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Horrific Modern Tales
A DM from a long-forgotten classmate. Warnings from the beyond. A product with some unwanted side effects. What draws us to these tales of the unknown? Why do we seek out fear? Dim your screens, settle into a warm blanket, then dive into these horrific modern tales and let your imagination — and fear — run wild.
A collection of chilling and thought-provoking horror stories, with nightmare illustrations.
A collection of chilling and thought-provoking horror stories, with nightmare illustrations.
83 pages, Hardcover
Published July 12, 2022
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 16, 2023
An entertaining collection of short horror stories based on modern objects and concepts. Each story was beautifully illustrated with gothic-looking artwork which related to the theme of each work.
Although very short, each individual story was well presented and worked well within the format. A perfect read if you only have a few spare minutes at a time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Although very short, each individual story was well presented and worked well within the format. A perfect read if you only have a few spare minutes at a time.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 2, 2022
3.5 rounded up to 4
RTC
RTC
November 19, 2022
These short stories were fun and relatable in the modern day world. The pictures throughout provided good visual representations of each story. I liked the format of this and there was not anything that I disliked.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 15, 2022
First things first--I loved this book.
Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder reminded me why I love the horror genre. The stories and illustrations are expertly done and I think Alvin Schwartz would have enjoyed this book immensely.
I plan on getting a physical copy to share with my son.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder reminded me why I love the horror genre. The stories and illustrations are expertly done and I think Alvin Schwartz would have enjoyed this book immensely.
I plan on getting a physical copy to share with my son.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 2, 2022
This book was an absolute joy to read.
I really loved the concept and the fresh take on adding modern technology into horror. The author did an excellent job of combining technology and classic horror ideas to make frightening and thought provoking stories.
The stories are short(stories) and easily digestible.
I feel as though I would have enjoyed more detail in some of the stories, although the lack thereof is inline with the author's unique style.
Overall, I would highly recommend this compilation of stories. It would make a great introduction to horror (or even sci-fi in some cases) and is an entertaining and refreshing read for anyone who is already a fan of the genre.
Additionally, the art is incredible.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I really loved the concept and the fresh take on adding modern technology into horror. The author did an excellent job of combining technology and classic horror ideas to make frightening and thought provoking stories.
The stories are short(stories) and easily digestible.
I feel as though I would have enjoyed more detail in some of the stories, although the lack thereof is inline with the author's unique style.
Overall, I would highly recommend this compilation of stories. It would make a great introduction to horror (or even sci-fi in some cases) and is an entertaining and refreshing read for anyone who is already a fan of the genre.
Additionally, the art is incredible.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 24, 2022
*disclaimer: this is a free consumer review. I received this as an ARC from BookSirens**
gave this book a 3 stars. The images are amazing, very creepy. However, I feel like the stories attached to them were a bit less interesting. They felt like stories from creepy pasta. The ones you read but don’t actually get scared from. They were definitely unique but if you read gruesome horror like I do, maybe you’d feel the same. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the images and a couple of the stories but it just didn’t hit the mark for a horror fanatic like me.
gave this book a 3 stars. The images are amazing, very creepy. However, I feel like the stories attached to them were a bit less interesting. They felt like stories from creepy pasta. The ones you read but don’t actually get scared from. They were definitely unique but if you read gruesome horror like I do, maybe you’d feel the same. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the images and a couple of the stories but it just didn’t hit the mark for a horror fanatic like me.
September 13, 2022
Firstly, I would like to say that the concepts for these stories are incredibly unique, and in some instances I'm almost jealous by how original they are.
But, most of these stories would benefit greatly, if additional time was taken to flesh out the characters. At no point in any of these stories did I feel that the characters were anything more then a vehicle to get from one spook to then next.
The phase has been used so much, that at this point it is a meme among the writing community, but nonetheless the saying is crucial to anyone wanting to tell an effective story. That phase being, show don’t tell.
I garentee you, that if the author had taken the additional time to develop characters (thereby making the audience more invested and the spooks that much more spooky) this would have been a five star book.
But, most of these stories would benefit greatly, if additional time was taken to flesh out the characters. At no point in any of these stories did I feel that the characters were anything more then a vehicle to get from one spook to then next.
The phase has been used so much, that at this point it is a meme among the writing community, but nonetheless the saying is crucial to anyone wanting to tell an effective story. That phase being, show don’t tell.
I garentee you, that if the author had taken the additional time to develop characters (thereby making the audience more invested and the spooks that much more spooky) this would have been a five star book.
December 11, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder is full of fun fantasy horror. This was a very entertaining collection of short stories with amazing creepy illustrations. If you enjoyed "Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark" as a kid, you will appreciate this.
October 31, 2022
***I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily***
As a horror fan, I had to check this out. Gave me huge Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark vibes, and the illustrations were amazing!
It was a hit or miss with each story on if it was at all scary. Two stories, the MegaWater one and the story about the war video game stuck out the most.
I'd definitely check out more horror short stories by this author!
As a horror fan, I had to check this out. Gave me huge Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark vibes, and the illustrations were amazing!
It was a hit or miss with each story on if it was at all scary. Two stories, the MegaWater one and the story about the war video game stuck out the most.
I'd definitely check out more horror short stories by this author!
August 13, 2023
Unique.
Horrific Modern Tales is a delight to read; book lovers who are looking for fun, originality, and a few scares will enjoy this album of anecdotes. Imagine the atrocity that would occur if something like SlimX-9000 or Losing Control happened. This writer's creativity will astound bookworms, and it's advised to read this at nighttime to maximize the ghastliness of this compilation. Nick Schroeder has crafted unconventional and powerful illustrations, adding depth to this assembly.
Unfortunately, this short story collection is lacking in character development. Backstories are essential for readers to be able to connect to the protagonist of a fictional tale, as well as bring the story to life. Two examples would be the yarns Ding-Dong and Losing Control. For this reason, this assortment of scares cannot be rewarded with a five-star rating.
There is a clerical error with the word "Walter" being misspelled in the tale Virtually Impossible. Another misprint can be found in the narrative Instant Message, where boink has been incorrectly spelled. The author should consider releasing a future edition of this book after working with an editor who can assist him in developing these chronicles further, as well as proofreading the prose. These alterations would add more depth and intrigue to this dreadful assortment.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
Horrific Modern Tales is a delight to read; book lovers who are looking for fun, originality, and a few scares will enjoy this album of anecdotes. Imagine the atrocity that would occur if something like SlimX-9000 or Losing Control happened. This writer's creativity will astound bookworms, and it's advised to read this at nighttime to maximize the ghastliness of this compilation. Nick Schroeder has crafted unconventional and powerful illustrations, adding depth to this assembly.
Unfortunately, this short story collection is lacking in character development. Backstories are essential for readers to be able to connect to the protagonist of a fictional tale, as well as bring the story to life. Two examples would be the yarns Ding-Dong and Losing Control. For this reason, this assortment of scares cannot be rewarded with a five-star rating.
There is a clerical error with the word "Walter" being misspelled in the tale Virtually Impossible. Another misprint can be found in the narrative Instant Message, where boink has been incorrectly spelled. The author should consider releasing a future edition of this book after working with an editor who can assist him in developing these chronicles further, as well as proofreading the prose. These alterations would add more depth and intrigue to this dreadful assortment.
I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 26, 2023
Book Review
Title: Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder
Genre: Horror, Psychological, Short Stories
Rating: 4 Stars
This is going to be a really short review since the book itself is only around 50 pages long in the e-book version but it really hit all the right spots and if you’re a fan of subliminal body horror, think Junjo Ito then Horrific Modern Tales is definitely for you. Despite most of these stories being less than 2 pages long for the most part Schroeder definitely packs a punch into them. Most of these stories centre around technology or medicine in some way giving it a futuristic yet grounded feel.
I don’t think there wasn’t a story in the collection that I didn’t enjoy overall, although I felt that the first story could have been swapped with someone that packed a big punch to really draw you into the stories. None of these stories seem to be interconnected from what I can tell and I think Schroeder’s writing and creativity would really lend itself to an interconnected collection or even a full length novel. If you want something creepy, gory with some vivid illustrations that will definitely keep you up at night and looking over your shoulder then I’d highly recommend this collection.
Title: Horrific Modern Tales by Nick Schroeder
Genre: Horror, Psychological, Short Stories
Rating: 4 Stars
This is going to be a really short review since the book itself is only around 50 pages long in the e-book version but it really hit all the right spots and if you’re a fan of subliminal body horror, think Junjo Ito then Horrific Modern Tales is definitely for you. Despite most of these stories being less than 2 pages long for the most part Schroeder definitely packs a punch into them. Most of these stories centre around technology or medicine in some way giving it a futuristic yet grounded feel.
I don’t think there wasn’t a story in the collection that I didn’t enjoy overall, although I felt that the first story could have been swapped with someone that packed a big punch to really draw you into the stories. None of these stories seem to be interconnected from what I can tell and I think Schroeder’s writing and creativity would really lend itself to an interconnected collection or even a full length novel. If you want something creepy, gory with some vivid illustrations that will definitely keep you up at night and looking over your shoulder then I’d highly recommend this collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2022
Just as the title promises, this is a collection of horrific tales for modern times.
I would describe it as Black Mirror meets Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The author definitely seemed inspired by Alvin Schwartz’s original Scary Stories trilogy. Even the illustrations were reminiscent of Stephen Gammell!
Ultimately, this was a mixed bag of some good and some lackluster stories. The stand out tales, in my opinion, were Anthony’s Grief and MegaWater.
I’m not entirely sure what didn’t sell me on this book. I think I may have enjoyed it more if the characters were more fleshed out! A lot of the stories felt unfinished, like ideas abandoned.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I would describe it as Black Mirror meets Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. The author definitely seemed inspired by Alvin Schwartz’s original Scary Stories trilogy. Even the illustrations were reminiscent of Stephen Gammell!
Ultimately, this was a mixed bag of some good and some lackluster stories. The stand out tales, in my opinion, were Anthony’s Grief and MegaWater.
I’m not entirely sure what didn’t sell me on this book. I think I may have enjoyed it more if the characters were more fleshed out! A lot of the stories felt unfinished, like ideas abandoned.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 21, 2022
Wow, I’m speechless. The vibes I was getting from the stories and eerie illustrations were so spooky (just the way I like a story to make me feel haha).
This book read (and looked) like a modernized homage to one of the greats, Alvin Schwartz (if you know, you know 😉). It was so amazing and I want to get a physical copy to put next to my childhood “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” set.
I’ve already been telling my friends to add this book to their “to-read” lists, giving them a synopsis of a few of my favourites from the collection; “Losing Control”, “Gripping”, and “Anthony’s Grief”.
Thank you to BookSirens & the author for a digital copy.
This book read (and looked) like a modernized homage to one of the greats, Alvin Schwartz (if you know, you know 😉). It was so amazing and I want to get a physical copy to put next to my childhood “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” set.
I’ve already been telling my friends to add this book to their “to-read” lists, giving them a synopsis of a few of my favourites from the collection; “Losing Control”, “Gripping”, and “Anthony’s Grief”.
Thank you to BookSirens & the author for a digital copy.
September 28, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book is clearly inspired by the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Series and the tales featured read like the ones featured in the series. The stories are written well (grammar and structure-wise), they're just not very interesting, original, or scary. I think this might work for younger readers, between 7 and 10, but it's likely that it'll be disappointing to most people over the age of 13.
The illustrations were impeccable though, I'd love to have an art book by this author, or maybe even a graphic novel.
This book is clearly inspired by the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark Series and the tales featured read like the ones featured in the series. The stories are written well (grammar and structure-wise), they're just not very interesting, original, or scary. I think this might work for younger readers, between 7 and 10, but it's likely that it'll be disappointing to most people over the age of 13.
The illustrations were impeccable though, I'd love to have an art book by this author, or maybe even a graphic novel.
August 24, 2022
This was a fun little collection of horror stories. To me, none of them were that scary, they seemed like they were aimed at a younger, or tamer crowd maybe? For the seasoned horror aficionado, however, they were a breeze. The illustrations were quite scary though, they brought back the trauma of the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series haha I am always ready to read any and all scary story collections, so if you're like that as well I'm sure you'll enjoy these.
I received an advance review copy for free on BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free on BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 4, 2022
I got this book from Booksirens in exchange for an honest review.
This book was pretty good, it got my jumpstart of getting in the mood for spooky season! I liked the ties of modern technology mixed in the horror stories! It felt like it was definitely tailored to YA audiences, so it didn't terrify me exactly but it was still a quick and easy read. I read it in about half an hour!
If you enjoyed Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, you'll be entertained! The illustrations were one of my favorite parts.
This book was pretty good, it got my jumpstart of getting in the mood for spooky season! I liked the ties of modern technology mixed in the horror stories! It felt like it was definitely tailored to YA audiences, so it didn't terrify me exactly but it was still a quick and easy read. I read it in about half an hour!
If you enjoyed Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, you'll be entertained! The illustrations were one of my favorite parts.
September 7, 2022
[I received a free copy of this book from BookSirens and I am leaving this review voluntarily]
I had a lot of excitement when I started reading this which was unfortunately short lived. I expected the stories to be more “horror” because of the title, yet the tales do not even come close to being “horrific”. The stories were quite bland and uninteresting and the only one that I really liked was “DETOUR” with its Black Mirror vibe. While the writing is good and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, I would not recommend this to horror fans.
I had a lot of excitement when I started reading this which was unfortunately short lived. I expected the stories to be more “horror” because of the title, yet the tales do not even come close to being “horrific”. The stories were quite bland and uninteresting and the only one that I really liked was “DETOUR” with its Black Mirror vibe. While the writing is good and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, I would not recommend this to horror fans.
May 15, 2023
Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark for a new generation. These stories are focused on new technology from things like phone apps to robot kits and beyond, but they still maintain the atmosphere of the clear inspiration and the artwork included is in the same vein and looks great.
The only thing lacking is some gravitas, because like the aforementioned series they're short and minimal but they're not as striking.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The only thing lacking is some gravitas, because like the aforementioned series they're short and minimal but they're not as striking.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 18, 2022
I love scary stories so this was right up my street, especially since Spooky season starts on August 1st for me 🤣.
The ones I enjoyed were: Ding Dong, Sick Beat, Detour and Grippi.. they were pretty strange and creepy.
I loved Instant Message.. that was fantastic.
The Child was fantastic it made me watery eyed 😭.
The illustrations throughout the book are fabulous! The writing is a nice style and the layout is great. The cover is nice and creepy too! I love that!
The ones I enjoyed were: Ding Dong, Sick Beat, Detour and Grippi.. they were pretty strange and creepy.
I loved Instant Message.. that was fantastic.
The Child was fantastic it made me watery eyed 😭.
The illustrations throughout the book are fabulous! The writing is a nice style and the layout is great. The cover is nice and creepy too! I love that!
October 13, 2022
This was a great collection of short punchy horror stories, many featuring modern technology in the plots. I really enjoyed the quick nature of the pace in each story. They would be perfect in tone and length for telling around a campfire. The stories often ended with a bang, making me imagine what came next. Not a collection full of happy endings here!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
October 13, 2023
Thank you to BookSirens for providing a review copy.
This slim volume is very reminiscent of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. However, this book deals with more modern problems such as video games, messaging apps, and virtual reality. The tales are short and told in a folksy manner. The real standout is the art, which is also Stephen Gammel-ish while being completely unique. I enjoyed the art more than the tales, but there are some good ones.
This slim volume is very reminiscent of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. However, this book deals with more modern problems such as video games, messaging apps, and virtual reality. The tales are short and told in a folksy manner. The real standout is the art, which is also Stephen Gammel-ish while being completely unique. I enjoyed the art more than the tales, but there are some good ones.
September 5, 2022
I thought this was a great book of short horror. The stories were spooky and interesting and I ended up reading it all in one sitting. I really enjoyed all of the stories and I would be really interested in reading more horror from this author. The art was super creepy too!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 2, 2022
It was an interesting read many of the stories hit the urban legends mark. The modern take on the fairy tale. Malfunctioning doorbell and nano tech, what could go wrong? These stories tease the what if and who would have thought. Thank you to BookSirens for this ARC copy. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2024
I loved the variety of short stories and poems in this book!
It was a nice, quick read with amazing drawings as well that added another layer to the story. You think you have a scary idea of what the characters in the story look like and then the drawing appears and makes it so much better.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It was a nice, quick read with amazing drawings as well that added another layer to the story. You think you have a scary idea of what the characters in the story look like and then the drawing appears and makes it so much better.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Read
March 6, 2023Great book Buy it I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2023
I love reading Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark and this is just like that. Has such good stories to get caught up in.
January 24, 2024
These were really short stories and it took a little while to read from cover to cover. As for the stories, they were pretty good.
November 5, 2022
*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*
Hello Fellow Readers
It's October, so that means spooky season is upon us. So what would be a better way to kick it off than with some Horror. Horrific Modern Tales is unique in two ways. One, is that each story includes a sort of updated spin in that it uses Modern Technology to introduce its horror, I guess this is where the Modern in the title comes in. I do like this aspect, even if it does feel slightly foreign, but as technology evolves so must our horror stories.
The second reason this book is so unique is that each story includes artwork. I really loved each piece of art and in my opinion it kind of stole the show. Many would probably find each piece of art a bit weird but I really like weird and spooky. I really enjoyed this book, each story was just long enough to be interesting but short enough that it didn't drag on.
Overall, a great start to October
Hello Fellow Readers
It's October, so that means spooky season is upon us. So what would be a better way to kick it off than with some Horror. Horrific Modern Tales is unique in two ways. One, is that each story includes a sort of updated spin in that it uses Modern Technology to introduce its horror, I guess this is where the Modern in the title comes in. I do like this aspect, even if it does feel slightly foreign, but as technology evolves so must our horror stories.
The second reason this book is so unique is that each story includes artwork. I really loved each piece of art and in my opinion it kind of stole the show. Many would probably find each piece of art a bit weird but I really like weird and spooky. I really enjoyed this book, each story was just long enough to be interesting but short enough that it didn't drag on.
Overall, a great start to October
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews