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Short Stories from Hell
Vacations from Hell
Life's a beach . . . and then you're undead?in this must-have collection, five of today's hottest writers—Libba Bray (A Great and Terrible Beauty), Cassandra Clare (City of Bones), Claudia Gray (Evernight), Maureen Johnson (13 Little Blue Envelopes), and Sarah Mlynowski (Bras & Broomsticks)—tell supernatural tales of vacations gone awry. Lost luggage is only mildly unpleasant compared to bunking with a witch who holds a grudge. And a sunburn might be embarrassing and painful, but it doesn't last as long as a curse. Of course, even in the most hellish of situations, love can thrive. . . .
From light and funny to dark and creepy, these stories have something for everyone. You definitely won't want to leave this collection at home!
280 pages, Paperback
First published May 26, 2009
About the author
Libba Bray
45 books15.3k followersWhat is it about writing an author bio that gives me that deer-in-headlights feeling? It's not exactly like I'm going to say "I was born in Alabama…" and somebody's going to jump up and snarl, "Oh yeah? Prove it!" At least I hope not.
I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor. I could tell you the facts–I lived in Texas for most of my life; I live in New York City with my husband and six-year-old son now; I have freckles and a lopsided smile; I'm allergic to penicillin.
But that doesn't really give you much insight into me. That doesn't tell you that I stuck a bead up my nose while watching TV when I was four and thought I'd have to go to the ER and have it cut out. Or that I once sang a punk version of "Que Sera Sera" onstage in New York City. Or that I made everyone call me "Bert" in ninth grade for no reason that I can think of. See what I mean?
God is in the details. So with that in mind, here is my bio. Sort of.
TEN THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME by Libba Bray
1. I lived in Texas until I was 26 years old, then I moved to New York City with $600.00 in my shoe ('cause muggers won't take it out of your shoe, y'know . . . riiiiight . . .) and a punchbowl (my grandmother's gift) under my arm. I ended up using the punchbowl box as an end table for two years.
2. My dad was a Presbyterian minister. Yes, I am one of those dreaded P.K.s–Preacher's Kids. Be afraid. Be very afraid . . .
3. The first story I ever wrote, in Mrs. McBee's 6th grade English class, was about a girl whose family is kidnapped and held hostage by a murderous lot of bank robbers who intend to kill the whole family–including the dog–until the 12-year-old heroine foils the plot and saves the day. It included colored pencil illustrations of manly-looking, bearded criminals smoking, and, oblivious to the fact that The Beatles had already sort of laid claim to the title, I called my novel, HELP. My mom still has a copy. And when I do something she doesn't like, she threatens to find it.
4. My favorite word is "redemption." I like both its meaning and the sound. My least favorite word is "maybe." "Maybe" is almost always a "no" drawn out in cruel fashion.
5. My three worst habits are overeating, self-doubt, and the frequent use of the "f" word.
6. The three things I like best about myself are my sense of humor, my ability to listen, and my imagination.
7. I have an artificial left eye. I lost my real eye in a car accident when I was eighteen. In fact, I had to have my entire face rebuilt because I smashed it up pretty good. It took six years and thirteen surgeries. However, I did have the pleasure of freezing a plastic eyeball in an ice cube, putting it in a friend's drink, ("Eyeball in your highball?") and watching him freak completely. Okay, so maybe that's not going down on my good karma record. But it sure was fun.
8. In 7th grade, my three best friends and I dressed up as KISS and walked around our neighborhood on Halloween. Man, we were such dorks.
9. I once spent New Year's Eve in a wetsuit. I'd gone to the party in a black dress that was a little too tight (too many holiday cookies) and when I went to sit down, the dress ripped up the back completely. Can we all say, mortified? The problem was, my friends were moving out of their house–everything was packed and on a truck–and there was nothing I could put on . . . but a wetsuit that they still had tacked to the wall. I spent the rest of the party maneuvering through throngs of people feeling like a giant squid.
10. I got married in Florence, Italy. My husband and I were in love but totally broke, so we eloped and got married in Italy, where he was going on a business trip. We had to pull a guy off the street to be our witness. It was incredibly romantic.
I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor. I could tell you the facts–I lived in Texas for most of my life; I live in New York City with my husband and six-year-old son now; I have freckles and a lopsided smile; I'm allergic to penicillin.
But that doesn't really give you much insight into me. That doesn't tell you that I stuck a bead up my nose while watching TV when I was four and thought I'd have to go to the ER and have it cut out. Or that I once sang a punk version of "Que Sera Sera" onstage in New York City. Or that I made everyone call me "Bert" in ninth grade for no reason that I can think of. See what I mean?
God is in the details. So with that in mind, here is my bio. Sort of.
TEN THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME by Libba Bray
1. I lived in Texas until I was 26 years old, then I moved to New York City with $600.00 in my shoe ('cause muggers won't take it out of your shoe, y'know . . . riiiiight . . .) and a punchbowl (my grandmother's gift) under my arm. I ended up using the punchbowl box as an end table for two years.
2. My dad was a Presbyterian minister. Yes, I am one of those dreaded P.K.s–Preacher's Kids. Be afraid. Be very afraid . . .
3. The first story I ever wrote, in Mrs. McBee's 6th grade English class, was about a girl whose family is kidnapped and held hostage by a murderous lot of bank robbers who intend to kill the whole family–including the dog–until the 12-year-old heroine foils the plot and saves the day. It included colored pencil illustrations of manly-looking, bearded criminals smoking, and, oblivious to the fact that The Beatles had already sort of laid claim to the title, I called my novel, HELP. My mom still has a copy. And when I do something she doesn't like, she threatens to find it.
4. My favorite word is "redemption." I like both its meaning and the sound. My least favorite word is "maybe." "Maybe" is almost always a "no" drawn out in cruel fashion.
5. My three worst habits are overeating, self-doubt, and the frequent use of the "f" word.
6. The three things I like best about myself are my sense of humor, my ability to listen, and my imagination.
7. I have an artificial left eye. I lost my real eye in a car accident when I was eighteen. In fact, I had to have my entire face rebuilt because I smashed it up pretty good. It took six years and thirteen surgeries. However, I did have the pleasure of freezing a plastic eyeball in an ice cube, putting it in a friend's drink, ("Eyeball in your highball?") and watching him freak completely. Okay, so maybe that's not going down on my good karma record. But it sure was fun.
8. In 7th grade, my three best friends and I dressed up as KISS and walked around our neighborhood on Halloween. Man, we were such dorks.
9. I once spent New Year's Eve in a wetsuit. I'd gone to the party in a black dress that was a little too tight (too many holiday cookies) and when I went to sit down, the dress ripped up the back completely. Can we all say, mortified? The problem was, my friends were moving out of their house–everything was packed and on a truck–and there was nothing I could put on . . . but a wetsuit that they still had tacked to the wall. I spent the rest of the party maneuvering through throngs of people feeling like a giant squid.
10. I got married in Florence, Italy. My husband and I were in love but totally broke, so we eloped and got married in Italy, where he was going on a business trip. We had to pull a guy off the street to be our witness. It was incredibly romantic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 460 reviews
July 25, 2010
Lessons learned from reading this book:
1)Do not go on a cruise for your vacation...There might be vampires aboard.
2)Be aware of childhood rivals that you go on family vacations with...They might be evil witches.
3)Never spend your vacation in the French countryside, and by all means, avoid striking up a conversation with a garrulous Frenchman...It could very well be deadly to you and yours.
4)If you go to Jamaica, avoid the strange house with mirrors on it...Just take my word for it.
5)Never, ever take a backpacking trip through strange European countries with even stranger names like Necratul. Trust me on that!
This turned out to be a very good short story collection. I was kind of worried at how the first story, "Cruisin'", by Sarah Mlynowski, started. I thought, "Crap. This is like the CW teenie-bopper shows I avoid like the plague. Young girls out to get laid, 17 going on 35." I'm glad I kept reading. Just when I was about to give up, it got interesting. I have to admit that she threw me for a loop with the unexpected twist. Nicely played, Ms. Mlynowski. 4 stars.
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray took an interesting look at childhood rivalries between two girls whose mothers are both initiating them into their lives as witches. Cecily is a by-the-book girl, following all the rules of the Craft faithfully. Kathleen, her nemesis, has no problem breaking one of the first rules of witchcraft, not using your power to influence others. And to make it even worse, she's using it over her sweet boyfriend, Scott, who Cecily has a crush on. Cecily is out to see justice done. This was a pretty good story. Not really a subject I'm that interested in, but it kept my interest. 4 stars.
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson struck me as such a well-done story. It starts out so funny in a completely sarcastic way. I was laughing out loud at Charlie's observations of her trip to France. And then, suddenly this story became as creepy as heck! Imagine being stranded in a country where you barely speak the language, and there is a weird French guy telling you an incredibly unsettling story. You know something is Just Not Right about this guy. Then, there's a very cute French guy who shows up. He tells you that you and your sister's lives are in danger. What do you do? What do you do? Man, this was a suspenseful story. I had no idea how it was going to end. Was Gerard telling Charlie the truth? Argh! I was holding my breath! When it ends, there's still this lingering fear. Is it over? What a good story. 5 stars.
"The Mirror House" by Cassandra Clare unnerved me, enthralled and riveted me. Ms. Clare used her prose very skillfully, creating a story that was beautiful and sinister. Despite the sunbleached brightness of the Jamaican beach, there was a dark undertone to everything. Along with Violet, I feared for young Evan. I had no clue initially what the threat was, but when I found out, I really liked the direction that Ms. Clare took. Brimming with atmosphere and intensity, this was a 5 star story for me.
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray. Man, oh, man. I'd rather have the most boring summer on earth than have the vacation from you know where that this group of friends had. I couldn't believe how scary this story got. Imagine going to a town where the townspeople had a pact with the Devil, sacrificing their children for prosperity for many years. They haven't done that in over one hundred and fifty years. But, some traditions aren't easily forgotten. I loved that the main character was half-Asian. He was subjected to prejudice because of his heritage, but he is heir to a special ability that may very well be the saving of his friends. He's sweet on his best friend, Izzy, whose parents were Haitian refugees, and who understands very well being a stranger in one's own land. Can he and his friends survive the nefarious plans of the villagers on their last Feast before their village is uprooted to build a power plant? Boy, this was not an ideal story to read before bedtime. Although the ending was a bit rushed, I still give it 5 stars for really scaring me, and for the hidden themes of prejudice and identity that I think it handled very well.
I was very happily surprised with this story collection. It was a quick but fulfilling read. I didn't expect these stories to be quite so scary, but it was, and in the best ways! Although this is a young adult collection, I think a lot of older readers would enjoy it too.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
1)Do not go on a cruise for your vacation...There might be vampires aboard.
2)Be aware of childhood rivals that you go on family vacations with...They might be evil witches.
3)Never spend your vacation in the French countryside, and by all means, avoid striking up a conversation with a garrulous Frenchman...It could very well be deadly to you and yours.
4)If you go to Jamaica, avoid the strange house with mirrors on it...Just take my word for it.
5)Never, ever take a backpacking trip through strange European countries with even stranger names like Necratul. Trust me on that!
This turned out to be a very good short story collection. I was kind of worried at how the first story, "Cruisin'", by Sarah Mlynowski, started. I thought, "Crap. This is like the CW teenie-bopper shows I avoid like the plague. Young girls out to get laid, 17 going on 35." I'm glad I kept reading. Just when I was about to give up, it got interesting. I have to admit that she threw me for a loop with the unexpected twist. Nicely played, Ms. Mlynowski. 4 stars.
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray took an interesting look at childhood rivalries between two girls whose mothers are both initiating them into their lives as witches. Cecily is a by-the-book girl, following all the rules of the Craft faithfully. Kathleen, her nemesis, has no problem breaking one of the first rules of witchcraft, not using your power to influence others. And to make it even worse, she's using it over her sweet boyfriend, Scott, who Cecily has a crush on. Cecily is out to see justice done. This was a pretty good story. Not really a subject I'm that interested in, but it kept my interest. 4 stars.
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson struck me as such a well-done story. It starts out so funny in a completely sarcastic way. I was laughing out loud at Charlie's observations of her trip to France. And then, suddenly this story became as creepy as heck! Imagine being stranded in a country where you barely speak the language, and there is a weird French guy telling you an incredibly unsettling story. You know something is Just Not Right about this guy. Then, there's a very cute French guy who shows up. He tells you that you and your sister's lives are in danger. What do you do? What do you do? Man, this was a suspenseful story. I had no idea how it was going to end. Was Gerard telling Charlie the truth? Argh! I was holding my breath! When it ends, there's still this lingering fear. Is it over? What a good story. 5 stars.
"The Mirror House" by Cassandra Clare unnerved me, enthralled and riveted me. Ms. Clare used her prose very skillfully, creating a story that was beautiful and sinister. Despite the sunbleached brightness of the Jamaican beach, there was a dark undertone to everything. Along with Violet, I feared for young Evan. I had no clue initially what the threat was, but when I found out, I really liked the direction that Ms. Clare took. Brimming with atmosphere and intensity, this was a 5 star story for me.
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray. Man, oh, man. I'd rather have the most boring summer on earth than have the vacation from you know where that this group of friends had. I couldn't believe how scary this story got. Imagine going to a town where the townspeople had a pact with the Devil, sacrificing their children for prosperity for many years. They haven't done that in over one hundred and fifty years. But, some traditions aren't easily forgotten. I loved that the main character was half-Asian. He was subjected to prejudice because of his heritage, but he is heir to a special ability that may very well be the saving of his friends. He's sweet on his best friend, Izzy, whose parents were Haitian refugees, and who understands very well being a stranger in one's own land. Can he and his friends survive the nefarious plans of the villagers on their last Feast before their village is uprooted to build a power plant? Boy, this was not an ideal story to read before bedtime. Although the ending was a bit rushed, I still give it 5 stars for really scaring me, and for the hidden themes of prejudice and identity that I think it handled very well.
I was very happily surprised with this story collection. It was a quick but fulfilling read. I didn't expect these stories to be quite so scary, but it was, and in the best ways! Although this is a young adult collection, I think a lot of older readers would enjoy it too.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
June 1, 2012
This was an enjoyable and easy reading. I think my review is gonna be more serious than the stories themselves, but here I go anyway:
Cruisin': The worst story in the book. It seems to be written by a YA instead of being addressed to them. The main character was flat and prepubertal, except for the "sex" talk, she could have well been 12 years old. Not even the shocking ending can save the story, basically because: 1) it came too late, I'd been hating the story for too many pages already, 2) it creates inconsistencies to the text.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend: It was light and simple, but well fun and lovely. I liked the characters (her mum was lovely) and the lists. The ending was not shocking, like all of the others, but it was satisfactory.
The Law of Suspects: This one was creeeeepy. I thought the horror story was smart and scary, and I really loved the end and the intention behind it. The problem for me was that the beginning didn't make any sense. Surely there are more belieavable ways of planting two teenage girls alone in a country house! It was all to farfetched; who would not want to spend August in Paris? wtf? They came all the way from USA to NOT see Paris? Are you serious? Maybe it could've been set in the States. It's not like you need to be French to talk about the French Revolution, anyway it's not like it's a recurrent topic nowadays in France. I really think that if it weren't for that the story would be great. Gerard was lovely, and the fact they made out in the darkness with a dead body at their feet and an injured sister in the basement just makes it better.
I just can't seem to stop saying lovely and well.
The Mirror House: I enjoyed parts of it, I am not sure about the whole. The setting was really cool and the villain (wait for it) well scary. I was not comfortable with the abusive stepfather situation. It is not something to be comfortable about, obviously, I'm just not sure I like how it was handled. The fact either Evan or Violet never interceded was uncomprensible for me, and made me like them less. The ending was great, but rushed. Although I see the appeal on finishing with this sinistre vibe, I think an epilogue or "some weeks after" would've been nice. To see what happened with Evan and her mother and which cause of death invented for Philip.
Nowhere is Safe: THAT WAS GREAT! I wanna marry Libba Bray! I loved every bit on it: it was scary as hell (yes I'm being serious), funny, adorable, more or less believable (you know what I mean). I loved the structure (a YouTube video!) and the characters. Poe and Izie and Baz were amaaazing, and I feel I would read a series of novels with them hunting demons and things. In this case, I did like how she handled serious issues (racism and the WWII, so great to show the not so heroic side of the Americans) and I thought the people talked like real people, unlike in Cruisin'. Anyway, I'd recommend this story to paranormal fans, even if you're not YA.
Cruisin': The worst story in the book. It seems to be written by a YA instead of being addressed to them. The main character was flat and prepubertal, except for the "sex" talk, she could have well been 12 years old. Not even the shocking ending can save the story, basically because: 1) it came too late, I'd been hating the story for too many pages already, 2) it creates inconsistencies to the text.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend: It was light and simple, but well fun and lovely. I liked the characters (her mum was lovely) and the lists. The ending was not shocking, like all of the others, but it was satisfactory.
The Law of Suspects: This one was creeeeepy. I thought the horror story was smart and scary, and I really loved the end and the intention behind it. The problem for me was that the beginning didn't make any sense. Surely there are more belieavable ways of planting two teenage girls alone in a country house! It was all to farfetched; who would not want to spend August in Paris? wtf? They came all the way from USA to NOT see Paris? Are you serious? Maybe it could've been set in the States. It's not like you need to be French to talk about the French Revolution, anyway it's not like it's a recurrent topic nowadays in France. I really think that if it weren't for that the story would be great. Gerard was lovely, and the fact they made out in the darkness with a dead body at their feet and an injured sister in the basement just makes it better.
I just can't seem to stop saying lovely and well.
The Mirror House: I enjoyed parts of it, I am not sure about the whole. The setting was really cool and the villain (wait for it) well scary. I was not comfortable with the abusive stepfather situation. It is not something to be comfortable about, obviously, I'm just not sure I like how it was handled. The fact either Evan or Violet never interceded was uncomprensible for me, and made me like them less. The ending was great, but rushed. Although I see the appeal on finishing with this sinistre vibe, I think an epilogue or "some weeks after" would've been nice. To see what happened with Evan and her mother and which cause of death invented for Philip.
Nowhere is Safe: THAT WAS GREAT! I wanna marry Libba Bray! I loved every bit on it: it was scary as hell (yes I'm being serious), funny, adorable, more or less believable (you know what I mean). I loved the structure (a YouTube video!) and the characters. Poe and Izie and Baz were amaaazing, and I feel I would read a series of novels with them hunting demons and things. In this case, I did like how she handled serious issues (racism and the WWII, so great to show the not so heroic side of the Americans) and I thought the people talked like real people, unlike in Cruisin'. Anyway, I'd recommend this story to paranormal fans, even if you're not YA.
August 2, 2023
Average rating: 3/5 🌟
A solid anthology if you are into ya horror in the vein of House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. Not a single short story was bad! Unfortunately, there also was not a single story that I outright loved, but the setting and the concept were always very intriguing and unique.
Cruisin by Sarah Mlynowski
3/5 🌟
Spending a few days on a cruise ship. The goal: the main character's first time. The problem: reports about people being killed by vampires.
Very funny, nice murder mystery and twist (although predictable)
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
2.5/5 🌟
A rather large coven of witches spending the holiday together at a beach. The goal: Changes constantly. The problem: A guy seems to be enchanted which is super-duper forbidden.
Good writing style, interesting to see the main character changing her to-do-list in her journal. A little bit boring.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
4/5 🌟
Sisters spending the summer in Paris. The goal: Meeting their cousin and sightseeing. The problem: Ending up in the French countryside instead and meeting strange neighbours telling weird stories.
The best story in this collection by far! Very atmospheric, reads like a Gothic novel. Cool mystery and ending. Has some psychology and French history in there. Sometimes reminded me of some of Lovecraft's works as well as Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
3/5 🌟
A family trip to a beach. The goal: Relaxing. The problem: An asshole father, stepsiblings are in love with each other, oh, and there is a weird lady living in a weird house at the beach.
Very cool supernatural aspect and family dynamic. Nice idea of an ending. Dragged a little. Did not really care for the characters.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
3/5 🌟
A backpacking trip with friends. The goal: celebrating graduation from high school. The problem: Deciding to visit a haunted Eastern European village next.
Written as if the reader is watching a video on YouTube, but only at the beginning and in the ending of the story. Had some great elements such as the Satanic rituals, the talk about diaspora, a forbidden forest. Sometimes had The Ritual (Adam Nevill) vibes. Nice idea of an ending. Did not like the characters at all and wanted them all to die.
A solid anthology if you are into ya horror in the vein of House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. Not a single short story was bad! Unfortunately, there also was not a single story that I outright loved, but the setting and the concept were always very intriguing and unique.
Cruisin by Sarah Mlynowski
3/5 🌟
Spending a few days on a cruise ship. The goal: the main character's first time. The problem: reports about people being killed by vampires.
Very funny, nice murder mystery and twist (although predictable)
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
2.5/5 🌟
A rather large coven of witches spending the holiday together at a beach. The goal: Changes constantly. The problem: A guy seems to be enchanted which is super-duper forbidden.
Good writing style, interesting to see the main character changing her to-do-list in her journal. A little bit boring.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
4/5 🌟
Sisters spending the summer in Paris. The goal: Meeting their cousin and sightseeing. The problem: Ending up in the French countryside instead and meeting strange neighbours telling weird stories.
The best story in this collection by far! Very atmospheric, reads like a Gothic novel. Cool mystery and ending. Has some psychology and French history in there. Sometimes reminded me of some of Lovecraft's works as well as Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
3/5 🌟
A family trip to a beach. The goal: Relaxing. The problem: An asshole father, stepsiblings are in love with each other, oh, and there is a weird lady living in a weird house at the beach.
Very cool supernatural aspect and family dynamic. Nice idea of an ending. Dragged a little. Did not really care for the characters.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
3/5 🌟
A backpacking trip with friends. The goal: celebrating graduation from high school. The problem: Deciding to visit a haunted Eastern European village next.
Written as if the reader is watching a video on YouTube, but only at the beginning and in the ending of the story. Had some great elements such as the Satanic rituals, the talk about diaspora, a forbidden forest. Sometimes had The Ritual (Adam Nevill) vibes. Nice idea of an ending. Did not like the characters at all and wanted them all to die.
May 31, 2010
I liked this collection of short stories. Some I thought were a little weaker than others, but overall I pretty much enjoyed them all. Cruisin is short and clever, however a little too rushed. I really enjoyed I Don't Like Your Girlfriend. I would definitely love to revisit Cecily's world. The Law of Suspects was interesting and creepy but a little confusing. The Mirror House was my favorite, I loved the ending and felt Ms. Clare did a fantastic job of creating such a rich world and a complete story with so little telling. I wasn't sure about Nowhere is Safe at first, but ended up liking it.
While I didn't like this set of short stories as much as Love is Hell I think if you are into YA and enjoy a creepy tale you will probably find something to like about this group of stories. They won't blow you away, but they will entertain you.
While I didn't like this set of short stories as much as Love is Hell I think if you are into YA and enjoy a creepy tale you will probably find something to like about this group of stories. They won't blow you away, but they will entertain you.
April 27, 2013
Here are my ratings for the individual stories from this anthology
1. Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski (3 stars) - The story was funny, cute and had a weirdly surprising ending.
2. I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray (3 stars) - I liked the story but the ending was sort of 'Meh'.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson (4 stars) - This story is my second favorite in the book. I loved this psychological/mad-man thriller.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare (3 stars) - Since it's Cassandra Clare (the author of Mortal Instruments series!) I expected a little more, but this story was nice enough.
5. Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray (5 stars) - I Loved it! Freaking Awesome! Seriously, it was freaky. It had this whole Edgar Allen Poe vibe (the MC's name is Poe, btw) and there was no way I couldnot love it.
1. Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski (3 stars) - The story was funny, cute and had a weirdly surprising ending.
2. I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray (3 stars) - I liked the story but the ending was sort of 'Meh'.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson (4 stars) - This story is my second favorite in the book. I loved this psychological/mad-man thriller.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare (3 stars) - Since it's Cassandra Clare (the author of Mortal Instruments series!) I expected a little more, but this story was nice enough.
5. Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray (5 stars) - I Loved it! Freaking Awesome! Seriously, it was freaky. It had this whole Edgar Allen Poe vibe (the MC's name is Poe, btw) and there was no way I couldnot love it.
July 26, 2020
Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski - 4 stars
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Maureen Johnson - 4 stars
The Law of Suspects by Claudia Gray - 3 stars
Mirror House by Cassandra Clare - 3 stars
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray - 4 stars
This filled the void I was looking for... Dark, short, wonderful stories filled with Vampires, witches, etc. I pretty much enjoyed every single story in this and that is rare in anthologies that I have read. This definitely will make me read other books by each of these authors since they've pretty much killed it in this book.
Now I have a serious problem... I'm craving more dark fantasy stories... lol whelp! Time to start looking for more books through Hoopla, Amazon, and Scribd. (Yes I have all three including more book subscriptions....)
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Maureen Johnson - 4 stars
The Law of Suspects by Claudia Gray - 3 stars
Mirror House by Cassandra Clare - 3 stars
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray - 4 stars
This filled the void I was looking for... Dark, short, wonderful stories filled with Vampires, witches, etc. I pretty much enjoyed every single story in this and that is rare in anthologies that I have read. This definitely will make me read other books by each of these authors since they've pretty much killed it in this book.
Now I have a serious problem... I'm craving more dark fantasy stories... lol whelp! Time to start looking for more books through Hoopla, Amazon, and Scribd. (Yes I have all three including more book subscriptions....)
September 6, 2016
3.5 stars
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson - 4 stars To my great surprise, this was my favorite of the short stories. I've always liked stories where people are trapped in a place with a crazy person a la The Shining, and this one was a great YA horror version. It captured the feeling of intense horror and was a bit twisted all at once. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I'm looking forward to doing so now. I liked the writing style and the feel of the French countryside as well.
Cassandra Clare's "The Glass House" 4 stars This is a lovely, haunting, gothic sort of a story, and a close second favorite. The writing is moody and evocative, and I liked the framework of the story as well as the resolution.
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray was pretty cute. 3 stars
"Crusin" by Sarah Mlynowski - maybe 3 stars. Pretty predictable and fairly shallow, with ordinary writing, but a decent read.
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray - 2 stars, maybe less. This story was far too busy with unimportant details and stuffed with characters and meaningless events for a short story. There's definitely an art to the short story, and I'm afraid this one didn't do it for me. I actually didn't even read the last 20 pages or so due to lack of interest, I just skimmed the ending to see what happened.
Overall, a quick, entertaining read for spooky nights...especially if you happen to be vacationing somewhere desolate.
"The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson - 4 stars To my great surprise, this was my favorite of the short stories. I've always liked stories where people are trapped in a place with a crazy person a la The Shining, and this one was a great YA horror version. It captured the feeling of intense horror and was a bit twisted all at once. I haven't read anything by this author before, but I'm looking forward to doing so now. I liked the writing style and the feel of the French countryside as well.
Cassandra Clare's "The Glass House" 4 stars This is a lovely, haunting, gothic sort of a story, and a close second favorite. The writing is moody and evocative, and I liked the framework of the story as well as the resolution.
"I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray was pretty cute. 3 stars
"Crusin" by Sarah Mlynowski - maybe 3 stars. Pretty predictable and fairly shallow, with ordinary writing, but a decent read.
"Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray - 2 stars, maybe less. This story was far too busy with unimportant details and stuffed with characters and meaningless events for a short story. There's definitely an art to the short story, and I'm afraid this one didn't do it for me. I actually didn't even read the last 20 pages or so due to lack of interest, I just skimmed the ending to see what happened.
Overall, a quick, entertaining read for spooky nights...especially if you happen to be vacationing somewhere desolate.
July 17, 2010
Paranormal vacation stories that range from amusing to terrifying. Vacations from Hell is bound to leave you giggling one minute and give you goosebumps the next. Vacations from Hell is a collection of short stories by five talented paranormal authors. Whether you are in the mood for a cute YA vampire tale, tropical terror, or a chilling tale of blood and curses Vacations from Hell will satisfy your hunger for the paranormal... in bite size pieces. A perfect companion for your Summer vacation!
I recommend Vacations from Hell to readers of paranormal, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy and especially to fans of paranormal short stories.
** This review originally posted on my blog: www.FromTheShadows.info **
I recommend Vacations from Hell to readers of paranormal, young adult, fantasy, urban fantasy and especially to fans of paranormal short stories.
** This review originally posted on my blog: www.FromTheShadows.info **
January 31, 2015
Really loved all the stories...
November 29, 2020
"You know that prickly feeling you get on the back of your neck? The one that makes you scared to turn around? Pay attention to that, Holmes. That is a Me-No-Likee signal creeping up from the lizard part of your brain—some primal DEFCON center of your gray matter left over from the very first ancestors that hasn’t been destroyed by gated communities, all-night convenience stores lighting up the highways, and a half dozen fake Ghost Chaser shows on late-night cable. I’m just saying that lizard part exists for a reason."
Well this was a fun and super creepy anthology! I loved the idea of this collection and definitely think it’s perfect for the October spooky season. It’s a good mix of light and fun spooky and deserve-to-be-full-length-YA-paranormal-horror-novel freaky! Three out of the five were mildly entertaining but the last two stories boost the creep levels and make up for the other three. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for something quick and easy to help you celebrate the spooky season!
• Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski ★★★ — Simple, easily figured out, but still fun, and definitely not the kind of vampire story I would have expected
• I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray ★★★.5 — Simple and entertaining like a Disney channel movie made into a short story.
• The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson ★★★★ — Holy creepiness! The way the narrator told this story gave me almost Tell Tale Heart vibes and had me on the edge of me seat the whole time.
• The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare ★★.5 — This was... disappointing. I feel like it was fast paced and everything happened quickly and yet virtually nothing really happened. I love Cassie and the idea of this story was intriguing but it just didn’t reach its potential.
• Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray ★★★★★ — Holy. Shit! Epic YA paranormal horror. I am thoroughly freaked the f-out! This definitely needs to at least be a full length novel, but would be an epic series!
Well this was a fun and super creepy anthology! I loved the idea of this collection and definitely think it’s perfect for the October spooky season. It’s a good mix of light and fun spooky and deserve-to-be-full-length-YA-paranormal-horror-novel freaky! Three out of the five were mildly entertaining but the last two stories boost the creep levels and make up for the other three. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for something quick and easy to help you celebrate the spooky season!
• Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski ★★★ — Simple, easily figured out, but still fun, and definitely not the kind of vampire story I would have expected
• I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray ★★★.5 — Simple and entertaining like a Disney channel movie made into a short story.
• The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson ★★★★ — Holy creepiness! The way the narrator told this story gave me almost Tell Tale Heart vibes and had me on the edge of me seat the whole time.
• The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare ★★.5 — This was... disappointing. I feel like it was fast paced and everything happened quickly and yet virtually nothing really happened. I love Cassie and the idea of this story was intriguing but it just didn’t reach its potential.
• Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray ★★★★★ — Holy. Shit! Epic YA paranormal horror. I am thoroughly freaked the f-out! This definitely needs to at least be a full length novel, but would be an epic series!
April 17, 2017
Some I did see coming, others not. The best thing about short stories is that you can finish one and then wait until you start a new one without forgetting about something vital from previous parts. All of them are different, a book full of books!
My favourite must have been either Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski or Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. Cruisin' felt like yet another teenager obsessed with popping the cherry and peer pressure all around them. Even I hear friends whisper 'you can always get laid on a cruise, there are no rules' and I felt for her, this major pressure but damn, I did not see this one coming. What is better than a cruise? VAMPIRES ON A CRUISE.
Nowhere is Safe is a major warning for all us naive foreigners looking for a fun travel through Eastern Europe with their 'silly superstitions and culture', well suck on that. They are also majorly creepy and will not hesitate to go medieval on your ass. The same goes for countryside people. We got our pitchforks ready.
The most weird one was definitely the Law of Suspects , all of it really.
My favourite must have been either Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski or Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. Cruisin' felt like yet another teenager obsessed with popping the cherry and peer pressure all around them. Even I hear friends whisper 'you can always get laid on a cruise, there are no rules' and I felt for her, this major pressure but damn, I did not see this one coming. What is better than a cruise? VAMPIRES ON A CRUISE.
Nowhere is Safe is a major warning for all us naive foreigners looking for a fun travel through Eastern Europe with their 'silly superstitions and culture', well suck on that. They are also majorly creepy and will not hesitate to go medieval on your ass. The same goes for countryside people. We got our pitchforks ready.
The most weird one was definitely the Law of Suspects , all of it really.
May 11, 2020
Even though the averaging out of these five stories is three stars, I’m giving this book four stars. While some of the stories weren’t the best writing I’ve ever seen, they were still fun stories that are worth the read.
I loved the vibe of this collection. If you’re looking for something exciting and kind of spooky for October, pick up this book.
Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski
★★★☆☆
This was a pretty simple story and easy to figure out. While a bit flat and not engaging, it was still fun.
I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
★★★☆☆
I loved the lists featured in this story. They were really funny. The story was ok. Really more of a 3.5 star.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
★★★★☆
Pretty intense and very well written.
The Murder House by Cassandra Clare
★★☆☆☆
Didn’t like this. It mostly was all uninteresting inner monologue and not a whole lot actually happened.
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray
★★★★★
Dear Libba Bray,
Please make this into a series because holy moly! This is proper YA paranormal horror.
I loved the vibe of this collection. If you’re looking for something exciting and kind of spooky for October, pick up this book.
Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski
★★★☆☆
This was a pretty simple story and easy to figure out. While a bit flat and not engaging, it was still fun.
I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
★★★☆☆
I loved the lists featured in this story. They were really funny. The story was ok. Really more of a 3.5 star.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
★★★★☆
Pretty intense and very well written.
The Murder House by Cassandra Clare
★★☆☆☆
Didn’t like this. It mostly was all uninteresting inner monologue and not a whole lot actually happened.
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray
★★★★★
Dear Libba Bray,
Please make this into a series because holy moly! This is proper YA paranormal horror.
June 13, 2013
Esta colección de libros “Pequeños Relatos del Infierno" ya lo había visto hacía tiempo, pero entre unas y otras cosas no me habían terminado de llamar la atención, entre ellas, el hecho de que sean relativamente libros cortos/delgados y de relatos [cinco para ser exactos]
Tuve la oportunidad de comprarme tres [y creo que hay otros tres más] por el precio de uno... así que no lo dude y los hice míos [eso de que pongan descuentos en los Supers por tener los libros un poco maltratados o sin cubierta llega a convenir] y sin irme más por las ramas les diré bien de que va todo =)
La trama es justo lo que el título dice "VACACIONES en el infierno"; cinco relatos de cinco distintas autoras con base de que todo sucede un vacaciones... simple y conciso.
En términos generales el libro entra entre lo pasable y lo bueno. Solo fueron dos relatos los que lograron atraparme, pero, en conjunto todos los relatos son entretenidos y ayudan a que si no conoces a todas las autoras veas un poco como escriben y te interese buscar algo más de ellas =3
Hablaré un poco más a detalle de cada relato.
El primer relato es “En el Crucero” de Sarah Mlynowski [Gimme a Call, Diez Cosas que Hicimos, etc.] Dos amigas de vacaciones en un crucero mientras noticias sobre extrañas desapariciones en altamar ocurren. La historia esta sencilla y fresca, llega a caer en lo predecible PERO sigue siendo un buen relato =3
El segundo relato es ”Tu Novia no me Cae Bien” de Claudia Gray [Medianoche, Spellcaster, etc] Cecily pertenece a un grupo de madres e hijas [o aquelarre de brujas como le quieran decir] que se junta en vacaciones, incluida su eterna enemiga Kathleen. Que será lo que haga interesante el viaje de éste año. Sinceramente ésta segunda historia es la que menos me gusto y hasta podría decir que en mi opinión llega a bajarle puntos al libro… y muchos. La trama cae en lo soso, los personajes no son interesante y el final es =/ equis.
El tercer relato es “La Ley de sospechosos” de Maureen Johnson [Devilish, Shades of London, etc] Dos hermanas se van de vacaciones a París para conocer a parte de su familia materna, pero, lo que parecía ser un viaje de lo más glamuroso termina convirtiéndose en una carrera para salvar sus vidas contra algo imposible. Éste es uno de mis relatos favoritos [si no es que es que mi favorito] a introducción hace que te piques, y el desarrollo de la historia la hace sumamente atrapante; es el tipo de tramas en las cuales tienes miles de hipótesis de todo lo que puede llegar a pasar y te tiene con el corazón a mil por hora. Definitivamente buscaré más de ésta autora.
El cuarto relato es “La Casa de los Espejos” de la ya muy muy famosa Cassandra Clare [Cazadores de Sombras, Las Crónicas de Bane, etc] Violet tiene la luna de miel de su madre [osea sus vacaciones] para adaptarse a su nuevo padrastro y hermanastro en una extraña y medio desolada playa. Siendo Cassandra Clare, esperaba un poco más de su relato. La historia es simple y hasta un punto repetitiva… vamos, creo que la idea de amor entre hermanos [incesto] es algo que le taladra la cabeza y el final de la historia me pareció muy tajante. No me satisfizo por completo =/
Y por último, el quinto relato es “No Existe Lugar Seguro” de Libaa Bray [Gemma Doyle, The Diviners, etc] Un grupo de amigos decide recorrer Europa de mochileros, pero cuando el dinero comienza a escasear deciden alejarse de “los lugares concurridos” y buscar más aventura por el Lado Éste de Europa, o mejor dicho el lado tenebroso. Éste es el otro relato que compite con el de Maureen por el puesto de primer lugar. Me sentí viendo algo al estilo de La Bruja de Blair o así [mis películas mentales al leer déjenme] L narración es hermosa y te deja atrapado en un suspenso que te pone los pelos de punta a cada instante. Literalmente, al terminar de leer tuve que ponerme a escuchar música y prender las luces de mi casa porque me dejó toda mentalizada.
En definitiva, un libro que si recomiendo, pero no puedo considerarlo indispensable =3
Tuve la oportunidad de comprarme tres [y creo que hay otros tres más] por el precio de uno... así que no lo dude y los hice míos [eso de que pongan descuentos en los Supers por tener los libros un poco maltratados o sin cubierta llega a convenir] y sin irme más por las ramas les diré bien de que va todo =)
La trama es justo lo que el título dice "VACACIONES en el infierno"; cinco relatos de cinco distintas autoras con base de que todo sucede un vacaciones... simple y conciso.
En términos generales el libro entra entre lo pasable y lo bueno. Solo fueron dos relatos los que lograron atraparme, pero, en conjunto todos los relatos son entretenidos y ayudan a que si no conoces a todas las autoras veas un poco como escriben y te interese buscar algo más de ellas =3
Hablaré un poco más a detalle de cada relato.
El primer relato es “En el Crucero” de Sarah Mlynowski [Gimme a Call, Diez Cosas que Hicimos, etc.] Dos amigas de vacaciones en un crucero mientras noticias sobre extrañas desapariciones en altamar ocurren. La historia esta sencilla y fresca, llega a caer en lo predecible PERO sigue siendo un buen relato =3
El segundo relato es ”Tu Novia no me Cae Bien” de Claudia Gray [Medianoche, Spellcaster, etc] Cecily pertenece a un grupo de madres e hijas [o aquelarre de brujas como le quieran decir] que se junta en vacaciones, incluida su eterna enemiga Kathleen. Que será lo que haga interesante el viaje de éste año. Sinceramente ésta segunda historia es la que menos me gusto y hasta podría decir que en mi opinión llega a bajarle puntos al libro… y muchos. La trama cae en lo soso, los personajes no son interesante y el final es =/ equis.
El tercer relato es “La Ley de sospechosos” de Maureen Johnson [Devilish, Shades of London, etc] Dos hermanas se van de vacaciones a París para conocer a parte de su familia materna, pero, lo que parecía ser un viaje de lo más glamuroso termina convirtiéndose en una carrera para salvar sus vidas contra algo imposible. Éste es uno de mis relatos favoritos [si no es que es que mi favorito] a introducción hace que te piques, y el desarrollo de la historia la hace sumamente atrapante; es el tipo de tramas en las cuales tienes miles de hipótesis de todo lo que puede llegar a pasar y te tiene con el corazón a mil por hora. Definitivamente buscaré más de ésta autora.
El cuarto relato es “La Casa de los Espejos” de la ya muy muy famosa Cassandra Clare [Cazadores de Sombras, Las Crónicas de Bane, etc] Violet tiene la luna de miel de su madre [osea sus vacaciones] para adaptarse a su nuevo padrastro y hermanastro en una extraña y medio desolada playa. Siendo Cassandra Clare, esperaba un poco más de su relato. La historia es simple y hasta un punto repetitiva… vamos, creo que la idea de amor entre hermanos [incesto] es algo que le taladra la cabeza y el final de la historia me pareció muy tajante. No me satisfizo por completo =/
Y por último, el quinto relato es “No Existe Lugar Seguro” de Libaa Bray [Gemma Doyle, The Diviners, etc] Un grupo de amigos decide recorrer Europa de mochileros, pero cuando el dinero comienza a escasear deciden alejarse de “los lugares concurridos” y buscar más aventura por el Lado Éste de Europa, o mejor dicho el lado tenebroso. Éste es el otro relato que compite con el de Maureen por el puesto de primer lugar. Me sentí viendo algo al estilo de La Bruja de Blair o así [mis películas mentales al leer déjenme] L narración es hermosa y te deja atrapado en un suspenso que te pone los pelos de punta a cada instante. Literalmente, al terminar de leer tuve que ponerme a escuchar música y prender las luces de mi casa porque me dejó toda mentalizada.
En definitiva, un libro que si recomiendo, pero no puedo considerarlo indispensable =3
August 27, 2021
3.5*
Rating for each short story:
•Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski : 2 stars
•I don’t like your girlfriend by Claudia Gray : 3 stars
•The law of suspects by Maureen Johnson : 5 stars
•The mirror house by Cassandra Clare : 3.75 stars
•Nowhere is safe by Libba Bray : 3 stars
Rating for each short story:
•Cruisin’ by Sarah Mlynowski : 2 stars
•I don’t like your girlfriend by Claudia Gray : 3 stars
•The law of suspects by Maureen Johnson : 5 stars
•The mirror house by Cassandra Clare : 3.75 stars
•Nowhere is safe by Libba Bray : 3 stars
April 11, 2017
This book is five vacation stories by five authors.
Crusin' by Sarah Mlynowski *****
I really enjoyed this fun story. It is about two friends, Kristin and Liz, who are on a cruise ship. The point is for Kristin to lose her virginity. They meet Hailey who tells them that a tabloid she reads says that people have been disappearing from cruise ships, and vampires are to blame. Are any of the guys that Kristin is interested in a vampire? I was completely surprised!
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray ***
This story is about Cecily who is, along with her mother, a witch. Every year she and her family go to a beach house to meet with a coven. The fathers and sons don't, and can't, know about the women being witches. I totally guessed the ending of this story.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson **
Super weird and scary story about Charlie, who I didn't know for a while whether she was a boy or a girl, and her sister, Marylou, visiting France. I had no idea what was going on and I thought it was stupid how hearing or reading a story could make someone act a certain way. And only one person at a time?
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare ****
Interesting story about Violet and her new step-brother tagging along to their parents' honeymoon on a deserted island. Mrs. Palmer may not be all that she seems.
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray *****
Freaky story about four teens that travel Europe after graduation. They go to a small, superstitious village that might not be there next year due to a power plant being built there. Told from the POV of Poe who is recording a YouTube video about their European adventure. Great possibility for a continuing series. I would love to read more!
Crusin' by Sarah Mlynowski *****
I really enjoyed this fun story. It is about two friends, Kristin and Liz, who are on a cruise ship. The point is for Kristin to lose her virginity. They meet Hailey who tells them that a tabloid she reads says that people have been disappearing from cruise ships, and vampires are to blame. Are any of the guys that Kristin is interested in a vampire? I was completely surprised!
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray ***
This story is about Cecily who is, along with her mother, a witch. Every year she and her family go to a beach house to meet with a coven. The fathers and sons don't, and can't, know about the women being witches. I totally guessed the ending of this story.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson **
Super weird and scary story about Charlie, who I didn't know for a while whether she was a boy or a girl, and her sister, Marylou, visiting France. I had no idea what was going on and I thought it was stupid how hearing or reading a story could make someone act a certain way. And only one person at a time?
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare ****
Interesting story about Violet and her new step-brother tagging along to their parents' honeymoon on a deserted island. Mrs. Palmer may not be all that she seems.
Nowhere Is Safe by Libba Bray *****
Freaky story about four teens that travel Europe after graduation. They go to a small, superstitious village that might not be there next year due to a power plant being built there. Told from the POV of Poe who is recording a YouTube video about their European adventure. Great possibility for a continuing series. I would love to read more!
August 22, 2010
Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski. Two girlfriends go on a 3 day cruise and hear through the tabloids that there are vampires killing people while one girl's trying to end her virginity. Surprise ending. Cute story.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray. Cecily is going on her annual summer vacation with her mom's college witch friends. Kathleen is the daughter of one of her mom's friend who has made Celicy's life miserable and bring her perfect for Celicy boyfriend to the trip. Well Kathleen's really done it now and Celicy is going to prove it. So-so story.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson. Charlotte and Marylou go on vacation to France. A neighbor tells them a story about the Law of Suspects and then everybody goes murder crazy. Confusing story.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare. Evan and Violet tag along on their parents' honeymoon. Evan meets a gorgeous neighbor, you know the rest of the story, kind of. Satisfying ending.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. High school graduates go on a European vacation and fight the devil and his minions. This was the best story in the bunch. If this is a series, I'll read the ones that come next.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray. Cecily is going on her annual summer vacation with her mom's college witch friends. Kathleen is the daughter of one of her mom's friend who has made Celicy's life miserable and bring her perfect for Celicy boyfriend to the trip. Well Kathleen's really done it now and Celicy is going to prove it. So-so story.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson. Charlotte and Marylou go on vacation to France. A neighbor tells them a story about the Law of Suspects and then everybody goes murder crazy. Confusing story.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare. Evan and Violet tag along on their parents' honeymoon. Evan meets a gorgeous neighbor, you know the rest of the story, kind of. Satisfying ending.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. High school graduates go on a European vacation and fight the devil and his minions. This was the best story in the bunch. If this is a series, I'll read the ones that come next.
October 19, 2018
En si este libro es entretenido en cuanto a que es literatura juvenil mi calificación es un 2.95 casi a 3 porque lo que sorprende aquí todas son escritoras y es algo bueno pero las historias te hacen ver el machismo que tienen muy arraigado(la última historia fue la única que salvo de este tónico de hombres ideales) te describen los personajes y principalmente los hombres que son perfectos musculosos y rubios que en sí son adonis y que uno como mujer necesita encontrar alguien así perfecto o que en sí esa es su meta( pero acaso como mujeres no tenemos más metas personales y profesionales?) se que la primera historia se sobreentiende que será su primera vez y da un giro al último pero te describe a todos que son físicamente hermosos
Segunda historia igual buena trama spoiler (sobre las brujas y su aprendizaje en la hechicería y como ocultan esto a sus familias y esposos que cada año hacen estas reuniones para hacer sus rituales, pudieron haber explotado más este tema pero se enfoco a que la chica la protagonista hija de una bruja y por ende aprendiz se sobreentienda que necesita encontrar a su chico perfecto y que le pueda hablar siempre con la verdad que la ame a pesar de ser una bruja ) la 3 y 4 no esta mal pero igual pareciera que tenían que escribir acerca de que los hombres deben ser con ojos azules o morenos pero musculosos etc.. La que más me gusto en si fue la última historia acerca de amigos que viajan a un pueblo de Alemania para encontrar aventuras aunque muy típica pero buena y sin ese cliché de hombres perfectos musculosos o rubios.
Segunda historia igual buena trama spoiler (sobre las brujas y su aprendizaje en la hechicería y como ocultan esto a sus familias y esposos que cada año hacen estas reuniones para hacer sus rituales, pudieron haber explotado más este tema pero se enfoco a que la chica la protagonista hija de una bruja y por ende aprendiz se sobreentienda que necesita encontrar a su chico perfecto y que le pueda hablar siempre con la verdad que la ame a pesar de ser una bruja ) la 3 y 4 no esta mal pero igual pareciera que tenían que escribir acerca de que los hombres deben ser con ojos azules o morenos pero musculosos etc.. La que más me gusto en si fue la última historia acerca de amigos que viajan a un pueblo de Alemania para encontrar aventuras aunque muy típica pero buena y sin ese cliché de hombres perfectos musculosos o rubios.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2018
Heerlijk vermakelijk deze verhalenbundel. Hieronder nog even in het kort wat ik van elk verhaal afzonderlijk vond:
- 'Cruisin': Ik was niet direct weg van dit verhaal. Sterker nog, in het begin vroeg ik me echt af waar ik aan begonnen was, tot ik bij de laatste bladzijdes aankwam. Wat een geweldige wending, alles viel op z'n plek.
- 'I Don't Like Your Girlfriend': Dit verhaal was gewoon ontzettend leuk geschreven. Ik heb er enorm van genoten. Het plot was me alleen iets teveel 'eind goed, al goed'. Een duistere twist had dit verhaal goed gedaan.
- 'The Law of Suspects': Oké, dit verhaal bezorgde me echt de kriebels. Het einde voelde wel heel snel, beetje afgeraffeld aan en had beter uitgewerkt kunnen worden naar mijn mening.
- 'The Mirror House': Dit zat echt erg goed in elkaar en het einde was ook geniaal. Wat mij betreft het beste verhaal van deze bundel.
- 'Nowhere Is Safe': Hm, om de één of andere reden pakte dit verhaal me niet zo, terwijl het absoluut niet slecht geschreven was. Misschien dat het thema me gewoon minder aansprak.
- 'Cruisin': Ik was niet direct weg van dit verhaal. Sterker nog, in het begin vroeg ik me echt af waar ik aan begonnen was, tot ik bij de laatste bladzijdes aankwam. Wat een geweldige wending, alles viel op z'n plek.
- 'I Don't Like Your Girlfriend': Dit verhaal was gewoon ontzettend leuk geschreven. Ik heb er enorm van genoten. Het plot was me alleen iets teveel 'eind goed, al goed'. Een duistere twist had dit verhaal goed gedaan.
- 'The Law of Suspects': Oké, dit verhaal bezorgde me echt de kriebels. Het einde voelde wel heel snel, beetje afgeraffeld aan en had beter uitgewerkt kunnen worden naar mijn mening.
- 'The Mirror House': Dit zat echt erg goed in elkaar en het einde was ook geniaal. Wat mij betreft het beste verhaal van deze bundel.
- 'Nowhere Is Safe': Hm, om de één of andere reden pakte dit verhaal me niet zo, terwijl het absoluut niet slecht geschreven was. Misschien dat het thema me gewoon minder aansprak.
June 16, 2021
Some stories were definitely better than others, but honestly I thought this was a great little anthology, and the strength of Maureen Johnson’s and Libba Bray’s stories definitely brought this up!
Individual rating breakdown:
Sarah Mlynowski “Cruisin” - This was very silly and then it became even more silly, cheesy fun. Ending made me laugh for sure. 3.5 stars
Claudia Gray “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend” - Eh, this was ok. 3 stars
Maureen Johnson “The Law of Suspects” - This scared the heck out of me. 5 stars
Cassandra Clare “The Mirror House” - I liked the ending, but this really had no personality to me and of course she included a “forbidden romance” trope like she seems to include in every short story of hers that I’ve read. 3 stars
Libba Bray “No Where is Safe” - Libba Bray as always is amazing, no surprise there. 5 stars
Individual rating breakdown:
Sarah Mlynowski “Cruisin” - This was very silly and then it became even more silly, cheesy fun. Ending made me laugh for sure. 3.5 stars
Claudia Gray “I Don’t Like Your Girlfriend” - Eh, this was ok. 3 stars
Maureen Johnson “The Law of Suspects” - This scared the heck out of me. 5 stars
Cassandra Clare “The Mirror House” - I liked the ending, but this really had no personality to me and of course she included a “forbidden romance” trope like she seems to include in every short story of hers that I’ve read. 3 stars
Libba Bray “No Where is Safe” - Libba Bray as always is amazing, no surprise there. 5 stars
January 5, 2019
Finalmente um livro mais fora da curva como a proposta da séries infernais prometia!
Amei todos os contos, mas em especial "a lei dos suspeitos", "a casa de espelhos" e "nenhum lugar é seguro".
Incrível a forma como brincam com o psicológico e sobrenatural. Quero muito ler mais histórias com os personagens de nenhum lugar é seguro. Libba Bray ganhou o meu coração! E Maureen Johnson também!
Amei todos os contos, mas em especial "a lei dos suspeitos", "a casa de espelhos" e "nenhum lugar é seguro".
Incrível a forma como brincam com o psicológico e sobrenatural. Quero muito ler mais histórias com os personagens de nenhum lugar é seguro. Libba Bray ganhou o meu coração! E Maureen Johnson também!
June 22, 2017
1. Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski: 3/5
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray: 3/5
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson: 4/5
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare: 4/5
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray: 5/5
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray: 3/5
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson: 4/5
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare: 4/5
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray: 5/5
June 27, 2018
1. Cruisin' - 1 estrella
2. No me gusta tu novia - 1,5 estrellas
3. La Ley de los Sospechosos - 3,5 estrellas
4. La Casa de los Espejos - 1,5 estrellas.
5. Nadie está a salvo - 4,5 estrellas
2. No me gusta tu novia - 1,5 estrellas
3. La Ley de los Sospechosos - 3,5 estrellas
4. La Casa de los Espejos - 1,5 estrellas.
5. Nadie está a salvo - 4,5 estrellas
January 2, 2021
i never really like short stories collections.
October 19, 2022
YA horror anthology of short stories that are set during a vacation.
January 4, 2023
i think 3.5. cassandra clare's story sucked but for the most part this was fun.
July 16, 2024
Only listened for the Maureen Johnson.
August 28, 2023
This was five short stories about bad vacations. They all had different themes. I liked four of the five, the law of subjects seemed just stupid to me. All in all they are good for a quick read, none of them overly scary, although my perspective of scary has a very high tolerance level.
December 30, 2010
"Vacations from Hell" is an anthology of short stories dipping into the paranormal realm from an assortment of well known young adult authors, some of which may be recognized from their contributions to a stream of series. But I'll admit that it was my first experience reading all of the authors, so I judged the works contained not from the series they've done, but rather the pieces themselves.
In terms of quality, all of the stories are worth reading once, though I had mixed opinions coming out of the collective anthology. I'll break down my thoughts on each story to show you my reaction to each of the five stories contained within.
The first story "Crusin" by Sarah Mlynowski, was an interesting story of a group of teenage girls vacationing on a cruise ship that might be haunted by vampires, or so the weary Kristin believes. But things aren't quite what they seem to be as the story unfolds, and I think those who take the story in just one plane may find themselves fooled by the end. I liked it, though I saw the twist coming before it hit me, so I didn't enjoy it as much as someone who might've had the "a-ha" moment when it came.
The second story, "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray, was probably my favorite story in the anthology, telling the perspective of a young witch hiding her identity at a gathering one summer. Cecily meets a perfect boy who somehow seems to be going with her most ultimate rival, but things aren't always what they seem to be when Cecily decides to dig a bit deeper. I think the part of it that appealed to me was not only the connection Gray establishes with the young protagonist, but also the attitude of the piece feels vibrant and charming, even if it isn't dark like a few of the pieces contained within.
The third story, "The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson, appealed to me for it's eerie qualities and inventive way of establishing a curse. Charlie is a young woman visiting France with her Psychology-studious sister, but she realizes that things aren't what they seem when murder and a cursed document comes into the picture. I was surprised by the ending of this because it seemed like something I'd read when I was younger in the Goosebumps/Fear Street territory, and it definitely captures the spirit of the anthology in a dark way.
Fourth story featured is Cassandra Claire's "The Glass House", which has its own brand of eerieness when a rocky family decides to visit the beach and a witch with her own motives resides within a house with mirrors said to imprison souls. Violet realizes that she's the only one who can save her stepbrother Evan, and what occurs after that might raise a few eyebrows as to how the encounter comes across. I liked the tone and the dark justice handed within the piece. There were a few inconsistencies/mistakes that I saw (such as the fact that Kingdom Hearts 2 was not a two player game and that it wasn't released on the Xbox), but other than that, it was a decent story.
Last offering was "Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray, and if I had to say it, this was the weakest offering of the collection of short stories, not so much for the story contained, but the way it was written. Very few people can pull off the charm of a character breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly when they're in danger, but I don't think Bray sequenced it well enough to carry what was otherwise a decent story about a young Asian boy caught with his friends in a riff with otherworldly creatures. The way it was written was too scattered in spurts. There were times I liked the character voices within, even from the protagonist speaking, but the majority of the time, it didn't seem to grip on the matter as much as it could've if it'd been sequenced differently. I do think there are teens who would enjoy the story for what it is, but I would warn that it may not necessarily swallow well as a read.
"Vacations from Hell" is a decent collection, not so much to make those who read it with as much chilling factors, but definitely those that could engage those who like paranormal stories, even those who that might make you think in a different way about how things are seen in various eyes.
Overall score: 3/5
In terms of quality, all of the stories are worth reading once, though I had mixed opinions coming out of the collective anthology. I'll break down my thoughts on each story to show you my reaction to each of the five stories contained within.
The first story "Crusin" by Sarah Mlynowski, was an interesting story of a group of teenage girls vacationing on a cruise ship that might be haunted by vampires, or so the weary Kristin believes. But things aren't quite what they seem to be as the story unfolds, and I think those who take the story in just one plane may find themselves fooled by the end. I liked it, though I saw the twist coming before it hit me, so I didn't enjoy it as much as someone who might've had the "a-ha" moment when it came.
The second story, "I Don't Like Your Girlfriend" by Claudia Gray, was probably my favorite story in the anthology, telling the perspective of a young witch hiding her identity at a gathering one summer. Cecily meets a perfect boy who somehow seems to be going with her most ultimate rival, but things aren't always what they seem to be when Cecily decides to dig a bit deeper. I think the part of it that appealed to me was not only the connection Gray establishes with the young protagonist, but also the attitude of the piece feels vibrant and charming, even if it isn't dark like a few of the pieces contained within.
The third story, "The Law of Suspects" by Maureen Johnson, appealed to me for it's eerie qualities and inventive way of establishing a curse. Charlie is a young woman visiting France with her Psychology-studious sister, but she realizes that things aren't what they seem when murder and a cursed document comes into the picture. I was surprised by the ending of this because it seemed like something I'd read when I was younger in the Goosebumps/Fear Street territory, and it definitely captures the spirit of the anthology in a dark way.
Fourth story featured is Cassandra Claire's "The Glass House", which has its own brand of eerieness when a rocky family decides to visit the beach and a witch with her own motives resides within a house with mirrors said to imprison souls. Violet realizes that she's the only one who can save her stepbrother Evan, and what occurs after that might raise a few eyebrows as to how the encounter comes across. I liked the tone and the dark justice handed within the piece. There were a few inconsistencies/mistakes that I saw (such as the fact that Kingdom Hearts 2 was not a two player game and that it wasn't released on the Xbox), but other than that, it was a decent story.
Last offering was "Nowhere is Safe" by Libba Bray, and if I had to say it, this was the weakest offering of the collection of short stories, not so much for the story contained, but the way it was written. Very few people can pull off the charm of a character breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly when they're in danger, but I don't think Bray sequenced it well enough to carry what was otherwise a decent story about a young Asian boy caught with his friends in a riff with otherworldly creatures. The way it was written was too scattered in spurts. There were times I liked the character voices within, even from the protagonist speaking, but the majority of the time, it didn't seem to grip on the matter as much as it could've if it'd been sequenced differently. I do think there are teens who would enjoy the story for what it is, but I would warn that it may not necessarily swallow well as a read.
"Vacations from Hell" is a decent collection, not so much to make those who read it with as much chilling factors, but definitely those that could engage those who like paranormal stories, even those who that might make you think in a different way about how things are seen in various eyes.
Overall score: 3/5
May 7, 2010
1. Cruisin' by Sarah Mlynowski
Cruisin' is about a girl named Kristin who goes on a cruise with her best friend, Liz. Kristin vows that she will lose her virginity by the end of the three day cruise, and Liz vows to help her out. Kristin finds a guy who may be "the one", but there are also rumors of vampires killing people on cruises...
This was my least favorite story in the anthology. The story was predictable, and the characters were flat. Not much else to say about it, except I'm glad the anthology picks up after this one.
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
This story is about Cecily, who shares her mother's abilities as a witch. Her family takes an annual trip to the beach to meet with her mother's coven, which happens to include Cecily's nemesis Kathleen. This year, Kathleen brings a boyfriend, and he's everything Cecily wants in a guy. So what's he doing with the evil Cecily?
This story is split into four parts, and each part begins with a list Cecily has made. It wasn't necessary, but I enjoyed them. I liked every part of this story, and it mixed a little humor with the light story.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
Charlie and Marylou leave for a vacation in Paris to stay with an estranged cousin in the city. Upon their arrival, he informs them that they'll be staying in a remote village to experience an authentic French way of life. Unfortunately, he has to stay in the city for work, so they are sent by themselves. Everything is quiet, although boring, so Charlie decides to take a walk to see who or what she can see. She stumbles upon a distant neighbor who is a little too fascinated with murder, and everything goes downhill from there.
Ahh. Maureen. It's no secret that I love her, and this is definitely one of the best stories in the anthology. It's full of twists and turns, and injected with the touch of humor that is characteristic of Maureen Johnson. The story is comically far-fetched, and is so awesome that I would be happy if it were the only story in the book.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
Violet's mom just married Phillip, who happens to be the father of Evan, Violet's biggest crush. The new family goes for a vacation in Jamaica for the honeymoon and to get to know each other better. While out on the beach, Evan and Violet meet a woman who lives nearby, and she asks Evan to help her fix her car. Evan continues to spend time with her throughout the vacation, and also starts to look sickly. Violet needs to find out what's going on, before it's too late.
The anthology gets darker as it goes, and this one is pretty dark. That's not saying it's bad. No, no, It's VERY good. One of those that stays with you for a while. Honestly, there's enough going on here without the supernatural element. It's so rich that it could be an entire novel. It doesn't feel like a short story.
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
Poe has just graduated high school, and decides to go backpacking through Europe with three of his friends. The hit the big cities, but blow through most of their money in the first month. Instead of going home, they decide to forgo Amsterdam and instead visit a small village dubbed "The City of the Damned" for an annual festival that may or may not be celebrating Satan.
I'm torn with this story. While I loved the story and the awesome setting, the characters annoyed me. The way the story is told (by Poe and like he is talking to a youtube video) bugged me, and I didn't like his voice. The very end of the story was rushed and felt kind of sloppy. So while I really enjoyed it, I wouldn't call it a favorite.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like any of the authors, or you just some short stories to break up your reading.
Cruisin' is about a girl named Kristin who goes on a cruise with her best friend, Liz. Kristin vows that she will lose her virginity by the end of the three day cruise, and Liz vows to help her out. Kristin finds a guy who may be "the one", but there are also rumors of vampires killing people on cruises...
This was my least favorite story in the anthology. The story was predictable, and the characters were flat. Not much else to say about it, except I'm glad the anthology picks up after this one.
2. I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray
This story is about Cecily, who shares her mother's abilities as a witch. Her family takes an annual trip to the beach to meet with her mother's coven, which happens to include Cecily's nemesis Kathleen. This year, Kathleen brings a boyfriend, and he's everything Cecily wants in a guy. So what's he doing with the evil Cecily?
This story is split into four parts, and each part begins with a list Cecily has made. It wasn't necessary, but I enjoyed them. I liked every part of this story, and it mixed a little humor with the light story.
3. The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson
Charlie and Marylou leave for a vacation in Paris to stay with an estranged cousin in the city. Upon their arrival, he informs them that they'll be staying in a remote village to experience an authentic French way of life. Unfortunately, he has to stay in the city for work, so they are sent by themselves. Everything is quiet, although boring, so Charlie decides to take a walk to see who or what she can see. She stumbles upon a distant neighbor who is a little too fascinated with murder, and everything goes downhill from there.
Ahh. Maureen. It's no secret that I love her, and this is definitely one of the best stories in the anthology. It's full of twists and turns, and injected with the touch of humor that is characteristic of Maureen Johnson. The story is comically far-fetched, and is so awesome that I would be happy if it were the only story in the book.
4. The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare
Violet's mom just married Phillip, who happens to be the father of Evan, Violet's biggest crush. The new family goes for a vacation in Jamaica for the honeymoon and to get to know each other better. While out on the beach, Evan and Violet meet a woman who lives nearby, and she asks Evan to help her fix her car. Evan continues to spend time with her throughout the vacation, and also starts to look sickly. Violet needs to find out what's going on, before it's too late.
The anthology gets darker as it goes, and this one is pretty dark. That's not saying it's bad. No, no, It's VERY good. One of those that stays with you for a while. Honestly, there's enough going on here without the supernatural element. It's so rich that it could be an entire novel. It doesn't feel like a short story.
5. Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray
Poe has just graduated high school, and decides to go backpacking through Europe with three of his friends. The hit the big cities, but blow through most of their money in the first month. Instead of going home, they decide to forgo Amsterdam and instead visit a small village dubbed "The City of the Damned" for an annual festival that may or may not be celebrating Satan.
I'm torn with this story. While I loved the story and the awesome setting, the characters annoyed me. The way the story is told (by Poe and like he is talking to a youtube video) bugged me, and I didn't like his voice. The very end of the story was rushed and felt kind of sloppy. So while I really enjoyed it, I wouldn't call it a favorite.
I would definitely recommend this book if you like any of the authors, or you just some short stories to break up your reading.
November 15, 2016
4.5 Love stories with a twist stars
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel to a town that celebrate the day of the devil, or even people you just meet might have a secret to kill, or even the darkest stories might come back to haunt you. In this chilling Anthology, you witness vampires, witches, curses and even love that thrives.
Cruisin by Sarah Mlynowski. 4/5 This story is about these two friends name Liz and Kristin who decide that for the summer they would go on a cruse and make it their goal for Kristin to have her first time while on the trip. They meet new people like a girl name Hailey. While on this trip they're hearing stories about how there is vampires on board and are killing people and throwing them overboard. The ending of this came a complete shock to me and it was interesting take on vampires and enjoyed it I just kind of wished it was more faced paced.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray. 3.5/5 Is about a witch in training names Cecily, who ever summer her family goes to the Outer Banks with other women her mom went to college with to spend time together, (when really they practice their magic and cannot tell their husbands). Cecily always hated going to the Outer Banks because of one reason, Kathleen Pruitt, who make summer vacation living hell, until she brings her boyfriend along for the vacation, but their is something off about him....... He is too perfect. This kind of reminded me of claudia gray series about witches which is good but i wanted something new but overall i liked it.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson. 5/5 The story is about two sister Charlotte and Marie-Louise, who travel too France because all of their family members have been begging them to come visit and stay for a little bit, but they thought they were going to have a trip of a lifetime but reality it turned into hell, they go to the countryside to enjoy the scenery, but something sinister is creepy countryside and everything goes badly quickly. I really enjoyed it and loved hearing the French History while this story was taking place and I really want the author to make a full novel.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare. 5/5 Is about a girl who goes on a vacation in Jamaica with her family but she has a secret, she kissed her step brother on the night of the wedding, now they don't even talk anymore, her mom is clueless, and her stepfather is a prick who hits women. One day, a women name Mrs. Palmer comes to take Evan away and each time he comes back, he looks deader and deader. This was really good and interesting and like the take on witches and what they would do for revenge.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. 5/5 These group of friends go on a trip around Europe before heading to college, half way through the trip they decide to go on the scenic routes and visit the town that is having a festival to celebrate the devil. The group think its cool to go, but once they get there, everything changes. One things for sure, the fortune teller may be telling the truth. I like hearing about the folklore of the town and how the groups deals with it, but it was a little sad and exciting at the end.
I have to say my favorite to read in this anthology would be Crusin, The mirror house and The law of suspects. Those were really interesting reads and got to learn a lot about the history and how did each character get into certain types of situation and how the outcome was. I can't wait to read more Anthologys with my favourite authors.
“...dreams were dreams and reality was reality and she felt people were better off understanding the difference.”
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to travel to a town that celebrate the day of the devil, or even people you just meet might have a secret to kill, or even the darkest stories might come back to haunt you. In this chilling Anthology, you witness vampires, witches, curses and even love that thrives.
Cruisin by Sarah Mlynowski. 4/5 This story is about these two friends name Liz and Kristin who decide that for the summer they would go on a cruse and make it their goal for Kristin to have her first time while on the trip. They meet new people like a girl name Hailey. While on this trip they're hearing stories about how there is vampires on board and are killing people and throwing them overboard. The ending of this came a complete shock to me and it was interesting take on vampires and enjoyed it I just kind of wished it was more faced paced.
I Don't Like Your Girlfriend by Claudia Gray. 3.5/5 Is about a witch in training names Cecily, who ever summer her family goes to the Outer Banks with other women her mom went to college with to spend time together, (when really they practice their magic and cannot tell their husbands). Cecily always hated going to the Outer Banks because of one reason, Kathleen Pruitt, who make summer vacation living hell, until she brings her boyfriend along for the vacation, but their is something off about him....... He is too perfect. This kind of reminded me of claudia gray series about witches which is good but i wanted something new but overall i liked it.
The Law of Suspects by Maureen Johnson. 5/5 The story is about two sister Charlotte and Marie-Louise, who travel too France because all of their family members have been begging them to come visit and stay for a little bit, but they thought they were going to have a trip of a lifetime but reality it turned into hell, they go to the countryside to enjoy the scenery, but something sinister is creepy countryside and everything goes badly quickly. I really enjoyed it and loved hearing the French History while this story was taking place and I really want the author to make a full novel.
The Mirror House by Cassandra Clare. 5/5 Is about a girl who goes on a vacation in Jamaica with her family but she has a secret, she kissed her step brother on the night of the wedding, now they don't even talk anymore, her mom is clueless, and her stepfather is a prick who hits women. One day, a women name Mrs. Palmer comes to take Evan away and each time he comes back, he looks deader and deader. This was really good and interesting and like the take on witches and what they would do for revenge.
Nowhere is Safe by Libba Bray. 5/5 These group of friends go on a trip around Europe before heading to college, half way through the trip they decide to go on the scenic routes and visit the town that is having a festival to celebrate the devil. The group think its cool to go, but once they get there, everything changes. One things for sure, the fortune teller may be telling the truth. I like hearing about the folklore of the town and how the groups deals with it, but it was a little sad and exciting at the end.
I have to say my favorite to read in this anthology would be Crusin, The mirror house and The law of suspects. Those were really interesting reads and got to learn a lot about the history and how did each character get into certain types of situation and how the outcome was. I can't wait to read more Anthologys with my favourite authors.
“...dreams were dreams and reality was reality and she felt people were better off understanding the difference.”
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