dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

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fast-paced
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

this was my first book of darcy coates that i've read :)

the dog's grave digger: 3.5/5
hi please skip this one or use caution if animal gore makes you uncomfortable—went in completely blind and felt icky after reading it because of that :/ the plot twist will make your stomach sink though

knocker: 1.5/5
and to think i was finally getting over my fear of being on boats.... this story is a nightmare for individuals with thalassophobia

sixth floor: 1/5
genuinely i would've crapped my pants if i was in that guy's position

the sightless: 4/5
this definitely gave me "bird box" and "the silence" vibes... i would never survive in a world like this

flotsam: 3/5
i'm not sure what my thoughts are on this one or what to make of it exactly... sis is weird. i'm perplexed why she took it upon herself to move a rotting corpse

great aunt enid: 2/5
oh homegirl's a little crazy

red morning: 3.5/5
this seems...like this definitely could happen

footsteps in the night: 1.5/5
i feel like this one could've been more enjoyable if it was a little longer, it was rushed and left me with some unanswered questions

surf: 2/5
this would've been a fascinating short horror film. i love beach related things so i'll give it a 2 for that

those who live in the woods: 5/5
oh hell no leave the wendigo out of this. my until dawn phase reignited after reading this fr

music box: 1.5/5
this made me think of the movie "wish upon" solely because of the music box that kept following her everywhere she went

ghost town: 1.5/5
and that is why you should never take a detour on a road trip

magpie girl: 4/5
police offers are so frustrating to encounter in the horror genre, they're never a help whatsoever

hazard lights: 5/5
if this were a horror movie, it would slap. i can't imagine the sheer terror and panic that girl was feeling

the resident: 3/5
poor, poor allie

host: 5/5
oh man i don't do insects hell no

snowbound: 2/5
i mean this guy was really in a lose-lose situation here

red oak house: 4.5/5
amityville horror vibes. i actually went to a house that had happenings similar to this one; was definitely an eerie experience

overheard: 2.5/5
not good, not bad either

an empty church: 2/5
not today satan, not today

the monster and the moors: 3.5/5
moral of the story is don't trust ANYONE ever

angel of mercy: 5/5
okay malevolent vibes!! this one was really interesting

tune: 4.5/5
all i gotta say is you're next queen

room for rent: 3.5/5
it's always the ones you least expect. always trust your gut instinct and never stay anywhere that you're hesitant about

snow hunting: 3.5/5
yet again we have another prime exactly of why not to break and enter into sketchy places

witch's book: 2/5
meh, this one was a little corny. honestly felt like i was reading a children's scary story. wasn't too impressed

the woman in the morgue: 2.5/5
hospitals never fail to give me the heebie jeebies

undeparted: 3/5
imagine being stuck in a sick loop like that

doll: 4/5
this reminded me of the lily d episode of the "haunting hour" show i watched as a kid. dolls are always a little unsettling–let alone having your own voodoo doll following you around everywhere

left behind: 4.5/5
oh no that would be an absolute nightmare. this was one of my worst fears in the form of a short horror story

underhouse: 2.5/5
didn't do much for me? karma's a bitch i guess

toxic: 2/5
nah because the second i saw those images she had to look at, i would've quit on the spot. you would never catch me willingly look at nasty rotten flesh of burn victims

the last bus: 2.5/5
talk about a bad day...

house for sale: 2/5
kinda gave me AHS murder house vibes??

diagen: 4/5
ain't no way you lot just casually sailed into a big ass monster's mouth

bunker: 1/5
STOP EXPLORING SKETCHY ASS PLACES YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE AT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

skin house: 2.5/5
i'll give it a 2.5 for creativity

abandoned: 1/5
abominable snowman?

radio: 5/5
a radio station that predicts deaths? tune me in

wax museum: 3/5
man i really thought this one was going to give... but it did not give

bogrot: 3.5/5
beware of animal death in this one!!

beanie's fast food: 2/5
knockoff five nights at freddy's

99 messages: 5/5
this would be a splendid short OR full length horror film

death follows: 3.5/5
welp that's one way to avoid death i suppose

after closing: 2/5
never stay at the library after closing ladies and gents

growth: 2/5
mushrooms!

quarantine: 3.5/5
this one was icky and gross

the cleaners: 3/5
we love cryptozoology!

experimental: 2/5
not sure what to make of this one?

in the space above the wardrobe: 3.5/5
rip queen x

adventurous dark mysterious
dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

These very short tales remind me of childhood spooky stories. They suck you in just enough and “gotcha” at the end, leaving you to wonder how some of them played out and characters fared. 
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus: No
dark mysterious tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: N/A
Strong character development: N/A
Loveable characters: N/A
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

3.5 stars

Small Horrors was my first foray into the world of horror, mysteries, and suspense that was created by USA Today bestselling author, Darcy Coates.

I devoured this collection of 50 eerie short stories like it was my favorite snack! I may have lost an hour or two of my sleep because I found it extremely hard to put down when I started reading it. I had my fair share of WTF and caught-me-off-guard moments as I breezed through the pages.

Likewise, I savored the moments when my heart began to beat faster, when my adrenaline caused my body to tense, when my stomach churned, and then the sudden plunge! This was the only roller coaster ride I would not mind going around for another round.

2023 seems to be a lucky year for my reading journey as I keep on discovering readworthy new-to-me authors. I look forward to reading more of Coates' works.
dark mysterious tense
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: No