5 feather #bookreview of THE CAT, THE CROW, AND THE CAULDRON
Blurb
A strange and wonderful collection of Halloween stories, ranging from paranormal romance to horror.
Joe DeRouen’s “Good Fortune” teaches us a valuable lesson about why you should be very careful when you hold someone’s fate in your hands. It may come back to haunt you, just as it does for Grimsley Harkness, who dares to wish for more than he deserves.
Celia Kennedy’s “Nothing Scares Me” takes readers on a test of endurance. Lost in the Florida Everglades, Ardith Deblois, wife, mother and intrepid adventurer, fights for her life. Enveloped within the humid swamplands is a perilous maze full of obstacles and adversaries. Which is the greater impediment, the humans that hunt her or the deadly animals and poisonous plants she hides amongst?
Can she fight through fatigue and dehydration to save herself? Nothing Scares Me. True or not?
Zeece Lugo’s “Five Stories Up” finds us on October 31st, 1966, and night is falling over the city. Below, the groups of little ghosts and goblins stream in and out of the front stoops and basement bodegas, running, laughing, white blankets flapping in the wind, their candy treasures tightly held in hand. But above, in the dark rooftop of Sonia’s building, something pale and evil watches her, and beckons…
Angie Martin’s “Sold” follows a paranormal team as they investigate the home of a serial killer for their live Halloween night televised show.
In Heather Osborne’s “Will You Remember Me?” past and present collide when ghosts from witch trials of long ago come to life. It’s up to Sierra to lay things to rest.
In Leonie Rogers’ “Roast Pumpkin” Anna discovers that going trick-or-treating in her new home town is more of an out-of-this-world experience than she’d ever imagined.
CJ Rutherford‘s “Treaters” tells the story of Jaz. Who would believe the world would end on Halloween night? Can Jaz, a retired U.S. Marine, battle loss, grief, demons, and loneliness, to survive the end of the world?
In Jada Ryker’s “Dead Eye” Alex takes Marisa to an unusual Halloween party in an isolated Kentucky community… with a murderer ready with deadly tricks, rather than treats.
In Jalpa Williby’s “Beauty and the Beast” Kelsey’s entire family perishes in a fire on a dreadful Halloween night. Overcome by grief and guilt, she decides to end her pain once and for all. Will the mysterious stranger be her savior, or will he ultimately cause her tragic demise?
MY REVIEW:
Reviewing an anthology is tough, especially when the stories are from different authors, and different genres. Fortunately, I’ve read stories from every author but Joe DeRouen. After reading his story Good Fortune, I’m looking forward to some of his full length books.
Unfortunately for me, some of these authors are also friends, and I don’t want to offend any of them. Even though I read, and review, in multiply genres, I still have favorites, such as paranormal and sci-fi. As the Highlander said, There can only be one.
So, without further adieu, the short story I loved the most, hands down, was Treaters by CJ Rutherford, and I’ll tell you why. I love Stephen King, and Treaters reminded me so much of The Mist. And not the made-for-TV version, the actual book. Totally different ending. The story grabbed my attention from the beginning and drug me right along until the bitter end Great job.
CJ is the author of the Souls of the Never series. I’ve read the first 2 books in this series, and I must admit, I can see improvement in his writing.
Second place had a three-way tie:
Nothing Scares Me by Celia Kennedy author of Venus Rising.
Five Stories Up by Zeece Lugo author of the Daniel Fork series:
And Roast Pumpkin by Leonie Rogers author of the Frontier series:
No matter what your taste, you’ll find a story to your liking. I highly recommend it for an excellent Halloween read. I give my 5 feathers.
And the great thing is, it’s FREE. So, download your copy today.
