Reanimated Rex by Alex Ebenstein is a tale of lightning, an abandoned theme park, dinosaurs, and the sheer terror of what may be lurking around the corner.

Centered around the perspectives of various characters who all have their reasons for entering the park, readers very quickly see that this “abandoned” park is hiding some secrets. But is it the old park owner that should be feared, or something else?

Right from the start, the terror is as thick as the overgrown forest within the park. Bloodshed occurs quickly, setting the tone of the book before taking a step back to build tension until things take a brutal turn.

I’m obsessed with dinosaurs. Not to the extent that I know all their names, but anytime I see content, posts, movies, books, etc. about them, I’m all in! When we found out we were having a kid, my first thought for their nursery was to do dino-themed. So needless to say, when I heard about this book, I was so antsy to get my hands on a copy!

I had an absolute blast reading this!

The small nods to Jurassic Park were so much fun! There were some blatant ones as well, but the smaller elements were what made this extra fun for me as that is one of my all-time favorite books!

Carefully, he stepped over the replica and slunk inside. As if waiting for him to do so, the first drops of rain arrived, pattering against the terracotta roof tiles.

The rectangular box of a building was just off the path, tucked underneath and between a few cedar trees. Shrubs, grass, and time helped obscure the once brightly painted structure; the yellows faded to a dingy tan and the reds into a browning rust color. The shingled roof was covered in moss and tree litter, and had a noticeable sag. Fragments of glass along a pair of sills implied the place used to be closed up with windows. But no longer.

The force of impact and the weight of the monster driving him into the soggy ground might have been the worst pain Sam had ever felt in his life. The icing on this torture cake was the snap announcing that yes, his collar bone was indeed broken, if not shattered.

Dino horror fans, you gotta get your hands on this immediately! The suspense and tension make this an absolutely wild read.

We’re Not Ourselves Today by Lydia Prime and Jill Girardi is a collection of thirteen amazing pulp horror tales jam-packed with creatures, darkness, and a bit of fun.

Are you ready to unlock new fears such as looking underneath ice or the sound of frogs croaking?

My gosh, I had so much fun with this collection! I truly loved each and every tale and couldn’t wait to see what each author was about to bring next!

So many of these tales gave me a pit in my stomach while reading, while others had me chuckling a bit. Most stories though, had me chilled and ready to turn on a light! And it certainly didn’t help that I mainly read these while feeding my infant son during his overnight wakeups!

My top favorite tales include:

Per usual, here are my notes on each!

Introduction –

Kicking things off with a letter from Aisha Kandisha, Head Librarian at Kandisha Press, readers are immediately shown what the book’s tone will be!

I am obsessed with collections that begin with a character teeing up the tales! 

When receiving a letter addressed to her son, and told not to open it until the time comes, this pregnant woman can’t help but be curious. In trying to open it, she unleashes something horrible. But wait, it gets so much worse. 

Oh my god, this was so difficult to read being still too close to pregnancy. That ending though! Oh, my heart. 

A thief thinks he’s found the perfect target one evening at a concert, but what he steals has unusual consequences.

Oh, I love a good tale with an object like this! I was so curious to see what would happen next every step of the way! That last line though, phew! 

Discovering that her doppelgänger lived underneath the ice of the lake, Dakota is determined to break her free. But of course, setting her free comes with a terrible cost. 

This was so eerie! You just know things aren’t really what they seem from the very start, and the author does a killer job dropping in more hints that lead us into the darkness. 

A family that lives on a garbage dump are tasked with doing the jobs that no one else wants. Little do the townspeople know, that this family takes care of another very important job. If anyone does learn about this secret job, then it’s already too late. 

My gosh, this one has some wild body horror! What an action-packed tale!

Watching a rerun of a cooking show, these children become ravenous. Luckily their grandpa has a meal waiting for them in the kitchen. 

This one starts out so calm and innocent but when the first horrific element appears, it’s a wild ride from then on! 

While boating one day, this young girl is berated by a man so badly she wants to sink into the water and never return. There’s a legend that says the lake takes one person every year and in her embarrassment, she wouldn’t mind being that person. But the lake has its eyes on someone else. 

Oofh, this one made me so uncomfortable! There were so many moments that could have been avoided… but the sunburn scene really got to me. Why didn’t anyone wake her up sooner?!

Haunted by a terrible nightmare that bleeds over into her wakeful hours, this woman suddenly has an insatiable hunger. 

A quick and uncomfortable tale! What a fun creature short story!

After a hostile takeover, these people are just trying to survive their new normal. 

I live across from a pond… I’m so not looking forward to when the frogs come out this year!

Promised a drug that will make their transition pain-free, everyone is so desperate for help, that they don’t think twice. Even the kids…

Oofh, this one hit me hard. The desperation to avoid pain is something, but the poor kids. 

Running from her gangster fiancé this woman finds herself renting a room in a place with some odd residents. Desperate for work to eat and continue paying rent, this woman is given a kindness. But was it actually kind? 

Oh, this one had me so anxious! It was clear something was up, but I did not see that coming! This was so darkly fun! 

Seeing shadows and fearing “the spot” in her place, this woman is absolutely terrified of the nighttime. Try as she might to convince herself she’s just half awake and seeing things, things just get more and more terrifying.

My gosh, the anticipation and dread of what could be coming next!! The author does a killer job putting you right in the character’s shoes. The scene where the character slowly looks up at the ceiling had me holding my breath! 

Conducting various experiments to aid in her research, this woman is determined to show the world what she has unlocked in these rats. But her methods are sporadic and they’re starting to catch up to her.

This was so unsettling! I loved that as a reader we slowly see how dark and intense the situation is while at first glance, everything seems normal. But my gosh, the wound and the final scene had me questioning everything! I loved this! 

After being sent to a halfway house, this woman is upset to see that her hallucinations have lingered. But soon, she’s forced to realize that she wasn’t just seeing things…

While this one had the fun and terrifying horror element, it also had the very real-world troubling issue of addiction that will just break your heart. 

He couldn’t afford a ticket, so he sat on his bike and listened to the music outside the gates. He tried to enjoy the songs he’d loved all his life, but he also felt that old heaviness in his heart—a naked want that pumped through his veins even in the most festive of times.
— The Ecstasy Of Gold by Jill Girardi

One couldn’t see the precarious tilt of the porch, or the grime on the curtains sewn by Grandma Maighréad. She’d died thirty years ago, but her yellow curtains still hung in the windows, year after year, holding on. Surviving, like the rest of the O’Malleys.
— The Garbage People by Jill Girardi

Despite all my efforts, no one wanted to hire a girl with an obvious checkered past. It was as if any potential employer could look at me and see the trouble looming in my future.
— Hunger by Jill Girardi

As the sun set, the six-foot shadow-being grew, stretching across the walls; slinking its way back through my mind. Existing of pure darkness—blacker than the deepest pit—it crept to the corners of my eyes; taunting me.
— Little Pig by Lydia Prime

It’s two in the morning. I could have sworn I felt someone breathing on my face.
— Little Pig by Lydia Prime

April was always a strange month, sometimes appearing wonderfully sunny, defrosting the ground just enough for flowers to peek out from beneath the harsh earth. Other times, it seemed as if winter would never leave—its chilling whispers stretching beyond the unreliable prophecies of the rodent oracle.
— Hazel Hill by Lydia Prime

Horror short story fans, you need to grab this collection right away! Just be warned, you’re going to want to read through as quickly as possible as you won’t want to wait to see what comes next!

The House At the End of Lacelean Street by Catherine McCarthy is a heavy yet uplifting story of the many paths a life can take and the beauty of letting go.

One day, three strangers board a bus with the destination of Lacelean Street. Everyone is having a difficult time and no one seems to know exactly why they are on the bus in the first place.

When they are dropped off, there’s just one place to go – a house at the end of the street. But will these three get the answers they don’t know they’re even seeking?

The combination of dread and mystery will captivate readers immediately as we’re dropped right into the tale like another passenger on the bus. From there, the story slowly reveals things to us right along with the characters and I absolutely loved this element. I became invested in each of the characters’ journeys very quickly and went on quite the rollercoaster of emotions with each of them.

I also really enjoyed the setting! It was equally intriguing and terrifying! I couldn’t help but be nervous that with each lesson, more darkness was about to come through.

And that ending… Phew.

Dawn has elbowed a gap in night’s shroud by the time the bus stops next.

The first floor landing stretches ahead of her. High-ceiling, deep skirting boards, patterned carpet, and dark doors on either side that seem to shrink into the distance. The name Danny Torrance rests on the tip of her tongue, and the image of a kid riding a tricycle looms large, though she cannot pinpoint the reason.

Howard lies on the bed, exhausted and heart sore. This grief feels like an illness, one that weakens him to such a point he believes he is close to death. One prod, a poke of someone’s finger is all it will take to push him over the edge of the cliff.

Her face is a sheet of parchment that has not yet been written on.

The life she led before coming here is a blurred photograph. Monochrome and burnt at the borders, with very little detail in the center. It wasn’t a good life, though. She senses the negative vibes in every pore, every cell of her mind and body.

Anxiety mounts in her chest until she thinks she might have a heart attack. In the last few minutes the sky has dimmed at least two shades, and dark gray clouds have gathered to watch.

This is a must-read for fans of dark mysteries, great character development, and spooky houses!

Into the Darkness: Stories Volume 1 by Steve Stred is a killer collection of dark tales that will rip your heart right out and stomp on it, leaving you feeling hollow.

I’m obsessed with Steve Stred’s work! When I heard about these two collections, I snagged them immediately. I’m so excited I finally got around to reading this one! While the subject matter in many of the tales is very dark and I had a difficult time reading now as a parent, I still loved this collection.

My favorites from the collection include the following:

Per usual, here are my thoughts on each tale!

Foreword – 

In the foreword, Steve notes that these collections include most of his published short stories. I was so pumped to hear this! In the very next paragraph, he states, “The reason I’m releasing these two volumes is two-fold. The first is that I know I have some people who dig my work, who simply can’t afford to buy every anthology I’m in. Those people, those completionists, deserve to be able to collect my work and enjoy it when they can.” How amazing is that?! As a reader who tries my best to read everything from my favorite authors, I’m obsessed with this! (You’ll have to read the book for the second reason!)

Oh, kicking things off with a stab right to the heart. This story is beautiful and heartbreaking. What good friends, but what a tragic situation. 

After an apocalyptic event, this man is forced to make a horrific deal to try to save most of his family. But things only get worse…

Gosh, this one makes me so sick to my stomach. Kicking the tale off with a brutal gut punch, things don’t get much better from there. I first experienced this tale in The Horror Collection: Nightmare Edition presented by KJK Publishing and it hits just as hard, if not harder, the second time around.

Another heartbreaking brutal situation! While super short, this one will still haunt readers. 

Finding himself in a strange forest, this man slowly realizes why he is there. 

This poor man! I was so nervous to see where we were going with this one but with each description of the trees he passed, I knew readers were going to get a dark answer. 

Traveling to visit the catacombs, this man is prepared to do anything for the story. 

I loved that this one has little hints of darkness, but that last sentence changes the whole vibe. 

After the death of his mother, this young man decides to build a cabin in the woods for escape. Once his father decides to disown him, he lives there full time, only going to town when absolutely necessary. One day on a trip to town, he realizes the world had changed while he was in isolation. 

Such a tragic, slow-burning tale. The very last line throws in one more punch of sadness. 

A brutal tale! This type of story is so fun. Because it’s so quick it leaves so many fun questions! 

Digging up graves is their job. They’re thrilled to do this job because of the money they’ll get. But little do they know, things are not going to go as smoothly as their previous jobs. 

A super quick tale with a “wait, what?!” ending! I love it! 

Oh my gosh! Love this quick zombie tale! 

Realizing he’s bleeding, this man tries to ignore it. But the wound gets bigger and bigger until he can’t ignore it anymore. But that’s not the most terrifying bit!

This tale is so scary! I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at a part of my body and noticed I was bleeding… Now this story is going to come to mind and freak me out every time that happens. 

Yikes! Short and so spooky!!

Ah, don’t let them in!!  

This tale is a terrifying snapshot of a zombie-filled world!

This kid just wants to be friends with the new girl, but she tries to warn him off. He’ll soon learn why!

A classic tale of letting your curiosity get the best of you. 

Stuck within caves of ice, these men are dropping like flies. Will anyone make it out alive? 

Chilling to say the least! This one had me reaching for a blanket to stay warm! 

When three people are found dead in a small town, it’s not long before people suspect Eric. But was he really to blame? 

THAT ENDING!! Perfection. 

A child living a sad and dreary life just wants to be like all the other kids, but something is wrong. 

Ugh, this tale is heartbreaking! 

A spooky horror sci-fi tale! Ah, this one left me with so many questions! 

A man determined to have the best Christmas knows that he must have the best Christmas tree. Finding out about an amazing place in the woods, which just so happens to be near a spa, the man convinces his reluctant family to go with him. But their family tradition isn’t the only tradition being carried out that weekend. 

I read this one before in The Best of Indie Horror: Christmas Edition by KJK Publishing. It was just as exciting and then terrifying the second time around! 

When his brother is killed, this man and his father go to bury him but find that he is cursed and hurry away. Unfortunately, the curse didn’t stop there… it was coming for each of them. 

Oh my gosh, the opening scene is so chilling. I have thought about this so many times since I first encountered this tale in The Horror Collection: Silver Edition by KJK Publishing. Reading it a second time was just as spooky! Ugh, the description Steve uses here puts you right in the story. 

After beings from space arrived, the world changed. Forced to adapt, the surviving beings hide away to avoid being detected. But the drones aren’t the only thing they should fear…

Such an intense and sad cosmic horror! I so want more from this world!

He took her hand and led her outside, feeling the crisp bite of the air that only October weather can bring. The feeling of snow in the not-so-distant future made for crunchier leaves and greyer clouds. It was the seasonal change that hurried the elderly to warmer climates and the young to dream of costumes and candy, chased by snow forts and Santa.
— Snow on a Clear Night

A cedar tree swayed with the breeze, it’s resemblance to a larger man with a sliced open throat almost too much for Bill to take. The branches and bark of the next tree painting a picture of a woman who’d been burned alive. Each step bringing him beside a horror story he’d never wished to have read.
— Alone

The town had nothing left for me. My mouth tasted bitter when I inhaled the air, the scent of the past filling my nostrils. I hated every street corner, every shop.
— Do You Remember?

Every town has that house.
You know the one.
— Every Town Has That House

“To answer your question, I don’t believe in demons or witches. Look at the foolishness over in Salem. But, I do believe in evil as a power. I can’t fully rationalize it and say why, just that I firmly believe a person can harness it and do bad with it. I think this is one of those times.”
— Won’t You Open The Door?

I turned and fled, hoping my feet could keep up to how fast my brain begged me to run.
— On The Mountain

Into the Darkness: Stories Volume 1 is a must-read for fans of dark and upsetting horror!

Mothman Haze by E.C. Hanson is a gut-punch horror tale about a missing kid, a grandfather who swears Mothman took him, and a strained family on the edge of breaking apart.

Returning home to help her parents when her nephew goes missing, this woman has trouble staying focused. Years and years of bottled-up emotions, pushed further away by seeking instant gratification has made her cold and focused only on the next good feeling, even in the most inappropriate of times. Also struggling with her family dynamics, she keeps hoping that things will be different but continues to be let down.

When she meets with the local cop, she learns that even though they’re far from Point Pleasant, West Virginia, her father swears Mothman took the little boy. Unconvinced and determined to find answers, she pushes her way into the investigation.

But will they find the boy or is it already too late?

E.C. Hanson does such an amazing job of giving snippets of information that allow readers to both despise and feel terrible for the main character. While the focus is mainly on her and her struggles, the darkness of the missing child creeps closer and closer until the case is resolved and the horror smacks you right in the face.

It pointed face down and flew so fast that I thought, in a matter of a few seconds, my face would eat the concrete. I quickly imagined my head smashing the black ground, my teeth crunching, and my brown eyes popping out. But it adjusted its vertical position to horizontal at the last moment, leaving me out of breath and without a clue as to what would happen next.

This is another tale that I went into totally dark and phew, I was not expecting this! I made the terrible mistake of finishing this one at 3AM while feeding my kiddo…. Let’s just say I didn’t put him down for quite a while after he finally fell back to sleep.

The blurb on the cover from Mark Towse sums it up nicely;

“This one will haunt you for days after reading.”

Horror fans who enjoy twisted family dynamics and gut-wrenching sadness will love this one!

This Skin Was Once Mine and Other Disturbances by Eric LaRocca is a collection of horror tales that are sure to make readers squirm in discomfort. 

Not shying away from more difficult topics, we see elements of abuse in this collection so please tread lightly if that’s a trigger for you. 

As always, Eric has found a way to make each dark element intriguing, leaving readers hanging off of every word even if they’d rather turn away. Eric is just so darn talented with blending beauty and brutal darkness. 

Here are my thoughts on each tale – 

Receiving a call to learn her father has died and that her estranged mother wants her to attend the funeral, Jillian (aka Jay) dreads returning home. Once there, she’s met with frustration from her mother’s nurse and surprise from her mother that she actually came back. 

Filled with tension and something dark lying just beneath the surface, we get glimpses into what’s going on here. Some of the horrors come to light, but many stay in the shadows.  

After receiving a call to learn his mother has died, this man goes to his father to comfort him. Their relationship had always been strained, but this time, they may have finally found a way to understand one another. 

Oh, the bit where the father practically forced the son to pay his last respects to his mother had me ready to rage! Telling people what they have to do to process grief will always be one of the most inappropriate things! 

Oh oh my gosh, that ending!! Was what was presented to us really happening, or were the events just grief gone sideways?!

When looking for the perfect knife for an upcoming dinner party, this man is shocked when the shopkeeper offers something other than cash for payment. This sparks immediate curiosity and arousal that the man can’t let go. 

This made me so feeble. I got a glass splinter in my finger once while working at HomeGoods and I’ll never forget how painful that tiny thing was! 

Deciding to play a game they had made up just one last time in case they never see each other again, readers soon learn this isn’t the type of game you would expect from two old men. In this game, they perform little cruelties on strangers. And this time, they go big.

My gosh, this one made me so uncomfortable! The world is such a scary place, the thought of this actually happening isn’t hard to imagine. Reading this while watching our four-month-old sleep made me want to go run into the room and cuddle him! That last scene is something else!

There’s nothing glorious or wonderful about being a survivor. Those that like to hurt other people know this for a fact. Perhaps that’s why they go out of their way to cause heartache, despair. Maybe they get their kicks out of knowing that someone will survive their desecration and will be forever marked by what they’ve done – permanently stained.
— This Skin Was Once Mine

Silence falls over the small room and threatens to undo the invisible tether that had fastened us for most of the evening. I can already see the wire beginning to fray.
— This Skin Was Once Mine

For as long as I could remember, my father and I had spent year after year torturing ourselves on either side of an invisible gate that seemed to eternally separate us.
— Seedling

But I knew full well how there was some unnamable urge rooted in every human being that compelled us to drag others into our suffering, our despair.
— Seedling

He knows full well once he crosses over the threshold, there is no turning back. There are no opportunities to end what he’s started once the dance has finally begun. A sharp pang of agony coils its way up his arm—a sudden reminder that tells him in no uncertain terms that the dance has already started.
— All The Parts Of You That Won’t Easily Burn

Give me all of the short story collections from Eric! Eric’s tales are always such a dark treat to read, and this collection was no exception.

Werewolves (Classic Monsters Book 2) presented by KJK Publishing is an anthology that brings dark and fresh takes on the good ol’ werewolf that readers will want to sink their teeth into right away!

Per usual with these collections, I loved not being able to anticipate what would come next even though each tale was tied together with the theme!

My favorites from the collection include:

Here are my notes on each tale!

While traveling around and living out of a camper on a weekend getaway, a couple sees lights coming from a bar that they swore hadn’t been there when they arrived. Going out for a few drinks, they bring a woman back to the camper with them and their fun soon takes a turn.

Erotic horror fans will love this one! I first experienced this tale in Kevin’s book, A to Z of Horror, and revisiting it while knowing how things would turn out was like watching someone walk right into a trap. 

Constantly harassed by a bully at school, things take a darker step one night at a dance and this boy finally reaches his breaking point. 

This was such a fun tale! It had the slow reveal, the cute crush, the nasty bullies, and the bloody terror! 

Clawing at her neck during vivid nightmares has this poor woman on edge during her wakeful hours. When a friend stays the night and witnesses what happens, it’s not difficult to convince her that she needs to go talk to her Nana. But will she like what they learn? 

What a dread-fueled slow burn of a tale! And my gosh, that ending really packed a punch of horror!

While on a trip to Italy, an afternoon hike goes sideways when Connie injures her ankle. Determined to get help when her boyfriend doesn’t come back, she soon learns why he was delayed. 

This was such a quick tale of terror! I loved that we got right to the action and I had to chuckle with Connie’s inner thoughts as they were so spot on for what I would have been thinking! 

When a boy finds a wolf rug in an attic room, he can’t help but investigate more. Later, while in town he hears tales of werewolves, and while he says he’s not interested to the shopkeeper regaling the stories, he is actually very interested and the wolf lurks closer than he thinks. 

Oh my gosh, that ending! This one had an extra spooky premise and a fun take on the werewolf!

Paid to report on the site of a brutal murder, this man thinks he’ll be in and out. But once he’s in the area, he gets caught unawares. 

This tale is a prime example of why I’m so obsessed with short stories. There’s a short build-up that sets the scene perfectly and gets the reader curious while also dreading what could be discovered. There’s loads of terror both in the quiet moments and the action. There’s beautiful description mixed in with the darkness. And of course, there’s blood and a monster!

A wild tale of various characters all trying to take down one werewolf! The action and body horror here is intense!

When a little girl tells her grandfather that two men have been following her as she does their grocery shopping, he says she is not to run to the store alone anymore. She knows it will take her grandfather much longer as he is in a wheelchair, so the very next day, she goes alone…

With little Red Riding Hood vibes, this one focuses on the real monsters that are much more dangerous than the wolves. 

As much as I want to run and hide from this terrible truth, the thought of passing out and having another dream terrifies me. How will I ever sleep again?
— Last Dance by Tom Deady

Connie had become attuned to the noises of the mountain over the last few hours. Her only companions on the painful journey were the steady chirping of cicadas and the distant bleating of mountain goats. Now, however, everything had fallen silent, as if the mountain itself were holding its breath in anticipation. Connie felt the first real stirrings of fear in her stomach. Something was wrong here. Something was very wrong, indeed.
— Beware the Moon by A High Moor Story

Some things are so obvious to children that they blink in disbelief when adults fail to understand.
— Rug by Graham Masterton

Stepping over the imaginary threshold, Harry tried to shake off the ghastly feeling clinging to his spine and started toward the kill zone.
— “Harry’s Inevitable Extinction” by Glenn Rolfe

A bruised sky, cloudy with the chance of death, swallowed what remained of the late September afternoon.
— “Harry’s Inevitable Extinction” by Glenn Rolfe

Are we not all just as capable of evil as we are good? Is it a choice or destiny?
— “Harry’s Inevitable Extinction” by Glenn Rolfe

Blood was splashed over the walls, dripping like a child’s runny fingerpainting.
— Wetware by Tim Curran

I had such a blast reading these tales! I love werewolves. The whole idea of the monster itself absolutely terrifies me… the lack of control, the body horror, the speed, the teeth! And phew, this collection only added to that fear!

Shadow of the Hidden by Kev Harrison is a tale of friendship and curses, and of darkness and love, all centered around the race to find answers before it’s too late. 

Thank you to the publisher for adding a page at the start of the book to note the content warnings that were provided at the back of the book!

When a widow makes the rounds begging, a man named Oz refuses her. Things turn ugly and she places a curse on him and his family. Shocked and horrified, Oz’s friend Seb tries to comfort Oz and help him have fun that evening. But Oz is worried and can see the curse for what it is right away. Soon, Seb, who tried to reason the worry away, has to admit that the curse is genuine and that the djinn has settled in to make life miserable for Oz. Determined to reverse the curse, the two talk to a professor, and their duo becomes a trio, each determined to find answers to help stop the curse before anything else can happen.

The journey they embark on next changes them all forever. 

This was such a fun and scary read! It starts light and upbeat before the curse is uttered and things take a sharp turn. Throughout the story, there is so much tension as the horrors lurk around every corner, occasionally showing themselves just frequently enough to keep the terror top of mind and the readers on their toes. 

However, with that darkness, the time that the author takes to pause the tension with beautiful descriptions of art, architecture, and landscape is such a treat!

The author is skilled at making readers feel immersed in each scene! No matter what type of situation, whether it’s a relaxing pastry brake, a rushed and desperate need for coffee, or running for your life, readers will feel that they’re right there with the characters.

AND THAT ENDING. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Those words held so much gravity, almost lost my footing.

The late morning air was still fresh and cool in the shady, built-up district around the central station. We decided to grab more coffee and a pastry in a small bakery on the other side of the ornate garden out front.

I edged through the crowd, the people jostling to occupy the space after passed, like sand squeezing through the waist of an hourglass.

This may have been my first Kev Harrison read, but it certainly won’t be my last!

Adventure horror fans, this is a must-read. You’re going to love this action-packed and terrifyingly tense journey!

The Horror Collection: Turquoise Edition presented by KJK Publishing is a collection of tales that will pull on your heartstrings, make you physically ill, and leave you wishing you had a nightlight for your room before you turn in for the night.

My favorites from the collection include:

Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!

When a YouTube personality and her boyfriend arrive to visit the setting of one of her favorite movies, they’re spooked by the creepy woods, but that doesn’t stop their filming. 

This one is so quietly unsettling! At each turn, I was so ready for a jump scare, but what we actually get is so much better! 

After the murder of her mother, this teenage girl is rocked by grief. Finding comfort in a music box her mother had gifted her, she remembers something else her mother said about the music… 

This tale is an amazing mix of quiet grief horror mixed with brutal body horror! What a tale! The line about wet laundry gave me the shivers! 

Going camping to try to see a fairy, these three teens are looking to have one more adventure together before they graduate. They have absolutely no idea what terrors lie ahead.

These poor kids were so innocent and so easily lured into a trap. This tale made me unreasonably sad. I so badly wanted them to have a nice time!

After a terrifying event, this group is forced to fight for survival. One day, a run to look for medicine goes sideways when they can’t help but fight for what’s right. 

This tale will get your blood pressure going! 

When testing a new piece of video game tech that goes into the body goes very wrong, the two inventors are left scrambling to try to cover it up. But first, they need to get their devices back…

Holy, body horror! Or “body” horror I should say, as the author pointed out, “It was a push to even call some of them bodies.” This tale made me feel so ill. By far the sickest I’ve ever felt while reading! 

Just a moment into listening to a tale of a hypnosis that this troubled doctor performed, she already regrets asking him what was wrong… 

This one had some It Follows vibes! I loved it!!

Finding a listing for a doll that’s definitely not haunted, this man buys it for his abusive mother that he is caring for. But was the listing telling the truth? 

Oh my gosh. After reading this, I just want to go listen to the Ghosted! by Roz Hernandez podcast for some of the haunted doll segments! What a dark tale. People who are afraid of dolls, beware! 

Growing up with a terribly abusive father, this man is trying to come to terms with information he learns about his old man. But knowing more only leads to more darkness. 

This tale is so difficult to read, content-wise. I was stuck between cringing out of sympathy pain and wanting to rage at the horribleness of it all. 

A man determined to save his daughter from the town she’s living in with her mother will stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Along the way, he knows he’s going to face many obstacles, but he’s ready!

Oh, the gaslighting here was intense! When you start to see the cracks in the facade of the characters, things get wild! There were SO many twists and turns here! 

Still reeling over his childhood trauma this man is still terrified of the dark many years after his nightmares had come to life. Finally opening up to someone about it, he’s led to a woman who may just understand what had happened. But oh, the dark isn’t finished with him yet. 

The premise behind this one is interesting! Playing in everyone’s childhood fears, this one goes very, very dark. 

A wild blend of memories of childhood, recent traumas, and new hallucinations and nightmares create this horror drama!

A girl who just wants to be herself is targeted by nasty bullies. Spending the afternoons with stray dogs, she starts calling them her pack. One day, her experience proves once and for all that her pack is better than the humans.

What a horrible and blood-boiling tale of harassment and abuse. My heart broke for her over and over again. 

All eyes watching her, whispers filling the tent, crawling across her skin like spiders.
— Music Box Dancer By Candace Nola

The place she intended to call home, until the day she died, was made up of lots of scavenged items as though everything that was ever lost had found its way here to this place. It would now provide shelter for this broken-hearted woman.
— A Grim Fairytale By Callum Pearce

The vision and Bobby’s sullen face blended together as the memories dissolved, like the serene surface of water once disturbed and now rippling back into focus.
— Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune

“This town has secrets, Bobby.”
“Show me one that don’t.”
—Snow Angels By Greg F. Gifune

In the dark, stories come to life, just like puppets, and dressing-gowns.
— What the Dark Does By Graham Masterton

To feel alone amongst the many was one thing; to be left alone was another thing entirely, something she savoured.
— Down, Bitch By Richard Clive

Just when I thought these collections couldn’t get any more dark! These tales took things into grief horror territory in many creative ways, whether that was the loss of a loved one or the loss of their world as they knew it.

Horror fans, this is yet another collection from KJK Publishing that you need on your shelves!

It Came From The Lake by Glenn Rolfe is a tale of murder, teenage angst, and a manmade lake in the woods of Maine housing a dark secret.

The opening paragraph of It Came From The Lake brings the first blood and immediately sets the tone for the rest of the book!

I loved that the author takes a step back after that first chapter and then slowly dials up the terror once again through the perspectives of different characters. In each chapter, we get to watch as they are slowly pulled toward the lake. I had so much fun getting to know each of them and their reasons for being out in the forest, but only one of them truly knows what dangers are present in the area.

Oh my gosh, and when things started to overlap… Once the action picks back up, it’s a full-out sprint for survival up through the end of the book.

*Please note that these passages are from the ARC and therefore may have changed before the final copy was released.*

Deana couldn’t believe Kevin would kill for her. Fifteen years of marriage and she never would have guessed he had it in him—but the blood and brains spilling from Henry Owens’ skull, sliding like black mud down the edge of the sheer rock, told her otherwise.

She was not prepared in her darkest of nightmares for the sight of it.

He wasn’t a monster, no—vampires and werewolves were for movies. He was a breathing ghost of sorts, unable to be truly free of his past—but here he was, taking in air just the same.

Stepping from the trees, Leilani found the most breathtaking vision she’d seen since a shirtless Thor first crossed her TV screen. It was a lake, resting here in the comfort of complete silence.

“You can choose to believe or not to believe, but that won’t matter if you go out there. Monsters don’t need you to believe in them. You’re just safer if you do.”

This was FINALLY my first Glenn Rolfe read! I own four of Glenn’s books that have been sitting on my bookshelf, just waiting for me to get to them. Hopefully this year I finally will. Glenn’s writing is SO darn good.

Creature horror fans, make sure this one is on your radar!