When Kevin J. Kennedy sent me a copy of Collected Easter Horror Shorts, I could not wait for Easter to roll around! Unfortunately life got a bit too busy, so I wasn’t able to finish the book before Easter… But this certainly isn’t a book you want to rush!
If you’re looking for a crazy rollercoaster of horror short stories all centered around a seemingly unlikely holiday, you have to check this one out! I will never think about Easter the same way again!
Full disclosure: I was given a free copy of this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating in any way.
My Thoughts on Collected Easter Horror Shorts by Kevin J. Kennedy
Oh my goodness. This collection is incredible! So many of these stories have stuck in my mind long after I finished reading them. Some actually gave me nightmares! They’re all so creative and interesting!
Here are my rating breakdowns for each story along with some immediate thoughts/reactions:
Forward by Nev Murray
All the chocolate talk made my mouth water! Hey Nev! Feel free to send me British chocolate!
Lamb To Slaughter by Amy Cross – 3/5
What an interesting and dark concept.
Sonnes Hill by Lex H. Jones – 4/5
I liked the messaging in this one. Especially the bit about the communities that dry up! Phew! What a fun twist on this tale.
Easter Eggs by Latashia Figueroa – 4/5
Oh I loved this one. A bit tough to read at parts, and there were a few grammatical errors. But what a creepy story!
The Rebirth – 3/5
Woah. This was a weird one but dark and interesting. I have so many questions!
Baby Blues by Briana Robertson – 3/5
Ooofh. This one was horrifying and so sad.
Mia’s Easter Basket by Mark Lukens – 5/5
Woah! This one took a turn I wasn’t expecting!!
He Had Risen by C.S. Anderson – 4/5
A bit repetitive but a fun, but dark, zombie tale!
The Echoes of the Bunny-Man – 5/5
What a terrifying story!! And the authors note afterward….
Killer Jelly Beans From Outer Space by James Matthew Byers – 5/5
Such a fun and dark poem! I’ll never look at Jelly Beans the same way again!
Rotten Eggs by Jeff Strand – 5/5
Woah!!! I did not see that ending coming!
A Town Called Easter by Kevin J. Kennedy – 5/5
Woah! What a nightmare!
Lord of the Dance by J.C. Michael – 4/5
Wow! I did not see that coming. What an interesting and terrifying idea!
Easter Gunny by Peter Oliver Wonder – 5/5
Oh. My. God.
It’s Not All About Bunnies And Chocolates by Veronica Smith – 4/5
Terrifying and brutal!!
Last Supper by Suzanne Fox
This story was for me, too sexual.
Bunny and Clyde by Lisa Vasquez – 4/5
Such a sad tale.
Magic Awaits by Christopher Motz – 5/5
Such a terrifying idea!! I loved this one!
An Easter Prayer by Weston Kincade and David Chrisley – 2/5
Hmm. I’m not sure I really understood this one. I felt like I was missing something going into it.
Trying To Write A Horror Story by Andrew Lennon – 3/5
Slow to start, but that ending!
Hatch by Christina Burgling – 3/5
What a strange tale!
Sulphur by Mark Fleming Yikes. This was wasn’t for me. I can’t do stories about drunk driving.
Paying It Forward by Jeff Menapace – 5/5
Holy cow. This is an intense one! That ending…
Afterword by Kevin J. Kennedy
Perfect conclusion! I would LOVE to see more anthologies
My Final Thoughts on Collected Easter Horror Shorts
Bravo! Another amazing collection. Of course some of the stories just weren’t for me, but I loved most of them. I cannot wait to re-read this next Easter!
Snag a copy through Bookshop to help support local indie bookshops:
Thanks for reading!
To check out my reviews for other works by Kevin J. Kennedy, feel free to click the links below:
- 100 Word Horrors: An Anthology of Horror Drabbles
- 100 Word Horrors Part 2
- Carnival of Horror
- Collected Christmas Horror Shorts 2
- Collected Halloween Horror Shorts: Trick ‘r Treat
- Dark Thoughts
- The Gatekeeper
- Screechers by Kevin J. Kennedy and Christina Bergling
- You Only Get One Shot by Kevin J. Kennedy & J.C. Michael
I’m glad you liked this one. I’m not a huge short story person but I find short horror stories better than any other genre.
Wow these do seem good, but I'm sure if I want them to ruin Easter for me! Lol!
They seem like very unique ideas for horror stories.
Glad you enjoyed them, though
They were definitely very unique!!
I definitely wasn't expecting Easter themed horror, but some of these sounded pretty fun!
Right?! I really wasn't sure what to think going into this, but it was an awesome read!!
How fascinating – Easter themed horror! I'm glad you enjoyed so many of these, and that some really stuck with you.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
This is wonderful. This sounds like a great book, I'm happy to see that you enjoyed it. I would have never thought there would be a Easter book of horror stories.
Right?! Neither did I, but it is such a great idea!
This looks interesting! Putting it in my calendar to remind me to read next Easter! I love horror stories!
Definitely!!
Easter and horror- what a combo! I kinda wanna read this now!!!
Right?! It was so good!!!
How fun! I'm not sure that I've ever read any Easter horror.
Awesome! My kinda book
Added to my TBR for later.
Wahoo!!
I'm not a fan of horror (nightmares), but I might be able to handle it in small doses! Short stories might be what I need to add a little scary to my life. Maybe, lol. I'm glad you liked this one! I don't think I've ever read a scary Easter story. I'm just picturing and evil rabbit killing people with eggs…
Lindsi at Do You Dog-ear?
Oh! That's a good idea!!