Ruined by scandal, Dennis Lange is hoping for a comeback. Selling the story of a cursed tree could make his future—if it doesn’t kill him—in this monstrous short story from New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Dennis awakens something evil when he removes a decades-old jackknife from the trunk of a gnarled old sycamore. Once pinned in place—now thoughtlessly freed—the tree returns to its roots. An act of vigilante justice took place under its boughs long ago. But its taste for blood has only grown stronger…

Joe Hill’s Jackknife is part of The Shivers, a collection of haunting stories that reveal the otherworldly terrors all around us. Once you know, there’s no going back. Read or listen to each story in one unsettling sitting.

The premise of this story intrigued me and I was hoping to check out Joe Hill’s writing to see if it was something I would like. I would say that I enjoyed the story, but it just fell a little short for me. Sadly that can be the case with short stories, it’s sometimes hard to encapsulate the whole story that wants to be told within the small length. The main character, Dennis, is super unlikeable and with how much alcohol he consumes probably a bit unreliable in some aspects – but I don’t think we’re meant to like him. Some of the events were a little too predictable, you could definitely see where things were going. Overall it was a quick read and the writing style did keep my attention, so I still may check out other works by Hill in the future.

Happy reading!

In a hilarious short story from New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman, the absurdities of modern life cause one man’s solitary world to spin suddenly, and comically, out of control.

Lucas knows the perfect night entails just three things: video games, wine, and pad thai. Peanuts are a must! Other people? Not so much. Why complicate things when he’s happy alone?

Then one day the apartment board, a vexing trio of authority, rings his doorbell. And Lucas’s solitude takes a startling hike. They demand to see his frying pan. Someone left one next to the recycling room overnight, and instead of removing the errant object, as Lucas suggests, they insist on finding the guilty party. But their plan backfires. Colossally.

Told in Fredrik Backman’s singular witty style with sharply drawn characters and relatable antics, The Answer Is No is a laugh-out-loud portrait of a man struggling to keep to himself in a world that won’t leave him alone.

I’ve enjoyed Backman’s short stories before, so thought I would definitely pick this one up. I don’t know if it was too surreal for me or what, but this one didn’t hit for me. I enjoyed it overall, but there were definitely elements that made it a little hard to get through. Not all of the characters are likeable, including the main character, Lucas, at times. I found the “board” hilarious, but some of the other elements were too over the top in their actions. I know it wasn’t a story meant to be believable, but it just was a bit much for me.

Happy reading!

Do you dare read this collection of terrifyingly gruesome tales? In this gripping volume, author Jen Campbell offers young readers an edgy, contemporary, and inclusive take on classic fairy tales, taking them back to their gory beginnings while updating them for a modern audience with queer and disabled characters and positive representation of disfigurement.

Featuring fourteen short stories from China, India, Ireland, and across the globe, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is an international collection of the creepiest folk tales. Illustrated with Adam de Souza’s brooding art, this book’s style is a totally original blend of nineteenth-century Gothic engravings meets moody film noir graphic novels. Headlined by the Korean tale of a carnivorous child, The Sister Who Ate Her Brothers is a truly thrilling gift for brave young readers.

I’ve heard good things about Jen Campbell’s work before, but never had a chance to pick it up. When I heard about this collection I knew I had to pick it up. The idea of folklore/stories from around the world getting tweaks or re-imaginings, and then to hear that they were gruesome tales, I was sold. I loved the dark tones of the stories, some I had read or heard of previously, so I enjoyed the slight variations on them. The stories are definitely dark and each area of the world has different themes, so it was nice to see them in a collection together.

Happy reading!

A horror tale about the Witch Bride, second wife of a King, and the discord between her and her young stepson.

Having read Khaw’s novella and enjoyed their writing immensely, I was excited to see this short story available and I really enjoyed it. It’s a pretty short story, but a lot is packed into it. I really enjoyed the internal commentary the main character was having as she went about her task, and the little snippets of backstory she gave. This is one of those short stories that I felt didn’t need further expanding on the world or story, it was great the length it is.

Happy reading!

As an orphaned sixteen-year-old, Lynette was haunted by the ghost of Mirror Boy, the drowned child who replaced her reflection. Ten years later, she’s built herself a new life, but all that is threatened when Mirror Boy returns, warning of danger. A hunter has come for both of them, and unless Lynette can figure out what’s going on, they will both perish.

I enjoyed a previous short story I read by this author, so I definitely wanted to check out this one. Though it was short I really enjoyed the snippet of this setting and world that was revealed. I would definitely enjoy reading more stories in this world as I felt the author really crafted the small look at it really well. It was an interesting mix of different elements and I really liked it. The plot itself is a simple storyline, but it was all the elements that went into it – from the description of the main character’s past to the different locations described.

Happy reading!

Sir Magnus Holmes, cousin to the more famous Sherlock, is asked to investigate the appearance of an otherworldly knight carrying a legendary sword in the cellar of a Victorian London pub.

This was my first real exposure to Garth Nix’s writing, even though I have a couple of his books on my TBR and I did enjoy this spin on the Holmes family as well as his writing style. The story does start off rather jarringly as you are dropped smack dab in the middle, getting a vignette really. Perhaps an introduction would have helped, but it was still enjoyable and a fun mini-adventure.

An alternate history short story looking at decisions and consequences, and what it takes to pull the trigger.

This story was very impactful, even though it was short. The concept that an innocent child must be slaughtered at the president’s hands in order for them to get access to missile codes, essentially forcing the president to take the life of one of their own citizens before taking the lives of another nation’s citizens. It’s a moral dilemma that is enough to give someone pause and make them really think on their decision. In this story we follow Nyma, who is the one that has the codes inside of her and who the president has to kill should he want to use the missiles against those they are at war with. Seeing this experience through her eyes, all of her interactions with the president as the war is ongoing, seeing his struggle through his eyes and also her conflict, fear and anger over the situation. It’s a hard story to read especially in times that are so politicized and divisive, but the moral components of it made it a compelling read.

Happy reading!