A decent collection of Fortean field notes from the twilight zone. We start with a couple of anecdotes from the American state park staff – you know, people used to being outside and seeing all that the wild world can show them, yet up against a zombified Bigfoot, and an earth-shaking werewolf – with friends. With the pattern established, we can relax, accepting the full-page illustrations are fine scene-setters, and/or wastes of space, depending on opinion, and the stories are four to seven pages long and perfectly engaging quick reads. Oh, and we also get little box-outs to extemporise about what is known – or folklore – about what might have been sighted.

Chapter Two is further outdoorsy things – a weird British critter attacking a humble dog, a Bigfoot that morphs into a coyote, and a Native American with again an outdoors life staggered by what he's seeing and smelling. In fact a lot of this is outdoors – werewolves outside RVs, flayed pets outside mobile homes, shape-shifters outside. Someone had a child with deep black eyes outside wanting to come in, but they were clearly Fortean-literate beforehand, and knew about what to expect, so that doesn't count as much as an occurrence for a complete newbie to this world.

All told, this is a pretty enjoyable selection. The stories are just about varied enough, even if straight ghosts and hauntings are replaced by a lot more werewolves than you might expect. And some do break the barrier between the routine world and the uncanny in startling ways – a trucker encountering his mother on the road, in the way he does here, is really creepy – matched by a Filipino child subjected to what comes out of the mirror in a locked room. All the stories are kind of edited, but still feel like the work of different contributors. It all amounts to strong testimony, and those who collect this kind of thing will relish the individual stories here. They certainly carried more frissons of fear than the usual gallery of ghouls.

And all that without mentioning the author's name in the manner of Joey Tribbiani's experience of nominative determinism.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group!

Overall: ⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes, etc: Supernatural, Urban Legends, Personal Accounts
POV: Multiple, 1st Person

Brief Summary: A collection of alleged firsthand accounts of encounters with ghosts, creatures, and other supernatural entities.

The Praise: The stories were really eerie and interesting. I enjoyed the Field Notes and felt they did a good job of quickly setting the tone for each story.

The Critique: I’m 99% sure all of the art in this book is AI. While the last page says “All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned,” this simply cannot be completely true considering AI sources from millions of different artists to create a composite image to fit the prompt. So while the idea or concept of the image might have been recreated with artist permission, the art itself certainly wasn’t. Also, it seems kind of strange to me to claim you had artist consent to recreate a concept like “blurry figure in a forest.”

Final Thoughts: The stories were creepy and interesting. I just can’t in good conscience give a book full of AI art a good rating. I’d gladly change my rating if I could confirm the art was created by humans.

For everyone who loves to read or hear about all things that go "bump in the night". And a reminder to listen to the podcast "Unexplained Encounters".

My review of this book will be short, since I don't consider a product done with so little effort is worth the time.
I'm dnf-ing this title. I read three of the stories for the sake of this review, since the book was given for free in exchange for it.

This illustrated book has no artist behind it. Yeah, they are pure and obvious AI-generated images... Just NO. I will not support this project, and I don't want to know anything about it!
"Spine-tingling illustrated art?" Really?? I'm furious.

What I get from this reading experience is that:
1- the readers are not respected,
2-the artistic community is being robbed
3- This publishing house, and by consequence any related individuals, are not trustworthy.
As far as I'm concerned, I got no reason to believe that all this tittle was no AI generated.
I guess at least they would be able to excuse the nonsensical layout of those "fact boxes"...

This was a spooky read! It definitely had your pulse going and you turning extra lights on after you read. I enjoyed the collection of stories and would recommend it to others who enjoy a bit of a scare.

This was my introduction to Darkness Prevails, an anonymous YouTube personality who shares stories involving paranormal phenomena. Phantom Phenomena was fun but inconsistent, which was notable since these are all Darkness' retellings of stories. To give you an idea of what I mean, two stories emphasized that they happened before smartphones were around, reminding the reader that the person in the story couldn't call for help. Another story references Tamagotchi, but doesn't note what this is for younger readers. My main beef with this book is the References page at the end, which lists websites but not specific pages or articles. As an instructor of composition, I can confidently say that is NOT a complete list of sources. I'd be interested in listening to the YouTube channel while doing chores or yardwork, but I'm not sure the books are for me.

The stories and pictures in the book do not disappoint! I loved that it focused quite a bit on the cryptid side of the supernatural. A spooky, fun read for any time of the year!

Oh this was the perfect spooky read that I was looking for for October! If you want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat, this is it

This was enjoyable, if a little repetitive. A lot of focus on the cryptid side of the supernatural. I could almost hear it in the author's voice as at the podcast. One thing I will say is that the images are stunning.

I wanted to like this; with its genre and themes it was right up my alley.
But I didn’t love it.
Pros: eerie and spooky.
Cons: not the layered storytelling I prefer.
I am sure other readers will enjoy it.

WOW!!! This book is all that, especially if you are into the paranormal. I found myself devouring this book and asking myself. "what woud I do if this happened to me"? Very interesting.I found the one about Bigfoot super creepy. I highly recommend this book to any one who wants to be creeped out. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC of this book in return for my honest thoughts. Receiving the book in this manner had no impact on my review/thoughts.

If you enjoy eerie tales of the unknown, that just might have happened and be believable if told from the right source, then this book for creepy stories is for you!

THE perfect read for the spooky season. Ghosts, witches, werewolves, all the spooky creepy legends come to life in this book. And they’re accompanied by illustrations that will make your hair stand on end. Terrific fun.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! What an awesome book! Not only is there great stories but also incredible photographs.

Book Review: Phantom Phenomena: Tales of the World's Most Terrifying and Supernatural Events by Darkness Prevails

Rating: 5 Stars

Oh man, let me just say: Phantom Phenomena is everything I hoped it would be and more! If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat and give you all the spooky vibes for October, this is it. Darkness Prevails has really outdone their self with this collection of hair-raising tales that dive deep into some seriously creepy encounters shared by everyday folks from around the globe.

The book takes inspiration from the hit podcast Unexplained Encounters, which has been a go-to for horror enthusiasts. Each story offers a unique glimpse into the supernatural—think werewolves lurking in isolated Swedish farms and ghostly saviors appearing just in time to prevent disaster. I mean, who doesn’t love a good ghost story? There’s even a trick-or-treater that may not be as innocent as they seem, and tales of cryptids prowling the Scottish Highlands. Seriously, this book has it all!

What I really appreciated were the field notes that precede each story. They set the mood perfectly and give that extra layer of spine-chilling context before you plunge into the eeriness. Plus, those fact boxes scattered throughout? Gold! They add historical tidbits about the creepy creatures and haunting tales that make you feel like you’re in on some secret knowledge.

And can we talk about the illustrations? They are downright terrifying in the best way possible. The art elevates these already awesome stories to another level, making this book a feast for the eyes as well as a thrill for the soul. It's definitely going to be a conversation starter on my coffee table this spooky season!

In short, Phantom Phenomena is a must-read for anyone who loves all things paranormal. Whether you're getting into the Halloween spirit or just love a good scare, this book will not disappoint. It would also make an excellent gift for any ghost-loving friend. So grab your copy, turn off all the lights, and prepare to get spooked—if you dare! 🎃👻

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️