Tag Archives: Haunted Nights

Witch Hazel by Jeffrey Ford

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: Witch Hazel
Author: Jeffrey Ford
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror
Dates read: 24th November 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: He’d drink and talk, and I’d listen.

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Synopsis

We wear sprigs of hazel to honour the souls on All Hallows Eve. But where does that practice originally come from?

Thoughts

So I’ve never heard of the practice of wearing a sprig of hazel on All Hallows Eve. Although, I don’t really know all that much about All Hallows Eve (or Halloween) since it is not within my normal experiences. Regardless, I liked this kind of origins story to such a practice. It took a practice that seems cute and folksy… and then turns it into a horrifying mess that makes you cringe. A lot.

The image of a beautiful young woman covered in blood, running around with a Hachette in a forest is pretty much what nightmares are made of. The fact that she kills her dog just expands on the horrors of this. Certainly not an image that I can get out of my head. And the fact that it’s all because there is some weird disease going around? Creepy, creepy, creepy. And blood everywhere.

I did really enjoyed the fact that this story also plays on the superstitions which tend to surround twins. The idea that there is something a little bit evil about twins (sorry to my twin-friends out there). The haunting that they perform and the twist at the end makes me not want to see one of my very good friends for a little while… being that she’s a twin who loves blood and all (she’s a nurse, nothing weird here).

 <- A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night ReviewNos Galan Gaeaf Review ->

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A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night by Kate Jonez

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: A Flicker of Light on Devil’s Night
Author: Kate Jonez
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Family, Horror
Dates read: 20th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: The lines of the symbol are crusted black as though he’s rubbed dirt in the wound.

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Synopsis

She’s just trying to be a good mother… but she can’t seem to get the knack of it. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Thoughts

So. This story is horrifying. Horrible and not quite what I expected. I thought that the children would end up being evil and homicidal… they weren’t. It was horrifying. It was the mother. And I didn’t really want to sleep that night. There’s always something so much more terrifying when it’s the mother harming the children…

One of the things I dread about parenthood is the fact that when the children are being evil – how do you discipline them? This short story tells you exactly how not to deal with naughty children. But, at least it’s interesting. But seriously, don’t ever do this. This is not the way to deal with devil children as they’re termed in this tale.

Without giving too much away, this story isn’t what I expected. It completely surprised me. It made me uncomfortable. And it was a great read. One I’m not going to forget readily.

 <- The Seventeen-Year Itch ReviewWitch Hazel Review ->

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The Seventeen-Year Itch by Garth Nix

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: The Seventeen-Year Itch
Author: Garth Nix
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror, Mental health
Dates read: 18th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: He tried to smile, but inside McIndoe felt cold, and old, and frightened.

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Synopsis

Every seventeen-years the itch reaches its peak and Stubbsy locks himself in a container. But the new manager of the psych ward doesn’t want him to be put in such an inhuman container. The consequences are nothing like she anticipated and will carry on to the next generation.

Thoughts

From the title of this story, I was completely expecting a story of a husband and wife which do something horrible to each other. Because, you know… it was in a collection of horrifying Halloween stories. It’s still completely horrifying. Still a creepy Halloween story… but not about a husband and wife. Not really about anything that I expected from the title. Which, of course, made me love it even more… since you know, the joys of a collection of Halloween horror tales.

We’ve all felt itchy. Actually, as I write this and reflect on the short story, I’m wearing a woollen jumper. Which five seconds ago didn’t feel so damn itchy… and now… nope, nope, nope. Expand that by ten thousand and you have the feeling that is described in this story. I think that fact that we’ve all felt the insane urge to itch makes it much easier to relate to this story. And therefore feel WAY more creeped out by it than any other story which you can’t relate to so closely.

The only thing I would say about this story – don’t read it before bed. It’s kind of creepy and full on. I’m so glad that I read this earlier in the day and had enough time to finish other stories before falling into bed. Just don’t read it before you fall asleep…

 <- Wick’s End ReviewA Flicker of Night on Devil’s Night Review ->

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Wick’s End by Joanna Parypinski

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: Wick’s End
Author: Joanna Parypinski
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Demons, Horror, Tricksters
Dates read: 17th November 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: His soul was turned away from the light, and turned away, of course, from that seething pit of terror known as hell, as the devil kept his promise.

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Synopsis

A trade-off of horror stories late on All Hallows Eve. Each one scarier than the last. Each with their own, hidden message.

Thoughts

There is something that is just so… recognisable about telling ghost stories. It doesn’t matter what age or setting, telling tales that are sure to freak out your friends, peers and family is just… well, fun. Which of course meant that there had to be an exchange of ghost stories in a collection of Halloween tales. The fact that it’s an exchange of steadily creepier stories in a bar in the middle of nowhere… well, that had me grinning and clapping my hands like a little ninny.

This is a bit of a trickster tale. After all, the trickster is constantly outwitting and outmanoeuvring his enemies. And often times they are far more powerful than him. Which is what the man in this tale does… but with the devil. And yet, you know, since it’s the devil… that there will be some form of comeuppance at the end. The devil really doesn’t like to be bested, so he’s going to find a way to get his revenge… which creates an amazing cat and mouse story that I’m really disappointed ended so quickly. I mean, I would have loved to continue the cat and mouse game a little longer!

I’ve never understood what is so “cool” about Jack O’Lanterns. Or however you spell it… they’ve always seemed creepy. And I’ve watched rom coms which feature their carving as some romantic moment… ummmm. No thank you! This is a bit of a Jack O’Lantern origins story. One which far better suits my freaked out opinion on them than anything else I’ve read or seen in a long time… they are not cute and cuddly!

 <- A Small Taste of the Old Country ReviewThe Seventeen-Year Itch Review ->

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A Small Taste of the Old Country by Jonathan Maberry

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: A Small Taste of the Old Country
Author: Jonathan Maberry
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 15th November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: “Maybe she did,” said Becker.

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Synopsis

At All Hallows Eve, the presence of the past likes to linger and haunt us. It reminds us that we are not alone in this world…

Thoughts

This was another of those stories that I just kept having random thoughts on while reading it. The dot points and tired delirium of my notes are far more entertaining than any sentences that I could turn them into… so here they are in all their slightly unusual glory…

  • That’s it, the baker is evil. Pg. 2
  • There is an obsession with Austrian and German descent… I’ve missed something here. Pg. 4
    • But they’re Argentinian? Sure, sure. That MUST be similar.
  • Now there’s talk of dead people and honouring them. Pg. 7
    • Little random, but the true meaning of All Hallows Eve is being shared and explained
  • Pretty beads
  • Very, very love the Halloween adherence to actual traditions
  • Creepy, death and fun!
  • No religion butt head!!!

Not entirely sure where the final comment came from, but I certainly enjoyed this little adventure.

 <- Dirtmouth ReviewWick’s End Review ->

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Dirtmouth by Stephen Graham Jones

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: Dirtmouth
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Family, Horror
Dates read: 15th November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: It wouldn’t be a lost hunter, either, unless that hunter was really lost; rifle season had closed ten days earlier.

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Synopsis

A little over a year ago he lost his wife. On a pilgrimage to the mountains that took her life, he loses both of his children. But the way in which he loses them will only happen on a dark Halloween night…

Thoughts

One of my biggest rants around Halloween is the fact that a) we’re not American. And b) most people don’t understand the roots of the festival. This short story does address those roots. After all, Halloween (or All Hallows Eve) is the night of the year in which the barriers between worlds fall. Most of the stories I read that feature this ideal are kind of sweet – definitely filled with hope and connections with the past… this isn’t such a nice story, but I love that it connects the spirit world with the living one.

The narrative voice of this story is absolutely amazing. It is funny, witty and not one that I’m likely to forget at any time soon. It took me a little while to realise exactly what was happening… but once I realised that the man who is telling the story was trying to explain what happened to a cop. It just became brilliant. Although, once you finish it, the cheer, hope and good humour with which this story is told – that becomes a little bit creepy… after all, he’s recounting the death of his wife and the loss of his children.

There are many tales of the power of a mother’s love. Normally I find them kind of sweet and cheerful. Not so much when that love means a weird zombie coming back from the dead, visiting her children and just generally wreaking havoc on the world. Talk about a horror story!

 <- With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds ReviewA Small Taste of the Old Country Review ->

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With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds by Seanan McGuire

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover haunted nights ellen datlow

Title: With Graveyard Weeds and Wolfsbane Seeds
Author: Seanan McGuire
In: Haunted Nights (Lisa Morton & Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror
Dates read: 14th November 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Blumhouse
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: No one owns this house.

Synopsis

Mary Holston loves Halloween, but a tragedy occurs and her life is ended. Yet, the house stands as a testament to her life… and as a way in which their town can be kept nice, beautiful and pleasant…

Thoughts

As a start to a collection of stories about haunted nights and Halloween… this is absolutely freaking perfect. It starts with a little girl trick or treating and then flickers into the present. Something that is theoretically very cute and innocent is made into something that really, really isn’t. Alright, I’ve never truly understood why Trick or Treating is such a childhood obsession and seen of as cute… but apparently it is. I much prefer this dark and creepy version of a small ghost girl running around saying Trick or Treat though.

This short story has a kind of supernatural-esque kind of feeling. Mostly, it’s a great reminder that you should never go into a haunted house! Especially when you’re a group of teenagers who are hell-bent on destruction. And the house is one that has never been destroyed, decomposed or modified in any shape or form. I mean, you just know that some supernatural shit is going on right there. And of course, that’s what you keep screaming in your head the whole time you’re reading this… “don’t go into the house!”

This is a great, intense and fun short story. Mary Holston is the exact level of creepiness that makes me get goose bumps. Honestly, it’s small girl ghosts with their high pitched voices that give me the nightmares and make me check around the corners. So this makes me just freak out whenever I read it… which is exactly what you want as an opening Haunted Nights story.

 <- Haunted NightsDirtmouth ->

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