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Emporium of Superstition - An Old Wives' Tale Anthology
Heed the warnings, or you could be next.
A society of Old Wives’ comes together in this collection of suspenseful stories. In between these pages, twelve authors draw on ancient tales your grandmothers warned you about. From demons living amongst humans, to ghosts lurking in the shadows, and even gods looming above, these recountings will surely inspire a fright.
Open the book, turn the page, for it may be the last thing you do.
Emporium of Superstition is an anthology full of superstition, suspense, and horror. If you love Survive the Night by Riley Sager, Stephen King, Joe Hill and American Horror Story, then you'll not want to miss this thrilling collection.
Trigger warning: Violence, Profanity, and Death
A society of Old Wives’ comes together in this collection of suspenseful stories. In between these pages, twelve authors draw on ancient tales your grandmothers warned you about. From demons living amongst humans, to ghosts lurking in the shadows, and even gods looming above, these recountings will surely inspire a fright.
Open the book, turn the page, for it may be the last thing you do.
Emporium of Superstition is an anthology full of superstition, suspense, and horror. If you love Survive the Night by Riley Sager, Stephen King, Joe Hill and American Horror Story, then you'll not want to miss this thrilling collection.
Trigger warning: Violence, Profanity, and Death
591 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 5, 2022
36 people are currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Elle Beaumont
44 books155 followersYou can find me mostly on Instagram! I'm always ready to fan over amazing books, tropes, and favorite crushes. There have also been reports of me sharing teasers and giveaways... Come find me @ellebeaumontbooks
Elle Beaumont loves creating vivid and fantastical worlds. She lives in Southeastern Massachusetts with her husband and two children. When not writing or chasing around her children, she enjoys making candles. More than once she has proclaimed that coffee is the lifeblood and it is how she refrains from becoming a zombie.
To stay up to date on the latest and greatest, sign up for her newsletter! http://ellebeaumontbooks.com/newsletter
Elle Beaumont loves creating vivid and fantastical worlds. She lives in Southeastern Massachusetts with her husband and two children. When not writing or chasing around her children, she enjoys making candles. More than once she has proclaimed that coffee is the lifeblood and it is how she refrains from becoming a zombie.
To stay up to date on the latest and greatest, sign up for her newsletter! http://ellebeaumontbooks.com/newsletter
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
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August 2, 2022I am not finishing this. I read 2.75 stories and I refuse to read anymore !!
The gems might come later but I do not have patience to find out.
Regards to Booksirens for review copy.
The gems might come later but I do not have patience to find out.
Regards to Booksirens for review copy.
January 6, 2025
I shall have a story in this awesome anthology! More info to come!
January 27, 2022
I have a story in this one! (More like, it's a novelette since it's on the longer side of 'short'.) The tentative title is She's Come Undone...
I've already read a few of the stories in this anthology and let me tell you - it's going to be AWESOME.
I've already read a few of the stories in this anthology and let me tell you - it's going to be AWESOME.
October 26, 2022
I was a Kickstarter campaign supporter of this book and I will always support projects like this when I can. That being said, this compilation felt rushed and poorly edited, with some tales barely touching the superstition theme if at all. These ladies are obviously talented, however, this anthology might not have been the best place for them to dabble. Many struggled with horror vs. romance vs. folklore vs. comedy. It really was all over the place, as uneven as an old sidewalk. I know this collection inspired quite a few readers, but for me it felt like a broken mirror.
September 30, 2021
I read Mirror, Mirror out of this set and it was fantastic. Kept you glued to it the whole time having to know what happened next. I devoured it knowing it was a short story and even the ending took me for a spin. Highly recommend!
September 22, 2022
Emporium of Superstition ♦ Anthology | Review
Are you a fan of mythological stories with a whiff of horror, fantasy and paranormal beings? Then you should read this anthology.
Twelve talented young female writers will abduct you into amazingly written short stories, also known as old wives' tales.
Emporium of Superstition ♦ Athology
The anthology Emporium of Superstition is just wonderful! Each one of these short stories were remarkably written, even though not all could catch me completely! I was reading one story at a time. Once I started a story it was hard to put my Kindle down. But I just couldn't indulge in the next one. Some just needed to settle with my emotions.
All the authors who participated in this anthology are new to me, but I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of all twelve of them.
Next to ghost stories, I found mythological stories about and with demons, witches, and other paranormal beings and I felt delighted reading all these tales. As I informed myself about them, I found out those were retellings. As a German I am not very familiar with typical US American Old Wives' Tales. Therefore, with some I had to do some research for a better insight to the new tales.
Bottom Line
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
In case you are looking for some spooky short stories for this Halloween season, you should get this anthology.
Emporium of Superstition will not disappoint.
I have to thank BookSirens for the ARC in exchange for my personal opinion.
This review was first published at The Art of Reading .
Are you a fan of mythological stories with a whiff of horror, fantasy and paranormal beings? Then you should read this anthology.
Twelve talented young female writers will abduct you into amazingly written short stories, also known as old wives' tales.
Emporium of Superstition ♦ Athology
The anthology Emporium of Superstition is just wonderful! Each one of these short stories were remarkably written, even though not all could catch me completely! I was reading one story at a time. Once I started a story it was hard to put my Kindle down. But I just couldn't indulge in the next one. Some just needed to settle with my emotions.
All the authors who participated in this anthology are new to me, but I will definitely keep my eyes open for more of all twelve of them.
Next to ghost stories, I found mythological stories about and with demons, witches, and other paranormal beings and I felt delighted reading all these tales. As I informed myself about them, I found out those were retellings. As a German I am not very familiar with typical US American Old Wives' Tales. Therefore, with some I had to do some research for a better insight to the new tales.
Bottom Line
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
In case you are looking for some spooky short stories for this Halloween season, you should get this anthology.
Emporium of Superstition will not disappoint.
I have to thank BookSirens for the ARC in exchange for my personal opinion.
This review was first published at The Art of Reading .
May 21, 2022
A wonderful collection of gripping tales! I was fortunate to be a part of it with my story "One Last Breath" an eerie spin of the Old Wive's Tale that cats will steal your breath away!
August 29, 2022
Overall rating 4.5 stars:
This was a great collection of tales inspired by superstition and old wives' tales by mostly unknown authors to me. Elle Beaumont was the only one I had heard of and I previously enjoyed a short story by her in a steampunk anthology that had 3 stories. But I liked her story, so I decided to take a chance on this. For a few reasons I wanted to read and review this anthology this month, but as I started reading it, I knew that October would be the perfect month to read these stories. Many of them had an element of creepiness that made me want to look over my shoulder. I was not able to pick out the superstition/old wives' tale that inspired each one, but I'm not all that familiar with either, so others might be able to do better. But that did not take away my enjoyment of these stories. I'll try to jot down my thoughts on each of the tales.
Mirror Mirror: Candace Robinson, 3.5 stars
Definitely had the feel of a folk tale/fairy tale. Was not expecting the ending. I definitely wanted a different ending, lol.
An Ax for the Storm: C. Vonzale Lewis, 4.5 stars
I liked this one a lot! It had the feel of New Orleans for me. I loved the relationship Rosette and Carlos had with each other."
Oh Cruel Darkness by Christis Christie, 3.5 stars
This was a super dark story and I was absolutely riveted, but I was so frustrated by the ending. Definitely not happy with it!"
She's Come Undone by Katya de Becerra, 5 stars
This one was creepy and had me hooked from the opening pages. There was enough uncertainty at the end that had you looking over your shoulder! This has been my favorite so far.
One Last Breath by Elle Beaumont, 5 stars
I was riveted from beginning to end. And I love cats! But demon cats? Totally creepy. Loved this! But I was also expecting to like this since her story in the previous anthology was my favorite. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.
Once Upon a Storm Drain by Jessica Cranberry, 4.5 stars
This was short, but I really liked it! The spider was a bit creepy, but I generally find spiders to be fascinating, so the spider was both creepy and cool. The neighbors? Not so much. Ugh. Good riddance to them!
Hair Suit by Kristin Jacques, 5 stars
I legit cackled when I got to the last sentence! This story did not go the way I thought it would, but I loved it! I definitely need to check out more stories by this author!"
Perfection by Marlena Frank, 4 stars
This did not go the way I thought it would and I'm so glad. It was definitely a better ending than I would have dreamed up!"
Stay With Me by Meg Dailey, 4 stars
This reminded me of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for some reason, even though the stories are very different. I think it's mostly because I pictured her house being similar to the house that Nobody Owens lived in when he lost his family. Either way, this was definitely creepy. I'm not sure what I thought of Brady and Katie though. Still thinking about it.
Whistle for Me by D.M. Siciliano, 4.5 stars
Ha! This was creepy but good. I was so worried about how things would turn out for her, but I LOVED how it ended. If you've ever been wronged by someone, you'll love this one!
The Seventh Crow by Leslie Rush, 4.5 stars
Another winner with a surprise ending that was perfect. I suspected some of it, but couldn't figure out how to make all the details fit. Ouija boards have always creeped me out, though!
SleepWalker by Theresa Braun, 4 stars
A story with a major character I didn't really like. But it was told from two points of view and I liked the other major character. This was much more gruesome than the others.
Overall, this was a great collection and I may reread some of the tales on Halloween!
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This was a great collection of tales inspired by superstition and old wives' tales by mostly unknown authors to me. Elle Beaumont was the only one I had heard of and I previously enjoyed a short story by her in a steampunk anthology that had 3 stories. But I liked her story, so I decided to take a chance on this. For a few reasons I wanted to read and review this anthology this month, but as I started reading it, I knew that October would be the perfect month to read these stories. Many of them had an element of creepiness that made me want to look over my shoulder. I was not able to pick out the superstition/old wives' tale that inspired each one, but I'm not all that familiar with either, so others might be able to do better. But that did not take away my enjoyment of these stories. I'll try to jot down my thoughts on each of the tales.
Mirror Mirror: Candace Robinson, 3.5 stars
Definitely had the feel of a folk tale/fairy tale. Was not expecting the ending. I definitely wanted a different ending, lol.
An Ax for the Storm: C. Vonzale Lewis, 4.5 stars
I liked this one a lot! It had the feel of New Orleans for me. I loved the relationship Rosette and Carlos had with each other."
Oh Cruel Darkness by Christis Christie, 3.5 stars
This was a super dark story and I was absolutely riveted, but I was so frustrated by the ending. Definitely not happy with it!"
She's Come Undone by Katya de Becerra, 5 stars
This one was creepy and had me hooked from the opening pages. There was enough uncertainty at the end that had you looking over your shoulder! This has been my favorite so far.
One Last Breath by Elle Beaumont, 5 stars
I was riveted from beginning to end. And I love cats! But demon cats? Totally creepy. Loved this! But I was also expecting to like this since her story in the previous anthology was my favorite. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.
Once Upon a Storm Drain by Jessica Cranberry, 4.5 stars
This was short, but I really liked it! The spider was a bit creepy, but I generally find spiders to be fascinating, so the spider was both creepy and cool. The neighbors? Not so much. Ugh. Good riddance to them!
Hair Suit by Kristin Jacques, 5 stars
I legit cackled when I got to the last sentence! This story did not go the way I thought it would, but I loved it! I definitely need to check out more stories by this author!"
Perfection by Marlena Frank, 4 stars
This did not go the way I thought it would and I'm so glad. It was definitely a better ending than I would have dreamed up!"
Stay With Me by Meg Dailey, 4 stars
This reminded me of The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman for some reason, even though the stories are very different. I think it's mostly because I pictured her house being similar to the house that Nobody Owens lived in when he lost his family. Either way, this was definitely creepy. I'm not sure what I thought of Brady and Katie though. Still thinking about it.
Whistle for Me by D.M. Siciliano, 4.5 stars
Ha! This was creepy but good. I was so worried about how things would turn out for her, but I LOVED how it ended. If you've ever been wronged by someone, you'll love this one!
The Seventh Crow by Leslie Rush, 4.5 stars
Another winner with a surprise ending that was perfect. I suspected some of it, but couldn't figure out how to make all the details fit. Ouija boards have always creeped me out, though!
SleepWalker by Theresa Braun, 4 stars
A story with a major character I didn't really like. But it was told from two points of view and I liked the other major character. This was much more gruesome than the others.
Overall, this was a great collection and I may reread some of the tales on Halloween!
I received an advance review copy from BookSirens for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 6, 2022
Is there not something comforting in old wives tales? It brings about the feeling of nostalgia, of grandmothers, of protection. They are something to take away the bad luck or something to blame it on.
Black cats, broken mirrors, knock on wood, step on a crack, never wake a sleepwalker, throw salt over your left shoulder, and so many more.
This collection takes old wives tales to a new extreme, rendering everyday people into true believers that will do anything to get what they want. With a variety of settings and dangers these stories are beautifully crafted.
Superstitions are believed the world over, they are varied and familiar. Will some of these be new to you or will they be a little too close to home?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Black cats, broken mirrors, knock on wood, step on a crack, never wake a sleepwalker, throw salt over your left shoulder, and so many more.
This collection takes old wives tales to a new extreme, rendering everyday people into true believers that will do anything to get what they want. With a variety of settings and dangers these stories are beautifully crafted.
Superstitions are believed the world over, they are varied and familiar. Will some of these be new to you or will they be a little too close to home?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2022
This was a fascinating and enlightening anthology! It really makes you stop and go hmmm! on a few things in life in regard to old wives tales.
October 12, 2022
A Hidden Gem.......................
Emporium of Superstition, An Old Wives' Anthology Tales is like a hidden gem in the horror world. The book has some of the amazing stories based on superstitions. I really enjoyed the stories. They are full of mystery and every story has a different vibe. The book got my attention right from the first story
and maintained the pace throughout all the stories. It was really an amazing and exciting read.
I would like to give the book 4 stars. Thanks to Book Sirens for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
Emporium of Superstition, An Old Wives' Anthology Tales is like a hidden gem in the horror world. The book has some of the amazing stories based on superstitions. I really enjoyed the stories. They are full of mystery and every story has a different vibe. The book got my attention right from the first story
and maintained the pace throughout all the stories. It was really an amazing and exciting read.
I would like to give the book 4 stars. Thanks to Book Sirens for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.
June 6, 2022
I received a copy for free via Book Sirens and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
As with the majority of anthologies I found this a mixed bag. Most of them are longer than an average short story and more than half could be heavily edited as there is way too much waffle going on. A couple are simply boring and one is so full of badly written "romance" (aka sex) scenes that I didn't read it. It should have been in a different category. However, there are some bright spots. "One Last Breath," "She's Come Undone" and "Ax For The Storm" are all interesting ideas and pleasant enough reads and "Once Upon A Storm Drain" by Jessica Cranberry is a stand out which belongs in a better quality collection. I would have given 2.5 stars had it been possible. I wouldn't recommend spending money on it but suggest looking for work by J Cranberry elsewhere.
As with the majority of anthologies I found this a mixed bag. Most of them are longer than an average short story and more than half could be heavily edited as there is way too much waffle going on. A couple are simply boring and one is so full of badly written "romance" (aka sex) scenes that I didn't read it. It should have been in a different category. However, there are some bright spots. "One Last Breath," "She's Come Undone" and "Ax For The Storm" are all interesting ideas and pleasant enough reads and "Once Upon A Storm Drain" by Jessica Cranberry is a stand out which belongs in a better quality collection. I would have given 2.5 stars had it been possible. I wouldn't recommend spending money on it but suggest looking for work by J Cranberry elsewhere.
October 9, 2022
10/22 REREAD NOW THAT ITS RELEASED!! STILL FREAKING LOVED THIS ANTHOLOGY!! Great read for the season!!
WOW!! FANTASTIC!! I’m never disappointed with Midnight Tide Publishing’s (MTP) Anthologies!! They have such a great collection of authors!!
Emporium of Superstition is a PHENOMENAL anthology!! Every single short story is OUTSTANDINGLY GREAT!!! I’ve taken on a few too many arcs at once and so was reading it a story at a time, but each story captivated me, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!! Some Authors I am familiar with, but some were new to me and now on my list of authors to read more of. I even bought a few books from them!
If you enjoy anthologies with really cool themes, and short stories that are brilliant, then you need to grab this anthology NOW!!
WOW!! FANTASTIC!! I’m never disappointed with Midnight Tide Publishing’s (MTP) Anthologies!! They have such a great collection of authors!!
Emporium of Superstition is a PHENOMENAL anthology!! Every single short story is OUTSTANDINGLY GREAT!!! I’ve taken on a few too many arcs at once and so was reading it a story at a time, but each story captivated me, I couldn’t put it down until I finished it!! Some Authors I am familiar with, but some were new to me and now on my list of authors to read more of. I even bought a few books from them!
If you enjoy anthologies with really cool themes, and short stories that are brilliant, then you need to grab this anthology NOW!!
September 14, 2022
I received an advance reader copy of Emporium of Superstition for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
With two of the authors from the fantastic Beyond the Cogs: A Steampunk Anthology authors contributing to this anthology, I leapt at the opportunity to read and review it.
Featuring a compendium of twelve short stories (in addition to a prologue which introduces the concept) Emporium of Superstition collects old wives’ tales framed as horror stories and cautionary tales, sometimes with a healthy dose of dark fantasy. However, while it touches upon these genres and the stories are often atmospheric, there is very little material that will actually frighten the reader. If you’re a fan of horror, you might find yourself disappointed by how tame the horror aspects in the book are. The lack of scares isn’t because the book is aimed at younger readers—it is squarely a book for adult audiences, full of subject matter that isn’t advisable to hand to anybody under the age of eighteen. But while the reader can expect plenty of adult subject matter within the collection, they can’t expect plenty of frights.
As with any anthology, the reader’s mileage will vary from story to story. Each story has a limited amount of space to get everything across to the reader, and invariably, some stories use this space better than others. Emporium of Superstition is a sizeable collection, but with twelve stories to get through, space is limited. Unfortunately, a fair number of the stories in the anthology don’t use the space as well as I’d have liked, resulting in a book that may feature some enjoyable concepts and entertaining stories, doesn’t shine as brightly as they could.
If you enjoy old wives’ tales, suspenseful stories and cautionary tales, don’t mind adult subject matter, and enjoy horror that isn’t particularly horrific, there’s a fair amount to enjoy within the collection. You’ll find some stories work better than others (which is true of any anthology), but as a complete experience, the collection is unlikely to linger with you.
My full review (including my thoughts about each of the stories in the anthology) will be available on my website from 21 August 2022. To read it, along with a host of other reviews, click here.
With two of the authors from the fantastic Beyond the Cogs: A Steampunk Anthology authors contributing to this anthology, I leapt at the opportunity to read and review it.
Featuring a compendium of twelve short stories (in addition to a prologue which introduces the concept) Emporium of Superstition collects old wives’ tales framed as horror stories and cautionary tales, sometimes with a healthy dose of dark fantasy. However, while it touches upon these genres and the stories are often atmospheric, there is very little material that will actually frighten the reader. If you’re a fan of horror, you might find yourself disappointed by how tame the horror aspects in the book are. The lack of scares isn’t because the book is aimed at younger readers—it is squarely a book for adult audiences, full of subject matter that isn’t advisable to hand to anybody under the age of eighteen. But while the reader can expect plenty of adult subject matter within the collection, they can’t expect plenty of frights.
As with any anthology, the reader’s mileage will vary from story to story. Each story has a limited amount of space to get everything across to the reader, and invariably, some stories use this space better than others. Emporium of Superstition is a sizeable collection, but with twelve stories to get through, space is limited. Unfortunately, a fair number of the stories in the anthology don’t use the space as well as I’d have liked, resulting in a book that may feature some enjoyable concepts and entertaining stories, doesn’t shine as brightly as they could.
If you enjoy old wives’ tales, suspenseful stories and cautionary tales, don’t mind adult subject matter, and enjoy horror that isn’t particularly horrific, there’s a fair amount to enjoy within the collection. You’ll find some stories work better than others (which is true of any anthology), but as a complete experience, the collection is unlikely to linger with you.
My full review (including my thoughts about each of the stories in the anthology) will be available on my website from 21 August 2022. To read it, along with a host of other reviews, click here.
November 4, 2022
Emporium of Superstition
Emporium of Superstition is an anthology that will keep you entertained! I really enjoyed this collection of stories based on superstitions written by all female authors. Each story was unique and interesting. Some of the stories I liked more than others, but overall I felt this was a very great book of short stories. This collection definitely had some spooky creepy vibes and it’s worth checking out. 5 stars!
Emporium of Superstition is an anthology that will keep you entertained! I really enjoyed this collection of stories based on superstitions written by all female authors. Each story was unique and interesting. Some of the stories I liked more than others, but overall I felt this was a very great book of short stories. This collection definitely had some spooky creepy vibes and it’s worth checking out. 5 stars!
December 10, 2023
I really enjoyed these different stories. Some of them had me hooked. I loved that they were each short stories that told a different superstition.
January 18, 2023
This is a fantastic collection of paranormal short stories. Almost every one managed to draw me in and keep me hooked. I’d highly recommend this collection to anyone looking for some good paranormal horror.
Thank you to BookSirens and the editor for providing a copy of this book for me to read.
Thank you to BookSirens and the editor for providing a copy of this book for me to read.
July 14, 2022
I received this book as an ARC for free and this review is voluntary.
There isn’t a bad story in this anthology! Some I liked more than others though, and I’ll tell you why!
The last few were my favorites, starting with Stay With Me. Meg Dailey has written a fabulous ghost story!! Add to it that it’s a ghost story in a cemetery and I’m not able to stop reading!
Whistle For Me is eerie and suspenseful! DM Siciliano knows how to set a mood and she does it beautifully in this one! Downright scary in parts, I still find myself thinking about Angela’s fellow tenants!
The Seventh Crow by Leslie Rush starts out with 3 college freshman using a Ouija board, and since I’ve always loved the superstitions and terror surrounding a Ouija board, I was hooked immediately!! The story evolves into much bigger tale than just a Ouija board goes bad, and that’s why it’s one of my favorites!
And lastly, Sleepwalker by Theresa Braun was horrific and ghastly. I couldn’t read it fast enough to find out what happened, and it’s gut wrenching!! I loved it!!
As I said, all in all this is a great collection of stories. And having heard my grandmas, my mom, and my aunts say many of these old wives tales, it made it even more special!
There isn’t a bad story in this anthology! Some I liked more than others though, and I’ll tell you why!
The last few were my favorites, starting with Stay With Me. Meg Dailey has written a fabulous ghost story!! Add to it that it’s a ghost story in a cemetery and I’m not able to stop reading!
Whistle For Me is eerie and suspenseful! DM Siciliano knows how to set a mood and she does it beautifully in this one! Downright scary in parts, I still find myself thinking about Angela’s fellow tenants!
The Seventh Crow by Leslie Rush starts out with 3 college freshman using a Ouija board, and since I’ve always loved the superstitions and terror surrounding a Ouija board, I was hooked immediately!! The story evolves into much bigger tale than just a Ouija board goes bad, and that’s why it’s one of my favorites!
And lastly, Sleepwalker by Theresa Braun was horrific and ghastly. I couldn’t read it fast enough to find out what happened, and it’s gut wrenching!! I loved it!!
As I said, all in all this is a great collection of stories. And having heard my grandmas, my mom, and my aunts say many of these old wives tales, it made it even more special!
July 6, 2022
I give this book a solid 4. This collection of stories center on old wives tales. The stories are creative and engaging. Only one left a bad taste in my mouth but it was quickly forgotten by the next entry.
My favorite i Once Upon a Storm Drain by Jessica Cranberry.
I would recommend this one to supernatural and horror fans.
I received an ARC for review; all opinions are my own.
My favorite i Once Upon a Storm Drain by Jessica Cranberry.
I would recommend this one to supernatural and horror fans.
I received an ARC for review; all opinions are my own.
November 3, 2022
An excellent little anthology with some of my favourite female authors!
June 21, 2022
An assortment of yarns based on old wives' tales. Some are surreal and others are downright unnerving. I was able to pick up which tales most of the stories were spun from. Each author also has a brief bio and a list of books they have written. An enjoyable binge or great for a brief escape. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 3, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I am reviewing this anthology as part of Elle Beaumont's Arc team, so the review will focus on her story as will the star rating at the top. I'm also listing the authors & giving each of their stories a "star" rating, & in some cases a few brief comments.
I will also comment briefly on the book as a whole at the end.
One Last Breath by Elle Beaumont - 4 stars
This story is original; focusing on demon cats! Easy & entertaining read; It took me around 30 minutes. For the briefness, there was good character development, again originality, & though a horror/supernatural story not difficult or frightening to read. For those who care, the main protagonist has a LGTBQ slant.
I'd like to write more, but I don't want to give the plot away (i.e. spoilers) & this is a brief Novella. I definitely enjoyed it & didn't expect the somewhat lengthy ending (a surprise is a good thing). I've definitely come to enjoy Ms Beaumont's writing. I'd like to read more of her books, I've enjoyed all that I've read.
Recommended
___________________________________
Interesting concept for a compilation book. It's light supernatural horror, kind of like Poe light without the Poe-try; & all written by Women. I don't know if it is intentional, but all the protagonists are Women. All of the stories have been enjoyable; As you will see below, I've rated them from 2.75 stars to 4.5 stars.
And the last time I checked, the price was a whopping $4.00. If you enjoy the genre, you can't go wrong!
___________________________________
Other authors in this book (In order of story)
Candace Robinson 4 Good
C. Vonzale Lewis 4.5 Really great new voice. Excellent story
Christis Christie 3.5 OK
Katya de Beccara 3.25
Jessica Cranberry 3.5 Potentially good story; she left too much of the ending to the reader's imagination
Kristin Jaques 3.25
Marlena Frank 3.5
Melissa Daily 2.75
DM Siciliano 3.5 Good Ending
Leslie Rush 3.75
Theresa Braun 3.25
I am reviewing this anthology as part of Elle Beaumont's Arc team, so the review will focus on her story as will the star rating at the top. I'm also listing the authors & giving each of their stories a "star" rating, & in some cases a few brief comments.
I will also comment briefly on the book as a whole at the end.
One Last Breath by Elle Beaumont - 4 stars
This story is original; focusing on demon cats! Easy & entertaining read; It took me around 30 minutes. For the briefness, there was good character development, again originality, & though a horror/supernatural story not difficult or frightening to read. For those who care, the main protagonist has a LGTBQ slant.
I'd like to write more, but I don't want to give the plot away (i.e. spoilers) & this is a brief Novella. I definitely enjoyed it & didn't expect the somewhat lengthy ending (a surprise is a good thing). I've definitely come to enjoy Ms Beaumont's writing. I'd like to read more of her books, I've enjoyed all that I've read.
Recommended
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Interesting concept for a compilation book. It's light supernatural horror, kind of like Poe light without the Poe-try; & all written by Women. I don't know if it is intentional, but all the protagonists are Women. All of the stories have been enjoyable; As you will see below, I've rated them from 2.75 stars to 4.5 stars.
And the last time I checked, the price was a whopping $4.00. If you enjoy the genre, you can't go wrong!
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Other authors in this book (In order of story)
Candace Robinson 4 Good
C. Vonzale Lewis 4.5 Really great new voice. Excellent story
Christis Christie 3.5 OK
Katya de Beccara 3.25
Jessica Cranberry 3.5 Potentially good story; she left too much of the ending to the reader's imagination
Kristin Jaques 3.25
Marlena Frank 3.5
Melissa Daily 2.75
DM Siciliano 3.5 Good Ending
Leslie Rush 3.75
Theresa Braun 3.25
June 19, 2022
This book of stories is fantastic! Each story was well written and had great characters. I enjoyed every single one. Each story had dark under tones but completely different plots. I recommend reading this if you love short thrillers. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 13, 2022
From the devil beating his wife to a twist on Snow White they have many different stories in this anthology some longer than others but I found them all entertaining. I wouldn’t recommend you skip any and that is rare in an anthology. They have so many great authors in this books some I had heard of but some I had not. I will definitely be giving those authors another look though. This book is totally 100% greatness if you love horror crime stories and fairytale twist you’re going to love this book. I was given this review copy by book sirens and the authors and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.
June 13, 2022
I enjoyed reading this collection of stories. Each story was entertaining, intriguing and riveting. The stories are well crafted. Some people believe in superstitions and others scoff. What happens to those who do not believe?
May 30, 2022
I really enjoyed this anthology, the stories were so well done and I felt like each story was so strong. I loved the concept and look forward to more anthologies from this company.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 2, 2022
Book: Emporium of Superstition
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Authors: Candace Robinson, C. Vonzale Lewis, Christis Christie, Katya de Beccera, Elle Beaumont, Jessica Cranberry, Kristin Jacques, Marlena Frank, Meg Dailey, D.M. Siciliano, Leslie Rush, Theresa Braun
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Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Adult
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Pacing: Medium-Fast
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Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
I loved how the book was introduced before the actual stories began. It gives the vibe that maybe there’s more truth to this collection of stories than one might think.
Mirror, Mirror-
This one had me glued to the pages right away. And holy shit, the plot twist blind sided me it was great to be riveted and surprised by this story.
An Axe for the Storm-
This one has trigger warning for child loss.
Uhm, yeah. I started crying when the nurse asked what name they should put on the death certificate. At this point, the story has been sad and not at all horror
“Some pain, should be shared with others.”
It has a bittersweet ending and is based off of the saying people say when there’s thunder, “Sounds like the devil is beating his wife.”
Oh Cruel Darkness-
I had no idea where this one was heading and was pleasantly surprised. It’s another demon story. This demon feeds off of nightmares and turned this one woman’s nightmare into a living one. Again, sad ending.
She’s Come Undone-
The imagery for this one is pretty nasty. I wanted to barf when the MC’s mind would go off on a crazy tangent. She imagined that if she tore her scab again, that her entire body would also be peeled. 🤢
Her anxiety is so bad that it’s hard to discern between reality and her imagination, which I think is the point. It really has you guessing what’s all in her head.
This one was a crazy ride and gave me anxiety by just reading it.
Leading up to the climax was intense but when you hit the peak of the story, it was very, non climatical. Which makes me wonder, was she the true doppelgänger and not the one she unraveled?
One Last Breath-
Very low drama. Wasn’t too much suspense. Just a few mummified people that were killed by a demon.
Once Upon a Storm Drain-
“A life is filled with so much garbage all the way up to the very end.” Uhm Jessica, are you doing okay?
So far this has been my favorite short story out of the book. The ending did end on a freaking cliff hanger… thank you for that. 😑 but it had me hanging on every word.
(Hair) Suit-
Honestly, this story is a wtf from me. It ended up being more like a comedy but in a, is this a joke?
Perfection-
It’s an interesting story about one’s life being taken over by a doppelgänger but I’m just a little upset that it ends on a happy note.
Stay With Me-
This one was definitely suspenseful by the second chapter. Ghost stories freak me the fuck out. And then we had some horror shit happen with a complete 180 turn of a head… nightmares. That’s what that is.
I overall really liked this one. Hands down my favorite one so far when it comes to horror.
Whistle for Me-
Total poltergeist vibes. I can’t… this one had my heart racing. And just as fast this turned from horror to comedy. Which is… come on guys…
The Seventh Crow-
Of course creepy old photos that stare at you came into this story. This one was actually pretty interesting and I didn’t want it to end.
The male ghost immediately had so many red flags yet our girl was like, he’s sexy 🤷🏻♀️
Sleep Walker-
This had a great story about murder and revenge but I feel like the ending was rushed to a point it took me a bit to understand what was going on. I would’ve definitely given it more props if it was more climatical and more detail for the ending.
.
.
Overall these stories weren’t all that scary. More ended up being heartfelt and then comedy instead of horror. Which is kind of a disappointment. There were a few that actually did give me the chills (did not help I was reading them in the dark)
Since there was an introduction I was hoping there’d also be a conclusion. Like something happening after the woman had read the book about all these stories. 🤷🏻♀️ that would’ve tied it all together nicely.
Obviously there’s some stories that I did not care for, at all. And then there’s some that I really enjoyed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
.
Authors: Candace Robinson, C. Vonzale Lewis, Christis Christie, Katya de Beccera, Elle Beaumont, Jessica Cranberry, Kristin Jacques, Marlena Frank, Meg Dailey, D.M. Siciliano, Leslie Rush, Theresa Braun
.
Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Adult
.
Pacing: Medium-Fast
.
Star Rating: 4/5 ⭐️
I loved how the book was introduced before the actual stories began. It gives the vibe that maybe there’s more truth to this collection of stories than one might think.
Mirror, Mirror-
This one had me glued to the pages right away. And holy shit, the plot twist blind sided me it was great to be riveted and surprised by this story.
An Axe for the Storm-
This one has trigger warning for child loss.
Uhm, yeah. I started crying when the nurse asked what name they should put on the death certificate. At this point, the story has been sad and not at all horror
“Some pain, should be shared with others.”
It has a bittersweet ending and is based off of the saying people say when there’s thunder, “Sounds like the devil is beating his wife.”
Oh Cruel Darkness-
I had no idea where this one was heading and was pleasantly surprised. It’s another demon story. This demon feeds off of nightmares and turned this one woman’s nightmare into a living one. Again, sad ending.
She’s Come Undone-
The imagery for this one is pretty nasty. I wanted to barf when the MC’s mind would go off on a crazy tangent. She imagined that if she tore her scab again, that her entire body would also be peeled. 🤢
Her anxiety is so bad that it’s hard to discern between reality and her imagination, which I think is the point. It really has you guessing what’s all in her head.
This one was a crazy ride and gave me anxiety by just reading it.
Leading up to the climax was intense but when you hit the peak of the story, it was very, non climatical. Which makes me wonder, was she the true doppelgänger and not the one she unraveled?
One Last Breath-
Very low drama. Wasn’t too much suspense. Just a few mummified people that were killed by a demon.
Once Upon a Storm Drain-
“A life is filled with so much garbage all the way up to the very end.” Uhm Jessica, are you doing okay?
So far this has been my favorite short story out of the book. The ending did end on a freaking cliff hanger… thank you for that. 😑 but it had me hanging on every word.
(Hair) Suit-
Honestly, this story is a wtf from me. It ended up being more like a comedy but in a, is this a joke?
Perfection-
It’s an interesting story about one’s life being taken over by a doppelgänger but I’m just a little upset that it ends on a happy note.
Stay With Me-
This one was definitely suspenseful by the second chapter. Ghost stories freak me the fuck out. And then we had some horror shit happen with a complete 180 turn of a head… nightmares. That’s what that is.
I overall really liked this one. Hands down my favorite one so far when it comes to horror.
Whistle for Me-
Total poltergeist vibes. I can’t… this one had my heart racing. And just as fast this turned from horror to comedy. Which is… come on guys…
The Seventh Crow-
Of course creepy old photos that stare at you came into this story. This one was actually pretty interesting and I didn’t want it to end.
The male ghost immediately had so many red flags yet our girl was like, he’s sexy 🤷🏻♀️
Sleep Walker-
This had a great story about murder and revenge but I feel like the ending was rushed to a point it took me a bit to understand what was going on. I would’ve definitely given it more props if it was more climatical and more detail for the ending.
.
.
Overall these stories weren’t all that scary. More ended up being heartfelt and then comedy instead of horror. Which is kind of a disappointment. There were a few that actually did give me the chills (did not help I was reading them in the dark)
Since there was an introduction I was hoping there’d also be a conclusion. Like something happening after the woman had read the book about all these stories. 🤷🏻♀️ that would’ve tied it all together nicely.
Obviously there’s some stories that I did not care for, at all. And then there’s some that I really enjoyed.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 2, 2022
A collection of suspenseful stories in which 12 authors draw on ancient tales. The stories cover demons living among humans, ghosts lurking in shadows and gods looming above. Each story is sure to inspire some level of fright. The collection is full of superstition, horror and suspense.
The book literally decided to have a prologue that started out creepy and referenced the cover of the book simply to start the creep vibe... Not gonna lie I still have questions about Melissa and her mom. After the introduction that could start a million different horror movies, we start right in on the 12 gruesome stories that follow. And let be just say some of them are straight up gruesome. We have people cutting out an eye, dismembering bodies, stealing identities, messing with ghosts... It is just all around a lot of things YOU SHOULD NOT DO!
Early on in the collection all the stories tied back to superstitions of some sort, but I felt like this faded in some of the later ones (which was kind of sad). However, the creep factor does not let up at all. The vast majority of the stories are incredibly different reflecting the various author styles, but a few tie in well together. I have to admit that some of the stories got a little descriptive in the "ick" factor and were disgusting, but I could not stop reading them! And let me tell you this baby is a chunky one, but it was worth every second.
A number of different mythological ideas and old wives tales are tied into the stories and we even get some IT vibes and a Bigfoot! Oh and cats are clearly evil. Towards the end a few of the stories lost their appeal and felt like they were dragging, which is why I'm only giving this one four stars. I think a couple of the stories didn't really shine the same as say that 2nd to last chapter, which I will eagerly await the movie for. But, if you like spooky stuff, old wives tales, cool takes on superstitions or all of the above check out this book.
The book literally decided to have a prologue that started out creepy and referenced the cover of the book simply to start the creep vibe... Not gonna lie I still have questions about Melissa and her mom. After the introduction that could start a million different horror movies, we start right in on the 12 gruesome stories that follow. And let be just say some of them are straight up gruesome. We have people cutting out an eye, dismembering bodies, stealing identities, messing with ghosts... It is just all around a lot of things YOU SHOULD NOT DO!
Early on in the collection all the stories tied back to superstitions of some sort, but I felt like this faded in some of the later ones (which was kind of sad). However, the creep factor does not let up at all. The vast majority of the stories are incredibly different reflecting the various author styles, but a few tie in well together. I have to admit that some of the stories got a little descriptive in the "ick" factor and were disgusting, but I could not stop reading them! And let me tell you this baby is a chunky one, but it was worth every second.
A number of different mythological ideas and old wives tales are tied into the stories and we even get some IT vibes and a Bigfoot! Oh and cats are clearly evil. Towards the end a few of the stories lost their appeal and felt like they were dragging, which is why I'm only giving this one four stars. I think a couple of the stories didn't really shine the same as say that 2nd to last chapter, which I will eagerly await the movie for. But, if you like spooky stuff, old wives tales, cool takes on superstitions or all of the above check out this book.
October 9, 2022
Actually 3 1/2 Stars.
As I was not familiar with any of these authors, I did not know what to expect. The premise of the anthology did, however , peak my interest. Twelve very different stories by twelve very different authors made for a very interesting book. There were a few stories that did not grab me but that is to be expected in a work such as this. The rest of them I enjoyed immensely. I have my favorites (big foot anyone?) and I was not disappointed in the book as whole. The collective had pretty much everything that the title promised. I would recommend it for (longish) short story lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion of the whole.
As I was not familiar with any of these authors, I did not know what to expect. The premise of the anthology did, however , peak my interest. Twelve very different stories by twelve very different authors made for a very interesting book. There were a few stories that did not grab me but that is to be expected in a work such as this. The rest of them I enjoyed immensely. I have my favorites (big foot anyone?) and I was not disappointed in the book as whole. The collective had pretty much everything that the title promised. I would recommend it for (longish) short story lovers.
I received a complimentary copy of this book and this is my honest and unbiased opinion of the whole.
September 5, 2022
My second choice for Short Story September, a collection of old wives' tales and superstitious stories. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is not one bad story. All of these authors were new to me; however, I will definitely be checking out all their works now that I have been introduced to them.
Each story is either based on an old wives' tale or a superstition (or maybe both, I'm not familiar with a lot of old wives' tales). Here is a list of the stories with a short description:
Mirror Mirror- A man's wife is dying; he makes a deal to save her not knowing that he's dooming them both.
An Axe in the Storm-A story of vengeance after the death of a child.
Oh Cruel Darkness-This story was not only really dark but incredibly sad. A woman is pursued by a demon who lusts after her.
Shes Come Undone- A woman walks over a crack and her life is turned upside down when she discovers someone impersonating her.
One Last Breath- A story about demon cats and witches.
Once Upon a Storm Drain- A young girl returns to her hometown after the death of her mother to discover long held secrets that just might kill her.
(Hair) Suit- A woman begins finding hairs all over face and no matter how much she plucks they won't go away. All too soon she discovers just why this is happening to her and she must make a difficult choice on what to do about it.
Perfection- An elderly woman discovers her doppelganger and must choose what she's going to do about her.
Stay With Me- A woman lives in a haunted house and its taking a toll on her health.
Whistle For Me- After discovering her husband is having an affair with her sister, a a woman moves into a haunted apartment and things get really strange from there.
The Seventh Crow- A 200 yr. old ghost is haunting a woman's house. A brutal death from long ago and a murder of crows protecting her home makes for a great story.
SleepWalker- A college age man is tasked with taking care of his sleepwalking father who is mourning after the disappearance of his wife. The son is hiding some pretty big secrets.
This is a fantastic collection of creepy tales. I have a few that I would say were my favorite but overall, all the stories are great. As a Bigfoot enthusiast, I am partial to (Hair)Suit. If you really enjoy these kinds of stories, you will not be disappointed with this collection. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
Each story is either based on an old wives' tale or a superstition (or maybe both, I'm not familiar with a lot of old wives' tales). Here is a list of the stories with a short description:
Mirror Mirror- A man's wife is dying; he makes a deal to save her not knowing that he's dooming them both.
An Axe in the Storm-A story of vengeance after the death of a child.
Oh Cruel Darkness-This story was not only really dark but incredibly sad. A woman is pursued by a demon who lusts after her.
Shes Come Undone- A woman walks over a crack and her life is turned upside down when she discovers someone impersonating her.
One Last Breath- A story about demon cats and witches.
Once Upon a Storm Drain- A young girl returns to her hometown after the death of her mother to discover long held secrets that just might kill her.
(Hair) Suit- A woman begins finding hairs all over face and no matter how much she plucks they won't go away. All too soon she discovers just why this is happening to her and she must make a difficult choice on what to do about it.
Perfection- An elderly woman discovers her doppelganger and must choose what she's going to do about her.
Stay With Me- A woman lives in a haunted house and its taking a toll on her health.
Whistle For Me- After discovering her husband is having an affair with her sister, a a woman moves into a haunted apartment and things get really strange from there.
The Seventh Crow- A 200 yr. old ghost is haunting a woman's house. A brutal death from long ago and a murder of crows protecting her home makes for a great story.
SleepWalker- A college age man is tasked with taking care of his sleepwalking father who is mourning after the disappearance of his wife. The son is hiding some pretty big secrets.
This is a fantastic collection of creepy tales. I have a few that I would say were my favorite but overall, all the stories are great. As a Bigfoot enthusiast, I am partial to (Hair)Suit. If you really enjoy these kinds of stories, you will not be disappointed with this collection. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
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