I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.
A unique band of authors have come together to tell the story of one home, with very different rooms haunted by very different spirits in the collection “House of Haunts”.
The Synopsis
In 1823, Josiah Hale built his family a grand home in the sultry heat and blinding glare of the Deep South.
It wasn’t long before the shadows crept in. Now, two hundred years later, this grand home stands forlorn, abandoned, blank windows reflecting only darkness.
Some houses carry lasting impressions of those who have lived and died there.
Some places still bear the scars of past tragedies.
Some buildings are heavy with the spirits of the dead.
Hale House outweighs them all.
But wait.
The front gate is creaking slowly open, welcoming, beckoning, luring you in…
You have been invited.
Come tour the most haunted location in the world.
Come visit our House of Haunts.
23 rooms. 23 ghosts. 23 stories.
Will you survive them all?
Featuring Stories From
Christy Aldridge * Brooklyn Ann * Simon Bleaken *Jay Bower
Clay McLeod Chapman * Heather Daughrity * Joe DeRouen
William J. Donahue * J-F. Dubeau * Joshua Loyd Fox * Jennifer Anne Gordon
Gage Greenwood * Justin Holley * Jo Kaplan * Ronald Kelly
Marie Lanza * Caitlin Marceau * D.E. McCluskey * Jeremy Megargee
Joe Scipione * Samantha Underhill * Mer Whinery * Mercedes M. Yardley
Foreword by Josh Malerman
Edited by Heather Daughrity
The Review
These were some compelling and thrilling horror reads. Immediately I was struck by how unique and original each story was, and yet how cohesive the narrative was overall as each story fed the overall theme of this haunted mansion. The haunting atmosphere of each story and the tension that mounted at such an even pace in each story made this a gripping read.
The heart of this narrative rested in the variety of different stories that each tale provided, as well as the detail that went into them. The way each story found itself in a different era of storytelling, from 19th-century gothic horror to modern tales of loss in the age of the pandemic, made the reader feel connected to the authors of these stories and yet wonderfully lost in the characters and their own plights at the same time.
The Verdict
Remarkable, entertaining, and heartfelt all at once, “House of Haunts” is a must-read modern-day horror anthology. The twists and turns each story provided, and the overall story of this powerfully haunted home and the spirits that have left their mark on its walls and the heart of this mansion made the anthology feel alive and buzzing. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
Rating: 10/10