Tag Archives: Terry Dowling

Hauntings edited by Ellen Datlow

November 22, 2023Book ReviewAdam L.G. Nevill, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Connie Willis, Dale Bailey, David Morrell, E. Michael Lewis, Elizabeth Hand, Ellen Datlow, F. Paul Wilson, Gemma Files, Ghosts, Hauntings, Horror, James P. Blaylock, Jeffrey Ford, Jonathan Carroll, Joyce Carol Oates, Kelly Link, Lucius Shepard, Michael Marshall Smith, Neil Gaiman, Pat Cadigan, Paul Walther, Peter Straub, Richard Bowes, Short Story Collections, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Stephen Gallagher, Terry Dowlingskyebjenner

Hauntings: Datlow, Ellen: 9781616960889: Amazon.com: Books

Title: Hauntings
Author: Ellen Datlow, Pat Cadigan, Dale Bailey, E. Michael Lewis, Lucius Shepard, David Morrell, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Joyce Carol Oates, Elizabeth Hand, Neil Gaiman, F. Paul Wilson, Jonathan Carroll, Terry Dowling, Paul Walther, Simon Kurt Unsworth, Connie Willis, Stephen Gallagher, Michael Marshall Smith, Richard Bowes, James P. Blaylock, Jeffrey Ford, Gemma Files, Kelly Link, Adam L.G. Nevill & Peter Straub
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

This is, as with all Ellen Datlow collections, seriously fun and enjoyable. The fact that this fantastic collection is full of seriously creepy stories made it that much more enjoyable. Mostly because it’s out of my usual genre of choice. Horror and ghost stories might not be quite my usual speed, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t love reading this collection!

Although I really enjoyed reading all of these short stories, I did find that this was not an anthology I should be reading late at night. Or when I was home alone. Whilst some of the stories were kind of mild and not too terrifying, some made it really difficult to sleep after turning the final page. Or just made it difficult to turn off the lights. Which is why this took me a little bit longer to read than I had anticipated.

Hauntings runs the gambit of horror and ghost stories, from horrible hauntings to stories that had a little bit more hope at the end. They made me feel all of the feelings, and I would most definitely read this collection again in the future.

<- The First Lunar Halloween

Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie ->

Image source: Amazon

The Fooly by Terry Dowling

July 12, 2022Book ReviewGhosts, Hauntings, Horror, Terry Dowlingskyebjenner

Title: The Fooly
Author: Terry Dowling
In: Hauntings (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Ghosts, Horror
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2013

So I read this at about 4am waiting for my infant daughter to fall asleep. It was certainly enjoyable and a good way to keep me up. But… maybe it was a little too good. Even after I managed to get back to sleep… the dreams were kind of weird to say the least. It was definitely a haunting kind of story. But one that had just a nice little dash of humour.

After finishing this story, I wondered who and what Katie was who was in a different town. After all, if the lead in this story was some kind of creature that haunts the haunters, then who in the heck is Katie? I like all of the possibilities that my mind took me on and made me wonder about. After all, that’s generally why I enjoy reading horror short stories so much… the possibilities are endless.

This was such a quick short story, so it definitely suits that this is a quick review. It was short, sharp and shiny and seriously enjoyable. The perfect way to wait out a 4-month old who refuses to sleep. But not read it to her… because you know, I want her to actually sleep…

<- Mr. Fiddlehead

The Toll ->

Image source: Amazon

The Monstrous edited by Ellen Datlow

July 6, 2020Book ReviewA.C. Wise, Adam L.G. Nevill, Adam-Troy Castro, Brian Hodge, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Carole Johnstone, Christopher Fowler, Dale Bailey, Dark Fantasy, Ellen Datlow, Gardner Dozois, Gemma Files, Glen Hirshberg, Horror, Jack Dann, Jeffrey Ford, John Langan, Kim Newman, Livia Llewellyn, Peter Straub, Short Story Collections, Sofia Samatar, Stephen Graham Jones, Steve Rasnic Tem, Terry Dowling, The Monstrousskyebjenner

Image result for the monstrous ellen datlow book cover

Title: The Monstrous
Author: Ellen Datlow, Jeffrey Ford, Peter Straub, Dale Bailey, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Gemma Files, Livia Llewellyn, Adam-Troy Castro, Kim Newman, Jack Dann, Gardner Dozois, Carole Johnstone, Brian Hodge, Stephen Graham Jones, Adam L. G. Nevill, Sofia Samatar, Terry Dowling, Glen Hirshberg, A.C. Wise, Steve Rasnic Tem, Christopher Fowler & John Langan
In: The Monstrous (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Dark fantasy, Horror, Short story collections
Dates read: 8th January – 3rd June 2020
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: “I supppose I do,” I reply.

Horror’s most acclaimed editor reveals twenty riveting tales of the Other gone wrong. Monsters who suffer from heartbreak, betrayal, ungrateful kids, and unpaid overtime. Creatures of darkness that struggle to adapt to modern living. Ordinary folks who find themselves inexplicably transformed. 88 But if you dare, come a bit closer and discover the most terrifying of beings – those who are living under your own skin and peering out from behind your eyes.

This collection is brilliant. It is dark, creepy and intense. It is fun. It gave me goose bumps. And it is filled with monsters who come in ALL shapes and sizes. And I mean ALL. A wonderful, fantastic and seriously enjoyable collection filled with the things that go bump in the night. The things that you really hope aren’t hiding under your bed.

Although this anthology sits in my horror shelf, it isn’t really all that scary. Sure, there are multiple moments of discomfort throughout. But they’re that, you have to think a little too much, or consider the many moments of confusion throughout this story that you really don’t necessarily want to think too much about. And, honestly, it’s not the things that jump out and yell BOO that make me love horror. It’s that underlying discomfort that makes you look at your own life that I am quickly becoming obsessed with.

I absolutely adored this collection. It was filled with some familiar names and new ones. Each and every story made me stop and really think about what the storyline was saying. And even now, when I have still finished the whole collection… I am still thinking about some of the stories that I read.

<- Run, Rabbit, Run

A Natural History of Autumn ->

Image source: Amazon

Jenny Come to Play by Terry Dowling

June 13, 2020Book ReviewHorror, Terry Dowling, The Monstrousskyebjenner

Title: Jenny Come to Play
Author: Terry Dowling
In: The Monstrous (Ellen Datlow)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Horror
Dates read: 17th May 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Tachyon
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: He told Angela to have one of the staff bring Ms. Haniver through at once.

Julia is in an institute after checking herself in. When her sister starts leaving her little gifts, her mysterious, dark past comes to life… and death.

So this story got super creepy super quick. Like super, super, extra uncomfortable creepy. From zero to one hundred in no time at all. Seriously not okay. Seriously uncomfortable. But really, really good and impossible to forget.

I find it very interesting (in a disturbing way) that conjoined twins tend to feature pretty heavily in the more uncomfortable stories. This one is just way, way creepier than most of the stories I’ve read that feature this sense of discomfort. So dramatically creepy that I’m still thinking about it long after I turned that final page… plus, there’s also a mental institution, which just adds another layer of discomfort…

I wouldn’t suggest reading this short story if you’re about to spend some time with twins. I have twin friends that I really like. I don’t necessarily want to hang out with them immediately after reading this… there was just a whole new level of creepy… with the maze and the twins and the hypnosis…

<- How I Met the Ghoul

Miss Ill-Kept Runt ->

Image source: Amazon

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.

Tag Archives: Terry Dowling

Hauntings edited by Ellen Datlow

The Fooly by Terry Dowling

The Monstrous edited by Ellen Datlow

Jenny Come to Play by Terry Dowling