Beware What Lurks in the Dark: It’s Dark In Here is a frightening collection of horror poetry and art

 

 

It’s Dark In Here: a collection of horror poetry and art

Amanda Ruzsa

Independently Published, 2025

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8292292692

Ebook, 89 ppg.

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Horror poetry has a way of staying with you, especially if it has art to go with it. Reading the horror poetry collection It's Dark In Here: a collection of horror poetry and art by Amanda Ruzsa has that kind of impact. These poems are not just poems meant to scare readers, but they also haunt those who dare to read them. They linger as dark moments that are difficult to escape from, attaching themselves to the soul and slowly feasting on the reader's sense of security.  

 

The poem “Trapped” really has a suffocating feel to it. With lines like “The tides are high/Ripples of water swirling/Around me” and “Even as I tread water/Darkness spreads.” It really made me feel isolated and confined.

 

“Bent Neck Lady” was really creepy. Okay, first of all, I have to say that the image of a lady with a bent neck is in itself disturbing. The poem is also creepy: “I feel the sticky breath of rot/Warming my tear-streaked face/If I could move, I still would not/For fear she’d then give chase.” This nightmarish creature “with gnarled claws” haunts a new home and the speaker in this poem is terrified of it. The accompanying artwork of this “bent neck lady” is equally terrifying.

 

“She Played for the Devil” is a very haunting poem. “Her bow dances/on strings that cannot break” seems to imply that this unseen player of a violin that is buried deep within the earth plays nonstop. This is confirmed by the lines “She’s cursed/She’s trapped/And she mustn’t stop playing.” This poor soul is doomed to play for all eternity and should she ever slip or stop, then chaos ensues in the world above her. I loved how this poem was written. It shares what happens if she stops playing the violin, and why she must continue to play no matter what.

 

Some of the poems had surprise endings: “She Eats the Dark” and “Hung” and “Home Invasion.” Other poems really touched on dark moments as well as horrific events. There’s a good mix of monstrous creatures and horror in all of these poems. All of these poems created a haunting and terrifying reading experience.

 

It's Dark In Here is a frightening collection of horror poetry and art. The artwork accompanying the poems is dark and creepy. It’s certainly a must-read for fans of horror poetry, as well as a collector item that contains some stellar art from some of today’s outstanding independent artists.

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: I downloaded a copy of this ebook as part of my Kindle Unlimited subscription. This review is entirely voluntary.

Give Your Brain a Good Squeeze: All That Slithers is a Collection of Stories that Will Slither Along Your Spine

 

All That Slithers: 13 Stories to Squeeze Your Brain

Fionna Cosgrove

Independently Published, 2025

ISBN: 9780645723380

Ebook, 197 ppg.

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Want a good collection of creepy stories to read? Then check out the short story collection All That Slithers: 13 Stories to Squeeze Your Brain by Fionna Cosgrove. Within the pages of this book, you’ll find stories of mysterious creatures, terrifying monsters, and hideous beasts just waiting to devour an unsuspecting victim. These stories are sure to frighten readers and provide entertaining tales of surprising scares and unexpected horrors.

 

The story “Creepy Critters” was really weird but also interesting. It says a lot about how teens perceive their teachers. Like, it was summer vacation and they didn’t really think much happened in their science teacher’s life, when the teen who is suspicious about her teacher that is completely different realizes that maybe teachers’ lives aren’t so boring and uneventful during the summer after all. I loved how the girls in the story got to show off their intellect.

 

“Cleaver’s Cove” is another good story. This one is recommended for the people who love to fish – especially at night! It’s not one of those “the one that got away” stories; it’s more of a spooky story to entertain and scare anyone who goes fishing in a creepy location.

 

“Sundowner” was a really creepy story. I should have realized that the info provided at the beginning meant something eerie was going to happen. Yes, the story is mostly radio transcripts, but some really scary stuff happens late in the conversation. It was really chilling! More so to discover that the story is based on real events, which readers can learn about at the end.

 

“The Last Sacred Slice” started out as a story about teenagers hanging out with the birthday girl, and of course one of them suggests they do something risky. At first, I was curious why the main character couldn’t remember someone she wrote about in her spell book, but after reading the whole story and getting to the end, it all made sense. Everything became clear. It was unfortunate what happened in the story and more so at the end, but it was also a very creepy story and I wish there had been more to it.

 

The title story was another enjoyable read. You can never trust the slithery things, even those that you could not imagine would be able to slither. This story went from being interesting to creepy and the creepiness factor went up when the strange creatures appeared. I was holding my breath until the end, wondering what was going to happen next.

 

All of the stories in this book held my interest, but the ones mentioned above really stayed with me. The stories are structured so well and well-written. The author really knows how to use mood, setting, and word choice to make these stories creepy and spine-tingling. It’s certainly a good book of stories and I highly recommend them to readers who enjoy short horrific tales.

 

All That Slithers is a collection of creepy and horrific stories that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Filled with a variety of stories that will frighten and delight, it is a book that will offer lots of good scares and terrifying chills. 

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

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

 

The Dream Mystery Solvers are on the Case!: Don't Call Them Cute is a spooky and captivating tale of betrayal and revenge

 

Don’t Call Them Cute

Banunu and Yennie Fer

Independently Published, 2025

Ebook, 225 ppg.

ISBN: 9798293365821

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NOTE: This review is based on an ARC I received from the authors. This book is scheduled for release in November.

 

 

***Thank you to authors Yennie Fer and Banunu for this digital Advanced Reader’s Copy! This review is voluntary, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.***

 

Weird dads! Weird dreams! Blueberry muffins!

 

No, it’s not the world turned upside down. It’s the middle grade horror novel Don’t Call Them Cute by Banunu and Yennie Fer. In this novel, a group of four kids who are trying to make sense of a lot of strange dreams that keep happening, and which seem to be connected to two people in the group.

 

Emile Carter begins to have weird dreams on the night she receives a stuffed lamb as a gift. Is the lamb cursed? A tool used by aliens?

 

Only her best friend, Mary, also 10 and a budding detective who devours mystery novels, would be able to crack the case. But Mary has dark secrets of her own, which could tear her world apart if her friends knew all about them.

 

Then there’s Logan, age 9 and the only boy in the group (who, according to Mary, is not really a boy) and the one who has a crush on Emile. But Logan remains in the friendzone, and he’s still happy to be included in the group all the same.

 

Then there is Lucy, the 12-year-old practical and prim member of the group who is actually (gasp!) normal. Lucy seems to be more mature than her friends, but probably because she is the oldest of the group.

 

Together, this group of best friends decide to form a mystery solving club to get to the bottom of Emile’s strange dreams. Because they seem different from most “normal” kids, they are often bullied, but they stand together to fight off anyone who tries to tear them down.

 

Emile is the daughter of the school principal, and while her dad often tries to remind her that she should get her act together because she has to set an example (for real??), Emile is more interested in getting her own phone. Her FIRST phone, to be exact.

 

But the weird dreams keep happening, and after Emile is hurt in one of them, she and her friends realize that this is serious business. More serious than getting a phone.

 

Together, the friends investigate this mystery to try and find out why these dreams are happening, and if the lamb stuffy is connected!

 

Children are often faced with horrible circumstances that are much bigger than them and too terrifying to understand, but with her friends at her side, Emile finds a way to make sense of the scary situation she is in and find a way to get out of it alive!

 

Don’t Call Them Cute is a heartwarming story of friendship, family, and what it takes to be brave. This story will offer teachable moments to young readers and open the lines for discussion with their parents. A story that could be enjoyed by readers young and old, it provides an entertaining mystery and a good dose of suspense that will keep readers hooked until the very end.

 

 

 

Five stars

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Thank you to authors Yennie Fer and Banunu for this digital advanced reader’s copy! Reviews are totally voluntary. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.