The Horror Collection: Neon Edition by KJK Publishing is officially the collection from this publisher that took me the longest to get through. Unlike my normal with these collections, I really spread these out as life has been WILD. Each time I dove back in, I knew I was in for a dark treat.
And my apologies again to the folks in the waiting room with me that witnessed my live reaction to Candace Nola’s tale in here… 🙂
Let’s dive in!
My Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Neon Edition by KJK Publishing –
Hollllly, this collection started off with a bang and didn’t let up at all! Each of these tales had such a chilling vibe, and each had so much darkness included. I had a blast with each and every one!
My favorites from this collection included:
- Zero Sum by Laurel Hightower
- Bright Reflections, for Two Days Only by Viggy Parr Hampton
- Incident on Saddle Road by Brian Moreland
- The Final Curtain by Amy Cross
Per usual, here are my notes on each tale!
Zero Sum by Laurel Hightower –
In a world where someone must have less of another needs more; our main character goes on a desperate mission to get electricity for the home she shares with her brother.
This got so dark! My goodness! And that ending…
Caviar by Harrison Phillips –
When a new drug hits the scene, this kid knows where to get the hookup for a girl he likes. But once there, they find much more than they expected.
My gosh, this took such a brutal turn! And that ending… phew.
Glory Hole by Ryan Colley –
Discovering a glory hole, this man’s curiosity gets the best of him. As this is a tale in a KJK book, I’m sure you can assume this ends a bit wildly!
Welp. The scene opening the bathroom stall will forever be burned in my brain!
The Next Door Collector by Elizabeth Massie –
Unsure about her new next-door neighbor, this woman takes immediate suspicion of the neighbor. When local kids go missing, she breaks in, knowing who took them…
This took such a crazy path that kept me on the edge of my seat! What a suspenseful tale! And what an ending!
99 Red Balloons by Adrian Baker –
Haunted by a nightmare about the end of the world, what this boy lives through when the time comes is so much worse…
One of the most brutal and gut-wrenching tales I’ve ever read. Proceed with caution here.
Daisy Chains by MJ Mars –
While watching her aunt’s house for a weekend, this girl thinks her three friends are pulling a prank on her, but she soon learns it was very real.
This was so chilling! I love that this went from light and fun to terrifying!
Black Sheep by Blaine Daigle –
Running from his grief, this man finds serenity in a quiet new place. But when a black ram appears and stares at him for hours, that serenity falls away quickly.
Phew, the scene at night was horrific and so wonderfully done! So many creepy layers here!
Bright Reflections, for Two Days Only by Viggy Parr Hampton –
Determined to have fun on her own, this woman heads to a place she had seen an advertisement for. Getting red flags from the start, she pushes through anyway…
Oh my god, the scene with the photo. Absolutely terrifying! And it just got more and more disturbing from there! I was just thinking about those mirror mazes last night… this was such a spooky tale to come across now!
A Black Mark by Ashley Lister –
Plagued by a terrible manager and losing the safety of the bathroom due to a growing black spot, this man struggles to stay afloat at work.
The work conditions had my blood boiling while the creepiness of the black mark had me so anxious! What a darkly fun tale this one was!
Incident on Saddle Road by Brian Moreland –
While trying to have a nice weekend with his girls, they run into a life-or-death situation that forces them to try to flee. But was it too late?
Oh my gosh, the suspense here… first I’m finding out what was going on, then next if they’d make it. I was so nervous!
Want a hot dog? by Candace Nola –
Following in his father and his grandfathers’ footsteps, this man has quite the hobby…
Je-sus, Candace! What an opening paragraph!! – I wrote that note and then continued to read this one IN PUBLIC. Had to check myself for what faces I was making the whole time… PHEW!
Nocturnal Pursuits of the Elderly by Mark Towse –
Counting down the time until his wife goes to her card club, this man has a hobby of his own. But one night, which happens to be their anniversary, everything changes.
Phew! This was so unsettling. I feel so bad for the neighbor.
Burner Phone by Flint Maxwell –
When going out to drink his sorrows away, this kid gets a story that shocks his grief right out of him.
What an absolutely wild path this one took!
The Unfinished Maze by Jeffrey Thomas –
While at dinner, a man has a few drinks while his daughter does a placemat maze, determined to figure it out… as the title suggests, disaster happens next.
Ugh, this was heartbreaking in so many different ways!
Prom Screams by Calvin Demmer –
Determined to make his ex and friends jealous, this kid has cooked up a plan…
Man, I was so ready for William to get whatever is coming to him, dismissing her like that. What a wild night this ended up being for him!
The Final Curtain by Amy Cross –
Listening to an old man rant and rave, the events of a time long ago come back to light before the final curtain sets for this man and his job at the theater.
Ugh, gosh, this one was quite the gut punch! The scene toward the end with the room that may as well have been soundproofed literally knocked the wind out of me for a minute there.
Simple Machines by Carlton Mellick III –
When a man finds out he’s not human, he goes to a bar to drown his sorrows.
This was hilarious and strange and oh so much fun!!
Ink Runs Red by M.P. Norman –
Determined to get her next story and unveil the lore of a mysterious tattooist, this reporter witnesses why the story has been kept quiet…
Right from the start, I was so anxious here! The author did a killer job increasing the tension here while we waited to see what was to come!
The Dripping of Sundered Wineskins by Brian Hodge –
When a young boy decides that he wants to become a saint, life hands him a series of wild adventures that show him sainthood may not be as wonderful as he thought.
This poor kid! What a wild ride!!
Alone Together By James Jobling –
Unable to move on until they get answers, this mother and father go back to where their girls had disappeared on their annual trip of grief. But this time, they won’t leave unless they all leave together…
Oh my gosh, the heartbreak here. That scene with the view of the beach from high above has been stuck in my brain! This poor family… and what a terrifying being!
My Favorite Passages The Horror Collection: Neon Edition –
The distant views of rolling, grey mountains and deep gorges of tall grass descending into rushing streams of dark blue capped in white held a quiet kind of beauty. It was a painting by the most romantic of artists, pushed to its farthest detail by brushstrokes that continued long after most others would have stopped.
— Black Sheep by Blaine Daigle
Doubt was a temptation that could end everything.
— The Unfinished Maze by Jeffrey Thomas
“Stories are the safest way to understand the world. But some… some are alive. And they don’t like being written down.”
— Ink Runs Red by M.P. Norman
My Final Thoughts on The Horror Collection: Neon Edition –
While slow and steady for me this round, I can see myself picking this up again at a later date and absolutely crushing the read in a day or so. This collection has SO MANY GOOD TALES! My gosh. Horror fans, go grab this ASAP!
Thanks for reading!
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