Appalachian Horror

by Bo Chappell (Editor), C. Blackwell, Tony Evans

Aphotic Realm Presents Appalachian Horror. The woods have many secrets, but uprooting them has its consequences. Take a trip through America's backyard with eight strange and sinister tales of Appalachia!

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fiction

153 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2019

Reviews

[Vicki Herbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Short Story Collection...

APPALACHIAN HORROR

No spoilers. 4 1/2 stars. This is a collection of 8 short stories from the Appalachians sure to put a creepy kink up your spine... Each story is rated individually...

END TRAILS: 4 stars
Two men lost on a hiking trail are haunted nightly by a gore-splattered yellow tent...

THE GHOST SANG: 4 stars
A dying hillbilly town and a big city photographer meet in this tale of the town's specialty crop of ginseng...

BLOOD IS ALWAYS THICKER: 4 stars
Two friends decide to hunt in the forbidden Stepp Branch Holler... a witch is rumored to be living there...

THE TOWN OF AFURISIT: 4 stars
Professor Connor sends one of his students to stay at Miss Beulah's inn to help her write her paper on Appalachian culture...

THE BEND: 5 stars
What if NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD took place in the Appalachian mountains?...

BRAIDS LIKE ROOTS: 5 stars.
There's something in the barn... each night, it bloodies and braids the hair of the farm's only horse...

TRESSPASSER: 4 stars
Those city folk just don't understand "Don't go into the forest" warnings... until it's too late...

HEMLOCK WINDS: 5 stars
A man goes on a backpacking quest that he and his deceased wife had planned to do together... he kept a journal...

This was a nice little collection, and I enjoyed every story in it (which is rare).

If you're looking for a full-length southern gothic novel, I recommend WICKED TEMPER by Randy Thornhorn, a story about a killer named Bob living on Riddle Top mountain.

If you enjoyed the last story, HEMLOCK WINDS, I recommend another backpacking novel, PETRA'S GHOST, by C.S. O'Cinneide. It's very similar to HEMLOCK WINDS. It is about a man on a 500 mile backpacking quest to scatter the ashes of his dead wife Petra at the trail's end... it's a very chilling story because of the other backpackers he meets along the way and the trail

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology provides you with 8 nightmarish off-trail stories through the Appalachian countryside. You follow lost hikers and see a mysterious yellow tent. In Chamlett a young photographer takes too close a look at 'ghost sang' (my favourite in here). Johnny and Drew learn what family really is about when they slide from summer to winter. Summer Price tries to rescue a disabled and mistreated hick girl with decisive consequences for her well-being. The home of a rural family is bewitched by the grandmother. Joel needs a new young female for a ritual. Good that he's a hotel clerk. At the end you'll find a kind of diary written by a man named Alan who lost his wife. He's doing the planned trip alone now and is slightly going mad in the forrest... With this anthology in mind you will have another view on the Appalachians! Recommended.

[Gianfranco Mancini]

END TRAILS by JOHN MORGAN ☆☆☆☆

THE GHOST SANG by JEFFERY X MARTIN ☆☆☆

BLOOD IS ALWAYS THICKER by TONY EVANS ☆☆☆

THE TOWN OF AFURISIT by CHARITY LANGLEY ☆☆☆☆

THE BEND by C.W. BLACKWELL ☆☆☆

BRAIDS, LIKE ROOTS by DAMASCUS MINCEMEYER ☆☆☆

[Aimee · Rating 3 out of 5]

After moving recently from New Orleans, with its own dark history, to the foothills of the Appachalian mountains, I’ve been knee-deep in my research on the lore within this ancient forest. So, of course, I was looking for a horror book on the subject!
I was hoping for “first-hand accounts” or stories that centered around local areas and legends.
There are a few reasons it did not scratch that itch for me. One was that some of the stories gravitated toward that stereotypical “hicks in the country” vibe, and the other half felt it could be based on any neck of the woods.
Just a little disappointed.
But I don’t want to downplay some amazing
stories that I did read
One by charity Langley - in the town of Afurisit. We follow an out-of-towner hatch an escape and rescue plan after a terrifying visit to a close-knit backwoods snake-handling church. This was nerve-wracking with exceptionally fleshed-out characters for a short story.
The Bend C.W Blackwell - The writing is surreal and beautiful. It is set in eastern Tennessee on a man's homestead In the 1920s. He makes a deal with a man who shepherds the dead after a few of his flock stray onto his property.
Hemlock winds Shawn Lachance - a solo trip on the Appalachian Trail. What could go wrong? Diary entries where the spook factor cranked up the longer he hikes… pretty good tale.

I don't know if I'm being nit-picky, but I wish it were an anthology of just local/regional authors to the Appalachian region.

[Luís · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked most of the stories around this work, though that's a topic I'm not usually trending to read.

[Latasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Each story was different, unique and original. i liked all the stories but my 2 favorites were Blood is Thicker and Braids like Roots.
In "End Trails"- Two guys get lost in the Appalachian wilderness. This story had a great WTF scene but was rather vague. I didn't mind though. 3 🌟"
"The Ghost Sang"- A photographer from the city wants to do a piece on the poor of Appalachia Kentucky. But she gets an offer to see something even better. Ghost Ginseng. 2 stars.
"Blood is always thicker"- They have heard the tales all their lives. After agreeing to a bet, our 2 main characters head into the haunted woods. They do find what is haunting these woods. 4 star.
"The Town of Afurisit- I'm sure to people outside the region, the ways of the Appalachian people are strange and seem ancient. That is exactly what happens when a student is sent to the town of Afurisit for an assignment. She is aghast at what she sees and tries to make it right but sometimes things are not what they appear and there is a reason things are done as they are. 3.5 stars"
"The Bend"- After the dead start appearing on his farm, farmer uses them to deal with the a mysterious shepherd of the dead. 3.5 ⭐
"Braids like roots"- This is your folkloric witch story. 4 ⭐
"Trespassers"- a high maintenance girl on vacation decides to hike to a haunted settlement in the woods. Tales of ghost, witchcraft and satanism surround the place but she still wants to go. Well, she finds what she's looking for. 3🌟
"Hemlock Winds"- After the death of his wife, Alan decides to hike the Appalachian trail. His sister gives him a journal so he can keep it while on the trail. they will read and reflect on it after he comes home. A great tale of a man's descent into madness. 4 ⭐

[Sarah Budd · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love reading horror anthologies, especially themed ones. I'd just finished with Crystal Lake's Welcome to the Show, themed around a legendary music venue in San Francisco which blew me away. Appalachian Horror from Bo Chapell and Aphotic which followed next had a lot to live up to.

Appalachian Horror is themed around well, Appalachian Horror. For those of you who don't know, Appalachia is a region stretching from New York to Georgia. It's famed for the Appalachian trail which people hike across.

The area has long been a source of myths and legends which have been passed down the generations from the early settlers. It's home to Bigfoot, eerie lights, moon-eyed people, witches, monsters and many many ghosts. A perfect setting for horror to take place. (click here for more info)

This anthology is comprised of 8 tales with a lot of recognisable names from the indie horror scene. Whilst reading this, I was really reminded of The Ritual by Adam Nevill. A brilliant book I urge you to read at once.It's based around four old friends hiking in the Swedish forests where they ultimately get lost and find themselves becoming hunted.

I really enjoyed this anthology, there wasn't even one story that I didn't care for and ended up reading this in one go as it was so good.



Enjoy!

End Trails by John Morgan

Hands down this was my favourite tale and was such a powerful opener for the anthology. It was really creepy and told in such a powerful way. In fact I reads this twice straightaway as I loved it so much. Two friends Merlin and Nugget get lost on the Appalachian Trail when they realise they are being followed...

The Ghost Sang by Jeffery X Martin

Robin, a free lance photographer arrives in Chamlett to document the poverty in Appalachia hoping to make a quick buck. There she meets a farmer whop is somehow thriving whilst the town around him falls to ruin. A really well written creepy tale. The plot is really original which builds up to a surprising ending.

Blood is Always Thicker by Tony Evans

Two friends embark on a hunting mission. Having no luck out in the open they decide to go into the forest near Stepp Branch which was once home to a notorious witch who once plagued the land. However it was all a long time ago there's no way she could still be alive.

This is one of those tales where you want to scream at the main characters to stop and turn around but of course it's no use. This was a super dark folk horror tale with a wicked ending.

The Town of Afurisit by Charity Langley

I had no idea where this tale was going to go making it a really thrilling read. Can't wait to read more by this author.

Summer Price has been selected by her tutor to a free mini break deep in Appalachia. She has a paper due on the history of the region and she has no idea how she is going to pass it. She's hoping a break there will provide her with some much needed answers.

The Bend by C.W.Blackwell

A father living out in the wild with his daughter knows trouble is ahead when he starts finding dead bodies on his farm. Trouble is they won't stay still.

There's a great sense of foreboding danger to this tale which just gets darker and darker as the tale progresses. It will pull at your hear strings as much as it will scare you.

Brains, Like Roots by Damascus Mincemeyer

The events of what took place many years ago are finally recounted by a son trying to explain what happened to his family one fateful summer. Another one of my faves the events all weave together perfectly and the ending is amazing.

Trespasser by Renee Miller

I've read a lot by Renee and was really excited to see she had a story in here. Like with her longer tales Eat the Rich and Church her dark dark sense of humour is present, making her stories really creepy and plausible.

Carly takes a break in Appalachia after a bad break-up. She's broken-hearted but she's not going to spend her vacation lying in bed and feeling sorry for herself. She wants to explore the reportedly cursed ghost town nearby despite the warnings.

Hemlock Winds by Shawn Lachance

Friends and family of Alan thought it would do him the world of good to go hiking on the Appalachian Trail after the death of his beloved wife, Julia. They hope he'll find himself and come back to them as he once was...

Before he embarks, Alan's brother gifts him with a journal to take with him so that they can read through it together upon his return. Little did he know that reading that journal will be the hardest thing he's ever had to do, but he needs to if he's ever to know what really happened out there.

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Are you afraid of getting lost in the woods? Do you fear what might be lurking out in the darkness beyond those hanging limbs just on the edge of your vision? And when I say the woods I'm not talking about that copse of trees in your suburban backyard. I'm talking about the woods. A forest. Hundreds upon thousands of acres of sprawling untamed wilderness. A place where if you get turned around there may be no finding your way back. So grab your gear, stick to the trail, and let's trek into the wild unknown.

The Appalachian Mountains are sort of like my next door neighbor. Living in central Kentucky I'm not quite in Appalachia but I'm pretty close. It is a region of the United States that I am in love with and I find myself drawn to the gritty, hardscrabble stories that take place there. Inject those stories with a heavy dose of horror and I am all in. Appalachian Horror edited by Bo Chappell from Aphotic Realm is a book that feels like it was written with someone like me in mind.

As the back of the book says these tales are strange and sinister. These mountains and hollers don't care for the prying eyes of outsiders. What happens in Appalachia stays in Appalachia. From a bit of backwoods justice to some old time religion to ancient evils. 

Let's touch briefly on each of the eight stories collected here and then I will give my top three.

End Trails by John Morgan - two guys hiking along the Appalachian Trail become lost and are haunted by a mysterious yellow tent.

The Ghost Sang by Jeffery X Martin - a photographer travels to Appalachia to capture life and the rural decay but sees more than she bargained for.

Blood is Always Thicker by Tony Evans - a couple of hunting buddies seek out a fresh spot to hunt and end up running afoul of an evil. Blood is thicker than water.

The Town of Afurisit by Charity Langly - a student is sent out to a small Appalachian town for a research paper in order to save her grade. Strange religious rites and a girl who cannot speak but has a golden singing voice.

The Bend by C.W. Blackwell - the undead and their shepherd who has come to collect his missing flock. A farmer tries to bargain with death.

Braids, Like Roots by Damascus Mincemeyer - a gnarled old tree needs to be uprooted to save the crops but there is dark power in that wood, black magik and familial secrets.

Trespasser by Renee Miller - a tourist wants a little adventure in her life and seeks out an abandoned old town. Don't go trespassing where you aren't welcome.

Hemlock Winds by Shawn Lachine - a sister reads through her brothers lost journal and witnesses his descent into madness.

So my top three would have to be
3. End Trails
2. Braids, Like Roots
1. The Bend

Frighteningly spine tingling tales of backwoods terror. Disorienting and creepy, Appalachian Horror edited by Bo Chappell casts a light into the darkened hollers only to have the shadows bite back. You'll think twice about taking that camping trip after reading this anthology. It would be safer to just take the kids to Disneyland instead.

Video review: https://youtu.be/2Z32IBt7t1o

[Morgan Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never been to the Appalachians but know a little from movies and TV, so even though I had no first-hand experience of the place, I was familiar with the general vibe. I’ve heard it’s picturesque and beautiful, but with these stunning backdrops can come terrifying tales.

Well this collection of great short stories, edited by Bo Chappell, has really put me off ever visiting, I can tell ya!

Things start off superbly with the creepy End Trails by John Morgan. Two guys are backpacking across ‘The Trail and are terribly lost. Worse still is the strange tent that appears every morning right next to theirs. The tent stinks of rancid decay, and the thing looks as though awful atrocities have occurred inside. But if you look inside and witness the horrors, well, things aren’t going to end well for you. This story set things up perfectly.

Jeffery X Martin’s The Ghost Sang tells the story of a freelance photographer who travels to a small, dilapidated town to capture some gritty shots she hopes to make some money from. She’s certainly not welcomed by the locals, but she’s a tough one and is confident of holding her own if any trouble ensues. Well said trouble comes along completely out of the blue. A mysterious root grows here, and her presence is actually more welcomed than it first appeared.

Blood is Always Thicker by Tony Evans had an unnerving vibe throughout, where two dudes plan to visit a remote part of the forest on a hunting trip. There’s a legend of a witch in these here trees, one that’s rubbished by the pair, although they don’t quite believe their doubts. The ending here was great, a nice shocking twist that needs to be experienced for yourself. It also perfectly encapsulates the title.

Another tale of a small town with strange locals and even stranger practices was The Town of Afurisit by Charity Langley. A girl is ‘sent’ to the town by her History Professor as a sort of prize. OK, the set-up here felt a little forced but the setting of the town was frightening enough for this to be forgiven. Although she doesn’t want to be there she embraces her visit with the insane lady she’s staying with. When she’s taken to church the following morning things get freaky weird, and fast. You’re screaming at her to just get the hell out of there, but she just doesn’t listen. This was a grim and great story.

C.W. Blackwell’s The Bend was a welcome tale of the undead, but with a new twist. A man who has lost his wife and child lives on a farm with his remaining daughter. When corpses wander around his land he does the only thing he can; he locks them in his basement. This was a dark, dark story, with a melancholic ending that was equal parts sad and deranged.

I really enjoyed Braids, Like Roots by Damascus Mincemeyer. It had a strange cult, possession, and insanity; tick, tick, tick! A man recounts what happened to him as a boy on the farm he grew up on. I don’t want to give anything away but the twist that came really threw me. The boy’s father never wanted to end up like his own father before him. But will he, is it destiny? Just read it!

I was always looking forward to getting to Renee Miller’s story, and Trespasser did not disappoint. It follows a girl on her own who decides that, after a messy break-up, a trek through the forest is just what she needs. But when she finds an old shed with creepy satanic sigils painted on the floor, she decides it may be better to just get the hell out of there. But that’s easier said than done. This one had another awesome plot twist where things turned out to be not quite what they seemed.

The closing story here was Hemlock Winds by Shawn Lachance. Told for the most part through journal entries, this was the tale of a grieving widower Trailin’ it up. Of course, things turn sinister but what was really enjoyable here was the descent into madness that he went through (am I a bit sick to use the word ‘enjoyable’?). Anyway, this story was a great way to finish things, and made me hungry for more.

This was a superb collection of short stories. Although the remit was kind of specific, each author managed to put their blood-stained stamp on these apparently picturesque mountains. If only there were more…

[Michelle Mellon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good all-around anthology

This was a nice mix of well-written dark fiction. I feared with this theme the stories would run to cringe-inducing stereotypes, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a collection of stories with the feel of Appalachia without too many typical tropes.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I have to say that this is AN AMAZING horror anthology!! I've been wanting to read horror lately, but I've also been distracted, so short stories are the best for me. I am doubting I will find another horror anthology as good as this one. There wasn't one bad or "average" story in the bunch! They are all 4 or 5 stars, so I'm not going to give them individual ratings since they are all fantastic!


End trails by John Morgan- Two coincidental Appalachian Trail buddies (using trail names) run from an unknown horror

The Ghost Sang by Jeffery X Martin- A reporter comes to a poor desolate Appalachian town for a story. Obviously she's not wary enough of the locals.

Blood is Always Thicker by Tony Evans- Two friends squire hunting decide to go to Stepp Branch, a more isolated part of the Appalachian Mountains that is said to be haunted/cursed.

The Town of Afurisit by Charity Langley A girl in college gets sent to a real small town in the Appalachian Mountains for her research paper. All people care about in that town is their church and their church "pet."

The Bend by C.W. Blackwell- A father and a farmer in Eastern Tennessee in 1922 keeps finding corpses. Someone wants them back. However, he'll have to barter for them first.

Braids, Like Roots by Damascus Mincemeyer- A farmer Dad and his son in rural West Virginia try to remove an old dead tree from the middle of their harvest field. Something keeps stopping them. The feeling is it might be witchcraft.

Trespasser by Renee Miller- Girl is sent on an impromptu work trip which turns into an unexpected vacation. As she's newly single she wants to do something exciting and different. She finds a pamphlet about a haunted village in the Appalachian Mountains.

Hemlock Winds by Shawn Lachance Sister reads the journal of her her brother when he took a 2 month hike along the Appalachian Trail.

[Lolapaige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read

Good collection of short stories. I liked all of them which is a rare occurrence with collections. Short book. Made for a quick read. My only complaint is that it left me wanting more.

[DaniPhantom · Rating 4 out of 5]

currently obsessed with Appalachian horror ( thank you Tik Tok & my horror podcasts ), so this was a perfect collection of gory and spooky reads.

[Rachel Lancaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Top Three
1. Hemlock Winds
2. Blood is Always Thicker
3. The Ghost Sang

[Sea Caummisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

2020 reading challenge ( where I'm from KY)... Some of the Appalachian s are in my state. So I chose this book and I was not disappointed. Some stories were better than others. One that really stinks out for me was about a guy who kept finding dead people (undead) walking on his property. Turns out they had a shepherd, and he traded for his deceased loved ones. Very interesting. Another story about a girl doing a research paper takes a vacay to a remote area. Of course, it didn't end well for her. The Appalachian Mountains are scary, for sure

[Christopher Henderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

END TRAILS by John Morgan: A superb opener! There's a fantastic sense of doom pervading this story as you become ever more certain these travellers have strayed too far into the unknown. That mysterious yellow tent is utterly chilling.

THE GHOST SANG by Jeffery X Martin: This is a compelling tale of a freelance photographer who visits a dilapidated town where her arrival does not go unnoticed. The characterization is great and there is a palpable sense of dread.

BLOOD IS ALWAYS THICKER by Tony Evans: Two hunters enter a shunned and legend-haunted area of the old woods, and the reader is drawn helplessly and completely into their unfolding predicament.

THE TOWN OF AFURISIT by Charity Langley: Our protagonist is chosen by her History professor to receive an expenses-paid break in a remote town; there, she will learn much to help her with the paper she needs to write. Alarm bells are already ringing, but she feels she has no choice and so off she goes, plunging ever deeper into a pit of religious insanity.

THE BEND by C. W. Blackwell: Wow! I loved the sense of isolation in this tale of a widowed father and his one surviving child enduring life in 1922. Outside their tiny cabin are forces that dwarf humanity: "Lightning brightened the windows like some monstrous, white retina blinking through the glass." There's a powerful and poetic sense of strangeness in this one, with an ending that stays with you.

BRAIDS, LIKE ROOTS by Damascus Mincemeyer: Narrated by an old man, remembering his distant youth and the eerie events that occurred at his family's farm, this story carries an authentic feel of witchcraft, with overtones that resonate powerfully with old-world fairy lore. Great stuff!

TRESPASSER by Renee Miller: A young woman decides to hike into the woods in search of an abandoned and allegedly cursed town. What could go wrong? But she needs to do something to get away from the pain of a messy break-up and so she ignores all the warning signs and takes us with her on her journey. I don't want to give away anything that happens but I particularly liked the way this one ends.

HEMLOCK WINDS by Shawn Lachance: Told in large part through entries in the journal given to the protagonist by his brother, which they were supposed to read together on his return, this is a wonderful descent into strangeness, with shades of Algernon Blackwood and an eerie, haunting ending.

All in all, APPALACHIAN HORROR is a highly enjoyable collection, which by rights should have put me off visiting the Appalachians for life! But it seems there's a dark magic in those brooding woods and forbidding wilds, and I have begun to hear its song. It's been too long since I last went camping so if anyone reads this, don't worry if you don't hear from me for a little while. I'm sure everything will be just fine...

[Dan Gilman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have to admit I am biased on two fronts, one I was born and raised around the outskirts of Appalachia my entire life, and two... I'm a big horror fan. You'd think that would make me easier to please when it comes to those two subjects but just the opposite, I'm fairly critical of my horror and anything relating to my home.

Usually the people of Appalachia are referenced as illiterate, shoeless, overall wearing hillbillies, tootin' on jugs to make music, who have all their original teeth... that they keep in a jar, under their bed. Sometimes, that can be dead-on real world accurate. Of course that is going to stick out as a stereotype, probably will continue to do so for the rest of forever. But imagine my surprise when that wasn't the main theme for most of the short stories in this book!

None of the stories were bad, and two of them I quite enjoyed (enough to put the book down and immediately follow the authors on social media). Nothing really hit me as abjectly terrifying, more... campfire spooky stories than anything really. But they were all worth reading.

The standout really has to be the fact that the eight stories are genuinely good and worth your time, coupled with the fact that the source wasn't say, Appalachiasploitation (trademark me, just now)... major kudos for keeping true to the spirit of the area!

I hate saying that it stands out for not being terrible, because again these eight stories are all fairly good reads, not fantastic reads, but definitely worth picking up. But when I saw the book I immediately groaned expecting Mothman anilingus in a Waffle House bathroom meets incest splatterpunk, and was pleasantly surprised that it was far from it.

I will say all of the stories feel downright more YA spookytime than horror. That's not a bad thing by any stretch, but it's worth noting that this is more along the lines of Goosebumps than Hellraiser. But if I'm going to be honest, R.L. Stine hits more stand-out work out of the park than Clive Barker... so take that for what you will.

Absolutely pick this up, true to source, solid stories, it's a fun read.

[Jules_withtheaxe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very quick read filled with creepy little nuggets of stories. A few were just meh but the ones that were great were still worth the purchase.
Two of my favorites were, the first story and last story and they both deal with being lost on the Appalachian trail:
End Trails by John Morgan, two friends camping wake up every night to a yellow tent set up next to them, no matter where they set up camp.
Hemlock Winds by Shawn LaChance, a grieving man decides to go hiking the Appalachian trail alone and discovers he belongs there.

Recommend for a quick read.

[Carrie (scary.carrie.reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed most of the stories, but there were a lot of formatting issues with the digital copy that I read. The issues were a huge distraction for me, especially when they occurred during dialogue, making it difficult to know which character was speaking. Hopefully these issues will be corrected in a future edition, so that readers can fully immerse themselves in the horrors of the Appalachians.

Final score: 3/5 stars. Good stories, bad formatting.

[Holley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun collection of horror in an Appalachian setting.

Standouts for me were:
End Trails by John Morgan
The Town of Afurisit by Charity Langly
Braids, Like Roots by Damascus Mincemeyer
Hemlock Winds by Shawn Lachance

This has put me in the mood to read more Appalachian inspired horror collections. The stories were varied and well written.

[Donna Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with most of these short stories. I did enjoy that they were centered in Appalachia, so it was a familiar theme throughout the short stories. I also felt like the pacing was too rushed for my taste and they could slowed it down a little more to make the stories have more depth to them.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal favorites/ what I consider to be the most effective stories in the collection:

-The Ghost Sang (botanical folk horror is such a delightful genre)

-The Town of Afurisit

-Braids, Like Roots

[Serra · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good collection of stories that really capture the stereotypes often used to other the people and places of Appalachia. It was a spooky read, but I was kinda hoping for more writers that were native to the Appalachians.

[Ray Perdue · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent collection. Three stories were pretty good, all were enjoyable.

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had some seriously creepy, awesome stories in it! Perfect for the spooky season!

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

kept me hooked for days

Creepy, poignant, made me feel homesick. I love how every story ends up being about someone who just should have listened to gramma.

[Jacob B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved all of the stories. Highly recommended to anyone as afraid of Appalachia as I am.

[A.D. Roland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Could have been a 5 star rating, but the editing is horrible! Great stories, great authors, shitty editing! Copyediting and content editing both need to be redone by actual professionals.

[Jared Acker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reeeeeeally loved these stories!! I ONLY give it a four because there were more than a handful of typos and grammatical errors. But definitely the best horror anthology I’ve read in a while!

[Audrey Kane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was good! Some stories were very good and others were not and lost me. Overall, the vibes were good. I felt like this would be a good book to read around a camp fire or something.