True to stereotypical librarian fashion, I love to read. But sometimes the idea of settling in for a few hundred pages is daunting, so I look for something short and sweet. That’s what I love about anthologies – they're collections of short pieces of writing, usually centered around a theme, so you get your pick of quick reads in one book. If you’ve been itching to read some horror but don’t want to commit to a full novel, the horror short story anthologies below are the perfect place to get your feet wet with the horror genre.
For scares with small town vibes but big-time frights, check out The Gathering Dark. Most of the stories in this anthology include local legends or myths that end up having some terrifying truth to them. The author list is packed with well-known teen stars so you’re sure to find a story written in a style you enjoy.
Throwing it back to the king of Gothic horror, His Hideous Heart includes retellings of Edgar Allan Poe’s famous short stories. No need to have any experience with Poe to pick this up, because you have another all-star author list to choose from, including some current horror greats like Rin Chupeco and Tiffany D. Jackson.
Take a trip to meet monsters across Latin America with Our Shadows Have Claws. This time there are authors who write across all genres bringing their unique styles blended with horror to create varying levels of spooky in this anthology. And you’ll see that sometimes monsters aren’t exactly what they seem; they can be protectors, defenders and dealers of justice.
Man Made Monsters is a unique anthology because it is told across time, each short story following a different member of one extended Cherokee family. Sometimes the monsters they face come in recognizable forms, like vampires or werewolves, but sometimes they are the horrors of colonialism and human hatred. Each story stands alone, but if you tackle the whole book, they will all come together in the end.
Have you picked up a great short story anthology lately? Horror or not, let us know in the comments which one you’ve enjoyed!
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