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tricapra's review
5.0
It took me forever to read, for some reason. But this was a wonderful collection.
lconrad15's review
4.0
I really enjoyed most of the stories in this anthology. I am not usually interested in reading short stories, but the format worked well in this instance. There were a couple that were more violent than I would like (kids being murdered-not for me!) but those were the exception.
smalefowles's review
4.0
Overall, a very good collection. There weren't any stories that I really disliked, just a few that didn't hit hard, or seemed a little dumb. The overall writing quality is pretty high. This collection clearly tends toward the atmospheric and eerie rather than guts'n'gore (though there is some here!!), and also lots of British stories and lots of stories with children.
Here's an exhaustive list that I can mine next October.
“Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie” by Pat Cadigan (3/5)
- started out with a v good evocation of a child's interpersonal fears, but the ending was dumb.
“Hunger: A Confession” by Dale Bailey (3.5/5)
- ooh, this one is nasty.
“Cargo” by E. Michael Lewis (3.5/5)
- some awful details about Jonestown, a real horror story.
“Delta Sly Honey” by Lucius Shepard (3/5)
- set during Vietnam, which was unique, but the rest of it wasn't.
“Nothing Will Hurt You” by David Morrell (2/5)
- dumb dumb dumb. Dad hunts down his daughter's killer and it's dumb.
“The Ammonite Violin (Murder Ballad No. 4) by Caitlin R. Kiernan (4.5/5)
- i love you the most, CRK. this isn't even your best, but it's still beautiful.
“Haunted” by Joyce Carol Oates (3.5/5)
- literary and a little haunting.
“The Have-Nots” by Elizabeth Hand (3/5)
- I guess I appreciate the novelty of the format, but the story is silly.
“Closing Time” by Neil Gaiman (3.5/5)
- this one is creepy, but it plays around with narration in a way that doesn't resolve well, and it must be deliberate, but i wish it were a little more coherent.
“Anna” by F. Paul Wilson (2/5)
- meh. killer furniture is a little too goofy.
“Mr. Fiddlehead” by Jonathan Carroll (2/5)
- eh. also a little too goofy. every story in here is well-written, but some of the premises are weak.
“The Fooly” by Terry Dowling (3/5)
- just okay.
“The Toll” by Paul Walther (4/5)
- lifeguard and shapes in the water. creepy.
“The Pennine Tower Restaurant” by Simon Kurt Unsworth (5/5)
- reminiscent of the best of SCP in its coupling of a dry style with really terrifying stuff.
“Distress Call” by Connie Willis (3/5)
- enjoyed the disjointed structure, even if it was a little predictable, but a central part of the plot was just too unbelievable.
“The Horn” by Stephen Gallagher (3.5/5)
- really exceptional descriptions of freezing in a snow storm.
“Everybody Goes” by Michael Marshall Smith (3/5)
- a short one, but fun.
“Transfigured Night” by Richard Bowes (4/5)
- black magic is dark dark dark. [couldn't fall asleep after this one!!]
“Hula Ville” by James P. Blaylock (3/5)
- aw, this one was sort of cute. desert sideshow item.
“The Bedroom Light” by Jeffrey Ford (3.5/5)
- a couple discuss living in the worst apartment building.
"Spectral Evidence" by Gemma Files (4/5)
- photos taken by psychics and notes on the photos. clever format.
"Two Houses" by Kelly Link (5/5)
- probably my favorite story in the collection. unique and atmospheric and just the right amount of ambiguous. why can't i write like link?
"Where Angels Come In" by Adam L.G. Nevill (4.5/5)
- there's a spooky house on a hill; children *and* pets are disappearing. v creepy + a little nasty.
“Hunger: An Introduction” by by Peter Straub (4.5/5)
- i love an unreliable narrator, and the slow build here is amazing and ultimately charming.
Here's an exhaustive list that I can mine next October.
“Eenie, Meenie, Ipsateenie” by Pat Cadigan (3/5)
- started out with a v good evocation of a child's interpersonal fears, but the ending was dumb.
“Hunger: A Confession” by Dale Bailey (3.5/5)
- ooh, this one is nasty.
“Cargo” by E. Michael Lewis (3.5/5)
- some awful details about Jonestown, a real horror story.
“Delta Sly Honey” by Lucius Shepard (3/5)
- set during Vietnam, which was unique, but the rest of it wasn't.
“Nothing Will Hurt You” by David Morrell (2/5)
- dumb dumb dumb. Dad hunts down his daughter's killer and it's dumb.
“The Ammonite Violin (Murder Ballad No. 4) by Caitlin R. Kiernan (4.5/5)
- i love you the most, CRK. this isn't even your best, but it's still beautiful.
“Haunted” by Joyce Carol Oates (3.5/5)
- literary and a little haunting.
“The Have-Nots” by Elizabeth Hand (3/5)
- I guess I appreciate the novelty of the format, but the story is silly.
“Closing Time” by Neil Gaiman (3.5/5)
- this one is creepy, but it plays around with narration in a way that doesn't resolve well, and it must be deliberate, but i wish it were a little more coherent.
“Anna” by F. Paul Wilson (2/5)
- meh. killer furniture is a little too goofy.
“Mr. Fiddlehead” by Jonathan Carroll (2/5)
- eh. also a little too goofy. every story in here is well-written, but some of the premises are weak.
“The Fooly” by Terry Dowling (3/5)
- just okay.
“The Toll” by Paul Walther (4/5)
- lifeguard and shapes in the water. creepy.
“The Pennine Tower Restaurant” by Simon Kurt Unsworth (5/5)
- reminiscent of the best of SCP in its coupling of a dry style with really terrifying stuff.
“Distress Call” by Connie Willis (3/5)
- enjoyed the disjointed structure, even if it was a little predictable, but a central part of the plot was just too unbelievable.
“The Horn” by Stephen Gallagher (3.5/5)
- really exceptional descriptions of freezing in a snow storm.
“Everybody Goes” by Michael Marshall Smith (3/5)
- a short one, but fun.
“Transfigured Night” by Richard Bowes (4/5)
- black magic is dark dark dark. [couldn't fall asleep after this one!!]
“Hula Ville” by James P. Blaylock (3/5)
- aw, this one was sort of cute. desert sideshow item.
“The Bedroom Light” by Jeffrey Ford (3.5/5)
- a couple discuss living in the worst apartment building.
"Spectral Evidence" by Gemma Files (4/5)
- photos taken by psychics and notes on the photos. clever format.
"Two Houses" by Kelly Link (5/5)
- probably my favorite story in the collection. unique and atmospheric and just the right amount of ambiguous. why can't i write like link?
"Where Angels Come In" by Adam L.G. Nevill (4.5/5)
- there's a spooky house on a hill; children *and* pets are disappearing. v creepy + a little nasty.
“Hunger: An Introduction” by by Peter Straub (4.5/5)
- i love an unreliable narrator, and the slow build here is amazing and ultimately charming.
erinys's review
4.0
A solid reprint anthology. Most of the stories are good quality, one or two are genuinely surprising or known classics.
The books starts strong, and I was particularly impressed with "Cargo" by E. Michael Lewis and "Delta Sly Honey" by Lucius Shepard, which I cannot remember having read before. "The Ammonite Violin" by Caitlin Kiernan is justly famous and beautifully told, but of course it's based on a famous murder ballad and therefore somewhat predictable, which can take the sting out of any horror tale.
Unexpected delights included "Two Houses" by Kelly Link, a story that was simultaneously a contemporary ghost story and a space opera ghost story, "The Have-Nots" by Elizabeth Hand, which startled me with its ending, and two well-crafted tales of interstitial horror, "The Pennine Tower Restaurant" by Simon Kurt Unsworth, and "Spectral Evidence" by Gemma Files.
My vote for the most horrifying story of the collection would probably go to "The Horn" by Stephen Gallagher, although "Where Angels Come In" by Adam L. G. Nevill and "Hunger: An Introduction" by Peter Straub both had some deeply disturbing aftershocks.
The books starts strong, and I was particularly impressed with "Cargo" by E. Michael Lewis and "Delta Sly Honey" by Lucius Shepard, which I cannot remember having read before. "The Ammonite Violin" by Caitlin Kiernan is justly famous and beautifully told, but of course it's based on a famous murder ballad and therefore somewhat predictable, which can take the sting out of any horror tale.
Unexpected delights included "Two Houses" by Kelly Link, a story that was simultaneously a contemporary ghost story and a space opera ghost story, "The Have-Nots" by Elizabeth Hand, which startled me with its ending, and two well-crafted tales of interstitial horror, "The Pennine Tower Restaurant" by Simon Kurt Unsworth, and "Spectral Evidence" by Gemma Files.
My vote for the most horrifying story of the collection would probably go to "The Horn" by Stephen Gallagher, although "Where Angels Come In" by Adam L. G. Nevill and "Hunger: An Introduction" by Peter Straub both had some deeply disturbing aftershocks.
diaryofdifference's review against another edition
4.0
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Thank you the publisher, Andersen Press, for sending me a copy of Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill Your Blood. Also thanks to Kaleidoscopic Tours and LoveReading4Kids, for the opportunity to be part of the buzz for this book.
I am also hosting a giveaway for residents in the UK – for a chance to win a copy of this book head over to my Instagram Post. The giveaway ends on 1st November 2020.
Haunted is a collection of short ghost stories, written by multiple authors. The authors are the following: Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Jamila Gavin, Eleanor Updale, Derek Landy, Robin Jarvis, Sam Llewellyn, Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Berlie Doherty.
It is incredible that these amazing children’s authors gathered together. They managed to create stories that kept me in a good cozy spooky mood for a while, giving me unexpected chills from time to time. It was a perfect Halloween read, and I am so glad I got the chance to read it! Even the author’s biographies in the end were a bit spooky. Below you will see a breakdown of my opinions for every story, in case you want to know more. My rating is the average rating of all stories combined. I had to hold back on some information for some, to prevent spoilers. There are no spoilers in the next section, but if you’re planning to read the book, I would suggest you dive into it blindly. That way, you’ll get the full experience!
1. The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney – ★★★★
When a young man starts a night shift at a castle full of prisoners, he has no clue of what’s about to happen. The castle is scary at night, and there are stories that it’s haunted as well. Then, unexpected things begin to happen. I enjoyed this story. It was engrossing and intense, but slightly too short to my liking. I liked the haunted vibe though, as well as the incredible ending.
2. The Caretakers by Susan Cooper – ★★★★
A beautifully written spooky story about a family that travels to Devon for a vacation. Anna doesn’t really get along with her brother James. And James has issues of his own, one of them being a complete disregard of social clues and people’s feelings. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but the amazing ending made up for it. I really enjoyed the love Anna has for her brother, even though he may not be able to see that.
3. Good Boy by Mal Peet – ★★★
Katie Callan has a recurring nightmare of a dog walking towards her. She has had this dream since she was a child. When she grows up and moves into another city, a dangerous situation will finally reveal why she has had this dream all along. I liked the story, but it didn’t intrigue me or spook me like the others did.
4. The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin – ★★★★★
This was so far my favorite story. It is longer than the others and it contains family drama with a spooky element of ghosts having unfinished business. I liked Freddie a lot as well.
5. The Ghost in the Machine by Eleanor Updale – ★★★★
This story was cool and unexpected. It was also a modern day one, where the ghost is in electronic form. I really liked that idea. The creativity and the way how it worked were put together very nicely. I just didn’t feel the spookiness.
6. Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy – ★★★★
A ghost story that was also heartwarming. Well, that’s a first. I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe because it had a detective vibe, as well as intensity throughout the way. The ending made me smile.
7. The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis – ★★★★★
Bram is staying at his aunt Pat’s cabins during the summer with his mum and his older sister. He doesn’t have any friends and his sister ignores him. Then one day, he decides to spend the night in the beach hut. But little does he know – the hut is already occupied. But a girl who is a ghost. This story is another favorite of mine. I loved that it was set in the summer. We usually associate scary stories with autumn, or cold weather, and this was a nice change to remind us that ghosts can appear in any season. I loved Bram and could relate to him a lot. He was a brave soul, who loved adventure and didn’t have many friends. I also loved the ghost story and how it ended. The plot twist was very unpredictable and I loved it so much!
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness by Sam llewellyn – ★★★★★
Another great story, this one written in the form of a diary. Connecting events of the past and the present – I really enjoyed the ending. It was very intriguing, and the story telling was spot on. I wanted to know a bit more about the ghost in the end.
9. The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig – ★★★★★
The Ghost Walk is my ultimate favorite. It is also the one story that I can’t say what it’s about without spoiling anything. But it was wonderful and it was intriguing. It kept me glued to the pages until the very end. It also gave me shivers a couple of times!. If you’re only going to read one story from this book, it should be this one.
10. The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve – ★★★★
So adorable and sad. Especially the ending. And another story that I won’t reveal the synopsis of. It was a bit slow at the beginning and too descriptive for my taste. But the ending made up for it.
11. The Little Ship’s Boy by Berlie Doherty – ★★★★
Jez stays in Cornwall with his uncle and aunt. And there’s a story about a haunted ship that appears during big storms. But when Jez also sees a child, asking to be saved, he needs to do something. Filled with intensity and singing sailors, this story gave me the chills. There’s also a music sheet for the song as well, and I wish I was musically educated to be able to play it.
Thank you the publisher, Andersen Press, for sending me a copy of Haunted: Ghost Stories to Chill Your Blood. Also thanks to Kaleidoscopic Tours and LoveReading4Kids, for the opportunity to be part of the buzz for this book.
I am also hosting a giveaway for residents in the UK – for a chance to win a copy of this book head over to my Instagram Post. The giveaway ends on 1st November 2020.
Haunted is a collection of short ghost stories, written by multiple authors. The authors are the following: Joseph Delaney, Susan Cooper, Mal Peet, Jamila Gavin, Eleanor Updale, Derek Landy, Robin Jarvis, Sam Llewellyn, Matt Haig, Philip Reeve and Berlie Doherty.
It is incredible that these amazing children’s authors gathered together. They managed to create stories that kept me in a good cozy spooky mood for a while, giving me unexpected chills from time to time. It was a perfect Halloween read, and I am so glad I got the chance to read it! Even the author’s biographies in the end were a bit spooky. Below you will see a breakdown of my opinions for every story, in case you want to know more. My rating is the average rating of all stories combined. I had to hold back on some information for some, to prevent spoilers. There are no spoilers in the next section, but if you’re planning to read the book, I would suggest you dive into it blindly. That way, you’ll get the full experience!
1. The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney – ★★★★
When a young man starts a night shift at a castle full of prisoners, he has no clue of what’s about to happen. The castle is scary at night, and there are stories that it’s haunted as well. Then, unexpected things begin to happen. I enjoyed this story. It was engrossing and intense, but slightly too short to my liking. I liked the haunted vibe though, as well as the incredible ending.
2. The Caretakers by Susan Cooper – ★★★★
A beautifully written spooky story about a family that travels to Devon for a vacation. Anna doesn’t really get along with her brother James. And James has issues of his own, one of them being a complete disregard of social clues and people’s feelings. It was a bit slow at the beginning, but the amazing ending made up for it. I really enjoyed the love Anna has for her brother, even though he may not be able to see that.
3. Good Boy by Mal Peet – ★★★
Katie Callan has a recurring nightmare of a dog walking towards her. She has had this dream since she was a child. When she grows up and moves into another city, a dangerous situation will finally reveal why she has had this dream all along. I liked the story, but it didn’t intrigue me or spook me like the others did.
4. The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin – ★★★★★
This was so far my favorite story. It is longer than the others and it contains family drama with a spooky element of ghosts having unfinished business. I liked Freddie a lot as well.
5. The Ghost in the Machine by Eleanor Updale – ★★★★
This story was cool and unexpected. It was also a modern day one, where the ghost is in electronic form. I really liked that idea. The creativity and the way how it worked were put together very nicely. I just didn’t feel the spookiness.
6. Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy – ★★★★
A ghost story that was also heartwarming. Well, that’s a first. I enjoyed this one a lot. Maybe because it had a detective vibe, as well as intensity throughout the way. The ending made me smile.
7. The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis – ★★★★★
Bram is staying at his aunt Pat’s cabins during the summer with his mum and his older sister. He doesn’t have any friends and his sister ignores him. Then one day, he decides to spend the night in the beach hut. But little does he know – the hut is already occupied. But a girl who is a ghost. This story is another favorite of mine. I loved that it was set in the summer. We usually associate scary stories with autumn, or cold weather, and this was a nice change to remind us that ghosts can appear in any season. I loved Bram and could relate to him a lot. He was a brave soul, who loved adventure and didn’t have many friends. I also loved the ghost story and how it ended. The plot twist was very unpredictable and I loved it so much!
8. The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness by Sam llewellyn – ★★★★★
Another great story, this one written in the form of a diary. Connecting events of the past and the present – I really enjoyed the ending. It was very intriguing, and the story telling was spot on. I wanted to know a bit more about the ghost in the end.
9. The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig – ★★★★★
The Ghost Walk is my ultimate favorite. It is also the one story that I can’t say what it’s about without spoiling anything. But it was wonderful and it was intriguing. It kept me glued to the pages until the very end. It also gave me shivers a couple of times!. If you’re only going to read one story from this book, it should be this one.
10. The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve – ★★★★
So adorable and sad. Especially the ending. And another story that I won’t reveal the synopsis of. It was a bit slow at the beginning and too descriptive for my taste. But the ending made up for it.
11. The Little Ship’s Boy by Berlie Doherty – ★★★★
Jez stays in Cornwall with his uncle and aunt. And there’s a story about a haunted ship that appears during big storms. But when Jez also sees a child, asking to be saved, he needs to do something. Filled with intensity and singing sailors, this story gave me the chills. There’s also a music sheet for the song as well, and I wish I was musically educated to be able to play it.
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