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Nightmares: A Collection of Scary Stories
"There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamed of in your philosophy", said William Shakespeare. "But, what about those things from Hell," I ask, "that haunt our many Universes as nightmares?"
Explore the underbelly of our world through the eyes of someone who has seen more shades of reality than any person should. Kate will take you on a tour of the darkest corners of her mind, daring you to imagine a fate worse than those inflicted upon her characters while you peek through your fingers to finish her short stories.
There are more than ghosts, witches, vampires and werewolves to be afraid of out there. Come along, little pretties, and find out what else is lurking in the dark.
This is an anthology of short stories and novellas written by Kate DeJonge during the summer of 2021, a period of time that most will remember as the "Just Before".
Explore the underbelly of our world through the eyes of someone who has seen more shades of reality than any person should. Kate will take you on a tour of the darkest corners of her mind, daring you to imagine a fate worse than those inflicted upon her characters while you peek through your fingers to finish her short stories.
There are more than ghosts, witches, vampires and werewolves to be afraid of out there. Come along, little pretties, and find out what else is lurking in the dark.
This is an anthology of short stories and novellas written by Kate DeJonge during the summer of 2021, a period of time that most will remember as the "Just Before".
153 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 9, 2021
4 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Kate DeJonge
11 books98 followersVoted "most likely to run and hide" from anything spooky in younger years, Kate has made it one of her life goals to prove everyone wrong. Her stories are based on recurring nightmares, her experiences as a paranormal investigator and medium, and explorations into the crossroads where the darkness of mental illness become tangled with horror fiction (based on her own experience with CPTSD and MDD).
If you enjoy the works of Anne Rice, give her Bathorians series a try. It's witchcraft, alternative history, a splash of romance for heat, and plenty of bloody gore. Recommended age 16+.
Her short stories cover all things supernatural/horror, from ghosts and ghouls to live burials and dark fetishism. Recommended age 16+.
If you enjoy the works of Anne Rice, give her Bathorians series a try. It's witchcraft, alternative history, a splash of romance for heat, and plenty of bloody gore. Recommended age 16+.
Her short stories cover all things supernatural/horror, from ghosts and ghouls to live burials and dark fetishism. Recommended age 16+.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 17, 2022
Incredibly creepy!
I absolutely loved this book full of creepy short stories! Everyone should read this book!!! Especially this spooky time of year.
I absolutely loved this book full of creepy short stories! Everyone should read this book!!! Especially this spooky time of year.
November 11, 2021
This is the first time I have read Kate Dejonge’s work, and it certainly won’t be the last! Nightmares: a Collection of Scary Stories is an aptly named accumulation of horror stories, each more chilling than the last.
From Samhain spirits to crazy artists, warlock possession to true stories of the supernatural; this book has it all. The varied nature of the collection is more than enough to appease the most ardent horror fan, and I was thoroughly impressed with all of the stories.
A well-deserved 5 stars, and another new fan. I’ll definitely be reading more of Kate Dejonge’s work.
From Samhain spirits to crazy artists, warlock possession to true stories of the supernatural; this book has it all. The varied nature of the collection is more than enough to appease the most ardent horror fan, and I was thoroughly impressed with all of the stories.
A well-deserved 5 stars, and another new fan. I’ll definitely be reading more of Kate Dejonge’s work.
February 15, 2022
This is the first time I've encountered Kate DeJonge's writing but it won't be the last. Nightmares is a collection of short stories that demonstrate an exemplary ability to write short fiction and a clear talent for knowing how to unsettle readers. Some of these stories are short fiction, others are based on true events and others are longer pieces that fit neatly under the label 'novella'. DeJonge manages to maintain an elegant pace in her writing with a clear attention to meeting the reader's needs.
I would recommend this collection to all horror fans.
I would recommend this collection to all horror fans.
August 27, 2022
An amazing collection of horrific tales (and a novella!) that leave you with no happy endings. MY FAVOURITE! I love a good cliff hanger ending with no chance of continued sequel. Part of what I love about horror is being left to think of all the possible outcomes my imagination can come up with!! Now on to the next DeJonge !
November 4, 2022
Great Scary Stories from a very talented story teller!
I recently discovered Kate DeJonge and read her novella Soup and fell in love with her! Of course I had to read more of her work.
My favorite stories in this book are m: The Artist and Helen’s Story. Excellent!
I recently discovered Kate DeJonge and read her novella Soup and fell in love with her! Of course I had to read more of her work.
My favorite stories in this book are m: The Artist and Helen’s Story. Excellent!
September 28, 2022
We are blessed with a collection of shorts from the author of Soup, Kate DeJonge, and let me tell you that these will leave you feeling all kinds of ways. The first 11 stories are perfect for reading aloud with friends around a campfire, and I plan to do just that with my besties when the opportunity presents itself. There is a little bit of everything; Celtic gods, carnivorous ghouls, a psychopathic child, a disappearing cemetery, how the psychically gifted view the world, the dark side of art, an emotional look at suicide, a creepy AF ghosty house (a real place), disappearing one-way crosses, and a fort from the early 19th century packed with spiritual inhabitants (also a real place).
The final 2 chapters are a bit longer; Remembering Camille, the fantastic story of a girl and her lifelong malevolent demonic ghost, which I have reviewed as a stand-alone book, so you can find that review on Amazon, Goodreads and Godless; and then there is Helen’s Story.
As good as all the other vignettes in Nightmares are, Helen’s Story is the shining star of the constellation. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and blew me away when the big reveal showed itself. It takes a real look at domestic abuse, mental illness and the fact that there are things we simply cannot explain.
DeJonge’s writing flows and is true story telling at its best. I so look forward to what her mind gives us next time. I do have a suggestion for the author though. Expand on The Warlock of Stoney Creek; there is so much potentially left out there and I desperately want to see what happens.
The final 2 chapters are a bit longer; Remembering Camille, the fantastic story of a girl and her lifelong malevolent demonic ghost, which I have reviewed as a stand-alone book, so you can find that review on Amazon, Goodreads and Godless; and then there is Helen’s Story.
As good as all the other vignettes in Nightmares are, Helen’s Story is the shining star of the constellation. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time and blew me away when the big reveal showed itself. It takes a real look at domestic abuse, mental illness and the fact that there are things we simply cannot explain.
DeJonge’s writing flows and is true story telling at its best. I so look forward to what her mind gives us next time. I do have a suggestion for the author though. Expand on The Warlock of Stoney Creek; there is so much potentially left out there and I desperately want to see what happens.
November 17, 2021
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February 11, 2022
This collection of short stories is a true adventure from start to finish. The variation of topics tick all the boxes in the supernatural genre, from warlocks to disappearing cemeteries, ancient rituals, people-eating ghouls, and so much more, all leading up to a terrifying novella of a ghost story. These stories are well written and contain some unexpected twists and turns, particularly the novella at the end, which is one of my personal favorites in this collection.
I gave four stars instead five because some of the stories could have benefitted from more dialogue among the characters, making them more absorbing, rather than the straight narratives, which remove the reader from the story a bit and feel more like essays. But even so, this is certainly a writer I would seek out and read again!
I gave four stars instead five because some of the stories could have benefitted from more dialogue among the characters, making them more absorbing, rather than the straight narratives, which remove the reader from the story a bit and feel more like essays. But even so, this is certainly a writer I would seek out and read again!
October 11, 2021
I stumbled across this little gem from the Facebook Books of Horror group a while back, and overall, I’m very glad I did. This is a collection of 13 horror stories/novellas covering various tropes/topics, most of which the author succeeds in putting her own little twist in. Kate does a great job of bringing out the creepy factor with her writing and descriptions, and while not every story was super creepy…the ones that were made up for it! Out of the 13 stories, my favorites were, in no particular order, The Warlock of Stoney Creek, The Mortician’s Son, The Artist, and On a Dark, Dark Night. All in all I’d give this a 4.5/5 stars, rounding up to 5. If you’re looking for something good to read on a creepy October night, this one will certainly work.
August 22, 2022
Picked this up a small independent book fair, I met the author and she was very nice. The first half are a bunch of short stories. They are hit or miss, the misses in my opinion are the “true stories”. I did really enjoy ‘The Artist’ and ‘Mind Games’, they were both creepy and well written. Now the second half of the book is a pair of novellas and they are both fantastic! I loved both of them so much. I highly recommend this book for ‘Remembering Camille’ and ‘Helen’s Story’ alone. There are a few formatting issues, but they’re not a huge deal. I guess it happens with self publishing sometimes.
January 12, 2022
Robin's Review: Because they were short stories, I will not tell you about them that way you can appreciate them on your own.
I must say all of them were deliciously creepy and oddly satisfying. I don’t know if I could pick a favorite because I enjoyed them all, but the ones based on a true story were beyond frightening. Kate DeJonge has a twisty and creative way of writing, and I can’t wait for more from her.
Thanks so much for a review copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review of my personal opinion.
I must say all of them were deliciously creepy and oddly satisfying. I don’t know if I could pick a favorite because I enjoyed them all, but the ones based on a true story were beyond frightening. Kate DeJonge has a twisty and creative way of writing, and I can’t wait for more from her.
Thanks so much for a review copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving a review of my personal opinion.
January 17, 2022
The stories are diverse and interesting. Some are creepy, some are scary, and some straight up horrifying. There's not one I didn't like but a few I really enjoyed...so much so that I wish there had been more to read. The very first story sucked me in. The Muck Olla was twisted and creepy...it would be a great basis for a movie. The Artist is another I could see spawning more. Such a fantastic story! I don't do spoilers so I will end by saying this collection of stories will make you think, creep you out, give you some scares.... and maybe a few nightmares as well.
January 16, 2022
I'm still reading this collection of short stories. I lost my Kindle for a few months. I had the good fortune of seeing a few of them before they were published and I was very impressed. Kate's writing and her comments in our conversations have encouraged me write some short stories of my own. Some of what I've read here has disturbed me. That is the mark of an excellent story teller. Everything so far has nailed it as far a satisfying subject matter and well rounded tales. Bravo Kate.
October 2, 2022
If you read Soup by Kate DeJonge and enjoyed it as much as I did, then you really need to check out this collection of creepy tales, just in time for Halloween!
13 tales of terror, some of which are based on personal experience which gives it that added touch of creepiness! Highly recommended for fans of short stories!
13 tales of terror, some of which are based on personal experience which gives it that added touch of creepiness! Highly recommended for fans of short stories!
August 1, 2025
These stories took me back to the urban myth/ ghost stories that scared the hell out of us when we were young. These all left me with that uneasy feeling and a good few nightmares. Very nostalgic but also nice twists on older stories. Enjoyed every second.
January 6, 2022
A fantastic collection of short stories. It was well worth reading and now look forward to more from the author.
January 14, 2022
Short stories are always so full of potential. They captivate my imagination and make me want to know what happens next or what happened before. Kate DeJonge is one of those authors who had me wanting more. I enjoyed this collection very much!
September 26, 2022
What a great collection of short stories. Kate DeJonge is a talented writer with a great insight to the paranormal. These tales are creepy and they left me wanting more. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 1, 2022
Perfect book to start October with.
There were some excellent stories in this collection. This was my first time reading this author and I don't think it will be my last.
There were some excellent stories in this collection. This was my first time reading this author and I don't think it will be my last.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews