Authors: Various
Each ebook contains five stories with a Halloween theme. These are not jump scare, spurting blood, serial killer chasing people down the street sort of stories. They are more literary horror.....the type you read with your imagination turned up to 11 to feel the atmosphere, hear the screams.....
Volume 4 features:
The Mannequin Challenge - Kealan Patrick Burke. Theo decides to attend his office Halloween party, despite his social awkwardness. But, unfortunately, he finds out he really doesn't fit in. This story is bizarre, yet satisfying. Haven't we all been in a social situation where we felt totally out of place and uncomfortable? However, Theo's way of dealing with his emotions is a bit strange.... Nice creepy opening for this anthology.
Across the Tracks - Ray Garton. Kenny and his friends know the rich side of town has the better Halloween candy, but unfortunately it also has the school bully and his cronies. The boys learn quickly that there are worse things than bullies.... An interesting story with a nice creepy Halloween atmosphere, but, for me, the ending could have been a bit better. It seemed too abrupt.
The Halloween Tree - Bev Vincent. It always beneficial to have good friends -- buddies who always have your back. Even when it comes to seriously scary things. This story has the Stranger Things/Goonies/ET feel to it for me -- the group of kids who are friends through thick, thin and deadly. Great story! My favorite in this anthology!
Pumpkin Eater - C.A. Suleiman. Peter loves Halloween and DIY projects just about as much as he hates his wife. So why not combine all that together? Halloween decorations definitely take on a sinister feel in this story. This was was just ok for me....a good story, but probably my least favorite of the bunch.
When the Leaves Fall - Paul Melniczek. The boys were warned to stay away from Graver's Farm. They should have listened. Great story! Nice creepy build up....great ending. As a teen, I probably would have been tempted to go down that dirt road too.....just to see if the stories were true. Unwise.
I like the more subtle atmosphere of literary horror. For me, it's more frightening to let my imagination grab ahold of the story and pull me into it....rather than having basic violence and more in-your-face frightening acts be the only scary features. I like horror to sneak up on me slowly....like the frog sitting in a pot of water not knowing the heat is turning up on the stove burner below it. These are well-written creepy stories that are bound to get readers in the mood for Halloween. :) And I definitely like the idea of a new volume releasing each week during the month of October.
Halloween Carnival Volume 4 will be available October 24th, 2017.
**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Hydra-Random House via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**
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