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Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night
Be wary of the year's darkest night...
The first part of a special double-feature anthology from Quill & Crow Publishing House, Bleak The Darkest Night is a winter horror anthology that encompasses the eerie stillness that can only be found in the dead of winter. Honoring the unsettling atmosphere found in Gothic horror, these ten stories will offer you a different sort of chill down your spine while you're curled up reading by candlelight. One a bit more dreadful.
Featuring stories by Robyn Dabney, K.R. Wieland, Sarah Hozumi, Mason McDonald, Trevor James Zaple, Aliya Bree Hall, R.A. Busby, E.M. Linden, Amelia Mangan and KB Willson.
The first part of a special double-feature anthology from Quill & Crow Publishing House, Bleak The Darkest Night is a winter horror anthology that encompasses the eerie stillness that can only be found in the dead of winter. Honoring the unsettling atmosphere found in Gothic horror, these ten stories will offer you a different sort of chill down your spine while you're curled up reading by candlelight. One a bit more dreadful.
Featuring stories by Robyn Dabney, K.R. Wieland, Sarah Hozumi, Mason McDonald, Trevor James Zaple, Aliya Bree Hall, R.A. Busby, E.M. Linden, Amelia Mangan and KB Willson.
- GenresHorrorShort Stories
217 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 17, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 6, 2023
Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night is an anthology that compiles some really great gothic horror stories. Each story, sharing themes of cold, darkness, wilderness, and death (among others), genuinely spooked me as I read through them.
While none of the stories are going to give the average horror reader terrible nightmares, they will stick with you and give you the horror chills and thrills you're looking for.
In particular I really enjoyed:
Don't Say a Word - K.R. Wieland
All Her Little Bones - R.A. Busby
Fading - Sarah Hozumi
Arno - Mason McDonald
While saying that these four were my favorites, every story in this collection was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. I highly recommend this whole collection for fans of short horror stories with just the right amount of spook.
Thank you to Quill and Crow Publishing who provided me with an ARC of this book and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
While none of the stories are going to give the average horror reader terrible nightmares, they will stick with you and give you the horror chills and thrills you're looking for.
In particular I really enjoyed:
Don't Say a Word - K.R. Wieland
All Her Little Bones - R.A. Busby
Fading - Sarah Hozumi
Arno - Mason McDonald
While saying that these four were my favorites, every story in this collection was really good and I thoroughly enjoyed them all. I highly recommend this whole collection for fans of short horror stories with just the right amount of spook.
Thank you to Quill and Crow Publishing who provided me with an ARC of this book and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
December 17, 2022
Quill & Crow Publishing House only publishes the best in gothic fiction/ horror and this anthology is no exception.
Each story featured in this anthology describes perfectly the horrors of winters darkest night. If those horrors are natural or supernatural there's something for everyone in here.
Beware though just like the title implies these stories are absolutely bleak and definitely for the faint of heart.
Each story featured in this anthology describes perfectly the horrors of winters darkest night. If those horrors are natural or supernatural there's something for everyone in here.
Beware though just like the title implies these stories are absolutely bleak and definitely for the faint of heart.
January 19, 2023
I had the pleasure of receiving this book as an ARC and thoroughly enjoyed it. It just happened that I finished it while on vacation to a remote forested area in the middle of a stormy night!
This is an amazing anthology of spooky tales that will leave you on the edge of your seat! Each story is masterfully crafted and flows brilliantly from one to the next.
From folk tales retold and ghost stories, to modern legends and the harsh realities of winter, this collection has something for every fan of horror.
This is an amazing anthology of spooky tales that will leave you on the edge of your seat! Each story is masterfully crafted and flows brilliantly from one to the next.
From folk tales retold and ghost stories, to modern legends and the harsh realities of winter, this collection has something for every fan of horror.
February 8, 2024
Loved all the stories!!
December 12, 2022
Another great anthology from Quill and Crow Publishing. I can honestly say that I am never disappointed, and they are quickly becoming my favorite independent publishing house.
Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night is a fantastic anthology of bleak stories. Each story featuring common themes of forests, cold, death and darkness. Just like other anthologies, I had my favorite stories. While I enjoyed every story there were a few that stuck with me.
All Her Little Bones- R.A. Busby
Relke of the Russet Hair-KB Willson
Arno-Mason McDonald
Overall, each story was written really well. Some of them ended abruptly while others wrapped up nicely. This is the perfect book to read as we are but a week away from the Winter Solstice. I can guarantee that if you love a good anthology then you will not be disappointed with this collection of bleak stories. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night is a fantastic anthology of bleak stories. Each story featuring common themes of forests, cold, death and darkness. Just like other anthologies, I had my favorite stories. While I enjoyed every story there were a few that stuck with me.
All Her Little Bones- R.A. Busby
Relke of the Russet Hair-KB Willson
Arno-Mason McDonald
Overall, each story was written really well. Some of them ended abruptly while others wrapped up nicely. This is the perfect book to read as we are but a week away from the Winter Solstice. I can guarantee that if you love a good anthology then you will not be disappointed with this collection of bleak stories. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
January 3, 2023
Bleak Midwinter, The Darkest Night edited by Damon Barrett Roe and Cassandra L. Thompson
The Foreword by Cassandra L. Thompson appears to be missing in the electronic ARC I read. Apart from that, this collection of surreal and disturbing Gothic horror stories will make your skin creep off your flesh to slither under the door and hide somewhere (in a good way).
The Utburd, Robyn Dabney - A disgraced nature photographer is out in the Arctic wilderness trying to gain a shot of a huge, albino reindeer. But something else also waits for him in the woods…
The mood and description of the Arctic night in a Lapland forest was absorbing and engaged all the senses, and I also loved the usage of Finnish words and myths. I learned a new word (berm) and the use of the camera as a light source with which to view the source of Jaska's creeping terror was a fantastic storytelling device.
The Forest’s Call, Aliya Bree Hall - A Red Riding Hood retelling in which the forest is described as a character in its own right, almost the archetype of spring in contrast to the separate nature character, Father Winter. I also liked the author's way of describing emotions as if they were animated and affecting certain body parts.
Don’t Say a Word, K.R. Wieland - A story that plucks the heartstrings, told alongside the lyrics to a well-known song. Trigger Warning: involves labour / birth and difficulties in childbirth along with some gory medical stuff.
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple - A story set in the Great War during times of rationing, where a put-upon housewife caring for an abusive father and her children notices strange footprints in the snow around their home. The tale introduced me to a beautiful saying, "Where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving."
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby - Written as a log for future readers to find, this story has a tone that put me in mind of Dean Koontz. It concerns a weird shelter on a hiking trail which does disturbing things to time and space, and some gory ghostly apparitions. In spite of the terror, the ending was somehow touching.
Fading, Sarah Hozumi - What is a man to a tidal wave? If only we could know… A man suffers disturbing hallucinations (are they hallucinations?) after witnessing his wife's sudden and painful death in a winter filled with violent strangers, a decaying world and societal collapse. I liked the author's unique turns of phrase and how she showed the derailment of the narrator's mind by subtle degrees.
Relke of the Russet Hair, KB Willson - I enjoyed the worldbuilding and winter ritual in this story, as well as its almost ancient, archetypal quality. It put me in mind of something Ursula Le Guin would write.
The New Moon Through Glass, E.M. Linden - They say it's bad luck to first view the new moon through glass. In this story of two evacuees billeting with a childless couple, there are some weird qualities to the evacuee named Georgie, and his presence nags at Rose's memory of a distant disaster, in the end making her know herself for the person she never thought she would be.
The Prisoner and the Robe, Amelia Mangan - I loved the author's voice and vocabulary in this story, and the gory but beautiful Mervyn Peake-style world she has created. It also put me in mind of Gene Wolfe. (This story is NSFW, trigger warning: self-harm, sadomasochism, BDSM torture, murder.)
Arno, Mason McDonald - A fascinating story about an ancient house and barn in a landscape that holds Giants prisoner, a bereaved woman seeking shelter from the winter weather with her frostbitten children, and a disturbing, neglected child who is a monster. This story reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Merged review:
Bleak Midwinter, The Darkest Night edited by Damon Barrett Roe and Cassandra L. Thompson
The Foreword by Cassandra L. Thompson appears to be missing in the electronic ARC I read. Apart from that, this collection of surreal and disturbing Gothic horror stories will make your skin creep off your flesh to slither under the door and hide somewhere (in a good way).
The Utburd, Robyn Dabney - A disgraced nature photographer is out in the Arctic wilderness trying to gain a shot of a huge, albino reindeer. But something else also waits for him in the woods…
The mood and description of the Arctic night in a Lapland forest was absorbing and engaged all the senses, and I also loved the usage of Finnish words and myths. I learned a new word (berm) and the use of the camera as a light source with which to view the source of Jaska's creeping terror was a fantastic storytelling device.
The Forest’s Call, Aliya Bree Hall - A Red Riding Hood retelling in which the forest is described as a character in its own right, almost the archetype of spring in contrast to the separate nature character, Father Winter. I also liked the author's way of describing emotions as if they were animated and affecting certain body parts.
Don’t Say a Word, K.R. Wieland - A story that plucks the heartstrings, told alongside the lyrics to a well-known song. Trigger Warning: involves labour / birth and difficulties in childbirth along with some gory medical stuff.
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple - A story set in the Great War during times of rationing, where a put-upon housewife caring for an abusive father and her children notices strange footprints in the snow around their home. The tale introduced me to a beautiful saying, "Where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving."
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby - Written as a log for future readers to find, this story has a tone that put me in mind of Dean Koontz. It concerns a weird shelter on a hiking trail which does disturbing things to time and space, and some gory ghostly apparitions. In spite of the terror, the ending was somehow touching.
Fading, Sarah Hozumi - What is a man to a tidal wave? If only we could know… A man suffers disturbing hallucinations (are they hallucinations?) after witnessing his wife's sudden and painful death in a winter filled with violent strangers, a decaying world and societal collapse. I liked the author's unique turns of phrase and how she showed the derailment of the narrator's mind by subtle degrees.
Relke of the Russet Hair, KB Willson - I enjoyed the worldbuilding and winter ritual in this story, as well as its almost ancient, archetypal quality. It put me in mind of something Ursula Le Guin would write.
The New Moon Through Glass, E.M. Linden - They say it's bad luck to first view the new moon through glass. In this story of two evacuees billeting with a childless couple, there are some weird qualities to the evacuee named Georgie, and his presence nags at Rose's memory of a distant disaster, in the end making her know herself for the person she never thought she would be.
The Prisoner and the Robe, Amelia Mangan - I loved the author's voice and vocabulary in this story, and the gory but beautiful Mervyn Peake-style world she has created. It also put me in mind of Gene Wolfe. (This story is NSFW, trigger warning: self-harm, sadomasochism, BDSM torture, murder.)
Arno, Mason McDonald - A fascinating story about an ancient house and barn in a landscape that holds Giants prisoner, a bereaved woman seeking shelter from the winter weather with her frostbitten children, and a disturbing, neglected child who is a monster. This story reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
The Foreword by Cassandra L. Thompson appears to be missing in the electronic ARC I read. Apart from that, this collection of surreal and disturbing Gothic horror stories will make your skin creep off your flesh to slither under the door and hide somewhere (in a good way).
The Utburd, Robyn Dabney - A disgraced nature photographer is out in the Arctic wilderness trying to gain a shot of a huge, albino reindeer. But something else also waits for him in the woods…
The mood and description of the Arctic night in a Lapland forest was absorbing and engaged all the senses, and I also loved the usage of Finnish words and myths. I learned a new word (berm) and the use of the camera as a light source with which to view the source of Jaska's creeping terror was a fantastic storytelling device.
The Forest’s Call, Aliya Bree Hall - A Red Riding Hood retelling in which the forest is described as a character in its own right, almost the archetype of spring in contrast to the separate nature character, Father Winter. I also liked the author's way of describing emotions as if they were animated and affecting certain body parts.
Don’t Say a Word, K.R. Wieland - A story that plucks the heartstrings, told alongside the lyrics to a well-known song. Trigger Warning: involves labour / birth and difficulties in childbirth along with some gory medical stuff.
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple - A story set in the Great War during times of rationing, where a put-upon housewife caring for an abusive father and her children notices strange footprints in the snow around their home. The tale introduced me to a beautiful saying, "Where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving."
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby - Written as a log for future readers to find, this story has a tone that put me in mind of Dean Koontz. It concerns a weird shelter on a hiking trail which does disturbing things to time and space, and some gory ghostly apparitions. In spite of the terror, the ending was somehow touching.
Fading, Sarah Hozumi - What is a man to a tidal wave? If only we could know… A man suffers disturbing hallucinations (are they hallucinations?) after witnessing his wife's sudden and painful death in a winter filled with violent strangers, a decaying world and societal collapse. I liked the author's unique turns of phrase and how she showed the derailment of the narrator's mind by subtle degrees.
Relke of the Russet Hair, KB Willson - I enjoyed the worldbuilding and winter ritual in this story, as well as its almost ancient, archetypal quality. It put me in mind of something Ursula Le Guin would write.
The New Moon Through Glass, E.M. Linden - They say it's bad luck to first view the new moon through glass. In this story of two evacuees billeting with a childless couple, there are some weird qualities to the evacuee named Georgie, and his presence nags at Rose's memory of a distant disaster, in the end making her know herself for the person she never thought she would be.
The Prisoner and the Robe, Amelia Mangan - I loved the author's voice and vocabulary in this story, and the gory but beautiful Mervyn Peake-style world she has created. It also put me in mind of Gene Wolfe. (This story is NSFW, trigger warning: self-harm, sadomasochism, BDSM torture, murder.)
Arno, Mason McDonald - A fascinating story about an ancient house and barn in a landscape that holds Giants prisoner, a bereaved woman seeking shelter from the winter weather with her frostbitten children, and a disturbing, neglected child who is a monster. This story reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Merged review:
Bleak Midwinter, The Darkest Night edited by Damon Barrett Roe and Cassandra L. Thompson
The Foreword by Cassandra L. Thompson appears to be missing in the electronic ARC I read. Apart from that, this collection of surreal and disturbing Gothic horror stories will make your skin creep off your flesh to slither under the door and hide somewhere (in a good way).
The Utburd, Robyn Dabney - A disgraced nature photographer is out in the Arctic wilderness trying to gain a shot of a huge, albino reindeer. But something else also waits for him in the woods…
The mood and description of the Arctic night in a Lapland forest was absorbing and engaged all the senses, and I also loved the usage of Finnish words and myths. I learned a new word (berm) and the use of the camera as a light source with which to view the source of Jaska's creeping terror was a fantastic storytelling device.
The Forest’s Call, Aliya Bree Hall - A Red Riding Hood retelling in which the forest is described as a character in its own right, almost the archetype of spring in contrast to the separate nature character, Father Winter. I also liked the author's way of describing emotions as if they were animated and affecting certain body parts.
Don’t Say a Word, K.R. Wieland - A story that plucks the heartstrings, told alongside the lyrics to a well-known song. Trigger Warning: involves labour / birth and difficulties in childbirth along with some gory medical stuff.
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple - A story set in the Great War during times of rationing, where a put-upon housewife caring for an abusive father and her children notices strange footprints in the snow around their home. The tale introduced me to a beautiful saying, "Where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving."
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby - Written as a log for future readers to find, this story has a tone that put me in mind of Dean Koontz. It concerns a weird shelter on a hiking trail which does disturbing things to time and space, and some gory ghostly apparitions. In spite of the terror, the ending was somehow touching.
Fading, Sarah Hozumi - What is a man to a tidal wave? If only we could know… A man suffers disturbing hallucinations (are they hallucinations?) after witnessing his wife's sudden and painful death in a winter filled with violent strangers, a decaying world and societal collapse. I liked the author's unique turns of phrase and how she showed the derailment of the narrator's mind by subtle degrees.
Relke of the Russet Hair, KB Willson - I enjoyed the worldbuilding and winter ritual in this story, as well as its almost ancient, archetypal quality. It put me in mind of something Ursula Le Guin would write.
The New Moon Through Glass, E.M. Linden - They say it's bad luck to first view the new moon through glass. In this story of two evacuees billeting with a childless couple, there are some weird qualities to the evacuee named Georgie, and his presence nags at Rose's memory of a distant disaster, in the end making her know herself for the person she never thought she would be.
The Prisoner and the Robe, Amelia Mangan - I loved the author's voice and vocabulary in this story, and the gory but beautiful Mervyn Peake-style world she has created. It also put me in mind of Gene Wolfe. (This story is NSFW, trigger warning: self-harm, sadomasochism, BDSM torture, murder.)
Arno, Mason McDonald - A fascinating story about an ancient house and barn in a landscape that holds Giants prisoner, a bereaved woman seeking shelter from the winter weather with her frostbitten children, and a disturbing, neglected child who is a monster. This story reminded me of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos.
I received a free advance review copy of this book and am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 26, 2022
Disclaimer:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don't know if it was a good idea to read this during actual midwinter in Eastern Canada - I was already living the cold and the dark, and cold and dark is what you get from these stories. I recommend getting as cozy as humanly possible prior to reading, because the settings for these tales will have your nose and toes froze in no time. That is, if you're lucky enough to avoid true frostbite…
The selection of stories in this book is diverse in its interpretations of the theme. It does get a bit repetitive to hear about how cold it is, but I mean, that's to be expected. The horror element is mostly very understated, a sort of creepy insidious feeling you really only start noticing when you're already shivering with it. (Get it? Like a cold wind? I am such a dork.)
I did think some things were left a little… unpolished? Not quite finished? It didn't make the book bad, but a bit more work could have taken it from pretty good to truly great. Obviously not the same issue for every story; but I had an impression of "wait, what? Is that the end of the story?" for a couple of them, and some fairly purple prose in others. Normally I wouldn't nitpick too much at writing style, but there were a few times I legitimately had to reread a sentence 3 or 4 times to understand it - and that takes me completely out of the atmosphere, so. There's that.
I think my favorite of the lot was All Her Little Bones, by R.A. Busby. I also found myself strangely compelled by Amelia Mangan's The Prisoner And The Robe. All in all a pretty good read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don't know if it was a good idea to read this during actual midwinter in Eastern Canada - I was already living the cold and the dark, and cold and dark is what you get from these stories. I recommend getting as cozy as humanly possible prior to reading, because the settings for these tales will have your nose and toes froze in no time. That is, if you're lucky enough to avoid true frostbite…
The selection of stories in this book is diverse in its interpretations of the theme. It does get a bit repetitive to hear about how cold it is, but I mean, that's to be expected. The horror element is mostly very understated, a sort of creepy insidious feeling you really only start noticing when you're already shivering with it. (Get it? Like a cold wind? I am such a dork.)
I did think some things were left a little… unpolished? Not quite finished? It didn't make the book bad, but a bit more work could have taken it from pretty good to truly great. Obviously not the same issue for every story; but I had an impression of "wait, what? Is that the end of the story?" for a couple of them, and some fairly purple prose in others. Normally I wouldn't nitpick too much at writing style, but there were a few times I legitimately had to reread a sentence 3 or 4 times to understand it - and that takes me completely out of the atmosphere, so. There's that.
I think my favorite of the lot was All Her Little Bones, by R.A. Busby. I also found myself strangely compelled by Amelia Mangan's The Prisoner And The Robe. All in all a pretty good read!
March 13, 2023
I was brought up on Poe, Lovecraft and this book has trigger warnings1 It's a first for me, a book that tells the reader that a story contains info about death! Wow scary. better not. How about violence or suicide. What did the publisher think? If you think that this is scary stuff then never read anything except a Mills and Boon .
Okay, there are a few stories that are reasonably good - and only one that even to a hard core reader stopped me dead and that one was The Prisoner and the Robe by Amelia Mangan - now that was horror at its best. Other tales worth a mention are Relke of the Russet Hair a tale that allows your mind to wonder to new realms of ancient forces linking to a human. Love it.
The Utburd and Arno for creating an atmospheric at night - not horror as such but worth a read. That's it. There are many more stories which should never have been published - I wonder if the authors paid to have them included?
I hope never to get a book ever again that has trigger warnings. What has today's reader become? If you don't like the idea of pulling up the bed sheets or allowing your imagination to run then stick to the Janet and John books.
The rest of the short stories don't even come close to a bleak midwinter tale. Baby stuff.
Okay, there are a few stories that are reasonably good - and only one that even to a hard core reader stopped me dead and that one was The Prisoner and the Robe by Amelia Mangan - now that was horror at its best. Other tales worth a mention are Relke of the Russet Hair a tale that allows your mind to wonder to new realms of ancient forces linking to a human. Love it.
The Utburd and Arno for creating an atmospheric at night - not horror as such but worth a read. That's it. There are many more stories which should never have been published - I wonder if the authors paid to have them included?
I hope never to get a book ever again that has trigger warnings. What has today's reader become? If you don't like the idea of pulling up the bed sheets or allowing your imagination to run then stick to the Janet and John books.
The rest of the short stories don't even come close to a bleak midwinter tale. Baby stuff.
January 7, 2023
I received an advance copy for free. This review is voluntary, and honest.
Free or not, I’d have paid for this collection. This was a genuinely engaging and varied read! The theme (check the title) is well explored through different voices, points of view, and some truly unsettling situations. The stories are well crafted, and there are definitely names to watch in the horror fiction world.
I wondered if I would tire of the theme tying such different stories together—-I didn’t. This collection is well worth the read, and I’ll be acquiring future volumes without question (and watching for more from more than several of the authors).
I’m reminded of great collections like Greenberg, Skipp & Spector, and Datlow have put together over the years—-the theme is explored in novel, exciting ways, and the reader gets to sample new voices. Not every story nails its landing, but even so remain engaging. It’s a collection, and any reader’s MMV in any case. I didn’t quit on any of the stories.
All in all? Top marks from this reader.
Free or not, I’d have paid for this collection. This was a genuinely engaging and varied read! The theme (check the title) is well explored through different voices, points of view, and some truly unsettling situations. The stories are well crafted, and there are definitely names to watch in the horror fiction world.
I wondered if I would tire of the theme tying such different stories together—-I didn’t. This collection is well worth the read, and I’ll be acquiring future volumes without question (and watching for more from more than several of the authors).
I’m reminded of great collections like Greenberg, Skipp & Spector, and Datlow have put together over the years—-the theme is explored in novel, exciting ways, and the reader gets to sample new voices. Not every story nails its landing, but even so remain engaging. It’s a collection, and any reader’s MMV in any case. I didn’t quit on any of the stories.
All in all? Top marks from this reader.
December 18, 2022
I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an open and honest review.
Where to begin? Every story stuck true to the theme of a bleak midwinter sort of story and left me feeling bone-deep chills, a invasive cold hard to banish even curled up under a blanket and with hand-warmers on. Every author did an absolute solid job with words absolutely wrought with frigid horrors in many different types and flavors.
No story lagged behind any of the others, and I would be hard pressed to say any were not good. Each and every one struck deep like an icicle to the heart. Some of the stories still live rent free in my head, and while each one left me wanting more, there were a few that left me ravenous to feel warmth again.
All Her Little Bones by R.A. Busby,
The Prisoner & The Robe by Amelia Mangan,
and Arno by Mason McDonald.
Seriously, though? I loved each and every story and they all stood on their own merits.
Where to begin? Every story stuck true to the theme of a bleak midwinter sort of story and left me feeling bone-deep chills, a invasive cold hard to banish even curled up under a blanket and with hand-warmers on. Every author did an absolute solid job with words absolutely wrought with frigid horrors in many different types and flavors.
No story lagged behind any of the others, and I would be hard pressed to say any were not good. Each and every one struck deep like an icicle to the heart. Some of the stories still live rent free in my head, and while each one left me wanting more, there were a few that left me ravenous to feel warmth again.
All Her Little Bones by R.A. Busby,
The Prisoner & The Robe by Amelia Mangan,
and Arno by Mason McDonald.
Seriously, though? I loved each and every story and they all stood on their own merits.
December 16, 2022
In the dark of winter things can be dreadfully grim.
To begin with these stories are creative and well written. They paint a vivid picture of the hardships, sadness and the ghosts that the frigid winter months can bring. While very well woven, some of the stories were a little too sad for my personal taste. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading them. Words are supposed to strike emotions and feelings and these cold tales do just that. Quill&Crow always places trigger warnings at the back of their publications, not only is it helpful but greatly appreciated. Altogether this is a great anthology, ghosts, dread, loss, pain, and bittersweet endings sprinkled with heavy snow. I’m glad I read it and if you’re looking to feel some emotions, from some great authors, absolutely give it a read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
To begin with these stories are creative and well written. They paint a vivid picture of the hardships, sadness and the ghosts that the frigid winter months can bring. While very well woven, some of the stories were a little too sad for my personal taste. Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading them. Words are supposed to strike emotions and feelings and these cold tales do just that. Quill&Crow always places trigger warnings at the back of their publications, not only is it helpful but greatly appreciated. Altogether this is a great anthology, ghosts, dread, loss, pain, and bittersweet endings sprinkled with heavy snow. I’m glad I read it and if you’re looking to feel some emotions, from some great authors, absolutely give it a read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 7, 2023
What a stellar anthology from Quill
& Crow Publishing. Usually I'm not a lover of anthologies as I tend to find my enjoyment for the stories aren't weighted equally but this anthology is the exception! I loved every short story in here, each providing its own individual creepiness and drawing on themes of darkness, wilderness and death. If I had to pick my top three they would be (in no particular order)
All her little bones by R A Busby
Arno by Mason Mcdonald
Don't say a word by K R Wieland
Whether you like natural or supernatual horror there is something here for you.
Whilst it didn't give me nightmares it certainly made me feel uneasy reading it in the dark and left a lasting spooky impression on me long after I finished. Can't wait for volume 2!
I received an adva ce review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
& Crow Publishing. Usually I'm not a lover of anthologies as I tend to find my enjoyment for the stories aren't weighted equally but this anthology is the exception! I loved every short story in here, each providing its own individual creepiness and drawing on themes of darkness, wilderness and death. If I had to pick my top three they would be (in no particular order)
All her little bones by R A Busby
Arno by Mason Mcdonald
Don't say a word by K R Wieland
Whether you like natural or supernatual horror there is something here for you.
Whilst it didn't give me nightmares it certainly made me feel uneasy reading it in the dark and left a lasting spooky impression on me long after I finished. Can't wait for volume 2!
I received an adva ce review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily and honestly.
December 16, 2022
A fantastic anthology of gothic horror stories. Each entry brought a unique perspective to the table about isolation, loneliness, human suffering, and what it means to fight for survival at an unforgiving time of year. There was so much to savor and think about in each one, and while they are creepy stories dealing with heavy themes, this reader at least was left feeling connected and not so isolated because the stories carried realistic elements and emotions that often permeate the holiday season but are shrouded in lights and phony joy and not given space. I love authenticity in writing and this carried it from page one through to the end.
January 17, 2023
I’m a fan of short stories and this anthology did not disappoint. Each tale was vivid and immersive. That said, a few favorites stuck out that I’d like to highlight. These include:
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple, which is set against the backdrop of the Great War and gave me…All. The. Feels.
The Forest’s Call, by Aliya Bree Hall. A sucker for retellings, this is a haunting take on Red Riding Hood.
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby. I really liked the approach here. It’s a log of journal-style entries.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this ARC. These opinions are my own and are being expressed without bias.
Where Ghosts Walk, Trevor James Zaple, which is set against the backdrop of the Great War and gave me…All. The. Feels.
The Forest’s Call, by Aliya Bree Hall. A sucker for retellings, this is a haunting take on Red Riding Hood.
All Her Little Bones, R.A. Busby. I really liked the approach here. It’s a log of journal-style entries.
Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this ARC. These opinions are my own and are being expressed without bias.
January 19, 2023
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I will be honest, this is not my normal genre as of late, but it is so worth the read. Reading this took me back to when I was younger, when horror was my FAVORITE. The stories are detailed and kept my attention--the twists were there and were absolutely lovely. I felt connected to the characters and as each story went on, it kept me emotionally invested. I would love to detail story by story what I thought, but I wouldn't be able to stop myself from giving spoilers on each one. I will say this much, these stories have stuck with me. This was a five star anthology for me!
I will be honest, this is not my normal genre as of late, but it is so worth the read. Reading this took me back to when I was younger, when horror was my FAVORITE. The stories are detailed and kept my attention--the twists were there and were absolutely lovely. I felt connected to the characters and as each story went on, it kept me emotionally invested. I would love to detail story by story what I thought, but I wouldn't be able to stop myself from giving spoilers on each one. I will say this much, these stories have stuck with me. This was a five star anthology for me!
January 5, 2023
I've read several collections from Quill & Crow, and this one is my favorite so far. The stories in this collection were truly horrifying (in the best way!), and I find myself thinking back on several of them a couple days after reading them. Each story in this collection does a stunning job capturing the loneliness and, occasionally, terror that accompanies winter. I'm excited to read the second collection in this series!
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.
December 24, 2022
I received this book for free as an advanced reader copy for an honest review. My honest review is that if you love spooky dark stories that will draw you in this is for you! This amazing anthology of stories reminded me of dark spooky tales that you could share while around a campfire in a creepy forest.
January 11, 2023
Dark and sinister but compels a morbid curiosity.
These stories change in eras and vary in their links with folklore but the woodland setting is shared amongst most of them, creating a shared sense of mystery and intrigue. The sense of isolation and preying on vulnerabilities is also shared amongst the stories, developing a primal fear in the reader which crawled under my skin.
This collection of stories drew me in and there were a few I would I have liked to delve further into, but I’d approach with caution… I’d recommend this as a read for December as January is dark and dreary enough as it is!
Well written, left me thinking and also feeling grateful for my lot in life!
These stories change in eras and vary in their links with folklore but the woodland setting is shared amongst most of them, creating a shared sense of mystery and intrigue. The sense of isolation and preying on vulnerabilities is also shared amongst the stories, developing a primal fear in the reader which crawled under my skin.
This collection of stories drew me in and there were a few I would I have liked to delve further into, but I’d approach with caution… I’d recommend this as a read for December as January is dark and dreary enough as it is!
Well written, left me thinking and also feeling grateful for my lot in life!
December 28, 2022
I loved this book couldn’t put it down. My favorite would have to be the first story. Would recommend this to everyone. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 12, 2023
It has been a while since I read any dark stories, and these did not disappoint. They were easy to read, with a few chills, and I loved reading them.
I received an ARC copy of this book for review but that did not influence my review.
I received an ARC copy of this book for review but that did not influence my review.
January 4, 2023
This is the perfect book for the cold snowy nights with gothic spooky horror. Has trigger warnings too so please read them before starting the stories.
Read
January 6, 2023Quill and Crow Publishing put out an anthology called The Darkest Night - Bleak Midwinter Book One edited by Cassandra L. Thompson and Damon Barret Roe. The international authors of the ten included stories allowed the chill of winter to creep into their well-written words.
The Utburd: A Finnish Folktale by Robyn Dabney was not only the first of the stories presented. It was also one of my favorites. In it, an adulterous, disgraced photographer searches for a rare albino reindeer with black antlers. “Snow clung to the trees in heavy clumps, turning them from sentinel conifers into wicked winter shadows.” The lush language added to the reading experience.
The Forest’s Call by Aliya Bree Hall reinvented the Red Riding Hood legend by personifying the forest in which Grandmother lived.
Don’t Say a Word by K.R. Wieland was a tale of a doomed family and the ravages of winter. This one made me cry.
Where Ghosts Walk by Trevor James Zaple is set during WWI when “where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving.”
All Her Little Bones by R.A. Busby is told through a traveler’s journal. This was the scariest of the group and perfectly exemplifies while I’ll never willingly go hiking alone. Nope.
Fading by Sarah Hozumi is nonlinear in its storytelling, circling back to a couple during a breakdown in society - and possibly mentally as well. Some of the images in this will haunt me.
Relke of the Russet Hair by K.B. Willson is another of my favorites, with its folk tale vibes, memorable lead, and solstice personified. It brought Terry Pratchett’s Wintersmith to mind, but in a much darker, more primal way.
The New Moon Through Glass by E.M. Linden is set during WWII when London’s children were evacuated to the countryside. Rose and Matthew take in not one child, as they reluctantly signed up for, but two. I must say, I was unfamiliar with the belief that one should not first view a new moon through glass. I’ll keep it in mind for the future, though!
The Prisoner and the Robe by Amelia Mangan is an historic piece involving a torturer and his new assistant. It’s gorier than the others.
Arno by Mason McDonald is poetic in presentation and features a nasty trickster. “Like the house is crying tears of blood, weeping for something we cannot know.” This story leans on legends of giants to craft a stirring conclusion of the anthology.
There are trigger warnings listed for each story at the end of the book. As the title freely admits, this is a book filled with the bleak realities of the coldest season, told through the lens of some literary tales by talented writers.
The Utburd: A Finnish Folktale by Robyn Dabney was not only the first of the stories presented. It was also one of my favorites. In it, an adulterous, disgraced photographer searches for a rare albino reindeer with black antlers. “Snow clung to the trees in heavy clumps, turning them from sentinel conifers into wicked winter shadows.” The lush language added to the reading experience.
The Forest’s Call by Aliya Bree Hall reinvented the Red Riding Hood legend by personifying the forest in which Grandmother lived.
Don’t Say a Word by K.R. Wieland was a tale of a doomed family and the ravages of winter. This one made me cry.
Where Ghosts Walk by Trevor James Zaple is set during WWI when “where ghosts walk, there is loving or thieving.”
All Her Little Bones by R.A. Busby is told through a traveler’s journal. This was the scariest of the group and perfectly exemplifies while I’ll never willingly go hiking alone. Nope.
Fading by Sarah Hozumi is nonlinear in its storytelling, circling back to a couple during a breakdown in society - and possibly mentally as well. Some of the images in this will haunt me.
Relke of the Russet Hair by K.B. Willson is another of my favorites, with its folk tale vibes, memorable lead, and solstice personified. It brought Terry Pratchett’s Wintersmith to mind, but in a much darker, more primal way.
The New Moon Through Glass by E.M. Linden is set during WWII when London’s children were evacuated to the countryside. Rose and Matthew take in not one child, as they reluctantly signed up for, but two. I must say, I was unfamiliar with the belief that one should not first view a new moon through glass. I’ll keep it in mind for the future, though!
The Prisoner and the Robe by Amelia Mangan is an historic piece involving a torturer and his new assistant. It’s gorier than the others.
Arno by Mason McDonald is poetic in presentation and features a nasty trickster. “Like the house is crying tears of blood, weeping for something we cannot know.” This story leans on legends of giants to craft a stirring conclusion of the anthology.
There are trigger warnings listed for each story at the end of the book. As the title freely admits, this is a book filled with the bleak realities of the coldest season, told through the lens of some literary tales by talented writers.
January 24, 2023
I'm always beyond thrilled whenever Quill and Crow announce an upcoming anthology release. Every volume delivers such an amazingly entertaining collection of stories, and I just adore the different themes being explored, whilst also keeping within the confines of what it means to be gothic.
So when they announced that Bleak Midwinter would be released as a double feature, I was over the moon!
Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night explores the horrors of the winter season; the desperation against the numbing cold, and the fading hope as people succumb to winter's perils.
My favourite of the collection is The Prisoner & The Robe by Amelia Mangan. This story in particular was so dark and disturbing, yet there was something about it that kept me reading.
For a darker twist on gothic winter tales, I definitely recommend The Darkest Night, and I look forwards to reading the second book Solstice Light.
So when they announced that Bleak Midwinter would be released as a double feature, I was over the moon!
Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night explores the horrors of the winter season; the desperation against the numbing cold, and the fading hope as people succumb to winter's perils.
My favourite of the collection is The Prisoner & The Robe by Amelia Mangan. This story in particular was so dark and disturbing, yet there was something about it that kept me reading.
For a darker twist on gothic winter tales, I definitely recommend The Darkest Night, and I look forwards to reading the second book Solstice Light.
January 10, 2023
Most anthologies tend to be a bit like the curate's egg - good in parts - but the editors have done a quite brilliant job on this one, with every story a real cracker, as cold and dark as a winter's night (some very dark indeed!), and each utterly captivating. Releasing the antho just before Christmas was a stroke of genius, for these stories are exactly the sort of Gothic chillers that long winter nights were made for, and as I have said, they don't disappoint. It is difficult to talk about a favourite, as they are all, in their own way, excellent, but I feel I do need to give a shout out to Amelia Mangan's 'The Prisoner and the Robe', which is quite extraordinary in the way she manages to create what is in effect a soul-wrenchingly touching love story from the grimmest of premises. This is volume one of a double edition... needless to say I can't wait to read the second!
January 8, 2023
This anthology is so aptly titled! Bleak Midwinter: The Darkest Night is truly bleak, in the best way. If you're looking for atmospheric horror to keep you on the edge of your seat in these darkest nights of the year, this book is for you! Some of the stories were a tad on the slow side for me but they didn't detract from the overall collection. Be sure to read the trigger warnings but don't be afraid to pick this up.
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.
January 1, 2023
I enjoyed the stories in this book. They had twists I didn’t see coming and were the perfect amount of spooky.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.
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