Every year I like to read some of the Amazon Original Stories that has a spooky theme. In case you did not know, Amazon has a collection of these themed short stories written by well known authors that are free for Prime Members. One of the many perks of being a Prime member. If you have an Audible account, it also loads the audio book into your account. So if you like to listen instead of reading, this is a great service. Although free, you are only borrowing the book and it will be returned when you select another free read. I believe the cap is 5 books you can have in your borrowing account.

This year’s collection is called THE SHIVERS.

Synopsis: Ruined by scandal, Dennis Lange is hoping for a comeback. Selling the story of a cursed tree could make his future—if it doesn’t kill him—in this monstrous short story from New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill.

Dennis awakens something evil when he removes a decades-old jackknife from the trunk of a gnarled old sycamore. Once pinned in place—now thoughtlessly freed—the tree returns to its roots. An act of vigilante justice took place under its boughs long ago. But its taste for blood has only grown stronger…

My Opinion: I enjoyed this book, the way this man destroyed his life and was consumed by the tree was intriguing. I wasn’t sure if the tree was really moving or if the man was losing it. You will have to read it to get the answer.

My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis: A helping hand, a fateful cost. In this ominous short story from New York Times bestselling author Owen King, the cost of living keeps rising—and it collects payment from the soul.

Sensing his mother’s failing health, a struggling teenager pours out his worries in a letter and drops it through the mail slot of an abandoned show house. He’s surprised when a response arrives, promising good fortune for the price of just one name: someone he hates. He’d give anything for his mother. But the true cost may be more than he’s willing to pay.

My Opinion: The Slot was not exactly I thought it would be. Oh that Slot. It has a dark side.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: Don’t lose your head over office politics…The horrors of the modern workplace meet actual horror in a fiendishly entertaining short story from New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones.

When the lights go out and the slideshow begins, middle manager Jennifer has a disturbing vision: a headless colleague right across the boardroom table. Is it a trick of the light, or a vision of the future? She tries to brush it off and salvage the afternoon—but when her ex unexpectedly drops off her son at the office after school, suddenly her whole world takes an alarming turn.

My Opinion: I have to admit I was a bit lost in this book. Not sure what really happened but it was a bit intense and a bit grotesque.

My Rating: 2 out of 5

Synopsis: Residents have an unspoken pact with the island’s unnatural inhabitants: ignore them, live happily. But in New York Times bestselling author Grady Hendrix’s thrilling short story, one boy can’t look away—and pays the price.

Jeckle Island offers Rachel’s children the chance to spend summers roaming wild and free, as long as they follow the rules. But when her son comes face to face with a terror they dare not speak of, she must prepare for their perfect world to change. Forever.

My Opinion: I am a fan of Grady Hendrix and enjoy his writing. This had a bit of suspense and a bit of shock. Everyone was so traumatized in this book and so was I.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis: In the gloom of her hotel, a mother readies to rejoin her past. Feverish nightmares meet the chilling light of day in this haunting short story from USA Today bestselling author Catriona Ward.

Room 17 was the last stop on her husband and son’s journey. Eight years after their deaths, Stella books the same room, hoping to commune with their memories. But as she tries to sleep, disturbing and urgent visions blur the lines between reality and the supernatural, and the other side sends a terrifying message.

My Opinion: To be honest I cannot remember what happens at the end of this book. Maybe the ghosts wiped it from my memory. LOL

My Rating: 2 out of 5

I also read another short story that was a freebie from the Amazon First Reads selection. First Reads is a free book each month for Amazon Prime members. Sometimes you can get 2 books or a free short story.

Synopsis: Erin tends bar at the last dive left in gentrified Red Hook, Brooklyn, where old-timers spin tales of the bar’s legacy and the waterfront’s crime-ridden past. Her boss, Jimmy, a real estate magnate responsible for much of the neighborhood’s shiny transformation, also has a story to share. Back when he was a struggling beat cop, two neglected boys introduced him to an ancient creature that made Jimmy’s dreams come true. Nightmares too. Erin doesn’t believe a word. The bar is her life. But this bar at the end of the world is also home to a deadly stowaway. And it’s looking for a new host.

My Opinion: This was a good read and I was not sure what was causing the events until almost the end of the book. It was suspenseful and the story kept me reading.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

I highly recommend that everyone check out these stories. There are many collections to choose with different genres. Something for everyone.

Thank you for checking out my blog.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.