Christmas horror in time for Halloween? Yes please! count me in! What a great way to kick off the holiday season. Not only do the herald angels scream, they bring you tidings of discomfort and fear. I love short horror stories in any season, but I savor them even more this time of year when busy schedules, holiday baking, and decorating the house for hordes of trick or treaters infringe on my reading time. Oh Dear, I didn't mean to sound like scrooge. There is just something so satisfying to me about being able to finish a long day of holiday chores and reward myself by sinking my teeth into a good story (instead of the Halloween candies or Christmas cookies) There are 18 tales in this goodie bag and I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite. I enjoyed most of them very much. In fact the first treat I pulled from this bag "Absinthe and Angels" by Kelly Armstrong was deliciously creepy and set the bar rather high for those that followed. There are stories of down and out husbands in search of the perfect gift to get back in their family's good graces. There's a newly single mom trying to cope with her first Christmas without her husband. There are holiday parties you are better off not invited to attend, a couple's first trip to Barcelona with their new baby in time for Christmas is one I will bet they never forget. A haunted hotel room, a tongue in cheek version of my all time least favorite song The Christmas shoes titled "Good Deeds" by Jeff Strand was a perfect fit for my twisted humor.
All in all this anthology was well worth a read.

I received an advance copy for review. ( )

Really more winter-themed horror than entirely Christmas-themed; a number of stories using the short story format effectively to end just as or before the really awful thing happens, like Scott Smith’s Christmas in Barcelona (child death). I disliked the last story by Sarah Pinborough, The Hangman’s Bride—it’s about the ghost of a murdered Japanese woman who ends up saving a white woman to be the new bride of her widower in Victorian England, so the function of the nonwhite horror trope is to give the surviving white people a happily ever after. ( )

punny title, and a fun cover do not a good anthology make. A disappointing collection of mediocre Christmas themed horror stories that are eminently forgettable. ( )

I had an absolute blast listening to the audio book version of this holiday themed horror anthology! Packed with 18 horrific holiday tales, this collection ranges from humorous to spooky and even snarky. Fun! It was great timing on my part as I was packing away all the holiday decorations, moving furniture and mopping up after the holidays while listening to these stories. Made it more fun!

As with any story collection there were tales I loved, some that were good, and two that I really didn't like. It happens. The stories are varied in tone, length and type of horror....makes the collection appealing to a wide range of readers. My favorite story from the book is Good Deeds by Jeff Strand. There is a particular Christmas song overplayed by radio stations every year that I absolutely hate. Every time I hear the depressing tune about a kid buying his dying mother a pair of shoes, I just roll my eyes and wonder if my ears are going to start bleeding. Ugh. I hate that song! How lovely of Jeff Strand to bring a smile to my face with a horror story based on the fact that EVERYONE pretty much hates that song. It brought joy to my heart and I will think fondly on that story every time I am subjected to The-Holiday-Song-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Following a close second for me was Absinthe & Angels by Kelly Armstrong. Totally creepy holiday tale about mummers who appear outside a couple's cabin on Christmas Eve. Loved it!

All in all, this is an enjoyable holiday anthology that doesn't have to be enjoyed during the holidays. These stories are entertaining and could be read at any time of the year.

I listened to the audio book version (Highbridge). At just over 11.5 hours, it took me a couple days to get through all of the stories. Narrated by Teri Schnaubelt and Charles Constant, the audio is high quality and very enjoyable. Both narrators read at a nice pace with great acting skills. A very enjoyable listening experience! This was definitely the perfect audio book to listen to while packing up the tinsel and reindeer! :)
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Christmas! I really can't stand it, but this anthology appealed to me for the following reasons. 1. The killer cover! (For which I got to host the exclusive cover reveal on my blog, Char's Horror Corner, and it was very exciting!) 2. It was edited by Christopher Golden and I've had good luck with anthologies he's edited in the past. I'm happy to report this one was no exception!

This book was chock full of stories, nearly 400 pages worth, so I can't get into all of them here, but I will briefly talk about the tales that stood out for me:

YANKEE SWAP by John McIlveen. Wow! We go from a woman trying to avoid her sexually aggressive boss at a Christmas party, to her getting knocked over the head and waking up tied to a chair. This tale had it all-violence, surprises and plot twists along with a satisfying conclusion. Bravo! 5*

CHRISTMAS IN BARCELONA by Scott Smith. I love Scott's A SIMPLE PLAN, but this tale was completely different from his usual stuff. I was able to guess the end just before the story got there, but that didn't spoil the fun at all. 4.5*

THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE CHRISTMAS HOTEL by Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe Lansdale. This was a perfect "ghost gets revenge" type story and I loved it, as I do most anything he writes. 4.5*

LOVE ME by Thomas Sniegoski. This twisted little tale reminded me of the Tribble episode from Star Trek. What fun! 4*

GOOD DEEDS by Jeff Strand. I don't even know what to say about this one, but it's Jeff Strand. What else do I have to say, really? 4*

IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE BY Christopher Golden. I figured out the conclusion early on, but that didn't spoil the fun getting there. 3.5*

HOME by Tim Lebbon. This was a twisted little tale of the end of the world and Santa, albeit a Santa you would never recognize in a million years. 3.5*

Lastly, THE HANGMAN'S BRIDE by Sarah Pinborough. Sarah's books have quickly become some of my favorites in recent history, (and I'm glad I have a good-sized backlog to catch up with), but this tale really took the cake. My second favorite in this anthology, with a distinct Dickensian feel, young William and his soot-filled lungs stole my heart. 5*

Most anthologies are hit and miss with me-very rarely do all the stories hit their mark. In this case, though, it was pretty close to doing so, therefore I gave it a four star rating.

Even if you hate Christmas, and you "Bah Humbug" with the best of them, this anthology has something for everyone-the variety is outstanding. So as the title suggests HARK people! Come and hear the angels scream!

Highly recommended!

*Thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for the e-ARC of this anthology in exchange for my honest feedback. This is it!* ( )