This book was really creepy. Especially the evil category, this is the kind book that short story and horror book fans will like about. ( )

I checked this book out because of one specific story (by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes), and then just read the whole thing while I had it. It was enjoyable, with several good stories, but nothing special. ( )

Reviewed by Randstostipher "tallnlankyrn" Nguyen for TeensReadToo.com

Some of today's top bestselling authors, from Laurie Faria Stolarz to Melissa de la Cruz to Christopher Pike, come together in this bone-chilling, spine-curling collection of dark and dangerous short stories.

In Peter Abrahams' story, Becky wishes she had never gotten sick and stayed home. Once she turned on her TV, a certain show becomes all too real.

Twins Jane and Jill have been the best of sisters, or at least that is what Jill thought. Turns out her sister isn't so happy with the wonderful life Jill has right now and can't wait to see her drop dead, literally. Soon enough, Jane comes up with the perfect plan to make sure that only one sister is able to lead the perfect life. Christopher Pike takes us on a journey of what being a twin could possibly be like.

Robin Wasserman creates Parker Kent, a girl who others don't really like. She finally thought she had made a friend, a best friend, but before she knows it the friend turns on her. It's okay, though, since that friend never liked her in the first place, right?

Fifteen more chilling stories complete this anthology of eighteen authors with their very own original works. Accompanied by a frightening cover and an outrageous title, 666: THE NUMBER OF THE BEAST will make it very hard for you to sleep tonight, and other nights that follow. ( )

Horror for 12 year old girls. That's not a slam, by the way, just a facet of this book that surprised me, especially as there was no indication of such in the cover art or blurbs. Still, most of the stories in this young adult horror anthology have young female protagonists. The few that prominently feature teenage boys tend to have a strong element of romance. This collection also veers to the young side of the young adult audience. Even when the characters are in their late teens, the tone is younger, more naive.

My reaction, as an adult reader - very much not the target audience - was pretty much, "Meh." Easily my favourite is a story about a very smart kid trapped in the American mental health system, Empire of Dirt by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes (who I'm happy to say has improved quite a bit from her first novel, famously written when she was 13.) Other standouts are Scapegoat by Robin Wasserman (a girl fights brutal killers disguised as members of her community) and a very short and creepy offering by Joyce Carol Oates. I also enjoyed the predictable but well-written period piece La Fleur de Nuit by P.D. Cacek. ( )