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Dark, Scary, and Sad Short Stories #1
20 Dark, Scary and Sad Short Stories
20 dark, scary and sad short stories to scare you, depress you and make you feel unsettled inside.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
44 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 30, 2016
122 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 19, 2020
The title nails it here, these are not just out and out horror stories, some are just sadly tragic.
Overall it was a varied mix with some good ideas but the stories are often just too short to be very well executed and they don’t have quite enough depth to them, and when I say short I mean really short, often only a page or two long, I hadn’t realised this when I started.
I shouldn’t complain - it was a free book, but it came across as quite amateurish at times so I think free is about fair. It’s not all bad there are some rare gems in here but not enough.
I rated each story and although there were a few 4’s the majority were 3 and less, which means a lot of not so good stuff to read to find the tales you like.
I’m giving this book a 2*/5, I would give it a 3 but there are so many typos here I just can’t do it, it was so bad I would struggle to understand what I was reading sometimes, and some of it is embarrassing - mints instead of mince!?? Really? Not good. Some proofreading here and maybe a 3+.
Overall it was a varied mix with some good ideas but the stories are often just too short to be very well executed and they don’t have quite enough depth to them, and when I say short I mean really short, often only a page or two long, I hadn’t realised this when I started.
I shouldn’t complain - it was a free book, but it came across as quite amateurish at times so I think free is about fair. It’s not all bad there are some rare gems in here but not enough.
I rated each story and although there were a few 4’s the majority were 3 and less, which means a lot of not so good stuff to read to find the tales you like.
I’m giving this book a 2*/5, I would give it a 3 but there are so many typos here I just can’t do it, it was so bad I would struggle to understand what I was reading sometimes, and some of it is embarrassing - mints instead of mince!?? Really? Not good. Some proofreading here and maybe a 3+.
March 2, 2020
So Damn Good!
Sorry for swearing in my review, but it's the truth. This book was excellent! I really enjoyed a lot of the twists and most of them genuinely surprised me. I really wish there were more stories like this.
Sorry for swearing in my review, but it's the truth. This book was excellent! I really enjoyed a lot of the twists and most of them genuinely surprised me. I really wish there were more stories like this.
April 15, 2020
Good stories
Like almost any collection of stories, these were hit and miss.somewhere awesome. Some were good. And some I just didn't get or like. But overall, it was a nice collection of stories. A good pick for a lover of flash fiction.
Like almost any collection of stories, these were hit and miss.somewhere awesome. Some were good. And some I just didn't get or like. But overall, it was a nice collection of stories. A good pick for a lover of flash fiction.
November 6, 2017
Wanted something short and spooky for October so I picked this free short story collection from the iBook app. Some of the stories were absolutely terrible and some were actually pretty good. If the better stories were turned into longer more detailed novels I would definitely consider picking them up. For the most part though this was a super easy and basic read. I wouldn't expect too much if you decide to download it. Good for the Halloween season though.
July 11, 2022
Most storylines felt like a child wrote it.
December 21, 2024
The ideas are good—almost great. But I'm fairly sure the author is young and/or inexperienced with storytelling. I am thrilled that the author has continued to write and publish because they are living their dream of being an author. They just need to work on their practical skills.
The book seriously needs an editor. The author needs a refresher on grammar (it's okay; all writers do throughout their careers) and needs to work on the developmental aspects of telling a story. There is a lot of telling and little showing. Remember, throwing in a few "big" words does not cover up the lax storytelling. Even short stories such as these require in-depth writing to feel complete.
To the readers: If you can get past the editing issues and immature writing, the stories are actually pretty good. Some are predictable, but that's okay. I think it's worth a read, even if it can be a bit frustrating (I'm a writer myself so it bothers me more than it would your average reader). Give the book a read if you have an extra half hour of time.
The book seriously needs an editor. The author needs a refresher on grammar (it's okay; all writers do throughout their careers) and needs to work on the developmental aspects of telling a story. There is a lot of telling and little showing. Remember, throwing in a few "big" words does not cover up the lax storytelling. Even short stories such as these require in-depth writing to feel complete.
To the readers: If you can get past the editing issues and immature writing, the stories are actually pretty good. Some are predictable, but that's okay. I think it's worth a read, even if it can be a bit frustrating (I'm a writer myself so it bothers me more than it would your average reader). Give the book a read if you have an extra half hour of time.
February 10, 2022
Needing Work
This book contains some interesting story ideas (think Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected) and some are quite original. Where some of them fall short however is in the editing - there are several grammatical errors and some would be improved by re-working some sentences to avoid the obvious or to not give too much away.
Not a bad read if you've got time to kill, but not quite what the title implies.
This book contains some interesting story ideas (think Twilight Zone or Tales of the Unexpected) and some are quite original. Where some of them fall short however is in the editing - there are several grammatical errors and some would be improved by re-working some sentences to avoid the obvious or to not give too much away.
Not a bad read if you've got time to kill, but not quite what the title implies.
October 23, 2023
It passed the time on a train journey. What more can I say?
The writing is very amateur and naive, like a collection of short stories on one side of A4 for a school project. Littered with spelling mistakes, poor grammar and what looks like clumsy translations into English that make no sense.
Stories are (mercifully!) very short so if one story isn't quite your "cup of tea", the next one might be.
It was free, so nothing to complain about 😊
The writing is very amateur and naive, like a collection of short stories on one side of A4 for a school project. Littered with spelling mistakes, poor grammar and what looks like clumsy translations into English that make no sense.
Stories are (mercifully!) very short so if one story isn't quite your "cup of tea", the next one might be.
It was free, so nothing to complain about 😊
March 30, 2020
Solid ideas, but the grammar seems rushed - a tad underdeveloped - in an urgency to complete the anthology.
The grammar, style and story development would all benefit from the eye of an editor. Like I say, the potential is there, but work on execution, use of language and perspective would greatly benefit the reading experience.
The grammar, style and story development would all benefit from the eye of an editor. Like I say, the potential is there, but work on execution, use of language and perspective would greatly benefit the reading experience.
October 28, 2025
This is a collection of 20 VERY short stories, rarely exceeding two full pages. It’s a quick read and a great way to soak in some Halloween vibes if you don’t have time to invest in longer works. The stories vary in quality from “meh” to kinda creepy with a few unexpected O’Henry type endings. Overall, a decent read.
October 27, 2020
A good read
I liked the shortness of the stories and how they had a slight twist which I found entertaining. I would recommend this to anyone who has little time to read longer stories such as on a commute to work or on a lunch break
I liked the shortness of the stories and how they had a slight twist which I found entertaining. I would recommend this to anyone who has little time to read longer stories such as on a commute to work or on a lunch break
January 9, 2022
OK 👌 🔰😡
Twenty fantasy short stories some good 👍 and others not so by A. A. Wray. Scary short stories that I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or 🎶 listening to 👍novels 🔰🏡😠2022
Twenty fantasy short stories some good 👍 and others not so by A. A. Wray. Scary short stories that I would recommend to anyone looking for a quick read. Enjoy the adventure of reading 👓 or 🎶 listening to 👍novels 🔰🏡😠2022
April 11, 2025
Odds & Ends
Absolutely a quick read, and a good change of pace. Some of the stories were odd, and some stories I didn't want to end. I kinda hope that some of these make it into a novel.
Absolutely a quick read, and a good change of pace. Some of the stories were odd, and some stories I didn't want to end. I kinda hope that some of these make it into a novel.
August 9, 2020
Nope
Nope I couldn't continue not only did the short stories increase my boredom they lacked...well they just lacked anything interesting.
Nope I couldn't continue not only did the short stories increase my boredom they lacked...well they just lacked anything interesting.
December 31, 2020
Interesting!!!
November 2, 2021
Poor
Scary ? I'm more scared of my next gas Bill ! Worth what it cost - which was - Nothing !
Scary ? I'm more scared of my next gas Bill ! Worth what it cost - which was - Nothing !
December 27, 2021
Ehh, I liked maybe 7 of them
January 15, 2022
Dark and Sad
The stories are eloquent and beautiful in their brevity. I was moved by the descriptions and the irony in the short stories. Loved this book!
The stories are eloquent and beautiful in their brevity. I was moved by the descriptions and the irony in the short stories. Loved this book!
February 10, 2022
😱
Some of the best written stories! I never knew how much could be projected in such h few words! Thanks!
Some of the best written stories! I never knew how much could be projected in such h few words! Thanks!
April 6, 2024
Every story has grammatical and spelling errors.
December 11, 2024
This may have been written by an elementary student. It gives off the feeling of young children telling ghost stories. Would give a 0 star, if possible.
May 30, 2025
Decent
Some of the stories were good, most were decent but some I felt needed more. Some felt lacking and boring
Some of the stories were good, most were decent but some I felt needed more. Some felt lacking and boring
September 21, 2025
Nice quick read
Enjoyed these short stories. They were well done and quite interesting. Its a quick read so its a nice break in between book.
Enjoyed these short stories. They were well done and quite interesting. Its a quick read so its a nice break in between book.
January 8, 2022
The title just about says it all. The stories definitely weren't scary, but at least they were short. The variety was interesting enough to keep me returning to see what else was in store, although most of them fell flat. A few might have been better expanded into full stories.
May 6, 2025
Mostly I agree with a previous reviewer "Cheryl".
These stories are quite short, often 2-3 pages at best...not long enough or deep enough to allow for characterization. As the title suggested, "dark, scary, and sad". Often you could see the ending comiing before the end of the story.
I have no idea how I rec'd this book...either it was free...or a nominal price. Do any of the stories stay with you? For me, no. Forgettable.
All that being said, book could easily be finished in 2-3 hours.
Jeff McIntosh
These stories are quite short, often 2-3 pages at best...not long enough or deep enough to allow for characterization. As the title suggested, "dark, scary, and sad". Often you could see the ending comiing before the end of the story.
I have no idea how I rec'd this book...either it was free...or a nominal price. Do any of the stories stay with you? For me, no. Forgettable.
All that being said, book could easily be finished in 2-3 hours.
Jeff McIntosh
May 18, 2020
Good read
Good read nice to be able to read a story in the tv advertising !! Really I liked most of the stories a few had a twist at the end which I love go on give this book a read
Good read nice to be able to read a story in the tv advertising !! Really I liked most of the stories a few had a twist at the end which I love go on give this book a read
February 18, 2017
Some of the stories I would have liked better if they were longer so I could get more into them but I liked that for the most part it was a quick read.
January 19, 2018
Actual rating:1.75. This book had like 1 or 2 enjoyable stories. Other than that, it wasn’t the greatest.
May 22, 2020
Scary and Sad
Scary and sad at the same time. Great book. Loved it. Would like to read another just like or similar to this one. Happy Reading. :)
Scary and sad at the same time. Great book. Loved it. Would like to read another just like or similar to this one. Happy Reading. :)
November 11, 2019
was not expecting much since a got it for free from the apple bookstore but most of the stories were actually really good and enjoyable
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews