So out of all the anthologies I have read, I've yet to read one where ALL the stories are good. And this one is no exception. I LOVED some. I LIKED some and then I HATED some. No inbetween unfortunately. But the ones I did like or love definitely made up for the ones I didn't like. 4⭐

"Dark Stars" is the perfect book for horror movie junkies or readers who can't get enough of terrifying stories. This anthology is dark, literary, intelligent, and full of gems. It is also incredibly easy to read, in part due to the adrenaline that rushes through you as you turn each page. I believe newcomers to the genre will also enjoy this collection because it offers a wide array of stories from the best up-and-coming horror authors! This was an incredibly diverse read and I loved every second of it. Highly recommend.

I am SUCH a scaredy cat, so you might be thinking... why are you reading a horror book? This anthology is perfect for scaredy cats like me because you get a collection of bite sized stories that are just scary enough. While not all of them were my cup of tea, my personal favorites were Volcano, The Sanguintalist, and Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate. This book has a variety of tropes from vampires to serial killers, with added elements of dizzying magical realism. Every single story is completely different, so it's a great start for burgeoning horror fans.

*Thank you to Macmillan Tor/Forge for the ARC in exchange for my honest review*

It's been a long time, years in fact, since I've read an anthology as consistently good as this one. They're almost always a mixed bag, the question is usually: what's the ratio of stories that I liked or loved, to stories that were underwhelming or bad. Thankfully, editor John F.D. Taff compiled the former.

Another great aspect is the length of the stories. There's actually enough meat on the bones of these stories that characters have time to develop, and plots have time to unravel without just being a premise to a punchline.

Stand-outs include; an unnerving, "The Attentionist" by Caroline Kepnes, a great Jackson-esque/Midsommer vibey "Papa Eye" by Priya Sharma, the stellar Stephen Graham Jones with the wonderfully creepy "All the Things He Called Memories," "The Sanguintalist," a wonderful tour-de-force of detective noir horror by Gemma Files,. Josh Malerman's sardonically funny "Mrs. Addison's Nest," and John Langan's exceptional contribution to the Wendigo mythos "Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate."

Taff says in the Afterword that the late, great editor Kirby McCauley was an influence on this book. Anyone who's read "Dark Forces" remembers that legendary anthology (and the debut of Stephen King's "The Mist").
After reading this, I think he succeeded in conjuring McCauley's spirit.

This is an outstanding collection of horror stories, ranging from body horror to psychological horror. With stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Priya Sharma, Usman T. Malik, Caroline Kepnes, and Alma Katsu, the collection has tales reminiscent of M. R. James and James Hynes as well as new takes on old lore, including vampires and wendigo. I loved the brilliance with which these stories have been crafted, never showing the reader too much until just the right moment, letting the reader understand what's going on before a protagonist does, or making breakneck--almost literally--twists that surprise, delight, and horrify.

Dark Stars is a collection of 12 different horror short stories. Stalkers, spirits, vampires, and monsters haunt these pages. I had a great time reading this collection, and each story was unique and kept me intrigued.

My top three favorites out of the group had to be:

1. Papa Eye by Priya Sharma
Ravi goes to live on an island called Papa Eye, after being recommend to her by her therapist. Papa Eye holds a lot of mystery and what will Ravi find after she gets there?

I enjoyed the mystery around what was happening on Papa Eye. I usually tend to love twists when everyone but the main character knows what's going on. I could definitely see this being adapted into a movie.

2. All the Things He Called Memories by Stephen Graham Jones
Bo and Marcy are stuck together working from home. Weird things start happening to Bo...again. Things that he thought were just old memories. Bo needs to find out if what he's experiencing is real—will he find the source of his resurfaced weird experiences?

The ending of this story thoroughly creeped me out. It was a page turner for me as well. I just had to know why Bo was experiencing the weirdness again.

3. The Familiar's Assistant by Alma Katsu
Eric has found the vampire's house. Will he be welcomed or will he be killed?

I think this story was unique to other vampire stories I've read in the past. The ending took me a little by surprise, but I like how it ended with Eric just waiting at the door.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the ARC!

This was an excellently collected group of stories, that like the foreword suggests, stretches the genre of horror to its very limits. The last story was by far my favorite, but there really wasn't a bad story in the entire book. Everything from existential dread to outright things that go bump in the night, this was a spooky and satisfying read.

When you really want to see horror shine, you reach for a book of short stories… and if you pick up 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 it will not disappoint.

This anthology features some of the best horror authors in today’s market, it is a wonderful showcase of the diversity of the genre and pure entertainment for any horror buff. I had an excellent time kicking back with some of my favorite authors as well as adding new ones to the list.

Each story is unique, all touching on thought provoking and compelling themes. Although each is very different than the other, the all fit together in a seamless flow.

I’m happy to say I enjoyed all the stories, but in my eyes, the stand out stars included:

⭐️𝘈 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘕𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴

🖤𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘏𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘔𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴

⭐️𝘛𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘙𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳’𝘴 𝘉𝘭𝘶𝘦𝘴

🖤𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘳’𝘴 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵

⭐️𝘚𝘸𝘪𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘋𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮

🖤𝘌𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘶𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘏𝘢𝘵𝘦

If you’re looking for a dark read to leave your mind feeling well after the lights go out I highly recommend picking up Dark Stars.

Thank you @netgalley @tornightfire and all the fabulous authors behind this great anthology for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow. What a collection! So many really strong stories I don’t even know where to start…Caroline Kepnes starts it off with a nostalgic horror, very real in it’s chilling conclusion. Stephen Graham Jones’ story was legitimately scary, which I always appreciate. Alma Katsu’s submission was classic, and dark, and so raw. It was a thrill to read. Malerman pulls off a deeply unsettling but intriguing story, reminiscent of IT. The very last story ends this anthology beautifully, with a brilliant bang.

If you are a horror story lover as I am, this is the anthology to have on your shelf. Reading this is a serious time investment, but if you want a broad overview of the genre that is also in-depth, this is the book for you.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book.
I love short fiction, and I love horror. This book is both! I have heard of and read most of the authors in this book, but some were new to me. It is always good to discover a new horror author.
Dark Stars is an anthology of horror stories compiled by John Taff. The stories told in this feel like modern-day fairy tales, with the traditionally gruesome endings included. The writers are obviously gifted in their craft. Each world is intricately detailed in such immersive writing. I'm not going to say that some stories are bad, they are all beautifully written. The pacing, however, isn't for everyone. By that, I mean me. I don't enjoy the sluggishness of some of these tales. I'm more fascinated by writing that just hits me with conflict consecutively one after the other.

I love short fiction, and I love horror. This book is both! I have heard of and read most of the authors in this book, but some were new to me. It is always good to discover a new horror author.

Some of the stories were too slow moving for my taste. Although well written, I could have used a bit more action and actual horror. But with any collection of stories, some will resonate with you and some will not. My favorite stories of the group were Challawa (Usman T. Malik), Enough for Hunger and Enough for Hate (John Langan), and The Familiar's Assistant (Alma Katsu).

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great collection of talented authors. I enjoyed every story. Read the whole book in one sitting.

Short story collections are not generally my cup of tea. I'm much more or a novel type of guy. However recently I've been trying to branch out and read things that I'm normally not a fan of. This has resulted in me reading several YA novels (I feel like an idiot for being a snob, so many were so good!) several novellas (see my previous comment) and now this, a short story collection. Like any collection of storys, some are bound to resonant more then others. However none missed the mark completely. Though they differ in pace and tone all of the stories were pretty dark. Someone on Goodreads refered to them as modern day fairy tales, and I would agree. Particularly of note were the stories by Stephen Graham Jones and Ramsey Campbell. 4 out of 5!

I loved this anthology. It was full of such a diverse group of authors across a wide array of horror sub genres. It was a quick read and incredibly enjoyable.

I'll admit it. I am a horror movie fanatic (sorry, Mom!). Like, Scream is one of my comfort movies. Despite what I like now, growing up, I wasn't allowed to watch the movies that give you the creeps, so I made up for it by reading the stories that had the same effect.

When I saw the description for Dark Stars: New Tales of Darkest Horror, I couldn't wait to read through the stories within. Folks, I was not disappointed. Each author creates a completely engrossing world, so realistic that you feel like you're trapped with the potential victims. I feel like this book isn't especially fast-paced, but what part of the horror genre really falls in that category? I loved that this collection features both big-name and lesser-known authors, as it allowed me to discover new writers to devote all my time and energy to reading. This anthology is not for the faint of heart, but you don't walk into a scary movie expecting it to be family-friendly. John Taff did a fantastic job of editing this collection, and Josh Malerman's introduction is not to be missed. There are so many different plots that any fan will find a story to choose as a favorite.

Trigger Warnings for Dark Stars: gore, cannibalism, stalking, and more.

Overall rating: 4.75/5 (rounded to 5)

Dark Stars will be available for purchase on November 2nd. Be sure to add it to your Goodreads shelf and see where it's available to buy. Also, be sure to check out John F.D. Taff’s website!
I was lucky enough to be able to read this Advanced Reader's Copy through my partnership with NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The book is called Dark Stars and they mean it, because these are some of the brightest stars writing in the horror genre today. Although there can be some chilling gore, like a man running himself through a sewing machine and another who happened to be a cannibal. (Is cannibalism a thing? The last book I read had a cannibal. Or is it my taste in books?) And, there are upholsterers in two different stories who come to bad ends. Moral: Do not take up upholstery as a hobby or occupation. It doesn't end well.

My favorite was Alma Katsu's story, The Vampire's Familiar, because I like a little humor in my horror. Although there is violence and gore in all the stories, after all it is horror, these stories longer than "kill them fast and weep" horror and more literary than most horror. But, this is a good thing because the genre doesn't get much respect but with people like Stephen Graham Jones writing literary horror, the academics are starting to notice.

All are different, all have unexpected elements, one called Calwalla by Usman T. Malik is so atmospheric that I felt like I was smelling the incense and seeing the sites at a festival in Pakistan. Since the festival turns out to have a grisly end, the feelings that I was there were intense. I felt like a had to rinse the ashes off me when I was finished.

If you want a quick slash and burn, these are not quickies, but if you enjoy a slow burn with beautiful writing between the blood, you'll like Dark Stars.