtmouth” by Stephen Graham Jones, a tale about fame, death, and afterlife. To say much more would be giving a bit too much away, so I won’t. Let’s just say, it makes a good companion piece to “The Monkey’s Paw”.

Look, if you are over 12, and don’t know “The Monkey’s Paw,” I can’t know you. Sorry.

Perhaps Jonathan Maberry’s “A Small Taste of the Old Country”. Considering the Trump’s administrations misstatements, false statements, or missteps (you can pick the word, I prefer lies) in terms of the Holocaust, Maberry’s somber story is a good rebuke to all those statements. It also, like most good fiction, raises questions about justice, remembrance, and freedom.

Joanna Parupinski’s tale “Wick’s End” makes good use of several folklore and tale motifs as does Kelley Armstrong’s “Nos Galen Gaeaf” (which is set in Cainsville). Additionally, both stories make excellent use of the idea of storytelling. Phillip Pullman’s “Seventeen Year Itch” also makes use of this idea and combines with the overuse trope of a madhouse. Yet, he writes quite a spooky story.

Jeffrey Ford gets bonus points for placing a tale in the New Jersey Pine Barrens but not including the Jersey Devil. Paul Kane too plays with the sounds of footsteps, and John R. Little sets a Halloween on the moon. Work by Pat Cadigan, Kate Jonez, S.P. Miskowski, and John Langan round out the collection.

In all, the short stories are strong and contain a good deal of spook and spine tingles. The emphasis is on fear rather than shock. This isn’t to say that there is not blood, but the horror is more psychological than shock with blood spurting. Not there isn’t the odd spurt or so.

[Michael Hicks · Rating 3 out of 5]

My original HAUNTED NIGHTS: A HORROR WRITERS ASSOCIATION ANTHOLOGY audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Co-edited by Ellen Datlow and Lisa Morton, Haunted Nights: A Horror Writers Association Anthology presents 16 original Halloween-themed short stories from authors Seanan McGuire, Jonathan Maberry, Stephen Graham Jones, Kelley Armstrong, Paul Kane, and plenty more. Each story is read by a different narrator, giving this anthology a wide range of flavors and vocal styling that keep the pace fresh over the course of nearly 12 hours.

As far as the content goes, I often find anthologies to be a mixed bag and this is no exception. The audio production end is strong throughout and the narrators give fine readings for each of their segments, so I have no quibbles on that end of things. However, a number of the stories contained herein struck me as largely forgettable. Still, there are a handful of standouts. Stephen Graham Jones delivers an awesome ghost story in “Dirtmouth,” and Jonathan Maberry gives us a fun bit of straightforward culinary revenge in “A Small Taste of the Old Country.” Garth Nix’s “The 17-Year Itch” provides a cool story of possession in a prison setting – I thought I had this one figured out from the beginning but was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong. “The Turn” by Paul Kane gives us a demon’s perspective on Halloween, and John Langan reports on a found-footage movie that may be more documentary than genre fiction in “Lost in the Dark.”

The one aspect I appreciated above all else was the diversity in theme. Plenty of other Halloween-focused anthologies focus mostly, if not entirely, on a familiar, oftentimes whitewashed, North American approach to the holiday, but there’s a nice mix of cultural representation and beliefs from this HWA production. Maberry focuses on Austrian customs while Armstrong delivers a Welsh-based Halloween story. Eric J. Guignard gives us an LA-based Day of the Dead celebration alongside some gang fights in his “A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds” and Elise Forier Edie tells us a story from the perspective of a 19th Century Irish immigrant to New York. John R. Little examines Halloween with a sci-fi speculative bent, as a small group of human survivors living on the moon attempt to recreate the lost traditions of an Earth they never knew in the year 2204.

My chief complaint, though, is that Haunted Nights just isn’t particularly horrifying. There’s some nice ghost stories and plays on familiar horror tropes, but there are no real scares and only a few of the stories dare to approach anything truly horrifying. This anthology is rather placid, with the authors playing it far too safe and refusing to take any risks. Frankly, taken as a whole, this is far too tame for my tastes and I found myself pining for edgier material nearly the whole through.

[Note: Audiobook provided for review by the audiobookreviewer.com]

[Alan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories with the common theme of Halloween. The first several stories are mostly good, but around the midway point I found most of the second half to be unreadable. I started and didn't bother finishing several at that point. However, the biggest standout was John Langan's "Lost in the Dark" which alone makes it worth finding this book.

[Irene Well Worth A Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology by the horror writers association was a mixed trick or treat bag of goodies for all fans of short horror fiction and of course Halloween. A couple of the stories leaned more towards sci-fi and although that's just not my thing I still enjoyed this book.

The stories that really stood out for me were With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire about an old abandoned house that never seems to fall into disrepair and some teen vandals who intend to break in.

Dirtmouth by Stephen Graham Jones in which a man who is grieving the loss of his wife plans a get away with his children over Halloween, the one night of year when anything is possible.

A Small Taste of the Old Country by Jonathan Maberry concerns two men who are treated to a most delicious and well deserved meal.

Wick’s End by Joanna Parypinski Two strangers in a tavern tell each other scary stories in a competition where the stakes are higher than they appear to be.

The only story that really scared me was We’re Never Inviting Amber Again by S. P. Miskowski A man regrets inviting his quirky sister-in-law to his Halloween party, she always ruins everything but this night is really hell on his guests!

A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night by Kate Jonez What's a poor single mother to do when she's lost control of her children and Halloween is coming?

All Through the Night by Elise Forier Edie is a hauntingly tragic tale of a destitute widowed mother trying to make a life for herself and her baby when she meets a strange man in a tavern who might not be human.

I received an advance copy for review.

[Bri Little · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall kinda underwhelming. I didn’t realize all the stories were about Halloween until 2 stories in. I also wish the narrator had been the same across stories.

The 2 memorable stories for me are Dirtmouth (I want to read more Stephen Graham Jones) and Sisters.

[Shainlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating and review to come.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spooky short stories. The one by Stephen Graham Jones called "Dirtmouth" is excellent as well as S. P. Miskowski in her tale of "We're Never Inviting Amber Again"

[Elliot A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Anchor Books for providing me with an ARC of Haunted Nights in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist

One can always tell when I have had enough of summer and I’m ready for the cozy autumn season.

This usually happens around the beginning of August and takes the form of me watching spooky movies and reading Halloween stories.

I had Haunted Nights on my NetGalley to-read shelf for an eternity and thought now was an excellent time to start getting into the Halloween spirit.

Generally speaking, I find the Halloween season and the time leading up to the holiday way too short anyway, so might as well make it last as long as possible.

The Details

I can be a fickle reader. Throw an anthology or collection of short stories at me and who knows how I will respond.

I tend to have one of two reactions to anthologies, independent from vivid flashbacks of my time as a literature undergrad student – because most texts back then were “anthologies”.

One, I find the short stories too short. I get frustrated with the lack of “what happens next”. I need answers and I won’t get them, because as the genre says so clearly, these are short stories.

Two, I get overwhelmed by the number of stories and the various storylines. I tend to plough through a book, which is no big deal when it is a continuous story. In the case of an anthology things can get a little complicated when trying to read through it as quickly as possible.

With Haunted Nights it was a little bit of both. I really enjoyed some stories and wanted desperately to know more. With others, I was just trying to make it through to move on to the next.

I mean, that’s the risk a reader takes when choosing to read a collection of short stories, or poems or articles. Some will speak more to you than others.

The stories that spoke to me the most out of Haunted Nights nights were as follows:

With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire

The Seventeen-Year Itch by Garth Nix

Witch Hazel by Jeffrey Ford

We’re Never Inviting Amber Again S. P. Miskowski

Sisters Brian Evenson

Jack Pat Cadigan

To me they were atmospheric, spooky, eerie, and even a little cozy to read. I know, I’m weird. I just can’t help getting all snuggled up in a blanket, reading a story that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
The Verdict
Overall, I thought this was a solid anthology of Halloween inspired and themed stories. It was the perfect starting point for this year’s Halloween reads.

Not only will I check out more anthologies and collections edited by the two editors of Haunted Nights, but I will also see what other works the authors I listed above have published.

I would definitely recommend this collection.

ElliotScribbles

[Jiří Pavlovský · Rating 3 out of 5]

Na Vánoce s Halloweenskými horory. Jo, jsem lehce opožděný, všichni to říkají. A i přes sevřenost tématu, je tohle dost pestrý, zábavný a vyvážený sborník. Najdete tu skoro pohádkové příběhy, horory z hřbitova, opuštěného domu, blázince, dokonce i z povrchu Měsíce. Příběhy z pohledu moster, obětí i lidí, co s monstry bojují. Slabších povídek je těch z šestnácti jen pár, několik je průměrných (třeba až příliš klasická a předvídatelná Drobná ochutnávka staré vlasti od Mabberyho), ale je tu i pár fakt parádních kousků.

Asi nejlepší mi přišel indiánský autor Stephen Graham Jones a jeho Ústa plná hlíny, což je fajn, protože už mi od něj konečně přišel román The Only Good Indians, takže se mám na co těšit (ale zdá se, že jsem ho objednával zbytečně, čeští vydavatelé to už slibují). Je to jednoduchá, sevřená, ale hodně silná povídka. Jako dvojka je u mě Amber už víckrát nepozveme od S. P. Miskowské. Měl jsem z ní takový pocit „tohle bych si chtěl napsat sám“. Hororový příběh popsaný z pohledu náhodného pozorovatele, který všechny účastníky považuje za hysterické a otravné idioty, kteří mu kazí večírek. Brian Evenson přišel s dost zvláštní povídkou (jak jinak) Sestry… což je něco, jako by se Clive Baker rozhodl napsat Addams Family. A Garth Nixovo Pekelné svědění je také fajn záležitost a je tu i John Langan s pátráním ohledně vzniku kultovní hororové série. Vůbec je výběr docela kvalitní.

Takže… šťastný a veselý Halloween!

[Potato McB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhhh, a book of horror stories about Halloween! Except I read the first half of it over the summer and am only finishing it now, 5 days before Halloween. 🤣

BECAUSE I lagged so long, though, I can easily tell you my favorite, most memorable stories in this collection, as they are the ones I still remember while I've mostly forgotten the rest!

The standouts were:

Dirtmouth, by Stephen Graham Jones (never go mountain climbing!)
A Small Taste of the Old Country, by Jonathan Maberry (I'm really liking these historical reckoning horror stories)
Nos Galen Gaeaf, by Kelley Armstrong
A Kingdom Of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds, by Eric J. Guignard
Lost in the Dark, by John Langan (found footage horror!)
The First Lunar Halloween, by John R. Little (notable for being the only work of space horror in the collection)

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good collection, a little something for everyone.

[Erin Talamantes · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Anthology of 16 stories
* Story one: With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds.
* This story is about a group of teens who go to the Holston house to cause some trouble on Halloween.
* Story two: Dirtmouth
* This story is about a man who has just loss his wife. He takes his two babies to the family cabin in the mountains for family time, the same mountains he lost his wife to. On Halloween someone makes a special appearance one last time.
* Story three: A Small Taste of the Old Country
* This story takes place in Argentina after WWII. Two men are approached by a baker offering them some delicious bread from his home country. The men love the bread so much, that he invites them over the next night to celebrate the Austrian version of Halloween.
* Story four: Wick’s End
* This story is about an old man and a woman who make a bet to see who can tell the scariest story. However, their both hiding a secret from the other.
* Story five: The Seventeen Year Itch
* A man has an itch that no matter how hard he scratches, it won’t go away.
* Story six: A Flicker of Light on Devils Night
* Amom is struggling with her two kids that she can’t control
* Story seven: Witch Hazel
* A story of two twin sisters who catch a disease and go insane
* Story eight: Nos Galan Gaeaf
* This is about a boy looking for revenge on a girl who bullies him.
* Story nine: We’re Never Inviting Amber Again
* This is about a man named Drew who hates his sister in law Amber. Like really hates her.
* Story ten: Sisters
* Two sisters become very fascinated with Halloween and what it entails.
* Story eleven: All Through the Night
* This is about a girl whose pregnant and makes a deal with a man named Blai, but he’s not what she thinks.
* Story twelve: A Kingdom of Sugar Skulls and Marigolds
* This is about a guy who carves a name into a sugar skull, which will allow the dead to visit on Dia de los muertos, but he carves the wrong name.
* Story thirteen: The Turn
* This story teaches you the lesson “if you hear footsteps behind you on “that night” you don’t turn around.”
* Story fourteen: Pat Cadigan
* A man named Jack tries to make a deal with a recently deceased woman, a dirty deal.
* Story fifteen: Lost in the Dark
* A professor interviews an old student about a horror film she made.
* Story sixteen: The First Lunar Halloween
* This takes place in 2024 when the few remaining humans live on the moon. They decided to have their first Halloween experience, it’s not exactly what they pictured.
* This is one of the best anthologies I’ve ever read.
* All the stories are creepy and are captivating.
* It reminds me of reading ghost stories when I was younger and getting scared.
* All have a dark, spooky, creepy, unsettling feeling to them.
* 🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃/5 highly recommend for this time of year or anytime really!