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Collected Christmas Horror Shorts #2
Collected Christmas Horror Shorts, Vol. II
Some people love Christmas for religious reasons, others prefer it for the food, drink and parties, but for some other people, it’s just another time of year to get up to mischief. This anthology is filled with tales of not-so-happy Christmases, tales that they don’t want to tell you about in the movies or songs.
It’s time to break out your new Christmas slippers, rip open a box of chocolates and pour yourself a drink. Lock your doors and get comfy. You’re in for one helluva ride.
Merry Christmas from all of us!
Contains stories by:
Amy Cross, Michael A. Arnzen, Christina Bergling, Andrew Lennon, J.C. Michael, Lisa Morton, Mike Duke, C.S. Anderson, Mark Cassell, Peter Oliver Wonder, Suzanne Fox, Matthew Brockmeyer, James Matthew Buyers, Weston Kincade, Matt Hickman, P. Mattern, Mark Fleming, Veronica Smith, Steven Stacy, Chris Motz & Sara Tantlinger.
It’s time to break out your new Christmas slippers, rip open a box of chocolates and pour yourself a drink. Lock your doors and get comfy. You’re in for one helluva ride.
Merry Christmas from all of us!
Contains stories by:
Amy Cross, Michael A. Arnzen, Christina Bergling, Andrew Lennon, J.C. Michael, Lisa Morton, Mike Duke, C.S. Anderson, Mark Cassell, Peter Oliver Wonder, Suzanne Fox, Matthew Brockmeyer, James Matthew Buyers, Weston Kincade, Matt Hickman, P. Mattern, Mark Fleming, Veronica Smith, Steven Stacy, Chris Motz & Sara Tantlinger.
645 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2018
110 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Kennedy
142 books324 followersKevin J. Kennedy is a horror author, editor, and anthologist. He is the owner of KJK Publishing and runs the bestselling 'The Horror Collection' series. He is the author of Halloween Land, The Clown and Nothing is Real.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
January 3, 2019
Thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is much longer, and that means longer stories, more stories, different stories. What I liked is that there was even MORE creativity, there was not one story that was the same as a story in the first book. There was much more variety and there were less Evil Santa stories, which surprised me.
Again; I liked celebrating the Christmas spirit in a lovely horror-kind of way. If you're a fan of horror books, you should definitely save this one up for Christmas, it's what I did too. I believe that it's much more fun to read these books during Christmas time.
What I do have to mention is that some of the stories didn't feel all that Christmassy and some were really far fetched. I even DNF-ed 2 of the stories as well. I was also wondering sometimes; are these really SHOT stories? Some were too long for my taste.
But, hey, still a great book to read, 4 stars!
The original review can be found at Bite Into Books
This book is much longer, and that means longer stories, more stories, different stories. What I liked is that there was even MORE creativity, there was not one story that was the same as a story in the first book. There was much more variety and there were less Evil Santa stories, which surprised me.
Again; I liked celebrating the Christmas spirit in a lovely horror-kind of way. If you're a fan of horror books, you should definitely save this one up for Christmas, it's what I did too. I believe that it's much more fun to read these books during Christmas time.
What I do have to mention is that some of the stories didn't feel all that Christmassy and some were really far fetched. I even DNF-ed 2 of the stories as well. I was also wondering sometimes; are these really SHOT stories? Some were too long for my taste.
But, hey, still a great book to read, 4 stars!
The original review can be found at Bite Into Books
October 3, 2018
From the haunting prose of “Christmas Lunch” by Amy Cross to the graphic, bloody brutality of “A Noel in Black” by Matthew Brockmeyer, the stories of Kevin J Kennedy’s Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Volume II warp, twist, and shred the magic of Christmas. This disturbingly imaginative collection has an incredible range of diversity in authors and content. It contains something to horrify and offend everyone.
Among these disturbing Christmas tales is “Duende” by Christina Bergling. This is a dark little horror, poetic in an Edgar Allan Poe kind of way.
“The Ghost of Christmas Office Party Past” by C.S. Anderson is a technically flawless, well executed short story of shocking Christmas horror. Very impactful.
And go on the trail of “The Yuletide Butcher” in Mike Duke’s intricate tale of a Christmas serial killer. But take care and beware, because that isn’t the only Christmastime killer lurking within these pages.
Urban legends, historical tales, even the stylings of Dr. Seuss have been warped and corrupted. Nothing is sacred here. Certainly not Christmas. Santa Claus himself has been twisted in some of the speculative horror herein. In fact, personal note to Andrew Lennon regarding “Santa Claus Comes at Night”: Andrew, what is wrong with you? That’s just morbid.
On a final note is a mention of the final story. To say “The Joys of Christmas” by Lisa Morton is bone-chilling would be a gross understatement. It is psychologically terrifying. So, grab a blanket to hide under and keep warm. Yes, a blanket, because you may not want to be sitting too close to the fireplace when Veronica Smith’s “Secret Santa” arrives.
Among these disturbing Christmas tales is “Duende” by Christina Bergling. This is a dark little horror, poetic in an Edgar Allan Poe kind of way.
“The Ghost of Christmas Office Party Past” by C.S. Anderson is a technically flawless, well executed short story of shocking Christmas horror. Very impactful.
And go on the trail of “The Yuletide Butcher” in Mike Duke’s intricate tale of a Christmas serial killer. But take care and beware, because that isn’t the only Christmastime killer lurking within these pages.
Urban legends, historical tales, even the stylings of Dr. Seuss have been warped and corrupted. Nothing is sacred here. Certainly not Christmas. Santa Claus himself has been twisted in some of the speculative horror herein. In fact, personal note to Andrew Lennon regarding “Santa Claus Comes at Night”: Andrew, what is wrong with you? That’s just morbid.
On a final note is a mention of the final story. To say “The Joys of Christmas” by Lisa Morton is bone-chilling would be a gross understatement. It is psychologically terrifying. So, grab a blanket to hide under and keep warm. Yes, a blanket, because you may not want to be sitting too close to the fireplace when Veronica Smith’s “Secret Santa” arrives.
December 25, 2018
"Today's different. Today's special. Today's Christmas."
Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Vol. II is an anthology of 22 Christmas-related horror stories edited by Brandy Yassa. This anthology is a bit of a mixed bag - I found some that I adored, and some I really didn't care for. Overall, I enjoyed many of the stories offered in this book.
My top 5 stories were Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross, Duende by Christina Bergling, The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz, Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger, and Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern. There was a pretty good variety of stories here, and I was happy while reading. I ordered the book when I found out Sara Tantlinger was going to have a story in it, and I absolutely loved hers (as expected). All 5 of these stories were so entertaining, and I would love to see what other spookiness these writers have come up with.
I had only read 4 of these authors before, and it was awesome to be introduced to so many new ones. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from writers such as Andrew Lennon and Veronica Smith. I also enjoyed hearing about some legends like Duende that I hadn't heard of before.
While there were many fantastic stories in this anthology, there were quite a few that were a struggle to read. The good ones are worth getting through the bad ones, though. I think the anthology could have used a little more editing - there were some errors that I found to be distracting. Nothing too bad, though. Overall, I'm glad that I picked up Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Vol. II, and I would read another volume in this series. Yay for all the fun Christmas horror I've found this year! I hope I find good ones next year, too.
Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Vol. II is an anthology of 22 Christmas-related horror stories edited by Brandy Yassa. This anthology is a bit of a mixed bag - I found some that I adored, and some I really didn't care for. Overall, I enjoyed many of the stories offered in this book.
My top 5 stories were Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross, Duende by Christina Bergling, The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz, Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger, and Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern. There was a pretty good variety of stories here, and I was happy while reading. I ordered the book when I found out Sara Tantlinger was going to have a story in it, and I absolutely loved hers (as expected). All 5 of these stories were so entertaining, and I would love to see what other spookiness these writers have come up with.
I had only read 4 of these authors before, and it was awesome to be introduced to so many new ones. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from writers such as Andrew Lennon and Veronica Smith. I also enjoyed hearing about some legends like Duende that I hadn't heard of before.
While there were many fantastic stories in this anthology, there were quite a few that were a struggle to read. The good ones are worth getting through the bad ones, though. I think the anthology could have used a little more editing - there were some errors that I found to be distracting. Nothing too bad, though. Overall, I'm glad that I picked up Collected Christmas Horror Shorts Vol. II, and I would read another volume in this series. Yay for all the fun Christmas horror I've found this year! I hope I find good ones next year, too.
September 18, 2018
Another excellent volume in the Collected Horror Shorts book series and the second devoted to the most wonderful time of the year. If you wanted more creepy evil Santas and messed up Sugarplum Fairies, this is the book for you. As with the other collections, the quality is very high, even if I liked some stories better than others due to personal preference. Other readers will have different opinions but all the shorts are equally well written. It's hard to choose a favorite, but I must mention Duende, by Christina Bergling and Secret Santa by Veronica Smith as two stories that really left an impression. Santa Claus Comes at Night by Andrew Lennon scared me to death. The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy by Steven Stacy is so vividly written that it's hard not to cringe with a very real-life horror. Christmas in Hell by Kevin J Kennedy made me smile with its dark-as-a-bruise sense of humor. We also have procedurals, satires of the consumerism of the season and many different very bad Santas. In short, this book has something for everybody.
I received a free copy from the author, but I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, Kevin J. Kennedy!
I received a free copy from the author, but I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, Kevin J. Kennedy!
September 21, 2018
Yes, Yes. I know that it is not even Halloween yet and I'm reading a Christmas themed anthology. If you really think about it, Santa is one of the first truly frightening figures we are confronted with as children. How many kids have sat screaming on that jolly man's lap as a parent tries to distract them for that o-so-perfect Santa picture for the holidays.
This collection contains 22 stories of Christmas terror. A majority of the stories give us varying views of Santa, which are expected, but none of them disappoint. We see Santa as a demon, an alien, a beast and everything in between. The other stories revolve around the season itself. There is something for everyone here.
Lets take a quick look at what's inside.
Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross
Frau Perchta by Suzanne Fox
Duende by Christina Bergling
A Noel In Black by Matthew Brockmeyer
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke
The Ghost of Christmas Party Past by C.S. Anderson
Twas The Night Before Christmas by Matt Hickman
The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder
Ho Ho Hollow by Mark Cassell
How The Witch Stole Yuletide by James Matthew Buyers
Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger
The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy by Steven Stacy
Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern
Black Eye Friday by J.C. Michael
Christmas In Hell by Kevin J. Kennedy
Santa Clause Comes At Night by Andrew Lennon
Catching Santa by Michael A. Arnzen
Christmas Curse by Weston Kincade
Weihnachtstag by Mark Fleming
Secret Santa by Veronica Smith
The Joys of Christmas by Lisa Morton
That is a lot of Holiday horror. There are a few stories that really stood out for me.
Duende by Christina Bergling finally shows us how evil those Elf On The Shelf dolls really are.
A Noel In Black by Matthew Brockmeyer is what happens when someone puts acid in your eggnog. This story takes you on a wild, trippy ride.
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke is a crime thriller with a dark twist. I read this and right away had to tell Mike that he got me with this one. You will know what I mean when you read the story.
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz and The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder are my favorites of the Santa-based stories. The Mall Santa is just in-your-face scary, while The Kringle takes place in the not so distant future and paints Santa in a whole new light.
All the included stories are great, and at $1.59 for the ebook, this will be this most economical Christmas gift you will ever buy.
So pull your blanket tight and get ready for the Holidays. After reading COLLECTED CHRISTMAS HORROR SHORTS VOL.II you will never look at Santa the same way again.
This collection contains 22 stories of Christmas terror. A majority of the stories give us varying views of Santa, which are expected, but none of them disappoint. We see Santa as a demon, an alien, a beast and everything in between. The other stories revolve around the season itself. There is something for everyone here.
Lets take a quick look at what's inside.
Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross
Frau Perchta by Suzanne Fox
Duende by Christina Bergling
A Noel In Black by Matthew Brockmeyer
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke
The Ghost of Christmas Party Past by C.S. Anderson
Twas The Night Before Christmas by Matt Hickman
The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder
Ho Ho Hollow by Mark Cassell
How The Witch Stole Yuletide by James Matthew Buyers
Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger
The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy by Steven Stacy
Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern
Black Eye Friday by J.C. Michael
Christmas In Hell by Kevin J. Kennedy
Santa Clause Comes At Night by Andrew Lennon
Catching Santa by Michael A. Arnzen
Christmas Curse by Weston Kincade
Weihnachtstag by Mark Fleming
Secret Santa by Veronica Smith
The Joys of Christmas by Lisa Morton
That is a lot of Holiday horror. There are a few stories that really stood out for me.
Duende by Christina Bergling finally shows us how evil those Elf On The Shelf dolls really are.
A Noel In Black by Matthew Brockmeyer is what happens when someone puts acid in your eggnog. This story takes you on a wild, trippy ride.
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke is a crime thriller with a dark twist. I read this and right away had to tell Mike that he got me with this one. You will know what I mean when you read the story.
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz and The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder are my favorites of the Santa-based stories. The Mall Santa is just in-your-face scary, while The Kringle takes place in the not so distant future and paints Santa in a whole new light.
All the included stories are great, and at $1.59 for the ebook, this will be this most economical Christmas gift you will ever buy.
So pull your blanket tight and get ready for the Holidays. After reading COLLECTED CHRISTMAS HORROR SHORTS VOL.II you will never look at Santa the same way again.
November 29, 2018
Collected Christmas Horror Shorts 2 was an awesomely dark collection of short stories.
When Kevin J. Kennedy sent me a copy of Collected Christmas Horror Shorts 2, I was so antsy to dive in! I just couldn't wait for Thanksgiving to come and go so I could read this one.
On November 23rd (the day after the US Thanksgiving), I turned on my Kindle and started the first tale...
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts:
Per usual with these types of collections, here are my rating breakdowns for each story along with some immediate thoughts/reactions:
Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross- 5/5
The wording in this story was so clever! I had an inkling of what was going on, but it was still so interested to see what was going to happen next!
Frau Perchta by Suzanne Fox- 2/5
I enjoyed the gore toward the end in this one, but the dialogue and the sexual scene in the beginning wasn't for me.
Duende by Christina Bergling- 3/5
Oh siblings... I didn't love the first half of this story because of how rotten the older sister was. But I really enjoyed the second half of this one!
A Noel in Black by Matthew Brockmeyer- n/a
Not a story for me.
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz- 4/5
I loved the take on punishing those on the naughty list. And the little creatures that would one day be elves? Super creepy!
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke- 5/5
Phew! So dark and gory! I really enjoyed this one!
The Ghost of Christmas Office Party Past by C.S. Anderson- 4/5
Terrifying in a very real world way. Stories like this give me the chills; just one person cracking up and having access to a gun...
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Matt Hickman- 5/5
So creepy! I loved the idea behind this one! And that ending!!
The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder- 5/5
What an interesting sci-fi twist!! This story mentioned that while Earths population continued to grow, Santa’s job got easier and easier as more people moved to the naughty list, even kids who were being raised to be selfish. This was rather sad but how it came back around at the end was so awesome!
Ho Ho Hollow by Mark Cassell- 4/5
Terrifying! This poor family.
How the Witch Stole Yuletide by James Matthew Buyers- 3/5
A fast paced poem about the witch and Grendel causing some terror.
Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger- 4/5
So creepy! Parts of this were mouth-watering, others made my stomach turn a bit. Very well done!
The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy- 5/5
I loved the storyline of this one! It was very upsetting, but the revenge and the ending was so wonderful and gory.
Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern- 5/5
Brutal from the start and that ending!!
Black Eye Friday by J.C. Michael- 3/5
Interesting. I certainly didn’t see the ending coming.
Christmas in Hell by Kevin J Kennedy- 5/5
In this version of hell, no one answers questions. They just give bits and pieces of information in general conversation. That would drive me insane! And of course, who doesn’t love a Krampus story?!
Santa Claus Comes At Night by Andrew Lennon- 3/5
Eek! So terrifying! Poor Marcus.
Catching Santa by Michael A. Arnzen- 5/5
Yes! What an awesome paranormal tale!
Christmas Curse by Weston Kincade- 3/5
An action-packed, interesting twist on things.
Weihnachtstag by Mark Fleming- 4/5
Woah.
Secret Santa by Veronica Smith- 5/5
So creepy and so sad! I really enjoyed reading this one! The dreams that acted as flashbacks were put together so wonderfully in order to give the reader just a bit more information as the story progressed.
The Joys of Christmas by Lisa Morton- 5/5
This was a great story to end up! Terrifyingly real-world and it makes a great point about how out of control gift giving has gotten!
My final thoughts:
Overall, a wonderful collection! This is definitely one that I would love to pick up each year to read through my favorites! I highly recommend this if you're looking for a darker holiday read!
When Kevin J. Kennedy sent me a copy of Collected Christmas Horror Shorts 2, I was so antsy to dive in! I just couldn't wait for Thanksgiving to come and go so I could read this one.
On November 23rd (the day after the US Thanksgiving), I turned on my Kindle and started the first tale...
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My thoughts:
Per usual with these types of collections, here are my rating breakdowns for each story along with some immediate thoughts/reactions:
Christmas Lunch by Amy Cross- 5/5
The wording in this story was so clever! I had an inkling of what was going on, but it was still so interested to see what was going to happen next!
Frau Perchta by Suzanne Fox- 2/5
I enjoyed the gore toward the end in this one, but the dialogue and the sexual scene in the beginning wasn't for me.
Duende by Christina Bergling- 3/5
Oh siblings... I didn't love the first half of this story because of how rotten the older sister was. But I really enjoyed the second half of this one!
A Noel in Black by Matthew Brockmeyer- n/a
Not a story for me.
The Mall Santa by Christopher Motz- 4/5
I loved the take on punishing those on the naughty list. And the little creatures that would one day be elves? Super creepy!
The Yuletide Butcher by Mike Duke- 5/5
Phew! So dark and gory! I really enjoyed this one!
The Ghost of Christmas Office Party Past by C.S. Anderson- 4/5
Terrifying in a very real world way. Stories like this give me the chills; just one person cracking up and having access to a gun...
‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Matt Hickman- 5/5
So creepy! I loved the idea behind this one! And that ending!!
The Kringle by Peter Oliver Wonder- 5/5
What an interesting sci-fi twist!! This story mentioned that while Earths population continued to grow, Santa’s job got easier and easier as more people moved to the naughty list, even kids who were being raised to be selfish. This was rather sad but how it came back around at the end was so awesome!
Ho Ho Hollow by Mark Cassell- 4/5
Terrifying! This poor family.
How the Witch Stole Yuletide by James Matthew Buyers- 3/5
A fast paced poem about the witch and Grendel causing some terror.
Sugar Vision by Sara Tantlinger- 4/5
So creepy! Parts of this were mouth-watering, others made my stomach turn a bit. Very well done!
The Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy- 5/5
I loved the storyline of this one! It was very upsetting, but the revenge and the ending was so wonderful and gory.
Something in the Stocking by P. Mattern- 5/5
Brutal from the start and that ending!!
Black Eye Friday by J.C. Michael- 3/5
Interesting. I certainly didn’t see the ending coming.
Christmas in Hell by Kevin J Kennedy- 5/5
In this version of hell, no one answers questions. They just give bits and pieces of information in general conversation. That would drive me insane! And of course, who doesn’t love a Krampus story?!
Santa Claus Comes At Night by Andrew Lennon- 3/5
Eek! So terrifying! Poor Marcus.
Catching Santa by Michael A. Arnzen- 5/5
Yes! What an awesome paranormal tale!
Christmas Curse by Weston Kincade- 3/5
An action-packed, interesting twist on things.
Weihnachtstag by Mark Fleming- 4/5
Woah.
Secret Santa by Veronica Smith- 5/5
So creepy and so sad! I really enjoyed reading this one! The dreams that acted as flashbacks were put together so wonderfully in order to give the reader just a bit more information as the story progressed.
The Joys of Christmas by Lisa Morton- 5/5
This was a great story to end up! Terrifyingly real-world and it makes a great point about how out of control gift giving has gotten!
My final thoughts:
Overall, a wonderful collection! This is definitely one that I would love to pick up each year to read through my favorites! I highly recommend this if you're looking for a darker holiday read!
September 30, 2018
Merry Christmas to me!
Admittedly, I have yet to read the first Collected Christmas Horror Shorts. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for holiday-themed horrors (my last review was for an excellent little collection of Halloween stories). Admittedly, I loved this collection just as much as I knew I would.
One or two stories really missed the mark for me and a few wander the same realm of killers Santas back to back, but that doesn't mean they were bad. I was pleasantly surprised, in fact, by the level of creativity and fun to be found here. I anticipated reading a lot of similar stories and while, as I mentioned before, this did happen a couple of times, the majority caught me off guard in a very good way.
There's no question that I'll be picking up the other holiday collections that go with this one. I'm a bit greedy in that way; I just can't wait for Christmas to give myself the gift of a good book, and neither should you. If horror is your thing then buy this. If Santa sliding down the chimney in the dead of night puts a chill in your bones then buy this.
Admittedly, I have yet to read the first Collected Christmas Horror Shorts. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for holiday-themed horrors (my last review was for an excellent little collection of Halloween stories). Admittedly, I loved this collection just as much as I knew I would.
One or two stories really missed the mark for me and a few wander the same realm of killers Santas back to back, but that doesn't mean they were bad. I was pleasantly surprised, in fact, by the level of creativity and fun to be found here. I anticipated reading a lot of similar stories and while, as I mentioned before, this did happen a couple of times, the majority caught me off guard in a very good way.
There's no question that I'll be picking up the other holiday collections that go with this one. I'm a bit greedy in that way; I just can't wait for Christmas to give myself the gift of a good book, and neither should you. If horror is your thing then buy this. If Santa sliding down the chimney in the dead of night puts a chill in your bones then buy this.
February 14, 2019
I received this book to give an honest review. I have to say for a Christmas Horror short story collections these were actually pretty darn good. There were a few that I didn't really like or I felt they just kind of left more to be added. Off the top of my head I can not tell you what stories stood out to me because there so many good ones. All of these are from authors I have never heard of so I will be looking into them later on to see their writing styles. To me this book is perfect for any time of the year but is great for Halloween or Christmas as well. The stories were just the perfect gore and horror. The way the authors all came together to write one amazing collection was great. Can't wait to read more collections to see if they are just as good.
December 24, 2019
22 Christmas Horror Stories
There are 22 stories in this collection. 5 of them I rated 5 stars, (including the first one), 8 of them I gave 4 stars, 5 of them 3 stars and the remaining got 2 stars.
All of the stories are horror stories, that have a Christmas angle (one gives the classic tale of Beowulf to the tune of Dr Seuss’s Grinch). Some are set of Christmas Eve/Day, some involve evil Santas, and some are just great Christmas Horror stories that would scare the pants of any kids who read them.
There are 22 stories in this collection. 5 of them I rated 5 stars, (including the first one), 8 of them I gave 4 stars, 5 of them 3 stars and the remaining got 2 stars.
All of the stories are horror stories, that have a Christmas angle (one gives the classic tale of Beowulf to the tune of Dr Seuss’s Grinch). Some are set of Christmas Eve/Day, some involve evil Santas, and some are just great Christmas Horror stories that would scare the pants of any kids who read them.
December 20, 2018
A lengthy follow up, but just as satisfying as the vol. 1. The kicker with this one is that the tales are darker. It still has a holiday feel, but instead of shorts dealing with elves and evil Santa, which compiled most of the first collection, the reader is exposed to eerie subjects such as the holocaust and homelessness. There are also a few curveballs dealing with mythology and folklore, completely unrelated to Christmas but extremely fascinating. Humor is quite scarce, but ‘Christmas in Hell’ will leave you laughing and ‘The Joys of Christmas’ is a farce on Amazon.
December 30, 2019
Great Christmas Horror
I love my Christmas Horror stories and this collection did not disappoint. Snuggle down with a mug of egg-nog or hot-coco, and some cookies, to escape the 'nice-ness' of Christmas.
I love my Christmas Horror stories and this collection did not disappoint. Snuggle down with a mug of egg-nog or hot-coco, and some cookies, to escape the 'nice-ness' of Christmas.
October 10, 2018
Great book.
I started reading this book because I read the Halloween edition. This is an awesome read!! I couldn't put it down.
I started reading this book because I read the Halloween edition. This is an awesome read!! I couldn't put it down.
February 8, 2019
A Great Gift
This anthology is just like opening presents from under a big tree! Something for a everyone! True horror, subtle, comical, psychological, pick your gift! I loved it and you will too!
This anthology is just like opening presents from under a big tree! Something for a everyone! True horror, subtle, comical, psychological, pick your gift! I loved it and you will too!
May 1, 2019
Absolutely recommend this
A great mix of horror stories that won’t disappoint you. I bought the first and second books through amazon and love them. Definitely worth the money.
A great mix of horror stories that won’t disappoint you. I bought the first and second books through amazon and love them. Definitely worth the money.
December 13, 2019
I've never been let down when Kevin J. Kennedy "Presents" . I wasn't this time either. Bravo!!!!....to all the authors in this anthology.
December 31, 2023
Delightfully creepy
This one's even darker than the last Christmas anthology, but twice as good. While I loved them all, the Amy Cross story was my favorite.
This one's even darker than the last Christmas anthology, but twice as good. While I loved them all, the Amy Cross story was my favorite.
January 31, 2024
Even better than the first one
I couldn’t get through it fast enough. This is definitely a keeper for my collection. The first one was great but this one was a creepy.
I couldn’t get through it fast enough. This is definitely a keeper for my collection. The first one was great but this one was a creepy.
November 11, 2018
A real page turner
The stories lived up to my expectations of Christmas themed horror galore. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed reading collected Halloween horror shorts. This is a standalone book so you can still start with this book and read the Halloween version later. The book is available on kindle unlimited.
The stories lived up to my expectations of Christmas themed horror galore. This is a must read for anyone who enjoyed reading collected Halloween horror shorts. This is a standalone book so you can still start with this book and read the Halloween version later. The book is available on kindle unlimited.
January 10, 2019
Tragic
Wow. Some stories were predictable, then there were others that threw me. Not a happy ending in a one that I can remember.
Wow. Some stories were predictable, then there were others that threw me. Not a happy ending in a one that I can remember.
December 25, 2019
anthology of Christmas horror tales, mostly involving an evil Santa
December 3, 2025
Great stories! Really entertaining. Everyone so different. Well worth reading.
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