Stories of Halloween Thrills and Chills: Horton's Halloween Hauntings is a must-read for every fan of horror stories

 

Horton’s Halloween Hauntings: 14 Tales of Halloween

Edited by Chisto Healy

Independently Published, 2025

ISBN-13: 979-8268332650

Ebook, 179 ppg.

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If you’re looking for a collection of Halloween stories to read, look no further than the anthology, Horton’s Halloween Hauntings: 14 Tales of Halloween, edited by Chisto Healy. Not only will you read some frightening and terrifying stories but your love for Halloween will grow thanks to the many stories in this book that put a new spin on many Halloween traditions.

 

Even though this anthology is filled with stories by authors whose work I have enjoyed reading in the past, here are the stories that really stood out for me:

 

“Turnip Head” by Desiree Horton

The veil is thin on Halloween, allowing the dead easy passage into the land of the living. But one woman’s late husband comes back in an unusual way!

 

“Anything for Candy” by Ashley Fox

This was a very dark tale. There are so many stories of Halloween tricks gone wrong, but not many of them explore what happens afterward. This story does, and what happens after the tragedy is all the more horrifying.

 

“Devil of the Eden” by Boe Healy

What happened in this story was completely unexpected! It’s full of scares and a lot of tension. It’s a good father and son Halloween story but it’s also very dark and creepy.

 

“The King of the Gourds” by E.M. Otero

This story takes a very bizarre turn after an expert pumpkin carver starts experiencing some body horror while carving pumpkins. I loved the ending!

 

“Riddles Three” by Z Martin

This is another creepy story that took an unexpected turn! I really enjoyed reading it. I thought the riddles were really clever.

 

“The Birthright” by Eve L. Fell

I was excited to come across this kind of story, as they are one of my favorites. At first, I was frightened by what was happening to the main character, then the story had a twist and it went in an entirely different direction!

 

“Jaq-O-Lantern: The Pumpkin Queen” by Chisto Healy

The name in the title confused me, but I loved the story behind it! Yes, it’s sad, but there is at least some peace behind it. I love how the legend comes to life in this story. There are some horrible things that happen, but it’s a really good story. 

 

While those stories really resonated with me, I enjoyed reading all of the stories in this book. They are all good stories and I was happy for the chance to read these creative tales written by some very talented writers.

 

Horton’s Halloween Hauntings: 14 Tales of Halloween is the kind of book that every horror lover should include in their library. It’s a great book to read during Halloween season, as well as any time of the year. The stories in this book will surprise and terrify readers, keeping them turning the pages for tales that never cease to entertain.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

Disclaimer: This review is completely voluntary. I downloaded a copy of this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription and I am posting this review by choice.

No Spoilers Here: Tell Me How It Ends is a Collection of Horror Stories That Will Surprise, Frighten and Terrify Readers

 

Tell Me How It Ends: A Horror Collection

Desiree Horton

Independently Published, 2025

ISBN-13: 979-8285804628

Ebook, 98 ppg.

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A woman makes a horrifying discovery after her husband’s death. Trick-or-treaters get more than they bargain for after they follow a young girl into the woods. And an unusual convention has an unlucky guest. These are just some of the horror stories that await readers of the book, Tell Me How It Ends: A Horror Collection by Desiree Horton. Within the pages of this book lurk people who delight in committing the most heinous of crimes and monsters eagerly hungry for the humans in their sights. The next story I read was even better than the last one. I read this book in a day, as it was hard to put down! I could not stop reading it once I began, and the cryptic endings made me hold my breath as I got to the very last surprising sentence.

 

This collection of stories starts off strong. The first story, “The Beach House,” had me thinking that it was a story about loss or grief, but then something completely unexpected happens that changed everything I thought I had figured out about this story. This plot twist had me eagerly reading more and what happened next took me by surprise. It’s a great story that lingered in my head long after I finished reading it.

 

“Penny’s Tea” was really horrific! I had no idea what to expect, though I understood what was happening. They say we should trust our instincts when we feel that something isn’t right with our bodies, and the character, Penny, really knew that she was dealing with something not only wrong but also unnatural. Loved the surprise at the end of this story! It’s a great body horror story that sent chills down my spine!

 

“Sweeter than Candy” was another enjoyable read. I have read this Halloween story before, when it was published in Halloween Horrors: A Fundraising Anthology, but of course I read it again and it was just as enjoyable to read again! That’s one good thing about spooky Halloween stories; they can be enjoyed many times over, especially during the month of October!

 

“Family is Forever” was also another awesome story in this book. When I started reading it, I had no idea what to expect. But as I got into this story, I was drawn into the mutual grief the cousins felt over yet another death in the family. They say that grief affects everybody differently, but for Daisy’s cousin, Rosie, she puts her unusual hobby to creative use in coping with the most recent loss.

 

All of the stories in this collection were enjoyable and I loved the last one, the title story, the best.

 

Tell Me How It Ends is a collection of spooky, haunting tales that are sure to frighten, terrify and alarm readers. These stories offer a combination of monstrous characters, horrifying spectacles and spinetingling scares that are unlike any other stories out there. Pick up this book to read if you’re looking for some scary stories to enjoy and you won’t be disappointed.

 

  

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I downloaded a free copy of this book through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

They Sold Their Souls to the Devil: And All the Little Soldiers Fall in Line is a collection of poems reflecting on a corrupt American government as well as life and parenthood

 

 

And All the Little Soldiers Fall in Line: Poems and Tales

Andrew Buckner

Requiem Press, 2025

ISBN: 9798280508118

Ebook, 113 ppg.

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If there’s one thing that can be said about Andrew Buckner the poet, it’s that he is not afraid to speak the truth in his writing. Here, in his newest collection of poetry and tales, his poems speak boldly about politics, life and parenthood. The politics angle is one I have noticed many writers and publishers are avoiding, but I’m glad there are still writers out there willing to write the TRUTH about the shitshow that is our American government in their writing.

 

I enjoyed reading all of the poems as well as the tales in this book. Some of the poems really stood out for me.

 

The title poem “And All The Little Soldiers Fall In Line” stands out among them all. Reading this poem reminded me of just how lost our government is, caving in to the demands of a tyrannical president who punishes them if he doesn’t get his way. These lines especially captures that notion:

 

“and all the

little soldiers

fall in line

 

to do the

american king’s

hateful bidding” (pg. 1)

 

Hateful indeed. A LOT of the actions of our current president are examples of his war against the American people, not to mention marginalized groups he is trying to erase from this country.

 

Another poem that I liked was one that also hit home with me: “(Irretrievably) Out The Window.” This poem talks about how we exchange portions of our lives for jobs that earn money that, just as our time does, just as this part of our life does, goes “right out the window.” We work for money that disappears just like that because of mortgages, repairs, kids, medical needs, food, etc., thus making us having to work more in order to earn more money, which will disappear again. It’s a vicious cycle.

 

The poem “Sorry, Kids, Or The Final Curtain Call” is such a powerful poem. Especially this part:

 

“Sorry, kids,

we couldn’t give you a better future.

 

We voted with our hate

and not our head.” (pg. 91)

 

And All the Little Soldiers Fall in Line is a collection of poems that captures the current state of our government as well as snippets from the author’s life and his observations. They’re the kind of poems that make you think, wonder, look back and, hopefully, take action to fight for the kind of future we want our children to have.

 

Five stars.

 

 

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.