Status Updates From Hark! the Herald Angels Scream

The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel by Joe R. Lansdale

This is probably one of my favorites of the collection so far. If MR James had written J-Horror with Michael McDowell, I can see the end product being this perfectly, genteelly terrifying.

Farrow Street: I really didn't understand this story at all. Why is Christmas in London supposed to be so spooky? 2/5

Farrow Street by Elizabeth Hand - 4 Stars

Snake’s Tail by Sarah Langan

This is odd. Not bad just odd. Hard to put my finger on. I don’t know why, maybe it’s the writing style, but it reminds me of the Southern Reach books by Jeff VanderMeer. With a bit of Lovecraftian cosmic horror thrown in. I don’t know... like I said, hard to pin down

The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel: Okay, this was actually quite creepy. 3/5

Mistletoe and Holly by James A. Moore

A slowly building story, but all the more powerful for it. The horror is largely left to the reader’s imagination and supposition.

It’s a wonderful Knife by Christopher Golden

A nice, classic tale, settled deep in Hollywood Culture. You’ll probably know where the story is going, but it’s a good read nonetheless

Good Deeds by Jeff Strand

I’m not sure exactly what it was that I just read, but I’m still laughing (and probably a horrible person)!

Tenets by Josh Malerman

I was a huge fan of Bird Box and was looking forward to Malerman’s contribution to the book. Tenets is an odd, subtle kind of story. It starts out delving into the brutal capabilities of “ordinary” people, and then at the end move to something ... else

Snake's Tail: Creepy story, quite unique. I don't even know how to describe it. 2.5/5

The Second Floor of the Christmas Hotel by Joe R. Lansdale - 4 Stars

Mistletoe and Holly: Nah man. Nothing good about this story. Woman missing her husband killed in combat. Random woman helps bring him back? SO obvious these women were written by a man. He just talks about their bodies the entire time. 1.5/5

Snake’s Tail by Sarah Langan - 5 Stars

Mistletoe and Holly by James A. Moore - 3 Stars