I’m not super familiar with this author yet. I’ve only read one of her thrillers so far, but I was excited to see what she would do with the horror genre. This collection includes three horror novellas, all of which are quick, easy reads that you can easily binge in a short amount of time.

I listened to the audiobook for the first two stories, but my access expired before I could finish the collection, so I read the third one digitally. The audiobook features multiple narrators, which made for an enjoyable listening experience while I had it.

As for content, there is no spice, but there is quite a bit of swearing and vulgar language. By the end, it really started to turn me off because there was just so much of it. There is also some gore and body horror, but surprisingly, it wasn’t too bad. It was tolerable for me and didn’t gross me out nearly as much as I expected.

Never Kill the Medium
The group of friends in this story were absolutely awful to each other. None of them were particularly likable, but I thought the premise was really interesting. A medium dies and accidentally leaves the “door” to the other side open, unleashing all kinds of chaos.

I wish the author had done more with this concept because there was so much potential here. The story was pretty gruesome and over the top, but I think that’s actually what I enjoyed about it. It leaned into that ridiculous, campy horror vibe, which made it entertaining. However, the ending was incredibly abrupt and left me wanting more.

The Nightmare House
A family moves into a house with some disturbing secrets, and the neighbors are acting increasingly strange. This one reminded me a little of The Stepford Wives, but with more horror elements. I also got some American Horror Story and Poltergeist vibes, although it wasn’t nearly as scary or disturbing as either of those.

The mother is struggling with postpartum depression and psychosis, along with the frustration of having no one believe what she’s experiencing. That particular storyline felt a little too on the nose, especially after the highly publicized Lindsay Clancy case.

However, I thought this novella had the most intriguing premise of the three. I loved the mystery surrounding the house and the unsettling behavior of the neighbors. There was a lot of potential to create something genuinely creepy and disturbing, and I found myself the most invested in this particular story.

All Curses Are Final
This story felt the most familiar to me, almost like a combination of The Evil Dead and The Cabin in the Woods. Unfortunately, it was also the most unoriginal of the three.

What I did love was the atmosphere. The winter setting, isolation, and eerie surroundings created the perfect backdrop for a horror story. I really enjoyed those cold, unsettling vibes, and I thought the author did a fantastic job immersing me in that environment.

However, the plot was extremely predictable, and because of that, I found myself getting a little bored. I could see where things were going pretty early on, so there weren’t many surprises. The story is supposed to revolve around a curse, but that element seemed to take a backseat to the murder spree happening throughout the novella. I really wish the curse itself had played a much bigger role. It could have made the story more interesting and given it something unique.

Of the three novellas, The Nightmare House was my favorite and the one I thought had the most potential. It intrigued me the most, held my attention, and had the kind of premise I would have loved to see developed into a full novel.

Overall, this was a fun reading experience. It’s nothing particularly deep or thought-provoking, but I don’t think it was ever meant to be. This is pure “popcorn horror,” the kind of entertaining, campy storytelling you pick up when you’re in the mood for something creepy without having to think too much about it.

I also think this collection is perfect for autumn and winter, especially around Halloween. Each story has its own atmosphere, with plenty of eerie settings, unsettling moments, and creepy vibes. I just wish the horror had been taken a few steps further. I wanted more chills, more tension, and those genuinely frightening moments that make you want to turn on all the lights. I also wish the stories had gone in more unexpected directions instead of following such familiar and predictable paths.

That being said, it was decent for what it was, and I was entertained for the most part.

One thing I really appreciated was reading the Acknowledgments at the end of the book. Jeneva shares how she came up with the ideas for these three stories and how they were inspired by personal experiences and situations in her own life. I thought that was really cool, and it gave me a greater appreciation for the stories themselves.

She also hinted that one of these stories isn’t quite finished yet and that a sequel is coming! I’m really hoping it’s Never Kill the Medium because that ending was way too abrupt. There is definitely more to explore with that premise, and I would love to see where she could take it.

After finishing this collection, I’m not entirely convinced horror is the best genre for this author, at least not yet. I really enjoy her writing style, and she has a wonderful ability to immerse readers in a setting and create an engaging atmosphere. However, I think the actual horror elements could use some work.

I’d love to see her take more creative risks and come up with something truly unique and original. Too many moments throughout this collection reminded me of horror movies I’ve already seen, and I wanted something that would surprise me rather than feel so familiar.

Even though this was only a 3-star read for me, I still had a good time with it. I’ll definitely continue reading Jeneva’s books because I enjoy her writing, and I’m curious to see what she comes up with next. I just hope her future horror stories bring a little more originality, suspense, and genuine scares!