Dreaming Darkness: Volume One

Dreaming Darkness #1

by Kelley Armstrong

A Quartet of Dark Fantasy Tales

The first volume in an annual collection of horror and dark-fantasy short stories for the Halloween season. All four stories in this volume have been previously published.

Volume One Contents

The Girl in the Carnival Gown
Last Stand
Nos Galan Gaeaf
A Haunted House of Her Own

Genres: Fantasy, Horror, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Halloween, Short Stories, Anthologies

117 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2020

About the author

Kelley Armstrong has been telling stories since before she could write. Her earliest written efforts were disastrous. If asked for a story about girls and dolls, hers would invariably feature undead girls and evil dolls, much to her teachers' dismay. All efforts to make her produce "normal" stories failed.

Today, she continues to spin tales of ghosts and demons and werewolves, while safely locked away in her basement writing dungeon. She's the author of the NYT-bestselling "Women of the Otherworld" paranormal suspense series and "Darkest Powers" young adult urban fantasy trilogy, as well as the Nadia Stafford crime series. Armstrong lives in southwestern Ontario with her husband, kids and far too many pets.

Reviews

[Mlpmom (Book Reviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love that the author is branching out and sharing and writing new things with us! She really is a fabulous writer and this is perfect for spooky season!

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read: October 2020

The Girl in the Carnival Gown - 5/5 stars
Last Stand - 4/5 stars
Nos Galan Gaeaf - 4/5 stars
A Haunted House of Her Own - 4/5 stars

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of short stories and Kelley Armstrong shows us again what a masterful storyteller she is. I especially enjoyed "The Girl in the Carnival Gown" and "Last Stand."

[Tanya 313 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. 4 creepy short stories - one from Cainsville which I particularly enjoyed. I wish I’d read it n October to really get the spooky ambience! Volume 2 comes out next October and I will definitely get it and read it right away!

[Penny Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to learn that I'd only read one of these four stories before. These were perfect for an October read! I love Armstrong's writing, and her ability to immediately draw you into a relationship with her characters.

The preview chapters of her new book were fun and intriguing. I'll be looking for that one next!

[Anniken Haga · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

THE GIRL IN THE CARNIVAL GOWN

I'm not sure what to say about this, other than that I liked it and want to know more. I am left with some questions, and can only hope I get them answered at some point through Armstrong's stories.

4/5

LAST STAND

An interesting take on the zombie-trope, with some really important messages. Not to mention, scarily relevant these days.

I've read this story before and gave it 5/5 then, and I give it 5/5 now

NOS GALAN GAEAF

It wasn't the story that was scary here - although I liked the folklore bit - but the MC and his entitelment. It scares me how this seem a normal thought-process in the US.
Other than that, the story was a bit too long for my taste, and too repetative.

2/5

A HAUNTED HOUSE OF HER OWN

An interesting read, and I did find myself getting scared, and I liked the twist/ending. Another case of how scary we humans can be.
The writing felt a little messier than I'm used to from Armstrong, however - or it might just be me being tired.

3/5

[Jessica (Read book. Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreaming Darkness is a collection of short stories from one of my favourite authors - Kelley Armstrong. I don't remember buying this but it was sitting on my kindle shelf and I didn't question it because it's Kelley Armstrong.

This is a super short book, and my review is going to be the same. Even though these stories were previously published, I had not read them and I thoroughly enjoyed them. For such short stories, Armstrong has a brilliant way of giving her characters depth and really pulling you into the story as though you're living it.

If you're looking for a quick, easy, and entertaining read. Give it a crack :)

[Lyndsey Gollogly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first in an annual collection of horror and dark-fantasy short stories for the Halloween season. All four stories in this volume have been previously published.

Volume One Contents
•The Girl in the Carnival Gown
Brilliant didn’t see that coming at all!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•Last Stand
Oh I really liked this and I’m sure it would be fabulous as a full book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•Nos Galan Gaeaf
Yay an early visit to cainsville I so miss it!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
•A Haunted House of Her Own
Brilliant absolutely loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Overall I love this little collection would definitely like to see more!!

[Marty Tool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of these stories I have read, but enjoyed them all over again. Recently read A Stitch in Time, but re-read the first three chapters to remember the beginning because I loved the end. A good collection of short stories or novellas, each different from the others all are paranormal in basis. Quick read and enjoyable return to Cainsville in one. Looking forward to the next edition.

[Diana Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great collection of 4 short stories that had been previously published. I had only read two before. It also includes the first three chapters of her upcoming A stitch in time which is out this month. One short stories is from Cainsville, and gives us a glimpse of Sienna Walsh.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly wasn’t a fan of these stories. There wasn’t anything WRONG with them, just not my thing, hence the 3 stars. It was cool to have the little story from Cainsville, though it was pretty predictable. You’re not missing much if you don’t read it.

[She · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a K.A. readers, Must Read

It's a good thing they are short stories, otherwise there would have been no intermissions. Each story is unique enough, to not give the impression of being set in the same other world. A little twisty, and just dark enough to be fun.

[Cindy Roux · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Kelley Armstrong and this collection of spooky short stories is another reason why she is one of my favorite authors. It makes me want to just keep reading more of these stories, and more, and more... Luckily there is a volume 2 and 3

[Ágnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice collection of Armstrong's horrors, nice Halloween, and spooky-creepy atmosphere, perfect for the October mood. I read 3 of these short stories before (they're favorites of mine), would read more of the Last Stand and The Girl in the Carnival Gown.

[Lisa Lenox · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! SOOOOO creepy! Don't read before you go to bed!

[Shauna Whall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful series of short stories that I stumbled across, when purchasing A stitch in Time. Kelley definitely has a way with words.

[Megan Furness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great authors but disappointing

I love the authors but I hate when I buy an anthology and find 1/2 of the stories have been in other anthologies.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelley Armstrong is one of my favourite authors so even though she was releasing these short stories weekly online for free, I just had to get myself a copy to keep!

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Treat

A lovely sweet treat that was over way to soon. I wish Armstrong could write and publish as quickly as I can read.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange things happen here

A selection of very creepy stories that have unexpected endings. It is like walking down a dark alley at night and suddenly turning the corner....

[Suzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this collection of stories, a couple I had read before but a couple were new to me. It's a great anthology!

[Tonya Nardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two of these I had already read but it’s nice to have them collected.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreaming Darkness: Volume One by Kelley Armstrong is a collection of three stories, one new and two previously released. I very much enjoyed reading a new one and getting to reread the old.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know by their very nature short stories are well, short, but dang I wanted more on all 4 of these.

[Kathy Kennerley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! This is one of my favorite authors and I was happy to find short stories from some of her series. Very spooky.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great stories

This book has some great stories. I loved reading all of them & now need to finish a stitch in time.

[Beatrice Followill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome short stories

Awesome short stories, ,love a good story that makes your tummy twist, nervous, nailbiting, stories , a little scary even, Fun times!

[Tigress62 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and beautifully dark creepy stories - perfect for spooky season! But perhaps not necessarily as bedtime reading 😉