Midnight Vintage by Sean Eads and Joshua Viola

 

A collection of haunting short stories that delve into the darker sides of the human soul, this horror book explores raw emotions of desire, despair, and obsession. Each tale is set in an atmospheric world where shadows loom large, and the pursuit of unattainable goals leads characters to face terrifying consequences. Whether it’s the unsettling grip of supernatural forces, the harrowing effects of self-destruction, or the chilling embrace of violence, these stories invite readers to explore the depths of horror, grief, and madness. With unique and frightening twists, these tales will keep you on edge long after the last page is turned.

Step into the unknown, if you dare!

This is that lovely time of year when I barely know what day it is and my thoughts do not connect in ways that make sense. So for that reason, I just have a few words to say about this book.

Midnight Vintage is a gold mine of folk horror, fantasy, and sci-fi. A few of my favorite stories were :

The Bidden-  A farmer and his wife suffer the consequences of his insecurities in this glorious and gruesome bit of folk horror that would do the Brothers' Grimm proud, or make them cringe I'm not sure which. 

Bright Rain - A scientific breakthrough goes from miraculous to deadly in this apocalyptic tale.

The Devil's Reel - A demon opens a movie theater and preys upon the children in a local church. One of my favorite horror tropes is creepy kids so this was a big hit with me.

Eunoch's Code -An experimental surgery aims to make the meek more aggressive but things go awry in the first human test subject.

The Climb Up To Hell-  Three friends will regret trying to prank the new kids with a scary story and a dare. Again, the more creepy kids the better. I love these kinds of stories.

Many Carvings- I don't know how to say much about this one without spoiling it, except yay for more creepy kids. Just go in blind like I did. 

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing.

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The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia

 

Stephanie and Jasmine have nothing and everything in common. The two women don’t know each other but are on the same plane. Stephanie is on a business trip and Jasmine is fleeing an abusive relationship. After a few days, they text their friends the same exact messages about the same man—the messages becoming stranger and more erratic.

And then the two women vanish. The texts go silent, the red flags go up, and the panic sets in. When Stephanie and Jasmine are each declared missing and in danger, it begs the questions: Who is Trent McCarthy? What did he do to these women— or what did they do to him?

Twist upon twist, layer upon layer, where nothing is as it seems, THE BUSINESS TRIP takes you on a descent into the depths of a mastermind manipulator. But who is playing who?

This book started out strong. We first meet Jasmine as she is smack in the middle of sneaking away from her abusive boyfriend. It reminded me of The Invisible Man. Not the original, the new version where she tries to escape in the night without waking him. It was so suspenseful, and I was holding my breath every time she made the slightest noise.

From there, we meet Stephanie as she prepares for a business trip. These women have never met and have polar opposite lives but they will meet on the plane, with shocking consequences.

I usually have no problem with stories that are told from multiple points of view, but this seemed excessive to me. There is Jasmine's point of view, her boyfriend's point of view, her friend's and a coworker at the bar. Then there is Stephanie's point of view, her neighbor's, several of her co-workers, a person at the hotel, a couple of police press conferences and combined with some flashbacks of Jasmine's teen years it was just too much switching around for me.

I enjoyed the beginning and the clever ending of this book but I was frustrated and sometimes bored with the middle. The parts of the book about the newsroom, the convention, and meetings in the hotel were too long for me. I know that some of it was necessary to the plot, but I wanted to get back to the suspense.

My thanks to St. Martin's Press for the invitation to read this book.

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About the author

Hotel Macabre Vol.1: Tales of Horror Edited by Joe Mynhardt

 

Step into the halls of Hotel Macabre, where horror meets innovation.

Where horror knows no bounds…

And every turn reveals a new nightmare.

Hotel Macabre Vol.1 is not your typical horror anthology. It’s an immersive experience that breaks the boundaries of conventional storytelling. This one-of-a-kind collection gathers the chilling voices of horror’s most imaginative minds, presenting a rich blend of flash fiction, short stories, poetry, a suspenseful play, a novella, and even an illustrated comic book section, guaranteeing a diverse feast for horror fans like never before.

Whether you crave the suspense of flash horror, the depth of a full-bodied short story, or the haunting rhythm of dark poetry, Hotel Macabre Vol.1 has it all. And for those looking for something truly unique, this anthology includes a link to an exclusive dramatic reading, bringing the terror to life in a way you’ve never heard before. Each story and poem opens a door to new terrors, while the comic and play sections add a visual and theatrical thrill, making this anthology a must-read for fans of horror anthologies and short horror stories alike.

Dare to enter Hotel Macabre and discover a groundbreaking anthology that will redefine your expectations of horror.

Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

In this volume you will meet a killer who hides in plain sight, take a bus trip with some elderly folks, catch up with a pair of long lost sweethearts, get buried alive, visit a haunted house, and more.

I especially liked the story about a young man afflicted with a strange series of stretch marks that seem to be spreading for no known medical reason at an alarming rate, and the story about a murder of crows that seek vengeance on behalf of a woman who was kind to them.

I enjoyed this anthology, but to be honest, I am not the target audience for flash fiction. The longer stories and dark poetry were my favorite parts of this book. There is something for everyone in this eclectic mix whether you prefer your horror in small bite sized pieces or are looking for a full course meal of terror.

My thanks to Crystal Lake Publishing.

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Nightmare Abbey 7 Edited by Tom English

Unlucky 7th mammoth volume of this critically-acclaimed horror magazine/book.

Ghosts, Gods, Ghouls & Grotesques!

11 terrifying tales by today's top writers

EC Comics' Ghoulunatics (The Hideous History of American Horror Comics #4)

Hammer Film's Greatest: The Devil Rides Out

New Horror Delve List: 13 Scariest Christmas horror tales ever

Heavily illustrated with photos and art

Illustrations by World Fantasy Award-winner Allen Koszowski

Latest report on Dear Abbey and the Hound from Hell

Don't miss out on this Special Edition!

Get it before IT gets YOU! 

This was my seventh visit to Nightmare Abbey, and as always I was entertained not only by the fiction, but also the articles. I especially enjoyed Matt Cowan's Horror Delve into the 13 scariest Christmas horror stories ever, which led me to do a bit of Christmas shopping for myself. I love Christmas horror so I searched out and purchased a collection that includes a story from this list. It always amazes me that even though I have read and watched so much horror over the years Nightmare Abbey manages to surprise me with information on old movies that I never knew about or stories that I missed reading.

The photos and illustrations add to the immersive experience.

Then there are the stories, clever and dangerous little tales that crawled into my brain and stuck there. Does a locked room hold marionettes from a long forgotten stage show? Or does it keep a more sinister secret?  An alcoholic department store Santa has an unforgettable Christmas Eve, A content creator who often fakes the segments for a web series stumbles into something unbelievable. A man gets into an itchy situation when he becomes too acquainted with his weird new neighbors, a story about zombies, and more. 

Nightmare Abbey belongs in every horror lovers collection. It is a wealth of expertly crafted stories, knowledge, and entertainment. If you enjoy dark fiction and amazing artwork this is for you.

My thanks to Dead Letter Press.

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