Haunted Holidays

...well, NEARLY every holiday has a story, and this well thought out, excellent anthology sets out to prove just that. Martin Greenberg and Russell Davis assembled 13 stories using the stipulation that every holiday could be used except Halloween. The authors do a good job of finding creative ways to utilize the theme without being cheap or obvious. A full list of the stories is.... For These Things I am Truly Grateful by David Wilson Jewels in the Dust by Peter Crowther Birthday Jitters by Julie E. Czerneda The Dead Don't Waddle by Esther Friesner Brotherhood by David D. Levine Die, Christmas, Die! By David Bischoff New World's Brave by Daniel M. Hoyt Season Finale by Bradley H. Sinor Voices in an Empty Room by Richard Parks Memories Underfoot by Ruth Stuart Judgment by Kerrie Hughes Cover Me by Nancy Holder The Secret Sympathy by Brian A. Hopkins As with every anthology a few stories stand out as jewels. " The Dead Don't Waddle" alone is worth the money to purchase the book. It's laugh out loud funny and unusual at the same time. " Season Finale" by Bradley Sinor was well written and twisted around so it was hard to guess the end. I enjoyed it immensely. I enjoyed most of the stories. They were well thought out an executed. My only complaints come in " The Secret Sympathy" by Hopkins and " Jewels in the Dust" I found overly sentimental and preachy at times. They are why I give this anthology 4 stars and not 5. Still, this anthology is a mix of both fantasy and horror with a dose of the unusual. Highly recommended.

Martin Greenberg is an Evil Genius. Only HE could bring together such stellar talent in one anthology AND manage to turn holidays on their ears. Nor is it your typical Christmas gone wrong collection - Greenberg is a better editor than that. These are holidays which sneak up on you and take you by complete surprise. Greenberg also manages to masterfully weave together tone and style into a rich mix of emotion and diversity of style. From the dark humor of Esther Friesner to the haunting beauty of Brian Hopkins, this anthology will put you through the wringer and have you begging for more. And you'll never look at holidays the same way ever again. For anyone who appreciates the dark, the disturbing, and the even the brilliant - this is a must have collection. You'll be entertained. You'll be freaked out. And by the last story, you'll never want it to end. It's not an anthology which will be ignored.