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Halloween Season
Halloween is the most wonderful part of the year for many of us. For dedicated fans, the season begins when the leaves start turning autumn colors and doesn't finish until Hallowtide ends in November. With it comes a whole lot of fun: scary movies and stories, haunted houses, seasonal sweets, spooky decorations, costume parties, and of course trick or treat. But Halloween is also a deeply spiritual time for some; it's an opportunity to remember and honor loved ones who have passed on.
Master storyteller Lucy A. Snyder has filled her cauldron with everything that Halloween means to her and distilled it into a spell-binding volume of stories. Within these pages you'll find thrills and chills, hilarity and horrors, the sweet and the naughty.
One of the best things about Halloween is you don't have to be yourself. So go ahead and try on a new mask or two... you may discover hidden talents as a witch, a pirate, a space voyager, a zombie fighter, or even an elf. This is the perfect collection to celebrate the season of the dead or to summon those heady autumn vibes whenever you like. You may even find a couple of tales that evoke a certain winter holiday that keeps trying to crowd in on the fun.
In the worlds within this book, every day is Halloween!
Master storyteller Lucy A. Snyder has filled her cauldron with everything that Halloween means to her and distilled it into a spell-binding volume of stories. Within these pages you'll find thrills and chills, hilarity and horrors, the sweet and the naughty.
One of the best things about Halloween is you don't have to be yourself. So go ahead and try on a new mask or two... you may discover hidden talents as a witch, a pirate, a space voyager, a zombie fighter, or even an elf. This is the perfect collection to celebrate the season of the dead or to summon those heady autumn vibes whenever you like. You may even find a couple of tales that evoke a certain winter holiday that keeps trying to crowd in on the fun.
In the worlds within this book, every day is Halloween!
168 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2020
75 people are currently reading
1790 people want to read
About the author
Lucy A. Snyder
143 books628 followersLucy A. Snyder is a five-time Bram Stoker Award-winning writer and the author of the forthcoming Tor Nightfire novel Sister, Maiden, Monster. She also wrote the novels Spellbent, Shotgun Sorceress, and Switchblade Goddess, the nonfiction book Shooting Yourself in the Head For Fun and Profit: A Writer's Survival Guide, the poetry collections Exposed Nerves and Chimeric Machines and the story collections Halloween Season, Garden of Eldritch Delights, While the Black Stars Burn, Soft Apocalypses, Orchid Carousals, Sparks and Shadows, and Installing Linux on a Dead Badger.
Her writing has been translated into French, Italian, Russian, Czech and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, Steampunk World, In the Court of the Yellow King, Shadows Over Main Street, Qualia Nous, Seize The Night, Scary Out There, and Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5.
She writes a column for Horror World and has written materials for the D6xD6 role-playing game system. In her day job, she edits online college courses for universities worldwide and occasionally helps write educational games.
Lucy lives in Columbus, Ohio and is a mentor in Seton Hill University's MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.
Her writing has been translated into French, Italian, Russian, Czech and Japanese editions and has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Nightmare Magazine, Pseudopod, Strange Horizons, Steampunk World, In the Court of the Yellow King, Shadows Over Main Street, Qualia Nous, Seize The Night, Scary Out There, and Best Horror of the Year, Vol. 5.
She writes a column for Horror World and has written materials for the D6xD6 role-playing game system. In her day job, she edits online college courses for universities worldwide and occasionally helps write educational games.
Lucy lives in Columbus, Ohio and is a mentor in Seton Hill University's MFA program in Writing Popular Fiction. You can learn more about her at www.lucysnyder.com and you can follow her on Twitter at @LucyASnyder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
October 15, 2020
Halloween Season is an eclectic collection of short stories and a poem or two. The stories aren’t all focused on or around Halloween which I found a little bit odd but they’re all interesting and some are darkly comical (my favorite) so they’re definitely worth a read any time of the year!
I’m going to focus on the stories I liked best because my reviews for collections and anthologies are often as long as a damn book and no one has time for that. And also I am lazy. I’m not going to rate each story either so you’re forced to read my words if you want to know more. Sorry in advance, haha!
Beggars’ Night is a dark poem about little demons.🖤 it!
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies This was a wacked out way to start the collection. It’s Halloween and a writer is hand selling her books at a convention table. She eats a cookie that has been laced with a hallucinogenic (uh oh!) and revisits some past ghosts. It starts out a little light and sarcastic but takes on a more melancholy tone as it goes along. Guilt, grief, regret. It’s all here and it’s all done exceptionally well.
Cosmic Cola is about a girl named Millie who has been relocated to a town called Marsh Landing, famous for it’s Cosmic Cola and not much else. She’s bored and a little pissed off and none too happy about the move but when she “wins”a coveted ticket to an exclusive Halloween soiree things are looking up. But this is a horror story and all is not what it seems! This story takes a wild turn and I loved it and that’s all I’m sayin’! I liked Millie a lot, she’s a relatable character and a fellow Halloween person 😊 What’s not to like?
Visions of the Dream Witch Oh how I loved this story! It hooked me immediately. Two fools find themselves in a bind when one of them is bitten by a Shoggoth (actually I don’t know if they’re fools but I am going to go ahead and assume!). Now the bitten one is starting to rot away and needs some intervention from a grumpy old witch who sends the other fool on an adventure for some magical sap. This story has a dark magical feel to it that I simply adored. The characters are fun and there is no time wasted throwing the reader right into the thick of things.
The Porcupine Boy is another favorite of mine. It’s a strange tale of a man with a messy past who only wants to help others. It’s sweet and a little bit Creepshow-like without the OTT camp and I loved and adored the whole experience here.
In the Family Watch out! This one gets DARK 😆
A Preference for Silence A woman only wants some silence so she can read! Man, could I ever relate to this one! haha 😳
The Toymaker's Joy This was a strange inclusion in a Halloween collection but I am not complaining. It’s about an elf and her invention that makes someone very, very happy! This made me laugh so much. Was it supposed to? I don’t know but it filled me with all kinds of joy and I’m so glad it was here in this book even if it might seem a little bit out of place.
I pretty much enjoyed all of these stories, there weren’t any major duds and the characters came alive immediately. A few of them weren’t completely made for me but they may be made for you so give it a go if anything here sounds like your thing. Love what you love and skim what you don’t and enjoy yourself with these dark and strange little tales.
I’m going to focus on the stories I liked best because my reviews for collections and anthologies are often as long as a damn book and no one has time for that. And also I am lazy. I’m not going to rate each story either so you’re forced to read my words if you want to know more. Sorry in advance, haha!
Beggars’ Night is a dark poem about little demons.🖤 it!
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies This was a wacked out way to start the collection. It’s Halloween and a writer is hand selling her books at a convention table. She eats a cookie that has been laced with a hallucinogenic (uh oh!) and revisits some past ghosts. It starts out a little light and sarcastic but takes on a more melancholy tone as it goes along. Guilt, grief, regret. It’s all here and it’s all done exceptionally well.
Cosmic Cola is about a girl named Millie who has been relocated to a town called Marsh Landing, famous for it’s Cosmic Cola and not much else. She’s bored and a little pissed off and none too happy about the move but when she “wins”a coveted ticket to an exclusive Halloween soiree things are looking up. But this is a horror story and all is not what it seems! This story takes a wild turn and I loved it and that’s all I’m sayin’! I liked Millie a lot, she’s a relatable character and a fellow Halloween person 😊 What’s not to like?
Visions of the Dream Witch Oh how I loved this story! It hooked me immediately. Two fools find themselves in a bind when one of them is bitten by a Shoggoth (actually I don’t know if they’re fools but I am going to go ahead and assume!). Now the bitten one is starting to rot away and needs some intervention from a grumpy old witch who sends the other fool on an adventure for some magical sap. This story has a dark magical feel to it that I simply adored. The characters are fun and there is no time wasted throwing the reader right into the thick of things.
The Porcupine Boy is another favorite of mine. It’s a strange tale of a man with a messy past who only wants to help others. It’s sweet and a little bit Creepshow-like without the OTT camp and I loved and adored the whole experience here.
In the Family Watch out! This one gets DARK 😆
A Preference for Silence A woman only wants some silence so she can read! Man, could I ever relate to this one! haha 😳
The Toymaker's Joy This was a strange inclusion in a Halloween collection but I am not complaining. It’s about an elf and her invention that makes someone very, very happy! This made me laugh so much. Was it supposed to? I don’t know but it filled me with all kinds of joy and I’m so glad it was here in this book even if it might seem a little bit out of place.
I pretty much enjoyed all of these stories, there weren’t any major duds and the characters came alive immediately. A few of them weren’t completely made for me but they may be made for you so give it a go if anything here sounds like your thing. Love what you love and skim what you don’t and enjoy yourself with these dark and strange little tales.
October 11, 2020
An excellent collection, from start to finish! With tales ranging from a child escaping the clutches of Devil's Night to an elven toy-maker's popular new invention, I dug 'em all.
Normally I would list off which tales I liked the most, but because I liked them all, I'm having some difficulties.
Certainly the funniest story has to go to THE TOYMAKER'S JOY because...well, you'd have to read it.
Let's see...we have an evil twin, a telepathic ferret, witches and magic, zombies, a lonely, intolerant space traveler and a singer in the swamp. Both good people and bad inhabit these pages, all just waiting for your discovery.
Very well written, inventive and imaginative, Halloween Season was a fantastic addition to my October reading and it would be to yours as well!
Highly Recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/36TlIjc
*Thanks to Erin and to Raw Dog Screaming Press for the paperback in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
Normally I would list off which tales I liked the most, but because I liked them all, I'm having some difficulties.
Certainly the funniest story has to go to THE TOYMAKER'S JOY because...well, you'd have to read it.
Let's see...we have an evil twin, a telepathic ferret, witches and magic, zombies, a lonely, intolerant space traveler and a singer in the swamp. Both good people and bad inhabit these pages, all just waiting for your discovery.
Very well written, inventive and imaginative, Halloween Season was a fantastic addition to my October reading and it would be to yours as well!
Highly Recommended!
Get your copy here: https://amzn.to/36TlIjc
*Thanks to Erin and to Raw Dog Screaming Press for the paperback in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!*
February 21, 2021
Possessions, Porcupines, Cthulhu cultists, drug-fuelled horror conventions, and some unexpectedly risqué shenanigans at Santa’s Workshop make up just a few of the stories in Bram Stoker award-winning author Lucy A. Snyder’s latest festive collection of horror shorts. ‘The Halloween Season’ contains fourteen stories ranging from horror and sci-fi to comedy and urban fantasy, many of which are themed around every horror fans favourite holiday.
The range of stories on offer here is incredibly varied. The books opening story (‘Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies’) is a weird and psychedelic trip through a book convention, fuelled by hallucinogens and hiding a deeply affecting family drama underneath the chaos whereas the closing short (‘The Toymaker’s Joy’) is a gleefully smutty comedy about one of Santa’s elves finding her true calling at the North Pole. The different tones and genres all packed into ‘The Halloween Season’ practically guarantee that everyone will find a different story that stands out as their own personal favourite.
One of the highlights for me was ‘In The Family’, a first-person narrative of someone being welcomed into the family, with a great twist ending. ‘The Great VüDü Teen Linux Zombie Massacre was easily one of the strangest and most memorable stories I have ever read, and quite possibly the only one I’m ever likely to read featuring a remote-controlled zombie-killing badger.
Fans of all things Lovecraft will find themselves well served, with the collection offering up two tales (‘Cosmic Cola’ and the ‘The Kind Detective’, the latter being a close second for me in terms of the books strongest story). Some stories are quick, fun reads that entertain without drawing focus from the longer, more seriously toned tales. ‘A Preference for Silence’, a darkly comic sci-fi tale, would make a fantastic Twilight Zone episode and ‘The House That Couldn’t Clean itself’ is a hilarious cautionary tale of choosing ones housemates wisely that definitely struck a chord with me as someone who spent a few years living in shared student accommodation.
Not every story felt like a hit on the first read-through, however, although the different styles and genres that are all packed into ‘The Halloween Season’ probably guarantee that not every story will resonate with every readers’ personal preferences. ‘Wake Up Naked Monkey, You’re Going To Die’ was a little too odd for my tastes and ‘Visions of the Dream Witch’ and ‘What Dwells Within’ lean heavily into fantasy (Southern Paranormal with the former and Urban Fantasy for the latter) that managed a lot of world-building in a relatively short space, but felt like chapters or excerpts of a larger work rather than a satisfying short in their own right.
An eclectic mix of stories makes ‘The Halloween Season’ an enjoyable and unpredictable read, Snyder’s imagination running wild with inventive and unique tales with a broad appeal. The huge array of different genres at work may mean that a few stories may not appeal, depending on your personal reading preferences, but it won’t hamper your overall enjoyment of an overall entertaining collection.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
The range of stories on offer here is incredibly varied. The books opening story (‘Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies’) is a weird and psychedelic trip through a book convention, fuelled by hallucinogens and hiding a deeply affecting family drama underneath the chaos whereas the closing short (‘The Toymaker’s Joy’) is a gleefully smutty comedy about one of Santa’s elves finding her true calling at the North Pole. The different tones and genres all packed into ‘The Halloween Season’ practically guarantee that everyone will find a different story that stands out as their own personal favourite.
One of the highlights for me was ‘In The Family’, a first-person narrative of someone being welcomed into the family, with a great twist ending. ‘The Great VüDü Teen Linux Zombie Massacre was easily one of the strangest and most memorable stories I have ever read, and quite possibly the only one I’m ever likely to read featuring a remote-controlled zombie-killing badger.
Fans of all things Lovecraft will find themselves well served, with the collection offering up two tales (‘Cosmic Cola’ and the ‘The Kind Detective’, the latter being a close second for me in terms of the books strongest story). Some stories are quick, fun reads that entertain without drawing focus from the longer, more seriously toned tales. ‘A Preference for Silence’, a darkly comic sci-fi tale, would make a fantastic Twilight Zone episode and ‘The House That Couldn’t Clean itself’ is a hilarious cautionary tale of choosing ones housemates wisely that definitely struck a chord with me as someone who spent a few years living in shared student accommodation.
Not every story felt like a hit on the first read-through, however, although the different styles and genres that are all packed into ‘The Halloween Season’ probably guarantee that not every story will resonate with every readers’ personal preferences. ‘Wake Up Naked Monkey, You’re Going To Die’ was a little too odd for my tastes and ‘Visions of the Dream Witch’ and ‘What Dwells Within’ lean heavily into fantasy (Southern Paranormal with the former and Urban Fantasy for the latter) that managed a lot of world-building in a relatively short space, but felt like chapters or excerpts of a larger work rather than a satisfying short in their own right.
An eclectic mix of stories makes ‘The Halloween Season’ an enjoyable and unpredictable read, Snyder’s imagination running wild with inventive and unique tales with a broad appeal. The huge array of different genres at work may mean that a few stories may not appeal, depending on your personal reading preferences, but it won’t hamper your overall enjoyment of an overall entertaining collection.
You can read more reviews of new and upcoming horror releases at https://www.myindiemuse.com/category/...
I also promote indie horror via Twitter - @RickReadsHorror
October 26, 2020
3.5 rounded up for Goodreads!
Finding a collection of seasonal horror is exciting. I enjoy curating the perfect "to be read" stack in October and Halloween stories are at the top! HALLOWEEN SEASON by Lucy A. Snyder boasts a beautiful, vintage-inspired cover by Lynne Hansen. Just looking at the artwork prepares the reader to settle into the Halloween spirit.
Earlier this year, I read THE GARDEN OF ELDRITCH DELIGHTS, my introduction to Lucy A. Snyder's work. My biggest take away was Snyder's ability to write strongly in such a wide variety of genres: Cosmic Horror, SciFi, Poetry, Dark Fantasy, you name it, it's represented in that collection.
HALLOWEEN SEASON reflects this skill as well. In a way, Lucy A. Snyder's style of writing and the way she can transition so effortlessly into other genres for each story reminds me of Neil Gaiman. In fact, this collection has a strong relationship with Gaiman's TRIGGER WARNING: Short Fictions and Disturbances collection.
The poem that officially kicks things off, BEGGAR'S NIGHT is quite atmospheric and serves as the perfect introduction.
The first story, with the accidental drug trip of the main protagonist, was a little hard to follow and disorienting. It didn't work for me. I'm aware it was part of the experience due to the nature of the storyline, but I didn't think it was a strong lead-in story.
COSMIC COLA, however, is a standout. It's the most "Halloweenish" of the bunch since there is quite a bit of nostalgia with a lot of excitement about dressing up in costume and going to a big party. The main, child protagonist, Millie, is wonderful. I immediately invested in her character and thought Snyder did a great job engaging the reader through her narrative.
The rest of the stories are very loosely connected to Halloween, some mention the holiday specifically but others are more about other topics related to Halloween/Fall like family and friends, holiday traditions and monsters of all types, shapes & sizes.
I was prepared for a lot of Halloween-theme stories like Ronald Kelly's THE HALLOWEEN STORE (which I read just before this one) and I was really only disappointed for a hot minute. The stories are engrossing and cross into the imaginative space of urban fantasy, science fiction, and satire. There are some good, humorous moments that I thought were special. Even though they aren't Halloween specific, they are at least autumnal so I think reading this collection in October will satisfy horror readers looking for a seasonal fix. I'm saving the Christmas stories for December. Much like department stores relegating the Halloween goodies and decor to one shelf to accommodate the onslaught of Christmas, I wanted to stay locked into the spooky vibes as long as possible and put Christmas off for at least one more month.
Finding a collection of seasonal horror is exciting. I enjoy curating the perfect "to be read" stack in October and Halloween stories are at the top! HALLOWEEN SEASON by Lucy A. Snyder boasts a beautiful, vintage-inspired cover by Lynne Hansen. Just looking at the artwork prepares the reader to settle into the Halloween spirit.
Earlier this year, I read THE GARDEN OF ELDRITCH DELIGHTS, my introduction to Lucy A. Snyder's work. My biggest take away was Snyder's ability to write strongly in such a wide variety of genres: Cosmic Horror, SciFi, Poetry, Dark Fantasy, you name it, it's represented in that collection.
HALLOWEEN SEASON reflects this skill as well. In a way, Lucy A. Snyder's style of writing and the way she can transition so effortlessly into other genres for each story reminds me of Neil Gaiman. In fact, this collection has a strong relationship with Gaiman's TRIGGER WARNING: Short Fictions and Disturbances collection.
The poem that officially kicks things off, BEGGAR'S NIGHT is quite atmospheric and serves as the perfect introduction.
The first story, with the accidental drug trip of the main protagonist, was a little hard to follow and disorienting. It didn't work for me. I'm aware it was part of the experience due to the nature of the storyline, but I didn't think it was a strong lead-in story.
COSMIC COLA, however, is a standout. It's the most "Halloweenish" of the bunch since there is quite a bit of nostalgia with a lot of excitement about dressing up in costume and going to a big party. The main, child protagonist, Millie, is wonderful. I immediately invested in her character and thought Snyder did a great job engaging the reader through her narrative.
The rest of the stories are very loosely connected to Halloween, some mention the holiday specifically but others are more about other topics related to Halloween/Fall like family and friends, holiday traditions and monsters of all types, shapes & sizes.
I was prepared for a lot of Halloween-theme stories like Ronald Kelly's THE HALLOWEEN STORE (which I read just before this one) and I was really only disappointed for a hot minute. The stories are engrossing and cross into the imaginative space of urban fantasy, science fiction, and satire. There are some good, humorous moments that I thought were special. Even though they aren't Halloween specific, they are at least autumnal so I think reading this collection in October will satisfy horror readers looking for a seasonal fix. I'm saving the Christmas stories for December. Much like department stores relegating the Halloween goodies and decor to one shelf to accommodate the onslaught of Christmas, I wanted to stay locked into the spooky vibes as long as possible and put Christmas off for at least one more month.
October 23, 2020
HALLOWEEN SEASON, by Lucy A. Snyder is a collection of short stories, and a poem. Oddly enough--despite the title, they don't all revolve around Halloween... I found some to be more "comical" (which isn't a bad thing by any means), many "cosmic/lovecraftian" in tone, and a few that just didn't seem to fit any category.
While there were some stories that I felt were fantastic, there were an equal number that left me feeling "what did I just read, and why was it in this collection?". I'm going with a middle of the road rating on this one.
While there were some stories that I felt were fantastic, there were an equal number that left me feeling "what did I just read, and why was it in this collection?". I'm going with a middle of the road rating on this one.
October 24, 2020
Halloween Season is a very good collection of dark tales, many of which have a seasonal connection. Beggars' Night is a delightful poem that sets the tone, Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies is a good story that begins at a genre convention that starts with hilarity and then takes a strikingly dark turn, Cosmic Cola is a nice Lovecraft pastiche (don't drink with strangers), Visions of the Dream Witch is another Lovecraftian tale with voodoo, and What Dwells Within is a fun story featuring Snyder's best-known character, Jessie Shimmer, and her Pal, of course, who at one point becomes an imposing bear. My favorite story was The Porcupine Boy, in which we learn that the U.S. healthcare system sucks and that, even with Nazis and Nyarlathotep, it's a great day to be alive. In the Family is a cooking story in the E.C. Comics tradition, The Kind Detective looks at kindness from a cosmic horror perspective (and the U.S. healthcare system sucks), and the oldest story in the book, A Preference For Silence from 1999, is a nifty little straight science fiction story-- with a horror slant. Wake Up Naked Monkey You're Going to Die asks the question: "What kind of nihilistic fuckclowns firebombed their own city and worshipped a big jiggly sonic death Santa that wanted to apocalyze the whole planet?" The Great VuDu Teen Linux Zombie Massacree revisits a previous good collection, Installing Linux on a Dead Badger. The House That Couldn't Clean Itself is another good science fiction story, and teaches us that cleanliness is good health practice for many reasons. (And that it's not always the woman's job to do all the cleaning.) After Hours is a cute warning in verse that the next two stories contain adult content. Remember when the video stores had curtains across doorways warning of mature subject matter ahead? (Remember video stores...?) The Toymaker's Joy is a Christmas story about an elf who has labor-relations problems but is redeemed when she specializes in a different kind of toy, and The Tingling Madness closes the book with another Lovecraft-spawned tale about labor-relations problems leading to adventure, obscure late-night television networks, and perhaps a barb or two involving sf fandom and politics. It's a very nice selection with a good mix of horror, humor, whimsy, and stark reality. The cover by Lynne Hansen is especially striking and quite appropriate.
October 22, 2020
I buddy-read Halloween Season with fellow horror author and book reviewer Janine Pipe for a dual book review. Check out our differing perspectives HERE. Thank you to Erin and Raw Dog Screaming Press for sending a copy for an honest review!
October 18, 2020
Halloween Season is a fun collection of short stories and a few poems, each with a different theme and exploring different terrors. As the synopsis indicates, there are a couple of Christmas stories thrown in... because as we know, Christmas is always being shoved down our throats before Halloween even happens! I like the idea of how/why the Christmas stories might have been included, but I would have rather have had 2 more Halloween stories since it IS the season, after all!
This collection spans topics like cults, evil twins, a foodie's worst nightmare, misophonia-adjacent horror, singing witches, disappearing trees, and more! My absolute FAVORITE story in the bunch is "Cosmic Cola" as it seems like one of the most Halloween-centric tales and has a lot of what I look for in a fun, creepy story! I do not want to go into it too much for fear of spoilers, but I think this story is worth buying the book all by itself! I also loved the opening poem, "Beggars' Night" and other stories "Hazlenuts and Yummy Mummies," "Visions of the Dream Witch," "In The Family," "The Kind Detective," and "A Preference for Silence." The last one mentioned, while only a couple of pages, is my second favorite because I totally connect with it! I can't stand hearing noises like: chewing, breathing, snoring, etc in certain situations and I feel like that story resonates with me on a spiritual level.
4 stars to this collection and thank you so much for Raw Dog Screaming Press for the review copy! Add this to your Halloween collection!
This collection spans topics like cults, evil twins, a foodie's worst nightmare, misophonia-adjacent horror, singing witches, disappearing trees, and more! My absolute FAVORITE story in the bunch is "Cosmic Cola" as it seems like one of the most Halloween-centric tales and has a lot of what I look for in a fun, creepy story! I do not want to go into it too much for fear of spoilers, but I think this story is worth buying the book all by itself! I also loved the opening poem, "Beggars' Night" and other stories "Hazlenuts and Yummy Mummies," "Visions of the Dream Witch," "In The Family," "The Kind Detective," and "A Preference for Silence." The last one mentioned, while only a couple of pages, is my second favorite because I totally connect with it! I can't stand hearing noises like: chewing, breathing, snoring, etc in certain situations and I feel like that story resonates with me on a spiritual level.
4 stars to this collection and thank you so much for Raw Dog Screaming Press for the review copy! Add this to your Halloween collection!
October 7, 2020
A collection dedicated to the best season of all, Halloween season?! I knew I had to have this one—the cover practically smells like pumpkin spice (with a bit of danger, like something burning in the background...).
I was a fan of Snyder's Garden of Eldritch Delights, so of course I needed to read this. These stories are much more lighthearted and magical than the dark cosmic horror of Garden. Another strength of the collection is that Snyder's characters are immediately present on the page. They each have strong voices and you just know who they are with just a few sentences.
Here were my favorites:
"Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies"
This excellent tale takes an author at a convention on an accidental drug trip that might be more realistic than she thought. I loved the pacing of this story; it just takes off and even through the hilarity, the story makes you think about family, loss, and the grieving process.
"Cosmic Cola"
Millie is just a Halloween-loving girl in a new town. But when she gets invited to the very special Halloween party, she's about the get more tricks than treats. I was completely sucked in to this story. I could have read a whole novel of this story. It was perfect.
"Visions of the Dream Witch"
This story throws you right into the middle of the action of a New Orleans where shoggoths, dream witches, and strange swamp trees are a dime a dozen—at least if you're Pepper. I enjoyed all the mythology, but it did feel a bit rushed. Pepper's adventures seem too small for just a short story!
"A Preference for Silence"
This story doesn't really have anything to do with Halloween, but it is a damn effective horror short about space. I loved the balance of levity and darkness in it. This is probably my favorite in the collection.
For me, this collection was frontloaded; all the stories I liked best were in the first half of the book. And perhaps I'm just a grinch, but I was a bit disappointed that the Halloween theme did not extend to all the stories, and in a few was quite tenuous (a casual mention in one story felt a little forced). I felt that the two Christmas-centric stories, that although still entertaining, could have been instead saved for a Christmas themed collection (which I would totally read!).
My thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press for my copy of this one to read and review.
I was a fan of Snyder's Garden of Eldritch Delights, so of course I needed to read this. These stories are much more lighthearted and magical than the dark cosmic horror of Garden. Another strength of the collection is that Snyder's characters are immediately present on the page. They each have strong voices and you just know who they are with just a few sentences.
Here were my favorites:
"Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies"
This excellent tale takes an author at a convention on an accidental drug trip that might be more realistic than she thought. I loved the pacing of this story; it just takes off and even through the hilarity, the story makes you think about family, loss, and the grieving process.
"Cosmic Cola"
Millie is just a Halloween-loving girl in a new town. But when she gets invited to the very special Halloween party, she's about the get more tricks than treats. I was completely sucked in to this story. I could have read a whole novel of this story. It was perfect.
"Visions of the Dream Witch"
This story throws you right into the middle of the action of a New Orleans where shoggoths, dream witches, and strange swamp trees are a dime a dozen—at least if you're Pepper. I enjoyed all the mythology, but it did feel a bit rushed. Pepper's adventures seem too small for just a short story!
"A Preference for Silence"
This story doesn't really have anything to do with Halloween, but it is a damn effective horror short about space. I loved the balance of levity and darkness in it. This is probably my favorite in the collection.
For me, this collection was frontloaded; all the stories I liked best were in the first half of the book. And perhaps I'm just a grinch, but I was a bit disappointed that the Halloween theme did not extend to all the stories, and in a few was quite tenuous (a casual mention in one story felt a little forced). I felt that the two Christmas-centric stories, that although still entertaining, could have been instead saved for a Christmas themed collection (which I would totally read!).
My thanks to Raw Dog Screaming Press for my copy of this one to read and review.
November 2, 2023
Wtf did I just read; is that author okay?
I’ve never seen a more misleading title and cover
Don’t read this.
I’ve never seen a more misleading title and cover
Don’t read this.
October 25, 2020
HALLOWEEN SEASON - Lucy A. Snyder - 4.5 stars
’Master storyteller Lucy A. Snyder has filled her cauldron with everything that Halloween means to her and distilled it into a spell-binding volume of stories. Within these pages you’ll find thrills and chills, hilarity and horrors, the sweet and the naughty.’
My Favorites:
’Beggars’ Night’
’Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies’ – My Heart! Love this one.
’Cosmic Cola’
’Visions of the Dream Witch’
’What Dwells Within’
’The Porcupine Boy’ – Love it!
’In the Family’ – Creepy Good!
’A Preference For Silence’
’Wake Up Naked Monkey You’re Going to Die’
’The Great VüDü Teen Linux Zombie Massacree’ – HAHAHAHA! That was fun!
’The House That Couldn’t Clean Itself’ – Love It!
’The Toymaker’s Joy’ - Feel like something a little naughty? Nice! ;)
Thank you, Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press, for providing me with an advance eBook of HALLOWEEN SEASON in exchange for an honest review.
’Master storyteller Lucy A. Snyder has filled her cauldron with everything that Halloween means to her and distilled it into a spell-binding volume of stories. Within these pages you’ll find thrills and chills, hilarity and horrors, the sweet and the naughty.’
My Favorites:
’Beggars’ Night’
’Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies’ – My Heart! Love this one.
’Cosmic Cola’
’Visions of the Dream Witch’
’What Dwells Within’
’The Porcupine Boy’ – Love it!
’In the Family’ – Creepy Good!
’A Preference For Silence’
’Wake Up Naked Monkey You’re Going to Die’
’The Great VüDü Teen Linux Zombie Massacree’ – HAHAHAHA! That was fun!
’The House That Couldn’t Clean Itself’ – Love It!
’The Toymaker’s Joy’ - Feel like something a little naughty? Nice! ;)
Thank you, Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press, for providing me with an advance eBook of HALLOWEEN SEASON in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2025
3.5 stars
September 6, 2020
I don't know about you but I often find it difficult to find an easy but absorbing Halloween short story collection to read on that special evening/night. A novel is too big for one evening, and I find that most short stories are long winded. All I want is a quick short story that I can enjoy which has a Halloween theme. Halloween Season by Lucy A. Snyder offers the perfect solution.
There is a poem to set the tone and then it is on to the essence of the book which are stories which range from humorous, nostalgic, classic, sheer horror and back again. It is akin to going door to door on Halloween night, and receiving a story at each house where you rung the doorbell.
Each story is a world in itself and the writing reflects the sometimes surreal and the more often horrific circumstances of each tale being told. I found all of the stories in the collection interesting and enjoyable.
Thank you to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi for a copy of this book. I really did like reading it. It was refreshing to read short stories that don't feel like the author was trying to write a condensed book but more of a sitting by the campfire roasting marshmallows while telling scary stories type of treat.
There is a poem to set the tone and then it is on to the essence of the book which are stories which range from humorous, nostalgic, classic, sheer horror and back again. It is akin to going door to door on Halloween night, and receiving a story at each house where you rung the doorbell.
Each story is a world in itself and the writing reflects the sometimes surreal and the more often horrific circumstances of each tale being told. I found all of the stories in the collection interesting and enjoyable.
Thank you to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi for a copy of this book. I really did like reading it. It was refreshing to read short stories that don't feel like the author was trying to write a condensed book but more of a sitting by the campfire roasting marshmallows while telling scary stories type of treat.
November 6, 2022
I *love* anything to do with Halloween… I was hoping this would be something to get me in the mood this year, but I don’t think I liked a single story in this collection (I think the first was the best one and it went downhill from there). The writing was sometimes cringey or the story didn’t achieve what it set out to do it all. I don’t know if some of the authors meant for their stories to come across as scary, but they felt comical at best (in a bad way). Again I know the whole point of the stories are that they’re short, but the plots feel rushed and none of the characters are developed enough to be interesting. For a book that’s only 163 pages long, this was a dredge to get through.
Porcupine boy was the only other story worth reading (other than the first one).
Porcupine boy was the only other story worth reading (other than the first one).
September 23, 2020
First of all...look at that cover! That’s what first attracted me to this book. I read it in a few sittings and for the most part I enjoyed it. My favorite stories were HAZELNUTS AND YUMMY MUMMIES and IN THE FAMILY. I was expecting more scary stories though, so I’m giving this book three stars. I think most people will enjoy this quick Halloween themed read!
*Thanks to Erin and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the ARC.*
*Thanks to Erin and Raw Dog Screaming Press for the ARC.*
December 22, 2020
Thank you, RDS Press for the copy! This cover is GORGEOUS. I'm a sucker for anything with a pumpkin!
Each story in Halloween Season has a Halloween element and I loved that. My favorite story was the first one, Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies. I started out laughing but by the end I was practically in tears! I thought each story was fun and a bit spooky but nothing scary. I found most of the stories to be okay but unfortunately not too many standouts.
Each story in Halloween Season has a Halloween element and I loved that. My favorite story was the first one, Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies. I started out laughing but by the end I was practically in tears! I thought each story was fun and a bit spooky but nothing scary. I found most of the stories to be okay but unfortunately not too many standouts.
September 29, 2020
Review in the October 1, 2020 issue of Booklist Magazine and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2020/09... [review live on 9/30/20 at 7am]
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive, Lovecraftian, uncomfortable
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive, Lovecraftian, uncomfortable
November 11, 2020
Genre: Adult | Fiction | Dark | Horror | Short Stories | Poetry
3 out of 5 stars!
Halloween Season contains 13 short stories and a couple dark poetry pieces.
The cover is so awesome but don’t be fooled! This cover screams Halloween but as the synopsis suggests there are a couple stories wrapped around a specific winter Holiday that comes in close behind Halloween.
Although this collection reads true to form on what the synopsis suggests. Sadly I personally didn’t enjoy this as much as I had wanted.
Some of the stories were a bit mind bending or tricky at times but none of them were overly chilling. However there were a couple stories that stood out for me more than others; In The Family, The House That Couldn’t Clean Itself and Toy Makers Joy.
A warning poetry piece comes in before the last two stories in this collection and this is where I thought here we go! this is it! Lucy has been holding back on us, it’s all going to go down now.. but it didn’t. I was missing the wow factor.
I guess what I am trying to say is although Lucy’s writing is good, the stories were interesting and it was a decent collection in a whole, it was missing something for me and I wasn’t feeling the Halloween goodness throughout.
Thank you so much Raw Dog Screaming Press, Lucy A. Snyder and Erin Al-Mehairi for making sure I received a review copy.
Publisher: Raw Dog Screaming Press
Release Date: October 5, 2020
And of course thank you all for reading
Your ZOMBIE FIGHTER Book Worm
-Nichole
You can check out my video review here (It will be live 9am MST on Friday November 13th) :
https://youtu.be/VKPSPRibUPk
3 out of 5 stars!
Halloween Season contains 13 short stories and a couple dark poetry pieces.
The cover is so awesome but don’t be fooled! This cover screams Halloween but as the synopsis suggests there are a couple stories wrapped around a specific winter Holiday that comes in close behind Halloween.
Although this collection reads true to form on what the synopsis suggests. Sadly I personally didn’t enjoy this as much as I had wanted.
Some of the stories were a bit mind bending or tricky at times but none of them were overly chilling. However there were a couple stories that stood out for me more than others; In The Family, The House That Couldn’t Clean Itself and Toy Makers Joy.
A warning poetry piece comes in before the last two stories in this collection and this is where I thought here we go! this is it! Lucy has been holding back on us, it’s all going to go down now.. but it didn’t. I was missing the wow factor.
I guess what I am trying to say is although Lucy’s writing is good, the stories were interesting and it was a decent collection in a whole, it was missing something for me and I wasn’t feeling the Halloween goodness throughout.
Thank you so much Raw Dog Screaming Press, Lucy A. Snyder and Erin Al-Mehairi for making sure I received a review copy.
Publisher: Raw Dog Screaming Press
Release Date: October 5, 2020
And of course thank you all for reading
Your ZOMBIE FIGHTER Book Worm
-Nichole
You can check out my video review here (It will be live 9am MST on Friday November 13th) :
https://youtu.be/VKPSPRibUPk
September 3, 2020
Thanks to Erin Sweet Al-Mehairi, I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this gorgeous book from Raw Dog Screaming Press.
I seriously LOVE this cover, btw!
Here's what I thought of each story...
BEGGARS' NIGHT:
This poem was a great way to start this book full of wicked tricks and treats. The stage is set for trick-or-treating and monsters.
HAZELNUTS AND YUMMY MUMMIES:
I really enjoyed Vicky's Halloween version of a A Christmas Carol. It was surreal, creative and so very sad because sometimes misplaced guilt can destroy your life.
COSMIC COLA:
Oh, I loved Millie's tale! She's a girl who loves Halloween and is excited that the town she moves into seems to celebrate it as much as she does. BUT, all is not what it seems and she soon stumbles on a dark conspiracy. This story totally gave me a Goosebumps vibe.
VISIONS OF THE DREAM WITCH:
This was a fun and gritty urban fantasy story about two cousins from New Orleans who get themselves caught up in a dark otherworldly situation only a witch can help them with.
WHAT DWELLS WITHIN:
Loved this dark urban fantasy story featuring the intriguing and devil kick-ass, Jessie Shimmer. Plus her ferret familiar, Pal. Lots of cool stuff happens in this story: possession, necromancy, magic, portals, pocket dimensions and a shady organisation. Yeah, this was definitely my kind of story!
THE PORCUPINE BOY:
This turned out to be a fascinating story about a nurse called Eddie. A guy with a past riddled with addiction problems, but is now a decent man willing to do just about anything to help his ailing clients. While learning a few unimaginable things along the way. Cosmic horror at its best, for sure.
IN THE FAMILY:
O.M.F.G. This is one wicked little story about twins who don't exactly have the best relationship. It drew me in with the simplistic concept of sibling rivalry and slowly unravelled to become a whole different monster. Wow!
THE KIND DETECTIVE:
Holy shit! This was a cosmic nightmare of grotesque proportions. I enjoyed watching McGill's confusion turn to curiosity, before getting warped into something completely monstrous.
A PREFERENCE FOR SILENCE:
What a clever little story about the magnified annoyances. The sounds and quirks a person makes are so much louder in space inside the confines of a ship. And that ending was sheer perfection. This one made me laugh, actually.
WAKE UP NAKED MONKEY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE:
This is a short, gross and humorous tale about the God Slime Santa and the apocalypse. Good stuff! Lots of slimy imagery featuring Christmas icons.
THE GREAT VüDü TEEN LINUX ZOMBIE MASSACREE:
I got a kick out of this zombie tale because it really hit a lot of highs. Especially in the original department. There are enough zombies to build tension and creep the reader out, with an added unexpected weapon. It's quite imaginative in the use of a badger and technology.
THE HOUSE THAT COULDN'T CLEAN ITSELF:
Great story about dirty boys who refuse to clean up after themselves, think they're clever enough to fix the problem without any actual effort, only to destroy instead of help. So typically male. 😂 Fun tale.
AFTER HOURS:
Very clever warning! 😁
THE TOYMAKER'S JOY:
Oh sweet Hildrina, this was a funny little romp featuring the elves in the North Pole making toys. I mean, they obviously make ALL the toys, right? For children and adults alike. 😉
THE TINGLING MADNESS:
Another fun and Lovecraftian story featuring an interesting character's downward spiral leading to salvation. Sort off. Enjoyed the erotica slant, too.
Halloween Season is such an amazing, fun and creepy short story collection guaranteed to satisfy everyone who loves the spirit of Halloween. Every single tale included within the pages of this very entertaining and well-written book is awesome.
Usually, short story collections and anthologies contain some hit and misses, so I include a list of my favourites. BUT, I can't do that with this one because every single addition to this book is a hit.
Every page of this collection is full of as many treats as tricks, and all satisfy readers who like a cool and spooky variety of characters, situations and genres.
Loved this book so much it's going straight to my Keeper Shelf.
I seriously LOVE this cover, btw!
Here's what I thought of each story...
BEGGARS' NIGHT:
This poem was a great way to start this book full of wicked tricks and treats. The stage is set for trick-or-treating and monsters.
HAZELNUTS AND YUMMY MUMMIES:
I really enjoyed Vicky's Halloween version of a A Christmas Carol. It was surreal, creative and so very sad because sometimes misplaced guilt can destroy your life.
COSMIC COLA:
Oh, I loved Millie's tale! She's a girl who loves Halloween and is excited that the town she moves into seems to celebrate it as much as she does. BUT, all is not what it seems and she soon stumbles on a dark conspiracy. This story totally gave me a Goosebumps vibe.
VISIONS OF THE DREAM WITCH:
This was a fun and gritty urban fantasy story about two cousins from New Orleans who get themselves caught up in a dark otherworldly situation only a witch can help them with.
WHAT DWELLS WITHIN:
Loved this dark urban fantasy story featuring the intriguing and devil kick-ass, Jessie Shimmer. Plus her ferret familiar, Pal. Lots of cool stuff happens in this story: possession, necromancy, magic, portals, pocket dimensions and a shady organisation. Yeah, this was definitely my kind of story!
THE PORCUPINE BOY:
This turned out to be a fascinating story about a nurse called Eddie. A guy with a past riddled with addiction problems, but is now a decent man willing to do just about anything to help his ailing clients. While learning a few unimaginable things along the way. Cosmic horror at its best, for sure.
IN THE FAMILY:
O.M.F.G. This is one wicked little story about twins who don't exactly have the best relationship. It drew me in with the simplistic concept of sibling rivalry and slowly unravelled to become a whole different monster. Wow!
THE KIND DETECTIVE:
Holy shit! This was a cosmic nightmare of grotesque proportions. I enjoyed watching McGill's confusion turn to curiosity, before getting warped into something completely monstrous.
A PREFERENCE FOR SILENCE:
What a clever little story about the magnified annoyances. The sounds and quirks a person makes are so much louder in space inside the confines of a ship. And that ending was sheer perfection. This one made me laugh, actually.
WAKE UP NAKED MONKEY YOU'RE GOING TO DIE:
This is a short, gross and humorous tale about the God Slime Santa and the apocalypse. Good stuff! Lots of slimy imagery featuring Christmas icons.
THE GREAT VüDü TEEN LINUX ZOMBIE MASSACREE:
I got a kick out of this zombie tale because it really hit a lot of highs. Especially in the original department. There are enough zombies to build tension and creep the reader out, with an added unexpected weapon. It's quite imaginative in the use of a badger and technology.
THE HOUSE THAT COULDN'T CLEAN ITSELF:
Great story about dirty boys who refuse to clean up after themselves, think they're clever enough to fix the problem without any actual effort, only to destroy instead of help. So typically male. 😂 Fun tale.
AFTER HOURS:
Very clever warning! 😁
THE TOYMAKER'S JOY:
Oh sweet Hildrina, this was a funny little romp featuring the elves in the North Pole making toys. I mean, they obviously make ALL the toys, right? For children and adults alike. 😉
THE TINGLING MADNESS:
Another fun and Lovecraftian story featuring an interesting character's downward spiral leading to salvation. Sort off. Enjoyed the erotica slant, too.
Halloween Season is such an amazing, fun and creepy short story collection guaranteed to satisfy everyone who loves the spirit of Halloween. Every single tale included within the pages of this very entertaining and well-written book is awesome.
Usually, short story collections and anthologies contain some hit and misses, so I include a list of my favourites. BUT, I can't do that with this one because every single addition to this book is a hit.
Every page of this collection is full of as many treats as tricks, and all satisfy readers who like a cool and spooky variety of characters, situations and genres.
Loved this book so much it's going straight to my Keeper Shelf.
November 1, 2020
So I’m a little conflicted here. On one hand Lucy Snyder is a great writer. Her writing voice is so strong, and every story exudes a style that is whimsical, engaging, and very approachable. There’s also a pleasant variety of genres here, from cosmic horror to dark comedy to science fiction and fantasy. The stories that are really good are a lot of fun to read.
On the other hand, not every story really worked for me. Typically they would begin with furious activity but then fall flat by the end. Also, and this may not be a qualm for some, but in a collection that would appear so Halloween-centric there are very few stories that actually involve the spookiest of seasons in any meaningful way. And the inclusion of two Christmas stories felt...wrong.
Overall it’s an uneven group of stories, as collections tend to go, but there’s certainly much worth reading. In fact with such a wide variety there’s probably something here for everyone! Certain stories I’d even like to see as full novels! Favorites include:
“Cosmic Cola”
“Visions of the Dream Witch”
“What Dwells Within”
“In the Family”
On the other hand, not every story really worked for me. Typically they would begin with furious activity but then fall flat by the end. Also, and this may not be a qualm for some, but in a collection that would appear so Halloween-centric there are very few stories that actually involve the spookiest of seasons in any meaningful way. And the inclusion of two Christmas stories felt...wrong.
Overall it’s an uneven group of stories, as collections tend to go, but there’s certainly much worth reading. In fact with such a wide variety there’s probably something here for everyone! Certain stories I’d even like to see as full novels! Favorites include:
“Cosmic Cola”
“Visions of the Dream Witch”
“What Dwells Within”
“In the Family”
November 20, 2020
2.5 stars rounded up to 3 for Goodreads.
Everything about the presentation of this book screams Halloween. From the title, Halloween Season, to the awesome cover art depicting trick or treaters who might have ventured to the wrong house. Strangely though besides that there isn't actually much Halloween to be found within this collection. The opening poem Beggars' Night and the story Cosmic Cola were the only two that felt Halloweenish to me, the rest of the stories just felt lacking when it came to the vibe and essence of the holiday. There are even a few Christmas stories to be found here which I didn't really care for, though the synopsis does let you know that going in. Halloween is already being encroached upon by the jolly fat man and the curse of consumerism so I would prefer it if it didn't also seep into my Halloween books too. (Sorry it just annoys me when I see Christmas decorations already being displayed in stores before October 31st.)
Even though they didn't all feel like Halloween stories, at least in my opinion, I did appreciate the variety and the uniqueness of the stories here. No two felt alike and each one really showcased Lucy A. Snyder's imagination and her ability to translate that to the page. This collection spans a wide range of genres including Lovecraftian / cosmic horror, horror and voodoo, dark fantasy, dark humor, and sci-fi. My favorite stories were the ones that had the bits of dark fantasy and cosmic horror aspects to them. I thought Snyder did a great job writing the cosmic horror elements and I could vividly picture her descriptions in my mind's eye. Come to find out she has another collection of cosmic horror stories titled Garden of Eldritch Delights that I definitely want to check out.
There are thirteen stories collected here and two poems. The first half or so of the book was a solid read and I had a lot of fun with those stories. Sadly the second half of the book wasn't up to the same level as the first. I struggled to get through the later half of the book and honestly was finding myself bored with some of the stories. There is a poem near the end saying that the final two stories were going to be rated R so I was hopeful that the book would finish out strong but unfortunately that wasn't the case for me.
Let's end this on a positive note though and talk about my top three stories and two honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions:
Beggars' Night - the opening poem to the collection kicked things off on the right foot. I really dug the Halloween spirit of this one.
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies - this wasn't one of the Christmas stories but I thought it was a cool riff on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but a more Halloween version. The main character eats a hallucinatory brownie and is visited by the ghosts of the past, present, and future. It was a cool concept.
Now for my top three:
3: What Dwells Within - a sorcerer/magician and her ferret familiar are on the run from powerful creatures hunting them down but end up fighting some local baddies along the way as they search for a missing girl.
2: The Kind Detective - trees are randomly and instantaneously vanishing from people's yards. A local lawman tries to uncover the mystery but maybe learns a truth he was better off not knowing. My favorite cosmic horror piece.
1: Visions of the Dream Witch - shoggoth's, voodoo, an ancient monster lurking in the swamp.
I received a copy from Erin and Raw Dog Screaming Press for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/r1PoNukS0Bg
Everything about the presentation of this book screams Halloween. From the title, Halloween Season, to the awesome cover art depicting trick or treaters who might have ventured to the wrong house. Strangely though besides that there isn't actually much Halloween to be found within this collection. The opening poem Beggars' Night and the story Cosmic Cola were the only two that felt Halloweenish to me, the rest of the stories just felt lacking when it came to the vibe and essence of the holiday. There are even a few Christmas stories to be found here which I didn't really care for, though the synopsis does let you know that going in. Halloween is already being encroached upon by the jolly fat man and the curse of consumerism so I would prefer it if it didn't also seep into my Halloween books too. (Sorry it just annoys me when I see Christmas decorations already being displayed in stores before October 31st.)
Even though they didn't all feel like Halloween stories, at least in my opinion, I did appreciate the variety and the uniqueness of the stories here. No two felt alike and each one really showcased Lucy A. Snyder's imagination and her ability to translate that to the page. This collection spans a wide range of genres including Lovecraftian / cosmic horror, horror and voodoo, dark fantasy, dark humor, and sci-fi. My favorite stories were the ones that had the bits of dark fantasy and cosmic horror aspects to them. I thought Snyder did a great job writing the cosmic horror elements and I could vividly picture her descriptions in my mind's eye. Come to find out she has another collection of cosmic horror stories titled Garden of Eldritch Delights that I definitely want to check out.
There are thirteen stories collected here and two poems. The first half or so of the book was a solid read and I had a lot of fun with those stories. Sadly the second half of the book wasn't up to the same level as the first. I struggled to get through the later half of the book and honestly was finding myself bored with some of the stories. There is a poem near the end saying that the final two stories were going to be rated R so I was hopeful that the book would finish out strong but unfortunately that wasn't the case for me.
Let's end this on a positive note though and talk about my top three stories and two honorable mentions.
Honorable mentions:
Beggars' Night - the opening poem to the collection kicked things off on the right foot. I really dug the Halloween spirit of this one.
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies - this wasn't one of the Christmas stories but I thought it was a cool riff on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens but a more Halloween version. The main character eats a hallucinatory brownie and is visited by the ghosts of the past, present, and future. It was a cool concept.
Now for my top three:
3: What Dwells Within - a sorcerer/magician and her ferret familiar are on the run from powerful creatures hunting them down but end up fighting some local baddies along the way as they search for a missing girl.
2: The Kind Detective - trees are randomly and instantaneously vanishing from people's yards. A local lawman tries to uncover the mystery but maybe learns a truth he was better off not knowing. My favorite cosmic horror piece.
1: Visions of the Dream Witch - shoggoth's, voodoo, an ancient monster lurking in the swamp.
I received a copy from Erin and Raw Dog Screaming Press for review consideration.
Video review: https://youtu.be/r1PoNukS0Bg
October 10, 2020
One of the core items on display in this collection is Lucy’s macabre and bizarre sense of humor. The opening story in this collection “Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies” set up what we were to expect. The opening line riffs on Hunter S. Thompson and instead of racing and police conventions, this is at a humble speculative fiction convention. Yet for something that starts so gonzo, it leans into heartfelt management of grief and acceptance of loss. “A Preference for Silence” is a fun story that everyone who has had to work in a cubicle for, or especially an open office plan can relate to. I particularly enjoy the details that get wilder, yet remain drily related, as time goes on.
There’s also Lucy’s penchant for monster punching on full display. We can smell the fecund fetor of the swamp in “Visions of the Dream Witch.” The Spellbent series makes an appearance with “What Dwells Within.” “The Porcupine Boy” sympathetically introduces us to a vampiric creature that is a manifestation of a swarm of locusts or scarabs.
“Wake Up Naked Monkey You're Going to Die” and “The Great VüDü Linux Teen Zombie Massacree” are some fun monster bizarro. “The Toymaker's Joy” is a light and raunchy Christmas spin on what it means to be a crafter of toys that spice up dreams.
One thing I certainly was not expecting was lovingly crafted Chuck Tingle fanfic where the buckaroos prove that love is real while defeating cultists and elder things beyond time and space. I think the blank slate / reader insert / borderline X-Reader character that provides our POV is a brilliant bit of meta-fanfic, particularly by having them being a writer of Pinkie Pie pegging our current president slashfic. This certainly is in conversation with the Hugo Awards, both with the Chuck Tingle who was intended as a puppy punchline, but also the Chuck TIngle who became the greatest performance artists of the entire puppy-Hugo saga. The whole of “The Tingling Madness” is a heartfelt love letter to the fanfic community and is noteworthy for its prescient release just before the 2019 Hugo award to A)3 for Best Related Work. This story should be required reading for all the uptight Trufans who spent a lot of time and effort telling the AO3 community that their Hugo Award didn’t really count.
There’s also Lucy’s penchant for monster punching on full display. We can smell the fecund fetor of the swamp in “Visions of the Dream Witch.” The Spellbent series makes an appearance with “What Dwells Within.” “The Porcupine Boy” sympathetically introduces us to a vampiric creature that is a manifestation of a swarm of locusts or scarabs.
“Wake Up Naked Monkey You're Going to Die” and “The Great VüDü Linux Teen Zombie Massacree” are some fun monster bizarro. “The Toymaker's Joy” is a light and raunchy Christmas spin on what it means to be a crafter of toys that spice up dreams.
One thing I certainly was not expecting was lovingly crafted Chuck Tingle fanfic where the buckaroos prove that love is real while defeating cultists and elder things beyond time and space. I think the blank slate / reader insert / borderline X-Reader character that provides our POV is a brilliant bit of meta-fanfic, particularly by having them being a writer of Pinkie Pie pegging our current president slashfic. This certainly is in conversation with the Hugo Awards, both with the Chuck Tingle who was intended as a puppy punchline, but also the Chuck TIngle who became the greatest performance artists of the entire puppy-Hugo saga. The whole of “The Tingling Madness” is a heartfelt love letter to the fanfic community and is noteworthy for its prescient release just before the 2019 Hugo award to A)3 for Best Related Work. This story should be required reading for all the uptight Trufans who spent a lot of time and effort telling the AO3 community that their Hugo Award didn’t really count.
October 26, 2020
3.5 ⭐️ A fun collection overall.
September 16, 2020
Cheers to Erin for sending this one along. I read this in a couple of sittings and after finishing it, I think back and realize I can't remember a lot of specifics about most of the stories. Everything was good, just not great for this readers mind. 'Cosmic Cola' was probably the story I enjoyed the most about a young girl who loved Halloween, but the rest just sort of jumbled together.
I think most people will really dig this for a quick Halloween read!
I think most people will really dig this for a quick Halloween read!
October 16, 2020
I went into this collection expecting a book of stories about Halloween. Only a couple of them actually had anything to do with Halloween. To be fair, the synopsis does state that these are stories about what Halloween means to the author. There were a few stories that I liked a lot and that stood out to me: Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies, In the Family, and A Preference for Silence. The rest weren't really stories that I was that interested in.
A lot of people are loving this one and short story collections are difficult to rate since one story can be completely different from the next. Give it a read and decide for yourself!
A lot of people are loving this one and short story collections are difficult to rate since one story can be completely different from the next. Give it a read and decide for yourself!
October 22, 2021
This just didn't work for me.
October 15, 2023
Only 2 or 3 stories were actually captivating. The writing is not good. And not all the stories are Halloween themed or related. Nothing spooky about an elf crafting the perfect dildo.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2020
Starting with the cover art, this book immediately immerses you into spooky season! I feel atmosphere very tangibly, and this cover IS Halloween. Full moon? Check. Jack O'Lantern? Check. Kids in costumes trick-or-treating? Check. Zombies, vague shapes in windows, and knives? Check.
13 short stories and 2 poems make up this deliciously creepy collection, with a little something for everyone. There are convention halls, cola, robots, eldritch gods, and even a Christmas story or two for fans of that particular holiday. This isn't your conventional story collection of haunted houses, ghosts, and serial killers, but readers will relate to the characters in these stories, just normal people bumping up against grief, against bad roommates, against the unknown.
I read these stories slowly, limiting myself to 2-3 per day so that I could savor each and appreciate it on its own. I tend to read too quickly, which can make stories blend into each other, but I made myself slow down for this collection. I ended the collection with a few favorites. Cosmic Cola, about a young girl moving to a new town for her stepfather's job at a cola company, and the horrific truth about that company. In the Family, a touching family reunion...or not. A Preference for Silence, a story I think every introvert will see themselves in. The House That Couldn't Clean Itself, a tale of bad roommates and the limits we reach in dealing with them.
Many thanks to Erin Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for a copy of this collection. It was a delightful addition to my spooky season reading that really evoked the atmosphere of the holiday!
13 short stories and 2 poems make up this deliciously creepy collection, with a little something for everyone. There are convention halls, cola, robots, eldritch gods, and even a Christmas story or two for fans of that particular holiday. This isn't your conventional story collection of haunted houses, ghosts, and serial killers, but readers will relate to the characters in these stories, just normal people bumping up against grief, against bad roommates, against the unknown.
I read these stories slowly, limiting myself to 2-3 per day so that I could savor each and appreciate it on its own. I tend to read too quickly, which can make stories blend into each other, but I made myself slow down for this collection. I ended the collection with a few favorites. Cosmic Cola, about a young girl moving to a new town for her stepfather's job at a cola company, and the horrific truth about that company. In the Family, a touching family reunion...or not. A Preference for Silence, a story I think every introvert will see themselves in. The House That Couldn't Clean Itself, a tale of bad roommates and the limits we reach in dealing with them.
Many thanks to Erin Al-Mehairi and Raw Dog Screaming Press for a copy of this collection. It was a delightful addition to my spooky season reading that really evoked the atmosphere of the holiday!
October 28, 2021
A Fun Short Story Collection
Lucy A. Snyder’s Halloween Season is a fun collection of short stories, many of which are set on or around Halloween. The Halloween season means many different things to different people, and this collection provides a nice assortment of tricks and treats which I found mostly delightful. I particularly enjoyed the multiple tales of cosmic horror found in this collection, some with direct allusions to Lovecraft’s Mythos. The writing was solid, even if the pacing felt a bit off in a couple of stories or I found myself wanting more from a few. Two of the stories were R-rated, and there were a couple of stories that didn’t feel like they really fit into a collection titled Halloween Season, including two about Christmas. Overall I think the general settings and horror elements present throughout most of these works make the book a great choice for spooky season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars).
Lucy A. Snyder’s Halloween Season is a fun collection of short stories, many of which are set on or around Halloween. The Halloween season means many different things to different people, and this collection provides a nice assortment of tricks and treats which I found mostly delightful. I particularly enjoyed the multiple tales of cosmic horror found in this collection, some with direct allusions to Lovecraft’s Mythos. The writing was solid, even if the pacing felt a bit off in a couple of stories or I found myself wanting more from a few. Two of the stories were R-rated, and there were a couple of stories that didn’t feel like they really fit into a collection titled Halloween Season, including two about Christmas. Overall I think the general settings and horror elements present throughout most of these works make the book a great choice for spooky season. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars).
October 15, 2020
rounded from 3.5
Halloween Season has the perfect cover for spooky season. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind jumping right into the book cover ..lol
The Halloween Season starts with a poem that puta the reader in the right mood. The book continues with a collection of 14 spooky short stories that run the gamut from ghosts to witches and everything in between.
I liked some stories more than others.
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies, Cosmic Cola, The Porcupine Boy, The Preference for Silence and The Kind Detective.
Halloween Season has the perfect cover for spooky season. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind jumping right into the book cover ..lol
The Halloween Season starts with a poem that puta the reader in the right mood. The book continues with a collection of 14 spooky short stories that run the gamut from ghosts to witches and everything in between.
I liked some stories more than others.
Hazelnuts and Yummy Mummies, Cosmic Cola, The Porcupine Boy, The Preference for Silence and The Kind Detective.
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