Tagged: collection
Review: In The End, Only Darkness by Monica O’Rourke
I first came across Monica O’Rourke‘s writing without realizing it. Another one of my author collegues sent me a link to download “Jasmine and Garlic”. I really enjoyed the short story, but had yet to meet Monica. We finally crossed paths in Las Vegas at KillerCon 4 in 2012. When I heard she had a collection of dark poetry and short horror stories out, I was more than happy to check it out. Not only does it satisfy my needs for well-written short stories, it was nice to meet another female writer for a penchant for the extreme. In The End, Only Darkness is sure to please the reader who seeks out fantastically written scenes of shock and gore.
Stories that deserve mention (aka my faves):
*Attainable Beauty: Molly has an appreciation for art and she’s fallen in love with a certain painting. The painting becomes her idol as she learns each brush stroke and absorbs every colour nuance. While art appreciation is important, has her love for art also becoming a debilitating disease?
*Huntin’ Season: Sometimes the hunters become the hunted. (This story sure resonated with me. Wow. Just wow. I think it was probably my favourite story in the collection.)
*Vade in Pacem: An excellent flash story about the importance of confessing your sins.
*The Rest Of Larry: Larry wakes up in a precarious problem. It seems like he’s half the man he used to be…
*Maternal Instinct: A look into maternal instinct and how some people just don’t have any at all.
*Oral Mohel: Jack decides to convert to Judaism so he can marry Sarah. Circumcision is on the list of to dos, so Jack calls the best in the game.
*An Experiment In Human Nature: Rich kids have too much time on their hands, as told by this gory tale of torture and human will.
Monica’s stories are not for the faint of heart, but if you’re looking for something to read that makes you say, “Oh my god…” This would be the perfect collection for you.
***Five out of Five Stars***
Pick up an e-copy of In The End, Only Darkness – HERE.
MDG
Review: Black Bubbles by Kelli Owen
Thinking it would simplify my first reviewing task, I chose “Black Bubbles” a short story collection by Kelli Owen. I figured I could read a few stories per sitting, over the course of a few days. I could take my time, jot down take some notes on the stories and then formulate a concise review. The idea was sound, but once I started reading Black Bubbles, my plan changed.
Story after story, I was hooked and I couldn’t put the book down.
The collection contains 21 stories of differing themes. From ghosts to zombies, to serial killers and women scorned, Kelli’s stories touch on all kinds of scary things nightmares are made from. Through her descriptive storytelling, her words paint an easy-to-imagine picture in your mind’s eye, allowing you to follow her well-developed characters as they deal with their extraordinary situations. The lengths of the 21 tales vary from quick flash reads, 500 words long, (“The Rabbit” and “Brian Made Me Do It”), to full-length short stories (“Spell” and “How’s That Make You Feel?”). There’s even a “poetry-esque” free verse entitled “Shadows in a Bowl of Soup.”
Here are a few of the stories that stood out and deserve extra mention:
“The Worst intentions”: Patti and Debbie are the main characters in this short but intense story. The action begins almost immediately with a scene involving the two women and what should be ultimate terror, yet Kelli Owen paints an eerie picture of calm and serenity as they come to terms with their situation.
“Potential”: A story of secrets, loneliness, dating and death. The twists in this plot will keep the reader guessing throughout the story.
“Trials and Tribulations of Dr. Jekyll’s Third Cousin Twice Removed”: The title alone is enough to pique interest in the reader. The story is a humorous but disgusting account of what may happen when homemade acne cream comes with mutative side effects. “Trials and Tribulations… Removed” is easily the most horrific story in the collection.
“Black Bubbles”: The story after which the collection is named is the final story in the book. Henry is trying to stay alive, just like everyone else. The “Shadows”/black bubbles are like nothing anyone has ever seen before. Kelli walks us through a scary day-in-the-life-of-Henry and what could happen if our nightmares ever became real.
Black Bubbles is proof that some of the scariest tales are sometimes formed from the most mundane of ideas. The author’s notes included at the end of each chapter allow the reader a personal glimpse into the mind of the writer, as Kelli Owen takes a few moments to describe how the ideas for her stories came to be.
Kelli Owen has once again excelled in her ability to weave a story—or 21 of them—which will captivate the reader from start to finish. The variety of themes in Kelli’s storytelling ensures there is something to suit all tastes. Black Bubbles will please both the serious horror fan and the short story aficionado.
Black Bubbles is Recommended as Mandytory Reading!
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