The Mannequin Challenge - Kealan Patrick Burke – This is story of a sad man who goes to his offices Halloween party, where he walks in to find everyone frozen in place. No matter what he does to them, they don't move, even when he pricks them with skewers and takes off their clothes… To be honest, I hated this story. It was sad and also disturbing, and completely pointless. 0 stars.

Across the Tracks – Ray Garton – This is a classic Halloween short story, following a few kids as they Trick or Treat. But when they crash a party at their teachers house, things get weird. The first half of this story isn't bad, but there some surprisingly graphic bullying scenes (disgusting scenes.) And I'm not really sure why it ended the way it did. What exactly happened there? I couldn't tell you. 1 star.

The Halloween Tree – Bev Vincent – Again, a classic Halloween story. Luke and his buddies are trick-or-treating for the first time on there own, but they're all afraid of a scary looking tree on the corner. They spend all night avoiding it, until a dog chases them and they end up in the clutches of the tree...literally. I feel like this particular story would have scared the pants off of me when I was 5, but as it stands it was just kind of boring. 2 stars.

Pumpkin Eater - C. A. Suleiman - Peter loves Halloween, but his wife does not. According to Peter, his wife doesn't love much of anything, and after he finds out that she's been having an affair, he makes plans to kill her on Halloween. Things don't go as planned however, when she discovers his plan. 3 stars.

When the Leaves Fall - Paul Melniczek - Even after being warned to stay away from  Graver’s Farm, two small town boys can't help but to see for themselves. They sneak down to the farm one Halloween and find most of the town residents, who are suppose to be working overtime at the local factory, all working together, like zombies in a large building on the farm. I don't know if we actually learned what they were doing in this building or not. This story was so long and drawn out I was bored. It wasn't really scary either. 2 stars.

Overall I have to give this volume 2 stars. While all of the stories were Halloween related, it wasn't really that scary. I want to be scared. I want a short story anthology that will scare the pants off me, and so far, none of these have. I only have slight hopes for volume 5.

So disappointed. This has to be the weakest volume in the Halloween Carnival series yet. Didn't like a single story in this one. Here's hoping the 5th volume ends on a strong note.

4.5 stars once again the stories are really good and are a bit strange but not scary or spooky or creepy ,but their still good to read doing October,once again thinks NetGalley for letting me read and review these series .

THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke - There have been many office parties that I've not wanted to attend; take a look why.

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton - Quiet horror? Maybe. Until the end, then your heart will start to race. Still, it was my least favorite of all the stories with a rushed, 'you figure it out' ending.

THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent - Loved this story, these kids had the right idea.

PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman - If you're going to be a hateful pig, remember that women don't take that any more.

WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek - a novella length story about town where people where people work too hard and never leave. What goes on and why?

Thanks to Random House/Hydra for the advance copy. Recommended!

Halloween is my favorite holiday, and time of year. It's always been and as a horror fan, probably always will be. Halloween Carnival volume 4 has a unique set of stories from a diverse group of writers. One of my favorite authors, Kealan Patrick Burke, kicks off this collection with a strange story. I enjoyed it for the most part but the ending lost me. It had an excellent creep factor going on and strangely, it felt like he was writing about me. Across the Tracks by Ray Garton was a really good read and it had the perfect amount of scary for this Halloween collection. A group of young teen boys are out trick or treating while trying to avoid the neighborhood bully. They don't succeed but in the end the bully gets his. The ending had a really cool twist and good visuals. The Halloween Tree by Bev Vincent felt like a kids urban legend. An old scary tree is the subject of this story. The kids think it will grab them and they will be eaten. I couldn't get into this story, it didn't have much suspense or thrill and the characters felt flat. Pumpkin Eater by C.A. Suleiman is just right with a nasty twist and a nastier plot. Always be careful what you wish for, karma can be a bitch. This collection is well worth a read and I really enjoyed it.

Nothing more to say than another great collection of horror and suspense

This series is fab and fun! Halloween is my favourite holiday and I’ve really enjoyed reading these to get into the Halloween spirit. These stories are definitely creepy and each one ties into Halloween in some way. The stories aren’t terribly long so they’re quick reads. Very highly recommended! Get a cup of tea and a warm blanket and settle in!

This is the fourth in a series of five Halloween Carnivals. Like the others, the anthology features 5 different authors and are centered on Halloween.

This installment features some great authors - Kealan Patrick Burke, Ray Garton, Bev Vincent - with some interesting stories. Generally, I can see where a story is going, but several of these endings surprised me. I really enjoyed the Ray Garton tale "Across the Tracks," wherein the candy is not always better on the other side of the tracks. And sometimes you see things you don't want to and weren't intended to. I also enjoyed Bev Vincent's The Halloween Tree. Gotta love a story where the "bad guy" is a tree!

Another great anthology from Brian Freeman!

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 edited by Brian James Freeman was received direct from the publisher.  Halloween anthologies are like a box of chocolates, in that you never know what you are gonna get.  Of these five authors of these novellas, I had only heard of and read two.  The stories as presented, in my opinion are not very horrific, meaning they are thinking mans "horror," set to a Halloween setting, many may enjoy this, I personally "likes me some gore."   My final score is the average of each if the five stories.  Fall is the air and it is time to read some Halloween stories, maybe just maybe you should start with this one.

4 Stars

THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke
For some, office parties are the highlight of the season. For others, they can paralyze with dread. Theo is determined not to let his anxiety stop him from attending—though maybe he’s right to be afraid.
ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton
The candy’s always better on the other side of town, even if it means crossing paths with bullies. But a rich house with an unlocked door might just be too good to be true. . . .
THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent
Every town has one: a house or a field or an old tree that just gives off a bad vibe. Of course, those feelings are just silly superstition, nothing to take seriously.
PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman
Peter loves Halloween almost as much as he hates his wife. Luckily, his favorite holiday presents an opportunity to fix his problem. After all, putting his wife in her place should be as easy as pie.
WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek
Haverville always seemed like a typical town to me: a place where people work hard, and no one ever really leaves. Until the night I went to Graver’s Farm—and discovered what Haverwille was really hiding.
The book are amazing. When I started reading I couldn't put it down.Keep up the good work.

Halloween Carnival is back with 5 more stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of year for Horror fans. Not surprising for me, that my favorites in the bunch were by Ray Garton and Kealan Patrick Burke, 2 of my most beloved authors of all time.

As not just Halloween, but the entire holiday season approaches, take a moment to consider how many office parties, family gatherings or other social functions you may feel obligated to attend. How many have you already been to over the years? Occasionally you may end up enjoying yourself at a party you would have preferred to skip. More often than not you may wish you had just stayed home. In THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke Theo attends an office party he should have just skipped. Keep him in mind the next time an invitation shows up.

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton is all treat and no tricks as Kenny and his friends prepare for a Halloween of dodging bullies and locating the best candy, but the grass isn't always greener on the richer side of town. Some times, you may be bettor off sticking closer to home.

THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent is also a fun trick or treat story as friends must venture past the spooky old tree that seems to be just waiting for someone to get too close.


PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman Takes a dark peek into the lives of an unhappily married couple "enjoying" a Hallloween at home. There is much to do, bake the pies, set out the candy, and hate each other's guts.

WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek was the longest of the stories, in which we find out what really happens when people are "working long hours" at the factory.

A perfect collection to curl up with as the leaves begin to drop from the trees and make delightful crunchy noises underfoot.

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 is a short story anthology edited by Brian James Freeman (who manages Cemetery Dance Publications – a place that’s put out some Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels). This is the first Halloween Carnival anthology I’ve read, so I can’t compare it to the others. I can say it’s a seriously fast read. It normally takes me weeks to finish a book (or about one week if I really focus), and I read all of this one within 24 hours. I can also say it’s a fairly cheap read, right around the cost of a B-movie; just $2.99 for the eBook on Amazon.

It’s about as difficult to review this book as it is to pick out someone else’s Halloween costume; there’s so many different things people want out of Halloween/Samhain. Personally, I want the spooky, the wild, and the harvest moon eerie. I’ll even settle for the nostalgia of choosing a Halloween costume, haunting the town, and pigging out. This was not the book for me. However, if your Halloween is about feeling disturbed and maybe finding some gore along the way, this might be the book for you.

In general, this anthology leans toward the homicidal and nerve-wracking, often relying on suspense and surprise, making most of the stories what I would consider thrillers rather than horror. Call me a diehard romantic goth. This is most present in “The Mannequin Challenge” by Kealan Patrick Burke (which includes a palpable portrayal of social anxiety) and “Pumpkin Eater” by C. A. Suleiman (featuring some glorious marital spat dialogue and mannerisms). Sure, they both have those factors going for them, but if that’s what I wanted for Halloween, I’m sure I could find some unhappily married couple somewhere to spend it with. Of course, I probably wouldn’t get all the gore that way.

The other three short stories in the anthology all include something spooky/otherworldly, but are still aren’t quite my taste. Ray Garton’s “Across the Tracks” follows three outcast preteen boys through their trick-or-treating misadventures as they navigate bullies and other monsters. This sounds like something I’d be into, but here are my problems with it: 1. The narrator lists marijuana as one of the bad smells coming from the wrong side of town. Does anyone actually think marijuana smells bad? Does anyone think drugs on the wrong side of town isn’t stereotyping? 2. After I’ve embraced the tropes (I really do enjoy them), the narrator explains that the bully (the Bully) isn’t above saying politically incorrect insults. Is there anything else bullies do besides possibly causing wordless bodily harm? 3. I do not understand the ending. I’m down with cliff-hanger-ness, but this makes me feel unsure about previous events, future events, and most of the town’s population. Maybe it should be continued and expanded out into a novella or something?

“The Halloween Tree” by Bev Vincent was pretty decent. In fact, I had to keep asking myself after I read it if I was just partial because of the title and the nostalgic references (Planet of the Apes, The Hardy Boys, Lord of the Rings). This one also follows some boys  on a trick-or-treating adventure, only these boys are frightened by an old, gnarled tree that they have to walk past to reach all the good treats. To me, this plot, that fear, is almost universal (although I grew up thinking of trees as ents who would protect me from orcs). I find that in itself enjoyable. This particular telling of the story manages to be unexpectedly, amusingly different. I can only fault it with giving me that feeling that there wasn’t quite enough challenge. Perhaps too happy, in sharp contrast to the other tales in these pages.

The very last story and the (very) longest story is “When the Leaves Fall” by Paul Melniczek. I adored the first half of this. Deeply. I imagined writing “this anthology is worth purchasing if you read nothing other than this story.” There’s mentions of Blue Oyster Cult, Frankenstein, and a menagerie of other glorious things. Themes include growing up, working, living in a small town, and curiosity. The characters and plot are developed and relatable, but still have their own originality – two smart, trouble-making teens in a rural area want to check out an old farm house (okay, so it doesn’t sound that original, but trust me, it’s there). Everyone they know is always working, so they’re mostly left to their own devices. But then it was like I hit a wall. I felt like I’d been sucked out of the book’s reality and into the narrator’s (Chris’s) head. I thought maybe it was just that part of the story (sometimes that works for a little bit). But it continues all the way until the end, which leaves me feeling like I wasn’t there for the end, but rather in that guy’s head.

As I’m sure you’ve guessed, no, I don’t exactly recommend this book. If you want the gore and you’re down with depressing and just looking for a cheap read, go for it. I wouldn’t call it a Halloween-ish read though.

Great read! Looking forward to reading more by this author! Highly recommend!

Hydra (Random House) is ringing in the Halloween season this year with a series of five short story anthologies. One ebook will be released each week in October, with the last coming out on Halloween, Oct 31st.

Each ebook contains five stories with a Halloween theme. These are not jump scare, spurting blood, serial killer chasing people down the street sort of stories. They are more literary horror.....the type you read with your imagination turned up to 11 to feel the atmosphere, hear the screams.....

Volume 4 features:

The Mannequin Challenge - Kealan Patrick Burke. Theo decides to attend his office Halloween party, despite his social awkwardness. But, unfortunately, he finds out he really doesn't fit in. This story is bizarre, yet satisfying. Haven't we all been in a social situation where we felt totally out of place and uncomfortable? However, Theo's way of dealing with his emotions is a bit strange.... Nice creepy opening for this anthology.

Across the Tracks - Ray Garton. Kenny and his friends know the rich side of town has the better Halloween candy, but unfortunately it also has the school bully and his cronies. The boys learn quickly that there are worse things than bullies.... An interesting story with a nice creepy Halloween atmosphere, but, for me, the ending could have been a bit better. It seemed too abrupt.

The Halloween Tree - Bev Vincent. It always beneficial to have good friends -- buddies who always have your back. Even when it comes to seriously scary things. This story has the Stranger Things/Goonies/ET feel to it for me -- the group of kids who are friends through thick, thin and deadly. Great story! My favorite in this anthology!

Pumpkin Eater - C.A. Suleiman. Peter loves Halloween and DIY projects just about as much as he hates his wife. So why not combine all that together? Halloween decorations definitely take on a sinister feel in this story. This was was just ok for me....a good story, but probably my least favorite of the bunch.

When the Leaves Fall - Paul Melniczek. The boys were warned to stay away from Graver's Farm. They should have listened. Great story! Nice creepy build up....great ending. As a teen, I probably would have been tempted to go down that dirt road too.....just to see if the stories were true. Unwise.

I like the more subtle atmosphere of literary horror. For me, it's more frightening to let my imagination grab ahold of the story and pull me into it....rather than having basic violence and more in-your-face frightening acts be the only scary features. I like horror to sneak up on me slowly....like the frog sitting in a pot of water not knowing the heat is turning up on the stove burner below it. These are well-written creepy stories that are bound to get readers in the mood for Halloween. :) And I definitely like the idea of a new volume releasing each week during the month of October.

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 will be available October 24th, 2017.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Hydra-Random House via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 is the 4th book in a 5 book series. Each book features 5 short stories written by a different author. These books are pretty short. Only takes a little of an hour to read the whole book. A new book will be released each week of October in 2017. The final book will be released on Halloween.

The stories are scary or creepy. I think they were more creepy then scary. I really enjoyed this book. I liked seeing each of the authors style of writing. I liked all of the stories but if I have to choose a favorite it would be THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent.

I received this book from the Author or Publisher via Netgalley.com to read and review.

Halloween Carnival Volume 4 by Bev Vincent.
A collection of 5 short horror stories.
THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGE by Kealan Patrick Burke
For some, office parties are the highlight of the season. For others, they can paralyze with dread. Theo is determined not to let his anxiety stop him from attending—though maybe he’s right to be afraid.
ACROSS THE TRACKS by Ray Garton
The candy’s always better on the other side of town, even if it means crossing paths with bullies. But a rich house with an unlocked door might just be too good to be true. . . .
THE HALLOWEEN TREE by Bev Vincent
Every town has one: a house or a field or an old tree that just gives off a bad vibe. Of course, those feelings are just silly superstition, nothing to take seriously. Right?
PUMPKIN EATER by C. A. Suleiman
Peter loves Halloween—almost as much as he hates his wife. Luckily, his favorite holiday presents an opportunity to fix his problem. After all, putting his wife in her place should be as easy as pie.
WHEN THE LEAVES FALL by Paul Melniczek
Haverville always seemed like a typical town to me: a place where people work hard, and no one ever really leaves. Until the night I went to Graver’s Farm—and discovered what Haverwille was really hiding.
A good read with good characters. Some stories were more enjoyable than others. 4*. Netgalley and random house publishing group-hydra.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, authors, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL: Vol. 4 is a mutli-author horror anthology. Each story can be read individually and as standalones. This publication consists of short stories, not novel-length pieces. This fourth volume consists of stories written by Kealan Patrick Burke ("THE MANNEQUIN CHALLENGET"), Ray Garton ("ACROSS THE TRACKS"), Bev Vincent ("THE HALLOWEEN TREE"), C. A. Suleiman ("PUMPKIN EATER"), and Paul Melniczek ("WHEN THE LEAVES FALL").

Like the first three volumes, this was an extremely fast read; I read the entire collection in an hour. I enjoyed the stories, but I didn't find them to be scary. It's become more apparent to me that I must have a higher threshold for fear than the average reader. However, these stories were very unique, and I enjoyed them. This volume is my favorite of the HALLOWEEN CARNIVAL anthologies so far.

I recommend this anthology if you're looking for a good Halloween story rather than a scary story. 4 stars.