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Something in the Shadows: A Halloween Anthology
You’ve heard their folktales–saw the carnage they left behind–those creatures, the things lurking deep in the shadows, watching and waiting until the right moment to ensnare its prey.
Four authors dared to tell their stories in this unique collection of wonderfully haunting and frightful thrillers, and even dark romance.
Inside, you'll discover tales of vampires, demons, and humans encountering spirits in these short stories that are sure to keep you up at night!
Four authors dared to tell their stories in this unique collection of wonderfully haunting and frightful thrillers, and even dark romance.
Inside, you'll discover tales of vampires, demons, and humans encountering spirits in these short stories that are sure to keep you up at night!
306 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 28, 2020
2 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
November 23, 2020
* I was gifted a arc by the publisher, all thoughts are completely my own*
Demons, ghosts, witches, vampires and curses. Oh my!
What a fantastic way to get a taste of multiple authors writing styles.
This book sucked me in from start to finish. It was creepy, loving, did I mention creepy? The perfect Halloween read!
Something in the Shadows is a anthology, perfect for Halloween. It contains four separate short stories each standing on their own.
I cringed, awwwed, laughed, and enjoyed every story. If you're looking for something quick, creepy, and enjoyable to read then you need to pick this up.
Demons, ghosts, witches, vampires and curses. Oh my!
What a fantastic way to get a taste of multiple authors writing styles.
This book sucked me in from start to finish. It was creepy, loving, did I mention creepy? The perfect Halloween read!
Something in the Shadows is a anthology, perfect for Halloween. It contains four separate short stories each standing on their own.
I cringed, awwwed, laughed, and enjoyed every story. If you're looking for something quick, creepy, and enjoyable to read then you need to pick this up.
October 25, 2020
Read my full review here: https://lifesanovelty.blogspot.com/20...
Opinions: These short stories may not be Stephen King horrors, but they were certainly entertaining seasonal reads! While the leaves fell outside, I fell into the shoes of Eloise, Tommaso, Destiny, and Seth, cringing at second-hand embarrassment during Eloise's mishaps and squealing with fangirl-levels of excitement at Cass' lovability. Besides the predictable endings of some of the stories and the letdown from an severely hyperbolic blurb, I loved everything about every page! I strongly encourage you to pick up this anthology, settle down for a cozy evening, and try to forget what terrifying things could happen on Halloween.
Rating Breakdown:
Headless by Melanie Gilbert: 2/5
Darkness Untold by Christis Christie: 4/5
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn: 5/5
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont: 5/5
Is This Book For Me? Sometimes, it's difficult to make up our minds on whether to read a book or not. Here are a few notes regarding whether you should or shouldn't read Something in the Shadows!
Should: You love cheesy horror tales!
Shouldn't: You want violent, nightmare-inducing horror stories.
Should: You are interested in short, climactic reads
Shouldn't: You want a long, complex story with lots of character development and themes
Should: You are a fan of "Scream", "I Know What You Did Last Summer", and "Scary Movie"!
Opinions: These short stories may not be Stephen King horrors, but they were certainly entertaining seasonal reads! While the leaves fell outside, I fell into the shoes of Eloise, Tommaso, Destiny, and Seth, cringing at second-hand embarrassment during Eloise's mishaps and squealing with fangirl-levels of excitement at Cass' lovability. Besides the predictable endings of some of the stories and the letdown from an severely hyperbolic blurb, I loved everything about every page! I strongly encourage you to pick up this anthology, settle down for a cozy evening, and try to forget what terrifying things could happen on Halloween.
Rating Breakdown:
Headless by Melanie Gilbert: 2/5
Darkness Untold by Christis Christie: 4/5
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn: 5/5
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont: 5/5
Is This Book For Me? Sometimes, it's difficult to make up our minds on whether to read a book or not. Here are a few notes regarding whether you should or shouldn't read Something in the Shadows!
Should: You love cheesy horror tales!
Shouldn't: You want violent, nightmare-inducing horror stories.
Should: You are interested in short, climactic reads
Shouldn't: You want a long, complex story with lots of character development and themes
Should: You are a fan of "Scream", "I Know What You Did Last Summer", and "Scary Movie"!
February 1, 2021
Headless – Melanie Gilbert
I enjoyed this fast-paced short story with a play on the legend of the Headless Horseman. It is a modern-day tale of two people cursed to die at the hands of the evil monster upon his demonic steed. If they can survive the night, they can survive the curse. It is a very fast-paced novella with likeable characters. I struggled a little with the clumsiness of the main character and the relationship between her and the boss’ son. Having just met, they were willing to die for one another, which to me seemed….flawed. I get it; a modern-day fairy tale should be unbelievable at times, but I found myself, on numerous occasions, saying “why would they do that?”. 3/5
Darkness Untold – Christis Christie
I quite enjoyed this short story. Although it is a little out of my comfort zone (romantic/fantasy), who doesn’t enjoy a well-told vampire story? There is something about Ms. Christie’s writing style that drew me in and enveloped me in this tale. When a writer can eloquently capture my attention and allow me to feel I am part of the story, I know they are a true wordsmith. This is a story about a young monk who is bitten by a vampire. He awakens in a cave with an unquenching thirst for blood, and begins terrorizing the countryside. Eventually, he is discovered and mentored by an older, experienced vampire who teaches him how to live undetected in society. Soon, the young monk falls in love with a human girl and helps her run away from her abusive family and impending arranged nuptials. Unfortunately, the ancient vampire will not let go of his protégée and tracks him down. Will the uncontrollable thirst for blood overtake love? 5/5
Whispered Summons – Heather Karn
This short story could be labelled as a YA/Fantasy/Romance. Again, this is somewhat out of my usual wheelhouse, but it was quick, interesting read. In a nutshell, this is the story of a witch who is looking after her younger sister after her parents died. We aren’t given any background information on how this happened, but learned that her grandparents fought her for custody of her young sister. Unfortunately, her aunt (also a witch) passes away and leaves her house in trust to the girls. While cleaning up the house they discover a book of conjuring spells and end up summoning a demon. Not only a demon, but one who commits to being a lifelong mate of the conjurer and will protect them at all costs. There are several other curveballs thrown at us, but in the end, I felt there could have been more. Perhaps this is only a “taster” of a full novel? 3/5
Die from a Broken Heart – Elle Beaumont
A heartfelt paranormal romance that has the reader questioning what is real. A failing relationship that leaves one partner reeling after a potential breakup. An encounter with a new man has her questioning if she wants something new or if she could possibly repair the damage and save the five-year relationship. Is any of this real? Ms. Beaumont has a very comforting writing style. It feels as though you are sitting with the main character, having a cup of coffee while she relays the story in vivid detail. As with the previous stories, I am not much of a romantic, but enjoyed the paranormal twists within this captivating story. 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I enjoyed this fast-paced short story with a play on the legend of the Headless Horseman. It is a modern-day tale of two people cursed to die at the hands of the evil monster upon his demonic steed. If they can survive the night, they can survive the curse. It is a very fast-paced novella with likeable characters. I struggled a little with the clumsiness of the main character and the relationship between her and the boss’ son. Having just met, they were willing to die for one another, which to me seemed….flawed. I get it; a modern-day fairy tale should be unbelievable at times, but I found myself, on numerous occasions, saying “why would they do that?”. 3/5
Darkness Untold – Christis Christie
I quite enjoyed this short story. Although it is a little out of my comfort zone (romantic/fantasy), who doesn’t enjoy a well-told vampire story? There is something about Ms. Christie’s writing style that drew me in and enveloped me in this tale. When a writer can eloquently capture my attention and allow me to feel I am part of the story, I know they are a true wordsmith. This is a story about a young monk who is bitten by a vampire. He awakens in a cave with an unquenching thirst for blood, and begins terrorizing the countryside. Eventually, he is discovered and mentored by an older, experienced vampire who teaches him how to live undetected in society. Soon, the young monk falls in love with a human girl and helps her run away from her abusive family and impending arranged nuptials. Unfortunately, the ancient vampire will not let go of his protégée and tracks him down. Will the uncontrollable thirst for blood overtake love? 5/5
Whispered Summons – Heather Karn
This short story could be labelled as a YA/Fantasy/Romance. Again, this is somewhat out of my usual wheelhouse, but it was quick, interesting read. In a nutshell, this is the story of a witch who is looking after her younger sister after her parents died. We aren’t given any background information on how this happened, but learned that her grandparents fought her for custody of her young sister. Unfortunately, her aunt (also a witch) passes away and leaves her house in trust to the girls. While cleaning up the house they discover a book of conjuring spells and end up summoning a demon. Not only a demon, but one who commits to being a lifelong mate of the conjurer and will protect them at all costs. There are several other curveballs thrown at us, but in the end, I felt there could have been more. Perhaps this is only a “taster” of a full novel? 3/5
Die from a Broken Heart – Elle Beaumont
A heartfelt paranormal romance that has the reader questioning what is real. A failing relationship that leaves one partner reeling after a potential breakup. An encounter with a new man has her questioning if she wants something new or if she could possibly repair the damage and save the five-year relationship. Is any of this real? Ms. Beaumont has a very comforting writing style. It feels as though you are sitting with the main character, having a cup of coffee while she relays the story in vivid detail. As with the previous stories, I am not much of a romantic, but enjoyed the paranormal twists within this captivating story. 4/5
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 11, 2020
I had so much fun putting together this anthology! What wonderful authors and stories!
August 23, 2020
Okay, hard and fast truth first, then review: beware the blurb. If you're a fan of dark romance, and stories that are on the gritty side of the tracks, and if you're looking for something to give you a little bit of that thrilling creepy feeling... this isn't that. Just be warned. This is a compilation of really sweet stories which happen to have demons, vampires, and ghosts in them. At this time, the book hasn't been released, I got to read it as an ARC, and the blurb may change. I kinda hope it does, because I think it's going to attract the wrong crowd (ie people like me) who will not review it kindly when they don't get what they're looking for.
Now honestly, this for ME is probably more like a 2-3 star, because I'm NOT the target audience. However, I'm a grown woman and can put myself in someone else's shoes to see things from their perspective. And if I was into clean and happy romance, if I were actually a romantic, I would probably really enjoy this. It's not like I don't have a romantic streak in me, but it's not usually what I like to read. I prefer it in movie form if that's the case.
There are only four stories, so it's a pretty quick read. You get a little Sleepy Hollow action with a harrowing chase, a Vampire who finds himself through the love of a woman, a witch that accidentally might have summoned demon, and lastly a sweet story with a ghost. My favorites were the vampire and ghost ones, I would actually be interested in seeing those developed further into something lengthier.
The hazard with any short story, especially when it involves love, is that it can feel rushed, and I definitely felt that way with the other two. However, I can't really fault the authors. I mean, you have something like 10 (short) chapters to make these characters like each other and it's gonna feel rushed! It's not anyone's fault: with the exception of Time, that old meanie.
This is a very sweet anthology. Like Valentine's Day meets Halloween. Highly Romantic with all the fuzzy feelings. Really, my only solid complaint is the blurb, because I don't want to see a book suffer when the blurb was just accidentally misleading.
Now honestly, this for ME is probably more like a 2-3 star, because I'm NOT the target audience. However, I'm a grown woman and can put myself in someone else's shoes to see things from their perspective. And if I was into clean and happy romance, if I were actually a romantic, I would probably really enjoy this. It's not like I don't have a romantic streak in me, but it's not usually what I like to read. I prefer it in movie form if that's the case.
There are only four stories, so it's a pretty quick read. You get a little Sleepy Hollow action with a harrowing chase, a Vampire who finds himself through the love of a woman, a witch that accidentally might have summoned demon, and lastly a sweet story with a ghost. My favorites were the vampire and ghost ones, I would actually be interested in seeing those developed further into something lengthier.
The hazard with any short story, especially when it involves love, is that it can feel rushed, and I definitely felt that way with the other two. However, I can't really fault the authors. I mean, you have something like 10 (short) chapters to make these characters like each other and it's gonna feel rushed! It's not anyone's fault: with the exception of Time, that old meanie.
This is a very sweet anthology. Like Valentine's Day meets Halloween. Highly Romantic with all the fuzzy feelings. Really, my only solid complaint is the blurb, because I don't want to see a book suffer when the blurb was just accidentally misleading.
November 15, 2020
As I do with anthologies, I rate each story individually and average the group to come up with the book rating. So let’s start!
Headless - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a solid read! Not bad at all. I did think it wasn’t spooky enough in the beginning and had too much back story but I suppose that was to develop the other characters? I didn’t like that Eloise was like “oh everyone is drop dead gorgeous and I’m a sack of potatoes”. I get it but that doesn’t pay into their characters and didn’t seem that important to note. She seems almost too relatable if that’s possible with a dash of “I’m not like other girls, I’m clumsy and I read tee hee”. I think the ending was also very deus ex machina and was a little unsatisfactory.
Darkness Untold - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one started out a little slow, but eventually it became more and more interesting! I was sad to finish the short story and definitely wanted more! The ending came at a surprise, and while I am usually not a fan of the type of ending, I enjoyed it in this book. I would recommend this story to people who enjoy spooky tales!
Whispered Summons - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another book that seemed like it should have been a full length story! There was so much detail and lore and I wanted to follow the characters journey more! I gave it 4 starts because the climax was very lack luster and felt more like a rising action to lead to the true climax. Plus it was pretty much solved with a deus ex machina. All in all it was a pretty good read, however I do not think it has a re-readability factor.
Die from a Broken Heart - ⭐️⭐️
Nothing much to say about this story. I figured out the mystery way too early so it was just about finding out the details. It was an interesting concept but I don’t think it was flushed out very well.
So the overall average of the books was 3.5 but I will round it up to 4. It was not a bad anthology and I would recommend it for folks who want a quick spooky read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Headless - ⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a solid read! Not bad at all. I did think it wasn’t spooky enough in the beginning and had too much back story but I suppose that was to develop the other characters? I didn’t like that Eloise was like “oh everyone is drop dead gorgeous and I’m a sack of potatoes”. I get it but that doesn’t pay into their characters and didn’t seem that important to note. She seems almost too relatable if that’s possible with a dash of “I’m not like other girls, I’m clumsy and I read tee hee”. I think the ending was also very deus ex machina and was a little unsatisfactory.
Darkness Untold - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This one started out a little slow, but eventually it became more and more interesting! I was sad to finish the short story and definitely wanted more! The ending came at a surprise, and while I am usually not a fan of the type of ending, I enjoyed it in this book. I would recommend this story to people who enjoy spooky tales!
Whispered Summons - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was another book that seemed like it should have been a full length story! There was so much detail and lore and I wanted to follow the characters journey more! I gave it 4 starts because the climax was very lack luster and felt more like a rising action to lead to the true climax. Plus it was pretty much solved with a deus ex machina. All in all it was a pretty good read, however I do not think it has a re-readability factor.
Die from a Broken Heart - ⭐️⭐️
Nothing much to say about this story. I figured out the mystery way too early so it was just about finding out the details. It was an interesting concept but I don’t think it was flushed out very well.
So the overall average of the books was 3.5 but I will round it up to 4. It was not a bad anthology and I would recommend it for folks who want a quick spooky read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 21, 2020
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
This book is an anthology of 4 short stories that are supernatural romance stories. It was not what I was expecting. There was nothing scary or Halloween themed (other than the 1st story). I was expecting some stories that would "keep me up at night".
Regardless, the stories were well written and 2 captured my attention. They are eerie and if you like supernatural aspects mixed with romance this book is for you.
1) Eloise is attending a company retreat and drove so many hours to arrive late and also with urgency for bathroom. This starts her night of impending doom and constantly having accidents that involve one of the owners of the company, Bryce. While attending a magician's show, Eloise and Bryce are hypnotized.....after the show begins with the headless horseman chasing them.
2) Tomasso is in the monastery. One night he comes upon a beast attacking a pledge. He is attacked and wakes the next night in a cave with insatiable hunger....fast forward...Masso has met an ancient Vamp to help learn control. He eventually is drawn to Manuette and aims to help her.
3) Destiny is raising her sister Izzy who is 6 since their parents passed away. They are witches. Their great Aunt Cecilia died and left all to Destiny because she was always curious and open to things. Destiny is drawn to a book about Demons and accidentally conjures a mate demon named Cass. They learn more about some secrets aunt Cecilia had and how it will change their lives...ending is open for more...
4) Abigail and Seth having been getting along in some time. Now Seth is going on shoot as a ghost hunter and Abigail is tagging along to see if they can be fixed. But the mansion seems haunted and Seth abandons her. But Abigail is not alone...
This book is an anthology of 4 short stories that are supernatural romance stories. It was not what I was expecting. There was nothing scary or Halloween themed (other than the 1st story). I was expecting some stories that would "keep me up at night".
Regardless, the stories were well written and 2 captured my attention. They are eerie and if you like supernatural aspects mixed with romance this book is for you.
1) Eloise is attending a company retreat and drove so many hours to arrive late and also with urgency for bathroom. This starts her night of impending doom and constantly having accidents that involve one of the owners of the company, Bryce. While attending a magician's show, Eloise and Bryce are hypnotized.....after the show begins with the headless horseman chasing them.
2) Tomasso is in the monastery. One night he comes upon a beast attacking a pledge. He is attacked and wakes the next night in a cave with insatiable hunger....fast forward...Masso has met an ancient Vamp to help learn control. He eventually is drawn to Manuette and aims to help her.
3) Destiny is raising her sister Izzy who is 6 since their parents passed away. They are witches. Their great Aunt Cecilia died and left all to Destiny because she was always curious and open to things. Destiny is drawn to a book about Demons and accidentally conjures a mate demon named Cass. They learn more about some secrets aunt Cecilia had and how it will change their lives...ending is open for more...
4) Abigail and Seth having been getting along in some time. Now Seth is going on shoot as a ghost hunter and Abigail is tagging along to see if they can be fixed. But the mansion seems haunted and Seth abandons her. But Abigail is not alone...
October 19, 2020
Something in The Shadows is a Halloween anthology with 4 short stories. I thought it would be best to do a small review of my thoughts on each story.
Headless
I really enjoyed the first story, the opening lines pulled me in straight away and I couldn't put the story down. However I was disappointed in the ending, it is supposed to be a spooky anthology and there was a happy ending.
Darkness Untold
Maybe its because I am obsessed with Buffy and Angel, but this story was very disappointing. We follow a monk turned vampire throughout his life, but I found it to be quite boring. Although it was well written, the story just didn't grab me.
Whispered Summons
I found Whispered Summons a fun, interesting and quick read. It has a great premise and is light hearted which would make a great novel. It was more cute than Halloweeny altogether though.
Die from a broken heart
Die from a broken heart was definitely my favourite story. It was very interesting and I didn't want to stop reading it. This is another story that would make a great novel! I did somewhat see the end twist coming, but it was still a great twist!
I enjoyed this anthology, but I found that there was too much romance for me. Don't get me wrong, I love a good romance, but I didn't go into this expecting to read a lot of romance. I expected to read scary and creepy short stories.
Headless
I really enjoyed the first story, the opening lines pulled me in straight away and I couldn't put the story down. However I was disappointed in the ending, it is supposed to be a spooky anthology and there was a happy ending.
Darkness Untold
Maybe its because I am obsessed with Buffy and Angel, but this story was very disappointing. We follow a monk turned vampire throughout his life, but I found it to be quite boring. Although it was well written, the story just didn't grab me.
Whispered Summons
I found Whispered Summons a fun, interesting and quick read. It has a great premise and is light hearted which would make a great novel. It was more cute than Halloweeny altogether though.
Die from a broken heart
Die from a broken heart was definitely my favourite story. It was very interesting and I didn't want to stop reading it. This is another story that would make a great novel! I did somewhat see the end twist coming, but it was still a great twist!
I enjoyed this anthology, but I found that there was too much romance for me. Don't get me wrong, I love a good romance, but I didn't go into this expecting to read a lot of romance. I expected to read scary and creepy short stories.
November 29, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free via Book Sirens and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. Not quite what I was expecting, this anthology seems to be an introduction of sorts to four writers. The contents are someway between short stories and novellas, each with female leads and varying amounts of romance. Not really what I was looking for. In brief I'd describe them as follows...
Headless by Melanie Gilbert
Rather silly chick-lit romance with a supernatural element.
Darkness Untold by Christi's Christie
Overlong "historical" vampire tale of angst and romance.
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn
Interesting twist on the "young witch makes a mistake and has to deal with it...." tale.
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont
Predictable ghost story
The only one of the above I enjoyed was Whispered Summons which I felt might be a prequel for a series of books by Heather Karn. I actually hope that's the case as I thought there's quite a scope for expanding on what is set up in this story. The writing is cleaner and more concise than the other offerings (with the exception of one error) and the emphasis is more on storyline than the romance and element.
For me this was a pretty vacuous read with the exception of Whispered Summons and I will be keeping a eye out for Heather Karn taking the idea further.
Headless by Melanie Gilbert
Rather silly chick-lit romance with a supernatural element.
Darkness Untold by Christi's Christie
Overlong "historical" vampire tale of angst and romance.
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn
Interesting twist on the "young witch makes a mistake and has to deal with it...." tale.
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont
Predictable ghost story
The only one of the above I enjoyed was Whispered Summons which I felt might be a prequel for a series of books by Heather Karn. I actually hope that's the case as I thought there's quite a scope for expanding on what is set up in this story. The writing is cleaner and more concise than the other offerings (with the exception of one error) and the emphasis is more on storyline than the romance and element.
For me this was a pretty vacuous read with the exception of Whispered Summons and I will be keeping a eye out for Heather Karn taking the idea further.
September 2, 2020
4 stars for this hauntingly good quartet of Halloween stories.
Impressive new authors for me.
A spin on a classic piece of literature coupled with a high octane adrenaline rush in “Headless”.
In, “Darkness Untold” we come across centuries old rules and regulations of one of history’s most favored creatures of the night, perfect for fans of Anne Rice and Christine Feehan.
“Whispered Summons” was a pleasant surprise of paranormal romance that was as tantalizing as it was intriguing. Themes covered are: witches, covens, demons, white vs dark magic and the consequences of spells. This one ended far too soon! I would love to see this as a full length novel!
“Die From A Broken Heart” rounds out this ghoulish quartet with apparitions, and tension filled relationships with a very atmospheric scenery.
I received this book via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
Impressive new authors for me.
A spin on a classic piece of literature coupled with a high octane adrenaline rush in “Headless”.
In, “Darkness Untold” we come across centuries old rules and regulations of one of history’s most favored creatures of the night, perfect for fans of Anne Rice and Christine Feehan.
“Whispered Summons” was a pleasant surprise of paranormal romance that was as tantalizing as it was intriguing. Themes covered are: witches, covens, demons, white vs dark magic and the consequences of spells. This one ended far too soon! I would love to see this as a full length novel!
“Die From A Broken Heart” rounds out this ghoulish quartet with apparitions, and tension filled relationships with a very atmospheric scenery.
I received this book via BookSirens in exchange for an honest review.
September 5, 2020
Big thanks to one of the authors for my e-ARC of this anthology.
Something in the Shadows is a Halloween-themes anthology featuring four very different short stories, each exploring different supernatural creatures such as vampires, ghosts or demons. The stories are standalone, but you can easily find the information about the authors and other work they had written in the anthology if you are interested. Most of the stories are set in contemporary times, but all feature supernatural, making them perfect for Halloween.
Personally, I have enjoyed the most two last tales, with one of them featuring a friendly demon and other being a ghost story. While not as scary as I have initially expected, Something in the Shadows definitely gives you Halloween feels, and with Autumn already starting, it’s a nice anthology to read.
Something in the Shadows is a Halloween-themes anthology featuring four very different short stories, each exploring different supernatural creatures such as vampires, ghosts or demons. The stories are standalone, but you can easily find the information about the authors and other work they had written in the anthology if you are interested. Most of the stories are set in contemporary times, but all feature supernatural, making them perfect for Halloween.
Personally, I have enjoyed the most two last tales, with one of them featuring a friendly demon and other being a ghost story. While not as scary as I have initially expected, Something in the Shadows definitely gives you Halloween feels, and with Autumn already starting, it’s a nice anthology to read.
October 31, 2020
This was a really fun, short Halloween read. In this Anthology there are four short stories, all including a romance of some sort, and they all had some creepy parts as well. There are ghosts, vampires, demons, and headless horsemen? I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a creepy Halloween read, but doesn’t want to much gore. 5 out of 5 star review from me simply because of how much I enjoyed each story. I not gonna lie, I went in to reading this book thinking it was going be all super scary horror stories, but that wasn’t the case at all. I honestly can’t to read more from each author, and see what there full length novels are like.
I received this as a free ARC copy, but all opinions are my own.
I received this as a free ARC copy, but all opinions are my own.
November 26, 2020
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. These stories were right up my alley and very riveting. You can tell who will be a great author through any short story they write, if it keeps you pulled in and entertained in a much shorter time frame then you know without a doubt they've got their work cut out for them in novels. THOSE are the writers I want to follow and read whatever they've produced. A couple in this anthology are definitely keepers! Anyone into the EXTRAordinary needs to give this a read...some will leave you wanting more and one may have you in tears (or just about!) I will probably read this again and definitely look forward to more!
August 30, 2020
I LOVED EVERY STORY IN THIS ANTHOLOGY!!!! Four different authors that I DEFINITELY want to read more from!!! I bought books from the authors after reading their story, because I wanted more!!!
Each story was well written and I didn’t want them to end!! I was drawn in by the characters, the horror and the story right away and couldn’t let go after each story. Four terrific authors with four engaging stories!! An outstanding, phenomenal, creepy Halloween read!!!!
Each story was well written and I didn’t want them to end!! I was drawn in by the characters, the horror and the story right away and couldn’t let go after each story. Four terrific authors with four engaging stories!! An outstanding, phenomenal, creepy Halloween read!!!!
October 2, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you to Book Sirens for letting me read this Anthology.
I absolutely loved it and not a shamed to admit that parts of it scared me silly.
Die from a broken heart is cleverly written and scared me that much I had to stop reading in bed and wait until daylight (what can I say? I've got a great imagination haha)
The story was fantatsic and I did not see that twist at all.
Perfect spooky read!
Thank you to Book Sirens for letting me read this Anthology.
I absolutely loved it and not a shamed to admit that parts of it scared me silly.
Die from a broken heart is cleverly written and scared me that much I had to stop reading in bed and wait until daylight (what can I say? I've got a great imagination haha)
The story was fantatsic and I did not see that twist at all.
Perfect spooky read!
October 18, 2020
I loved the uniqueness of each story and what creepiness they represented. The story Darkness Untold would have been better without the romance aspect but it was interesting otherwise. Whispered Summons was favorite story. Followed all the authors to read more of what they’ve written. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 29, 2020
Loved this anthology of supernatural stories. Each story was interesting. There was humor. Some sad. Some scary. All the authors had me captivated. I recommend this book as there is something for everyone. The stories are well written and there are no cliffhangers. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to read the ARC of the book. I am happy to review it voluntarily.
September 22, 2020
I enjoyed reading the stories in this!
My favorite is Die from a broken heart by Elle Beaumont. I love ghost stories like that. It made me feel so many emotions.
I definitely recommend this as a perfect Halloween read or anytime really to read. Perfect for anyone who loves this genre!
My favorite is Die from a broken heart by Elle Beaumont. I love ghost stories like that. It made me feel so many emotions.
I definitely recommend this as a perfect Halloween read or anytime really to read. Perfect for anyone who loves this genre!
October 26, 2020
I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens and this is my voluntary honest review.
This was a great creepy, spooky read.
A very enjoyable well written tales.
This was a great creepy, spooky read.
A very enjoyable well written tales.
February 3, 2021
Something in the shadows includes four short stories written by various authors. I will break down my thought story by story below, but overall, it was a very enjoyable reading for October, and perfect if like me you are looking for scary-fun writing for Halloween. However, this is not for you if you want to shiver and sleep with the light on and the blurb is probably misleading in this aspect. I actually asked to read this book for creepy and scary stuff, like King scary level, and lucky I was not put away by the romance because it was well written and fun. I feel like this is perfect for young women, like myself who like a little romance with the scary not so scary stuff . You will see witchcraft, vampires, legend and ghost hunting in the book.
Headless by Melanie Gilbert: 5/5
I really liked this one. Eloise is a very compelling character, I could relate with the clumsiness. The legend of the Sleepy hollow was great and the most scary of the four stories. in my opinion. This is also the most fast pace of the stories and a really great introduction to the book. I was really sucked into it and excited to see which story would be next.
Darkness Untold by Christis Christie: 2/5
I could not get into this one. The beginning was intriguing and original but it dragged too long for me and instead of scary, I feel like it was cruel and without the ending I expected and felt deserved. This is the one that could have leaned into the horror side fully with a dark ending and some redemption. Unfortunately this story was not for me.
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn: 3/5
This is the most YA of the four. Destiny is a young witch that I liked a lot and Cass was a nice touch too. But this story was too short and the ending was a bit abrupt. I don't know if it was my mind that tricked me into thinking it was shorter than the other three but it felt that way. I would like to read more about this story. I feel like Heather Karn could write a whole book about it. I know I would read it!
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont: 5/5
This one was so good. A really great way to end this book! Abigail and Seth and all the other characters were great. The ghost story was sad and perfect. I actually guessed before the end what would happen, but it was so clever. Die from a broken heart deserves some real praise!
***Copy received from the authors in exchange for an honest review***
Headless by Melanie Gilbert: 5/5
I really liked this one. Eloise is a very compelling character, I could relate with the clumsiness. The legend of the Sleepy hollow was great and the most scary of the four stories. in my opinion. This is also the most fast pace of the stories and a really great introduction to the book. I was really sucked into it and excited to see which story would be next.
Darkness Untold by Christis Christie: 2/5
I could not get into this one. The beginning was intriguing and original but it dragged too long for me and instead of scary, I feel like it was cruel and without the ending I expected and felt deserved. This is the one that could have leaned into the horror side fully with a dark ending and some redemption. Unfortunately this story was not for me.
Whispered Summons by Heather Karn: 3/5
This is the most YA of the four. Destiny is a young witch that I liked a lot and Cass was a nice touch too. But this story was too short and the ending was a bit abrupt. I don't know if it was my mind that tricked me into thinking it was shorter than the other three but it felt that way. I would like to read more about this story. I feel like Heather Karn could write a whole book about it. I know I would read it!
Die from a Broken Heart by Elle Beaumont: 5/5
This one was so good. A really great way to end this book! Abigail and Seth and all the other characters were great. The ghost story was sad and perfect. I actually guessed before the end what would happen, but it was so clever. Die from a broken heart deserves some real praise!
***Copy received from the authors in exchange for an honest review***
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