Blind Rage by Nick Clausen is a tense, action-packed, and bloody tale about a sudden event that affects the whole world. While some people struggle to understand what is going on as they try to survive, curiosity gets the best of most as they just can’t help but look up.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. I also preordered a copy.

This story begins with a normal, every day type of scene; we’re in a board room of an office when suddenly one character can’t hear. But what happens next dives us right into the thick of things…

There’s something in the sky that is making people go blind both literally as well as blind with rage. But these people aren’t really human any longer, they’re violent beings that will do anything to tear the living apart.

Centered around a group of characters, we see the confusion and terror that stems from the event play out from varying perspectives as the chapters jump from one character to another.

But it’s not just the blind beings that these characters should fear. There are also vigilantes taking things into their own hands, other people who are afraid and acting out, medical concerns, and much more.

I’ve said this before about Nick’s work with the Dead Meat series, but this is another that makes it just impossible to put down! There are characters that you will be rooting for, and some you won’t mind seeing if they meet their end. I picked this one up on a Saturday and read right straight through. I just could not pull myself away from the story.

Sixty seconds ago, he was sitting in the usual Monday morning meeting, fighting to keep his eyes open. Now he’s thrown into a goddam Stephen King novel come to life.

There’s less than two seconds to react.
Erika spends both of those two seconds screaming.

Blind Rage is the first book in the Under the Breaking Sky series and I am already obsessed. I cannot wait to see where this series goes!

If you enjoy action that doesn’t shy away from the brutal bits, and events that will make you question what you would do in the characters shoes, this a must-read!

The Sound of Breaking Glass (and other weird tales) by Christine Makepeace is a collection about reality and the emotions that come into play in various situations. Centering around loss and feeling stuck, these tales will really push readers to think and feel while reading.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

This is such an interesting collection! I loved how different each tale was and the range of characters that we were introduced to.

The characters inside this collection were all struggling with various things; poverty, grief, isolation and the feeling of being lost, feeling stuck, and other such things. But one of the most interesting elements for me was discovering how each of the characters reacted to what they were faced with.

My favorites from this collection include:

Here are my notes on each tale:

Magic Hour – Five Stars

A woman who is tired of her life spots a microwave at a yard sale. Intrigued, she heads over. After an odd conversation with a little girl, the woman leaves with the microwave and an old picture in a frame. Little does she know that this is about to change her life.

I loved this one! My heart broke for the woman at first, and all I wanted to see was for her to find a bit of happiness. This one was short and sweet and it will certainly stick with me.

And Golden is How You Left Me – Four Stars

When a woman vents to her roommate about a noise she hears coming from outside, the roommate tries to brush it off and calm her down. But the next day, the sounds are louder and the two realize that there are some very strange things going on. Determined to find out what, they head out to find the source.

This one was so unsettling! We all know how annoying it can be when a neighbor is doing something that causes a steady noise, like a lawnmower, leaf blower, or vacuum. While we know it will happen, we can’t help but be irked by the intrusion of the noise into our homes. The ending of this one was so spooky!

Last Will & Testament – Four Stars

When a woman returns to the home of her late uncle/man who adopted her, she just wants to find out what he left her so she can leave. But of course there are strings attached to every option she is given. And none of the options sound particularly good.  

This one was unsettling from the start and didn’t ease up! 

If You’re Looking For It, It’s Not Here – Five Stars

Two men are tasked with a job, but on location, they start to realize that they are in way over their heads.

Oh my gosh, this one made me claustrophobic. I was so ready for a jump scare to happen! 

Beg the Bee’s Forgiveness – Three Stars

Traveling on the River Styx, we see the emotions of this woman and she’s about to enter the gates. 

Phew this one packs a meaningful punch with the passage about how everyone wishes for more time. This story makes you ask what you’re doing with your life and the time you currently have. Are you making the most of it? 

Empty Nest – Four Stars

When a woman is asked to be put into assisted living, her son and daughter-in-law are tasked with cleaning out her home. They donate things, but bring back a car load of boxes. Unfortunately there was a bewitched doll in there, and it’s about to make itself known to this couple.

This one is so creepy! The scene with the doll running back and forth in the hallway? No thank you! I hate dolls!

A Date to the Ball – Three Stars

At a cocktail party, this guest meets a strange and unusual being. But our antisocial lead is a bit strange and unusual herself!

The anxiety this one gave me… phew!

The Sound of Breaking Glass – Three Stars

When strange things begin happening to one of the roommates, our main character just wants to help. But when things start getting worse, she puts her trust in her roommate and they go upstate to visit people they think can help.

This tale was so bizarre and unsettling. It certainly makes readers think about how far they would go to help before getting out of the situation.

Crush It – Four Stars

When a woman tries to tell a very rude man that she hasn’t been trained on using an old freight elevator, he pushes her to do it anyway. Of course, this doesn’t end well.

This one got my blood boiling! This poor woman. 

Who Hung the Moon? – Three Stars

A woman unhappy with her job and her life looks inside herself to find her calling.

That ending!

The sound had become so loud—so encompassing— that it had also become silence. 

It’s like a rollercoaster I never wanted to ride, but here I am, and the only way off is to ride it till the end. 

It felt like the room was dry land and everything else was the ocean, and he’d been drowning for hours without even realizing it. 

While I would definitely place this one in the horror genre, there are so many different undertones here that were fun to uncover while reading through.

Christine is certainly an author that fans of unsettling and emotional horror should be keeping an eye on!

A Song for the End by Kit Power is a fast-paced, heart-pumping, bloody, and intense tale about a song that has very strong power over anyone that hears it.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

When a band creates a song, they think they have a hit! Of course they do what any band would do, they upload it on the internet to see what their fans think.

They soon learn that this song is indeed a hit as it goes viral. But the song isn’t just hitting the listeners eardrums; it’s also affecting their fans in a way that they couldn’t have predicted…

Turns out, this song forces anyone that hears it to tell the truth. If the don’t, they die.

This story will immediately pull readers in. From the initial excitement of the band making the hit, to the confusion of what was happening, to the full-blown terror once we realize exactly what is going on and how quickly it’s spreading, this tale will not let you go!

And I mean, just the premise… Who doesn’t dream of a world where everyone is actually truthful? The quests of the two main characters here pulled me back and forth as I couldn’t choose who I would personally side with.

And one last note before I roll into my favorite passages. Just check out that cover! It RULES! I need a t-shirt or hoodie with this design on is ASAP please and thank you! (Ha! Reading the acknowledgements, the author mentions wanting the cover art on a T-shirt, so I definitely second that!)

I wanted more. More steps, more breaths. Only that. The peace of being alive and in motion.

What I think is, it’s too late. The truth of how this spreads is simply too unbelievable, so they won’t protect themselves against it properly until we’re past the point of no return. In fact, I’m sure we’re already past it.
An awful lot of people are going to die, and for the rest of us, life is going to be very, very different.

I just can’t get over the premise of this tale. I mean, we’ve all had that ear-worm, that song that gets in our heads and doesn’t let us forget it. This story takes that idea to a whole new bloody level!

Go pick this one up today! Horror fans need to experience this read.

Dark Celebrations by Calvin Demmer is a collection of holiday horror where every story brings something new and unsettling to the table.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

I had previously read some of Calvin’s works in other collections, so I already couldn’t wait to dive into this one. But then when I learned it was holiday horror?! My FAVORITE!

As I had guessed, this collection crushes it.

There was an awesome array of dark creatures here! There are ghosts, vampires, werewolves, mummies, mermaids, witches, zombies, ghosts, fire-women, aliens, sea demons, and more!

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale:

This tale begins with ten things to avoid during the hungry ghost festival, and what a list this was! As the story kicks off, we meet two young adults that are vacationing. But when an evening stroll takes a turn, they realize that this festival is actually very dangerous! 

This one was so unsettling. With a short build up, when the action kicks in, it kicks in very suddenly and then it’s a sprint to the end.

A young man determined to help his Aunt picks up a side gig that seems Tom good to be true. When he arrives at the warehouse, he’s shocked to learn what this job entails…

This one was so sad! What a determined young man. My heart broke for him. 

Out to capture some Halloween pranks on film, this young man wants just one more trick before he eases up on the childish pranking. But if course that last prank goes too far…

I hate pranks. I’ve never found them funny, especially the ones where people get scared. Needless to say, I was so hoping this kid wouldn’t do his last prank! 

When a man spends the night with a stranger from a bar, he learns very quickly that he’s in over his head… 

Phew! The horror of going home with a stranger is enough, but what happens next is just bonkers!

When a woman enters her uncles house after finding the door unlocked, she is fearing the worst. But what she has just walked into is unlike something she would have ever guessed. 

I was SO nervous as she entered the house. I kept expecting the worst at every turn. I loved the ending! 

On the way to a New Years party, a couple gets into a bit of a fight. Not wanting to deal with the drama, the boy demands the girl get out of the car. He leaves her behind as he heads to the party. Little does he know, she’s not quite done with him.

I loved where this story went! Anytime there’s consequences for poor behavior, I’m always here for it!

A man is very late for his date to meet his girlfriends parents when he realizes he forgot his wallet and his girlfriends valentines day gift at home. Turning around, he hits a woman crossing the street. Taking her back to his house to get cleaned up, his girlfriend arrives and he prepares for her to have questions. She’s surprisingly calm… This Valentines Day, he’s about to learn a lot about his girlfriend.

This one is so unsettling! Right from the start, you’ll me anxious for this guy to calm down, but things just get worse and worse for him. 

Going on a trip to try to get over her ex, this girl is struggling with sadness in more ways than one. When zombies interrupt the vacation, she tries to survive.

Zombies and sharks?! This story has it all! 

When a woman returns home, she learns that her mother is much sicker than she had thought. But even worse than that, she has to deal with her mothers nasty boyfriend. Of course the boyfriend pushes the woman time and time again until she has had enough. 

I loved this one! The first half of the tale is heartbreaking, but the end made me want to jump up and cheer!

A young man determined to get to prom and show off in front of his friends and ex hires a woman to go with him. Unfortunately this woman has a bit of an off condition. Making a pitstop to get her medication, they attract the attention of one of her fans…

The anxiety that the main character feels will certainly comes through to readers loud and clear here. You’ll read through this story hoping that they can just make it to prom!

Determined to find out what happened to his father, this boy breaks into a military base to look for clues. What he finds absolutely shocks him.

I was rooting for this kid! I wanted him to find the answers he was looking for and get out of there.

When a man starts hearing reports of natural disasters all over the world, he brushes it aside and heads to work. But when he sees something strange on monitors at work, his curiosity is piqued. 

Phew, that a tale to end the collection with! This one would be great as a longer story as well if the author wanted to roll more in this world. 

That was the problem with emotions. They sat on a fine line, always threatening to tip the scale one way or another.

Crack, snap, crack, pop, crack, snap. The symphony of destruction within reached a crescendo as his ribs and other bones gave way to the force. There were burning sensations, and sharp, piercing spikes, with jolts of pain accompanying the orchestra of hurt.

Her mind could only handle one monster at a time.

I just love holiday horror and short stories. As Calvin has combined the two here, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. This collection absolutely rules!

This is a must read for fans of holiday horror.

Abnormally Abbey by Allan Evans is a tale about determination, overcoming obstacles, and friendship. Oh, and ghosts!

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

Abbey is a fourteen year old who, whether she likes it or not, attracts ghosts. She calls herself a spook magnet. 

When Abbey is sent to a summer camp, her father thinks he is sending her to a nice, easy bible camp for her to spend her time. But he messed up and accidentally sent her to Camp ToughLove, a bootcamp. At first Abbey tries to get out of the camp as she struggles with the training, but when a cute boy arrives, she decides to stay.

But there are strange things happening at this camp and soon Abbey and her friends are forced to band together in a life or death situations that changes things forever.

This was such a cute tale! I loved that the main character was obsessed with songs from the 80’s. She had a song for every situation she found herself in, no matter if that was an upbeat and light situation, or the more harrowing.

The third step let out a slow creak as I eased my full weight onto it. The fourth step didn’t do me any favors either, not that it made a difference. Someone — or something —was waiting for me.

“The thing is, Abbey, there will always be falling cows. Life isn’t always going to be smooth and predictable. In your life, cows will drop. You won’t see them coming, and you won’t know what happened until it’s over. The only thing you can do is accept it and roll with whatever life throws your way —or drops on you. Having the ability to cope and change directions at a moment’s notice might just be the think that keeps you alive.”

This is a great book for young adults or 80’s music fans that are looking for a quick and fun read!

Nightmare by Chad Nicholas is a dark and very twisted tale of a man who is still struggling with the aftermath of his childhood. He finally thought he was in an okay place, but something is a bit off.

I went into this one totally clueless, and I highly recommend you do so as well!

If you would like to see some content warnings, please continue reading below.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

As this story kicks off, we meet a family that is clearly struggling with something. While we aren’t told just what that something is, we get little glimpses into the darkness. For example, we see that daughter has bars on her window and locks on her door, that the husband and wife watch their children walk to the bus when it picks them up out front, and that there is a baseball bat by the door, but one that the kids don’t seem to use.

Already, this set up was very unsettling!

Soon, the husband begins to lose time and suddenly an intense accident occurs. From there, things just get stranger and stranger.

While we face what is going on in the present, the author also jumps readers back in time to fill us in on what had happened to this man when he was a child…

And let me tell you, it’s very dark.

Readers will cruise through the pages of this novel trying to figure out what is really going on while also trying to predict what will happen next.

Let me leave off by saying that I had absolutely no inkling for how this story was going to end. This one will really sink into your brain!

My Favorite Passage from Nightmare

The man took a step back, unnerved. He had never seen anything like this. The unnatural twitching, the twisting of limbs, the horrific screaming. It was like something out of a horror movie. Only he was watching it with his own eyes.

My Final Thoughts on Nightmare

For fans of dark horror filled with twists and turns, this is a book that needs to be on your list! Another that I highly recommend picking up when you have time to read straight through.

Grotesque: Monster Stories by Lee Murray is a collection of tales that features monsters of all sorts. From the monstrous legends to the real world, you’ll never know what to expect next.

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.

I had previously read some of Lee’s work and absolutely loved it, so I knew this was going to be a treat!

The tales from Lee that I had read before included:

I dove into this collection pretty dark, but you all know how much I love short stories so I couldn’t wait to see what this one would hold!

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale within this collection:

What a wonderful foreword! This entry is written in a way that will certainly peak readers interests while making them antsy to get to each story that was mentioned!

When a crew that is working on clearing out an area finds a door to a space that hadn’t been explored yet, they look to get the green light to enter. We then jump back in time to learn what this space is. This crew has no idea what they are getting themselves into by breaching this blockade. 

This one is action packed! Right from the start there’s a level of intensity and terror that only builds as the story unfolds. 

Faced with a choice between fleeing and fighting, this community decides the safest bet is to flee. But first, a small group of fisherman must go on a rescue mission. 

Oh my gosh this one had my heart pumping! I always get nervous when people have to go into old tunnels, and the surprises inside these certainly didn’t disappoint. 

When something happens in the blink of an eye, everything has changed. This tale had such a terrifying premise! With a bit of Color Out of Space vibes, this one will haunt your dreams for sure. 

A man on the run does what he needs to in order to survive. But can he keep outrunning this zombie horde? 

I love zombie stories so much! I loved that this one showed us so much in just a short time. It really packs a punch and makes readers question who is really the monster here.

One sibling is tasked with a new job while another sibling is putting together a group to go to the surface. When curiosity gets the best of them both, they learn that they are at risk and go on the run. 

Phew the thought of being stuck in caves is terrifying to me. Toward the end, I found myself holding my breath, waiting to see what would happen next! 

CONTENT WARNING: Rape.

Woof, this is one of those stories that make you feel absolutely horrible. Brilliantly dark and terrible, but make sure to tread lightly here. 

When a young woman receives a package, she finds that it is the journal of a young man that went away to battle. Documenting his travels and the terrors he faces, the entries get darker and darker… 

This one was so suspenseful. I kept wishing for the best. 

When a creature rises up from the water, it begins to terrorize a town. When one resident learns something from her grandfather, she knows she has to try to help. 

This creature was terrifying! The description of it was so scary and then to add what it did on top of that?! 

A beautiful little tale of death and love, but also something a bit dark…

This tale centered around survival and friendship. Doing anything to just get by, one of these two decides to take a risk. Will the risk pay off or haunt him?

This one was so devastating.

After a sudden event on a lake leaves four people stuck underground, their only option is to travel down an old lava tube. But what will they find in those tunnels?

This tale will certainly make your claustrophobia kick in!

These zombies were vaguely sentient, retaining some of their former capacity for reasoning, and that made them especially dangerous.

Before he stitched me up, he wedged a music box under my ruined ribs so I would have songs in my heart forever.

The warrior was no slug. In fact, for a dead man, he was nimble and swift, his bare feet eating up the darkness.

This is a dark and powerful collection with a great variety. Some of these tales really got under my skin and one even made me feel physically ill.

If you’re a horror fan, don’t wait, go pick up this collection today!

Hunger For Death by Joshua Marsella is dark, gritty, and it has loads of heartbreak and terror. As Joshua’s first short story collection, this one is sure to blow readers away! 

Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way. I also purchased a copy.

I absolutely love short stories. When I saw Joshua tweet about a future collection, I couldn’t wait! I immediately added it to my list of upcoming releases to keep an eye on.

Later on, when the call came for beta readers, I threw my name in immediately. I’m so honored to say that I was part of the beta reading crew. 

As soon as the ebook popped into my inbox, I loaded it on my kindle and got ready to dive in that weekend. And thank goodness I saved it for the weekend; I couldn’t put it down!

This collection absolutely rules! Each story is so different from one another and each one packs a punch of its own. From the horrific to the heartbreaking, readers are in for quite the ride with these short stories.

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale: 

While attending to his nightly chores, this boy finds that one of their pigs has gone missing. As he goes to investigate, things go very, very wrong. 

This tale is so unsettling! And that ending! Phew! 

When three drunken men attack a man dressed as Santa who had been out on the street looking for donations, they think they’ve gotten away with it. But boy are they wrong!

This tale is absolutely brutal! Buckle up before diving into this one! 

My god. This is something straight out of my nightmares! Readers that enjoy stories that make them shout “OH NO” right out loud are sure to love this one! I won’t be forgetting this one any time soon…

When a mother is invited to an important party, she brings her kids along. Not wanting the children to be mingling around the adults, they are brought to a room full of toys. But once they play a record, they hear noises from the attic and they go to see what it could be. 

This one was eerie and so sad! The little gut punches just keep rolling in. 

Danforth is a man that lives a simple life that revolves around his puzzles. When a surprise gift is left on his doorstep, he is pleased to find that it contains a puzzle. And of course, he can’t help but put it together. 

While I was super excited to find out what this puzzle was, I was also terrified of what else was going to happen! The slow way that this story comes together section by section just like the puzzle itself is brilliant! 

A young man who struggles with guilt around an accident is teetering on making a life altering decision. But when someone began to talk with him, he’s able to see the situation more clearly for the first time. 

This tale was handled so perfectly. I struggle reading about suicidal thoughts having been there myself time and time again. Joshua really has something special with this tale. And an extra shout out to the author for adding the note about the suicide hotline at the end. 

When a boy approaches a known horror fan to tell him about a cauldron he found in the woods, it piques the teens interest. As they enter the woods and approach the cabin, the horror fan is in heaven! 

Ah I love tales that center around old buildings in the woods! The pacing of this one was excellent and I loved the ending! 

When a high school party ends in tragedy, the local swimming spot is fenced off to keep trespassers out. Years later, three kids sneak in to enjoy the water. 

The world needs more kids like this one! Such a sad tale with a dose of spookiness! 

On this Christmas night, a man is forced to come to terms with a horrible event from his life that he had been in a bit of denial about. But it’s not just coal he’ll be getting as a result of the event… 

This tale was so unsettling! It was clear this guy was a bit of a turd, but the more we learn about him, the easier it is to hate him. 

A woman haunted by nightmares finally opened up to her wife about what happened. But it’s not just the secrets and nightmares that these two should be weary of. 

This one had my blood boiling! I can see the situation from all sides, but it still made me so angry. Even so, I was hoping for the best. This poor woman! 

When a grandson visiting his grandfather at a VA hospital takes him out fishing, they fish in the pond on the grounds that was off limits. After catching a stick, they reel something else in that makes them realize why this area was not supposed to be used. 

This one was so heartwarming at first, but it certainly takes a turn! 

When a boys’ curiosity gets the best of him, he sees something that he wasn’t meant to see in the basement of the local church. 

Eep! Stories set in churches always spook me. This poor kid will certainly be haunted by this! 

After bombs are dropped, a pregnant woman is forced to try to walk to the neighboring town before she gives birth. 

This one had me ready to jump out of my skin while reading. I absolutely cannot imagine being in this poor woman’s shoes! 

She knew she’d never be able to forgive her brother, nor would she forget the face of the boy that was too scared to leave the dark room in the attic for fear of what was in the light.

As a million thoughts ran circles in his mind, one question never game to pass; did it mean to do him harm?

This is such an amazing collection with wonderful range. Joshua is really showing off his skill here and I am so here for it. If this isn’t already on your TBR, I highly recommend going to add it right away.

I cannot wait to read what Joshua writes next! 

Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology to the Most (Fictional) Haunted Buildings in the Weird, Wild World edited by by Eric J. Guignard is a collection of tales about hauntings that will leave you chilled.

I loved that each featured entry begins with an illustration and a breakdown of what the haunted structure is! It would list out the structure type, location, latitude/longitude, when it was built, and what the ground elevation is. Then there were the Travel Guide Notes as written by Charlatan Bardot. This was such a fun format to kick things off with.

For the Tiny Tales, those were added in-between the feature entries and those also included an illustration. 

A Preface by Eric J. Guignard and an Introduction by Charlatan Bardot gets the collection rolling. Both of these entries were wonderful! After that, you dive right in to the rest of the collection guides you to haunted locations all around the world!

My favorites from this collection include:

If you would like to read my notes on each tale, feel free to check out the sections below!

EUROPE

An eerie and heartbreaking tale of loss during times of war. I really enjoyed the main character and how he was determined to go back to check on the friend he had met. 

A sad and haunting tale of family. When a man catches a particular fish and then goes missing, the town believes they are cursed. The sea wants the wife of the fisherman to pay for what they did, and things won’t be the same until she does. 

When a man confronts a shoplifter and her daughter and later sees them jump in front of a train, he’s immediately haunted by the encounter. This spiral into obsession was really unsettling. 

While venturing to explore an area, these two get sucked into a bit of a warped season. Like a fever dream, the two have to fight to get to the other side. This tale will give you chills!

When a man struggling to keep the family restaurant going decides to do a seance to talk to a family member, he ends up attracting another spirit that wants to make a deal. 

I loved how uplifting this one was! I was so nervous things were going to go sideways, so I’m extra grateful that this one stayed lighthearted throughout. 

There’s something so eerie about underground stations to begin with for me! In this short tale, Laura really packs in the darkness and deep emotion!

A sad little tale about a reoccurring ghostly appearance. 

This short is so spooky! That last line!

Oooh, these poor women… 

While the caretaker was found murdered in his hut, the locals still swear you can hear his whistling. Clearly this caretaker is still watching over the grounds. I loved this one! 

I really don’t like parking garages, and this story is about exactly that. This one is going to haunt me. 

Oh gosh! This short was super unsettling! 

ASIA

After a woman has lost a child, she returns to a factory she spent a lot of time at when she was a child. Rumored to be haunted, this woman who is already grieving learns what happened years ago…

This one is heartbreakingly beautiful.

When two members of a crew that had gone to an abandoned mental hospital became ill, they all meet up again to try to pay their respects to the building. Thinking that they just need one of them to finish the dare he chickened out on, they pressure him into it. But will it work?

The thought of going into a space like this totally creeps me out. But when the character heads into a room alone, and not only sits on the floor, but lays down? No thank you!

When a rite of passage goes sideways, our main character is determined to solve the puzzle and get the man back after his sudden disappearance. What a neat idea this one was, and so horrific! Going into a tank absolutely terrifies me, but what happens next here is a whole other level of terror.  

When traveling to an area where a mysterious sleep sickness broke out, our main character is determined to document the area with her camera while living through her own experience. But can they stay awake long enough to do any work? This tale was some serious nightmare fuel! The thought of falling asleep in a strange place definitely spooks me. 

Oh no… a haunted hospital. This idea just makes sense, but I hate thinking about it! Hospitals scare me enough as is, but add in a haunting? No thank you!

There is just something so eerie about a room with no entrance!

Oh! I love when tales have elements of a sudden reappearance like this! 

Yikes! This one will make you cringe!

As a person that gets paranoid and weary when staying anywhere other than my home, this tale really scared me. 

A quick blast of terror! 

OH NO! I can’t wait for other readers to experience this one! 

AUSTRALIA AND GREATER OCEANIA

When an aquarium and the surrounding beaches are rumored to be haunted, people are determined to see the ghosts penguins. This one was so sad. This author does a great job with grief. 

This was a tale with a heavy hand of dread and suspense that carried throughout!

Determined to catch a bus, this father struggling to hold on to life is brought back to a mine that he used to work in. While his son watches, the father visits the key areas before boarding the bus, ready for the next stop. This tale was so heartbreaking, but it also had an eerie undertone. 

Tiny Tales:

I would love to visit this shop! That poor man… 

Ooh, never talk to the bar decorations when drunk! 

YIKES! No thank you. I would stay very far away from this wishing well. 

Oh! What a tale of revenge. 

YIKES! This one packs a terrifying punch!

AFRICA

A woman in anguish from losing her son in a separation goes on a journey… Phew! This one reads like a fever dream.

Trying everything they can think of to free their marquee, they finally call in a team of witchdoctors to investigate. A man and his best friend, who’s mind has been somehow put into a dog, dive in to see what clues they can find. This one was so much fun! I loved the dynamic between the two investigators.

This tale is set up as the monologue from the individual giving the tour. This one is sure to leave readers asking for many questions to be answered!

This tale is about a man who is determined to find his brother. But in doing so forces him to learn many things that he hadn’t known before… This one was a tough read!

When these beings hitch a ride to a new vacation destination, they realize that they have hit a sweet spot if they can just hold back and not eat one specific man. I loved that this tale was from the perspective of the otherworldly beings. 

When a sacrifice is made, this space is brought back into the light. While the evil is beaten, it still leaves a mark.

Wow, the setting this tale brings to mind!

Oh, I would love a longer tale here! This short was intriguing. 

Oh no! When young people receive job offers when they are desperate for work, of course they’re going to accept even when they are warned not to…

LOVED this one. What a neat tale about ghosts and soccer. 

Absolutely heartbreaking. 

UNITED STATES AND CANADA

Plagued by writers block, this man goes to a diner late at night. On one trip, a man appears that spooks the owner. Asking the writer to keep and eye on the guest, the guest suddenly disappears. Turns out, the diner is haunted! This one had such a heartwarming feel to it with the late night diner trips, but it also had sadness. 

When a man is sent out to get a lighthouse up and running, he’s cautioned about the place. Not fully believing the tales until he finds a log book, this man soon learns what must be done. This one had a very dark feel throughout, and I kept waiting for a jump scare to happen at any moment!

A group heading to an original structure to do a séance gets quite the show in this one! 

When a movie crew goes to a run down area that is rumored to be haunted, things seem tense form the start, but they push onward. But the evil of the space starts to sink its claws into everyone on set, and things start going sideways. This one starts out so hopeful, but then gets so dark! 

An absolute gut-punch of a story about four friends and a tragic car accident. 

Quick, dark, and brutal!

Oh no! This poor lonely ghost. What a terrifying premise!

What a fun one!

Spooky! 

A high speed trip toward death! Phew! 

Yikes! The draw of trying to help children gets me every time! 

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

When a young woman returns home, she has lost a bit of her culture and is haunted in a way that quickly makes her realize what has happened as well as what needs to be done. 

Beautiful and haunting! 

When a scientist can’t help but follow his curiosity, he is in for quite the discovery… This one certainly pulls readers along as we follow this man and want to scream at him to turn around. 

When two women move into a new place after life threw them both curveballs, they are warned about the flooding. When November rolls around and the river starts to rise, they realize that they are not safe. This one had me totally captivated. I would have happily read much more from this, but it was perfect as is as well. 

Haunting!

Such a sad tale, with a dash of haunting. 

OH NO! That last line…

What a lively picture this one paints! I loved this short. 

This one was so eerie! 

Loved this one!

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL

These super short pieces of flash fiction were so much fun! Each one was just a few sentences long. 

Prepare your TBR list! I added many books to my long list of books I need to give a read. 

This interview was so cool. I loved learning more about the professor!

My Final Thoughts on Professor Charlatan Bardot’s Travel Anthology

From train stations and bus stops, to department stores and clothing factories, all the way to hospitals and aquariums, and everything in between, you’ll be surprised at the list of haunted locations included here!

This collection is a must-read for fans of ghosts and hauntings!

Blackberry Blood edited by Aiden Merchant and Julia Lewis is a dark collection of short fiction and poetry. With such an awesome range of tales, this anthology needs to be on your shelf if it isn’t already!

When Aiden first reached out to ask if I would be interested in giving Blackberry Blood a read early on to note some potential content warnings, I couldn’t wait to dive in! I was absolutely honored to be able to provide notes that Aiden adds to the back of the book so that those that are interested in checking out the warnings to protect themselves may do so.

To indicate that these warnings are available, you will see a great heads up page at the beginning of the collection.

And of course, I was extra pumped to get an early look at who was going to be included in the collection!

I had an absolute blast reading through the first time. I was so excited to see some names that I recognized and plenty others that were new to me.

Later on, the day I got my physical copy after the book launched, I dove right back into the tales for a second read through. I was so pleased to find that almost all of these tales had stuck with me between reads!

As always, here are my notes on each story and interview included in the collection:

A man standing next to an old, dusty, parked car keeps announcing that passerby’s don’t want to see what’s in the trunk. Soon, the man catches someones interest and the trunk is opened. But what is it that is inside this trunk that people really don’t want to see? Similar to a Matryoshka doll, this story just keeps opening up new surprises at each step before the surprise at the end. I loved the flow of the story and how it made me more and more anxious at each step! I couldn’t wait to see where we were going.

When Edgar starts rambling about a man watching him again, his wife, Lorraine, just thinks it’s his psychosis again. But when she glimpses something outside of their window, she is enters a new world of darkness… This is such an eerie tale that really packs a punch at the end!

Edgar grumbled and opened his newspaper. He shook the pages angrily, holiding up a paper wall between him and his wife.

When this story begins, we meet a woman that is very clearly in distress. She has moved to a new home in the middle of nowhere to make sure she’s away from prying eyes. But the exact reason why she wants her privacy is … unsettling to say the least. This story will send you on a roller coaster of emotions!

The teapot continues to shriek as if it’s calling for help. But there will be no help. I will do what I have to, to keep my Abby with me.

When Officer Karen Reese approaches a woman in a cell, we learn it’s her sister-in-law, Helen-May. The officer isn’t surprised and simply says, “You did it. You finally did it.” Shortly afterward, we dive into Helen-May’s story of what happened that lead her to the jail cell. The tale leaves Officer Reese frustrated because it sounds like a wild tale, but when she goes to pick up more clothing for the children, she learns that the story may not have been just fiction.

I absolutely loved how spooky this one was, but it had plenty that also made my blood boil and elements that broke my heart.

Soul To Keep by Emily Ruth Verona – 4 Stars

After an incident at a lake, Mia Hanning made a deal with a demon. Afterward, she lives her life as she sees fit. But when an incident of her own leaves her feeling off, Mia has to continue on with all new challenges. One day, she crosses paths with someone in the same predicament. I loved the tone of this tale! Once you learn what is going on, you’ll keep your fingers crossed for a happy ending.

Oh goodness! With the ending of this one, I immediately had to go back and start it over again. This one is so dark and certainly paints an intense picture in the mind!

A heartbreaking little poem of the horror of being unwanted.

This story begins with this kicker of a first line: “Mac was only seven-years-old when he found the toe; the first toe, anyway.” Um, excuse me?! I was intrigued. As Mac spends his time searching a river for crayfish, the toe he discovers is quite the surprise. Over the next few days, he continues to find more pieces that he is much more interested in than the crustaceans. But he’s may not be alone out there on the creek…

This one has such a fun and upbeat tone while we followed the kid who was still blissfully unaware that he should be afraid. As an adult, I was spooked and wanted to to tell the boy to get the heck out of there! Brennan doesn’t shy away from the very descriptive notes on these body parts. Be prepared to squirm with a few of these!

And of course I have to note the quick mention of Slattery Falls being the town next to them.

Some things were scarier than the dark

What a setting this author set right from the start! In this tale, a woman’s sleep has been disturbed by noises in the walls. She’s had enough already but when her pantry is raided, she calls in an exterminator. My god. This story went somewhere that truly shocked me.

Short and brutal! I loved this poem!

When a cop just can’t let a case go, she will do anything to get answers for the family. But when those answers come at a price, will the cop take part? This tale had me super hopeful. I kept thinking of worst case scenarios to prepare myself for the ending… and boy, that ending is not one that I even came slightly close to. This one is so powerful. While I love it as is, I’d also love to see a follow up to learn more about what was going on here!

When a professor of biochemistry passes away, one of his students is shocked by a video she finds. This professor may just have one more lesson to share with them… This one was so unsettling!

A haunting poem about a murmur heard by someone who is no longer there physically.

A very unsettling poem with beautiful description.

On Thursday nights, the father of the home entertains dinner guests while the mother cooks the meal while keeping an eye on their daughter. The daughter has never seen the dinner guests, but she will be forced to tonight. Yikes this one certainly built up the suspense! This was definitely leading me to think something may happen if the girl is seen, but I did not see this ending coming.

When a sister who is desperate to save her brother calls upon a a being named Lucidas, she quickly learns that the cost she will need to pay is very high.so will she follow through? Oofh, this one made me cringe and made my fingers and teeth ache.

Beautifully written short with a heartbreaking and unsettling vibe. I’m not sure exactly what was happening here, but I enjoyed it all the same!

Wow I love this one!! A quick poem about rising out of what sounds like a very toxic relationship. 

A man just trying to spend time with his daughter is in rough shape. He keeps coughing up blood, but he refuses that to get in the way of their plans. But just how sick is he? A bomb is dropped in this one when you’re least expecting something like that to happen. It totally caught me off guard and a few scenes prior suddenly made more sense and made the rest of the story extra heartbreaking.

When darkness has overtaken the world, our main character struggles with their grief while trying to survive. My goodness, this one will break your heart. Knowing something bad happend to Sam was already sad, but learning what killed her was so much worse. Your blood will boil for this poor soul.

Inch by inch, I realize that I am not the problem, that the darkness is real and belongs to everyone now. It is our final inheritance from an ungrateful universe.

I LOVED this poem! Who doesn’t ruminate at night when they lay down? If only you could switch your thoughts off at night!

A very powerful poem about mental health.

In this tale, three teenage boys go to a carnival in their town, but one boy is very hesitant. The last time he was on the property, something odd happened. The readers were then hit with a “What’s the worst that can happen?” This is a line that I always get so excited to see in horror stories! You just know things are going to get crazy soon, and that was exactly the case here! I freaking love carnival horror!

The Interviews

After the short stories and poems, there were four interviews included:

EEP! I still can’t believe I got to take part! I got to chat about what lead me to book blogging, my favorite books of 2021 so far, books I am looking forward to for the rest of the year, what my process is like, some do’s and don’ts when it comes to reaching out to bloggers, and more. I hope readers enjoy the interview!

This is an amazing collection that is sure to keep readers on their toes!

For horror fans, I highly recommend that you pick this collection up. There wasn’t a single short in this collection that I didn’t love. And how amazing is that cover illustrated by Gemma Amor?! This one is sure to look great on your shelf!