by Hunter Shea

Another cute little story from the YA shelf. A nineteen-year-old college student likes to go ghost hunting at night and help lay the ghosts to rest. She is told about a restless spirit who appears around 8pm every night by a graveyard night watchman and decides to investigate.

The characters were well written, but the plot far too simple to make a very interesting story. The editing was pristine though, so perhaps something good for young readers. There's a touch of mystery, though far too much convenience.

by Neil Gaiman

This is a very imaginative story about a baby whose parents are murdered, but he alone of his family escapes into a graveyard. He is adopted by the spirits there and has an unusual life, growing up among the dead.

He is called Bod, short for Nobody, and as he grows, his adventures take us through different worlds, including discovering the city of the ghouls. He learns ghostly antics that should be impossible for humans, but it's a Fantasy, so rules of Physics do not apply.

The trouble with Gaiman books is that I can't help comparing them to other Gaiman books. I can't say this is as good as The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, but it's a good story, if a little on the young side. It gets quite exciting towards the end. The people who killed his family are still out there and eventually we will learn who they are and why.

It's a satisfying read and will definitely appeal to children and YA readers.

by Robert McCammon et al

This is a collection of Horror stories, many of them written by authors I've heard of and read before, including Robert McCammon, Kealan Patrick Burke, John Everson, Hunter Shea, William Meikle, Jason Parent, Kathryn Meyer Griffith, and Jonathan Janz.

To my surprise, a lot of the stories didn't really grab me, even some from known authors. Many of them spent way too much time on set up for a short story and I found myself skimming to see what the story was actually going to be about. There were also a lot of them set in a very backwoods town American setting that doesn't generally appeal to me.

Having said that, the good ones were excellent. Stand outs include; Tug O' War, Holes in the Fabric, The Cemetery Man, The Putpocket and despite its backwoods setting, Swamp Vengence. The last story, Portrait, was also well-written but pushed my triggers for child cruelty.

I have mixed feelings about the collection as a whole, but the good stories made it a worthwhile read.

I live down the street from a graveyard. It has foxes. I walk there at least once a week. But not at night.

This book does not tie everything up with a neat bow, but it is creepy and slowly builds up the horror. It was a fun read.

Every once in a while, and those whiles seem to be getting longer, there are anthologies that simply blow you away. You know the ones....DARK FORCES edited by Kirby McCauley, and Charles L. Grant's SHADOWS series being two that are close to my heart. Collections of stories that defy the odds, not a misstep in the bunch.....the ones that offer you unforgettable tales by authors you know, and tales by authors new to you, authors whose work you will seek out in the future.

MIDNIGHT IN THE GRAVEYARD, the premiere anthology from Silver Shamrock Publishing, is one of those books.

25 stories by authors who are household names (in decent, literate households), a few actual legends, the best of the crew that have taken over the reins, and some new voices you simply must hear.....because each one is that damn good.

Some personal favorites (because your mileage may vary) include:

DEVIL'S DIP by Shannon Felton

TUG O' WAR by Chad Lutzke

DROWN by Hunter Shea

THOSE WHO ARE TERRIFIED by Elizabeth Massie

COOL FOR CATS by William Meikle

SAWMILL ROAD by Ronald Kelly

THE GLIMMER GIRLS by Kenneth McKinley

THE RING OF TRUTH by Thomas F. Monteleone

THE GRAVEDIGGER'S STORY by Kathryn Meyer Griffith

THE PUTPOCKET by Alan M. Clark

SWAMP VENGEANCE by Brian Moreland

This book resets the bar for horror anthologies, and is a must have/must read for every fan of the ghostly and horror in general.

Highest possible recommendation.

*I received an e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. Well, here it is.*