All Hallows Eve edited by Christopher Golden and Ellen Datlow ~ a Reviews

by MK French

Are you putting together your reading list for Halloween? Short story collections can be a great option while waiting for trick-or-treaters to ring the doorbell (or when pretending to not be home).

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

3 Books for Horror Fans

by MK French

This summer has been slim on horror releases, and if you can't wait for pumpkin spice season and all things dark and scary, then I have 3 books for you today. Two of which you can get today, and the third you will want to pre-order.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

3 More Books for Fans of Fantasy

by MK French

Here we are at the end of the month, and there are still a few more books in the fantasy genre that you will want to add to your reading list. These run a little darker than the earlier fantasy books I've reviewed this month, though the last one has elements of a romantasy. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

The Cat's Tales by Charlie Creed ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Once upon a time, the enchanting creature that is the cat infiltrated our lives – and our folklore.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Skin and Bones: And Other Mike Bowditch Short Stories by Paul Doiron ~ A Review

by Susan Roberts

 

A collection of eight gripping original short stories in the bestselling Mike Bowditch series―including one brand new, never-before-published story―from Edgar-award nominated author Paul Doiron.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  A free book was provided for an honest review.

Ghost Stories for Your Christmas Reading

by Donna Huber

During the Victorian Era, it was tradition to tell ghost stories during Christmas. Probably the most famous Christmas ghost story is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (check out my deep dive into A Christmas Carol). Last year, one of my local libraries hosted a night of Victorian ghost stories and it was a lot of fun with storytellers sharing stories. Light a fire, dim the lights, grab a cozy blanket, and curl up with one of these books of Christmas ghost stories. If you are just now joining up for our 25 Days of Christmas Reading, be sure to check out the previous days.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.

Dark Christmas Short Stories for Holiday Reading

by MK French

What better way to transition from Halloween reading to Christmas reading than with holiday horror, ghosts, and murder? If aren't quite ready for the Hallmark movie-worthy holiday stories, then these short stories are the perfect solution.  

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Christmas Crimes at the Mysterious Bookshop edited by Otto Penzler ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Thirteen festive crime stories set in New York City’s beloved mystery bookstore. The Mysterious Bookshop in New York City commissions a short story each year to send to their customers at Christmas time. The only stipulations to the story are that it is set at Christmas, there's a crime, and that the bookshop is included. Now in this anthology, those of us who have never visited the bookshop are treated to some of the best from this annual tradition.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

In These Hallowed Halls edited by Marie O'Regan and Paul Kane ~ a Review

by MK French

This collection features the darker side of academia, with lecturers who should know better, obsessive students, and affairs of the heart that go south. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

The Mysterious Bookshop Presents the Best Mystery Stories of the Year: 2024 ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Anthony Horowitz selects and introduces the best mystery stories from the past year, under the auspices of the world’s oldest mystery fiction specialty bookshop.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

Bound in Blood edited by Johnny Mains ~ a Review

by MK French

This anthology involves cursed books, Eldritch tomes, and haunted bookstores, with stories from many of the well-known names in horror. ter. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Susie Finkbeiner, Allison Pittman ~ a Review

by Susan Roberts

One perfect dress―three different love stories

Three wars, three love stories all connected by one perfect wedding dress.  The authors are all popular authors in the Christian historical fiction genre.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Smalltown Tales by Iain McCaig ~ a Review

by MK French

Smalltown is a place where monsters roam, and these twelve illustrated short stories detail what life is like there. The ghosts Frightwood and Po introduce these stories to the reader.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents: Writers of the Future, Volume 40 ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Twelve captivating tales from the best new writers of the year as selected by Writers of the Future Contest judges accompanied by three more from L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S.M. Stirling. Each is accompanied by a full-color illustration.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free audiobook was provided for an honest review.

4 Short Story Collections to Read

by MK French

Short stories are great when you are short on time or constantly being interrupted (like during spring break with kids). They are often overlooked for their literary merit, though. There is so much that a writer fits into a limited word count. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Short on time? Then these horror stories are for you

by MK French

If you are reading this on the day it goes live then Happy Halloween! If it isn't Halloween, that's okay because every day is a great day for a little horror.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. Free books were provided for an honest review.

Night of the Living Queers: 13 Tales of Terror & Delight ed. by Shelly Page & Alex Brown ~ a Review

by MK French

Night of the Living Queers has stories written by Vanessa Montalban; Kalynn Bayron; Rebecca Kim Wells; Kosoko Jackson; SMP Alex Brown; Trang Thanh Tran; Maya Gittelman; Em X. Liu; Shelly Page; Tara Sim; Ayida Shonibar; Ryan Douglas.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Small, Burning Things by Cathy Ulrich ~ a Review

by MK French

Small, Burning Things is a short story collection, and each story is short but punchy. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Even If the Sky is Falling by Taj McCoy, Farah Heron, Lane Clarke, Charish Reid, Sarah Smith and Denise Williams ~ a Review

by MK French

When it feels like the world is about to end, people will often do what they otherwise wouldn't have the courage to do. This book is six tales written by popular romance authors, running with that premise.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

Letters to a Writer of Color Edited by Deepa Anappara and Taymour Soomr ~ a Review

by MK French

This collection is written by various writers of color, using empathy and wisdom to point out the conventions used in fiction. Why are novels written the way that they are, and using the structures that have become so familiar? They talk about using their backgrounds to lend authenticity to writing, censorship, the creation of art, humor, and giving themselves permission to be themselves and not a watered-down version for public consumption. Different cultures, genders, and sexualities are represented, giving us an array of opinions to look at our assumptions regarding what we read and how we evaluate it.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.