Corpse Cold: New American Folklore

by John Brhel, John Brhel, Joseph Sullivan

They take place on desolate highways, in a dark and lonely wood, in ordinary neighborhoods just like your own. Tales of everyday people caught up in indomitable situations. Dread-inducing moments with an air of plausibility--while you hope to god they aren't actually true. Urban legends, modern folklore, or creepypasta. Whatever you call them, they represent shards of our deepest anxieties as individuals, as a society. CORPSE NEW AMERICAN FOLKLORE evokes the spirit of the campfire tales you heard as a kid. This 20-story anthology offers refreshing, mature reinterpretations of time-tested stories, and wholly original legends that explore the twisted labyrinth of modern myth. Each tale is brought to life and made all the more unsettling by the striking, grisly illustrations of artist Chad Wehrle. 30+ illustrations!

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Collections, Folklore, Anthologies, Adult, Fiction

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2017

About the author

I'm the co-author of Tales From Valleyview Cemetery, Marvelry's Curiosity Shop, At The Cemetery Gates: Year One and Carol for a Haunted Man, Corpse Cold: New American Folklore, Her Mourning Portrait and Other Paranormal Oddities, Resurrection High , At The Cemetery Gates: Volume 2 and The Thrumming Stone with my long-time friend Joe Sullivan.

I work full-time as a marketing/PR professional at Binghamton University. I enjoy writing, reading, watching movies, playing music, and spending time with my family.

Reviews

[Char · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars!

CORPSE COLD: NEW AMERICAN FOLKLORE is a nice volume of tales which also includes outstanding illustrations. Just look at that impressive cover to get an idea of the drawings within.

The stories, however, didn't entirely float my boat. While well written for the most part, they are lacking that certain punch that I enjoy in short tales. This is just my personal view and for someone that hasn't read the hundreds of horror stories that I have? This may seem like the best collection of stories EVER.

My favorite was IT THAT DECAYS. If you weren't afraid of the dentist before, you will be now!

AUTOPLAY ON: This was a fun little tale featuring a You Tube channel that was left on all night. (I guess it's best not to do that?)

MOSS LAKE ISLAND was a neat story that took a weird turn about a third of the way in. It gave me the creeps much like IT THAT DECAYS. I like the creeps.

FRIENDSHIP: BURIED AND DEAD. This tale had a cool concept for a theme park. I would like to go there!

A CASKET FOR MY MOTHER cracked me up, especially since this book was funded in much the same way as the main character wants to fund the purchase of a casket for his mom. (I'm not sure it was meant to be funny, but hey, I'm a sick person-just look at the stuff I read!

A quick word about the illustrations? (Okay, two words.) They're fabulous!



CORPSE COLD would be a perfect introduction into the world of dark fiction for an adult who is not that familiar with or well-read in the genre. Perhaps someone who has participated in a round of campfire storytelling and wants more? Seasoned horror readers, like myself, prefer that extra punch to the gut and a tad more blood/gore as well.

Recommended for those new to horror fiction and dark tales!

*I received an e-copy of this book free in exchange for my honest review. This is it.*

[Latasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ebook in exchange for a honest review.

This book is so much fun! It's in the vein of scary stories to tell in the dark but a new spin on urban legends. What's not to love?! I enjoyed the stories and the artwork. Great job guys!

[Cameron Chaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you were a kid during the late '80s through the early '90s, surely you at least heard of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. It seems everyone I talk to has fond memories of seeing these books on their school library shelves and checking them out to scare their family and friends... and maybe losing a little sleep themselves. Because let's face it, these stories were genuinely scary! Not to mention the terrifying illustrations by Stephen Gammell. Even as a brave horror-hungry kid, I found myself skipping pages with pictures that I didn't want to envision when I closed my eyes at night.



Now here we are in 2018 and it seems people are hungry for the nostalgia of these books, even if they were traumatized as children. There is a feature film of Scary Stories coming from Guillermo del Toro in the next couple of years, there are short film adaptions on YouTube, and now we have the delightfully creepy Corpse Cold by John Brhel and Joe Sullivan.

Corpse Cold features twenty new American folktales by Brhel and Sullivan, written in vein of those classic scary stories we know all too well. Accompanying these stories are ghoulish illustrations by Chad Wehrle that beautifully pay homage to Gammell's original illustrations.



While Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was geared toward kids, Corpse Cold is very much catered to the adults who read Scary Stories as children. The stories are a little more mature with some scattered swear words and adult content. They are also a couple of pages longer than the tales featured in the Scary Stories books, but otherwise maintain that "told around the campfire" feel perfectly.

I was going back and forth on how to rate this book, unsure if I should give it 4 or 5 stars because not all the stories are amazing. I mean, there were no bad stories. In fact, most of them are great but there were a couple that were just okay. But thinking about it, I realized the case is the same for Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark... and all anthologies for that matter. Some stories are better than others which, in the end, contributes to the experience of reading Corpse Cold. Because that is exactly what it is: an experience.

Between the stories and the illustrations, it is just pure spooky fun. Some stories scared me, others made me laugh, and for the first time in years I found myself reading a book I genuinely did not want to put down. I kept saying "Just one more..." and before I knew it, I had read ten stories, and then the whole book.



And so, Corpse Cold by John Brhel and Joe Sullivan gets 5-stars and my highest recommendation!

[destiny ♡ howling libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you, like myself, grew up loving Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, you absolutely need this book in your life. It's essentially a version of Scary Stories for adults, complete with the twisted little illustrations and everything, and I had a lot of fun with this one! I will say it didn't pack quite the punch that I at first expected it to after having read some other short stories by this writing duo, but the further into the collection I got, the more I appreciated that, because these feel so authentically inspired by the stories I loved so much as a kid. I'm also a sucker for urban legends, so if you are too, you'll enjoy the homages these stories pay to campfire stories and those tall cautionary tales so many of us grew up hearing.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 Stars Video Review: https://youtu.be/CSj6uRRQhe8
The concept behind this book was fantastic! Designed as an adult version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, this collection would be so much fun to read aloud with a group of friends.

There was a great range of stories within this collection. The stories were all quite short, around 10 pages. Not overly complex, the stories were well written and easy to follow with good twists. There are a couple of stories in this collection with endings that left me quite unsettled.

The artwork in this book was absolutely stunning! Following in the vein of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, each short story was accompanied by full page pictures. Done in a black and white style, these drawings were detailed, dark and unique. The inclusion of the artwork definitely enhanced the reading experience, making the stories so much creepier.

With the visual aspect of this book, it would ideal to read a physical copy. This would make a wonderful gift or coffee table book for any horror fans. I know that I would love to get a copy for my own coffee table one day!

I would recommend this book to any horror fans looking for a fun read, particularly those who love creepypasta and other similar internet memes.

My favourite stories in the collection were:

Friendship: Buried & Dead - Abachelor party night gone very wrong

Autoplay "On" - A terrifying reminder that no one is truly anonymous online

Woman on the Campus Green - That addendum freaked me out!

A Casket for My Mother - A bit meta, considering this book launched through a crowd-sourcing website

I received a review ecopy of this book from one of the authors.

[Melissa Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was an anticipated buy and read ever since I heard snippets of it circulating the web. The nostalgia alone for Alvin Schwartz "Scary Stories", was enough for me to want to get my hands on it. My friend Amy helped me with the push to finally pick it up because she "forced" me into buddy reading it and sent me the book. Thanks Amy! What did I think about the book? Well....it's an adult version of "Scary Stories", so there are lots of swear words and it just about as silly as the kids version. 3 stars.

When I look back on "Scary Stories", (I read them in the 6th grade) I think about how terrifying the stories were. I picked up the trilogy again in college while camping in Yellowstone and again, I was afraid. So, when I picked up this "newest version" of creepypastas, I was expecting not only nostalgia, but to be a little creeped out. However, that is not what I received. There are twenty short stories in this collection and almost all of them end poorly. They all have potential to be creepy or scary, but miss the mark every single time. For example, "...I'm contacting the rangers as soon as I get back to the trailhead." is the ending to one of the stories. That is how it ends. OOHHH soo scary. It's lame. I don't mean to be mean about it, but truly the authors should have known that is no way to end a scary story. I didn't really find any story creepy in any way. If you removed all of the swear words a kid could read this. I'm bummed to be honest.

The only "good" story in here is "It that decays", this story has worms in it. That's all I'll say about that. If you liked the short story about spiders coming out of a girls face in Schwartz's stories then you will appreciate the worms from this story.

Unfortunately that's all I can say. I normally pick out my favorite stories from collections like these, but meh all of them were mediocre. Do I recommend this book? I honestly don't know. I'm going to keep it on my shelves to add to the "scary story" collection because it looks nice next to them, but it's not earning top ranks on any of my lists.

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas

Este libro es un homenaje a Historias de miedo para contar en la oscuridad 1 de Alvin Schwartz, un libro de culto entre los adoradores del horror en Estados Unidos y que puso en la mente de muchos -por primera vez- varias leyendas urbanas y otras historias inquietantes.

Los autores de esta antología quisieron hacer su propia versión, narrando relatos que bien pueden sonarnos familiares y que podemos hacer propios para contar en alguna reunión con amigos y asustarlos.

La calidad de las historias varía bastante a lo largo de la antología, hay algunas mucho más originales que otras. En realidad no diría que sentí que me asustaron, aunque fueron muy divertidas de leer.

En particular hay una que tiene que ver con una visita al dentista, que me perturbó y me resultó bastante asquerosa, así como otra en la cual los autores incluyen un anexo contándonos sobre el caso real que inspiró la narración, lo que me resultó inquietante.

Como les digo, creo que estas historias tienen la finalidad de que las leamos y después las narremos, agregando toques que nos parezcan más aterradores.

Lo que es FENOMENAL de este libro son las ilustraciones, llevan la narración a otro punto por completo, todas son hermosas y escalofriantes y, simplemente por ellas, diría que vale la pena tener este libro en las estanterías.

[Stephanie (Books in the Freezer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grown up scary stories

3.5

Loved the modern and adult tales for the Schwartz fans. Spooky stories with great illustrations. It was quite the nostalgic read

[April Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up because of the amazing illustrations.

Video Review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYpRN...

*I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Meisha (ALittleReader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping to love this short story collection. Unfortunately, when I was reading it, I found myself wanting it to be over. And when I wasn’t reading it, I dreaded picking it back up... a lot of the stories were predictable or stories I’ve already seen done before. So reading this got rather tedious. However, that’s not to say that there weren’t a few gems in here! (Which is why I’m not giving it a 1 Star) the ones that I enjoyed, I thought were REALLY good. I’d say there’s probably about 6 really good ones. So this wasn’t a *bad* book. I Just didn’t expect a lot of the stories to be as boring as they were and I was hoping to like more of the stories than I did...

[Bon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found some of the language off-putting, especially surrounding female characters (you could tell this was Written By Men), but a decent modern homage to Scary Stories To Tell in the Dark. The artwork was great.

[Cassandra Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Kickstarted anthology was pitched to me as Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark for adults, and the deliciously frightening cover seemed to confirm that claim. There's only one problem (okay, several problems): none of those stories are as scary as the source material that inspired them. To make matters worse, the entire collection is predictable, boring, and most heinous of all, badly written. The illustrations are great, but the stories, sadly, are not worth your time. Don't even bother.

ORIGINALLY POSTED: https://bibliomantics.com/2018/11/11/...

[Suzy Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 20 story anthology collects modern folklore, campfire tales, and urban legends that aim to evoke our personal and darkest fear and anxieties. This collection is written for the more mature, who grew up in the era when Stories to tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz, were flying off library shelves. The illustrations, by Chad Wehrle, attempt to bring each tale to life in grisly fashion.
I was hoping to be blown away by these tales created by John Brhel and Joseph Sullivan. The thrills and chills the pair of authors tried to weave unfortunately fell a bit short. The stories, however, were original and all had a general feel of what one would expect of a creepy read. It did not deliver the scares for adults I was hoping for as it's predecessor still does to todays youth. All in all, however, I would have to say that Corpse Cold: New American Folklore is a fairly solid, interesting read.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Corpse Cold: New American Folklore is one of those paperbacks that will inevitably leave most copies well-worn and dog-eared. The short story collection has already called me back to several repeated readings, each as entertaining as the last. Every illustration is freaky enough to leave a lasting impression, yet I find myself flipping back through the book to re-examine the utterly macabre imagery.

The book was marketed as “an adult version of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” and I’d say it lives up to that claim. As a kid, Alvin Schwartz’s Scary Stories series was one of my all-time favorites, regardless of genre. Yes, there are many similarities here—namely, the illustrations and the selection of narratives that put a spin on traditional tales and local legends. The stories in Corpse Cold, though, are a bit more violent and more descriptive, and are peppered with adult language.

Some of the 20 stories here, such as “A Casket for My Mother” and “Autoplay ‘On’,” rely on modern day technology as part of the plot, while others like “Black Dog” could take place in some bygone era. “Czarny Lud” deals with young children’s fear of the unknown, as told from an adult perspective. The psychological horrors of “Two Visions, 1984” and “Echo’s Reflection” are, in my opinion, the best of the bunch. Some of the tales are modern twists on the classics, while some are based entirely on supposed happenings in the authors’ hometown in Upstate New York. All of the stories contain an unexpected ending that will keep readers engaged through the final sentence, yet repeated readings are as fresh as my first time through the book.

Nostalgia factor aside, Corpse Cold is a quick, entertaining read that finds an even balance between traditional campfire eeriness and modern day folklore. I’d definitely recommend a physical copy over the ebook simply for the illustrations.

[Jessica Bronder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of stories that will make you think, cringe, and be creeped out. Everything from a black dog, a bachelor party, drug infused internet video surfing, and so much more. Seemingly innocent things turn dangerous and deadly quickly.

This story is similar to the scary stories that were released in the 80’s and 90’s that we all loved as kids. It’s a thrill to be scared and usually there is some message to get across. Nothing is truly innocent and many times you should heed warnings, especially when you break the rules and must spend time in the basement.

I loved this collection and strongly recommend it for anyone that likes the thrill of true horror stories. They are short enough for a quick read before bead yet draw you in and keep you flipping pages to see what you can discovery next.

If you love horror stories I strongly recommend you checking out this book. You will be left wanting more long after you have finished.

I received Corpse Cold from Cemetery Gates Media for free. This has in no way influenced my opinion of this book.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s kind of funny how I found out about this book, and by extension the publisher, Cemetery Gates Media. I was scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed one day, when I stumbled upon a link to the group’s Kickstarter project page. Immediately drawn by the illustrations, I read up on the project, then was quick to back it. So here I am, having just finished reading my copy, and how do I find the book? Simultaneously horrifying and amazing.

First off, the book probably reminds people of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books - author Joseph Sullivan and artist John Brhel acknowledge the influence. But this book is far more terrifying than those books ever were, and a lot more adult. Ever wonder what those stories would be like were a darker approach to be taken? That’s essentially what the reader gets here. The stories are quite vivid in their descriptions of the violence suffered (even when the recipient is a douchebag, it’s hard to not see what they experience as a tad extreme), also including frequent profanity (occasionally featuring nudity as well), and most disturbingly, usually have no ending. If there is an ending, it’s never on a positive note, which is appropriately grim. And unlike Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, where the art was generally more disturbing than the story in question, the stories are just as scary as the drawings accompanying them.

As I mentioned above, the illustrations are influenced by Stephen Gammell, using a similar style and coloring. Quite often, however, they blow those out of the water, something I would never have thought possible (no offense to Mr. Gammell). A few terrifying examples include one of an alligator hiding in a bathtub; a guy screaming in agony while getting his flesh burned off; and one particularly menacing picture of a demonically grinning child’s face surreally floating above a doll stuck with pins. Brhel is able to make pictures of things so mundane as a decaying tooth, or even a literal piece of crap, look spooky, and a slight spoiler pertaining to the tooth story - there’s a certain beverage (I won’t specify which, but it’s not pop) that you might be scared to drink after reading the book. I know I’ll never be able to direct customers to it at work without remembering the story, much less see the product on the shelves…

One further bonus point the book has going for it is that many of the stories feature sympathetic protagonists. “Jesup” (my favorite of the bunch) focuses on a young boy who doesn’t get along with his stepdad and wants to be with his real one, while "The Big M" revolves around a put-upon worker who finds himself in trouble with an unreasonable boss. And the tooth story aptly sums up pretty much everybody’s fear of going to the dentist, and of how much a beef dental care may prove to be. Another story, also minor spoilers, talks about a woman’s fears regarding marriage and parenthood. As a feminist, I liked this, if only because these hesitations and concerns are something the media rarely touches on, so it’s a welcome inclusion - especially in a horror story of all places.

So yeah, to sum things up - the books is awesome for any horror fan, getting points for both the stories and the artwork. But be warned, it is not for kids, nor do I recommend it for those faint of heart. Otherwise, though, prepare to get the living daylights scared out of you while at the same time enjoying a chillingly gripping read.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

[Kaelin O'Reilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was laughable to me. First of all, please use Google if you do not know how to spell words like Binghamton or Ithaca. Sloppy editing alone was enough to make me dislike this book, but there was more. It's not scary. I appreciate the attempt to make newer versions of older stories and create a new twist, but this is full of endings that seemed tacked on and apparently added more for shock value than good storytelling. The drawings are very well done, but they are not much different from those in "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark." I get that the writers wanted to pay homage to those books, but if you're going to illustrate a new book, the drawings should have a style that is unique and brings something new rather than being basically copies of the old drawings Stephen Gammell did. Obviously this artist has talent and I do not want to minimize that, but it's clear he could have done a lot more and in his own style. The story about the girls swimming in the pond I found sexist and gross, with the ending idea similar to the story about the guy locked in the truck, trying to get out (the title escapes me). "Autoplay On" was a more clever story, but really the only one that really stands out as being decent. I'd rather just reread "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" and relive part of my childhood. Great idea, but just not executed very well.

[Audra (ouija.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories and illustrations were created in homage to that classic childhood book series, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. If Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell’s chilling and evocative retellings of folk tales weren’t a part of your childhood growing up, you are not only missing out, I’m pretty sure you were caged in a dungeon your whole childhood. Or maybe these stories were just American kid thing?

All I know is that those books were a rite of passage when I was growing up. The stories are definitely spooky, and there is always that one friend who swears the story is really true, it actually happened to her aunt’s brother’s girlfriend, but really it went a little like this. . .

And don’t even get me started on the illustrations. Nightmare inducing, so say the least. I had horrible visions of the one where the spider is crawling out of the girl’s face. And of course, Harold. Now, I think I’d love to get one of those prints framed on my wall, but that’s the sort of weird creepo I’ve turned out to be.

So here comes Corpse Cold, a new folk anthology of the type of horror tales that don’t really have one origin, or at least one you can pin down. These are the types of stories that nowadays pop up on r/nosleep and creepypasta forums, the type you read about late at night, the glow from your computer screen illuminating your face and making the rest of the room look even darker. It is a different type of tale from the days of my youth—there weren’t any cell phones or other technology that invaded folk tales back then. But now, there’s a whole new realm of possibility for what might be out to get you.

The stories are in definite homage to the original Schwartz tales, though I thought they lacked his style, the panache of his delivery on the punch lines especially. I hadn’t heard of most of these urban legends, so it was nice that most of the content was original to me and I had no idea where the stories were going. Overall, I would probably rate most of the stories themselves (in style and substance) at around a 3.

What really punches up the action on these is the artwork. Chad Wehrle does a fantastic job putting his original spin on something similar to the Gammell style and I can’t even tell you which image was my favorite. They are creepy, dark, and perfectly complement the stories, taking them to the next level.

Also, I wouldn’t say that this book is necessarily for adults—I think teens would also enjoy it and the reading level is fine for younger kids. (If they can handle the original, these stories are fine for them too.)

If you know someone who grew up with the Scary Stories books, this would be an awesome gift to give them a flashback to their childhood.

My thanks to Cemetery Gates for sending me a copy of this one to read and review.

[Marielle Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author says right off the bat that he was inspired by old campfire tales and those classic horror short stories that were popular in the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. While it is true that inspiration is taken from them, and a few stories are taken whole cloth from old legends, what comes out is an entirely new set of tales. There's a wonderful mixture of old urban legends given a modern day twist. Standouts include a subversion of the usual "young women are really evil witches" tale, a "drugs are bad" tale, and a horrifying one that stuck with me. I will simply say it involves a dentist drill, worms, and kombucha. Yes, it is as horrifying as I am implying.

This is a great example of how to take what has come before and add a new twist to it. Take some risks and it can really pay off. Just because you see where the story is going won't keep the hairs from rising up on the back of your neck!

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of short stories, the type you’d tell around a campfire or to freak someone out when the power goes out. There are some good ideas here but the stories were lacking anything particularly memorable, I enjoyed reading the book but I reckon that I’ll forget most of the stories in a few of days. This isn’t a bad book at all but I felt that the stories needed a bit more panache to them to give them more impact. Chad Wehrle's illustrations are fantastic though!

[Rhonda Rankin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of short tales with amazing art. This is appropriate for young adults It is erie not Stephen King scarry. Like a family telling stories around a campfire. I gave it 3 1/2 stars.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, the 5 stars is mostly for the artwork, but the stories were pretty solid too. None got below a 3 from me (actually, only 1 got a 3, a handful got 3.5 and the rest 4 or 5) My favorites include Amityville Beach (as a parent, this is terrifying), It Decays (as someone who ignores symptoms and is slightly into the "hippie" lifestyle, this was interesting to say the least), and Echo's Reflection (the ending, holy crap, what a twist). Excellent little story collection that brought back memories from reading Scary Stories to Tell in The Dark and other similar books. The artwork is phenomenal too!

[S.B. (Beauty in Ruins) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Urban legends, modern folklore, and ghost stories - I'm fascinated by them all. I love the oral storytelling tradition, the passing of stories from one person to another, subtly altered to fit the mood, the location, or the person. They're a fluid sort of storytelling, which makes them hard to capture on paper, but Corpse Cold: New American Folklore attempts to do just that.

John Brhel & Joseph Sullivan have crafted 20 short, campfire-digestible stories, with illustrations from Chad Wehrle that help to set the mood, regardless of how or where you're reading. They didn't all work for me, but there were some that delivered genuine chills.

I won't go into detail on all the stories, but there are a few I wanted to touch on. "Switches" got the collection off to a good start with a simple tale of misbehaving light switches in a motel, with a fun little twist at the end. "Corpse Cold" was one of those stories you just know won't end well, but it's fun to watch the panic that arises over a misplaced corpse.

"Friendship: Dead and Buried" was fantastic, the story of the worst bachelor party ever, the best amusement part ever, and a cruel joke that backfires brilliantly. "The Big 'M'" reminded me of workplace experiences I've had, only I wasn't lucky enough to have such haunted equipment in the back room. "Moss Lake Island" was another fun one, turning the voyeuristic appeal of naked witches cavorting across the lake, with a perfectly dark final twist.

"It That Decays" is another that is, perhaps, too easy to appreciate, a slice of dental horror that I really need to force my wife to read . . . and keep far, far away from my son. "Woman on the Campus Green" didn't seem like much at first, but has some good tension to it, and another of those fun final twists. While I didn't care for the YouTube inspired story, "A Casket for my Mother" was a near-perfect contemporary urban legend - it's just a shame the twist didn't live up to the novelty of crowd sourcing a mother's casket, with increasingly creepy reward tiers.

Even if all the stories didn't work Corpse Cold: New American Folklore was still a solid read, with stories that lend themselves to being binge read a handful at a time.

http://beauty-in-ruins.blogspot.ca/20...

[Kirsten LoAndBeHolt · Rating 4 out of 5]

CORPSE COLD: NEW AMERICAN FOLKLORE provides a new set of scary stories from the titular tales to tell in the dark. Writing by Brhel and Sullivan provide the campfire premises, and illustrations by @cwehrle really set the mood. In this collection you'll find 20 spooky tales, updated for modern fears. Think of it like the Black Mirror for Are Your Afraid of the Dark generation.

Some notes: I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS WHOLE COLLECTION FOR CHILDREN. I am normally not the right person to ask that question, seeing as I don't have a parenting bone in my body and don't know what's appropriate for tiny people, but several stories mention content above what you want your grade school kids knowing about (the story of Tor browsers comes to mind). Others, like "Black Dog" and "Jesup" are perfect for planting the horror seed in younglings.

On that note, there are some stand out stories, my favorites being "Moss Lake Island" and "It That Decays." Both stories perfectly capture the tagline of New American Folklore. In Moss Lake we have a cult of modern witches in a land scuffle with native owners, colonialism and occultism at odds, pitting two underprivileged people against each other, with no clear villain (or maybe two villains, for the unlucky boys who stumble between them). It that Decays is much simpler: modern health trends versus ancient nature. Good luck. Visit your dentist often. This body horror had me squirming.

But since this ISN'T for kids, I have to review it as an adult book. The set up for the stories feels right at home in an homage to Scary Stories, familiar but also new. However, and unfortunately, so do the endings. You know that type of ending that begs to be read in your deepest Dracula voice, with a flashlight at your chin? Good for campfires, less good for adults. I think the throwback vibe is spot on, but I'd have liked the collection to more clearly stand in the children or adult category. Straddling that line didn't work for me in this collection.

Would recommend for the nostalgic reader with an open mind. Perfect for people who want to ease into horror, or who want to pick and choose some new tales for their young ones, while also enjoying several for themselves.

[John Meszaros]

Corpse Cold is an anthology inspired by urban legends and folklore. These are stories your friends might tell around a campfire, or on a late-night drive with only the headlamps and the green glow of the dashboard cutting through the darkness for miles around. These are stories that could maybe, possibly be true. Or, at least, they have that weird familiarity that makes them feel true.

Chad Wehrle’s nightmarish illustrations take clear inspiration from Steven Gammel’s work for the classic “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” series, though Wehrle’s own style clearly shines through.

The stories are often grisly- as folk tales usually are. Some, such as “A Morning Fog” and “Jesup” are cautionary tales. Others like “Moss Lake Island” and “It That Decays” are dark twists of fate. Several are based on modern fears like the dark web and “simulated burial” rides at amusement parks. Other tales, such as “The Black Dog” and “Czarny Lud” showcase timeless monsters that have existed for generations.

While not every story is memorable, there are no real bad pieces. Although “The Blue Hole” is a bit disjointed and isn’t helped by the accompanying illustration of a cartoonish soft-serve-style pile of fecal matter.

One of the cooler things about the book is the extensive appendix of notes at the end which explain the inspirations and background details for each story- another nod to Alvin Schwartz’s seminal “Scary Stories” books.

Fans of creepy urban legends, and those who grew up with the original “Scary Stories” books, will love Corpse Cold.

[Kay · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."
After DNF-ing Brhel's "At The Cemetery Gates" vol 1, I have absolutely no idea why I gave this book a chance. Maybe because it was free on Kindle or because of a booktube review or maybe because of wishful thinking - who knows! All I know is I played myself.

Like ATCG, Brhel does a good job with world-building but doesn't deliver scares and interesting characters (especially women characters). There are stories with an air of atmosphere but they're ruined by nonsensical endings (i.e. Woman on the Campus, Dracula's Bride, The Blue Hole) or horrible tone changes (i.e. Echo's Reflection, The Morning Fog). The first 3 stories are definitely the best thanks to their consistent tone and realistic atmosphere. But this book was such a disappointed when the quality abruptly went downhill (sans It That Decays).
Would not recommend regardless if you can get it free lol.

Additional notes: TWs for major body horror, gore, mental health mentions, and light mentions of domestic abuse.

[Mandilynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is reminiscent of the Scary Stories trilogy mostly due to the eerie illustrations. The book is full of stories that are based off of folklore and are just spooky enough for the adult reader who might not be into anything too scary. However, as much potential as these stories had to be truly terrifying, they tend to end without a real ending. There’s really nothing scary about a story that ends with “Well, you are two drunks and I’m calling a park ranger” unless, of course, you’re the drunk that’s getting the ranger called on you. That’s not an ending. It really seemed like the author had brain fog and meant to come back and finish the ended, but forgot.

There is a story from Marvelrys Curiosity Shop, which is another short story book that takes its inspiration from the 90’s television series ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’, and frankly, the better of the books I’ve read so far from these authors (not that the rest were terrible, it’s just the better of all of them).

[Caytlyn Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible! I bought it Ithacon because the cover art drew me right in. I'm a huge horror fan, especially of those slumber party stories like Bloody Mary that to this day terrifies me so much I won't look in a mirror at night. This collection was wonderful! Descriptive, haunting and grisly! I loved Moss Lake Island, It that Decays, and Czarny Lard. They gave me goosebumps and made me flinch from the grusome illustrations! I also loved that it was written using local areas. I live in Elmira, right outside Ithaca and Binghampton so it was really cool that I knew all the references! Highly recommend!

[Tyler Bark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5*

A nice homage in the vein of Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark with some fantastic incredible illustrations by Chad Wehrle throughout

More like an older teen to young adult take on modern folklore and creepypasta with the same sort of Spook tales scare factor.

Would highly recommend to someone maybe dipping their toes into dark fiction/horror for the first time ever

My fav stories were:
Czarny Lud
Moss Lake Island
It That Decays (this one got a visceral reaction out of me lol)
Jesup
A Casket For My Mother
Echo's Reflection

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories are not as strong as the original Alvin Schwartz tales they are inspired by, but the sense of creepy nostalgia they evoked was thoroughly satisfying. Nothing in my adult life has ever brought back that heart racing total body chill look over your shoulder kind of fear that the original Scary Stories books inflicted upon me during my childhood, but reading these late at night in the dark brought back that same sense of sinister dread.