Review: Little Brother by Adam Cosco

 

Genre: Horror/Supernatural

Description:

“Leslie Adams is losing time. Waking up with scars she can’t explain and haunted by blackout spells she doesn’t remember, Leslie is diagnosed with depression and self-harm. But deep down, she knows the truth is far more sinister.

As her mental state unravels, disturbing visions and erratic behaviors consume her, convincing her that something evil has taken root inside her. Her struggle to maintain control pits her against a dark force she can't understand—until a terrifying revelation shatters everything she believes.

Little Brother is a chilling psychological horror novella that blends supernatural suspense with a shocking twist, perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and Hereditary.”

Author:

“Canadian-born Adam Cosco discovered his passion for storytelling at the renowned American Film Institute, where he sharpened his skills in filmmaking and screenwriting. Today, Adam channels his creative energy into writing novels that explore the darker sides of humanity, specializing in horror, psychological thrillers, and dark comedy.”

Appraisal:

This is a wild story. Horror with a touch of a supernatural feel with a unique resolution that I certainly didn’t see coming. It’s a quick read that should keep you engaged, trying to figure out what is going on. As a note prior to the beginning indicates, the book is based on what was originally a screenplay the author wrote and as I read it the feelings I got were often like what I get watching a movie.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 30-35,000 words

Review: Broken Voyage by Lindsey Kinsella

 Genre: Thriller/Dystopian/Horror

Description:

“Stranded in the Arctic, the international crew of an illegal whaler find themselves in a race for survival. Can they survive the cold, the sea, and, most of all, each other?

Pushed to desperation in a bleak world ravaged by climate change, Lora M’Bandi flees her homeland to join a group of unlikely outcasts aboard the whaling ship Livyatan. When an explosion rips through the vessel, the crew become shipwrecked deep inside the Arctic Circle—sabotaged by one of their own. Now, they must trek across the treacherous sea ice to reach dry land before the ice retreats—all the while with a traitor in their midst and fearsome predators stalking their every move.

Who will make it out of this harrowing tale of horror and survival?”

Author:

“Lindsey Kinsella is a Scottish science fiction and fantasy author.

​While a qualified and experienced naval architect and avid classic car enthusiast, he always reserved space in life for his fascination with science, nature, and paleontology. This drove his writing process as he aspired to write tales of the rich and complex story of life on Earth.”

For more, check out their website.

Appraisal:

This is an intense story with an interesting story world. The story world is in the near future and gives this tale a dystopian setting. Climate change has made it so some parts of the world are uninhabitable, but people from those areas who are trying to flee elsewhere have to sneak in because other countries don’t want them. At least one of the characters in this book is one of those people who snuck into a liveable country and is now working on an illegal whaling ship to survive. After all, you need to have food and somewhere to sleep, even in a new country, right? Why whaling is a thing again, you’ll have to read the book, but the adventure really ramps up when the whaling boat is shipwrecked. They quickly figure out that one of the crew is responsible for sabotaging the ship, but not who it was. Now the boat’s crew has to figure out a way to get to dry land while they still have a chance, but no one knows who they can and can’t trust. As you can imagine, this makes for a tense time as well as an engaging read as the reader tries, along with the ship’s crew, to figure out how they can make it to safety and who they can and can’t trust. Guessing wrong could be fatal, at least for the characters. The reader should be safe.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language. The author is from the UK (specifically Scotland) and therefore uses UK spelling conventions.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Review: Never Have I Ever by Harker Jones

 

Genre: Horror/LGBTQ

Description:

“Trust no one. Because it could be anyone.

When eight teenagers in a small Michigan town start receiving texts urging them to play Never Have I Ever, they find themselves caught up in a deadly game of secrets, repentance and retribution that may be connected to a girl who disappeared the year before.

As they start getting killed by someone in a scarecrow costume — or is it a costume? — the school bully sets out to discover who’s playing the prank in hopes of redeeming his past behavior.

And staying alive.

But will he figure it out before that past catches up to him?”

Author:

After growing up on a dirt road in a small Michigan town, Harker Jones moved to Los Angeles where he is an author, both of books and for magazines as well as a screenwriter and editor. For more, check out his website.

Appraisal:

This is an interesting book. If you were a teen in the late 90s or a parent of a teen in that same era then some of the references might give you flashbacks of that time. (The genre is horror and for some taking you back to then might make it even scarier.) Even if you can’t relate to that era you’ll probably still be able to relate to what the teen years are like for most of us. If you’ve had experience living in a small town and how life there can be different then you’ll relate to what the kids in this book go through even more. Along with the horror aspect you’ve got a mystery or two at work which kept this reader engaged as I tried to figure out all the pieces, guessing wrong way more than I want to admit as I tried to figure out what was going on and anticipate how it was going to end. The result was an engaging and entertaining read, even if some of those flashbacks to the late 90s weren’t so great.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: Pale Blades of Moonlight by Joe Pawlowski

 

Genre: Short Story Collection/Horror

Description:

“In a dark alley in St. Paul, Minnesota, a pair of boys think they’re breaking into an abandoned secondhand store, but what they’re really entering is a nightmare from which they may never escape.

Meanwhile, in a nearby city, a caped figure appears as it does every night on the sidewalk outside the house of that old woman who neighbors believe is really a witch.

And in a rural woodland, ghouls unearth the residents of an ancient graveyard and carry off the rotting remnants for sinister purposes.

All by the silvery light of the moon.

The nine tales in this collection by award-winning writer Joe Pawlowski feature a hapless real-estate agent driven to extreme measures by his love of a severely deformed woman; a trio of farmers who discover a presence from beyond lurking in the corn; a paraplegic miss who rides the supernatural into realities far from the confines of her hospital bed; the American tourist in Mexico City who discovers the deeper meaning of the Day of the Dead; and the wise guy who learns it’s not OK to shortchange a sin eater.”

Author:

“Joe Pawlowski is a retired journalist living in the Twin Cities area with his wife, Debbie, and rescue dog, Lucy. He is a U.S. Army veteran, a secular Buddhist, a major Beatles fan, a vegan, and a lifelong student of classic horror and supernatural literature. Besides reading and writing, he enjoys music, movies and socializing with his many friends.”

For more, visit Mr Pawlowski’s website.

Appraisal:

I don’t typically read much in what could be classified as the horror genre which all of these stories are, but I like to mix things up and stretch myself sometimes by reading books that are outside my favorite genres. I decided to give this a shot and am glad I did. While a collection of short stories these are all long enough to draw the reader in, put them (at least figuratively) on the edge of their seat, and then hit the climax which is sometimes not what you thought was coming. All good reads. Most of them also take place in Minnesota, mostly in “The Cities” as the natives would say, the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area. Those familiar with this area and its culture will feel right at home while reading these stories, doncha know, but that’s just an added bonus. Fans of horror should like this collection, even if they claim they’ve never eaten hot dish at any point in their life.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Review: The Noise by Allison A

Genre: Horror

Description:

“Angela Blau has a degenerative bone disease, but she was never warned her mind could deteriorate as well. There’s no other explanation for the footsteps coming from the second floor—footsteps her husband, Jack, never hears. And then there’s the ghosts who attack her at night, and townspeople who dig through the dirt like rabid animals and peer through her windows.

Maybe the ghosts and the townspeople are in her head—it wouldn’t be the first time she’s let her mind wander—but the noise has to be real, and she’d go up there and prove it if the stairs weren’t so rotted that she’d fall right through, Jack says.

Things get worse when Arlo, a lonely old man who lives ‘somewhere down the street,’ reveals a violent crime that occurred on the second floor. Against Jack’s warnings, Arlo indulges Angela’s growing obsession and pushes her to discover the true source of the noise, who exactly the townspeople are, and whether a traumatic incident that occurred four months ago, an incident Angela refuses to talk about, is to blame for all of it.”

Author:

This appears to be Allison A’s first published book. Information about her is limited with only the first name and last initial as her byline, no author page on Amazon or any information about her on Amazon’s page for this book. If you read the book, when you reach the acknowledgements, you might be able to figure a few things out about her. Her maiden name, a pretty good guess at what that last initial of A stands for, and that some parts of this book (but I’m guessing far from all of them) are things she’s experienced in real life.

Appraisal:

The author describes this book as a horror novel, but also says that at its core it is a book about coping with loss. In some ways I think it could be looked at as a thriller with a bit of supernatural or at least the appearance of such since the main character is constantly seeing and hearing what could be described as ghosts. What else would you call a being that you see and sometimes even talk to, yet no one else sees them? That’s what the main character, Angela, is experiencing, and isn’t quite sure what to make of it.

Figuring out what is going on was an interesting exercise. Let’s just say that it wasn’t all in Angela’s imagination, no matter what others might have thought. But it isn’t quite what Angela thought either. I’ll bet if you figure out the big picture it won’t be until late in the book, regardless of the clues that might have led you to the proper conclusion. I guess figuring what is going on makes this a bit of a mystery too. An interesting and unique read that could easily get you thinking about the big picture of this life and even whether there is a next life and what it might look like.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofreading misses.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: Ruthless Spirits by Sandy Wolters

 

Genre: Paranormal/Horror

Description:

“Terry Anderson’s lifelong dream has come to fruition. Finally his success as an artist affords him the opportunity to purchase the home that has beckoned to him since childhood. What he doesn’t know is, if he moves in, a sinister evil will be unleashed, threatening everything and everyone Terry cares about.

As High Priestess of her Wiccan Coven, Rainy Stratton’s sixth sense has never failed to shed insight on anyone who crosses her path. That is…until she encounters Terry. Intrigued by his eccentric style and humor, she finds herself drawn to him, and despite her misgivings, she eagerly entrusts her heart to the man she can’t read.

When the wicked come out to play, Rainy and Terry face a battle of good versus evil, but she can’t see how it will end. However, the price of losing is unacceptable. For if they do, the devil will claim their souls.”

Author:

From Ms. Wolters’ Amazon Author page: “I've been an avid reader for years. To my husband's dismay, I have bookshelves full of books, rooms full of books, boxes full of books. My cars have books in them. I just can't seem to get rid of them after I read them. You just never know when you will want to read it again, right?

About two years ago, my husband gave me the dream gift, a Kindle. It was love at first sight and my first foray into the world of eBooks.  While I still have books everywhere, I no longer take ten or twelve books with me when I go on vacation. The only thing I need is my Kindle. It never leaves my purse.

My genre of choice is romance with a paranormal twist…The women in my books are strong individuals that have moments of weakness and frailty to work through.”

Appraisal:

Terry Anderson is an artist who has just purchased the home of his dreams. He, Nathan, and Jody used to walk past this house on their way home from school. There is a building in the backyard which will provide Terry the perfect art studio. As Nathan is helping Terry move in Nathan feels an oppressive presence around the future art studio. However, he is hesitant to mention to Terry that he thinks the place is haunted.

Nathan enlists Jursic to help in the move and assure Nathan that he is right about the state of the studio. The three human men try to battle the supernatural entity as best as they could, to no avail.

Another arc of the story is Jody and Jared’s hand fasting ceremony to be performed by Rainy, a Wiccan High Priestess. Terry is captivated by Rainy and they become quick friends with a promising relationship. Nathan gets his first glance of Bright Flower, the woman who has taken over his dreams.

Terry finds himself in deep trouble for not telling Jody and Rainy the ordeals he has had with the monster inhabiting his house when all he was trying to do was protect them. With all in the open now Rainy gathers a team to confront and battle the demon. Ms. Wolters does an excellent job putting the reader in the middle of the action as they storm the house and battle the demon. The whole book is an emotional rollercoaster ride. Ruthless Spirits is a great addition to the Spirit Voices series, not to be missed.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Ruthless Spirits is book 2 in Ms. Wolters, Spirit Voices Series. There are a number of F-bombs and one hot sex scene that is tastefully written.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 70-75,000 words

Review: Giving the Devil His Due by Various

 

Genre: Short Story Anthology/Fantasy/Horror/Science Fiction

Description:

"What if a young girl had the power to stop her tyrannical father from battering her mother ever again?

What if a student had a secret weapon to end sexual assault by her predatory professor permanently?

What if a housewife had unusual means to get back at her controlling husband and walk away from her marriage alive?

In Giving the Devil His Due, The Pixel Project’s first charity anthology, sixteen acclaimed fantasy, science fiction, and horror authors take readers on an unforgettable journey to alternative worlds where men who abuse and murder women and girls meet their comeuppance in uncanny ways.

Featuring stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Christina Henry, Peter Tieryas, Kelley Armstrong, Linda D. Addison, Hillary Monahan, and more, Giving the Devil His Due presents sixteen stories that will make you think about the importance of justice for the victims of gender-based violence, how rare this justice is in our own world, and why we need to end violence against women once and for all.”

The proceeds from this book will go to support The Pixel Project, a non-profit focused on ending violence against women.

Author:

Sixteen authors, each with their own take on things and each bringing something personal to their story as mentioned in the appraisal below.

Appraisal:

The description for this collection says that these stories “will make you think about the importance of justice for the victims of gender-based violence, how rare this justice is in our own world, and why we need to end violence against women once and for all.” That’s the obvious goal of the stories and they absolutely deliver on that promise. The stories vary in genre, tending to have aspects of the speculative fiction genres, horror, fantasy, and science fiction, since these are the genres the authors invited to contribute specialize in. I found that some of the stories connected with me better than others, but hasten to point out that this wasn’t due to flaws in the stories. Instead, it was the particular set of circumstances and how well it related to those things I’d observed or could relate to in some other fashion. Which stories click with you will no doubt be different, but are varied enough that I think most will find many they can relate to.

After each story there is a brief author’s note that discusses the inspiration for the story, often a real-life experience of the author or someone close to them. These brief notes drive home that while these stories are speculative fiction and in some cases have paranormal or other aspects that obviously aren’t true, the issues at the core of the story are all too real.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and a lot of adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

My version was a pre-release ARC (advance readers copy) and I’m unable to gauge the final product for these kind of issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: The Pineys: My Cousin, the Piney by Tony DiGeroLamo

 

Genre: Horror/Comedy/Contemporary/Occult/Fantasy

Description:

“From the creator of the Jersey Devil comic book comes a story about four cousins cursed by their ancestors, brought together by destiny and trying to keep South Jersey from going to Hell.

In 1732, Mother Leeds gave birth to the infamous Jersey Devil, which has roamed the Pine Barrens ever since.

Or so the story goes…

The truth is, Mother Leeds was a witch and opened the portals to Hell unleashing hundreds of devils into woods. But the villagers next door in Abe’s Hat noticed and formed a secret hunting society to track down the fiends and send them back to the Abyss. Their descendants continue the Hunt in secret to this day.

So grab your pork roll, put on your Piney Power hat and join the hunt, because the Galloway cousins are coming to save you whether you like it or not.”

Author:

“Tony DiGerolamo is a New Jersey screenwriter, novelist, comic book writer, game designer and comedian. He is best known for his work on The Simpsons and Bart Simpson comic books. He has also been a joke writer for Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, a scriptwriter for Space Ghost: Coast to Coast and a blogger for Comedy Central’s Indecision website. You can see his current comics at the Webcomic Factory and Super Frat and his videos at YouTube and Bitchute.”

You can check out Mr. DiGerolamo’s website or his books on Amazon Author Page.

Appraisal:

My Cousin, the Piney is sort of a mash-up of Ghostbusters, except with tricky morphing devils, and the bumbling antics of the Keystone Cops. Due to the vengeance of a witch who opened a portal to hell hundreds of years ago in the woodlands around the small township of Abe Hat, The Piney cousins started a secret society to hunt devils and send them back to hell.

Now imagine you are Lewis, a gambler, who pulls off the expressway on the way to Atlantic City to get gas and ended up in Abe Hat. The locals stare at him strangely because no one just stops in Abe Hat unless they are cousins. For all they know he is a devil they haven’t seen before. Things start moving pretty fast and furious with twists and turns up the wazoo. It’s mostly a fun romp until Lewis gets sucked into one of the portals to Hell. Shelly has taken a liking to Lewis and decides to go save him. Now the cousins have to keep the portal open until Shelly brings Lewis back to the earthly plane. All the while the cousins battle the new devils who are taking advantage of the open portal. It’s all a stinkin’ bloody mess!

The ending was quite a surprise, I wasn’t sure how it was all going to come out. If you enjoy demons, devils, witches, ghosts, secret societies with a lot of humor you might enjoy the antics in this story.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

My Cousin, the Piney is book 1 in Tony DiGerolamo’s series, The Pineys.

Lots of F-Bombs.

Format/Typo Issues:

I want to say a small number of proofing issues. The two that bothered me the most, because they threw me out of the story, was when the author got character’s names mixed up. Which caused a star rating loss.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Review: I Wear My Sunglasses at Night by Paul Aster Cohen

Genre: Horror/Comedy/Fantasy/Vampires

Description:

“On vacation with her boyfriend, Nicky soon finds herself in a predicament as he's kidnapped by a tribe of vampires. Miles from home, she reluctantly joins a dwarf and his coyote, who have their own score to settle with the beasts, and travel across the country to try and save her man before he's gone for good. In the shadows of recent California forest fires, will Nicky defeat the hungry, bloodthirsty horde and perform an impossible rescue or will she become a victim herself?”

Author:

“Paul Aster Cohen is an award winning journalist for The News of San Patricio weekly newspaper and a fiction writer. His novellas, I Wear My Sunglasses at Night and Once Upon a Time in Rehab, will be released in the coming months. He is working on the second novel of his Koufax series while seeking agent representation. He spends what little free time he has with his wife and three children who live with him in Corpus Christi.”

Appraisal:

This novella, I Wear My Sunglasses at Night, was a welcome diversion. It’s a quick read full of action, gore, and humor. Nicky has convinced herself that her boyfriend is going to propose to her on this special trip they are on. Nicky is a health food freak and exercises every day. She has tried to change her boyfriend, Derrick’s, lifestyle to be like hers. Every time they argue Nicky strips 

all her clothes off and the arguing stops. Nicky feels like she won the argument.

When Derrick is ‘kidnapped’ by being forcefully taken from their motel room by vampires, Nicky isn’t going to let these goons take her man. She puts up a good fight, beaten to a bloody pulp, but keeps going back for more. I kept expecting to learn she has a super power, but no, she’s human. There are some surprising twists that keep the story moving forward as Nicky, her delusional dwarf protector, and his pet coyote, Sheky, hunt down the tribe of vampires who took Derrick.

Mr. Cohen’s colorful imagery and unique vampires pulls the reader into the story. I generally try to stay away from horror stories, and didn’t realize one of the genre tags was horror until I started writing my review. I’d call it horror-lite. The ending confrontation blew me away. I did cheer for Nicky every time she killed a vampire, even though I was totally grossed out. I would like to see I Wear My Sunglasses at Night go through another round of editing. The one thing that threw me out of the story is in the beginning Nicky’s hair is brown. Later in the story her hair is blonde. The other proofing errors are just an annoyance.

Bottom line — I Wear My Sunglasses at Night is a unique story with vampires. It’s a quick fun read with proofing issues. If those kind of things bother you then maybe this story is not for you. Otherwise, if you like kickass female leads with a quirky sidekick you’ll likely enjoy this novella.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Lots of blood and gore as well as adult language that may not be acceptable for some readers. You’ve been warned…

Format/Typo Issues:

More proofing misses than there should be for this length of story. Mostly missing or extra words, as well as a few wrong words.

Rating: *** Three Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 20-25,000 words

Reprise Review:Forty-Four (Book Seven) by Jools Sinclair

Genre: Horror/Paranormal/Romance

Description:

“Abby Craig’s worst nightmare has come to life…

When an old friend suddenly reappears, a mysterious darkness begins to hound her. Shadowy truths will claw their way to the surface to finally see the light of day. Life and death hang in the balance when a long-buried secret refuses to stay dead.

As Abby’s black and white world spirals down into a treacherous sea of grays, she is forced to confront the evil stalking her before it consumes everything she loves.”

Author:

Jools Sinclair is an author from Bend, Oregon which is also the setting for the 44 series. Along with continuing this series, she is working on the first book in a new paranormal series.

You can find out more about her and the 44 series on her website.

Appraisal:

I am so glad Forty-Four showed up as a recommendation for me on Amazon back in November of 2011. The eerie cover and book blurb grabbed my attention. The fast-paced story of Abby’s visions—a result of drowning and being declared dead for 44 minutes— drew me right into the story and had me eagerly waiting for the next six books. Ms. Sinclair’s descriptions of the Bend, Oregon area and knowledge about activities available there bring the setting alive. Several of my friends began reading the series and were just as involved with the story as I was. Three of us are reading the books together, discussing the events, and making predictions for the future.

In book seven, Abby continues to harness her ability to deal with her visions and her relationships with Jesse and Ty. One of the strengths of this series is the fully developed secondary characters. My favorites are Abby’s sister Kate, and her co-worker and friend David. What happens between the brothers Dr. Ben and Dr. Nathaniel is chilling. A new intriguing character is introduced that I suspect will be important in the future. Ms. Sinclair’s use of current social constructs enhances the plot and gives the story a realistic, happening-right-now feel. I really enjoy the parts of the story detailing Abby’s culinary skills. I am a foodie, so these moments are mouth-wateringly fun!  I am reluctant to share more specific details or give too many clues about what happens, as it could ruin the suspense for other readers.

My only disappointment is my sadness at reaching the end of the book and having to wait for the next to revisit these characters. Ms. Sinclair’s mix of paranormal abilities, evil characters, romance, and normal life routines makes for an addictive read. I look forward to seeing what is in store for everyone next time. The waiting begins again.

Buy now from:    Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Added for Reprise Review: Forty-Four (Book Seven) by Jools Sinclair was a nominee in the Paranormal Romance category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran April 14, 2013.  

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: Fredlet

Approximate word count: 45-50,000 words

Review: Ants In My Blood by Kevin Berg

Genre: Short Story Collection/Horror

Description:

“Love and parasites, painfully hungry work, people in the water, vindication at a price, itchy needles, lingering debts, ignored warnings, and the true cost of an epidemic. Experience the worst kind of parental guidance, watch the devil bleed, and wait for the eternal messengers to take you apart before carrying the last pieces of you away.

Straddling the boundaries between horror, suspense, dark humor, and the bizarre.”

Author:

“Kevin Berg is the author of Indifference and Daddy Monster. His dark fiction can be found at Pulp Metal Magazine, Near to the Knuckle, The Blood Red Experiment, Horror Sleaze Trash, Trembling With Fear, and Underbelly Magazine, among others.”

Appraisal:

In the acknowledgements at the end of this short story collection the author mentions that most of the stories were written during what he calls a “crazy and heartbreaking year.” It shows. While some of the stories could be classified as horror, many don’t fit that description, but they all have a dark side. Sure, you might laugh at points. I sure did when I discovered the name of the character in one story was Jesus Harold Christ, for example. However, after the initial laugh I quickly discovered that story had a dark side too. (It also had a point to ponder.) Most of the stories were like this. Well written, dark, and yet something more whether it is being thought-provoking, humorous, or entertaining in some other way.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 40-45,000 words

Review: The Gravedigger by Rath Dalton

Genre: Coming of Age/Horror/Short Story

Description:

“Dirk Armen Bohler, a German boy growing up in a French-Canadian neighborhood, makes his way through youth during the depression years. Squeezed between poverty and a failed father figure, he struggles to find his place.”

Author:

Whether the author is using a pen name or actual name, details about him (or could Rath be a her, I’m not sure) are skimpy.

Appraisal:

Twelve year-old Dirk Armen Bohler goes by Armen or Armie. Why he doesn’t go by his first name is at the heart of this story. It has a touch of horror having to do with the Gravedigger the title refers to, but at its heart it is a coming of age story set during the 1940s as the country was coming out of the depression and the second world war was beginning. Although fiction, the story is largely based on the true story of the author’s father-in-law.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 11-12,000 words

Reprise Review: Lessons IV: The Dead Carnival and Other Morbid Drabbles by Michael Crane

Genre: Horror/Flash Fiction

Description:

This is the newest collection of Crane’s series of drabbles, which are flash fiction stories of exactly 100 words. This volume focuses on stories from the carnival. Also included are bonus drabbles and other flash fiction from seven of Crane’s indie author peers: Daniel Pyle, M.P. McDonald, M.S. Verish, J.L. Bryan, Robert J. Duperre, Daniel Arenson, and Jason Letts.

Author:

Michael Crane is a graduate in Fiction Writing from Columbia College Chicago, his hometown school. In addition to the first three Lessons volumes, Crane has a short story collection, In Decline, and a novelette, A Gnome Problem, available for your Kindle. He has also been featured in many short story anthologies. On rare occasions, Crane will post on his blog.

Appraisal:

Can I make this one-hundred words, like each drabble in this collection? We’ll see. While I wish Crane would apply his demented mind to something longer (a novel, or More Declined, my title for the follow-up to his short story collection with tales of normal people, down on their luck), his fans keep saying “more drabbles.” I see them as bite-size stories. Crane’s typically end with a demented twist. Find out what being a “mark” means and why a blowup doll is a bad date. Pyle’s bonus story shows why you shouldn’t mess with the short guy. Yup, one-hundred words.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language.

Added for Reprise Review: Lessons IV by Michael Crane was the winner in the Short Story Collections and Anthologies for B&P 2013 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran April 24, 2012

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 4-5,000 words