katkinney's review
5.0
I LOVE a great Halloween story and am always on the lookout for wonderful Halloween and fall-themed books to read in October! This collection had it all! Candy corn. Pumpkin patches. Pumpkin spice lattes. Spooky stories that will get you in a Halloween mood just as the weather gets colder. I loved baking in my kitchen while listening to hayrides and pumpkin carvings, haunted scarecrows, witches and summoning circles. I totally fangirled when I discovered this even had a spooky corn maze story, one of my all-time Halloween favorites!! There was even a Baba Yaga and a Jack the Ripper retelling! Lots of black cats with slightly missing ears (ha ha
nightshade386's review against another edition
5.0
Full disclosure, I am one of the authors featured in this anthology. For the sake of my rating, consider that my opinion of the other 13 stories in this book, as I am loathe to rate my own work. That job should fall to other readers.
That being said, having now had the chance to read through all of the other stories in this anthology, I’m truly excited to say they were all extremely strong efforts. There wasn’t a single story in this anthology that I didn’t like, though my personal favorites were Constellation Boy and Courting Death. But don’t skip ahead to those. You’ll want to savor every tale in this anthology like your favorite pumpkin flavored beverage.
That being said, having now had the chance to read through all of the other stories in this anthology, I’m truly excited to say they were all extremely strong efforts. There wasn’t a single story in this anthology that I didn’t like, though my personal favorites were Constellation Boy and Courting Death. But don’t skip ahead to those. You’ll want to savor every tale in this anthology like your favorite pumpkin flavored beverage.
ltwardwriter's review against another edition
5.0
Autumn Nights was the perfect read for anytime of the year. While most of the stories are tales set around Halloween, this is not the kind of book you should only read during a specific season. The variety of genres within Autumn Nights led to experiencing stories I normally wouldn't have sampled. I bought this book to get into the fall mood, but was delighted to find that the collection can work for anytime I want a good read.
Each short story in this collection gives a nod to its charitable donation by including a black cat with a torn right ear. How each author took that requirement and ran with it surprised me. No two stories incorporated the cat in the same way and none of the authors made the inclusion feel forced. As I continued through the book, I was amazed at how the cat was utilized in not only the story, but the genre. It made for a fun read.
I don't want to tell you which stories I loved, but that's because the genre and writing style that might be for me might not be for you. However, I believe any reader would find several shorts to enjoy. If you're looking for an autumn-themed sampler of literature, I recommend you pick up Autumn Nights.
Each short story in this collection gives a nod to its charitable donation by including a black cat with a torn right ear. How each author took that requirement and ran with it surprised me. No two stories incorporated the cat in the same way and none of the authors made the inclusion feel forced. As I continued through the book, I was amazed at how the cat was utilized in not only the story, but the genre. It made for a fun read.
I don't want to tell you which stories I loved, but that's because the genre and writing style that might be for me might not be for you. However, I believe any reader would find several shorts to enjoy. If you're looking for an autumn-themed sampler of literature, I recommend you pick up Autumn Nights.
bekkabergamot's review against another edition
4.0
This collection of short stories range from cozy Autumnal to slightly spooky. The book features 13 different indie authors. If supporting indie authors isn't enough of a draw for you, all proceeds from the book go to the ASPCA!
whistberry's review against another edition
5.0
Wonderful and wonderfully varied collection of haunting tales perfect for late-night reading in the days leading up to Halloween. Without a stinker in the bunch, each story has its own unique style, setting, and mood reflecting the diverse array of writers involved in this anthology. From spooky houses to the far reaches of outer space, from foggy and historic London Town to popular modern phone apps and RPGs, these stories run the gamut from fantasy to scifi to speculative fiction and outright horror. Truly something for anyone's taste here. I enjoyed every story, but a few that stood out for me were "Hannah and Gregory" and "The Teller Tree" because I enjoy folkloric and fairy tale riffs, "Dawson Farms" because it played upon my own fears of claustrophobia and feeling trapped, and "My Own Dark Way" and "From Hell" for their riffs on a dark period of London history. But really, I could list every story here. There wasn't a single one that didn't thrill and entertain. From humor to horror, I can't imagine any reader who won't find something to fall in love with in this amazing collection of expertly written tales. Proceeds also earmarked for charity which I applaud and support as well. Highly recommended.
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