Review: Great set of short stories
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 09 18, 2013
As a kid, I loved horror stories.  I can remember sitting in fear in my living room watching "Nightmare on Elm Street" and loving every minute.  I can't say that I've changed a whole lot since then.  I love a good scare now and then and although this book lacked the blood and gore of the stories of my youth, it has it's own brand of fear."Thirty Scary Tales" by Rayne Hall is a collection of short stores designed to instill a subtle fear into the reader.  The stories aren't your traditional horror stories where violence and gore reign supreme.  The author has created stories that appeal to the reader's personal fears.All to often when I read short stories, I am left wanting more...more details, more character development, just more everything.  This wasn't the case with these stories. The author has taken great care to make sure that each story is complete and can stand alone on it's own merit. I love how at the end of each story the author has included a commentary on each story.There is a story here for everyone.  My personal favourite is "Prophetess", which is the story of Cassandra from Greek mythology.  When she spurned the love of the god Apollo she was cursed.  She can see into the future, and would be compelled to tell the truth but never to be believed.  The story focuses on how she uses this "gift" to a dramatic end.Ms. Hall uses every day language to weave her stories and draw you into a world where your imagination and personal fears can take flight.  The ending to each story is not always what you would expect. Ms. Hall has compiled a great collection of stories that are bound to put a little fear into the most fearless reader!This book isn't for someone who is looking for a horror story that is full of blood and gore, but is more directed at readers who are looking for stories that are more subtle in their horror.I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.