Another great group of short and long stories Halloween-themed. The Garton and Burke stories were good but my favorite was the Bev Vincent one.

So, this is another five stories by five different authors. All centred around the scariest season of the year. Halloween. This is for all horror fanatics out there.

They are short. Too short at times. Wanted a bit more.
One I found a little disturbing. The one about mannequins.

Volume 3 is so far my favourite. But they are all a good read.

Enjoy!

Ray Garton is one of my favorite authors working in the horror field today. Anytime I get a chance to read one of his stories it's a great day. I love these little books and think of them as an appetizer or a taste of authors I should look up and read more of. They are quick and entertaining reads.

This book is composed of several extremely well written and terrifying stories by some very good storytellers! I would recommend this book to anyone who likes their horror short, sweet, and to the point!

Yes, I know Halloween is over but when you’re into horror every day can be Halloween! I did begin this volume in early October but because I didn’t love any of the stories it’s been a bit of a slog to finish it.

Mannequin Challenge by Kealan Patrick Burke - 🎃🎃🎃

Theo is mentally preparing himself to attend the office Halloween party. As an introvert I can definitely relate to his reticence, especially considering he’s an outsider and there’s going to be a mannequin challenge. I was surprised by Theo’s response to the mannequin challenge (we certainly differ in that respect). I wish there had been an explanation, however brief, of how the mannequin challenge worked the way it did.

“Death stood by the photocopy machine, a drink raised to its bony mouth.”

Across the Tracks by Ray Garton - 🎃🎃🎃

Kenny, Sam and JayJay are from the wrong side of the tracks. The good candy can be found across the tracks in the affluent part of town so that’s where they are trick-or-treating. Unfortunately a bully and his minions are also there, but encountering them isn’t the weirdest thing to happen that night. The descriptions of the bullying were quite graphic and the story ended abruptly. Although I don’t mind some ambiguity, the main event takes place off page and that’s the part I wanted to be able to see. I didn’t get any of the answers I was seeking.

“Since they had first encountered him in grammar school, Ed Mortimer had been a permanent part of their lives, a human animatronic Halloween yard decoration that could jump out of the dark at them at any time, all year long.”

The Halloween Tree by Bev Vincent - 🎃🎃

Luke and his friends are going trick or treating tonight and for Luke this means he’ll need to face one of the scariest things in his life - the tree on the corner. Luke is convinced this particular tree is alive and scheming against him. Unfortunately I didn’t find this story scary at all.

“In that moment it looked like a giant ogre, with arms upraised and outstretched, ready to wrap them up in a crushing embrace, impaling their bodies with spiny talons six feet long.”

Pumpkin Eater by C.A. Suleiman - 🎃🎃🎃

Peter loves Halloween but his wife Marlene doesn’t. He chooses this night to fix his marital problems, once and for all. This was a predictable story

“She had no idea that he knew. No idea the price she would have to pay.”

When the Leaves Fall by Paul Melniczek - 🎃🎃🎃

In Haverville there’s one farm that no one ever talks about. Signs surrounding the farm warn trespassers to stay away. One Halloween night, Chris and his best friend Kyle decide to find out what’s really going on at Graver’s Farm. Neither will ever be the same. This was the longest story in this collection. With the amount of build up I expected more answers than I found.

“Nightfall was coming swiftly, carrying the seeds of slumber.
And also the batwings of nightmare.”

I’ve now read four of the five volumes in this series and this is my least favourite so far. I’m disappointed that I don’t have a favourite story in this volume. I’m also not keen to reread any of them.

Content warnings include assault, bullying, mention of suicide, sexual assault and slavery.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Hydra, an imprint of Random House Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

The Mannequin Challenge (Kealan Patrick Burke)
I liked the otherness, the unexpected turn the story took, but at the end I also felt left behind and still missing something. ***

Across the Tracks (Ray Garton)
Great beginning, but the ending seemed a bit rushed in comparison. ***

The Halloween Tree (Bev Vincent)
IMHO, the most atmospheric story of the collection. ****

Pumpkin Eater (C. A. Suleimanr)
The fun story of the collection, but my least favorite. **

When the Leaves Fall (Paul Melniczek)
The last and longest story which is also easily the best in this book and my favorite here. I loved how so much was only hinted at and left unclear until the very end. Everything that happens is told from the main character's POV, filtered by his thoughts and feelings, which has a strong influence on the reader's perception of things. A great story to complete the book. *****

The Halloween spirit is still strong in this fourth installment of the series!

This book is filled with good, spooky stories. My favorite was The Halloween Tree, but all of the stories were enjoyable. Highly recommend for Halloween reading.

Another great collection of short stories that feel like Halloween with every turn of the page. My favorites in this collection were "The Mannequin Challenge" and "The Halloween Tree." Being an office worker, I enjoyed The Mannequin Challenge and wondered how my own office mates may act in the same situation (none, I hope, like Theo) and The Halloween Tree just took me to that eerie feeling that is reserved specially for Halloween.

The whole lot were well written and highly entertaining.

Review for Monster Librarian forthcoming. I love the Halloween Carnival anthologies.

Fall has turned into winter and is slowly morphing into spring but that does not mean there is no room for a good tale of terror. I turned again to the Halloween Carnival and the series fourth volume to look for more chills brought by editor Brian Freeman.



Halloween Carnival Volume Four kicks off with "The Mannequin Challenge" by Keelan Patrick Burke. Burke has a legion of dedicated fans but I have always found his stories to be hit or miss with me. I was hoping this story would be one that worked for me. Theo had been a bit of an outcast his entire life. He was an outcast even at work but he was determined that would change this Halloween with the office party being the perfect chance to become part of the in-crowd. He was shocked when he arrived and everyone was frozen in place as if playing the mannequin challenge. The first person to move would be the loser. Theo soon learns there is something much more sinister happening and the cost for playing this game could very well be his soul. This is a quiet story but one that is very wicked as well. This is a story with a strong bite and a good way to start off the collection. Burke delivers a four-star story to kick the book off with a bite.



A Ray Garton story is always a treat so I was happy to get to "Across the Tracks." The small group of friends knew that it would be safer to remain close to home in their quest for Halloween candy. It would be safer but they also knew the candy was better on the other side of the tracks. Candy wins out and the boys venture across the tracks in search of chocolate treasure. They thought they had realized their worst fears when the bullies found them. Then they found the house with the strange seance and learned that there are things worse than bullies. The story starts off a little slow which surprised me a little for a Garton short story. Once the story gets going, though, Garton attacks in his normal ruthless style. This short story combines a fair share of horror both supernatural and human along with a dash of science fiction to create a unique read. This is a gem of a story told in Garton's unique style and a five-star addition to this collection.



Next up is "The Halloween Tree" by Bev Vincent. This was going to be a big day for Luke and his friends. This was going to be their first Halloween that they could enjoy a parent-free trick or treat evening. Everything would be perfect as long as they stayed away from the haunted tree that they knew came to malevolent life every Halloween. Unfortunately for them, the Halloween Tree had other plans and the night would end with them in its clutches. Vincent weaves a beautiful yet terrifying tale from the eyes of children that finds it true power after the final word. This a very well written story that has a strong literary feel that I enjoyed. While it was more a coming of age story than a simple horror tale, it is still a four-star addition to the collection.



C.J Suleiman is up next with the strange "Pumpkin Eater." The only thing that Peter hates more than Halloween is his wife. This Halloween would be the first time he would be able to celebrate on the holiday. Tonight he would turn the tables on Halloween and finally be free from the woman who had become a plague on his life. Unfortunately for Peter, he is not the only one scheming this fateful night. In this story, Suleiman gives us a story about the evil that can slowly grow in a relationship gone bad. This story was not at all what I expected to find in this collection but that is not a bad thing. Drawing from the adage that familiarity breed contempt, Suleiman crafts a story that delves into the twists and turns of the human psyche. This haunting tale has a touch of reality to it that makes it a four-star entry in the collection.



"When the Leaves Fall" by Paul Melniczek closes out the collection. Haverville seemed like just a typical small town from the outside. It was almost an oasis of old fashioned serenty in a world that was growing increasing crowded. The truth, however, was much different. Haverville had hidden its secret well for generations. This all changed on Halloween night when the secret was unleashed and the town would never be the same again. This was the longest story in the collection and, unfortunately, the one that worked the least for me. While the story is an interesting read, it did not have an impact on me that lasted outside of the pages. This is the longest story in the collection and, while still an entertaining read, the weakest of the group. This story is a three-star entry that ends the collection with a bit of a whimper rather than a bang.



Halloween Carnival: Volume 4 carries the banner of the series in fine fashion. While some of the stories were much better than others, all five were entertaining in their own way. Random House Hydra continues to impress with its short fiction and this book can proudly take its spot alongside the other entertaining books in this series.



I would like to thank Random House Hydra and NetGalley for this review copy. Halloween Carnival: Volume 4 is available now.

This was a collection of stories by various authors all taking place at Halloween. The stories vary in nature. They also vary in the audience they are serving and in the quality of the story. Some of them I liked and some of them I didn’t.

Very good! This was my favorite by far of this series. I thought each one was unique in this set. When you need some scares, this is certainly worth a try. It is also great for those who may not have time to read a novel, so you can read one story at a time here. If you like the unusual, then give this a go.

THIS COLLECTION is not just for Halloween!!!!

The Mannequin Challenge, this great little story will make you SKIP the holiday parties!

Across the Tracks was my #2, or even tied for first due to the ending; you will NOT be disappointed here,

Had a very hard time finishing this book. Stories were just not interesting at all.

I have read most of the books in the series, and I still find the stories very good. Of course, like any short story book, there is something for everyone. I really enjoy this series and will continue to read them as they are available. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest review.

This is the fourth collection in the series and is a good set of little read but I have to admit this has been my least favorite so far.I really enjoyed Across the tracks it was a super read and my favorite in this collection.

I received a copy of Halloween Carnival Volume 4 from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

So far the series has been pretty decent, and I like that the series has remained strong throughout. These have all been great and each volume has kept the gore and violence down to a minimum. This is really a series for all fans of horror. Each volume has a little something for everyone which is what makes it so great. After reading volume 4 it's clear that if you want to start this series out of order, you should start here. This one is the one you must read, and the sad thing is I haven't even made it to the last volume yet, and I'm already declaring this one the clear cut winner.

What makes this one so good? The novella Where The Leaves Fall is a head scratcher of a tale, but it's written so well, and is just creepy enough to make you keep reading to find out what's wrong with this town, and then of course you have Ray Garton who never fails to disappoint, and the Mannequin Challenge is just creepy and odd. The stories here are simply amazing and are perfect for those chilly October nights, or if you're like me, anytime at all really. When you have a great collection like this why save it for Halloween? Read it anytime at all. Volume 4 is a horror fan's dream because all of these stories work well, and it elevates the series.

The greatest thing about this series is that you have newer writers mixed in with people you're already familiar with. It breathes new life into the genre and introduces these new faces to a wider audience. This has been a great series full of great stories that should become a Halloween tradition Each volume contains just five stories so it doesn't take a lot of time to read through them. I read the first four volumes in under a day, and now as I prepare for volume 5 I feel a little sad because it's slowly winding down. How will volume 5 stack up? I guess we'll find out soon enough.

A collection of five Halloween themed stories. I liked that they were short enough to read in one sitting. Just the right length. Some of these were very creepy. I enjoyed them all. My favorites were The Mannequin Challenge and When the Leaves Fall.

THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke
WTF did I just read? This one really messed with my mind. One of my favorites in the collection.

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton
An uncomfortable story. The bullies are really mean. I did not like the ending.

THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent
Interesting story with an anticlimactic ending. I liked it but was disappointed at the very end.

PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman
I liked this one. I thought I knew where it was going, until I didn't.

WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek
This was a really good story. The longest one in the collection. The secret surrounding Graver's Farm was really creepy. His father really disturbed me. I thought this was great.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Spookilicious!

A haunting collection of Halloween stories to scare the boo out of you! Every story is well-crafted and creepy. I was SO excited to find a story by Ray Garton. He is one of my favorite horror authors.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this story collection through NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Hydra in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

I read Halloween Carnival 2 earlier this month and LOVED it. This one, not near as much. All the trick or treater stories blended together for me. If you must choose, pick Halloween Carnival 2!