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A review by sinsandscares
Small Horrors: A Collection of Fifty Creepy Stories by Darcy Coates
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🎧 narrated byShane Emmett
This was my first experience reading a short story collection, and I have to admit it was not even intentional. Yes, I know the cover literally says A Collection of Fifty Creepy Stories, but what can I say? I'm a reader who does not read. It took me until the third story, when I started wondering why there were so many different characters, to finally check the cover and realize, oh, that makes sense.
With 50 stories packed into this collection, it is hard to pick favorites, but that is also where this book stumbles a bit. There are so many stories that it gets hard to keep track of them all. That being said, Darcy Coates does a fantastic job of setting up eerie atmospheres, creating tension, and crafting unsettling scenarios. However, just as each story reaches its climax, it ends. Almost every single one left me thinking, Wait! I want more! While this speaks to how well Coates builds suspense, it also left me feeling unsatisfied. I kept wishing she had fleshed out some of these into full novels.
I listened to this on audiobook through Libby, narrated by Shane Emmett. His narration was solid, not mind-blowing, but engaging enough that I could fully immerse myself in the stories without being pulled out of the experience.
This collection is perfect for readers looking for quick scares in between a busy schedule or for those who enjoy eerie bedtime reads. But be careful, you might plan to read just one or two stories and end up devouring the whole thing like I did.
🎧 narrated byShane Emmett
This was my first experience reading a short story collection, and I have to admit it was not even intentional. Yes, I know the cover literally says A Collection of Fifty Creepy Stories, but what can I say? I'm a reader who does not read. It took me until the third story, when I started wondering why there were so many different characters, to finally check the cover and realize, oh, that makes sense.
With 50 stories packed into this collection, it is hard to pick favorites, but that is also where this book stumbles a bit. There are so many stories that it gets hard to keep track of them all. That being said, Darcy Coates does a fantastic job of setting up eerie atmospheres, creating tension, and crafting unsettling scenarios. However, just as each story reaches its climax, it ends. Almost every single one left me thinking, Wait! I want more! While this speaks to how well Coates builds suspense, it also left me feeling unsatisfied. I kept wishing she had fleshed out some of these into full novels.
I listened to this on audiobook through Libby, narrated by Shane Emmett. His narration was solid, not mind-blowing, but engaging enough that I could fully immerse myself in the stories without being pulled out of the experience.
This collection is perfect for readers looking for quick scares in between a busy schedule or for those who enjoy eerie bedtime reads. But be careful, you might plan to read just one or two stories and end up devouring the whole thing like I did.