AHH! That's What I Call Horror is a fun little bit of nostalgia, all dressed up as a horror anthology! When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure how many of the 90s references I'd appreciate. I spent the 90s raising a family. At times it feels my life went from singing about 1999 with Prince in the 80s straight to Y2K. It turns out I had nothing to worry about. From the references in this book, I think my brain just rolled the 80s and 90s up into one nice little memory package and put a bow on it. But we're not here to talk about my failing memory. We're here to talk about this book!

I'm the type who enjoys a good collection of short stories. I'm prepared for at least one story to be a standout story that I wish was longer. And I'm prepared for at least one story to be an outlier, kind of the one that makes you wonder how it got mixed in with the other great stories. I'm here to tell you, there wasn't a single story that I didn't care for. I enjoyed every last one. In addition to the 90s throwbacks, there was a good mix of suspense, gore (but nothing too extreme), and even a couple of Lovecraftian type references. I truly enjoyed every last story and was only disappointed when the book came to an end.

Due to be published January 25, 2023, be on the lookout for this great anthology! I found some new-to-me authors in it that I'm going to keep on my radar. In full disclosure, I was given the opportunity to read this electronic ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I'm happy to give this anthology 5 out of 5 nostalgic stars.28 s Solomon ForseAuthor 5 books12

The horror anthology renaissance has left the market so saturated that most readers today can’t hope to keep up. I do try, but I confess that the average spoopy-themed anthology suffers from a severe lack of glue, a void of warmth and humanity, instead feeling more or less cobbled together for its short-lived burst of attention on social media before quietly fading into the abyss of forgotten books. Well, not this one.

AHH! That's What I Call Horror: An Anthology of '90s Horror, fills a hole in our hearts, a nostalgia engendered by the cold and dying world we’ve found ourselves in. We—and by “we” I mean all the 90s kids out there—long for the time that many of us consider the best period of our lives: before our addiction to instant gratification, a time when patience was rewarded, when our dopamine production wasn’t starved for a daily Amazon Prime package or a on Instagram, a time when a new Tyco or Playmates toy commercial was the highlight of our weeks, when a single pop or rock album was enough to get us through the month. No wonder we find it so difficult to survive, to simply live, in this high-speed, overconnected (yet so isolated) world. A game we can never seem to win.

But it’s not over yet—it’s halftime. And the proverbial moms and dads are here, standing near the sidelines with warm smiles on their faces, containers in their hands—baskets overstuffed with drinks and snacks: Squeezits, HUG fruit barrels, Dunkaroos, and Kudos bars.

So dig in; take your fill. Dream of the past, forget the horror of the present, and perhaps you’ll come back for the second half revitalized and ready to return the world to its former grace.

Skrrrrt.

Psych! C’mon, did you really believe this anthology was going to be a season of Full House, teeming with heartwarming themes and life lessons for the whole family? These are frickin’ horror stories, dude.

Prepare to get the crap scared out of you.

PSA: As a professional, I must admit that I know a number of these authors personally from our involvement in the HOWL Society writing community, and while at times my review may seem more a love letter to the authors than public critique, what I can guarantee is that I had zero involvement in this project and my 5-star review is as genuine as they come. This book is by far one of my favorite reading experiences—if not the best one—of the year.


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