The Gathering Dark

Because an anthology of horror stories can chill your bones too.

Song Vibe Check

1. "Haunted House" By: Neoni

2. "Things we lost in the fire" By: Bastille

3. "High" By: Zella Day

I am not really a horror person. I don't read in the genre much or enjoy horror films (I have watched my fair share but have very few favorites!) but a horror story I read from a classmate in my advanced writing fiction class this past semester made me consider to give it a try.

So, I picked up this anthology. No, I didn't do it because Chloe Gong was in the list. Or Hannah Whitten. In reality, Aden Polydoros was why I picked it up and as we dive into the stories, I'll say that it had a strong beginning and a chilling finale... but a struggling middle. Also, it was meant to be folkore horror stories, many set in slumbering small towns so maybe that attributed to why it dragged out for me.

Best ones:

1. Stay / Erica Waters

2. It stays with you/ Aden Polydoros

3. Truth or dare / Alex Brown

4. Loved by all, save one/ Tori Bovalino

5. The burning one/ Shakira Toussaint

The okay ones:

1. The tallest poppy / Chloe Gong

2. Ghost on the shore/ Allison Saft

Did not like

1. One-lane bridge / Hannah Whitten

2. Petrified / Olivia Chadha

3. Third burn / Courtney Gould

Overall, out of the ten stories, I liked five of them but out of those five stories, only three of them really stuck with me long after I finished reading. So, not an entirely bad anthology but unfortunately, not the best one either.

It might be because its not my preferred genre, or that I am not the right audience to appreciate all of the stories, but that's why I leave it to you all to read it...if you dare.

Overall: 3.5/5