Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves

 “We – the blessed, the chosen, those with eyes wide open – will show the world, not in cruelty but unavoidable necessity, its utmost mistake in rejecting the Truth.”

– Michael Jess Alexander, A Profound Impact

So, today’s book for review is actually one I originally read back in October of last year, but the author reached out to me on social media and asked whether I could provide some thoughts on this, his debut anthology of horror-themed stories, and here they are!

I revisited the book again specifically for the purpose of this review, but even prior to going over it again, some of the stories had already flooded back from my memories, which, in my mind, is the mark of a solid collection. Although some of the tales were a little too conventional and ‘by-the-books’ for me, the majority of them are very original and imaginative – which is supported by the fact that they’ve stuck in my mind well after reading them for the first time.

Containing a total of nine terrifying tales, Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves features a range of spooky shorts with a variety of settings and ideas on display. This collection really did offer a little something for everyone, and even with its short page length, manages to run the gamut of horror sub-genres with aplomb. It provides fresh twists on everything from vampires, werewolves, and zombies, to death cults and possessions, and even has flavours of cosmic and science-fiction-adjacent horror.

I’m not going to go into every story in this anthology (mainly to leave some surprises, but also because the review would be a teeny bit long if I did), but I’ll pick a few personal highlights from the book to talk about. It’s always a little tricky to narrow down a selection of favourites in collections like this, but the three that stuck with me the most were Chatterbox, In the Hot Seat, and Vic. For me, this trio displayed the most inventiveness and originality, and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. They’ve stuck in my mind after reading, and were the ones that instantly came to mind when the author inquired about scribbling down some thoughts.

Chatterbox concerns a college professor who is haunted by the spirit of a former student called Gabe in a very unique and chilling manner – the ghastly student in question just won’t stop talking. You can actually check out a super neat narration of this one on Mistress of CreepyPasta’s YouTube channel. In the Hot Seat, meanwhile, offered a fresh and unsettling twist on some classic ghostly, Gothic horror tropes, and features a genuinely creepy conclusion. And last, but by no means least, was Vic, which concerns a hired hitman who gets more than he bargained for with his latest – and extremely unusual – target for execution.

A couple of the stories didn’t quite resonate with me, personally. A few also felt somewhat underdeveloped, in regards to their relatively short lengths but highly ambitious premise. Stories like A Profound Impact and Space for Amateurs had some really fun concepts, but I would’ve loved to have seen these ideas developed just a little further, fleshed out a tad more. Taken as a whole though, this is a pretty varied collection featuring short stories on a range of themes and narrative focuses. As mentioned, it displays a lot of imagination and versatility from the author, and I’m sure this is an aspect of his writing that Alexander will continue to nurture in his writing projects going forward.

VERDICT: I love a good horror anthology, and Boarded Windows, Dead Leaves was a fun little one for sure. As in most collections, some of the stories are stronger than others, but overall this is a neat read with some interesting ideas and settings. I for one am intrigued to see what Alexander produces in the future – it would be interesting to see how he takes on a longer project, as these short stories show both inventiveness and promise.

Overall, it’s a very respectable and solid ⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ from this reviewer for this neat and spooky little anthology.