nonersays's review
4.0
A collection of 19 stories and poems with a horror theme. But no other cohesive theme that I can pinpoint. A quick enough anthology, but nothing that was scary enough to make you jump at bumps in the night.
angelahayes's review
4.0
4 Stars
Haunted: The Sparkly Badgers Anthology is a collection of spooky stories by The Sparkly Badgers’ writing group. This group of authors have put together an eclectic mix of stories and poems, all unique and individual to the author, but all centred around the same “spooky” theme. The stories are all very quick, easy and enjoyable reads. They are all have their own identity in this collection, each one bringing its own flavour to the anthology- but all complement one another and blend together into a dynamic and memorable read.
I have read quite a few anthologies lately, and am really enjoying the diversity of stories that can be found within an anthology. This is definitely one of the better anthologies that I have read. All the stories are well written, entertaining and well-rounded. The book contains the work of authors who are all new to me, save one- so it has been exciting to discover new authors to follow and add to my TBR. This has been a fantastic introduction to these authors, and I look forward to reading more from them in the future.
There are 19 great stories/poems here, from 15 talented authors. What better way to spend a night, than curled up beside a fireplace, hot chocolate in hand- reading stories that will keep you glued to the pages- even when you might want to turn away. But leave the lights on! Spooky and creepy is the order of the day!
The Anthology contains:
-The Willow Man By: Jane Jago
This is a chilling poem about The Willow Man, a tree- who invades your dreams, inducing fear with his spindly fingers and icy breath. Well written and a great way to start off the Anthology.
-The Assignment By: Yvette Bastic
A fantastic story about an Assassin who is sent to ‘eliminate’ a vampire. Things may not quite go according to plan. Decisions will need to be made. A great read!
-Waiting for Wednesday By: Cindy Tomamichel
A well woven and suspenseful ghost story. Well done!
-Oh, She Nears! By: Sophie Kearing
A gripping poem of murder. Something Wicked This Way Comes… Chillingly good!
-Dress Like an Animal By: Claire Buss
It starts with an invitation, with the instructions ‘to dress like an animal’. What happens when a group of young people go missing? What about the ones left behind? What’s going on? Will they be found? Well worth the read to find out.
-Boot Hill By: Leo McBride
A tracker on the trail of his quarry. A girl he needs to find. Comes across more than he bargained for. Things much older than us. Boot Hill and the story of the Bootzamon. Intriguing and suspenseful!
-Stalker By: Margena Holmes
A poem about imagination- listening to the sounds in the dark which stir your imagination. Stir your fear. But trying to logically work your way through them. What comes with the light of day. Well written!
Haunted by darkness By: Ian C. Bristow
“Oh, thank God!” Julie ran over, relief bringing tears to her eyes. “You’re safe now,” the officer said. “Can you tell me what happened?” She wanted to. She really did. But the horror of it grew more intense with every passing second and she couldn’t seem to open her mouth to speak. Tears continued to roll down her face and she shook her head. She turned and pointed back at the cab with its blood-spattered windscreen.”
A gripping and suspenseful story that had me hooked right from the beginning. My mind whirling with possible scenarios. Clever!
The Bay Sirius Witch of Atchafalaya Basin By: Holly Rae Garcia
“For generations, Cajun grandmothers passed down legends of the Bay Sirius Witch. Told as a cautionary tale to not stray too deep into the swamps, the threat was always an effective one. Young boys and girls would stay close to their mothers when crawfishing, lest the Witch snatch them away. Older children would dip their toes at the edge of her swamp and dare each other to go find the Witch. It was always an idle threat, a silly game. Until it wasn’t. It happened in the Summer of 1935, before the sun dipped below the horizon and the air was still thick with the day’s heat. Two young girls set off to test their bravery. Agnes Marie and Odette, both twelve years old, pushed out on a homemade raft for the direction of the swamp.”
What happens next makes for a great read. Chills. Suspense. And intrigue!
Grave Dancer By: a stump
A poem about dancing with death. The author certainly knows how to keep you hooked.
Lonesome Conscious World By: S. Shane Thomas
A short sci-fi fantasy with intriguing elements. Had me pondering consciousness. Interesting and thought-provoking! Would love to read a full length sci-fi novel from this author.
The Smile Behind the Door By: Ricardo Victoria
A story of discovery and greed. When things seem too good to be true. When greed takes over and nothing is ever enough. Jump in and discover all the fascinating details for yourself. An inheritance. A journal. Sorcerers. Alchemy. The occult. Blood sacrifice. A life for a life. Sci-fi meets supernatural. Well done!
Address to a Pumpkin By: E.M Swift-Hook
A poetic ode to the Jack-O’-lantern. The mighty pumpkin transformed. Well written!
Shango By: Medeia Sharif
“Shango was the Santería deity of thunder, fire, justice, and war. All over Miami, there were indicators of people practicing Santería. He had seen broken eggs on streets and dead chickens stuffed in bags at intersections. He wondered why Miranda wanted a Shango necklace so much. Was she worshipping the Orisha or did she just fancy the pretty red and white beads?”
A story of infidelity and revenge- and a ‘special’ necklace.
The Intruder By: Brent A. Harris
An intruder, and a marriage on the rocks. An intriguing and well written piece. I would definitely love to read a longer novel by this author. Flash fiction thriller.
Effigy By: Sophie Kearing
A twisted tale of abduction. A girl. Her demented kidnapper. A detective. A bloody Jack-O’-Lantern. And the effigy that binds her fate. A dark and chilling tale that had me on the edge of my seat.
Tongue Biter By: S. Shane Thomas
“Cymothoa Exigua, or the Tongue Biter, is a crustacean that eats a fish’s tongue, latches onto the stub, and performs the missing organ’s task.”
WOW. This story messed with my head. In a great way. Not at all what I was expecting to happen. Sci-fi flash fiction brilliance. Definitely want to read more of this author’s work.
Afterburn By: a stump
The aftermath of a fire. A twisted tale. The writing so descriptive that I could smell the smoke and the damp ash. Eerie and Intriguing.
Afraid of the Dark By: Claire Buss
This is a story about all the things that go bump in the night- the things that make you afraid of the dark. What are the shadows hiding.
Another riveting read from Clair Buss. She never fails to deliver an engrossing read. Well woven and clever. It may be short in length, but it’s definitely not lacking in content.
As you can see, there is something here for everyone- especially if you like your stories on the spooky, mysterious side. Well worth the read!
Thank you to all the contributing authors!
Haunted: The Sparkly Badgers Anthology is a collection of spooky stories by The Sparkly Badgers’ writing group. This group of authors have put together an eclectic mix of stories and poems, all unique and individual to the author, but all centred around the same “spooky” theme. The stories are all very quick, easy and enjoyable reads. They are all have their own identity in this collection, each one bringing its own flavour to the anthology- but all complement one another and blend together into a dynamic and memorable read.
I have read quite a few anthologies lately, and am really enjoying the diversity of stories that can be found within an anthology. This is definitely one of the better anthologies that I have read. All the stories are well written, entertaining and well-rounded. The book contains the work of authors who are all new to me, save one- so it has been exciting to discover new authors to follow and add to my TBR. This has been a fantastic introduction to these authors, and I look forward to reading more from them in the future.
There are 19 great stories/poems here, from 15 talented authors. What better way to spend a night, than curled up beside a fireplace, hot chocolate in hand- reading stories that will keep you glued to the pages- even when you might want to turn away. But leave the lights on! Spooky and creepy is the order of the day!
The Anthology contains:
-The Willow Man By: Jane Jago
This is a chilling poem about The Willow Man, a tree- who invades your dreams, inducing fear with his spindly fingers and icy breath. Well written and a great way to start off the Anthology.
-The Assignment By: Yvette Bastic
A fantastic story about an Assassin who is sent to ‘eliminate’ a vampire. Things may not quite go according to plan. Decisions will need to be made. A great read!
-Waiting for Wednesday By: Cindy Tomamichel
A well woven and suspenseful ghost story. Well done!
-Oh, She Nears! By: Sophie Kearing
A gripping poem of murder. Something Wicked This Way Comes… Chillingly good!
-Dress Like an Animal By: Claire Buss
It starts with an invitation, with the instructions ‘to dress like an animal’. What happens when a group of young people go missing? What about the ones left behind? What’s going on? Will they be found? Well worth the read to find out.
-Boot Hill By: Leo McBride
A tracker on the trail of his quarry. A girl he needs to find. Comes across more than he bargained for. Things much older than us. Boot Hill and the story of the Bootzamon. Intriguing and suspenseful!
-Stalker By: Margena Holmes
A poem about imagination- listening to the sounds in the dark which stir your imagination. Stir your fear. But trying to logically work your way through them. What comes with the light of day. Well written!
Haunted by darkness By: Ian C. Bristow
“Oh, thank God!” Julie ran over, relief bringing tears to her eyes. “You’re safe now,” the officer said. “Can you tell me what happened?” She wanted to. She really did. But the horror of it grew more intense with every passing second and she couldn’t seem to open her mouth to speak. Tears continued to roll down her face and she shook her head. She turned and pointed back at the cab with its blood-spattered windscreen.”
A gripping and suspenseful story that had me hooked right from the beginning. My mind whirling with possible scenarios. Clever!
The Bay Sirius Witch of Atchafalaya Basin By: Holly Rae Garcia
“For generations, Cajun grandmothers passed down legends of the Bay Sirius Witch. Told as a cautionary tale to not stray too deep into the swamps, the threat was always an effective one. Young boys and girls would stay close to their mothers when crawfishing, lest the Witch snatch them away. Older children would dip their toes at the edge of her swamp and dare each other to go find the Witch. It was always an idle threat, a silly game. Until it wasn’t. It happened in the Summer of 1935, before the sun dipped below the horizon and the air was still thick with the day’s heat. Two young girls set off to test their bravery. Agnes Marie and Odette, both twelve years old, pushed out on a homemade raft for the direction of the swamp.”
What happens next makes for a great read. Chills. Suspense. And intrigue!
Grave Dancer By: a stump
A poem about dancing with death. The author certainly knows how to keep you hooked.
Lonesome Conscious World By: S. Shane Thomas
A short sci-fi fantasy with intriguing elements. Had me pondering consciousness. Interesting and thought-provoking! Would love to read a full length sci-fi novel from this author.
The Smile Behind the Door By: Ricardo Victoria
A story of discovery and greed. When things seem too good to be true. When greed takes over and nothing is ever enough. Jump in and discover all the fascinating details for yourself. An inheritance. A journal. Sorcerers. Alchemy. The occult. Blood sacrifice. A life for a life. Sci-fi meets supernatural. Well done!
Address to a Pumpkin By: E.M Swift-Hook
A poetic ode to the Jack-O’-lantern. The mighty pumpkin transformed. Well written!
Shango By: Medeia Sharif
“Shango was the Santería deity of thunder, fire, justice, and war. All over Miami, there were indicators of people practicing Santería. He had seen broken eggs on streets and dead chickens stuffed in bags at intersections. He wondered why Miranda wanted a Shango necklace so much. Was she worshipping the Orisha or did she just fancy the pretty red and white beads?”
A story of infidelity and revenge- and a ‘special’ necklace.
The Intruder By: Brent A. Harris
An intruder, and a marriage on the rocks. An intriguing and well written piece. I would definitely love to read a longer novel by this author. Flash fiction thriller.
Effigy By: Sophie Kearing
A twisted tale of abduction. A girl. Her demented kidnapper. A detective. A bloody Jack-O’-Lantern. And the effigy that binds her fate. A dark and chilling tale that had me on the edge of my seat.
Tongue Biter By: S. Shane Thomas
“Cymothoa Exigua, or the Tongue Biter, is a crustacean that eats a fish’s tongue, latches onto the stub, and performs the missing organ’s task.”
WOW. This story messed with my head. In a great way. Not at all what I was expecting to happen. Sci-fi flash fiction brilliance. Definitely want to read more of this author’s work.
Afterburn By: a stump
The aftermath of a fire. A twisted tale. The writing so descriptive that I could smell the smoke and the damp ash. Eerie and Intriguing.
Afraid of the Dark By: Claire Buss
This is a story about all the things that go bump in the night- the things that make you afraid of the dark. What are the shadows hiding.
Another riveting read from Clair Buss. She never fails to deliver an engrossing read. Well woven and clever. It may be short in length, but it’s definitely not lacking in content.
As you can see, there is something here for everyone- especially if you like your stories on the spooky, mysterious side. Well worth the read!
Thank you to all the contributing authors!
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