| Title | : | If I Die Before I Wake: Tales of Nightmare Creatures |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | Published February 8, 2021 |
Razor-sharp teeth. Vicious claws. The soul-piercing eyes that stare you down right before it pounces. What will you do when it’s you against a purveyor of pure evil? You think it’s just a dream? Think again. These nightmare creatures have transcended the pages of the books they were written into, they’ve ripped their way from the silver screen, and now they are coming for you. There is nowhere to hide—they will find you. But the question remains. Do you have what it takes to conquer the beast or will you let it destroy you?
The Better Off Dead series delves into the farthest corners of your mind, where your deepest, darkest fears lurk. These masters of horror will haunt your dreams and stalk your nightmares, taking you to the edge of sanity before pushing you to the brink of madness!
With stories by Scotty Milder, Elana Gomel, Hannah O'Doom, Scott Harper, Bridgett Nelson, Brian Asman, Sandra Stephens, Henry Herz, R.E. Sargent, Red Lagoe, Frank Beghin, Kevin M. Folliard, Steven Pajak, Matthew R. Davis. Foreword by Bram Stoker nominated author Jeff Strand.
If I Die Before I Wake: Tales of Nightmare Creatures Reviews
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When I read a book of short stories I make notes so that I can remember which one's were favourites and why. Now my wrist is sore because literally every story in this anthology deserves a mention.
This is a phenomenal group of horror shorts and, in my opinion is even better than the previous volume.
🚣♀️ 𝙄𝙣𝙫𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 by Bridgett Nelson
I can remember two movies that I watched when I was a kid that absolutely terrified me. One of them was from Creepshow, about a couple stranded on a dock in the middle of a lake with some weird killer oil slick hunting them. This story tapped into that old childhood fear and I loved it!
🏚 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙡𝙡 by R. E Sargent
A very clever and unique spin on a classic monster.
🎯 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙊𝙛 𝙈𝙤𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙈𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣 by Steven Pajak
When I started this story I thought it was gonna be my least favourite. First, the author switched perspective between two characters without a chapter break and it pushes me out of a story when I'm suddenly juggling POVs. Second, it has a wartime theme. Nope, not my thing at all. But the more I kept reading, the more impressed I was by how atmospheric it was and how wonderfully real the characters became in such a short amount of time. By the end I was loving this story.
🎭 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩 by Matthew R. Davis
The last story in the book and hands-down my fav of the bunch. Stories like this are why I love horror! -
"I think they would be the ones that were scared shitless, not me".
The House on the Hill by R.E. Sargent
From If I Die Before I Wake:
by R.E. Sargent (Goodreads Author), Steven Pajak , Jeff Strand (Foreword), Scotty Milder , Elana Gomel , Hannah Trusty, Scott Harper , Bridgett Nelson (, Brian Asman , Sandra Stephens, Henry Herz, Red Lagoe , Frank Beghin, Kevin M. Folliard , Matthew R. Davis , Hannah O'Doom
My review:
Disclaimer:
Nobody was kidnapped before or during the writing of this review:
I have been a follower of The Better off dead series since the beginning. Reading each anthology is always like getting a jolt of energy. To date, each anthology has differed a bit from the last but all have one thing in common: They are fantastic stories, perfect for the horror purist.
So I flew through these. The theme here in this anthology are monsters. I was a bit ambivalent because monsters are not usually my thing. But there was not any way I wasn't going to read this.
And I am so glad I did because once again, they made for spectacular reading. I really, when reading these stories, think of my early years reading. I grew up LOVING horror, being drawn to John Saul and Chris Pike and a bit of King but also to very eerie seventies and early eighties horror films like "The Other" and "Let's scare Jessica to death". And I was a huge twilight zone fan.
So these stories are terrific for a number of reasons. But the number one reason is....it isn't just mindless horror. No way. These stories..all of them..have depth and soul and even some humor! There are characters who will stay with me forever. There are moving stories that fasten onto you...not like a monster but like something very special.
AND....They scare the CRAP out of you!!!!!
So....an anthology that can do that.....extremely worthy of a five star review.
I must mention a few stories but it is important for me to say I liked ALL of em! I just cannot MENTION all of them or my review will be twenty pages and you might cuss me out for having to read all that.
The Growth by Sandra Stephens:
This story will live in me forever. It is so deeply touching and so beautiful all at once while being scary to the point where I almost could not sleep. To say I loved it is an understatement. Sarah and John, the mountain man. Wow.
The House on the Hill by R.E. Sargent:
Mr. Sargent was the reason I discovered these anthologies. I read his fantastic short story, "One star review" (which I highly recommend). He has a gift of always writing stories that challenge me to try and put it together. They're always unforgettable and like solving a puzzle. This particular story is no different and also beautifully written and touching. My hat's off to to you and keep on rocking!
Seven Years Bad Luck by Brian Asman
I happen to have a fear of what Mr. Asman wrote about which I will not give away. Just a wee bit of a fear but reading this was utterly fascinating and I loved the story.
The Black Regent by Matthew R. Davis:
Wonderful closing story and eerily cool...Phantom of the Opera is one of my all time favorite Broadway shows so I was all in on this one!
Invader by Bridgett Nelson:
Sigh. Bridgett this was SO GOOD! I love a bit of teen drama but the characters here sure got more than they bargained for! I'd love to know how you thought this up! Wonderful reading...Like Dita especially!
And here I must give a shout out to the REAL Dita...who I miss greatly. I do so hope Dita you come back to GR sometime. Your wit and sense of fun are missed. I did have to include that and I am sure any fan of the real Dita will know exactly what I mean. You are missed.
OK..Back to the stories....I will close with this: what makes these anthologies stand out and why you should read them is:
Any one of these short stories could be a full length book in and of itself. Any of them. I in fact hope some of them maybe become that!
But even if they do not there are more anthologies to come including stories about bad things that lurk under water! I love the sea! And I hope one of the authors writes a story about Sirens because I am obsessed with them!!!!
Anyway...any real horror buff needs to read these. Five stars and.....what's that noise? Oh my GOSH!!!!!!!! -
**So, most of you probably already know this, but I wrote, INVADER, one of the stories included in this anthology. My review is for the other authors' content ONLY.
Those of you who love old-school horror are going to go crazy for
If I Die Before I Wake: Tales of Nightmare Creatures, the latest in the Better Off Dead Series from
Sinister Smile Press. This book is chock-full of monsters...so many different monsters. I'd say it's the most fun of all the volumes so far; there is just so much creepy goodness inside the covers of this book.
I also have to mention the foreword...because how could I not? THE
Jeff Strand, horror icon extraordinaire, wrote one of the funniest, most entertaining forewords of all time. And, you know, he called me out in it because we're like, besties now.
In all seriousness, I really do love the foreword, and Jeff and I really are friends...as long as he sends me the autographed books he owes me. If he doesn't, I'm pushing him out of the cool kids clique.
Moving on...
Some brief thoughts on each of the stories included:
A More Than Canine Hunger by
Scotty Milder - If you haven't read Scotty's work before, you should. His writing has elevated to another level and this story, in particular, is one of the most atmospheric, creepy stories in the entire anthology. I loved it! Definitely one of my favorites.
The Alarabi by
Elana Gomel - This was my first time reading Elana's work and I was so impressed by the vivid imagery and beautiful writing style. The story itself is unlike anything I've ever read. It's genuinely frightening.
Scarecrow by
Hannah O'Doom - This may have been my favorite story in the book. I still remember how difficult the teenage years can be, especially for girls, and this story...it's so amazingly clever. I love the theme and the entire idea behind Scarecrow.
Ismini and the Blood of the Bullman by
Scott Harper - Scott is a consistently strong writer, and this story is one of his best. It brings a couple different monsters to the table, and I promise you'll be on the edge of your seat.
Invader by
Bridgett Nelson - No review for my own work, though I will say the story has two of our very own Goodreads icons as characters, Dita and Denise!
Seven Years Bad Luck by
Brian Asman - I realize as I write this review that ALL the stories are my favorites. Brian's is so well-written and such a cool idea. I think you're all going to love this one.
The Growth by
Sandra Stephens - This is the story that's going to stick with you for a long, long time. It's gruesome, it's heartbreaking, and it's terrifying. I do have to mention...there is a trigger warning. The Growth contains a fairly graphic animal death. Please take that into consideration before reading this story.
The Kelpie of Loch Ness by
Henry Herz - This might be the most fun story of the bunch...it brings in SO MANY different monsters, and it never gets muddied. I genuinely enjoyed this quirky creature feature.
The House on the Hill by
R.E. Sargent - I've said it before, and I'll say it again...you can NEVER go wrong with an R.E. Sargent story. They're always engrossing and twisty, and I've loved every single thing this man has written. He takes his writing to another level with The House on the Hill...I think you'll all be pleased.
Caecillica by
Red Lagoe - Red has become a horror-writing icon. She has won so many awards for her work, and writes consistently fantastic stories. Caecillica is no exception. Prepare to be terrified.
Magic Shadows by
Frank Beghin - Do you remember that one stuffed animal you identified with your entire childhood? The one you couldn't go anywhere without? Frank explores that connection in this dark and disturbing story. It's so good!
Jack of Spades by
Kevin M. Folliard - I was so into this story. It has so many elements I love and it kept me thoroughly entertained. I'm currently reading Kevin's anthology,
The Misery King's Closet: An Anthology of Hidden Horror, and it's just as brilliant.
The Mortality of Morris Meridian by
Steven Pajak - This is a beautifully done, character-driven horror story which will most assuredly appeal to history buffs. Steven is such a talented writer, and it's obvious he did his research. He brings humanity to the traditional vampire...and even a moral compass. I loved it. Don't despair though...there is tons of death and gore. :)
The Black Regent by
Matthew R. Davis - This story ratchets up the tension flawlessly. It's such an epic monster story, and it's the perfect way to conclude this anthology. Who doesn't love a good scare?
I'm rating Tales of Nightmare Creatures five stars...not because my story is included, but because it genuinely deserves the rating. There isn't a bad story in the bunch. If you love horror shorts, I highly recommend this selection.
Also, shout out to Steven Pajak for the amazing cover!
Available February 8, 2021
My sincere thanks to Sinister Smile Press for my review copy. -
Sinister Smile Press has created another go-to short story compilation you are going to BINGE READ and DEVOUR IT LIKE ONE OF Bridgett Nelson’s sea creatures!
This is the second volume of theirs that I’ve read and thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed. It becomes quite evident—at least it did to me—that they worked really hard to find real writing talent and creative stories that aren’t the same tired monster tropes. The offer fresh types of monsters, creatures that I had never heard of (which as a horror lover, D&D geek since I was 12, and fantasy enthusiast, I had not really thought possible), and very human themes (I’ll circle back to this at the end). To the extent it tells stories with familiar monsters like werewolves and vampires, they contain twists and nuances that will keep you interested and engaged. And I love this because it is a way to discover new ideas and new writers I can follow.
When I read a prior volume If I Die Before I Wake, Volume 3, I was thoroughly impressed. And I went into reading volume 4 with had high hopes and high expectations. They more than satisfied both. There were a few standouts, just like I encountered with Volume 3, but I enjoyed all of them. There were only a few that had some minor plot issues that left me scratching my head, but not to a point where I wasn’t enjoying them.
So here is my rundown, thoughts and overall gush for the fourteen stories in this compilation.
Jeff Strand’s forward was as funny and entertaining as you would expect.
The collection starts out with a poor kid going through an emotional and physical ringer in
Scotty Milder's A More Than Canine Hunger. I had to chuckle at the characterization of how the main character had to fend off his mom’s blatant effort to bribe him away from sledding with hot chocolate and stating it I don’t know why I got such a kick out of this, but it was just a little poignant story-telling gem to me because I could (and have in my own life) felt its truth. Milder, in my opinion, also did great job of capturing a child’s voice. Not easy to do. And I could totally picture the area of Colorado where the story was taking place. Oh, and it had one of those really cool sort of uncommon monsters. I don’t want to spoil that part. However, I felt like the ending might have benefited from just a titch more development. But it was good.
The second story is a great, creepy, and haunting story about a nether-realm and hungry, hungry monster in The Alarabi by
Elana Gomel. This one I finished it up late at night. In retrospect the mental images of this monster right before trying to sleep might not have been the best exercise of judgment on my part. Fortunately, I have an ample supply of whiskey to address just this type of sleeplessness. But I digress. This story had a nice “fish out of water” feel to it, but it was quite believable. When Gomel relates the image of the family photograph, I could picture it perfectly. That was good because it was so important to the background and scenery in this one. When we enter the nether-realm there’s another great image and how
Then came one of the standouts.
Hannah O'Doom’s Scarecrow. This story is damn near worth the price of admission all by itself. Very creative and a creative monster. This story was wonderfully creepy and gross and terrifying. It makes you think and confront the issue of how a person reacts when he or she receives a sudden gift of awesome power. You wonder and hope and cajole yourself thinking that yes, if I had this power I would not go mad and evil with it. But then you wonder. You wonder why some have it so good and others get tormented by others and by life itself and you begin to fear what you might actually do to those who wronged you and oppressed you if you suddenly had a power over life or death – and sometimes stuff worse than death. That’s almost the scariest part. Damn. This one was amazing because it taps into the human element of what makes a good monster story.
Scott Harper gave us all an epic battle of beasts in Ismini and the Blood of the Bullman. I first I kind of thought I knew what the monster was when she reacted to a pool of water. But then I get pleasantly surprised and learn about a type of monster I had never previously heard of! Another illustration of the power of good literary images. For example, characterizing the The battle scenes are brutal and visceral. I could feel the desperation of the combat. That being said, it seemed a bit odd to me that This is a soft criticism, however.
So when I got my copy here, I must confess I read
Bridgett Nelson's Invader first and then read it a second time once I started reading the stories in order. I did this because, well first I wanted to, and second, her story “Political Suicide” was a major major standout in the prior volume and barring none one of my absolute favorite short stories I’ve had the privilege to read. I was curious to see how Nelson would get me into a monster story. “Invader was another standout. You could pay for this and get Invader and still be happy. Because this one had a great twist in it. It also was probably among the scariest because she conjures up an iteration of a creature that most people – and me especially – would find the scariest, most difficult one to face. I remember Facing a whale sized version makes me want to find that safe corner of my room and start get all my groceries through an online vender cuz I don’t want to even cross a puddle now. Water is scary. This got to me too because it is a great story set once again in the PNW! Nelson also does a great job of putting you in the character’s head that she wants you to see. I was utterly convinced of the teenagers’ minds and actions. They exuded authenticity with their dialogue, thoughts and how they narrated the events from their point of view. The deaths were entertaining to say the least. Another job well done.
Brian Asman will teach you to be very very wary of mirrors in Seven Years Bad Luck. He offered a creative tale featuring a very unique monster. I liked this one because the opening lines really hooked me in. And then you’ve got a relentless creature that can hit you when you least expect them. Yikes. This is bad luck I’d rather someone else have.
And then no sooner do I finish that one and then WHAM! Now I have to feel all dirty and rubbing at my arms to get rid of the imaginary monster
Sandra Stephens came up with in The Growth. Daaaaayuuuuumn! This was an utterly horrifying, very creative and best of all, a different kind of predator. At first I was a bit off put hoping to have a better identity of where the story took place, but I got over that pretty darn quick. This is another standout that will make you super-glad you got this volume. And I learned something, namely what the shape is of a d20. That was pretty cool. (By the way, maybe you should stop reading this and go get this book in your Amazon cart. Do it! Go now! This review will still be here when you are ready. I promise.)
Aye, so yer bahk now, are ye? Well that’s a bonny thing, because now, ye get to ken about
Henry Herz’s The Kelpie of Loch Ness. This one also hooked me in with the Scottish setting and the line So. Yeah, I started liking Mr. Herz very quickly. He offered up a big monster mash up that was really entertaining. Had a nice little inside joke that (at least I took it this way) refers to an appropriate line from LOTR. This one felt so much more developed than a normal short story.
R.E. Sargent's The House on the Hill took a different approach and told most of the story from monster's POV. You live the monster’s life and its initial discovery and self-awareness. That was really cool. The whole story helps challenge what your preconceived notions of what the label “monster” really means. Is it the beast with claws and fangs? Or is it the jerk that causes real life suffering on a day to day basis. And then there was another layer of trying to figure out who the monster was. It plays with timelines and events. It had twists and unexpected turns. That all gave it an added layer of suspense. It makes you think and entertains the whole way through.
Red Lagoe gave this volume some creepy slithery revenge in Caecillica. This one makes you think two and assess your notions of which character is really the “monster.” Is it the girlfriend who did some shady stuff? Or the boyfriend who an agenda too? Or the poor creature getting used and abused by everyone? Hmmm…
The volume follows up roughly with an extension of that same theme when you get to Magic Shadows by
Frank Beghin. It reminds us that monsters aren't always what they appear to be. And sometimes they do good. One is a monster to one person might be serve an unexpected role to another. I found this story very entertaining as well.
Kevin Folliard got a CREEPY CREEPY CREEEEEPY monster worked into his tale Jack of Spades. Folliard gave another victorious story that is a credit to the Sinister Smile Press team. This monster creeped me out. It stayed with me for quite a bit. It was interesting because it had its own motivations and seemed quite happy to either feed on a bad guy or a good guy under its own code. It had needs and an agenda and as long as those things were met, it really didn’t care who got the business end of its wrath. That being said, I liked the message and theme in this one:
Stephen Pajak's novella The Mortality of Morris Meridian managed an interesting balance between haunting history and a touching connection between his main character and the monster of his choice. This was I believe the longest one, which allowed it to develop nicely. It gives you a fresh perspective on a classic type of monster.
The volume closes out with The Black Regent by
Matthew Davis. Another entertaining tale and a nice take on a classic type of monster. It goes to show you another aspect of monster stories – they excite you and challenge you to overcome your fears. And that is the narration of this clever story. We should all be as fearless as these two main characters. There were but I still really enjoyed it.
Anyway, so circling back to a point I made earlier. Reading this volume reminds me that monster stories really don’t do well when they are just purely about “the monster.” What it looks like or what it can do. You need that, but it isn’t enough. It’s like actors on a stage – they have to feed off the other actors. So the themes and characters of the “non-monsters” have to play against them and have a synergy. Otherwise, it just becomes a writing exercise to write cogent sentences. Not very interesting. And like theater, the story won’t be interesting unless it plays to our own (as the audience/reader’s) thoughts, fears, and conceptions of ourselves, each other, and what we label as a “monster.” The role of or assigning the label of a “monster” to something can and should be bigger than just some creature ripping somebody to shreds. A monster story, seems to me, only really speaks to us because of how we react to it. For example, Invader could just have easily ended with Emmeline and Olivia sicking a big mean dog on Dita, Major and the others. But that wouldn’t have been interesting. But you put Same for Jack of Spades. Yeah, Folliard’s is creepy-ass. But, to me, you need to have that sense that I don’t know. That’s just my thought. But to me the SSP guys managed to pick “monster” stories that had those elements that really made them pop.
Finally, I want to thank the SSP team for an ARC copy of
If I Die Before I Wake: Tales of Nightmare Creatures for an honest review. -
Deliciously scary!
This stories are perfect, brilliant, full of imagination and, of course, totally scary. Lots of originality, lots of clever monsters and extremely talented authors. Grab your copy, a warm blanket (don’t you get cold when you are scared? I thought so 🙀), keep all the lights on (obviously!) and enjoy!
I would like to give a big thank you to Sinister Smile Press for giving me a free digital ARC copy. My review is voluntary. -
"Parents don't tell children that nightmare creatures exist to create fear amongst them. They tell them to teach them that nightmare creatures can be slain." -Author Unknown.
The forward was written by Jeff Strand. It was creative and comical. What a great introduction! Made me chuckle!
Contributing authors and their stories:
A More Than Canine Hunger~Scotty Milder
The Alarabi~Elana Gomel
Scarecrow~Hannah O'Doom
Ismini and the Blood of the Bullman~Scott Harper
Invader~Bridgett Nelson
Seven Years Bad Luck~Brian Asman
The Growth~Sandra Stephen's
The Kelpie of Loch Ness~Henry Herz
The House on the Hill~R.E. Sargent
Caecillica~Red Lagoe
Magic Shadows~Frank Beghin
Jack of Spades~Kevin M. Folliard
The Mortality of Morris Meridian~Steven Pajak
The Black Regent~Matthew R. Davis
With a diverse panel of authors pulling together a book of anthologies from a prompt of 'Nightmare Creatures' is what made this a fun reading experience. I love how each has their own unique writing style and creativity. There are all types of creatures written in these stories. Ones that may just haunt you in your sleep!!
I must share some honesty, none of these scared me, as it actually takes quite a bit to do so. But it does not detract from the enjoyment of reading and of seeing the creativity from each authors mind.
Anyone who enjoys anthologies and horror stories filled with creepy creatures should read these.
Thank you so much to Sinister Smile Press for a complimentary copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. -
Engrossing Read!!!
Absolutely a brilliant anthology incorporating 14 stories by different author's and styles of writing, If I Die Before I Wake the Better off Dead Series Volume 4, Tales of Nightmare Creatures is exactly what it includes are 14 really dark, creepy, shockingly scary and chilling stories which stay with you until you creep into bed at night then turn the light off oh deary me, I must say this book gave me quite a few nightmarish really freaked out dreams.
The forward by Jeff Strand was also laugh out loud hilarious like a mini story in its own right, I truly haven't experienced a forward ever like this before.
What an amazing book it was great to be introduced to new author's as normally I don't read anthologies I thought it wasn't my kind of book but this book has converted me, truly an amazing unsettling creepy creature-fest. -
Hi Everyone,
I got a advanced copy of 'If I Die Before I Wake: Tales of Nightmare Creatures' in exchange for my honest review, which is a first for me, so I didn't know what to expect from this book, as I have not read any of the other 'If I Die Before I Wake' books, and some anthologies can be a bit hit and miss, but I liked all the stories in this, the range of creatures was excellent, well written, easy to read.
I especially liked the more obscure creatures, and I loved the creature vs creature battle, (you will know it when you get to it)
All up, I was very impressed, and now I have a list of authors to look out for, and about 1/2 way through this book, I added the other 'If I Die Before I Wake' books to my to get list.
4.5/5 stars -
Thank you to The Team at Sinister Smile Press for providing a copy for review.
This anthology was published February 8, 2021.
Overall Thoughts
This was a fantastic short story anthology. The best anthology I have read so far in my life. Each story was very well written. I was impressed with how the authors could pull me in with only about 20 pages to do so. Different interesting creatures throughout made this a great reading experience. This is creature horror at its best. I would recommend checking out this anthology and all the others in the Better Off Dead Series.
Thoughts on Individual Stories (Note: All these stories were very high quality. I designated the stories that resonated the most with me 5 stars.)
Forward by Jeff Strand managed to be hilarious and creepy. It had me cackling out loud. 5 stars
A More Than Canine Hunger by Scotty Milder: 5 stars, Beautiful, atmospheric story of a snowy day in Colorado. Wonderful character development of a young boy thinking about his family.
The Alarabi by Elena Gomel-5 stars, Very unique premise unlike anything I have read. This was a beautifully written story that created quite a creepy image in the mind.
Scarecrow by Hannah O’Doom- 4.5 stars, This was a really impressive story with great character development of the main character, a teen girl who is bullied.
Ismini and Blood of the Bullman- 4.5 stars Brutal battle involving a seemingly unbeatable creature. The introduction of a second creature brought the story to a whole different level.
Invader by Bridgett Nelson- 5 stars, Spurned high school senior gets revenge. Loved the beautiful Northwest USA island setting.
Seven Years Bad Luck by Brian Asman- 4.5 stars, Cute new romance comes with some deadly baggage attached. This story actually made mirrors scary.
The Growth by Sandra Stephens-5 stars, A gruesome story of killer nature. I was so invested in the characters. This story was bleak, emotional, and full of body horror.
The Kelpie of Loch Ness by Henry Herz- 4.5 stars, Movie crew filming in Scottland encounter many kinds of creatures.
The House on the Hill by R.E. Sargent- 5 stars, Alternating chapters between a man who is dealing with the loss of his wife and really awesome scenes from a creature’s perspective.
Caecillica by Red Lagoe- 5 stars, Complicated characters, dark revelations, and a creepy story too. Fantastic!
Magic Shadows by Frank Beghin-5 stars, This was a really sad and scary story that could be triggering to some. It blew me away though! A stuffed animal protects a young girl after her family cannot.
Jack of Spades by Kevin M. Folliard- 4.5 stars, This was a coming of age story with a dangerous game. It includes a very unique creature.
The Mortality of Morris Meridian by Steven Pajak- 5 stars, A wonderful story about a man who befriends a very likable creature during World War 2.
The Black Regent by Matthew R. Davis- 4.5 stars, This creepy tale made me nostalgic for video stores and old theaters. -
This is my favorite of the Better Off Dead series so far. I enjoyed every story. If I had to pick my top three, I'd probably choose A More Than Canine Hunger, The Black Regent, and Invader. I definitely recommend this. It's a fun and entertaining anthology.
-
Engrossing Read!!!
Absolutely a brilliant anthology incorporating 14 stories by different author's and styles of writing, If I Die Before I Wake the Better off Dead Series Volume 4, Tales of Nightmare Creatures is exactly what it includes are 14 really dark, creepy, shockingly scary and chilling stories which stay with you until you creep into bed at night then turn the light off oh deary me, I must say this book gave me quite a few nightmarish really freaked out dreams.
The forward by Jeff Strand was also laugh out loud hilarious like a mini story in its own right, I truly haven't experienced a forward ever like this before.
What an amazing book it was great to be introduced to new author's as normally I don't read anthologies I thought it wasn't my kind of book but this book has converted me, truly an amazing unsettling creepy creature-fest.
