I enjoyed this one. However I feel like I would have preffered to read this towards autumn/winter when the weathers more dark and gloomy, so it’s going into my reread pile! It’s definitely one for the dark nights!

DNF-ed on page 67.

none of the stories were really clicking with me and seemed quite haphazerdly thrown together. besides all being vaguely set in winter, and the occasional mention of snow, nothing really seemed to fit together or revolve around a central theme.

i feel like winter lends itself very well to horror as a season, but the stories really needed stronger elements to form a coherent book.

really should've stopped reading this one at 'cold as ice' because that one just felt like a hate crime.

I’m all for new winter anthologies, especially featuring some of my favorite horror writers including Nat Cassidy, Clay McLeod Chapman, Darcy Coates, Rachel Harrison, and Josh Malerman. Most of these stories were fantastic and only a couple fell short. Surprisingly Jeff Strands story was hilarious and probably my favorite of the book.

This book comes out in September, just in time for the holiday season! Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for this ARC.

Varying quality but it’s overall high, I actually think this would be a good seasonal read for horror fans. I love the incorporation of poetry that got me in a soft spot deep down.

Thank you for this ARC! This was a blast to read!

My favorite stories were by Josh Malerman, Darcy Coates, Gwendolyn Kiste, and Jamie Flanagan.

There are others I liked and some I found unnecessarily gross more than spooky, but that’s just something I’m not personally into. That’s what makes this book of short scary stories so brilliant, there’s a range of stories for everybody’s tastes!

Will definitely recommend this and probably buy a physical copy on release day because the cover art is strangely satisfying to look at!

Loved it! Was a little worried I wouldn’t be able to get into it because it’s, you know, warm outside. But it made me feel like I needed a hot chocolate. I enjoyed every single story! That’s really rare for me with short story books. I always end up liking a couple, and then wanting to skip the rest after I start them. Thaw by Rachel Harrison was my favorite! <3

This collection was packed with some great authors and it was interesting to read their take on winter horror. As usual with collections, there were a lot of hit or misses and unfortunately, the majority just weren't for me.
My favorites were definitely Darcy Coates and Jeff Strands' stories. But please do give it a chance, there's a ton of variety and different takes so there's bound to be a story you will enjoy.
Thank you so much to #Netgalley and #CrookedLaneBooks for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Horror stories are my favorite but want to know what my absolute favorite is…dark winter horror anthologies with so many of my favorite authors! That’s right!!! This book was packed with so many good spooky gems…22 😱 to be exact! I think I loved every single one of them and don’t even ask me to choose a favorite. Loved them all honestly! You’ll be thinking about these stories long after you’ve read them.

Take your time, open up the book and read one or two or more curled up in a cozy chair with a warm drink! I love setting these out on my coffee table for some evening reading. This needs to be on your TBR!! Even in summer—it’s a good time for a good ghostly story around the campfire right?!

The Good:
I had marked 9 stories with 5 star reviews, and 3 stories with 4 star reviews, that's 12 stories that I found to be pretty good reads. My favorite: BEING NICE by Jeff Strand. My 2nd favorite: Mr. Butler by Clay M. Chapman. Common theme between the two : Humor mixed into the horror.

The Bad:
The other half of the book was just ok. The first two stories of the book, I couldn't stand. They were in the 2nd person, the authors trying to put the reader into the story and it failed horribly. I hate when authors constrain their readers. Our small brains automatically go against the motions you have set forth for us in your story. How can you assume the reader's actions?? Bah...this was frustrating to read.

There were 2-3 other stories that I felt weren't even horror. There was a story that I gave 4 stars to because I enjoyed it (the writing was excellent, it held my attention) but it wasn't horror. I don't think that 'suspense' and 'psychological drama' is horror, and not in these stories anyway. The themes between the stories varied greatly from mythical creatures to gothic horror to modern psychological horror to office drama (??)

Short story collections are always a mixed bag but this one was actually pretty strong overall. Some really good talent here. I was surprised, though, to see a story from the editor as one of the selections!

Anyway, my favorites were "I Hope This Finds You Well" by Eric LaRocca (definitely my favorite thing l've read of his,) "Mr. Butler" by Clay McLeod Chapman, "Eggnog" by Kristi DeMeester and "Threads of Epiphany" by Sara Tantlinger.

What a marvellous wintery horror story collection! I really enjoyed reading this and flew through the stories. The 22 stories are centred around Christmas horror and boy do they deliver. I especially love this as I tend to celebrate a horror themed Christmas and am looking forward to bringing this book out every year and sharing some stories. I wasn’t aware of some authors and funnily enough their stories I loved slightly more than some familiar horror and thriller writers! Also some of my favourite horror authors were part of the collection which was a pleasant surprise.
There’s something for everyone in this book and I love the way it shows how different authors can get together with a common theme and create individual works. The editor did a wonderful job correlating this collection. I’m not going to rate each story individually as I believe it is meant to be devoured as a whole and as a whole I adore this collection. The introduction by George C. Romero is a perfect way to enter this wintery horror world of author's. I can picture them all around a fire roasting marshmallows in a snow laced forest telling their stories. What a marvellous feeling to get from a book. Definitely 5 stars from me now and every future Christmas!

Thankyou to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the Arc

The Darkest Night is a well-rounded compendium of winter themed horror. Not all the stories land, but there’s something for every horror fan here.

Brilliant and terrifying short stories.!This is a defining top-of-the-line collection for horror lovers. I've read several of these authors previously, however I've also found some new ones I'll be seeking out. Well done!

Horror shorts were what got me into reading 'grown up' fiction many, many years ago - all the way back to the Pan book series. I haven't read any anthologies in a while but liked the idea of some themed stories.
It's a mixed bag, as one often encounters in collections and, for me, got off to a tricky start with two stories in second person tense, the first a little too purple prose for my taste to really jump start the book.
While there were some enjoyable entries (Body of Lenora/ Father's Last Christmas stood out although they were less 'seasonal' than others) I did struggle with a few and I think they might have benefited more from different arrangement. Without spoilers there are two adjacent stories with the same 'twist' as well as the tense choice of the opening two stories.

A must read for anyone who loves dark fiction. There is something for everyone in here, and plenty of new authors to fall in love with.

This anthology contains stories that all center around cold December and holiday time. Full of tales by some heavy hitters in horror, nearly every story was great. There were only a couple that I didn't really care for. But I enjoyed all the others, with my favorites including the entries by Clay McLeod Chapman and Darcy Coates. I highly recommend this book.

A collection of horror stories to chill you even more on those long nights of winter.

Some of them were excellent. Four to be exact. The rest were not.

The ones that were, were really good and scary, so that is good.


NetGalley/ Crooked Lane Books 24 September 2024

The Darkest Night

I would highly recommend this collection of 22 Winter Horror stories. I liked each of them . Some stories were thought provoking and about family dynamics and relationships. While they were infused with strange happening. The stories can be best described as dark, unsettling, creepy, mysterious, twisted and touching.

My favourite stories were
1. Children are not the only ones who know where the parents are hidden by Josh Malerman- This story certainly has a killer twist and creepy elements.

2. THE VERMIN MOONxm, Hailey Piper- This is such an intriguing and unsettling story. I like the atmospheric setting.

3. THE BODY OF LEONORA ,JAMES Stephanie M. Wytovich- I loved this story. This is dark and unsettling with blood, curse, spell and gore

4. THE BURIED CHILD by M. Rickert- This is mysterious and spooky. The ending is jaw dropping

5. FATHER’S LAST CHRISTMAS by Lee Murray- This is such a clever story of proving oneself and deciding between moral and immoral

6. THE WARMTH OF SNOW by Cynthia Pelayo- This was a deep and poignant story.

7. WINTRY BLUE by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon - I loved this one. This kept me on the edge of my seat.

8. CAROL OF THE HELLS by Kelsea yu- So poignant and touching.

9. THAW by Rachel harrison- The story has so many twists.

10. CANDY CANE by Thommy hutson

11. EGGNOG Kristi deMeester- Motherhood and horror

12. THREADS OF EPIPHANY by Sara Tantlinger- This is such a touching story

13. THE LADIES’ SOCIETY FOR THE DEAD darcy Coates

14. BEING NICE Jeff Strand- This is a christmas story and about santa’s gifts.


I liked these

1. THE MOUTHLESS BODY IN THE LAKE. by Gwendolyn Kiste - The story is very thought provoking and focuses on family dynamics. There is a mystery and a mysterious person.

2. COLD AS ICE by Tim Waggoner - This is about relationships and strange happenings.

3. MR. BUTLER by Clay McLeod Chapman - This is clever and mysterious

4. Feast of Gray by Lindy by Ryan and Christopher Brooks- This was poignant

5. I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL by Eric LaRocca- This story was mysterious and detail oriented.

6. NICE by Nat Cassidy

7. GHOSTED by Mercedes M. yardley

8. BRUISER by Jamie Flanagan

Many Thanks to the Authors and Publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for an ARC copy of The Darkest Night.

Okay, so I definitely requested this because I'm constantly chasing the terror "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" gave me as a 7 year old (eg. the girl with the green ribbon) 😅 Some of these stories were so great and creepy, while some others were just really bad or unnecessarily gross or vulgar. I gave each story it's own rating and then averaged those for an overall rating, 3 stars!

The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste- 4 stars
Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner- 4 stars
Children Aren’t the Only Ones Who Know Where the Presents are Hidden by Josh Malerman- 4 stars
The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper- 1 star
The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich- 1 star
Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman- 3 stars
Feast of Gray by Lindy Ryan and Christopher Brooks- 2 stars
I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric LaRocca- 3 stars
The Buried Child by M. Rickert - 2 stars
Father’s Last Christmas by Lee Murray - 5 stars
The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo- 2 stars
Wintry Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim Lebbon - 4 stars
Carol of the Hells by Kelsea Yu - 3 stars
Nice by Nat Cassidy - 1 star
Thaw by Rachel Harrison - 2 stars
Candy Cane by Thommy Hutson - 5 stars
Eggnog by Kristi DeMeester - 4 stars
Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger - 5 stars
The Ladies’ Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates - 3 stars
Being Nice by Jeff Strand - 4 stars
Ghosted by Mercedes M. Yardley - 3 stars
Bruiser by Jamie Flanagan - 2 stars

Rounded up: 4.25❄️

I really enjoyed this anthology. It was creepy fun. Although it's a very climate-impacted hot autumn here in Australia, I was immersed in the icy cosiness of these horrors based around winter and Christmas (for the North Hem. at least! Since I have memories of -20°C Estonian winters, I can tap into it!).

I was able to sample some horror greats and find out which authors that I hadn't been introduced to yet that spoke to me. And there was a satisfying array of horror themes - from folk to comedy, slasher to downright eerie. This is a delight for anyone already familiar with these authors, but also for any newcomers to horror to get a taste of the horror buffet without committing to entire books.

My favourite stories were:
5❄️
- Thaw by Rachel Harrison
- Threads of Epiphany by Sara Tantlinger
- I Hope This Finds You Well by Eric LaRocca
- EggNog by Kristi DeMeester
- Mr. Butler by Clay McLeod Chapman
- Candy Cane by Thommy Hutson

4❄️
- The Ladies Society for the Dead by Darcy Coates
- Nice by Nat Cassidy
- Wintry Blue by Christopher Golden and Tim LeBron
- The Vermin Moon by Hailey Piper
- The Body of Leonora James by Stephanie M. Wytovich

3❄️
- The Mouthless Body in the Lake by Gwendolyn Kiste
- Cold as Ice by Tim Waggoner
- Children aren't the only ones who know where the presents are hidden by Josh Malerman
- Feast of Gray by Lindy Ryan and Christopher Brooks
- Fathers Last Christmas by Lee Murray

2❄️ (just couldn't connect)
- The Buried Child by M. Rickert
- The Warmth of Snow by Cynthia Pelayo
- Carol of the Hells by Kelsea Yu
- Being Nice by Jeff Strand

Thank you to Netgalley, Crooked Lane Books and the editor for this advanced copy.