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The Midnightmare Collection
Family betrayal. Monsters lurking in the shadows. Loved ones taken too soon. The Midnightmare Collection will fill you with heartache while looking over your shoulder.
80 pages, Paperback
Published October 30, 2022
4 people want to read
About the author
Kyra R. Torres
11 books30 followersKyra R. Torres is a queer grief/horror/comedy writer, co-host of the Bubble Bath with Baph podcast and 1/2 of 3-B Publishing. You can find her in nothern California complaining about the weather, and drinking way too much iced coffee.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 7, 2023
Quick little creepy reads!
From sentimental to atmospheric, Kyra's collection of quick little horrors get under your skin. My sister April was my fave!
From sentimental to atmospheric, Kyra's collection of quick little horrors get under your skin. My sister April was my fave!
May 8, 2023
A collection of dark tales from Kyra. This is the revised version with a few differences between this and the original. Anyway. Here's a review for the collection and some thoughts
.
Terminal Runway --> Thee narrator returns to a city which holds many memories for them... A good opener, but one I can't describe very well without giving the game away. It's lyrical in nature, with wonderful prose and language. 4.25/5 ⭐
Tasteless --> Raul has lost his smell and taste and fears the worst in 21st Century LA... A real world horror which goes to places unexpected. The signs pointed one way so when the twist came I was pleased. I did hope for more but good stuff. 4.5/5 ⭐
The Visitor --> Something is clip clopping around the narrator's home at night... A good mysterious tale, but I wish we had more time and dived deeper into the mystery. 4.25/5 ⭐
Chrysopylae Night --> The narrator was happy with their partner til it all went awry. And now they have a decision to make... A hauntingly dark tale which deals with some large topics but is handled in a sensitive way. 5/5 ⭐
My Sister April --> April and her sister Lacey are home alone, and are warned not to go near the pigs... A fun, dark piggy horror which is definitely one of the standouts. 4.5/5 🐖
Woodland Delirium --> Nikki, Anastasia and and Christian are being pursued by something in the woods. But what?... The fact everyone sees the thing as something different does work. An intriguing end note. 4.5/5 ⭐
In The Shadows --> After 10 years away from home, the narrator's drawn back... Another good quick tale. I liked the vampiric element of it but do wish we had a bit more. 4.25/5 ⭐
Nightmare Eaves --> 4/5 ⭐ (my notes aren't clear on this one)
My Sister Lacey --> The sister story to MSA, this one deals with the aftermath... No spoilers but this adds layers and expands upon its predecessor. A great sequel and well executed. 4.5/5 ⭐
The Light Remains --> On a cool night, the narrator finds themselves transfixed by a mysterious red light... An emotionally weighted tale that I really enjoyed. It examines grief and loss through a unique lense. 4.5/5 ⭐
Duke --> Duke, the neighbours dog, has cancer and it seems like they don't have long... It starts off as one thing but evolves into something else rapidly. An unexpected dark twist which works. 4.25/5 🐕
Foreboding Illumination --> The narrator has inherited their grandparents house but all is not what it seems... It plays on the haunted house trope in a clever way, but I do wish we had more. 4.5/5 🏠
Aurora Phantasmagoria --> Grandma's house is eeirely quiet... Quirky, disconcerting, fun. 4.25/5 🏠
Bean Water --> The narrator needs a coffee but a crisis lingers... Another real world horror. I don't drink coffee but it's a nice story. 4.25/5 ⭐
Quiet Embers --> There was a tragic house fire and the narrator finds that not just smoke lingers... An emotionally charged closer which does work and another stand out! 5/5 ⭐
.
Overall for the collection it's a 4.5/5 for me. I enjoyed this range and look forward to more from Kyra soon, as they go from strength to strength
.
Terminal Runway --> Thee narrator returns to a city which holds many memories for them... A good opener, but one I can't describe very well without giving the game away. It's lyrical in nature, with wonderful prose and language. 4.25/5 ⭐
Tasteless --> Raul has lost his smell and taste and fears the worst in 21st Century LA... A real world horror which goes to places unexpected. The signs pointed one way so when the twist came I was pleased. I did hope for more but good stuff. 4.5/5 ⭐
The Visitor --> Something is clip clopping around the narrator's home at night... A good mysterious tale, but I wish we had more time and dived deeper into the mystery. 4.25/5 ⭐
Chrysopylae Night --> The narrator was happy with their partner til it all went awry. And now they have a decision to make... A hauntingly dark tale which deals with some large topics but is handled in a sensitive way. 5/5 ⭐
My Sister April --> April and her sister Lacey are home alone, and are warned not to go near the pigs... A fun, dark piggy horror which is definitely one of the standouts. 4.5/5 🐖
Woodland Delirium --> Nikki, Anastasia and and Christian are being pursued by something in the woods. But what?... The fact everyone sees the thing as something different does work. An intriguing end note. 4.5/5 ⭐
In The Shadows --> After 10 years away from home, the narrator's drawn back... Another good quick tale. I liked the vampiric element of it but do wish we had a bit more. 4.25/5 ⭐
Nightmare Eaves --> 4/5 ⭐ (my notes aren't clear on this one)
My Sister Lacey --> The sister story to MSA, this one deals with the aftermath... No spoilers but this adds layers and expands upon its predecessor. A great sequel and well executed. 4.5/5 ⭐
The Light Remains --> On a cool night, the narrator finds themselves transfixed by a mysterious red light... An emotionally weighted tale that I really enjoyed. It examines grief and loss through a unique lense. 4.5/5 ⭐
Duke --> Duke, the neighbours dog, has cancer and it seems like they don't have long... It starts off as one thing but evolves into something else rapidly. An unexpected dark twist which works. 4.25/5 🐕
Foreboding Illumination --> The narrator has inherited their grandparents house but all is not what it seems... It plays on the haunted house trope in a clever way, but I do wish we had more. 4.5/5 🏠
Aurora Phantasmagoria --> Grandma's house is eeirely quiet... Quirky, disconcerting, fun. 4.25/5 🏠
Bean Water --> The narrator needs a coffee but a crisis lingers... Another real world horror. I don't drink coffee but it's a nice story. 4.25/5 ⭐
Quiet Embers --> There was a tragic house fire and the narrator finds that not just smoke lingers... An emotionally charged closer which does work and another stand out! 5/5 ⭐
.
Overall for the collection it's a 4.5/5 for me. I enjoyed this range and look forward to more from Kyra soon, as they go from strength to strength
January 16, 2023
Initially subtitled Ten Haunting Tales this book was recently re-released in expanded form and now has 15 short stories.
These stories are all very short, some only a couple of pages. The entire book is about 80 pages but oh my days, @kyrarenewrites knows how to pack emotion into these haunting pieces.
The stories are told in the first person so we get quickly involved with the characters. It's ideal to add intensity in this short format.
Grief, loss, fear, anxiety, monsters both real and imagined are all here along with eerie snapshots of lives where the character is aware that something is not quite right evoking that feeling of uneasiness and dread.
A story of the fear of catching Covid is an early highlight in the collection where there is a real growing sense of panic but as with several of the stories there's a twist.
One standout is My Sister April. Two sisters left home alone and warned by their parents not to leave the house to see to the animals.
They should heed the advice instead of investigating the terrible noises coming from the pigs. What they find is horrific.
A hike in the woods leads to being hunted by a monster. But why can no one agree what it is?
A dog is man's best friend but do we always know what they're doing?
Are there ghosts from the past partying while you shower?
What has happened to all the coffee? Seriously, this is an absolute nightmare. Got to have coffee ☕😬
An unexpected sequel with My Sister Lacey ramps up the porcine horror 😱
And the writing of grief and loss after a family dies in a house fire is emotionally devastating.
Some tales I personally would have enjoyed more if they were a bit longer but overall this collection has many tales that will linger in the memory long after reading. A showcase of writing ability.
These stories are all very short, some only a couple of pages. The entire book is about 80 pages but oh my days, @kyrarenewrites knows how to pack emotion into these haunting pieces.
The stories are told in the first person so we get quickly involved with the characters. It's ideal to add intensity in this short format.
Grief, loss, fear, anxiety, monsters both real and imagined are all here along with eerie snapshots of lives where the character is aware that something is not quite right evoking that feeling of uneasiness and dread.
A story of the fear of catching Covid is an early highlight in the collection where there is a real growing sense of panic but as with several of the stories there's a twist.
One standout is My Sister April. Two sisters left home alone and warned by their parents not to leave the house to see to the animals.
They should heed the advice instead of investigating the terrible noises coming from the pigs. What they find is horrific.
A hike in the woods leads to being hunted by a monster. But why can no one agree what it is?
A dog is man's best friend but do we always know what they're doing?
Are there ghosts from the past partying while you shower?
What has happened to all the coffee? Seriously, this is an absolute nightmare. Got to have coffee ☕😬
An unexpected sequel with My Sister Lacey ramps up the porcine horror 😱
And the writing of grief and loss after a family dies in a house fire is emotionally devastating.
Some tales I personally would have enjoyed more if they were a bit longer but overall this collection has many tales that will linger in the memory long after reading. A showcase of writing ability.
December 21, 2022
Kyra R. Torres has a way of writing that can make you either feel like you’ve received the worst news of your life, been told you’ve been being stalked by some creep while you sleep, or make you cackle in delight. The Midnightmare Collection shows this diverse talent at her best. The stories here are the perfect length in my opinion; Kyra has a knack for knowing when to let a story finish, or when more needs to be told. I never felt anything was cut too short, or drug on too long. Stories like Terminal Runway, or Chrysopolae Night will leave you speechless; feeling like you’ve emotionally been hit by a car. The prose is so powerful and beautiful, the storyline so bleak, it’s impossible not to feel a little choked up while reading these grief pieces. Duke, and Woodland Delirium are examples of how Kyra has a talent for giving you just enough information to get into your own head. She creates an atmosphere that feels so foreboding and ominous that each step creates shivers. This isn’t to say this book is filled with the HEAVY; read Tasteless or, one of my faves, Bean Water when it all gets too heavy. They function as little comedic treats to keep you going. This book is a collection of diverse stories that shows a writer at her absolute best. Kyra R. Torres can write, in doing so it’s up to her whether you laugh, cringe, or cry. K thx.
December 1, 2022
I loved the earlier version of this collection, so it's no great surprise that this new and improved edition would get high praise from me. As Torres states in the introduction, "a lot has changed and I wanted this book to reflect those changes." The obvious change (regarding the written word) is the author's ability to really tune into her voice now. There's a real consistency because of this, and we're left in a beautifully poignant world where Torres cranks up the atmosphere, heaping wonderful detail upon wonderful detail. I was really moved by some of the stories dealing with grief and loss, and I find this to be an area where Torres really excells. There's still a warmth and richness to the stories and observations that will leave you smiling. Be careful, though, Kyra R. Torres WILL break your heart.
January 25, 2023
Wow! This was so good!
Some of the stories in this collection will haunt my dreams for a while, and I will be keeping my fingers crossed I don’t ever have to do a Covid test again. Have a read and learn why I feel that way.
Fab stuff. I liked it very!
Some of the stories in this collection will haunt my dreams for a while, and I will be keeping my fingers crossed I don’t ever have to do a Covid test again. Have a read and learn why I feel that way.
Fab stuff. I liked it very!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews