Appalachian Winter Hauntings: Weird Tales from the Mountains

 Appalachian Winter Hauntings includes eleven bone-chilling accounts-penned by many of the preeminent storytellers in the business-that are appropriate to the Appalachian region and relative to the heart of the holiday season. This anthology, edited by Michael Knost and Mark Justice, is designed for cozying up close to a blazing fireplace on the coldest of winter nights. Contributors include: Ronald Kelly, Brian J. Hatcher, Patricia Hughes, Steve Vernon, S. Clayton Rhodes, Steve Rasnic Tem, Sara J. Larson, Scott Nicholson, J.G. Faherty. EmmaLee Pallai, and Elizabeth Massie. The texture is gritty and the stories are moving. Think Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" turned up a notch with a ghostly Appalachian backdrop. So, pour yourself a mug of hot cocoa, wrap your favorite blanket around you, and brace yourself for ghostly stories and weird encounters that take place in the shadows of snowy hilltops or along icy mountain trails. Family friendly.

This was a case of "Don't judge a book by its cover" but that is what I did. I saw this gorgeous cover and expected some terrifying tales. Had I read the description down to the very bottom I would have noticed the "family friendly" part at the end. I believe that may be the reason this book has so few reviews. The cover may have caught the eye of horror fans like me while turning off its target audience, which would be people of all ages who like ghost stories. 

These tales are not gory horror. and there is nothing particularly scary. They are more in tune with the classic style of  "Ghost Stories for Christmas."

Most of the stories are heartwarming, poignant, and bittersweet.

There is some Christmas cheer but I'm not sure I would recommend this book to anyone who struggles with depression at this time of year. There is much poverty, sadness, grief, and loss in these wintery tales, more than a few of which left me feeling quite melancholy even though some of the ghosts offered solace to the living. A couple of these stories had me close to tears. 

All of the stories except The Peddler's Journey by Ronald Kelly were new to me. I had read that one in a different collection. It's one of my favorites about a spirit with unfinished business.

A Sky Full of Stars and a Big Green Forever by Steve Vernon is a lonely tale of a man spending another Christmas on his own.. I think the message conveyed was not to let grief steal what's left of your life.

A man returns to his childhood home after the death of his parents in Smoke In A Bottle by Steve Rasnic Tem. Clearing out the house brings back childhood memories that look a bit different through the eyes of an adult.

The Nativity Tray by Sara J. Larson is one of the stories that had me close to tears. A grief-stricken woman who has lost her family to tragedy prepares for her lonely Christmas Eve until she is interrupted by a visitor.

Apple Head Dolly by Scott Nicholson was closer to the type of story I was expecting to find here.  No ghosts in this one, just a boy who is resentful of his sister when his financially struggling parents spend more on her Christmas presents than his,

The Christmas Letter by Emmalee Pallai is another story that had me a little misty eyed. A boy who lost his dad when he was too young to remember him gets an unforgettable Christmas gift that he will always cherish.

Beggars at Dawn by Elizabeth Massie is about a man at the end of his rope, who finds a reason to hold on a little longer.

So bottom line, I would recommend this anthology to anyone who likes ghost stories, but not for someone specifically in search of a scary read.

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