Tagged: short story

Review: All That Is Left Is Chance by Jacob Haddon

All that is left is chance“Jacob Haddon grabs you by the hand and seduces you over Times Square as it disappears. Noir at heart, this is one party you’re not likely to forget.”

All That Is Left Is Chance by Jacob Haddon was the first story to be put out in the One Night Stands series by Perpetual Motion Machine Publishing.

What do you get when you combine a party, an intriguing woman and a slowly disappearing Times Square? A quick, interesting story written in the first person, a narrative style I really enjoy. Haddon does a great job at building suspense up until the very end.

I don’t want to give too much away but do yourself a favour and check out All That Is Left Is Chance.

You can get a copy for only $0.99 HERE.

Four out of five stars.

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!

Now available in eBook format on Amazon for $3.99.